Daily Tablet Hotel

Valamar Riviera Hotel & Residence : Porec, Croatia

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 04:00:44 GMT

The Valamar Riviera Hotel is perched at the water’s edge in Porec, a 2,000-year-old seaside town encompassing 37 kilometers of pristine Adriatic coastline on the western edge of Croatia’s Istrian Peninsula. Once a beloved vacation spot for Habsburg monarchs, Porec is finding new life as a destination for the Adriatic pleasure-seekers who swell the town’s population during the late-summer high season, as Croatia’s coastline reinvents itself as a Riviera for the new century.

The hotel’s red-orange façade blends with the surrounding rooftops to form a distinctively Eastern European waterfront tableau. Inside, the design acknowledges the community’s seagoing history with a clean nautical aesthetic that defines the 105 guest rooms. Decorated with a crisp Adriatic blend of creams and blues — giving Greece’s classic Aegean blue-and-white color scheme a run for its money — most rooms feature an ocean-view or city-view balcony along with parquet floors and a wall-mounted flatscreen TV.

The Valamar Riviera is steps away from seemingly endless beaches, but guests also have access to the private unspoiled beauty of St. Nikola’s island via the private boat that leaves from the marina in front of the hotel. Those who elect to stay on the mainland find themselves in the heart of Porec’s old town, free to explore the Byzantine mosaics of the Euphrasian Basilica or simply relax on the hotel terrace, where luminaries from the surprisingly vibrant local jazz scene give frequent concerts.

San Ysidro Ranch : Santa Barbara, CA, USA

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 04:00:43 GMT

This spot on the outskirts of Santa Barbara hasn’t been a ranch, strictly speaking, for quite some time, unless one considers rustling up the likes of Audrey Hepburn, Winston Churchill and John and Jackie Kennedy (not all at the same time, mind) to be a traditional ranching activity. San Ysidro Ranch, these days, is more like what might have once been called a health farm, albeit an exceedingly luxurious one.

Rather than steaks and eggs, or whatever it was that Old West ranchers ate, guests at San Ysidro dine on California cuisine prepared largely from the gardens on premises. Post-meal you’ll retire to a room that’s big and comfortable, California-rustic in style, with a king bed, a stone fireplace and heated bathroom floors. The rooms are big and plush enough, but the suites and cottages, in addition to some extra space, add private hot tubs on outdoor patios.

Though it lacks for little in the way of thoughtful luxury, what’s probably most remarkable about San Ysidro Ranch is the understatedness of it all — in Southern California this low-key, discreet atmosphere is the absolute height of desirability. You may well see some familiar faces, but you can count on the staff to keep a secret. Sure, we dropped some big names in the first paragraph, but it took decades for those to get out — and if you’re not quite on JFK’s level, celebrity-wise, you can count on the better part of a century’s worth of discretion.

Sheraton Kuwait Hotel & Towers : Kuwait City, Kuwait

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 04:00:42 GMT

Following a lengthy postwar rebuilding period, Kuwait City’s resurgence as one of the Middle East’s most vibrant commercial centers has made it a fertile breeding ground for glittering five-star chain hotels. Famously gutted during the Gulf War, and subsequently renovated in an effort to resurrect its stately elegance, the Sheraton Kuwait stands as a resilient alternative to the breathless, overly sleek modernization that surrounds it.

Sheraton Kuwait’s 300 airy guest rooms are decorated with a palette of creams and yellows, while fetching gold accents evoke turn-of-the-century opulence without being overbearing. Bathrooms feature marble countertops, spacious glass-walled showers and the now-obligatory wall-mounted flatscreen TVs. The hotel’s location in the central business district makes for convenient sightseeing and shopping, not to mention spectacular views of the Arabian Sea. Hungry guests may want to consider working their way through the hotel’s seven(!) restaurants, which cover a remarkable breadth of international cuisines, from Lebanese to Indian to Kuwait’s first Italian restaurant, Riccardo. For business travelers, there’s wi-fi in every room, along with a robust selection of conference rooms and event halls, including a 268-square-meter rooftop ballroom with a panoramic view.

With an exploding GDP and a currency that ranks as one of the world’s strongest, Kuwait City is not a place that’s especially well suited to budget-minded travelers. And this is most certainly not a budget hotel — it’s a towering example of old-world luxury in a city that’s poised to become one of the Middle East’s most-visited hotspots.

