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L'Hotel Recamier è un intimo ed esclusivo hotel, dall'autentica eleganza parigina, ispirato ai vari stili decorativi del XX secolo. Dopo un sostanziale rinnovo, è oggi un hotel di lusso dagli interni di moderno design e dall'atmosfera accogliente e famigliare.
Nascosto tra gli alberi della Place Saint Sulpice, nel cuore di Saint Germain des Prés, il quartiere raffinato ed alla moda di Parigi, questo hotel si trova in una posizione ideale per scoprire Parigi. In questa zona si trovano numerosi teatri, cinema, ristoranti e caffetterie tipiche francesi, i musei più importanti sono raggiungibili a piedi o con i mezzi pubblici.
L'Hotel Recamier dispone di sole 24 camere, progettate dal famoso interior designer Jean Loui Deniot, il quale ha creato stili completamente differenti con un colore e tema particolare per ogni piano. Alcune camere si affacciano direttamente sulla Place Saint Sulpice. Tutte le camere sono modernamente arredate e dotate di comodi letti a baldacchino, docking station per iPod, televisore a schermo piatto e bagni con doccia o vasca. A disposizione degli ospiti una piccola palestra, massaggi, servizio in camera e colazione servita in camera o nella sala lounge.
Please note: Villa Paola is open seasonally, April through October. Children under 12 are not permitted.
There’s no place on Italy’s Tyrrhenian coast that’s hard on the eyes, exactly, but the sixteenth-century sisters who founded the St. Francesco of Paola convent chose their location with an eye worthy of a twenty-first-century property developer. One imagines that thanks to their duties they didn’t spend an inordinate amount of time basking in the views, but present-day visitors are under no such constraint; anyone unlucky enough to miss out on a sea view from their guest quarters (read: anyone on the ground floor) will find no shortage of postcard-perfect vistas from Villa Paola’s patios and gardens.
You’ll want to spend some time looking at what’s inside as well. In Italy, like perhaps nowhere else, they’re comfortable spanning centuries in architecture and design. Here clean-lined contemporary Italian furniture blends seamlessly into sixteenth-century spaces, with modern conveniences included as a matter of course. For while the house represents its era well, it hardly shows its age; the hotel conversion included a very thorough restoration, and it’s doubtful whether it’s ever looked fresher. The village of Tropea makes for a pleasant stroll, if a quiet one — just be back at Villa Paola by sunset for a cocktail on the terrace or by the poolside.
One of the joys of the job is finding extraordinary hotels in unexpected places. Of course downtown Miami shouldn’t count as an unexpected place — some quirk of the novelty-driven travel press leads it to lavish attention on Miami Beach at the expense of its mainland neighbor. But in this case we’re also talking about finding a hotel inside of another hotel. For it’s within (or more precisely, atop) the already very fine JW Marriott Marquis that you’ll find the Hotel Beaux Arts Miami, a “private hotel” occupying the top floors of this high-rise tower, with access to the parent hotel’s five-star services and facilities but with its own private reception and lounge, and accommodations that are, incredible as it may seem, a generous cut above what’s offered downstairs.
Of course, in a more perfect world, this might be what all of Downtown’s luxury hotels look like — clean-lined minimalist rooms, modernist furniture, impressive views through full-length windows and a full complement of thoughtful conveniences, from Bang & Olufsen entertainment systems to Illy espresso machines (the product of which is complimentary), and an iPad issued to every room. The beds are enormous, the materials are rich, and the bath products are Molton Brown. All this and access to the JW Marriott Marquis too — this means access to the spa, the gym, Daniel Boulud’s db Bistro Moderne restaurant and even a golf school by Jim McLean, should your swing require a brush-up. And the rates include a wealth of extras, from breakfast to cocktails to hors d’oeuvres; if you’ve had Club Level treatment at any of Asia’s top luxury hotels you’re familiar with the drill.
As for the location, it’s not really meant to be a substitute for the hedonism of South Beach. Downtown is the home of Miami’s design district, and it’s the center of quite a bit of the city’s local life, a world apart from the tourists-only vibe on offer elsewhere. Where Miami Beach traffics in fantasy (with varying degrees of success), downtown is reality — and if the Beaux Arts is any guide, it’s a pretty appealing reality at that.
One of the joys of the job is finding extraordinary hotels in unexpected places. Of course downtown Miami shouldn’t count as an unexpected place — some quirk of the novelty-driven travel press leads it to lavish attention on Miami Beach at the expense of its mainland neighbor. But in this case we’re also talking about finding a hotel inside of another hotel. For it’s within (or more precisely, atop) the already very fine JW Marriott Marquis that you’ll find the Hotel Beaux Arts Miami, a “private hotel” occupying the top floors of this high-rise tower, with access to the parent hotel’s five-star services and facilities but with its own private reception and lounge, and accommodations that are, incredible as it may seem, a generous cut above what’s offered downstairs.
Of course, in a more perfect world, this might be what all of Downtown’s luxury hotels look like — clean-lined minimalist rooms, modernist furniture, impressive views through full-length windows and a full complement of thoughtful conveniences, from Bang & Olufsen entertainment systems to Illy espresso machines (the product of which is complimentary), and an iPad issued to every room. The beds are enormous, the materials are rich, and the bath products are Molton Brown. All this and access to the JW Marriott Marquis too — this means access to the spa, the gym, Daniel Boulud’s db Bistro Moderne restaurant and even a golf school by Jim McLean, should your swing require a brush-up. And the rates include a wealth of extras, from breakfast to cocktails to hors d’oeuvres; if you’ve had Club Level treatment at any of Asia’s top luxury hotels you’re familiar with the drill.
As for the location, it’s not really meant to be a substitute for the hedonism of South Beach. Downtown is the home of Miami’s design district, and it’s the center of quite a bit of the city’s local life, a world apart from the tourists-only vibe on offer elsewhere. Where Miami Beach traffics in fantasy (with varying degrees of success), downtown is reality — and if the Beaux Arts is any guide, it’s a pretty appealing reality at that.
