In the past, not that many hotels planted their roots in Miami's North Beach, where private homes, condos, and low-rise buildings have kept the neighborhood's residential vibe. As someone accustomed to buzzy South Beach, North Beach felt like the unaffected counterpart, quieter and far less commercialized, with the beach steps away. So, as I arrived in Maison Felix, it was like stepping into a tucked-away gem.
with curated daily menus that focus on Scottish cuisine and highlight seasonal Highland ingredients. Upon request, and on celebratory nights in Scotland such as St. Andrew's Day and Burns Night, the restaurant serves up the ultimate Highland dining experience. The meal begins with the slicing of the haggis, recitations of Burns' poetry, and the classic foods traditionally served on Burns Night - haggis, neeps, and tatties - albeit with a distinctly upscale presentation.
When the Westhampton SeaBreeze Motel opened just off the Montauk Highway in 1956, the heyday of the motor lodge was nearing its peak. Car ownership was on the rise- road trips, too. Each new segment of the Long Island Expressway, then in the early days of construction, made it progressively easier for the ever-growing number of tourists to reach the seaside towns out East.
This 15th-century inn is a balancing act of old bones and contemporary attitude. Sloping floors, exposed beams and stone fireplaces meet clean modern lines, warm lighting and an outrageous art collection. You turn a corner and find a Basquiat staring across at a Warhol; a quick detour and there's Dali, Bacon, Hirst and many, many more. It's curated yet still feels comfortable and homely.
It was the faceted pink counter tiles that first caught our attention. We also loved the cloud of flowers hovering over the café. And the lime-washed tranquility of the guest rooms crowned by century-old moldings. That was before we learned that Rotterdam's 14-room Hotel âme is beyond boutique: it's a mom-and-pop establishment owned and created by Angel Cheung-Kwok and Manfung Cheung. The couple purchased the 1867 building pre-pandemic and devoted years to shaping its new guise.
Housed in a National Register of Historic Places-listed, red-brick mansion that dates back to 1886, the hotel is a glaring departure from the contemporary gray buildings that line Grant Street in the city's Capitol Hill district. Inside, the walls are lined with original burgundy wallpaper and ornate Bavarian woodwork. And the staircase, with its intricate carvings of flowers, gargoyles, and swans all across the balustrade, took my breath away.
Its 27 elegant rooms sport gorgeous fabrics and vintage furniture, and the hotel has an inviting rooftop terrace in addition to private balconies on the upper floors. Much quieter than the tourist-filled areas in central Paris, yet easily accessible on public transport, Hotel Noucha is a home-from-home in a well-heeled residential neighbourhood, ideally located for the plethora of museums and key sights in the 16th arrondissement.
This was my fourth time traveling to New Orleans for Tales of the Cocktail, and there are a few very important things I look for when choosing a hotel for that event. First of all, it has to be close - but not too close - to the French Quarter, where a lot of the Tales action goes down. I want to be within walking distance of events so the swampy July heat doesn't kill me, but I also want a quiet locale to go back to after the day's festivities are done. A location in NOLA's Warehouse District ticks this box perfectly.
Founder George Pell first came down to Aldeburgh between Covid-era lockdowns, decamping the staff of Soho's L'Escargot (where he was working at the time) to the seaside for a very successful pop-up. With that going so well and the building up for grabs he decided to stay for good, renovating the old 17th century coaching inn where the pop-up had taken place into what we now have as The Suffolk.
Chester isn't always the first place that springs to mind for a weekend away but it's got more going for it than you'd think. The races are the big draw, the Roman ruins tick the culture box, and if you grew up on Hollyoaks you'll already know the backdrops. From London, it's under two hours by train, so it's an easy one to get to, and Hotel Indigo is a good base to set up camp.
At this historic camp-turned-boutique hotel, dinner is served in a very fancy version of a mess hall, and outdoor tables allow you to sink your feet in the sand and smell nearby bonfires as you chip a chilled Sancerre. In other words, it's perfect for people who are nostalgic for bunk beds, but also need their 600-thread-count sheets. You'll find both mozzarella sticks and fritta mista with seasonal vegetables from a nearby farm, and we'd recommend either the lobster roll or burger.
Vermelho Hotel, designed by Christian Louboutin, Madalena Caiado and Carolina Irving, is organized like a villa rather than a resort, with courtyards, gardens, and shared rooms encouraging interaction among guests. Exterior spaces are animated by sculptural interventions from Italian artist Giuseppe Ducrot, whose ceramics extend across facades in a series of baroque-inspired frescos and ornamental figures. His work folds into the architecture itself, creating a sense of permanence rather than applied decoration.
"Cirque St. Armands Beachside's honors Sarasota's circus heritage with a chic, bold art deco-meets-roaring twenties design, reimagining the space with playful, eye-catching details," the hotel's general manager.
The Sky Valley Heritage boutique hotel embodies an efficient and organized ethos, contrasting with a more relaxed style, creating a unique yet liberating experience.
Sarah Wetenhall emphasized, "Our goal is to create a warm and welcoming environment where guests can immerse themselves in the quintessential East Hampton experience-where tradition meets luxury and community and connection thrive."