Vintage Hotel Brussels : Brussels, Belgium

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 04:00:41 GMT

The Vintage Hotel is a newly minted alternative to the ponderous corporate chains that swallow up business travelers and EU bureaucrats in Brussels’ European Quarter. Located a few metro stops away from the bustling administrative nexus, the Vintage’s charming retro-boutique ambience is a testament to the refreshingly personal vision of its energetic owners, Fabian and Isabelle Henrion.

What this hotel lacks in luxury-hotel amenities it makes up for in quirky personality. A former retirement home converted by the Henrions in 2009, this 29-room boutique offers an intimate experience, akin to visiting a charmingly eccentric family with a witty sense of style. Each room reflects a unique aspect of the hotel’s colorful sixties-inspired aesthetic; picture the curvy appliances and bright pastel furniture of mod-era Carnaby Street rather than blacklight posters and lava lamps. And this isn’t some soulless big-business co-opting of hip nostalgic vibes: each piece of the stylish decor has been lovingly selected by the Henrions from high-end antique shops throughout Europe.

In lieu of a standard hotel restaurant, the Vintage supplies a selection of local cheeses and fresh-baked bread as part of its daily breakfast buffet. In a typically thoughtful touch, the wine bar also offers lessons from the award-winning Belgian sommelier Tim Vandeput. For guests in search of a more expansive urban experience, the hotel is conveniently located on Avenue Louise, home to an abundance of designer stores and fine restaurants.

Hotel Spa Mizpe Hayamim : Rosh Pina, Israel

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 04:00:41 GMT

Hotel Spa Mizpe Hayamim has the hedonistic treatments and fine dining you’d expect from a Relais & Châteaux–listed property. What you might not expect, however, is the amount of comestibles and beautifiers grown on site. Or made, baked, dried, skimmed, picked, pickled, fermented, and so on. The resort is very much a working farm, with livestock, dairy production, even candle, oil, and soap making. Each morning leaves are selected from the herb gardens and orchards for the so-called tea corners and for the spa’s unique Galilean Harmony approach, which incorporates locally sourced flora into various scrubs and massages. Jewelers and artisans shape their wares at the crafts gallery.

The prevailing attitude might be rustic and organic (even the indoor swimming pool and two large Jacuzzis are chemical-free), but that doesn’t mean you’ll be sleeping on hemp. Rooms are decorated pleasantly, in a muted palette of earth tones and pastels; woven wool rugs in maroons and golds are about the only sign that you’re in the Middle East, in terms of the décor. Looking out the window produces another sensation entirely, as the buildings overlook the Sea of Galilee and the Golan Heights.

Included with your room is dinner at the mostly vegetarian restaurant, where freshly caught fish is also served. Or you can eat at the hotel’s second restaurant, where meat is served. This separation of milk and meat is, of course, a firm nod to the location in Northern Israel. For more eateries, as well as a change of scenery, the lively small town of Rosh Pina is a quick jaunt.

Gilpin Lodge Country House Hotel : Windermere, Cumbria, England, UK

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 04:00:41 GMT

At the accessible end of the Lake District, a mile or two above Windermere, the grandest of the lakes, there’s a family-owned country house hotel which, over the last two decades, has quietly, painstakingly made a reputation for itself. Despite a welcome modern influence in the design — and in the architecture of its graceful expansions — Gilpin Lodge is a classic.

Some English country houses fall over themselves to show how hip, how youthful, how fun they are, with a cartoonish sense of design and a self-consciously silly name for everything. Gilpin Lodge aims instead for classic country-house hospitality. You might not be audibly admonished at the table for reaching for the wrong bit of silver, but you will find you’re trusted, in some measure, to provide your own fun.

In this atmosphere of high propriety it’s perhaps a little bit surprising to find the rooms as modern as they are. Even the classic rooms in the old house have evolved with the times — they’re contemporary Georgian, not historical-reenactment Georgian. And the modern rooms and suites in the newer buildings are just plain contemporary, their clean lines and cutting-edge gadgetry lending themselves to a feel that’s much more urbane than you might expect from the Lake District.

The expansive and thougtful public rooms are meant to be lived in rather than rented out, and the spa is fully equipped. All fine indeed. But it’s the restaurant that is perhaps Gilpin Lodge’s greatest draw, serving sophisticated, award-winning dishes crafted from local Cumbrian ingredients.

How to get there:

Gilpin Lodge is located approximately ninety minutes’ drive from Manchester Airport (STN). Please contact customerservice@tablethotels.com to arrange airport transfers.

