Castle hotels are a dime a dozen in Ireland. What sets Ashford apart from the rest of the medieval rabble is its unwavering dedication to maintaining the feel of its 13th-century origins. Once the private estate of the Guinness family and one of the first Irish castles converted into luxury accommodation, in 1939, Ashford is a place where it’s easy to imagine yourself living in the time when clay pigeon shooting and falconry were typical daily pursuits. And its stout gray walls and battle towers stand on a lonely spit of land overlooking Ireland’s second largest lake. It’s 350 acres of the most gorgeous Irish countryside you’ll ever behold. READ FULL REVIEW »
On the banks of the River Maigue, this American-owned imposing Tudor Gothic mansion was home for the earls of Dunraven; the atmosphere still feels familial, albeit a family long on history and wealth. The iconic property maintains the 19th century’s fascination with the medieval, with stone arches, heavy wood and decorated ceilings; the centerpiece is the "Minstrels Gallery," a 132-foot-long room (Ireland’s second largest). Outside, the 840 acres provide plenty of distraction, especially in the beautiful huge gardens and the little namesake village nearby, one of Ireland’s most picturesque. Sights like the Ring of Kerry and the Cliffs of Moher are close enough for day trips. READ FULL REVIEW »
The Beau-Rivage Palace reigns supreme over all other hotels in the Lake Geneva region. The stately neoclassical property sits pretty on 10 manicured lakeside acres and enjoys what are perhaps the area’s best views of the Alps. And while Old World features come standard in Switzerland, of course, here the expected wall murals, stained glass and brocade fabrics are truly grand. Still, the hotel isn’t caught up in the past: A $91 million renovation has ushered in wifi and other modern twists, as well as a sleek top-ranked spa. READ FULL REVIEW »
Long before Americans turned spa into a verb, travelers from around the world have been checking into stately Brenner’s Park in the spa city of Baden-Baden to relax and rejuvenate. While you could be very comfortable just staying in the hotel, the real point of a visit is taking part in the spa. And spa-ing is done a bit differently here—forget about an herb wrap and starvation. Instead, the spa experience is all about indulgence—a wonderful meal, fine wine, a lovely room, a stroll through the park and a night at the casino. READ FULL REVIEW »
A grand home rather than a hotel of any category, the Château de Bagnols exists within a magical mystery of moats, drawbridges and lavender-scented formal gardens. The château itself dates to the 13th century, but was gorgeously restored beginning in 1987. Today it’s part of the Rocco Forte portfolio, so not only is it expertly managed, but it’s imbued with history everywhere you turn. Then step outside and you’re surrounded by vineyards, forests and hills—and deep in the heart of Beaujolais country. READ FULL REVIEW »
The chefs at this sublime Michelin two-star restaurant know a thing or two about running a hotel as well, and giving your entire night to this intimate property is ineffably rewarding. Walk through the colonnaded front porch and you instantly feel like a distinguished member of the Pommery champagne dynasty, which built the château in a 17-acre park in the early 1900s. READ FULL REVIEW »
A standard-setter since it opened in 1966, this country-house hotel is set in the New Forest, the red brick manse and its sun-streaked public rooms stuffed with deep downy chintz furnishings and English antiques, along with just enough contemporary touches to please the non-traditionalist. This exquisite property is more of a retreat than a full-service resort. Its spa, nine-hole par-3 golf course, rolling expanse of lawn and English country pursuits make it popular with weekending Londoners and wealthy Europeans on holiday, but extremely active Americans might grow restless. READ FULL REVIEW »
Never resting on its laurels, Claridge’s stays ahead of the game by constantly reinventing itself—first spotting the trend for celebrity chefs, for instance, and securing Gordon Ramsay, and with him, a Michelin star. At the same time, it’s a temple to 1930s art deco chic, with the marble checkerboard hall, the exuberant sweeping staircase, Lalique glass panels, ornate ironwork and banisters, mirror paneling and signature emerald-striped china. At Claridge’s, for all its newfound popularity with a young and fashionable crowd, the grandeur remains undimmed—at once a bastion of British traditionalism as well as a bold trendsetter, exuding a sense of charisma and timeless style. READ FULL REVIEW »