Location isn’t everything when it comes to hotels, but it’s not nothing either. In some countries Le Caméléon’s crisp, contemporary monochrome look might signal little more than membership in the local boutique-hotel scene. In Costa Rica, land of natural-finish eco-lodges and thatched-hut villas, its modern interiors and glossy white-on-white color scheme is something of a statement — a statement to the effect that while the Caribbean coast is all about the beaches, the water, the jungle, there’s no reason why you can’t live in the urbane, sophisticated style to which you’re accustomed.
These rooms are about more than just looks, with comforts that begin to edge into luxury-hotel territory: plasma TVs, iPod docks, some with king beds and private balconies or terraces. Die-hard luxury junkies will have to admit they’ve seen rooms that are bigger and plusher, but in these environs, anything more would be incongruous. Suffice it to say the physical charms are every bit the equal of the visual ones, and taking the natural environment into account, it’s essentially paradise. There’s a stylish pool deck for the moments when you don’t feel like venturing all the way to the beach, there’s a full-service spa, and the Numu restaurant and bar are stylish spaces, accentuating, perhaps, the contrast between Costa Rica’s Caribbean and Pacific coasts.
How to get there:
Le Cameleon is 136 miles (3h30m) from the Juan Santamaria Airport. Airport transfer can be arranged for USD287.50 per way. Please contact CustomerService@TabletHotels.com for assistance with airport transfers.
Please note: Eagles Palace is open seasonally, April through October.
As the sister hotel to the Excelsior, a city boutique in Thessaloniki, Eagles Palace is the opposite of an urban hotel. This part of Greece, on the peninsula just short of the remote Eastern Orthodox holy site of Mount Athos, was more or less entirely unsettled before the hotel broke ground. Fresh off a 2008 renovation, Eagles Palace is looking quite up to date — and while it’s not quite as secluded as the monks’ refuge at Athos, this part of Halkidiki is still quiet, relatively untouched by development, especially when compared with some of Greece’s better-known destinations.
The rooms start out comfortably enough, with views of the garden or the sea, their solid, unfinished furnishings taking some inspiration from the monastic setting. The suites begin to pile on the luxuries, with balconies or terraces and, in some cases, Jacuzzis. It’s in the sea view bungalows, though, that Eagles Palace really starts feeling palatial — space, obviously, is no concern, and each one comes with its own private plunge pool.
Like its city cousin, Eagles Palace comes equipped with an Elemis spa and a handful of fine restaurants, some featuring sea views from the outdoor terraces. And while you’re seemingly worlds away from it all, it’s no less stunning a natural setting than most of Greece’s island destinations. A private beach and a PADI dive center make the most of the seaside location, and a number of watercraft are available for excursions to the nearby islands and inlets.
How to get there:
Eagles Palace is a 90 minute drive from Thessaloniki, which can be reached by air or train from several European cities.
Please contact CustomerService@TabletHotels.com for assistance with airport transfers.
Bringing crisp minimal design out of the city and into the wild, Southern Ocean Lodge is a shining example of very modern and very Australian architecture: clean open spaces, neutral tones and tons of glass wrapped in an environmentally-friendly package. Located on Kangaroo Island just off the South Australian coast, Southern Ocean Lodge is unexpectedly hip for such a remote and rugged locale, sporting a cool, unlabored vibe that doesn’t interfere with its beautiful coastal surrounds.
Comprising 21 sea-facing rooms, the SOL hovers over the mallee scrub, offering wide views of ocean, sky and whatever fauna happens to venture past: expect anything from kangaroos to echidnas to native birds. Inside, paintings by local artists complement pure white walls, with bespoke furniture and Ecosmart fireplaces creating the type of relaxed, uncluttered feeling one vows to recreate at home.
Tuning out is the main past time at the SOL (only the Family rooms have TVs) and guests can choose to do this on their private terrace, in their sunken lounge, or on one of a long list of nature tours. The surrounding national parkland offers so much by way of exploration — sea lion-spotting, kangaroo-meeting and hiking included — that the lodge provides each guest with a custom itinerary. Of course, some may opt to do nothing more demanding than enjoy the property’s gourmet meals and open bar, including a walk-in cellar stocked with locally-produced and imported wines, all included in the tariff.
Daily sunset drinks in the lodge’s Great Room allow guests to swap travel stories while taking in views of the Southern Ocean. An onsite spa with floor-to-ceiling windows offers a further chance to unwind while watching — and being watched by, presumably — the local wildlife.
How to get there:
Connect through Adelaide for flights to Kangaroo Island, or drive to Cape Jervis to board the ferry for the island.
Il Terre Resort and Spa è uno splendido resort di charme 5 stelle lusso, in tipico stile Riad, ubicato nei dintorni di Marrakech in un oasi di pace di 5 ettari, lontano dalla confusione della medina, dal traffico del centro e dai souk.
La struttura dalla forma ottagonale comprende 52 suites dal design contemporaneo, una Spa completa di centro estetico, hammam, sauna, massaggi, una grande piscina centrale, programmi ed intrattenimenti, ristorante, bar, aree relax e biblioteca.
Le sistemazioni, tutte spaziose e arredate in stile contemporaneo, sono dotate di ampi bagni, terrazza o giardino ed alcune dispondono di piscina privata. Nonostante la posizione isolata del resort è possibile praticare diverse attività, a disposizione degli ospiti campi da tennis e putting green, inoltre campi da golf nelle vicinanze.
Il Terre Resort and Spa è perfetto per chi desidera un soggiorno di charme, dove rilassarsi e lasciarsi coccolare, circondati da un paesaggio affascinante di palme e vegetazione lussureggiante.