Duque Hotel Boutique & Spa : Buenos Aires, Argentina

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 04:00:40 GMT

Another bride, another groom, another boutique hotel in Buenos Aires. In a city crowded with hip places to stay, you have to do something to stand out from the crowd. Duque Hotel Boutique is one of those rare places that doesn’t need a gimmick or even a high concept: they just do all of the little things right.

First and foremost is the location. Duque sits smack dab in the middle of the city’s (arguably) most desirable neighborhood, Palermo Soho, a hotbed of fashionable cocktail bars and shops where good-looking locals crowd the sidewalk cafes.Second, the look: Duque mixes old and new, refined and whimsical, resulting in an atmosphere that’s warm and romantic but thoroughly contemporary.

The building still has old bones, though the interiors have been restored and shaped, so the five guest rooms aren’t overly spacious, but all are well-appointed. The decor includes tongue-in-cheek antiques like a vintage hatstand or a 1920s-style chair alongside modern amenities like flat-screen TVs and sleek linens; the color palette, fittingly, features muted black, charcoal, and white with bright pops of burgundy and cherry red. Wireless internet access is complimentary and each room comes with a mini-fridge that’s a godsend on sweltering Argentinian afternoons.

As the name indicates, the hotel also has a spa and a swimming pool, both petite but pretty — like everything on the property. It’s exactly these qualities, the small scale and the careful attention to detail, that make the Duque so lovely. And isn’t that what boutique hotels were supposed to be about? Especially in Buenos Aires, where the very concept has been watered down and the spirit lost in knock-off boutique hotels around town, the idea suddenly seems very novel indeed.

W Minneapolis : Minneapolis, MN, USA

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 04:00:40 GMT

A W Hotel is a bit of a departure for Minneapolis, a much-needed step forward in a very traditional hotel scene. And equally, this particular hotel is a bit of a departure for the W brand, thanks to the building where it makes its home — not a purpose-built glass-faced modern structure, but the Foshay Tower, an icon in limestone since 1929. Hence the full name: W Minneapolis – The Foshay.

The building’s conversion uncovered some historic Art Deco details, many of which, now restored, are visible on the ground floor. But as you ascend to the guest floors, you move forward in time, stylistically speaking at least — the rooms are every bit as vibrantly modern as you’d expect them to be, right down to the vivid crimson accents, a W signature, and they’re stocked with all the necessities, from plush robes to flat screens and iPod docks.

Under the hip, youthful veneer, the W hotels are of course essentially the equal of any big luxury hotel, with a full-service spa, a well-equipped business center, plus a couple of fine restaurants and bars. Manny’s, the steakhouse, serves an upscale take on hearty Midwestern fare. But it’s the bar, Prohibition, that’s really unique — it’s made from Wilbur Foshay’s old office, for one, which is on the 27th floor, complete with an observation deck, installed back when the Foshay was the tallest building this side of Chicago.

ABode Glasgow : Glasgow, Scotland, UK

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 04:00:09 GMT

It’s not just in the area of stylish yet accessible design that the UK’s homegrown mini-chains excel. There’s also the not-so-small matter of the cooking. Among the latest on the scene is ABode, which is part-owned by the celebrated British chef Michael Caines. After some successful openings in England they’ve found themselves north of the border, turning an old Edwardian government building into the ABode Glasgow.

The concept is design-conscious, but not so fashion-forward as to be alienating. Interiors geeks will find plenty to care about, but the style-agnostic will find they’re quite able to get on with the business of being comfortable (without, as is one of the hazards of boutique hotels, feeling as though they’re wired directly into the id of some star designer). The most basic rooms aren’t enormous, but are stylish and cleverly planned — and at the high end the ABode does land quite squarely in luxury territory.

Naturally the restaurants are a large portion of the ABode’s draw, both the white-tablecloth Michael Caines and the more casual BarMC and Grill. There’s also a lounge which goes several steps beyond typical hotel-bar fare — with a separate street entrance, and DJs playing most nights, it caters to Glasgow’s notoriously lively nightlife scene.

Abode Chester : Chester, England, UK

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 04:00:18 GMT

Nowhere has the boutique hotel movement put down deeper roots than in the United Kingdom. Chic modern hospitality isn’t confined just to London, or Manchester, or Edinburgh — here even the secondary markets (and the secondary secondary markets) have stylish boutique hotels that would be the envy of some national capitals. This is a country where outfits like the ABode Chester thrive.

