Set in the blisteringly beautiful hills, planes and beaches of Big Sur in California, The Post Ranch Inn has long been part of the local area. In the early 20th Century explorer William Brainard Post was one of the first settlers in the area which was still largely uninhabited, he ...

Let’s say you like skiing. Well, the Yatsugatake Mountains and the Japanese Alps provide some excellent piste. And let’s say you want to experience the neon hive of Tokyo. And let’s presume you hanker after the latest architecture and design. Then you will want to stay here. Risonare is Italian ...

Virgin Magnate, Richard Branson has recently added a luxury catamaran to his collection of unique hotels. Necker Belle specializes in Whale watching and every year it follows thousands of whales as they meet at Silver Bank in the Caribbean for the annual mating. During this time the Whales come to ...

The untamed bush and lands here are protected but with none of the rules and fences that normally come with game reserves in Africa. You, like the animals, are free to go and do whatever you like and there is a lot on offer. Set in miles and miles of ...

*A Lone City on an African Mountain* Set on the outskirts of the Namibian capital city of Windhoek, the Olive Exclusive Boutique Hotel combines modern luxury with African highlights for your stay in this city over 1500 meters above sea level. The hotel is built on the site of an ...

Fascinating stuff, this hotel. It was built in 1728 and could well be the smallest hotel in the world. The story goes like this: back in ye olden days in Germany, couples who wanted to marry had to own property. So some enterprising local put down his frothy beer and ...

This stunning hotel was built in 1952 as part of the ‘Soviet Skyscraper’ project. The foundation stones were laid in 1947 to mark the 800th anniversary of Moscow and celebrate the USSR victory in World War Two. Though completed after his death, this building and its sisters are seen as ...

When Hiram Bingham set out in 1907 to find the lost Inca treasure he could not have expected to find as enormous a jewel as he did. Machu Picchu is the lost city of the Inca built in the 15th Century over 2,300 meters above sea level. Today people come ...

Richard Branson’s private island is named after Dutch explorer, Johannes de Necker who “discovered” it in the 17th Century. It remained unihabited until the late 20th Century. In 1965 two British journalists tried to survive as castaways on the island. They lasted three weeks before they driven off the island ...

France is a pretty place. From the ornate promenades of Paris to the warm hills of the wine country people love to holiday here. But there is one area that is claimed to be the most beautiful and this is the Loire Valley. The river Loire has carved the valley ...

Cutting-edge design is what this place is all about. That and luxury. Ok, so it’s about cutting-edge design, luxury and holistic wellness… all in the centre of the world, Jerusalem. Situated in the Mamilla corridor, a 19th Century area that connects new and old Jerusalem the best sights and shopping ...

Rough-Luxe is a concept hotel that attempts to redefine what is meant by “luxury”. Rather than being a passive consumer of finery, the guests at rough-luxe are encouraged to engage with their surroundings and view luxury as time spent in a special space with some excellent wine and stimulating art ...

Kasbah Tamadot is part of Richard Branson's portfolio of unique retreats. It is a traditional Moroccan castle in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains. The Kasbah is surrounded by scented gardens, terraces and staircases and maintains traditional glamour. You can stay in the Berber Tent suites which are in the ...

Legend has it that when God was done creating the world, he had a handful of features left - deserts, mountains and forests. He put them all in his pocket. But his pocket had a hole in it and as he walked across heaven bits of land leftover from making ...

Stay in a cottage in a 113 acre holiday resort where serenity and natural environments pervade. It is right next to 4000 acres of forest which you can explore during your generous allocations of leisure time. Each cottage is themed. Choose to stay in the fairy-tale “Treehouse” or the “Music ...

This is one of the most ambitious design hotels in the world. Why have one or two prize-winning architects when you can have 19? Creative freedom is the ethos of the hotel which cost an estimated 75million Euro to finance. Each architect was given a free reign over one floor ...

AnaYela is a 300 year-old city palace in the historic part of Marrakech. When the new owners took it over, they found a secret room that was bricked up. In that room there was a small jewelry box covered in dust. Inside was a hand-written note telling the story of ...

This five star getaway is riddled with charm and baroque flourishes. It’s the attention to detail that makes the difference: amazing plaster flourishes, rare 19th Century porcelain and tapestries decorate your room. All the furniture is antique or made by traditional artisans - the four poster beds are hand carved ...

Next level luxury resort on the Aegean Coast in Greece where you stay in a pavilion or villa located near a central Parthian-style building, a marble palace full of spa treatments, fine dining and a private art gallery. Or take a bike, a walk, a drive down to the resort’s ...

Built in 1724 during the Baroque period of European art, this historic town house is decorated in ostentatious red and gold, thick gilded plaster and heavy marbling. It has been well cared for in the intervening centuries and was last renovated in the 1990s. It is part of a string ...

The legendary Chateau de Bagnols is the kind of place you thought only existed in fairy stories. Set in a tiny village this historic Chateau has towers and turrets, a drawbridge and moat. The castle has an ‘old’ and ‘new’ area. The ‘old’ area is 13th Century and the ‘new’ ...

Blow Up Hall 50/50 is a complex which includes a restaurant, art gallery and hotel. It commissioned its hallmark installation to be designed by crucial artist, Rafael Lozano-Hemmer who is one of the top digital artists in the world. He is a BAFTA prize-winner and his work has appeared in ...