With its wood paneling, majestic mahogany staircase and leather fenders, The Connaught has the quintessentially English atmosphere and style of a gentleman’s club. However, having managed to keep the outside world at arm’s length, the hotel has had to make certain concessions to a more egalitarian age. Women in trouser suits for instance, or mini bars in the bedrooms, were once considered improper. Even so, many regulars no doubt will continue to prefer to get things done the old-fashioned way, summoning their floor butlers to mix them a gin and tonic or unpack their bags; it is this kind of service, after all, for which the Connaught is justly famed. READ FULL REVIEW »
The Dorchester has in recent years benefited not so much from a facelift as from serious reconstructive surgery. Injected with new life after a 2003 multimillion-dollar renovation, with new spa, new restaurants and new suites, the place positively hums with energy. The endless lobby is a veritable orgy of gleaming gold and marble, filled morning to midnight with a constant flow of models and maiden aunts, Asian businessmen and Savile Row suits. Shot through with a strong, sometimes campy sense of theater, the Dorchester is all about escapism; you can indulge your Highland fantasies at the Scottish-themed Grill with its outlandish Braveheart-style murals and tartan upholstery, or imagine yourself in decadent 1930s China in the elegant China Tang bar. READ FULL REVIEW »
Dromoland is the Irish castle you’ve always imagined—40 shades of rolling green, romantic turrets and suits of armor. Despite a dash of trite thrown in, Dromoland remains a perennial favorite. Set on 375 gorgeous acres of lush Irish countryside, the 16th-century ancestral seat of the Earl of Thumomd offers history combined with plenty of outdoor activities. Just 10 minutes from Shannon Airport, it’s an ideal way to begin or end an Irish getaway and an excellent base from which to explore the west of Ireland. READ FULL REVIEW »
One step inside the marble lobby, with its 17th-century tapestries, Savonnerie carpets and spectacular flower arrangements, and it’s clear that despite being popular with fashionistas, this is not the hotel for fans of cutting-edge minimalism. But traditionalists will feel right at home in this restored 1928 property in the heart of the Golden Triangle. It’s truly the place to have Paris at your feet, with private terraces that command views of the Eiffel Tower and the dazzling lights of the city. But of course that experience doesn’t come without a price tag—you’ll only find it in the highest rooms of this very high-end hotel. READ FULL REVIEW »
Set on atop a rolling estate first mentioned in William the Conqueror’s Domesday Book of 1086, the Four Seasons Hampshire is 500 acres of English countryside centered around a 1729 Georgian manor house. Fishing, horseback riding, tennis, golf, clay pigeon shooting and even falconry are on offer, while nearly nine miles of walking paths beckon you to stroll through meadow and dale. Henry VI visited this estate frequently, and for a time Henry VIII even acquired it for the Crown. Walking the lush countryside, you’ll quickly understand the attraction. READ FULL REVIEW »
Long before contemporary-cool competitors such as the Bulgari and Park Hyatt arrived in this fashion center, the Four Seasons was the undisputed king of modern Milanese chic. Occupying a choice corner in the heart of the city’s retail fantasyland and elegantly constructed from a onetime 15th-century monastery (cloistered gardens, Renaissance gardens and gilded vaults still intact), the Four Seasons remains a perennial favorite of the world’s most stylish business and leisure nomads. READ FULL REVIEW »
Through grand gates in sprawling, manicured grounds, the imposing, crenellated villa commands the shores of Italy’s Lake Garda. It dates back to 1892, when staircases were grandly carved in stone and windows cut large to take in the lake views and breezes. Designers from around the world have had a hand in turning Villa Feltrinelli into one of the most exquisitely restored and perfectly realized small hotels on the planet. READ FULL REVIEW »
