Category: Escapes

JUVET LANDSCAPE HOTEL

VALLDAL, NORWAY
JUVET.COM

Nestled on a steep natural levee in rural Norway, Juvet Landscape Hotel seamlessly integrates raw Norwegian nature, cultural history, and modern architecture. Designed by Jensen and Skodvin, the hotel’s first seven landscape rooms, built into the terrain on stilts, feature glass walls offering breathtaking views of the valley, river, courtyard, and gorge. The two new single “birdhouse” rooms draw inspiration from traditional Norwegian log houses, boasting minimalist designs with comfortable amenities and mountain views. The Writer’s Lodge, a chalet with two bedrooms, a living room, and a kitchen, overlooks the forest. The spa, constructed into the riverbank, resembles a cave and includes steam rooms, showers, an outdoor hot tub, and a relaxation area. The Barn, a converted 100-year-old farm building, serves as a dining hall with locally sourced ingredients, transforming the cow byre into a dining room with an open fire, the pigsty into a kitchen, and the hay store into a chambre separee.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ERIC ELLIOTH AND MICHAEL KOWALSKI

BULGARI HOTEL ROMA

ROME, ITALY
BULGARIHOTELS.COM

Part of the worldwide Bulgari Hotels and Resorts collection, Bulgari Hotel Roma is a celebration of the most refined qualities of Rome, and showcases the best of Italian design and craftsmanship, a heritage that is celebrated through a myriad of details. Boasting 114 rooms, their main theme is colour (red, white, green, and yellow), a decision meant to reference Bulgari’s pioneering and free use of the jewellery that is a part of its history, while at the same time evoking ancient Rome. All of them open up to gorgeous views of Rome, in particular the mausoleum of Augustus. Bulgari Hotel Roma offers five different types of catering and guests can dine at the hotel restaurant. Created by chef Niko Romito, Il Ristorante-Niko Romito offers a menu of delicious contemporary Italian cuisine, with a private dining room that can seat up to 8 people. Guests can also visit the Bulgari Bar, where they can sip iconic cocktails while socialising, with a lounge terrace area outside. On the rooftop, there is La Terrazza, with its cabanas, lounge areas, and breathtaking views of the Roman skyline. Guests are encouraged to see the Bulgari Dulci boutique, where they serve traditional Italian pastries, and the Bulgari Spa, which evokes the atmosphere of ancient Roman baths. Housing nine treatment rooms and a 200-metre swimming pool, it is an oasis meant to rebalance the body, mind, and spirit.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF BULGARI HOTEL ROMA

HOTEL CIPRIANI, A BELMOND HOTEL

VENICE, ITALY
BELMOND.COM

Set against the captivating backdrop of Venice, Italy, Hotel Cipriani beckons with its enchanting water-bound entrance and spellbinding views of St Mark’s Square. A haven of luxury and refinement, the hotel’s Michelin-star dining, serene gardens, and exclusive Olympic-inspired swimming pool offer a seamless blend of old-world charm and contemporary sophistication. With a rich collection of antiques, personalized service, and a unique air of romance, Hotel Cipriani stands out as one of the city’s most celebrated luxury accommodations. Whether you opt for the panoramic vistas from the main hotel or the historic allure of Palazzo Vendramin, each room seamlessly combines Venetian elegance with modern allure, promising a regal and unforgettable experience.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF HOTEL CIPRIANI, A BELMOND HOTEL

PALAZZO LUCE

LECCE, ITALY
PALAZZOLUCELECCE.COM

Palazzo Luce is the first hotel conceptualised as an art and design residence. A fourteenth century building with a contemporary twist, located in the ancient heart of Lecce. Anna Maria Enselmi, a discerning collector with an ambitious project, has brought together designers, artists, architects and gallery owners to create an imaginative and constantly evolving space. The monumental volumes of the historic building and the most contemporary creative forms are in dialogue, magnified by the diffused and sensitive brightness that characterizes the space, inspiring its name. Palazzo Luce’s different paths lead visitors through a fascinating maze of art rooms, halls, corridors, noble floors, supinne suites, the large terrace, and the shady, green Mediterranean garden with its secret view of the Roman Theatre. Each space is inhabited by unique works of art and design created by artists in a living and luminous dimension.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF HELENIO BARBETTA

PALAZZO VILÒN

ROME, ITALY
PALAZZOVILON.COM

Nestled within the historical Rione Campo Marzio, mere steps from the enchanting Spanish Steps and a stone’s throw away from Rome’s iconic landmarks, a resplendent private mansion awaits in the esteemed wing of Palazzo Borghese, offering a privileged location at the heart of the Eternal City. The opulent abode houses four exquisite suites adorned with breathtaking frescoes, intricate perspective illusions, delicate stucco work, and rare, precious marble finishes. This is the starting point for an extraordinary journey, an enchanting wonderland of beauty, where every need is attended to by the impeccable services of Hotel Vilòn. The suites, meticulously curated to perfection, exude an air of refinement and regal charm, basking in the ethereal glow of Palazzo Borghese’s private garden, from the first light of dawn to the gentle caress of twilight. Guests are invited to embrace this exclusive experience of pure nobility, immersing themselves in a fairytale that unfolds from the moment they awaken.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF MATTIA AQUILA