Come raggiungerlo:
Il Terre Resort & Spa si trova a circa 20 minuti in auto dall'Aeroporto di Marrakech-Menara e a 10 Km. dal centro città di Marrakech. Per favore contattare l'assistenza clienti per organizzare i trasferimenti.
After years of pining for more contemporary hotels in Paris, we’re finally getting what we wished for. Suddenly the place is awash in design-oriented boutique hotels. And not half measures, either. The Hotel Secret de Paris, for example, isn’t content with just one vibrant, contemporary look — not when it can have six of them, each one patterned after a stylized version of a different view of Paris.
There’s the Musée d’Orsay, with its famous clock face, the Tour Eiffel with its iron beams, the ballet-themed Opéra Garnier and the art deco Trocadéro. Moulin Rouge is suitably saucy, and the Atelier d’Artiste, all in white (with judicious splatters of paint), is a rather luxe interpretation of the classic artist’s garret. Suffice it to say you’re reminded at every turn that you’re in Paris.
A gym, sauna, hammam and massage room are there to keep the Secret’s guests feeling fit, and in typical Parisian style you’re left at the city’s mercy when it comes time for a meal — a blessing, in this town, not a curse. For the city’s minimalist clientele, perhaps not, but anyone who’s found Parisian hotels a bit drab is bound to love it.
Some hotels need to be seen to be properly understood. Other hotel concepts, though, more or less speak for themselves. Simply at the mention of the Armani Hotel Milan one knows what one’s going to get: a bold and tasteful elegance, a certain richness in texture and materials, and of course an imposing silhouette — and one, incidentally, that’s suitable both for business and for pleasure.
In one sense it’s almost a living showroom for the Armani Casa shop across the road. But it’s more than that — a hotel, for a fashion chain, is a showroom for an entire lifestyle, and these interiors, modern Milanese to a tee, will have you checking yourself in the mirror to make sure you’re measuring up. And like the best in fashion, they’re more than surface deep, with a remarkable amount of attention paid to the physical luxuries that don’t show up on film.
Ninety-five rooms isn’t enormous, but without question the Armani joins the Milanese big league, competing directly against the town’s top luxury hotels. The spa and the restaurants see to these high-flying guests’ needs in the manner to which they’re accustomed, and the location is tough to beat, with walking access to what’s arguably the world’s finest shopping district. As branding, it’s a stroke of genius — and it’s no less impressive as a hotel.
After years of pining for more contemporary hotels in Paris, we’re finally getting what we wished for. Suddenly the place is awash in design-oriented boutique hotels. And not half measures, either. The Hotel Secret de Paris, for example, isn’t content with just one vibrant, contemporary look — not when it can have six of them, each one patterned after a stylized version of a different view of Paris.
There’s the Musée d’Orsay, with its famous clock face, the Tour Eiffel with its iron beams, the ballet-themed Opéra Garnier and the art deco Trocadéro. Moulin Rouge is suitably saucy, and the Atelier d’Artiste, all in white (with judicious splatters of paint), is a rather luxe interpretation of the classic artist’s garret. Suffice it to say you’re reminded at every turn that you’re in Paris.
A gym, sauna, hammam and massage room are there to keep the Secret’s guests feeling fit, and in typical Parisian style you’re left at the city’s mercy when it comes time for a meal — a blessing, in this town, not a curse. For the city’s minimalist clientele, perhaps not, but anyone who’s found Parisian hotels a bit drab is bound to love it.
After years of pining for more contemporary hotels in Paris, we’re finally getting what we wished for. Suddenly the place is awash in design-oriented boutique hotels. And not half measures, either. The Hotel Secret de Paris, for example, isn’t content with just one vibrant, contemporary look — not when it can have six of them, each one patterned after a stylized version of a different view of Paris.
There’s the Musée d’Orsay, with its famous clock face, the Tour Eiffel with its iron beams, the ballet-themed Opéra Garnier and the art deco Trocadéro. Moulin Rouge is suitably saucy, and the Atelier d’Artiste, all in white (with judicious splatters of paint), is a rather luxe interpretation of the classic artist’s garret. Suffice it to say you’re reminded at every turn that you’re in Paris.
A gym, sauna, hammam and massage room are there to keep the Secret’s guests feeling fit, and in typical Parisian style you’re left at the city’s mercy when it comes time for a meal — a blessing, in this town, not a curse. For the city’s minimalist clientele, perhaps not, but anyone who’s found Parisian hotels a bit drab is bound to love it.
After years of pining for more contemporary hotels in Paris, we’re finally getting what we wished for. Suddenly the place is awash in design-oriented boutique hotels. And not half measures, either. The Hotel Secret de Paris, for example, isn’t content with just one vibrant, contemporary look — not when it can have six of them, each one patterned after a stylized version of a different view of Paris.
There’s the Musée d’Orsay, with its famous clock face, the Tour Eiffel with its iron beams, the ballet-themed Opéra Garnier and the art deco Trocadéro. Moulin Rouge is suitably saucy, and the Atelier d’Artiste, all in white (with judicious splatters of paint), is a rather luxe interpretation of the classic artist’s garret. Suffice it to say you’re reminded at every turn that you’re in Paris.
A gym, sauna, hammam and massage room are there to keep the Secret’s guests feeling fit, and in typical Parisian style you’re left at the city’s mercy when it comes time for a meal — a blessing, in this town, not a curse. For the city’s minimalist clientele, perhaps not, but anyone who’s found Parisian hotels a bit drab is bound to love it.
It’s not necessarily the owners’ Italian heritage per se that makes Casa del Horno one of Panama’s top boutique hotels. The house is an architectural treasure in its own right, dating back to the French colonial days, and its rough-hewn stone provides the backdrop against which its sleeker, more contemporary elements are allowed to stand out. But in the end it’s the keenness of that contemporary eye which elevates a charming house into an extraordinary hotel.