It’s a swanky modern glass-fronted building, with eighty-five very attractive wood-floored residential-style rooms and suites. The look is contemporary and urbane, and the details are quite up to standards — no corners are cut, with wall-mounted LCD televisions, efficient modern wet rooms and oversized enamel baths. Businesspeople will find the ABode to be more than suitable, and luxury refugees from the capital, equally, will find they’ve made very little in the way of compromise.

The gym is the equal of those in many a bigger hotel. But the ace in the hole is Michael Caines. The Devon-born chef has an outpost on the top floor, with a commanding view over Chester, the surrounding countryside, and the Welsh border. Here, needless to say, the old clichés about British cooking are laid to rest for good — just another measure of how much British hospitality has changed.

Abode Chester : Chester, England, UK

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 04:00:17 GMT

Abode Chester : Chester, England, UK

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 04:00:14 GMT

Chalet Dolce Vita : Madonna di Campiglio, Trentino, Italy

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 04:00:04 GMT

Chalet Dolce Vita is open annually from December to April and then from June to September.

Life is sweet at Chalet Dolce Vita — but you probably knew we were going to say that. Plenty of ski resorts use the natural landscape as an excuse: they assume you’ll be too tired from an all-day jaunt in the Dolomites to notice an overlooked detail or there. Not so at this hotel, where the experience inside is nearly as awe-inspiring as the one outside.

The combo lobby-lounge has an always-roaring fire. If that’s not enough, the staff will happily provide blankets to guests who wish to enjoy a drink, a book, or a nibble from the restaurant while so ensconced. Wood predominates, but instead of the intensity produced by the dark, heavy crossbeams found in a typical chalet, here the effect is one of airiness and joy.

Each of the accommodation floors has a theme: velvet, meant to evoke the sunset over nearby peaks; wool, meant to evoke the excellent sensation of watching a snowstorm from a safe-and-warm vantage point; and famous mountaineers, whose black-and-white portraits are meant to evoke the spirit of Alpine adventure. Some rooms even come with a fireplace or their very own mini climbing walls. And, yes, we do believe that’s a real fur throw on the bed.

For such a petite hotel, the spa offers an awful lot. Much of it is free and open to all guests, rather than only the select few who shell out for treatments. In addition to the flatteringly lit indoor tide pool, a salt cave, color therapy, atomizers, and so-called “hot and cold emotional showers” — yes, this is Italy — are available.

How to get there:

Chalet Dolce Vita is approximately ninety minutes' drive from either Trento or Bolzano.

Saint James : Bouliac, Bordeaux, France

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 04:00:20 GMT

Here’s something rather unexpected. Surrounded by the idyllic French countryside, just a few minutes outside of Bordeaux, is the Hauterive Saint James, a classic French country hotel with a twist. Where you may expect to see a classic farmhouse inn, the Saint James is a design statement, a conspicuously modern structure covered in panels of weathered steel grating, recalling the appearance of the region’s traditional tobacco drying barns.

The hotel’s interiors are no less inspired, though perhaps more familiar; these Zen-inflected minimalist spaces are large and airy, outfitted with platform beds of blonde wood and walled in white plaster, to expand the already generous spaces. Windows open out onto a view of the Garonne river and the Bordeaux countryside. Bang & Olufsen entertainment systems are standard, and all layouts are unique; one room comes complete with a Harley-Davidson motorcycle as, one presumes, some sort of makeshift couch.

The cuisine is one of the main attractions here; though the founding chef has since moved on, Michel Portos’s restaurant is fantastic, as is the Bistroy brasserie. The wine list, naturally, is extensive, as is the collection of cognacs and armagnacs at the hotel bar and cigar room, and out back, guests lounge on the teakwood deck, framing a sleek black swimming pool. Not your grandfather’s Bordeaux, perhaps, but quite suited to its surroundings, once you get the hang of it.

Jupiter Hotel : Portland, OR, USA

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 04:00:18 GMT

Though there’s a certain family resemblance between a hotel like the Jupiter and the glossy high-design luxury boutiques you see in the design magazines, the small-market American budget boutique is an altogether different sort of place. The Jupiter, the Thunderbird or the Hotel San Jose in the heart of Texas, the Ace in Seattle: all are visually appealing, stylishly designed, and all are eminently livable; luxury, however, is not a part of the program.

