France
La Manufacture Royale de Lectoure: Occitanie
About five years ago, while walking the Camino de Santiago with her family, the Parisian stylist Christele Ageorges fell in love with the village of Lectoure and its 18th-century limestone buildings. She eventually bought an abandoned tannery and transformed it into this five-bedroom property filled with handmade objets, antiques, and flowers and foliage from the surrounding gardens. On warm days breakfast is served in the garden, which has stunning views of the Pyrenees. Doubles from $310. — Gisela Williams
La Maison Favart: Paris
My husband and I first came across this romantic hotel while planning a trip to Paris in 2015. Located on the edge of the Second Arrondissement, the 39-room gem appealed to us primarily because it’s within walking distance of several marquee sights, including the Louvre and the Tuileries. Each morning, we’d fuel up on fresh croissants, fruit, and strong coffee in the breakfast room; complimentary snacks and an honor bar were set out in the evenings. It was a delight to return after a long day of sightseeing and share the convivial atmosphere with other visiting couples. Doubles from $311. — Sarah Bruning
Auberge du Bois Prin: Chamonix
Having arrived at this Chamonix auberge late on a summer night, I was surprised when I drew back the curtains the next morning and found Mont Blanc and the French Alps still partly wreathed in snow. This wood-paneled inn includes 10 comfortable rooms and suites and a large terrace where breakfast is served. The restaurant is superb, with an exceptional list of French wines — as might be expected at a place owned by chef Emmanuel Renaut. (His Flocons de Sel, an hour’s drive away in Megève, has three Michelin stars.) Doubles from $263. — Nina Caplan
Tuba Club: Provence
Marseille has slowly evolved into France’s next creative capital, and was therefore in need of a free-spirited meeting place for locals and travelers. Enter, in 2020, Tuba Club, a cluster of buildings in the seaside neighborhood of Les Goudes with five simple cabin-like rooms, a restaurant, and a beach club. Paris-based designer Marion Mailaender gave this former scuba-diving school a retro-glam makeover, complete with bird-shaped bedside sconces and industrial-chic shower tiles. Guests get first dibs on beach loungers and dinner reservations; they can also take the hotel’s restored 1970s fishing boat out for a spin. Doubles from $241. — G.W.
A-List Pick
Les Trésorières: Loire Valley
Les Trésorières is the first five-star hotel to open in the heart of Tours, an under-the-radar but buzzing university town in the Loire Valley. Small and intimate, it may not offer the services found in Parisian palaces, but the rooms are big and well appointed, and the smiles are genuine. Doubles from $219. — Philip Haslett of Kairos Travel (philip@kairos-travel.com)
Le Moulin: Provence
Storybook villages are plentiful in Provence, but perhaps none has as much appeal as Lourmarin: if you wanted to skip through cobblestoned streets singing “Bonjour! Bonjour!” like Disney’s Belle, this would be the ideal place. Le Moulin, a 25-room hotel housed in a former mill, is across the street from a Renaissance château. Inside, however, the ambience is less fairy tale and more updated French-country chic, with sisal rugs and a color scheme of beige-on-beige. Books by Provençal authors abound, from Jean Giono to Marcel Pagnol. Doubles from $173. — Sarah Lieberman
Dominique Colonna: Corsica
The mountain landscape around the small town of Corte is a paradise for hikers. Luckily, it’s also home to a family-run hotel that’s perfect for recovering after a long trek. Dominique Colonna is shrouded in pine and birch trees and sits on the banks of the Restonica River — in the summer, nothing feels better than a dip in its cool waters. For sustenance, the hotel offers some of the best provisions in town: local cheeses with house-made fig jam; fresh-squeezed lemonade; and plenty of organic olive oil from the property’s own grove. Doubles from $214. — S.L.