THE MARK HOTEL

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK
THEMARKHOTEL.COM

Located in New York, the Mark is known as the city’s most boldly lavish hotel. The rooms and suites, designed by Jacques Grange, serve as a  serene, luxurious retreat, with an exact eye for detail. Their amenities include up to 3 bedrooms and bathrooms, sofa beds, a foyer, a living room, a kitchen, dining area, a powder room, a library lounge, and a terrace that opens up to gorgeous views of the city. Guests are invited to dine at the Mark Restaurant Bar, where, under Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, it brings simple but subtly innovative European classics and handcrafted and signature cocktails to the table. The hotel also offers e-bikes and picnic spots, pedicabs, hot dog carts, a hair salon, custom-designed strollers for children, a fitness centre, shoeshining services, in-room dining, and a gift shop. Finally, the Mark has a meeting room that is perfect for corporate meetings, social functions, and gatherings.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE MARK HOTEL

THE UPPER HOUSE

HONG KONG, CHINA
THEHOUSECOLLECTIVE.COM

Overlooking Hong Kong’s bright lights from above Admiralty’s Pacific Place, the Upper House conjures a sense of tranquillity with the warmth of a private residence. Boasting 117 rooms, it has bespoke service, well-crafted natural materials, and a design aesthetic based around the “Upward Journey”. Inspired by modern Asian influences and expressive art, the Upper House has a floating glass box lobby, a meditative Torii-gate inspired escalator, and a soaring atrium scented with their signature ginger and verbena fragrance. The timber, natural bamboo, shoji glass, limestone and lacquered paper are paired with a curated selection of art and sculptures to create an ode to relaxed luxury. Guests are  encouraged to make use of their urban wellness retreat that offers complimentary group yoga classes, a 24-hour gym, and in-room treatments. They also have one-of-a-kind spaces that can serve as venues for weddings, tea ceremonies, pop-up boutiques, movie screenings and company retreats.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE UPPER HOUSE

ONE&ONLY ROYAL MIRAGE

DUBAI MARINA, DUBAI
ONEANDONLYRESORTS.COM

Guests at One&Only Royal Mirage, the luxury hotel in Dubai, can immerse themselves in spacious, opulent rooms and suites, as well as dine at nine inspiring restaurants, all within the dramatic, Arabesque architecture that graces the property. The hotel is set amidst more than 65 acres of impeccably maintained gardens adorned with soothing fountains, arches, domes, and intricate Arabic details, providing a tranquil atmosphere that leads to a one-kilometer stretch of Jumeirah Beach. Each beautifully designed hotel room features private balconies, offering an elegant Arabian sanctuary. The property boasts 16 remarkable restaurants, bars, and lounges, each with its own delectable menu, catering to every culinary desire. Guests can also indulge in a holistic spa experience at the secluded One&Only Spa, nestled within over 26 hectares of lush gardens at the Health and Beauty Institute. The spa offers customized journeys focused on unwinding, restoring, and elevating, with distinctive and ceremonial experiences provided by expert therapists in a serene sanctuary. One&Only Royal Mirage offers wonderfully unique rooms and suites across three exceptional hotels in Dubai: The Palace, Arabian Court, and the Residence & Spa, as well as a signature beach garden villa.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ONE&ONLY ROYAL MIRAGE

THE LEELA PALACE BENGALURU

BENGALURU, INDIA
THELEELA.COM

Drawing inspiration from the grand architectural style of the erstwhile Vijayanagara empire, this rose-hued palace is adorned with copper domes and ornate ceilings that reflect the grandeur of palaces of a bygone era. Set in its own expanse of verdant gardens, a sparkling lagoon and grand open spaces, this stunning edifice is located at the heart of Garden City. Embellished with antiques and exquisite artefacts from across India, this enchanting palace is an impressive reminder of everything regal. The Leela Palace Bengaluru has 357 luxurious guestrooms and suites, multiple dining options and extensive banqueting and conference venues. World-class shopping comes to you in the form of The Leela Galleria. A luxuriously designed spa and a state-of-the-art fitness centre make the hotel an ideal place to stay for the business traveler. 

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE LEELA PALACE BENGALURU

SÃO LOURENÇO DO BARROCAL

MONSARAZ, PORTUGAL
BARROCAL.PT

São Lourenço do Barrocal is a hotel and monte alentejano, located in a wild corner of the Alentejo, Portugal, in the foothills of medieval Monsaraz and nearby the Alqueva lake. Within a 780-hectare estate that has been in the same family for over 200 years, it has its heart at an ancient small farming village, which has been brought back to the rhythms of rural daily life as a remarkable hotel of understated luxury, set amidst ancient holm oaks, olive groves and vineyards. All the comforts of a contemporary lifestyle are cultivated so guests can have the utmost experience while staying on a working farm, in communion with nature, heritage and people of all ages, being part of a budding community. São Lourenço do Barrocal comprises a winery for the creation of its first-class single-estate wines, two farm to table restaurants respecting the flavour and simplicity of the food of Alentejo, a farm shop selling Portuguese contemporary crafts, regional delicacies and the estate’s own produce and a spa by Susanne Kaufmann, the renowned Austrian brand of organic treats. It also features two outdoor pools, an organic vegetable garden and orchard, stables with a horse riding ring and a set of indoor and outdoor activities.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ASH JAMES, NELSON GARRIDO, RICARDO BRAVO, JORGE VIEIRA