And it’s in the design that the owners’ influence shows through most distinctly. At the moment there’s nothing quite like Italian design for blending modernist visual impact with top-notch tactile luxury, and Casa del Horno’s interiors fit that description to a tee. Imported pieces mesh with local craftsmanship and antique details, and the result is a hotel with a character all its own — and in boutique hotels, that’s at least half the battle.
The other half, of course, is the nuts and bolts: the LCD televisions and iPod docks, the Old Town location with its picturesque views, the in-room massage service, the thoughtful concierge and the generally high level of service. It’s safe to say there’s nothing else quite like it anywhere else in town.
How to get there:
Casa dal Horno is 33.5km away from Tocumen International Airport (30-40 min) or 3.5km from Marcos A Gelabert Airport. Transfers can be organized for USD35 for 2 guests, each way and USD10 per additional guest. Please contact CustomerService@TabletHotels.com for assistance with airport transfers.
Please note: Locanda Rossa is open annually April through December. Three night minimum required for stays in June, July and August. Two night minimum required for all other dates.
The Maremma, the coastal region where Tuscany meets Lazio, is a bit of a Johnny-come-lately as a holiday destination, though you’d never know it from looking at it today — here a once-impoverished agricultural region has been transformed into, well, a not-at-all-impoverished agricultural region, and one that’s as well known for tourism as for produce. And this fame is due in no small part to a wealth of independent hotels, places like Capalbio’s Locanda Rossa.
Locanda Rossa’s original structure has undergone a modern expansion, but the seams don’t show a bit. Contemporary interiors meet farmhouse architecture in the rooms and suites, which, if not for the half-timbered ceilings and the views of the farm, could easily pass for modern urban apartments. Then again those views of the olive groves, not to mention the gardens and the pool deck, are why you’re here and not in a modern urban apartment in the first place.
There’s a spa for those tough cases who need even more relaxation, and the Osteria Wine Bar is more than a wine bar, serving sophisticated local fare, much of it made from the estate’s own produce. Meanwhile the beaches are minutes away, and the splendid Maremma countryside surrounds — all less than two hours’ drive from Rome.
How to get there:
Train: Rome to Capalbio, approximately 2 hours. Transfers from the train station can be arranged with the hotel.
Driving Directions from Rome: Take Strada Statale 1 Aurelia in the direction of Livorno. Exit at Chiarone 124 km then turn left towards Pescia Fiorentina. After 2.5 km, take mandatory left turn to Capalbio. After 3 km you will find the red entrance to Locanda Rossa on your right. Approximate driving time from Rome is 1.30 hours.
Please contact CustomerService@TabletHotels.com for assistance with directions.
There are places whose appeal waxes and wanes with the trend-chasing crowds — and then there’s the southwest coast of Sri Lanka. The boom in Sri Lankan hospitality doesn’t seem to have much to do with the changing fashions, and one imagines a place like Aditya, though recently opened, is in it for the long haul, as its splendid beachfront location and its low-key, friendly approach to service are unlikely to see substantial revision any time in the near future.
Most every boutique hotel thinks of its design sense as “eclectic,” but Aditya presents a stronger case than most, its starkly modernist beds, furniture and bathrooms sharing time with antique pieces and traditional architectural details. Five suites are nestled into private gardens, six of them face out to sea, and the Grand Surya Suite, a two-story villa, has a private terrace with a plunge pool and a prime view of the Indian Ocean sunset.
The activities on offer are suitably low-key, from spa treatments to cooking classes to coastal explorations, whether that means the old fort at Galle or dolphin-watching at Mirissa. The beach occupies its fair share of guests’ daytime hours, as does the pool. And while there’s no nightlife to speak of, it’s hard not to imagine that that’s just how Aditya’s guests like it.
How to get there:
Aditya is located on a secluded beach 10 minutes north of Galle (on the SW coast of Sri Lanka). The hotel is 2.5 hours south of Colombo. Transfers can be arranged from/to the Bandaranaike International Airport (135 km away) in Colombo. Train service is also available from Colombo to Galle (where a taxi can be arranged to pick you up). Please contact CustomerService@TabletHotels.com for further questions or assistance with airport transfers.
There are places whose appeal waxes and wanes with the trend-chasing crowds — and then there’s the southwest coast of Sri Lanka. The boom in Sri Lankan hospitality doesn’t seem to have much to do with the changing fashions, and one imagines a place like Aditya, though recently opened, is in it for the long haul, as its splendid beachfront location and its low-key, friendly approach to service are unlikely to see substantial revision any time in the near future.
Most every boutique hotel thinks of its design sense as “eclectic,” but Aditya presents a stronger case than most, its starkly modernist beds, furniture and bathrooms sharing time with antique pieces and traditional architectural details. Five suites are nestled into private gardens, six of them face out to sea, and the Grand Surya Suite, a two-story villa, has a private terrace with a plunge pool and a prime view of the Indian Ocean sunset.
The activities on offer are suitably low-key, from spa treatments to cooking classes to coastal explorations, whether that means the old fort at Galle or dolphin-watching at Mirissa. The beach occupies its fair share of guests’ daytime hours, as does the pool. And while there’s no nightlife to speak of, it’s hard not to imagine that that’s just how Aditya’s guests like it.
How to get there:
Aditya is located on a secluded beach 10 minutes north of Galle (on the SW coast of Sri Lanka). The hotel is 2.5 hours south of Colombo. Transfers can be arranged from/to the Bandaranaike International Airport (135 km away) in Colombo. Train service is also available from Colombo to Galle (where a taxi can be arranged to pick you up). Please contact CustomerService@TabletHotels.com for further questions or assistance with airport transfers.
Please note: 1864 The Sea Captain's House is open seasonally, March through mid-December.