Greece
Kyrimai: Mani
Situated on Greece’s wild Mani Peninsula, Kyrimai is a complex of stone buildings that dates back to the 1870s, when the region’s then-mayor turned the small harbor of Gerolimenas into a major trading post. Today the descendants of that visionary politician run this atmospheric resort, which has 23 rooms and suites, each uniquely decorated — try to book the three-story Tower Room, which has panoramic views of the Mediterranean. In the heat of the afternoon, you can float serenely in the pool, race the waves in the bay, or lounge in a deck chair listening to the rush and slap of the water against the pier. The restaurant is a local destination and may fill up in the evenings — in which case you can stroll to the nearby seaside tavernas for fresh octopus. Doubles from $131. — Eleni N. Gage
Pagostas: Patmos
Below the medieval Monastery of St. John on the island of Patmos, a mosaic of flat gray roofs fans out in all directions. Hidden in the warren of whitewashed lanes is Pagostas, a three-room guesthouse set in a late-16th-century building. The property opened in 2022 after a renovation that is a master class in cultural preservation — but it’s the staff that make Pagostas special. Innkeepers Gregoris Kambouroglou and Maria Lemos bring an unaffected warmth and lightness of touch to every detail, from a sprig of jasmine on the terra-cotta windowsill to jazz singer Randy Crawford serenading the sunset on the vintage stereo. Doubles from $270. — Rachel Howard
Saxonis Houses: Zagori
Tucked away in the Pindus mountains in northern Greece, Saxonis Houses is my favorite hotel in the entire country. I first chose it because of its affordable price, but was shocked to find a beautiful collection of stone houses covered in crawling ivy. My large room had vaulted wooden ceilings, a fireplace, and an insanely comfortable bed. I fell asleep to the stars and awoke to the mountains turning purple in the morning light. Kindly owner Vasilis Nasiakos doubles as a guide, taking guests on hikes through the valleys of the Pindus. I’ve returned several times, and with each visit I feel more and more at home. Doubles from $90. — Sarah Souli
A77 Suites by Andronis: Athens
A77 Suites by Andronis is a boutique property in the heart of Plaka, one of the oldest and most picturesque parts of Athens’s historic center. The Iconic Suite is one of my favorite rooms in the city, thanks to its fantastic terrace, which looks out on the Acropolis. Doubles from $216. — Mina Agnos of Travelive (mina@travelive.com)
Finland
Hotel St. George: Helsinki
I love the Hotel St. George in Helsinki, Finland, for its natural light, calming color palette, and overall relaxed feel. But what makes me want to return again and again is the artwork and design finishes throughout the place. Everywhere you look is something amazing: large-scale floating sculptures, custom wallpaper, and Alvar Aalto lighting. Doubles from $265. — Melissa Lee of Royal Travel (mlee@royal-travel.com)
Denmark
SP34: Copenhagen
Located on Sankt Peders Straede at the center of Copenhagen’s hip Latin Quarter, Brøchner Hotels’ 118-room SP34 exudes both coziness and Danish cool. The idiosyncratic rooms blend playful touches (like designer Morgen Hedegaard’s headboards made to resemble classic Scandinavian chairbacks) with the building’s original exposed beams and bricks. There are fun social elements, too, like the nightly wine hour — a good way to meet fellow travelers — and cinema nights in the screening room. After breakfast at Vækst, the plant-filled oasis of a restaurant, I took one of the house bicycles for a spin. Doubles from $176. — Tom Vanderbilt
Sweden
Wanås Restaurant Hotel: Skane
This captivating hotel in southern Sweden holds special appeal for art lovers: it’s located on a rural estate that’s home to an extraordinary sculpture park. The 11-room hotel, which occupies two 18th-century stone farm buildings, is outfitted with mid-century furniture and contemporary art. Outside, winding paths through gardens and woods lead to site-specific installations, like Eleven Minute Line, a land-art piece by Maya Lin that curlicues through a field of cows. The estate’s gardens and organic farm supply its excellent restaurant. Doubles from $166. — G.W.