Get your head around this idea and you’re in for a good time. The Jupiter, like its cohorts, is aimed at young, creative types, an audience that’s interested in design and in thoughtful and quirky hotels, but that would feel underdressed in a high-gloss hotel like one of Ian Schrager’s, for example. The Jupiter’s guests are more likely artists who don't spend much time sleeping in their hotel rooms than design-industry professionals with expense accounts.

It’s hard to imagine feeling underdressed in the Jupiter, or anywhere in Portland, a deeply casual city. It’s an unprepossessing sort of hotel, a renovated Sixties motor inn attached to the Doug Fir Lounge, one of Portland’s top bars and live music venues. This makes for a lively atmosphere, and more than a little noise; choose a front-side room if you’re social, and a back-side one if you’re a fussy sleeper. Inside they’re handsomely minimalist, mostly white, with bold wallpaper — photorealistic forest scenes, or vibrant cartoony florals — and simple Blu Dot furnishings alongside recognizable designer pieces (provenance not guaranteed). Comfortable, to be sure, but far from decadent.

Big-city boutique clichés like pricy fusion restaurants or $18 hotel-bar cocktails are right out — the Doug Fir is more about upmarket diner fare, and like any indie-hipster bar, it pours more Pabst Blue Ribbon than martinis or mojitos. If you’re up for it, you can get yourself a massage on-site, or even a haircut, but extras like these are somewhat beside the point. The Jupiter is quite naturally a part of what’s happening in Portland, and you’ll see as many locals as out-of-towners in this stylish crowd — and that touch of authenticity is something money can’t buy.

The Fairmont Tremblant : Mont Tremblant, Quebec, Canada

Sun, 29 Aug 2010 04:00:05 GMT

When you think of Canadian mountain resorts you probably think of the Rockies, of Whistler first, then perhaps Banff and Lake Louise in Alberta. Eastern Canada is rarely mentioned as a top winter destination — which meant it's either woefully underrated, or a well-kept secret, depending on your perspective.

For sheer geographical significance the Laurentians may not have much on the Rockies, but that fact does little to dim Mont Tremblant's reputation as the wintertime pride of French-speaking Canada. As is true of all things Québécois, this picturesque resort town has a more European feel than the Western resorts, and the hotel itself would not look out of place in the Swiss Alps.

The slopes are just outside, and guests can ski-in and ski-out. Guest rooms are thoroughly modern, if a little rustic in appearance, and the hotel's facilities are state-of-the-art, including a spa and health club, an outdoor pool open year-round, and extensive business facilities. The hotel is at its best during ski season, of course, but there is plenty to recommend Mont Tremblant in summer, with its scenic natural surroundings and wealth of warm-weather activities, from hiking and golfing to mountain biking and water sports.

Le Reve Hotel & Spa : Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico

Sat, 28 Aug 2010 04:00:16 GMT

The Riviera Maya is nobody’s idea of uncharted territory. But in between the big luxury chains and the bare-bones motels there are some hidden gems, if you know where to look. One of these — recognizable, even sight unseen, for its against-the-grain linguistic preferences — is Le Rêve Hotel & Spa, a small, low-key, yet distinctly stylish little boutique resort, just north of Playa del Carmen.

Minimalist design combines with traditional elements like classic Mexican tilework to create a style that’s chic but not overdone. And while it’s not exactly five-star lavish, this all-suite property is more than comfortable enough. The most basic suites come with private terraces and gardens and Roman baths, while the higher-end ones include balconies or decks with views of the beach, and, in the case of the bungalows, private pools.

There’s a spa and a fairly well-equipped fitness center, and the option of private yoga sessions against the Caribbean backdrop. With a location slightly off the path, Le Rêve depends upon its in-house restaurant and its own beach bar. And don’t underrate the simplest amenity of all: Le Rêve faces onto a dreamy stretch of gorgeous white Caribbean sand.

How to Get There

Le Rêve Hotel & Spa is located approximately 33 miles from Cancún International Airport. The hotel can arrange private transfers(recommended), or it is possible to make the trip by taxi. Expect the drive to take about 45 minutes.

CastaDiva Resort : Blevio, Lake Como, Italy

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 04:00:30 GMT

The “diva” in CastaDiva Resort has two meanings: it refers to the opera star, Giuditta Pasta, who once lived there, and it refers to the way the staff and surroundings conspire to make all guests, maschio and femmina, feel special.

