“It makes anyone feel like royalty…” Hotel review: Belmond La Residencia, Mallorca
Set discreetly into the green hillside of Deià, a picturesque village an hour away from Palma, is a hotel that’s continuing a grand tradition. La Res is a firm favourite among the arty types who have flocked to Deià since Chopin first arrived in the 1800s. Sure, the names have changed – today it’s more Mick Jagger and Kate Moss – but the bohemian spirit still burns bright here in the relaxed vibe and creative touches, such as the sculpture garden lovingly designed by the artist-in-residence. Set within a warren of stone paths and cobbled courtyards, there are two glittering pools, four restaurants and a spa with views stretching to the nearby sea. And, though the staff treat everyone like royalty, guests can get their hands dirty with ceramics classes or donkey treks into the nearby mountains.
But they can’t stay away for long. Sunset G&Ts await on the panoramic terrace – the expertly curated cocktail list draws non-guests from Deià to sip chic concoctions on balmy summer evenings, served alongside Iberico ham, cheese croquetas and sobrassada sausage. And like them, you’ll want to keep coming back to experience the magic.
Iconic luxury from €490
“Sustainability made sexy…” Hotel review: Axel Guldsmeden, Copenhagen
Ethical, green, eco-conscious… worthy though these words are, they don’t always scream sex appeal. But this Green Globe-certified boutique – where practically everything, from the breakfast to the bath products, toilet paper to towels is organic or recycled – makes sustainability hot. It’s in Denmark, after all, so every feature has a cool design edge: the décor is a gorgeously tactile blend of Persian rugs, Balinese ornaments and stripped wood, with (faux) fur throws draped over leatherette lobby sofas. It’s cosy and stylish, without being try-hard.
The best part? Donning an organic-cotton bathrobe and padding down to the spa, where you can smother yourself in organic mud masks and salt scrubs, then doze in the sauna before shocking yourself awake with an icy dunk in the plunge pool. It’s the perfect preparation for a night out in Vesterbro, Kødbyen or the Tivoli Gardens (a five-minute stroll away) – trust us.
Eco-sexy design from €125
Hotel news August 2016
The Franklin Knightsbridge London | From €360
Re-opening this month and totally unrecognisable following a year-long, £8m refurbishment, the Franklin’s Italian-inflected transformation by designer Anouska Hempel comprises a stylish, monochrome mix of grey-on-grey décor in velvet and silk, with mirrored furniture and cool stone floors in its 35 rooms and suites. An on-site restaurant, bar and library make up the communal spaces, as well as a dinky hammam for a post-Harrods soak. And, with the V&A and Natural History Museum a few steps away, we can’t think of a more convenient bolthole for a cultural weekend in London.
Le Narcisse Blanc Paris | From €280
This new five-star hotel in the Left Bank’s fashionable Latour Maubourg area is small, but perfectly formed, with a name that fittingly translates as ‘white daffodil’. The rooms, some with views of the Eiffel Tower, others of Les Invalides’ dome, are decorated in delicate shades of white and grey. In keeping with the theme, the restaurant is named after Cléo ‘Pretty Little Daffodil’ de Mérode – a Parisian artists’ muse who posed for the likes of Degas and Toulouse-Lautrec – and the spa is by French beauty house Carita.
Roomers Baden-Baden Stuttgart | From €220
Baden-Baden is traditionally a spa town, so while other Roomers across Germany specialise in dark and mystical décor, this late-August opening has more of a light, peaceful spirit. The uppermost floor opens out onto panoramic views to be soaked up from its bar, outdoor pool or sun deck and, in true Baden-Baden fashion, there’s plenty of spa action to be had, both indoors and out. Energies are restored at the hammam, before the fantastic pan-Asian restaurant tends to all your gastronomic needs.