Italy
Naturalis Bio Resort & Spa: Puglia
I stayed at this masseria, located on an 18th-century estate near the town of Martano and owned by Italian skin-care company N&B, on a recent visit to Puglia. Its farmhouse-style rooms, furnished with vintage pieces in wood and wrought iron, are pure rustic-chic. (The most spectacular is the Tower of the Stars, a grain silo transformed into a three-story suite with its own pool and a 16th-century grotto turned private spa.) The 49-acre farm supplies the restaurant with wheat, olives, vegetables, and herbs. It also produces aloe vera, the star ingredient in the Naturalis line of sustainable, gorgeously scented products, which are stocked in the guest rooms and used in the spa. Thanks to the resort’s comprehensive wellness facilities, which include en suite chromotherapy showers and an outdoor saltwater pool, I left Puglia feeling fully restored. Doubles from $197. — Shamilee Vellu
Palazzo Doria Napoli: Naples
On Sept. 7, 1860, Giuseppe Garibaldi declared a unified Italy from the balcony of a palazzo on the Piazza Sette Settembre. Today that building is the six-room Doria Napoli, and a marble bust of the Italian patriot stands in one of the many restored galleries of the guesthouse, which opened in 2022 after a lengthy restoration. The décor is outrageously ornate: every inch of the hotel is festooned with Murano chandeliers, Baroque furniture, and trompe l’oeil frescoes. Book a room with a balcony overlooking Via Toledo and you’ll feel instantly in sync with the city below. The well-connected staff is at the ready to offer local intel — a must in always-on Naples. Doubles from $320. — Jackie Caradonio
Roncolo 1888: Emilia
Roncolo 1888 opened in 2020 in a 17th-century villa on a working wine estate. The property has four elegant guest rooms as well as a restaurant in a historic greenhouse. The location, in northern Italy’s Emilia region, is among the hotel’s strengths: it’s only a short drive to such beautiful towns as Parma and Modena. Doubles from $345. — Matteo della Grazia and Daniela Mencarelli of Discovery Your Italy (matteo@discoveryouritaly.com)
Nordelaia: Piedmont
This intimate hotel in the rolling hills of Piedmont, the northern Italian region famous for Barolo and truffles, is the kind of place you almost want to keep secret so it doesn’t get overrun. But this stylishly updated 800-year-old farmhouse with a soothing spa, two pools, and a lovely garden really is too good to keep to yourself. After wine tastings at the nearby vineyards, settle in at the bistro for local specialties like mushroom risotto with Castelmagno cheese and hazelnuts and a glass of Barbera del Monferrato from the hotel’s own line. Doubles from $250. — Laura Itzkowitz
Hotel Metropole: Venice
Hotel Metropole offers the full Venetian experience: history, drama, music, and a secret walled garden. Its 56 rooms and 11 suites, the best of which look out on the lagoon, are decorated with eclectic antiques, ornate brocades, plush velvets, and carved gold accents. I particularly love the tearoom and full spa. Doubles from $340. — Gary Portuesi of Authentic Explorations (gary@authentic-explorations.com
Planeta Estate: Sicily
The Planeta family has wineries in every corner of the island, but in the town of Menfi, near the western coast, they also have a boutique hotel where the infinity pool seems to spill into the vineyards. The 14 rooms are decorated in colors that echo the ingredients chef Angelo Pumilia uses in the restaurant: pistachio green, prawn pink. But even his superb food can’t compete with a glass of Planeta wine beside the pool. Doubles from $186. — N.C.
The Planeta family has wineries in every corner of the island, but in the town of Menfi, near the western coast, they also have a boutique hotel where the infinity pool seems to spill into the vineyards. The 14 rooms are decorated in colors that echo the ingredients chef Angelo Pumilia uses in the restaurant: pistachio green, prawn pink. But even his superb food can’t compete with a glass of Planeta wine beside the pool. Doubles from $186. — N.C.
Cenobio dei Dogi: Liguria
There are few better vantage points on the coast of Liguria than the palm-tree-frocked terrace at the Cenobio dei Dogi, a grande dame hotel in the old fishing town of Camogli. Off to the side unspools the saltwater-taffy-colored skyline of the town and, in front of you, the dazzling azure embrace of the Ligurian Riviera. The Dogi, with its ocher and pink main buildings and pastel interiors, exudes a classic Italian seaside glamour, best enjoyed from its saltwater pool or, after clambering down some cliffside stairs, the small black-pebble beach. Doubles from $251. — T.V.
