ROOMS
Villa La Massa, Candeli. A hayloft turned into bistro, windmill into restaurant
A twenty-acre Tuscan oasis tucked between the river Arno and the Chianti hills where guests experience the countryside in a renovated agricultural structure
Posta Marcucci, Siena. The Tuscan economy of the common good
The Costas have created a community in its core meaning, one that binds together the management, the staff, and local providers under the same ethos
Torel 1884 Suites, Porto. Environments discovered by the adventurers of the past
A story dating back to 1884 and a contemporary outlook inspired by three continents. In conversation with Ingrid Koeck, one-third of the Torel 1884 team, on how the Porto hotel came to be
Dexamenes Seaside Hotel, Western Peloponnese. From brutalist winery to raw luxury hotel
An opportunity to sleeping inside silos structures, between steel, timber, and engineered glass.In conversation with Nikos Karaflos, the founder of the rural hotel
Seehotel Ambach, Lake Caldaro. A living organism in the South Tyrolean biotope
Though renovated, architect Othmar Barth’s vision for Seehotel Ambach remains in dialogue with Lake Caldaro, preserving history and biodiversity
CitizenM, London. Prefabricated rooms as though the hotel were a car
Modular prefabricated rooms designed after the future traveler’s essentials – wrapped in plastic, pressurised and shipped to the construction site, ready to become the next citizenM hotel
Finca Can Martì, Ibiza. An energy-efficient property in dichotomy with the island’s chaos
Lodged in a natural reserve in the area of Es Amunts is Finca Can Martì, a seventeenth-century farm holding powered by solar energy, organic permaculture farming, and recycled water
Ganda Rooms & Suites, Ghent. From an eighteenth century manor house to a hotel
Ganda, meaning ‘river mouth’ is the old Celtic name for Ghent whose origin is at the confluence of the two rivers the Scheldt and the Leie
Il Salviatino, Florence. A villa in the Fiesole hills
Among the Tuscan hills, a few minutes from Florence, a restored 15th-century villa – geometric shapes dealing with nature
Hotel Su Gologone, Oliena. Art in symbiosis with nature
Among centuries-old olive trees and vineyards, geraniums, hydrangeas, bougainvillea, and prickly pears is a building that is the safeguard of local art and culture in Oliena.
Pulitzer, Amsterdam. Unesco heritage site turned in a canal view hotel
The twenty-five historic interlinked canal houses create a labyrinth – the scene for business deals between trade merchants, home to Dutch aristocrats
Coco-Mat, Serifos. Cycladic architecture and a renovation of miner’s houses
Interaction with nature is the asset, in the island of metal mines. Serifos: Odysseus and Perseus, Cyclopes lived in its caves
Hotel Tipografia do Conto, Porto. For those who travel space and time
Two buidings, two identity – while Casa’s familiarity was toned down with industrial elements, the opposite took place at Tipografia
The Standard Spa, Miami Beach. Rituals of ancient bathing traditions
Mid-century Danish Modernist furniture and 1944 Hans Wegner J16 Rocking Chairs, which nod to the building’s past as a retirement home
Isla Palenque, Panama. In the plot of Daniel Defoe’s masterpiece
Home of an ancient pre-Columbian community, the Island preserves the forest. Guests contribute to transplant a primary rainforest seedling to an area of secondary growth
Hotel Lutetia, Paris. Art Deco’s twist
The Latin word Lutetia, believed to signify ‘marsh’ or ‘swamp’, makes us think of how european cities are not only history infused, but living history
The Ned, London. A New York-Parisian feel
Something perceived as ‘cold’ when observing modern buildings in the European-American metropolis, is the opposite in the Ned London
J.K. Place, Paris. A literary compendium of French style
In the VII arrondissement of Paris, at 82 rue de Lille, French charm and Italian soul merge behind a directoire façade in light-colored stone
Stresa, Grand Hotel des Iles Borromées. The Grand Tour, nowadays
The Stresa’s ‘brand’ is the walk on the very long lakefront: on one side the ‘princely’ islands, on the other, the hotel and its guests
Macau, Hotel Okura. From the water that gave it life
A man who was caught in a storm prayed for his life when the Goddess of Seafarers Mazu appeared and calmed the seas. He decided to build a place of worship dedicated to her
Il Palazzo Experimental, Venice. Reflecting the shades of the Laguna
Meilichzon fosters the arches of the traditional Venetian windows and the Palladian curves that proliferate the city
Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur. Among bougainvillea and peacocks