Mingle among the ultrarich in grand yet discreet style, amid some of the most beautiful (and expensive) real estate on earth. The peninsula of Cap-Ferrat, located halfway between Nice and Monaco in the center of the Cote d’Azur, has been a playground for kings, great artists and multi-millionaires for more than a century. And the Grand Hotel, built in 1908 at the apex of the peninsula and now a protected national monument, is Cap-Ferrat’s splendid center—17 acres of quiet shoreline and parkland surrounding belle époque architecture, a gourmet restaurant, and luxurious accommodations. READ FULL REVIEW »
This hotel, widely held to be the setting and inspiration for Anita Brookner’s celebrated novel Hotel du Lac, has had a major makeover for the 21st century. Whereas in the last years of the 20th century it was easy to imagine Brookner’s characters lurking in the public rooms, that’s impossible today—the grandeur is no longer faded. This has become a truly world-class hotel for our times. What’s not changed is the exceptional architecture and the spectacular views of the lake and mountains beyond. READ FULL REVIEW »
After exploring the gritty streets of Naples, arriving on pretty Capri—just a 40-minute trip by hydrofoil and flanked by crystal clear, aquamarine water—is like landing in the Garden of Eden. And situated in a central position on the pristine cobblestone lined streets of the ritzy island among the likes of Louis Vuitton and Chanel boutiques is Capri’s most prestigious hotel, Quisisana, a tourist attraction unto itself guarded over by an assortment of international flags. The building is perched high up in the center of the island’s main town of the same name, offering stunning view of the Mediterranean Sea far below, and surrounded by verdant private gardens, where you can retreat from the hustle and bustle of the tourist rush. READ FULL REVIEW »
Athens’ answer to The Ritz, this historic "grand" hotel was built in 1842 as a private residence and converted into a hotel three decades later. Even before the $100-million renovation that downsized the room numbers and upgraded the public spaces in preparation for the 2004 Olympics, the Grande Bretagne emerged as abode-of-choice for visiting monarchs, politicians and pop stars. Its location is one reason: right in Syntagma Square, across from the Greek Parliament, and close to just about everything, including the Acropolis, the National Historical Museum and the Old Town. READ FULL REVIEW »
The romance and drama of Hotel Caruso start even before your arrival. There’s the thrilling drive along the vertiginous Amalfi coast road, then the steep ascent to Ravello itself, set dramatically on a cliff-top that plunges vertically into the inky water below. Caruso is, at its highest point, suspended in formal hanging gardens studded with lemon and jasmine in terra-cotta urns with expansive views to the mountains at its shoulder and the sea at its feet. Formerly a little pensione whose guest book reads like a roll call of the rich and famous, from Greta Garbo to Humphrey Bogart and Jackie Kennedy, this historic little hideaway has been reincarnated as a sumptuous 50-room palazzo hotel, following a $30 million restoration by Orient-Express in 2004. READ FULL REVIEW »
A fairy tale holiday made real—luxury lodging inside an authentic medieval citadel. Carcassonne was first fortified by the Romans, then held by the Visigoths and the Saracens, who fought Charlemagne’s father from this very spot. The French made it a stronghold against the Spanish, so the fort only fell into disuse under Napoleon. With restoration beginning in 1853, Carcassonne is recognized as one of the best-preserved medieval cities in Europe, and perched along its ramparts—in a palace once used to house visiting bishops, given a multi-million dollar makeover in 1998—you’ll find the Hôtel de la Cité. READ FULL REVIEW »
Riviera’s glitziest, most outrageously expensive hotel is actually two hotels in one: the majestic Belle Epoque white chateau Hotel du Cap, and its exclusive all-suite seaside annex, Eden-Roc. The entire estate is hidden away in a 25-acre pine forest on the wild rocky coast of the Cap d’Antibes, but the glamorous find their way here to swan about the immaculately landscaped palm-shaded gardens and bronze at the pool or in private cabanas along the shore. READ FULL REVIEW »