U.K. and Ireland
Foyers Lodge: Loch Ness, Scotland
Tourists typically visit the Nessie Industrial Complex on the western side of Loch Ness. Meanwhile, the sparsely inhabited eastern side — with its luxuriant woodlands, fields of Highland cattle, endearing villages, and a one-lane road with unparalleled views of the lake — feels like some lost enchanted realm. About halfway up this idyllic stretch of shore, the hospitable Anna Low and Phil Crowe have created the perfect hotel for the perfect location, rejuvenating an 1863 inn with quirky antiques, plush furnishings, and a palette of rich colors. The dining room showcases the considerable talents of Vanessa Royale (don’t pass up her superb fish-and-chips). In the evening, you can meet your fellow guests in the snug drawing-room bar or, better yet, sit in the garden and watch dusk fall over the mysterious, achingly beautiful loch. Doubles from $199. — Peter Terzian
The Swan: Cotswolds, England
The last time I stayed at The Swan, in Bibury — a Cotswolds village named the most beautiful in England by the 19th-century aesthete William Morris — I slept with the windows open and woke to the sound of a horse trotting past. The inn has lots of snug common rooms where you can sit by the fire in tweed-upholstered wingbacks and sip cocktails before dinner. And the food was delicious, with the smoked-in-house partridge being particularly memorable. Doubles from $300. — Rachel Shoemaker of Louisa White Travel (rachel@louisawhite.com)
The Harper: Norfolk, England
This lovingly repurposed glass factory in the village of Langham has 32 luxurious bedrooms in bright, pure colors, as well as a light-filled game room, an indoor pool, and a restaurant that takes full advantage of the local seafood. On a recent visit, my sister and I found that — thanks to the spa, the afternoon snacks, and the relaxed atmosphere — it was almost impossible to force ourselves beyond its walls. Hardier types will opt for bike riding or walking through the surrounding pine forests and nearby salt marshes or seal-spotting along the wild coast. Doubles from $240. — N.C.
Monachyle Mhor: Perthshire, Scotland
When our daughter was only a few months old, my husband and I took her to Monachyle Mhor, in Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park. We had been largely confined to our small London flat since her birth, so the experience of arriving at this hotel on a mirrored loch surrounded by mountains was almost hallucinogenic. Indoors, we found a cosseting mix of warmth and luxury: sheepskins, soothing neutral tones, and a roll-top bath. And we were blown away by the restaurant, which draws on Scotland’s culinary bounty (venison from the Perthshire hills, scallops from the Isle of Mull). Doubles from $348. — Flora Stubbs
The Zetter Townhouse: London
Staying at this Marylebone hotel is like visiting the home of an endearingly eccentric aunt and uncle. Stylish and warm, the Georgian property, located near Marble Arch, is a mad jumble of candelabras and curios, full of fun and character. Spread across five floors, the 24 rooms and suites are a mix of the Victorian and modern: frilly lamps and drapes that smell of old silk, yes, but also rain showers and chic White Company bath products. For a top British afternoon tea with a twist, try the truffle sausage rolls and espresso martini macaroons with a pot of wild cherry. Doubles from $348. — Monisha Rajesh
Ballynahinch: Connemara, Ireland
Drive west of Galway and the landscape quickly turns craggy and wild, with steep ridges, moody bogs, and what seems like more sheep than people. In the heart of all this haunting beauty sits Ballynahinch, a 48-room hotel that dates back to 1756. While some castle properties can feel overly grand, this one is warm and friendly; I remember dining on seafood pie in the firelit Fisherman’s Pub and burrowing into our comfortable bed on a chilly October night, while the Ballynahinch River tumbled past our window. Sign up for a two-hour tour of the rambling estate and learn about its intriguing history (it was owned at various times by an early anti-animal-cruelty activist and an Indian maharajah). Doubles from $334. — P.T.