A trip to Rajasthan is nothing if one does not sleep in the maharaja’s rooms, whatever the cost An entrance with royal trumpets – visitors of
Lake Palace. Udaipur and the limestone inlay
A tree of life or a vase with floral decoration with branches and cascading leaves, the design refers to the fountain
Taj Rambagh Palace, Jaipur. India’s milky sky
An address that indicates, within a city, one of the world’s must-see destinations. Like a national monument, not a single detail of the historic indoor pool can be changed
Grand Hotel et de Milan, Milan. Architecture and Zeitgeist
Inspired by the neo-gothic style, the façade was accentuated with eclectic features that reflected the times. Inside, postal and telegramming services, as well as a hydraulic elevator
Galleria Vik, Milan. Design hospitality in the city’s living room
In addition to being the Vik Retreats’ first location in all of Europe, Galleria Vik Milan is also their first art hotel and the first that is located in an urban city, right in the center of the Lombard capital
Little Beach House, Barcelona. A historical review of design
Spanish aesthetics on the beach and a new historical interpretation of design
The Levee, Tel Aviv. In a city that never sleeps, silence is luxury
The interiors of the apartments were created by Belgian designer Yael Siso and exalt European elegance, despite keeping the original atmosphere of the location alive
Six Senses Krabey, Koh Krabey Island. The experience is in an ocean rainforest
Forty rooms – each is an independent construction hidden in the forest: a living room, the bedroom and a bathroom with stone floors. The details of the furnishings are a work of local craftsmanship
Travel Story. How migratory flows can transform a district
There is no rigor or formality in Tel Aviv. The genesis, evolution and gentrification of Neve Tzedek, from the desolation of the fifties to homes for artists and the bourgeoisie.
Bless Hotel, Madrid. A room on the avenue halfway between Paris and New York
A tribute to the Twenties and to Art Nouveau among boiseries, macro-flowers on the bedside lamps and Louis Comfort Tiffany lamps
Six Senses, Singapore. Two twin structures in Maxwell and Duxton
Singapura in Sanskrit means city of the lion after a Malay prince landed there, sheltered by a storm, and witnessed a lion pass by.
Phum Baitang, Siem Reap. The synthesis of a trip
The temple of Angkor Wat is one of the most visited sites in the world, a destination for mass tourism – hidden behind a perimeter wall that could almost be an army barracks but opens out to reveal geometrical patterns of green fields and water
Brach, Paris. The design glasshouse
Born from a 1970s mail sorting center with a surface area of 7000 square meters, Brach hotel is designed by the French designer Philippe Starck
Argentaia, Magliano di Toscana. Corners and ochre shades in a medieval song
The original nucleus of Argentaia is what remains of the ancient convent: it resembles a colonial house, a farmer’s refuge on the gentlest part of the hill
The American Colony Hotel, Jerusalem. The neutral aura of a place of transit at the service of diplomacy
The entrance of The American Colony feels as though one is crossing a frontier — a flurry of Mediterranean air up here in the hills
Wolwedans Dunes Lodge, Namibia
For over twelve hundred kilometers, from the north to the south, along the west coast of Namibia, the Namib Desert has been arid for more than eighty million years
Gallia Palace Hotel, Punta Ala. An extension of the surrounding vegetation
The Gallia Palace Hotel boasts interiors that take you back to the years in which it was conceived; a style that over the years died out, but once again became trendy
Post Ranch Inn, California. Technically ideal for stargazing
Cliffs, canyons, red sand and rebellion. A Big Sur cowboy turns a ranch into a luxury hotel
Travel Story. Overlooking the sea on a rock wall
The room overlooks the Mediterranean beyond the roofs of Anacapri which are not far away and beyond a thatched roof, note the density of cement, bulkheads and tiles
David Tremlett’s Frescoes in the Chapel of San Maurizio
Geometry and art meet in a work handmade with pieces of chalk and pigment: David Tremlett’s work completes his “Langhe Triangle” of works in the region at the medieval church of San Maurizio
The Siam, Bangkok. Tentacular gardens and the Chao Phraya River
An understated entry. A few steps lead up to the first courtyard—it could be the entrance to a patrician’s home in ancient Rome moved to Asia
Hotel Punta Tragara, Capri. Offspring of the Island