In Santorini, the location does almost all of the work; most hotels just do their best not to spoil the view. Any hotel that can actually add something to the natural experience very quickly crosses over into the extraordinary — and the reason we’re here, as you might have imagined, is that the delightfully named 1864 The Sea Captain’s House is one of this rare breed.
First of all, even on Santorini, there are locations, and then there are locations. Oia, at the top of the inner crescent, is probably the island’s most picturesque town, its terraced residences cascading precipitously down the cliffside. The Sea Captain’s House joins them — with just four suites (and no reception or other common space), it’s scarcely a hotel at all, presenting what’s essentially an idealized, luxe version of Oian village life.
That means jacuzzis in every suite, for one, and an approach to decorating that goes beyond the stripped-down Greek-island norm — there are hints of the baroque in these bedrooms, with their antique woodwork and gilded mirrors. It’s all in the name of character, though, rather than pure flash; the scale of the place prevents it ever feeling over-opulent. Dine in, if you’re in the mood for some privacy, or book a table at one of the owners’ two village restaurants, if you prefer a more sociable stay.
How to get there:
Santorini (Thira) can be easily reached by plane or ferry. Flight time from Athens is approximately 45 minutes.
Ferries from Athens' Pireaus port to Thira take approximately 3 hours. For more information about ferry schedules, and to purchase tickets in advance of your trip, we recommend the following website: Paleologos
Please contact CustomerService@TabletHotels.com for assistance with transfers to the hotel.
Thai boutique hotels tend to stick to a couple of themes; think beach villas in the coastal regions, or ultramodern design in Bangkok. More suited to the old northern capital of Chiang Mai, however, is 137 Pillars House, a luxury boutique that’s more elegant than funky, more traditional than outré, a natural stylistic evolution from the old house’s former use as the headquarters of the East Borneo Company.
So well kept is 137 Pillars, however, that the result is more a trad-luxe fantasy than an outright preservation job. Much of the construction, however classic in style, is in fact a painstaking contemporary reconstruction, giving the lie to the notion that “they don’t make them like they used to.” In fact they make them better; these century-old suites are only improved by the addition of modern electronics, plumbing and climate control, and the 19th-century atmosphere suffers not a bit.
The common spaces are equally genteel in aspect, from the Library Bar to the Parlor Lounge, from the dark and romantic Dining Room to the casual show kitchen, which mounts demonstrations and cooking classes. The gym, spa and pool keep guests in fighting trim, and outside, rather than some generic entertainment district, is Old Chiang Mai, home to any number of temples, monuments and cultural attractions.
How to get there:
137 Pillars House is located 10 minutes from Chiang Mai Airport. Please contact CustomerService@TabletHotels.com for assistance with airport transfers.
Thai boutique hotels tend to stick to a couple of themes; think beach villas in the coastal regions, or ultramodern design in Bangkok. More suited to the old northern capital of Chiang Mai, however, is 137 Pillars House, a luxury boutique that’s more elegant than funky, more traditional than outré, a natural stylistic evolution from the old house’s former use as the headquarters of the East Borneo Company.
So well kept is 137 Pillars, however, that the result is more a trad-luxe fantasy than an outright preservation job. Much of the construction, however classic in style, is in fact a painstaking contemporary reconstruction, giving the lie to the notion that “they don’t make them like they used to.” In fact they make them better; these century-old suites are only improved by the addition of modern electronics, plumbing and climate control, and the 19th-century atmosphere suffers not a bit.
The common spaces are equally genteel in aspect, from the Library Bar to the Parlor Lounge, from the dark and romantic Dining Room to the casual show kitchen, which mounts demonstrations and cooking classes. The gym, spa and pool keep guests in fighting trim, and outside, rather than some generic entertainment district, is Old Chiang Mai, home to any number of temples, monuments and cultural attractions.
How to get there:
137 Pillars House is located 10 minutes from Chiang Mai Airport. Please contact CustomerService@TabletHotels.com for assistance with airport transfers.
Chances are, the “infinity” in Infinity Residences & Resort refers to the seemingly endless views out into the Gulf of Thailand. But it could equally refer to how far this corner of northwestern Koh Samui feels from the rest of the island’s booming tourist business. If you’re feeling social you’re a short drive away from Bophut Bay and Chaweng Beach, but from these wooded hillsides you don’t even have to know they exist — and if you’re a frequent Tablet reader you know that in Koh Samui there’s no greater luxury than that.
Infinity’s residences range from one to four bedrooms, and while the space and equipment necessarily vary a bit, there are some constants: king beds, sea views, full open kitchens, modern electronics, and massive bathrooms. Some have private lap pools, others hot tubs or plunge pools, and in the very worst case you’ll share a pool with the other half of your duplex — life is pretty good when that’s the worst case.
The gym, spa, pool and restaurant, naturally, are up to the same general level as the accommodations, and there’s an astonishing view from just about every corner of the place. If there’s anything to grouse about, perhaps it’s the location, which might feel slightly out of the way in comparison with the rest of the island’s high-end properties — but if remoteness feels like a disadvantage, then we humbly suggest that you just might have your priorities the wrong way round.
How to get there:
Infinity Residences & Resort is located 20 km from the Koh Samui airport.
Please contact CustomerService@TabletHotels.com for assistance with airport transfers.
Luang Prabang is one of those destinations where you hardly need an extraordinary hotel to have an extraordinary experience — which makes the fact that there are several of them feel almost gratuitous. Not that we’re complaining. In the case of the Hotel de la Paix it means a rare conjunction of historical architecture and modern design, and a chance to inhabit an ancient place in an atmosphere of the utmost contemporary luxury.
The architect, Duangrit Bunnag, is responsible for some very fine modernist beach hotels in Thailand, and here he’s wedded a handful of original French Colonial structures (including the old governor’s mansion) to a number of new buildings, heavily influenced in turn by traditional Lao architecture. The result is a strangely timeless blend, especially in the guest suites, which feel not just sequestered in space but somehow lost in time as well.