The Wilder Townhouse: Dublin, Ireland
The Wilder Townhouse occupies a Victorian-era building on a quiet residential street in Dublin. You can feel the attentiveness of the team from the moment you step through the door. The hotel is known for its incredible breakfast, and it also does a lovely turndown service with a poetry book and chocolates. Doubles from $250. — Siobhan Byrne Learat of Adams & Butler (siobhan@adamsandbutler.com)
Spain
Plácido y Grata: Seville
Design-forward hotels can often seem stiff and overly stylized. But this boutique jewel in Seville’s historic center feels both comfortable and visually arresting — it’s filled with such treasures as Le Corbusier lamps and Eames chairs. I loved sipping my morning coffee in the central courtyard next to the original stone fountain, and after siesta, I took a dip in the rooftop plunge pool, which looks out over Seville’s red-clay rooftops. Best of all, I left with a suitcase full of souvenirs — Pérez chocolates from Alicante, fig jam from Barcelona’s La Madre de Miren, Andalusian hojiblanca-olive oil — that I bought at the hotel’s superb shop. Doubles from $267. — Siobhan Reid
Casa La Siesta: Cádiz
The simple pleasures of Casa La Siesta, in Cádiz, are the best: feeling the breeze off the Atlantic; inhaling the fragrance of orange and olive trees from the nearby hills. Food also plays a special role here. At the hotel’s restaurant, authentic Andalusian specialties are paired with wonderful Spanish wine and sherry. Doubles from $340. — Steven Vigor of Iberian Escapes (travel@iberian-escapes.com)
Hotel Urban: Madrid
In terms of location, it’s hard to beat Hotel Urban, which is about a 10-minute walk from Madrid’s world-class museums — the Prado, the Reina Sofia, and the Thyssen-Bornemisza — as well as Retiro Park. Doubles from $292. — Marco Palermo of Authentic Explorations (marco@authentic-explorations.com)
Portugal
São Lourenço do Barrocal: Alentejo
Situated down a long dirt road lined with holm oaks and carob trees is this estate turned hotel, the vision of owner Jose Antonio Uva, whose family has farmed the land for eight generations. It’s a sprawling enclave known as a monte, a kind of farm-village hybrid, with cobblestoned “streets” and whitewashed buildings accented with restored Alentejo tiles. Ceremonial stone plinths from the Bronze Age are scattered throughout the property; it also has an orange grove, a vineyard, and an apiary. Guest rooms, which hew to a rustic richness, are outfitted with stylish yet sturdy farm tables, colorful Portuguese textiles, and vintage botanical prints. Doubles from $350. — T.V.
Le Monumental Palace: Porto
When I think of the ideal hotel in Portugal, it’s always Le Monumental Palace, in the historic district of Porto. The property is unique in its French influences — the brasserie-style restaurant, in particular, is worth a visit — but the hospitality is what really keeps me going back. Doubles from $340. — Sheree Mitchell of Immersa Global (sheree@immersaglobal.com)
Furnas Lake Forest Living
Furnas Lake Forest Living: Azores
These minimalist cedar bungalows are set on 200 acres of São Miguel Island, with gardens and forest trails that immerse you in the natural world. But the real treat is having husband-and-wife hosts Manuel and Helena Gago da Camara introduce you to the Azores’ cuisine. Each morning a breakfast basket of bolo lêvedo, the local sweet bread, and honey from the property’s bees was delivered to my door. In the evening, I joined the couple for a traditional dinner of cozida, a meat stew cooked in a pot in the ground that’s heated by volcanic steam. Doubles from $205. — Jen Murphy
Quinta da Casa Branca: Funchal
Once a family estate, this Madeira hotel is centered around an old manor house, now with five suites and a restaurant. Rooms in an adjacent complex have subtle floral themes to complement the outdoors, and staying there was like being given my own botanical garden. (There were even signs on the trees to tell me whether I was looking at a Sri Lankan true cinnamon or a karaka from New Zealand.) And every amble around the grounds was sidetracked by an encounter: with a lizard or a lawn swing or, once, a small plantation of bananas. Doubles from $276. — N.C.
L’and Vineyards: Alentejo
Treating myself to a night at this high-design wine hotel was the best decision I made on a summer road trip through Portugal. It’s one of the sexiest places I’ve ever stayed, comprising a series of low-slung, all-white Modernist buildings with earthy interiors by Brazilian designer Marcio Kogan and retractable roofs for admiring the night sky. I’ll never forget borrowing a bike and riding through the surrounding vineyards at sunset or gazing at the hilltop Montemor-o-Novo castle from the pool. And there were delicious things to eat at the restaurant — I still think about the pork stewed in the property’s reserve wine. Doubles from $232. — S.R.