Perched on southwestern France’s coast and overlooking the azure Atlantic Ocean, this 19th-century palace was the former summer home of emperor Napoleon III and Empress Eugenie. Though devastated by fire in 1903, the red-brick-and-beige hotel has since been rebuilt as a crown jewel for mature, deep-pocketed heirs and heiresses (and Hollywood A-listers, whose autographed pics decorate the walls). They sun themselves on sandy beaches before comingling in the sunny, marble-dipped lobby decorated with busts and gilded furniture. READ FULL REVIEW »
The name is Bond... Or at least it was, in a classic film scene set in a fictionalized version of Monte Carlo’s iconic casino. Fortunately, the reality of the casino and its adjacent sister properties is every bit as enchanting, and Hôtel Hermitage offers a dazzling combination of elegance, variety and comfort—right in the heart of cosmopolitan Monaco. READ FULL REVIEW »
Artfully arranged birdcages, leather-bound volumes placed on mahogany sideboards and tiered displays of jewel-like tarts in the covered courtyard dining room—it all has the inspiring impact of French still lifes. Yet for all the impressive artwork and antiques, the Mirande is no museum, but a uniquely comfortable hotel that has been welcoming guests since 1990. There are various treats in store for those who stay here, such as the secret walled garden with its giant huckleberry tree (where you can dine in warm weather), the historically re-created kitchens, which are sometimes used for communal dinners and cookery courses, and the small boutique selling objects (linen cushion covers, copper pots and bronzes) that personify the Mirande lifestyle and outlook. Built in the shadow of the Papal Palace in Avignon, the austere frontage of this former 18th-century cardinal’s mansion conceals a treasure box of delights. READ FULL REVIEW »
Le Bristol manages to distinguish itself from the other grand hotels in Paris with an elegant-but-quirky character. Blame that on its history—the mid-18th-century building was originally a home and didn’t become a hotel until 1925—and on the fact that it’s a favorite with those in the city’s omnipresent fashion industry (especially as it’s close to shops like Hermès). Today, Le Bristol successfully bridges the gap between its more traditional clientele and the hip trendsetters who set up shop here. READ FULL REVIEW »
Hollywood location scouts cast the Plaza Athénée when they need to convey Parisian luxury—most recently in The Devil Wears Prada. It’s an easy call. The 1889-era eight-story building, a hotel since 1911, basks in its Louis XVI and Regency glory in the eighth arrondissement, flanked by couture houses and big-label boutiques. Her scarlet balloon awnings are like perfectly made-up eyelids batting coquettishly, signaling it as the perennial first choice for Paris’ fashion-industry players. READ FULL REVIEW »
Set in the verdant hills, high enough to overlook the chic harbor town of Portofino, the Splendido was a favorite escape for couples seeking seclusion long before Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton adopted it as their personal hideaway in the 1960s. Its setting has kept it on the world’s short list for romance. Most rooms have balconies or terraces dripping with mimosa, framing the Mediterranean below and overlooking terraced grounds fragrant with yews, pines, palm trees and olive groves. In 1998 the hotel opened a small branch, the Splendido Mare, in a town house right on Portofino’s famed piazzetta, for those who prefer to sleep within strolling distance of the boutiques and trattorias. READ FULL REVIEW »
Tucked away between cypress and olive on a rocky promontory on the secluded Argentario peninsula in coastal Tuscany, Il Pellicano, as the gallery of black-and-white photographs in the bar testifies, has long been an exclusive hideaway for reclusive Hollywood divas, rock stars and European royalty. The refined old-world glamour of the resort, its peace and privacy amid scented gardens tumbling down to the sea, cements Il Pellicano as one of Italy’s most romantic retreats. READ FULL REVIEW »