Only some of them come with private pools, but all are indulgent in their own way, with private gardens and spa-like bathrooms. Of course there’s a proper spa as well, for when “spa-like” isn’t quite enough, and a main pool for a more serious approach to swimming. Add a fine restaurant and lounge, as well as a cooking school, and the culinary angle is more than covered — especially when you add the restaurants at 3 Nagas, the sister hotel, just a few minutes down the road.
How to get there:
Hotel de la Paix is conveniently located just 5 minutes from the central area of town and a 15-minute drive from the Luang Prabang Airport. Please contact CustomerService@TabletHotels.com for assistance with airport transfers.
Val Thorens makes much of its status as the Alps’ highest ski resort; more practically, it makes much of its status as its largest, at least in terms of terrain. But from our hospitality-centric viewpoint, a French ski town isn’t really on the map until the Sibuets have opened a hotel there. Altapura, like its sisters in Megève, answers a number of perennial ski-hotel complaints — it’s modern in style without sacrificing a sense of place, it’s comfortable without lapsing into kitsch, and it’s proof positive that a stylish social scene and a family-friendly vibe need not be mutually exclusive.
The look of the place is often described as Scandinavian, but if you look beyond the blond wood you’ll see what’s essentially a post-modern take on a very French alpine lodge. The heavy timbers, it seems, have been hauled down and made into furniture, into patchwork tiles, or into latticed screens; even the traditional taxidermy is present, though largely in stylized carved wood.
In a ski lodge, however, the tactile pleasures often take precedence over the visual ones. Here Altapura doesn’t disappoint. The rooms, however striking, are never stark, and that modern furniture lacks for nothing in terms of comfort — and the less tangible conveniences include Apple iPads alongside pervasive wi-fi and satellite television.
The three restaurants inhabit equally contemporary spaces, but vary in atmosphere, from the ultra-cozy La Laiterie to the rather more adult Les Enfants Terribles. Meanwhile the Pure Altitude spa, with its seven treatment rooms and heated indoor pool, is a viable alternative to a day on the slopes. And last but not least, Altapura benefits from ski-in ski-out access, as well as a ski shop in partnership with Goitschel.
How to get there:
Altapura is located 30 km from the Courchevel Airport (CVF). This is approximately 1 hour by car. Please contact CustomerService@TabletHotels.com for assistance with airport transfers.
Though it might have been strange to say so a few years ago, the Fairmont Monte Carlo Hotel as it stands today is a building of some architectural distinction. This Seventies-vintage zig-zag of a modernist hotel behemoth has climbed out of the stylistic uncanny valley, the aesthetic no-man’s-land between contemporary and retro. Now it’s a piece of historic Monte Carlo, a pleasingly retro modernist monument — and, not incidentally, one of the finer luxury hotels in town.
And while the bones of the place have improved with age, the interiors have been kept very much up to date; a thorough renovation has this Fairmont looking extremely well turned out, if a touch on the conservative side. That’s no criticism — one doesn’t come to Monte Carlo to have one’s world turned upside down, but rather for a taste of the good life, in classic Riviera style. The basic rooms are big enough, and certainly comfortable enough, but it pays to spring for an up-close sea view, available in the better rooms and many of the suites.
Either way, you’ll soak in the view at L’Argentin, the fine dining restaurant, and Saphir 24, the lounge and bar, both of which look out over the Mediterranean through wraparound floor-to-ceiling windows. Meanwhile the spa and health club occupy a new addition to the hotel, and the soothing interiors, all white and sky blue, only intensify the atmosphere of relaxation. Monte Carlo has hotels with a longer history, as well as hotels of a more recent vintage than the Fairmont; still, in terms of character, this place stands apart.
Chances are, the “infinity” in Infinity Residences & Resort refers to the seemingly endless views out into the Gulf of Thailand. But it could equally refer to how far this corner of northwestern Koh Samui feels from the rest of the island’s booming tourist business. If you’re feeling social you’re a short drive away from Bophut Bay and Chaweng Beach, but from these wooded hillsides you don’t even have to know they exist — and if you’re a frequent Tablet reader you know that in Koh Samui there’s no greater luxury than that.
Infinity’s residences range from one to four bedrooms, and while the space and equipment necessarily vary a bit, there are some constants: king beds, sea views, full open kitchens, modern electronics, and massive bathrooms. Some have private lap pools, others hot tubs or plunge pools, and in the very worst case you’ll share a pool with the other half of your duplex — life is pretty good when that’s the worst case.
The gym, spa, pool and restaurant, naturally, are up to the same general level as the accommodations, and there’s an astonishing view from just about every corner of the place. If there’s anything to grouse about, perhaps it’s the location, which might feel slightly out of the way in comparison with the rest of the island’s high-end properties — but if remoteness feels like a disadvantage, then we humbly suggest that you just might have your priorities the wrong way round.
How to get there:
Infinity Residences & Resort is located 20 km from the Koh Samui airport.
Please contact CustomerService@TabletHotels.com for assistance with airport transfers.
Vi preghiamo di notare che per alcuni weekend particolari dell'anno, questo hotel ha una policy di soggiorno minimo di due (2) o tre (3) notti.
L'Hotel Recamier è un intimo ed esclusivo hotel, dall'autentica eleganza parigina, ispirato ai vari stili decorativi del XX secolo. Dopo un sostanziale rinnovo, è oggi un hotel di lusso dagli interni di moderno design e dall'atmosfera accogliente e famigliare.
Nascosto tra gli alberi della Place Saint Sulpice, nel cuore di Saint Germain des Prés, il quartiere raffinato ed alla moda di Parigi, questo hotel si trova in una posizione ideale per scoprire Parigi. In questa zona si trovano numerosi teatri, cinema, ristoranti e caffetterie tipiche francesi, i musei più importanti sono raggiungibili a piedi o con i mezzi pubblici.