The Netherlands
De Durgerdam: Amsterdam
This 14-room waterfront inn is in a tiny fishing hamlet on the eastern outskirts of Amsterdam. Co-owned by Paul Geertman of the Amsterdam-based company Aedes and designed by Buro Belen, the design was inspired by the traditional cottages and furniture of the region, which means cosseting spaces swathed in neutral tones reminiscent of putty — all the better to capture the soft glow of light reflecting off the water. It’s like a Dutch Golden Age painting come to life.
Doubles from $336. — G.W.
Hottel de hallen: Amsterdam
One of the best things about staying at this stylish 57-room property was discovering the surrounding Oud West neighborhood, a quietly funky area right outside the center of the city. The hotel is adjacent to De Hallen Amsterdam, a spacious cultural and retail complex that contains a food hall and an independent movie theater. A daily outdoor market is also just around the corner. The hotel itself is a cleverly repurposed 1902 tram station, and its comfortable, modern rooms face a long, airy central atrium that still has the tracks running through it. Doubles from $142. — P.T.
Germany
Stubn: Bavaria
One of Germany’s best-kept secrets is the Chiemsee, a beautiful glacial lake in the hills of Bavaria near the Austrian border. Up in those hills and a few miles west of the Chiemsee is Stubn, an 11-room hotel with an exceptional restaurant. Located on a 4,500-acre estate, it resembles one of the simple hiking cabins for which the region is known, and the place is accessible only by foot (a two-mile trek to the front door from the main road). But it’s worth the effort to feel immersed in nature. While the surrounding countryside is serenity itself, the Alpine-inspired food is the major draw: it’s overseen by Maximilian Müller, the chef de cuisine of the Michelin two-starred Pavillon restaurant at Baur au Lac, in Zurich. Doubles from $108. — G.W.
Chateau Royal: Berlin
As a longtime resident of Berlin, I’ve found that locals rarely hang out at even the trendiest hotel lobbies, bars, and restaurants. But the opening of Chateau Royal seems to be changing that. This 93-room property just around the corner from the Brandenburg Gate is overseen by a collective of Berliners steeped in the art world, and they’ve created a place that truly feels of the city. It also doubles as a gallery: there are 70 pieces of art (many of which were commissioned for the hotel) curated by gallerist Kirsten Landwehr and Krist Gruijthuijsen, the director of Berlin’s KW Institute for Contemporary Art. Doubles from $201. — G.W.
Romantik Alpenhotel Waxenstein: Bavarian Alps
Perched at the foot of the towering mountain Zugspitze, on the border of Germany and Austria, is the Romantik Alpenhotel Waxenstein. The stunning scenery and quaint village atmosphere are textbook Bavaria. Doubles from $142. — Sofia Markovich of Sofia’s Travel (sofia.markovich@sofiastravel.com)
Belgium
Hotel Flora: Antwerp
A 15th-century merchant’s house would be a cool enough place to spend the night in Antwerp, but add interior design by Belgian star Gert Voorjans and you’ve got an irresistible city-center bolt-hole. Hotel Flora is an exuberant feast of colors and fabrics, with landscapes that artist Nils Verkaeren painted directly onto the walls. There are roaring fires in the winter, a courtyard garden where cocktails are served in summer, fresh flowers in the rooms, and oven-hot madeleines that seem to magically appear from the kitchen. Doubles from $300. — Mary Winston Nicklin
Switzerland
Swiss-Chalet Merlischachen: Lake Lucerne
For a quintessential Swiss mountain experience, I love the Swiss-Chalet Merlischachen, a 17th-century farmhouse-style lodge on the shore of Lake Lucerne. With its cozy wood beams and creaking old floors, it’s something that you can only experience in Switzerland. Doubles from $131. — S.M.
Austria
Hotel Motto: Vienna
When Hotel Motto opened in Vienna in 2021, its whimsical maximalism offered an exciting foil to the classic style of the capital’s grande dames. Motto’s 91 rooms, in a 17th-century building in the city center, are layered with visual intrigue: velvet chairs, opulent chandeliers, and burlesque-inspired lamps draped in foot-long fringe. But it’s not just playful interiors that set it apart. Everyone wants to be seen at Chez Bernd, the top-floor restaurant run by renowned host Bernd Schlacher, while Motto Brot, the ground-floor bakery, brought my Viennese-pastry fantasies to life. Doubles from $184. — Chadner Navarro
Source: Travel and Leisure