Entering this Amalfi Coast-hugging hotel (opened in 1970) makes you feel like a spy: Set inside rocks obscured by climbing vines is an elevator, which whisks you to a cliff top and a stunning lobby that’s like an aristocrat’s private home: Polished tile floors and Spanish stone arches are joined by half-moon ivory couches and pots spilling tropical flowers. The terraced gardens outside bloom with more flora, both edible and decorative, while a private beach below is accessed by another clandestine elevator. Bring a camera—the Mediterranean views are postcard-worthy. READ FULL REVIEW »
There’s no shortage of five-star hotels in St. Moritz, which may be why the Kulm styles itself as a six-star property—a category, of course, that does not officially exist. Whether or not you think it deserves the notional extra star depends on your taste. Although many wealthy families with young children enjoy staying here, it’s not really for young honeymooners. This is a plush, somewhat old-fashioned property that from the outside looks unmistakably grand, but perhaps not attractive. The point of St. Moritz, however, is not to look at the hotels—but to look out from them. Significantly higher up the hill than Badrutt’s, the Kulm has the very finest views of the Engadin Valley and its mountains, not to mention the lake on which horse-racing (on ice!) is held in January and February. READ FULL REVIEW »
This museum-size house was originally built as a private home in what was deemed open countryside outside London in 1719. Subsequently it was turned into St. George’s Hospital, which opened in 1733 and remained on this site till 1980; the transformation into a hotel took place only in the early 1990s. Popular with the media and movie stars, the hotel’s regency elegance is still evident, now that the mortuary and operating theaters have been transformed into gracious rooms and salons. READ FULL REVIEW »
Located on a hill high in Lapa—the traditional home of Lisbon’s nobility—this former palace of the Count Valencas was built in 1870 and converted into a hotel in 1992. It was a pretty seamless transition. Set amid other former palaces, various embassies and the botanical gardens, the hotel still feels like a palace, filled with traditional Portuguese decor, marble stucco facades, terra-cotta floors, original tapestries and abundant blue tiling (azulejos) in bathrooms and surrounding the outdoor fountain. READ FULL REVIEW »
When Sir Richard Branson bought La Residencia in 1987 (since sold), he transformed the hillside complex of 16th- and 17th-century manor houses into a jet-set destination. But instead of being overrun by flash, the complex that wends across 30 acres of olive and citrus groves retains a sleepy, small-village feel. Unassuming celebs and the wildly rich mill around the lushly manicured grounds, smacking forehands on the tennis courts or sipping sangria in the nearby cobblestone Deià village. READ FULL REVIEW »
Staying here is like stepping back into a gentler, more elegant era where good manners, cream teas and dressing up for dinner are the order of the day. It starts when the gravel crunches beneath your tires as you sweep into the drive. A beaming youth steps out across the threshold of a 17th-century manor house to meet you. Across extensive lawns there is the sound of croquet at play, the gentle thwack of ball and mallet. Inside, a fire crackles in the grate, a carriage clock ticks; there is the rustle of newspapers being read and the whispering of a couple enjoying a game of Scrabble. READ FULL REVIEW »
Made famous by both its legendary guests (like Salvador Dalí) and its prime location across from the Tuileries Gardens, this most classic of classic palace hotels effortlessly blends Old World ambience with New World service and amenities. Originally constructed in 1817, the Meurice has insisted on staying fresh, with a two-year overhaul guided by Philippe Starck ending in 2000. The result of the new Daliesque decor: a modern yet unpretentious hotel ready to accommodate both a younger, more stylish clientele and its more conventional fan base. READ FULL REVIEW »
The entrance off the twisting corniche at the upper end of the colorful town of Positano on the Amalfi coast does little to advertise the romantic delights of the hotel within. Once over the threshold, though, it is the view that takes your breath away. Far below, extending to the distant horizon, is that "wine-dark" Tyrrhenian sea and the Galli Islands where the sirens famously led Ulysses astray. A former summer villa of the aristocratic Sersale family, the hotel is conceived as a series of balconies and terraces built into the cliff overlooking the town. Converted into a hotel in the 1950s, it still retains an intimate family feel, with members of the Sersale family dropping in and out, dynastic heirlooms everywhere and Franco Sersale’s framed travel photographs adorning walls. READ FULL REVIEW »