Le Corbusier described the Hotel Punta Tragara Capri as “a kind of architectural bloom, an extension of the rock, an offspring of the island, a plant-like phenomenon”
Hotel Bawah Reserve, Pulau Bawah
In Indonesia, six islets and three lagoons – a nature reserve – which want to make themselves self-sufficient in the production of energy, water and food
The Chedi, Muscat. Flickering braziers floating on the water
A trip to Oman is a four-day escape from Europe, all year round, towards Muscat for its sensuality and physical vigor in a land that adores its Sultan
Travel Story. A portrait of Tel Aviv, today: a city of resources
With a Bauhaus archive and above average property prices, the future of Tel Aviv will belong to those who understand the value of small touches, rediscovering the dignity of man
Hôtel de Paris, Monte Carlo. In discord is the catalyst of its legend
Schemes and events find new life and light around the Hotel de Paris Monte Carlo, of new lines written on old pages
Alila Jabal Akhdar, Oman
In Oman, roses grow on mountains and in gullies. Among sweet fragrances in the summer or tepid waters in the winter, in the dark over the continent you can count the shooting stars
Il Borro, Valdarno. The rocky ridges of Chianti
The ancient hamlet is all that remains of a castle on an outcrop and the only way up is a stone bridge that winds up the slope
Locanda Rossa, Capalbio. Land of introspection and pride
Halfway between the Tarot Garden and the ancient village of Capalbio stands Locanda Rossa, which opened its doors in 2008
Villa della Pergola, Alassio
Liberty-style in Liguria, Albion on the Mediterranean. In the early twentieth century, the English communities discovered the Riviera di Ponente, and Mediterranean style
L’Andana Tenuta La Badiola, Castiglione della Pescaia.
The cypress-lined drive leads up to the top of the hill, to Tenuta La Badiola, a neoclassic villa that, in the nineteenth century, was the home of the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Leopold II of Habsburg-Lorraine
The Beverly Hills Hotel, Beverly Hills. The Rise of a City and a Historic Landmark
The Martinque wallpaper adorns the corridors and lounging areas of the hotel, designed for vanity and visibility “guests are entitled of everything regardless of the costs”. This is Hollywood
Dar Darma, Marrakech
The perfumes mingled with the wood that smelled like sandal on the walls. Two courts make up the Dar Darma, from the ground to the sky
La Mamounia, Marrakech
Along the walls, like a stronghold. The view of the garden changes the perception, in the morning the dawn rises behind the Atlas
Longitude 131, Yulara
Uluru is the Aboriginal name of Ayers Rock, the rock of red sand. The mountain is sacred to the Anangu people
Buchinger Wilhelmi Hotel, Überlingen
The clinic’s philosophy is based on three elements: therapeutic fasting, integrative medicine and spiritual inspiration. It is the ‘hunger method’ devised by Doctor Otto Buchinger in 1920
Venissa Wine Resort, Venice. A hortus conclusus in the lagoon
The Bisol family’s rural farmstead in Burano has become a hotel with five rooms, two restaurants, and a pergola under which they serve hors d’oeuvres and a Laguna white
Hotel Alila Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur. Leaving the smoke and atrophy behind
The blaring of honks, the humming of wheels and it’s all over. You arrive in front of the frosted doors to a building that coalesces past and present
Casa Fantini, Pella. Five hundred days of work
The Lady asked Piero Lissoni to design the new headquarter of Fantini Rubinetterie: a building of glass, gently surfacing amidst willows and brooms
Locanda La Raia, Gavi. A haven of Italian style
Once an emporium, surrounded by the summer residences of the Genoan nobility, today it is a true haven
Suvretta House, St Moritz. The most beautiful hotel in the world
Behind the last hill on the water edge, the most beautiful hotel in the world appears in the midst of fir trees: Suvretta. It resembles a Ludwig’s court palace, but with no frenzy.
Portrait Firenze, Florence. The breathe the city has always known
A hotel along the Arno overlooks the Ponte Vecchio – the Portrait of Florence. It turns to the east, in the morning the sun enters from a wide open window on the third floor room
Grand Hotel Fasano, Lake Garda. Breathe in the scent of the sun
The Grand Hotel Fasano is one of the best hotels reviewed by this column. The rooms overlooking the lake to the East, the swans taking flight, the sunlight dancing around the sundial.
Bagno Vignoni, Posta Marcucci Hotel
The hills of Siena roll among vineyards and olive groves along a section of the Via Cassia. While a forest of oak invades them.
