Hotels - Page 74.

Blessed by the Goddess Hera, Jason and his team of Argonauts boarded a vessel bound for mystical lands… hang on… wrong review. Yes, the Argonaut Hotel does not have anything to do with golden fleeces or reanimated skeletons. Well - that’s disappointing. Actually, the name refers to the first citizens …

Not long ago, it was just another ruined castle. Now beautifully restored, it sits in 10 hectares of land and a historic vineyard. The old outbuildings have been incorporated into the new design to create a modern complex making the most of the historic architecture. In 1163 a crusading knight, …

This was once home to lines of tough-faced worshippers from the local fishing village of Stöðvarfjörður. Now it is home to you while you explore Iceland’s volcano-carved east coast. There is plenty of room and the accommodation is warm and welcoming. There is a self-catering kitchen and the choice of …

The Maldives are a sprinkle of islands surrounded by the vast Indian Ocean; a place of otherworldly beauty. And, set in its own private lagoon, is Huvafen Fushi; a hotel popular with Hollywood A-listers like Tom Cruise and Angelina Jolie. When you arrive, the hotel manager greets you by asking …

Designed to enhance the beauty of the natural landscape traditionally used for farming and olive grows by the native Basque people, Aire de Bardenas is a great example of how contemporary architecture can be used to build excellent hotels. The main façade of the hotel is built from containers originally …

‘I must just observe that the village of Cintra in Estremadura is the most beautiful in the world’. Not my words but the words of Lord Byron, one of the world’s dashing romantic poets. The romantic style of Sintra Castle Hotel is typical of 18th Century Royal residences. You enter …

Set on a cliff with beaches on either side, the Albatroz commands a place of honor in Portugal’s foremost playground, Cascais. The former fishing village has been around since the 12th Century. A succession of Kings, Lords, and Marquises took possession of the village over centuries until today, where it …

Hotel Palafitte takes Japanese minimalism and combines it with over-water bungalows from the South Pacific islands and places it all in the Swiss Alps. And not just anywhere in the Swiss Alps, in one of the best spots available in the converted Three Lakes region. Contemporary hardwood floors and designer …

I’ve always wanted to see the Northern Lights. Now, you can view them in all their mystical glory whilst remaining in your bed, how? Because you are staying in a glass igloo, deep in the adventurous arctic circle, you lucky thing. Made from thermal glass, the igloo never spoils your …

Coal mining was the principal industry of the Limburg area. The Carbon Hotel takes its namesake from these seams of history that run through the rocks and culture of the area. Luckily that’s where the similarity with coal mining ends. Your room has an iPod dock, a BOSE Soundsystem, designer …

Two specially commissioned holiday apartments located high in the Austrian Alps where the scented air holds, in its spell, spicy conifer forests and ancient glaciers. Professor of architecture, Andreas Meck used bird’s nests for his inspiration. He placed his design hotel on the edge of a deep valley with views …

It holds the world record for ‘smallest hotel in the world’, and when you arrive at Punta Grande, you will be forgiven for thinking you have arrived at the home of an insane fisherman with love for very exposed locations. Situated on a rocky outcrop on the island of El …

The Royal Crescent, Bath, was built in the 1770s by noted architect, John Wood. A keen occultist and freemason, when viewed from above, the crescent represents the moon as part of a series of buildings that mimic Masonic symbols. Shapeshifting Lizards notwithstanding, The Royal Crescent Hotel is a fine place …

This baroque chateau was built in the 17th Century. Originally intended as a hunting lodge, the chateau became the country residence of a succession of aristocratic families. The house hosted great ballets and balls until the communists took over in the 1940s and pooped the party. The chateau fell into …

‘You do not find yourself. You create yourself’ is the optimistic philosophy of this hotel. Owner and award-winning architect, Paris Liakos wanted to create a blank canvass for his guests. So they would have the freedom to create their own experience. When he started the hotel, his canvass was bare …

You are balancing on a mountain bike at the top of a slither of rocky trail running steeply down a mountainside. Everything is focused on your next maneuver. Your behind hovers behind the saddle for balance, feet in firm contact with the pedals, white knuckles on the handlebars, you choose …

Famous for its ‘mood rooms’ – this is Stockholm’s foremost design hotel. Its rooms are fitted with lighting designed to inspire moods and create atmospheres – like lighting a candle and dimming the lights - only more awesome. You can choose ‘relaxing blue’, ‘refreshing green’ or ‘pulsing red’ and adjust …

The tourist industry in Cascais has had a great time recently. This gorgeous medieval village boasts a fine location that has long been used as a getaway for the rich and famous. The top real estate here is the old aristocratic mansions that lie on rocky outcrops, high above the …

The ages have been kind to Cappadocia (Hittite for ‘land of beautiful horses’). Because of the particular mineral composition in the rock, mountains have been eroded into monoliths, valleys, and chimneys. People have lived there, amongst the caves and crannies, ever since mammoth skins were the latest must-have fashion accessory. …

From the people that brought you the ‘One Hotel Angkor’- the ‘Be’ hotel is another trendy place for you to consider. It offers you not rooms, but a choice of three ‘design experiences’ (not my words). And to be fair, the interior design is spankingly original, as you can see …