L'Hotel Recamier dispone di sole 24 camere, progettate dal famoso interior designer Jean Loui Deniot, il quale ha creato stili completamente differenti con un colore e tema particolare per ogni piano. Alcune camere si affacciano direttamente sulla Place Saint Sulpice. Tutte le camere sono modernamente arredate e dotate di comodi letti a baldacchino, docking station per iPod, televisore a schermo piatto e bagni con doccia o vasca. A disposizione degli ospiti una piccola palestra, massaggi, servizio in camera e colazione servita in camera o nella sala lounge.
“Nessuna stanza è uguale all'altra”
Qualsiasi hotel con un minimo di personalità potrebbe pronunciare una frase come questa per farsi pubblicità, e tutto sommato, potreste anche crederci, se l'hotel fosse stato scelto da Tablet (sebbene ci potrebbe essere qualche hotel giapponese in stile "capsula" nel nostro futuro); però, potremmo anche dire che nessun fiocco di neve è uguale all'altro ma non per questo vi convinceremmo a dormire nella neve, giusto?
Detto questo, vi presentiamo L'Hotel le cui stanze sono davvero tutte diverse fra loro, molto diverse; sono così diverse che, non solo non sembrano trovarsi nello stesso hotel, ma sembrano addirittura appartenere a continenti diversi: la Barroco è in stile barocco italiano, la Pagoda in stile giapponese antico, la Leopard è decorata con carta da parati leopardata, e la Oscar Wilde è in un stile tradizionale inglese, una ricostruzione parziale della sala da pranzo londinese di Wilde, con tanto di lettere incorniciate del personale che lo sollecitavano a saldare il suo conto dell'hotel (che non saldò mai). Tutto questo insieme ad un fascino ed una classe che eleva questo hotel al di sopra dei suoi propri accessori, portandolo ad appartenere ad una categoria che regala personalità e regalità.
Dopotutto è la personalità che rende un hotel un Tablet Hotel, non di certo il servizio in camera 24 ore, o la piscina coperta, o altre amenità da cinque stelle. Quale altro hotel può competere con la scala a chiocciola centrale de L'Hotel, o con la vasca in stile romano che si trova sotto le sue volte?
Il ristorante dell'hotel è eccellente: non ha ricevuto le tre stelle Michelin, ma è davvero degno di nota. Le Restaurant esiste non per incrementare le relazioni sociali fra gli ospiti o per accrescere gli introiti dell'hotel, ma come servizio in tutto e per tutto: il cibo è ottimo, specialità francesi ma totalmente rinnovate e light. Questo ristorante è conosciuto dai parigini ed il bar è frequentato da celebrities.
L'hotel non è stato concepito per costituire un'esperienza a sè stante, ma per essere complementare al quartiere che lo circonda. L'Hôtel è ubicato a St. Germain-des-Prés, nel cuore della Rive Gauche, vicino all'Ecole des Beux Arts e ad innumerevoli musei, caffè e boutiques. Potremmo quasi dire che questa è la miglior ubicazione per un hotel a Parigi, ma ci limitiamo a consigliare questa zona a coloro che sono interessati alla vera Parigi: non esiste posto migliore da dove cominciare.
Anche se questo fosse solo un mega hotel appartenente ad una catena, il solo quartiere varrebbe una visita: questo hotel però è fenomenale, pieno di vita e personalità ed insieme alla sua ubicazione diventa il luogo perfetto dove alloggiare a Parigi: potremmo definirlo il perfetto Tablet Hotel.
Per definire in poche parole l'hotel Elbow Beach è sufficiente dire che fa parte della catena Mandarin Oriental.
Ma non è sempre stato così, infatti questo resort molto luminoso e dall'aspetto decisamente nuovo è stato costruito nel 1908 e chiamato South Shore Hotel. Col passare degli anni poi, è diventato uno degli hotel più esclusivi e prestigiosi delle Bermuda, una stupenda tenuta coloniale che presidia l'isola dalla costa atlantica.
L'hotel è rimasto maestoso come un tempo e il colonnato dell'ingresso risplende ancora sotto il sole del tardo pomeriggio. Le stanze sono lussuose e spaziose, con bagni in marmo, patii o balconi. Gli interni sono in stile contemporaneo, e il comfort ha la meglio sul design: potremmo dire che l'arredamento è senz'altro più elegante ed avvolgente che moderno e innovativo.
Un'occhiata ai servizi ed ai dettagli rivela che questo (come tutti i Mandarin) è un resort di prima categoria e che offre tutto quanto si possa desiderare. Vi è uno svariato numero di ristoranti e bar, sia all'aperto che al chiuso, sale conferenze, una piscina, una spa, un centro benessere e campi da tennis illuminati. Bermuda è una sorta di tempio del golf, con più campi che in un'equivalente spazio in Scozia o in Florida. Ogni tipo di attività acquatica può essere organizzata.
Bermuda è praticamente a metà strada fra New York e Miami, il che, associato, alla scarsità di voli internazionali, significa che il grande traffico aerero in direzione Caraibi passa di qui. L'ambiente regala un'atmosfera di privacy ed esclusività, il tutto moltiplicato per mille grazie ai sontuosi dintorni ed al servizio impeccabile dell'Elbow Beach.
Le camere standard dell'Ace Hotel hanno bagni in condivisione: vogliamo essere subito chiari in proposito. Almeno la metà delle stanze non ha il bagno privato.
Siamo sicuri che concorderete con noi nell'affermare che l'Ace Hotel è quindi senza dubbio rivolto ad un pubblico più particolare e che potremmo, forse, definire, meno esigente. Questo posto emana una freschezza assolutamente naturale ed impretenziosa; la lobby, con i suoi pavimenti in legno di noce scuro e le pareti bianche retro-futuristiche (più stile Barbarella che Balazs) sembra decisamente una galleria d'arte, infatti le stanze per gli ospiti sono dotate di soffitti alti e pareti in mattoni bianchi.