Hotel MontChalet, Ortisei
On Monte Seceda there are secrets to discover: the botanicals. Among those of the Gin 8025, with zero sugar, there are stone and mountain pine cones. Down in the valley, in Ortisei, the last five-star Hotel MontChalet smells of stone pine
Faena Hotel, Miami Beach. Luxury can afford sophistication
The Sea Society gathers in Miami in December. Design Miami and Art Basel ignite the conversation of the media and sophisticated industry – as luxury can afford sophistication
Relais San Maurizio, Santo Stefano Belbo
Perfumes are mixed in the days, before the seasons. The hills get rough, the tires climb and have fun in the Langhe. Castles, watchtowers – the Middle Ages remain fashionable
Hotel Europejski, Warsaw. From the twentieth century to a new course
A crossroads of artists and intellectuals when Poland opened up to trade and industry. Today five hundred works of art between the hall and the suites
Hotel Engel, Nova Levante. Anonymity in Alto Adige
The room has a long corridor and tiled floor like a B&B from the sixties, fitted wardrobe with mirror and jacket hangers. It all translates as a desire for modernization
Vivamayr, Maria Wörth. School of discipline
Three meals per day to be eaten in silence, sitting at one’s table – alone – on a patio with a view of the lake. No talking allowed, no reading or writing. Maximum concentration as you eat
Travel Story. From Versailles to the Loire, the topic is water
The patio of the castle overlooks a precipice, difference in height without vertigo. Start from Chateau d’Artigny. The chronicles among the flowers
Cavalieri Waldorf Astoria, Rome. A homage to ancient knights
The bulk refers to famous hotels in the 1990s, while today pleasure is looking for reserved corners. The galleries of shops branch off from the lobby and generate déjà-vu.
Travel Story. Big Sur Memories
Peony and African cocoa flower – on a base of Turkish rose, with hints of ginger. The perfume seeks that euphoria that explodes when in California, at the Post Ranch Inn, your eyes widen before a shower of shooting stars
Four Seasons Hotel at The Bosphorus, Istanbul
The hotel is a venue of excellence, a former 19th century Ottoman palace built of white stone on the water’s edge
Calistoga, California. Between diagonal mountains and wine
The camera focuses on the hills of the Napa Valley. It is August, grapes hang on the vines, the sun kisses forearms resting on the rolled-down window of a SUV Chevrolet
Palazzo Magnani Feroni, Florence. Feeling at home
Borgo San Frediano is across the Arno river, or ‘diladdarno’, as the Florentines say. Rooms as big as private apartments. It’s a choice, not luxury
Palazzo Rhinoceros, Rome. A tribute to the animal world
Rhinoceros, the building of the Forum Boarium in Rome, now transformed into a gallery complete with artist residences, was officially opened on 11 October at 10 pm, with a series of art performances and the adulation of an awestruck audience
Ruma, Kuala Lumpur. Rumah means home
Ruma is a modern structure, in line with the style of the city yet referring to ancient Malaysian culture and its esthetic values in every corridor, room and space.
Verdura Resort, Sciacca. Straddling time and the sea
Green, blue and palm trees, a watchtower on the beach. There is more to Sicily than the Valley of the Temples: it is a land of dukes, poets and artists
Hotel de Russie, Rome. Breakfast in the sun, even in November
The ceilings are high, the wooden Dutch ornaments are combined with blue greys, shiny resin floors, beiges, cream, and black finishes
Palazzo Avino, Ravello. A flower cart at the entrance
A hotel opened since 1997, located in Ravello, between Positano and Vietri. At the entrance a flower cart, on the piano the pink hyacinths, the Creed’s perfumes in the boutique
Capella, Sentosa. Colonial architecture by Norman Foster
Capella is the third brightest star in the northern celestial hemisphere: it is also the name of a hôtellerie collection in Asia. Here is a review of Capella Sentosa, Singapore
Aman, Venice. A card game in the afternoon
As in all the Venetian palaces, the floors appear to float, resting on waltz slopes – it reminds you that Venice is a floating city.
Albergo Ristorante Bucaneve, Veglio. In the Oasi Zegna
Casa Zegna and the wool mill collect the water from the Alps of Biella region, the wool from New Zealand up to Mongolia. The hotel Bucaneve is hidden a midst of these mountains
Hotel Raphaël, Rome. The wisteria buried underneath
Rome is like the wisteria climbing up – not on a non-descript façade, but up the Raphaël’s façade. The plants are not pruned, they are infesting, like the beauty of Rome.