Let’s talk location first. The property overlooks Lake Como, always one of the world’s most desirable destinations, as the stately hotels and private homes dotting the shores will attest. Indeed, some of the buildings that constitute the CastaDiva date to the eighteenth century, others to the nineteenth.

And some elements are totally new. For example, a floating pool now extends into the lake. At night it transforms into a dancing fountain, set to arias. The huge spa includes a glass floor suspended over an ancient dock, as well as four VIP spa suites, dedicated to the four elements. Unsurprisingly, rooms and public spaces make the most of the spectacular views; they’re also draped in swooping fabrics and decorated with portraits of plump, bejeweled aristocracy. The décor evokes a genteel Beaux Arts vibe.

We should note too that all bedrooms are soundproof, particularly important if a fellow guest decides to act like a diva, in addition to being treated like one. If you really need privacy, opt for one of the two residential villas, nestled within the botanic park that encompasses the resort.

Not one but two gourmet restaurants feature nouveau Italian, although exclusive chef and butler service can be arranged. Guests pay a fee to use the wellness center, including the salt therapy area, Turkish bath, and two types of saunas, Mediterranean and Finnish.

How to get there:
CastaDiva Resort is 5 km from Como, 45 km from Milan and 37 km from Lugano (Switzerland). The nearest aiports are Milan Malpensa, Milan Linate, Milan Orio al Serio and Lugano. Please contact customerservice@tablethotels.com for assistance with airport transfers.

Hotel Re! : Singapore, Singapore

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 04:00:30 GMT

Just see if you can hold on to your outdated stereotypes about stuffy, serious Singapore, in the face of evidence like the Hotel Re. This place draws freely from an infinity of pan-global pop-culture influences from the Sixties and Seventies, from mid-century Scandinavian modernism to disco, Hollywood and rock & roll — and colonial-era Singapore, it’s safe to say, is nowhere among them.

Bold colors and graphic silhouettes considerably liven the rooms, which, as is the norm in Singapore, aren’t exactly palatial in size. At this end of the market you don’t expect top-shelf luxury, but the Re offers a more than reasonable amount of comfort, along with a massive dose of fun. Here LCD televisions are as much a space-saving measure as they are an extravagance — but of course smart living is smart living, and the result, no matter the intention, is the same.

Re!Fill is the hotel’s restaurant, responsible for everything from the breakfast buffet to a pizza margherita at 11pm. And where you’d expect perhaps a noisy nightclub, Re!Wine surprises, with an al fresco wine bar on the second-floor terrace. And though the Re’s urban location places it close to most of the best of Singapore’s cityscape, the tranquil Pearl Hill Park lies just out the back.

Hotel Re! : Singapore, Singapore

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 04:00:27 GMT

Anantara Lawana Resort and Spa : Koh Samui, Thailand

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 04:00:27 GMT

It’s not exactly remote; Koh Samui’s Chaweng Beach is a busy place, with plenty of development supporting a thriving tourist trade. So the success of the Anantara Lawana lies in large part in the way it creates an atmosphere of tranquil seclusion, while still offering easy access to all the bustle of this most vibrant of island destinations.

The site lies just a bit north of Chaweng, on its own corner of the island — so its beach, truly private, has a bit of that Robinson Crusoe vibe, rare indeed on Koh Samui. The accommodations do their part as well, as many of the rooms and villas come with shared or private plunge pools and semi-outdoor bathrooms.

Stylistically it’s contemporary but not aggressively modern, with plenty of classic elements — four-poster beds, fine antique woodwork — and a comfortable residential feeling rather than a deep-jungle thatched-roof one. Anantara has always specialized in a sophisticated and urbane version of the high-end beach escape, and on that score this one is no different.

They also specialize in spas of a certain quality, and a dining experience that’s worth staying in for — especially important in Thailand, where a strong tradition of street food undermines many a would-be upscale restaurant. It’s Samui minus the crowds, with an extra measure of gentility.

Hotel Brick : Mexico City, Mexico

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 04:00:27 GMT

A neighborhood modeled on one of Europe’s great capitals deserves a hotel modeled on Europe’s most stylish boutiques — and so La Roma, with its wide, tree-lined avenues and artsy vibe, has Hotel Brick. It’s located on a handsome street, almost equidistant from two lush parks. Nearby are the galleries, cafes, markets, museums, and bars that make the area so popular with residents and visitors. And there’s more to come, as the recent construction boom shows no sign of slowing.

