Hotel Reviews
Our edit of the best hotels around the world, from design-forward city stays to beachfront getaways and wilderness lodges. If we don’t love it, we won’t cover it.
The Calile Hotel, Brisbane, Australia
Fifties style worthy of an architecture magazine. A spa offering vampire facials. One of Brisbane’s best Greek restaurants. It’s no wonder The Calile Hotel is a playground for the well-heeled. James Street and Fortitude Valley are on its doorstep.
The Standard, London
More than just a London hotel, The Standard’s multiple retro spaces to eat, drink, greet and lounge make it a honeypot for cool kids.
Hotel Vilòn, Rome, Italy
A springboard to central Rome, Hotel Vilòn feels at once intimate, modern and sympathetic to its regal heritage. Suites overlook the private Palazzo Borghese gardens, and Adelaide restaurant is award winning. Come summer, negronis on the terrace are a no-brainer.
Wild Escapes, Fullerton Farm, Andover
Overlooking award-winning Hampshire vineyards and putting the style in sustainable staycations, these four luxury forest dwellings are taking the UK's treehouse trend to new heights.
Bibury Farm Barns, Cirencester, Cotswolds
Chocolate-box villages, cookie-cutter cottages and bang-average Airbnbs are as common in the Cotswolds as DFLs (down from Londoners) are queuing outside Daylesford. Until Bibury Farm Barns flung open its doors and shook up the UK’s self-catering scene, that is.
J.K. Place Roma, Rome, Italy
Near the Piazza del Popolo, Castel Sant’Angelo and the Campo de’ Fiori, hotel J.K. Place Roma is an ideal base for discovering Rome’s star attractions – and a contemporary-cool retreat for a little R&R (and a decent negroni) between the sights.
Wilderness Reserve, Suffolk, UK
Situated on a sprawling estate in a little-discovered pocket of East Anglia, Wilderness Reserve is collection of cottages rewriting the traditional self-catering stay. Spend days free-wheeling through woodland or foraging in the bucolic grounds.
Villa d’Este, Lake Como, Italy
Hideaway of the jet set and the glitterati, the celebrated Villa d’Este is caught between Lake Como and it’s own private parkland. Spend days by the floating pool, strolling through the grounds and letting white-gloved waiters fawn over you while you dine on the lakeside terrace.
Villa Soukillia, Corfu, Greece
Rising from the cliffs of Corfu, the eight-bedroom Villa Soukillia is the haute couture of self-catered holiday homes. Great for a sun-seeking group getaway, it comes with a fully stocked kitchen, infinity pool and a private beach. Want more? The harbour town of Kassiopi is on the doorstep – and we’ve found its best restaurants.
Amanzoe, Peloponnese, Greece
Just over two hours’ drive from Athens, this marble-columned hilltop hotel is the ideal base for lazy, poolside days and sunset tipples overlooking the Aegean Sea. Like any Aman property, Amanzoe has a wealth of restaurant offerings, a state-of-the-art spa and exceptional service – oh, and the Beach Club is within easy reach.
The Gritti Palace, Venice, Italy
A Venetian institution, The Gritti Palace draws discerning travellers with its 15th-century charm and views across the Grand Canal. Thanks to its state-of-the-art spa and Italian menus, it’s the perfect base for exploring La Serenissima – so long as you finish the day with cocktails on Bar Longhi’s famed terrace.
Le Sirenuse, Positano, Italy
Clinging to the cliffside about a hundred steps from Positano's heaving seafront, legendary Le Sirenuse offers a beguiling escape from the holidaymaker humdrum that is the Amalfi Coast during summer months.
Castello di Ugento, Puglia, Italy
Away from Italy’s tourist hotspots of Bari, Ostuni and Alberobello, this revamped 17th-century castle (and family home) immerses guests in southern Italian culture with its world-class cookery school, Puglian tasting menus, artistic flair and surprisingly green eco-credentials.
Alila Jabal Akhdar, Al Hajar Mountains, Oman
Reminiscent of an ancient Omani fort, Alila Jabal Akhdar clings to the side of its namesake mountain. Beyond its spectacular infinity pool, you can indulge in an array of wellness activities including yoga, and meditation before evenings spent beneath the stars. Its locavore fare and eco-conscious initiatives attract those looking to harmonise themselves with the impressive natural surrounds.
Airelles Gordes, La Bastide, France
If Gordes is the darling of Provence, then we’ve fallen head over heels for its most romantic hotel, Airelles Gordes, La Bastide. Gazing across the Luberon Valley from medieval ramparts, its lavender-strewn terraced gardens, clubby bar and vaulted spa draw bon vivants summering in the South of France.