Sicuramente i più cinici diranno che tutti gli hotel rivolti al pubblico più giovane cercano di far passare per arte il loro stile bianco su bianco, privo di immaginazione, quando in realtà, l'intonaco bianco diventa indispensabile per nascondere muri fatiscenti e trasformare l'hotel in un posto modernamente all'avanguardia. Forse alle volte accade, ma non è il caso dell'Ace Hotel, che dispone effettivamente di muri bianchi intonacati e ha la decenza di chiedere meno di 70$ per una stanza singola standard.
Per evitare il rischio di finire in uno stereotipo regionale, ci teniamo a dire che qui ci troviamo nell'area nord-ovest del Pacifico, e non a Hollywood; a Seattle per l'esattezza.
Qui vi capiterà di poter dormire sotto l'occhio attento dell'Andrè the Giant di Shepard Fairey, con vista sulla Baia di Elliot e le Olympic Mountains, oppure su Belltown. I bagni, malgrado siano in condivisione, sono i più puliti che abbiate mai visto, assolutamente l'opposto dei tipici bagni che ci si immagina di trovare nei dormitori: non vale quindi assolutamente la pena di spendere i cinquanta dollari extra che vengono richiesti in caso si desideri una stanza con bagno privato. Una porta girevole e nascosta si apre in un affascinante spazio minimalista color noce e bianco, con lavandini in alluminio industriale e niente che assomigli al "niente" di Philippe Starck.
Naturalmente anche i servizi e gli accessori sono ridotti al minimo e, se siete arrivati a leggere fino qui, vi sarete accorti che il lusso non è la caratteristica primaria di questo hotel. Sostanzialmente è un posto dove riposarsi dopo le faticose avventure della città (con l'accesso ad internet però, non sono proprio selvaggi dopo tutto). C'è anche da dire però che gli ospiti, di solito viaggiatori molto giovani, amano stare svegli a tutte le ore del giorno e della notte, per cui non consigliamo questo hotel a coloro che amano dormire, andare a letto presto, o a coloro che hanno bisogno di molto riposo per recuperare il fuso orario.
Il piano terra è ora la sede del Cyclops Café, un locale molto frequentato (tutti gli hotel dicono questo dei propri locali affiliati, ma di questo potete pure fidarvi) ed inoltre avrete a "portata di mano" molti dei bar e dei caffè di Belltown così come tutte le tradizionali destinazioni di Seattle tipo Pioneer Square e il Pike Place Market. Forse è questo il vero significato delle pareti bianche: far arrossire a tal punto gli ospiti più pigri, che il contrasto della loro pelle col bianco delle pareti li spingerà ad uscire e godersi la città.
Il Chewton Glen potrebbe essere un termine di paragone per tutti gli altri hotel di campagna. L'ubicazione è spettacolare, occupa ben 130 acri di parco al limite della New Forest (una volta terreno di caccia dei nobili Norman, più tardi nascondiglio per i contrabbandieri di sigarette). Nelle vicinanze troviamo la cattedrale di Salisbury, Stonehenge e l'isola di Wight e, ancora più a portata di mano, abbiamo la sublime e impressionante costa del Dorset, e dietro di essa, la Manica.
Per quanto possano essere spettacolari i dintorni, molti ospiti rischiano di non vederli affatto, e la colpa è proprio dell'hotel: c'è tanto di quel lusso, che per invogliare alcuni ospiti ad uscire, lo sforzo diventa davvero enorme. L'esterno ha le sembianze proprie di una grande casa in campagna: dietro le mura invece, troviamo un hotel di lusso assolutamente moderno. Per coloro che sono alla ricerca di interni autentici del diciottesimo secolo questa potrebbe essere una delusione, ma coloro che preferiscono il comfort ad un arredamento semplice (ma assolutamente autentico) ne rimarranno estasiati. In passato, non esistevano suites (ne tantomeno bagni) di queste dimensioni. E lo spazio non è l'unico lusso: le finestre enormi offrono un panorama da togliere il fiato così come, e qui la competizione si fa durissima, la TV satellitare e gli impianti stereo di tecnologia avanzata Bang & Olufsen.
Forse il ristorante, decisamente eccellente, potrebbe essere una buona motivazione per farvi uscire dalla stanza: il Marryat, infatti, mette a disposizione un menu eclettico e moderno, con funghi e prodotti della New Forest, insieme a frutti di mare provenienti da Christchurch, una vasta gamma di piatti vegetariani ed una carta dei vini eccellente.
In armonia con il relax e per conservare la tradizione romana dei bagni, a sud dell'hotel troviamo il centro benessere di Chetwon Glen, uno dei migliori e pluripremiati d' Inghilterra. A vostra disposizione tutta una serie di interessanti trattamenti con prodotti Clarins, Thalgo e Guinot. Se invece ciò che vi interessa è una semplice nuotata, potrete fare un tuffo nella piscina al coperto di 17 metri che si trova nella hall centrale dell'hotel. Questa piscina non è solo impressionante e fotogenica, ma l'acqua che contiene è trattata con ozono che ne riduce la quantità di cloro, e che la trasforma, ogni giorno, da piscina a terme di lusso.
Per quanto riguarda le attività all'aperto di questo hotel di campagna situato tra la foresta ed il mare, ci si può dedicare al golf, al tennis ed al croquet, mentre il tiro al piattello e l'equitazione possono essere praticate nelle vicinanze. Se vi sentite in vena di avventure, il personale dell'hotel sarà lieto di organizzarvi battute di pesca o di esplorazione nella New Forest, a bordo di una jeep 4x4, magari una gita sul Solent (il canale tra l'Hampshire e l'isola di Wight).
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