But back to the hotel. The building blends the past with the present. A multi-story glass addition rises behind the original Beaux Arts structure, itself made of light-colored brick. Such postmodern mash-ups sometimes feel weirdly sci-fi. Not so here, in part because of scale: Hotel Brick has only 17 guest rooms. Nevertheless, it boasts two restaurants, an elegant, three-star French brasserie and a casual, locally sourced café, plus multiple seating areas with table service, including a terrace out front. Our favorite spot has low light and gently gurgling water in a brick-lined, golden trough that doubles as a swim lane.

The handful of larger suites come with some or all of the following: a private balcony, hot tub, and dining room. Whether a standard single or penthouse loft, all accommodations feature Kiehl’s products as well as a personalized pillow menu. This emphasis on customization continues through the staff, each of whom pledges to fulfill any request, within reason; the Rest Concierge program ranges from in-room treats to organizing spa treatments and tickets to offering detailed restaurant recommendations.

Hotel Re! : Singapore, Singapore

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 04:00:27 GMT

Pousada Porto Imperial : Paraty, Brazil

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 04:00:21 GMT

Mention Brazil at a party and prepare for a stream of travel anecdotes. Someone’s been to Carnaval in Rio, another attended fashion shows in São Paulo, one has been camping in the Amazon; you’ll hear about beach buggies in Natal and African cuisine in Salvador. One name that probably won’t come up is Paraty — and it remains a curious omission, considering that the historic seaside town, rich with colonial architecture and circled with breathtaking mountains and waterfalls, is just as much a highlight.

Since Paraty is a smaller dot on the tourist map, so to speak, its pousadas aren’t like the minimalist design havens or extravagant resort-style getaways popping up around Brazil. Pousada Porto Imperial is perhaps the finest of the city’s simple, beautifully preserved hotels that cater to the tastes of Brazilian vacationers and in-the-know European jet-setters. Positioned in the historic center, the pousada occupies a lovely old mansion, but somehow it feels cozy rather than palatial: the public spaces still bear some trappings of gentler days, from antique wooden chairs to framed portraits on the mantel, but by and large the interiors feel casual, warm and contemporary. You’ll find lots of greenery and white sofas, folk artwork and exposed stone, throughout the hotel and its guest rooms — tranquil, simply furnished spaces with free wi-fi.

The pousada’s location makes it an ideal base from which to explore Paraty, and the breakfast buffet is lavish even by Brazilian standards: think exotic fresh fruits, gourmet coffee and just-baked pastries that practically melt in your mouth. But the pousada’s real draw is the central courtyard, where dark wood sun loungers topped with fluffy white cushions surround a petite but picturesque swimming pool — the perfect place to recover from the inevitable breakfast binge.

Yi House Art Hotel 798 : Beijing, China

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 04:00:06 GMT

Overall the story of Beijing’s recent development is one of practicality over aesthetics. One place that’s not entirely true is the 798 Art Zone, the designated arts district — think of it as something a little like New York’s SoHo, except a little more spread-out, a little more organized, and, well, in Beijing. It’s the only place a hotel like the Yi House could possibly exist.

With some notable exceptions the Beijing hotel scene tends toward the utilitarian. This, of course, is one of those exceptions. The district, the clientele, the contemporary Chinese art world, all of these things give the Yi House license to flex its creative muscles a bit. This former crystal factory has had a residential-luxe makeover, and though it’s decidedly boutique-sized — just thirty rooms — it’s not a case of personality compensating for rough edges. There are no rough edges.

The interior style is equal parts classic Deco influence and contemporary Chinese. A proper luxury boutique hotel, these days, is more than a lodging — it’s a meeting point, a social fixture. Gossip Bar aims to be the next Chaoyang hotspot and the restaurant, Fennel, with a particular focus on fresh seafood, is a part of the city’s new movement towards creative international cuisine.

Villa Le Maschere Resort : Florence, Tuscany, Italy

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 04:00:03 GMT

The archetypal Florentine villa wears a patina of age, often applied at great expense with a damp sponge — and this, for some reason, is what passes for authenticity. Villa Le Maschere takes a different tack. In their vision, you get closer to the past by turning back the clock — and by cleaning away the ravages of time, you reveal a much more authentic picture of Tuscany, a timeless version, one that allows guests to inhabit the place itself in the present, without the distance of the intervening centuries.

By now you’ve undoubtedly seen those familiar white Greek statues painted over in vivid colors, in reference to how they would have looked at the time. Think of the bold patterned facade of the Villa Le Maschere this way. The building’s interiors are meticulously restored as well, and the frescoes, the columns, the tiles are in impeccable condition. The only departure from Renaissance correctness is in the fixtures and some of the furnishings — surely we’re right to regard flat-panel televisions, modern luxury beds and functional modern plumbing as improvements rather than intrusions.

Three restaurants, one of them in the old wine cellar, serve the finest in Tuscan cooking, and the subterranean spa opens directly onto the outdoor swimming pools. It’s a comfortable enough hotel that one could quite happily shut oneself in for the duration of a stay. Not that anyone actually would — not twenty miles outside of Florence.

Cavo Tagoo : Cyclades, Greece

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 04:00:10 GMT

One point of view in Cycladic tourism holds that there’s no point in indulging in any architectural fireworks — nothing man-made can compete with the landscape (and seascape) of the Greek islands. Fortunately not everyone subscribes to that theory. Cavo Tagoo’s new owner is an architect, and he and his collaborators have created a distinctive, decidedly modern hotel, one that aims not to overwhelm the eye with design, but simply to be worthy of its views.

It’s not the kind of modern that makes you feel underdressed by comparison. From here, up on the cliff, with jaw-dropping views out to sea, your sartorial choices are between you and the Aegean. With eighty rooms and suites it’s not the smallest hotel on Mykonos, but the rooms, many of them with private plunge pools, are oriented towards solitude. The crisp modern design is energizing, not distracting, and it focuses the eye outwards, toward the sea you’re here to see.

The restaurant serves modern Greek cuisine with a view, and the bar, quite sensibly, is located by the side of the hundred-foot-long saltwater infinity pool — the aquarium bar is one detail that’s not to be missed. Nor is the spa — they haven’t reinvented the process or anything, but there’s something to be said for the classic diversions of a luxe island getaway.

King David Hotel : Jerusalem, Israel

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 04:00:09 GMT

One might very well expect a hotel called the King David, in Jerusalem, to be a pretty majestic affair. And it is. This is the original Jerusalem grand hotel, a classical edifice in pink limestone, dating back to the Thirties (and thus predating the state of Israel as we now know it).

There’s a lot to love about the new wave of boutique hospitality. But there’s also something irreplaceable about the traditional grand-hotel experience. It starts with the architecture, and carries on in interactions with the staff — if you’re used to beautiful but inexperienced boutique staffers, a dose of old-world professionalism ought to shock you to your senses.

The rooms have been quite thoroughly renovated, and recently. The style remains true to the King David’s history, while the fundamentals — room size, amenities — have been modernized. Though it’s a cliché to say it, the new King David is the best of both worlds: authentic period atmosphere, without any sacrifice in comfort.

A hotel is more than its rooms. The restaurants are relentlessly upscale, and the offerings, from the business facilities to the spa, are first-rate. The King David is still the first choice for visiting dignitaries and VIPs — and for the rest of us, in search of a grand introduction to Jerusalem, it’s hard to do much better.

The PuLi : Shanghai, China

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 04:00:10 GMT

It’s the city of the future, Shanghai — lucky, then, that its hotels, as a class, have quickly joined the ranks of the best in the world. For a little evidence supporting that proposition one need look no further than the PuLi Hotel and Spa. Where one might expect another outpost of the established big-luxury chains, we find the flagship of a new group, the prosaically named Urban Resort Concepts — they’re saving the poetry, it seems, for the product itself.

At least there’s no chance of missing the point of what kind of experience it’s meant to provide. The 26-story tower takes care of the urban part, and the sophisticated interiors of the guest rooms, with their clean lines and muted colors, point towards the PuLi’s city origins. Physical luxuries abound, and the rooms’ electronic amenities keep guests feeling as wired as can be.

Its resort credentials, however, aren’t really in question either — the hotel’s wellness center is as extensive as any full-service health club, and the spa is run by Anantara, an outfit with a fair bit of expertise in such matters. And even the views contribute, in their way: in the distance is the Shanghai skyline, but the more immediate vistas are of the green and leafy JingAn park.

How to get there:

The PuLi is approximately a 20 minute drive from Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport and a 45 minute drive from Shanghai Pudong International Airport.

The PuLi : Shanghai, China

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 04:00:06 GMT

How to get there:

The PuLi is approximately a 20 minute drive from Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport and a 45 minute drive from Shanghai Pudong International Airport.