Locating lodgings of a quality between Venice’s two extremes—the internationally known names like Cipriani and Danieli and the multitude of modest Days Inn equivalents—can be a challenge. That’s why the Luna Hotel Baglioni, just off the Grand Canal and within sloshing distance of the Piazza San Marco, is such a find. You get, at least with the Luna’s larger rooms, nearly as much comfort as you would at those grand palaces, but without the seriously inflated prices—a superior double at the Luna cost about two-thirds the price of the equivalent at the Danieli. And the location, footsteps to the Basilica, is beyond compare. READ FULL REVIEW »
Set among four beautifully restored Georgian townhouses, the Merrion’s strength is not just its incredible location, right across from the National Gallery and a few minutes’ walk from St. Stephen’s Green, but also its sense of history. The 18th-century buildings are a living museum for this period in the city’s history, with their arch-topped Venetian windows, Roman columns and sweeping staircases (although the property only opened for guests in 1997). Not surprisingly, the Merrion veers toward the overly formal, especially in the stately sitting rooms, but touches like fireside afternoon teas create a cozier feel. READ FULL REVIEW »
Why is this one-of-a-kind property, housed in two adjoining red brick Victorian townhouses that overlook Kensington Gardens, consistently named Americans’ favorite hotel in London? It could be the over-the-top service that feels welcoming to Americans despite being formally British. Or maybe it’s the eclectic rooms, which range from a glam silver-and-hot pink suite inspired by French chanteuse Mistinguett to a baronial chamber, complete with leaded glass windows and a townhouse’s original minstrel’s gallery. Or the quintessentially English public rooms like Stables Bar, a diminutive, clubby affair draped in jockeys’ racing silks; and the Park Lounge, a book-lined salon where guests pour Earl Grey before a roaring fire. READ FULL REVIEW »
There’s no question that the hotel’s most remarkable feature is the breathtaking views of the Gulf of Salerno and terraced Amalfi Coast. But this 12th-century royal palace, set atop a 1,000-foot cliff in the medieval town of Ravello, more than holds its own with sumptuous historic luxury. The building itself has had a checkered past, opening as a hotel after World War II then closing in the 1970s, only to reopen again in 1997 after a $20-million refurbishment. But today it boasts stunning interiors with vaulted ceilings, arched windows, balconies and a soothing cream palette that won’t distract from why you came here in the first place: the view.READ FULL REVIEW »
This 17th-century villa dotted with elderly stone structures sits in the panoramic Tuscan countryside, surrounded by trees, fragrant gardens and vineyards—the Baracchi family has crafted wine here since 1860. Food is the focal point at Il Falconiere (which has a real falcon mascot), with culinary lessons and an internationally acclaimed eatery attracting epicures of all stripes. If you need more culture, just an hour’s drive away awaits art cities such as Florence, Assisi and Arezzo. READ FULL REVIEW »
The Ritz-Carlton, Berlin very much reflects the surrounding neighborhood of Potsdamer Platz: flashy and new, a little bit of Las Vegas in the middle of Old Europe. Once a no-man’s land between East and West Berlin, this area is now flush with international headquarters and skyscrapers—and this 18-story building in the heart of the square fits right in. The lobby screams luxury, with its marble columns, sweeping grand staircase and extravagant brassy and gold details—in short, the perfect place for those who like Europe served up grand but also brand-new.READ FULL REVIEW »
For luxury-seekers or, okay, anyone desperate for Western five-star efficiency in Moscow, there was a collective sigh of relief when the Ritz-Carlton opened here in the summer of 2007. Resplendent behind a wall of dark gray marble, a stone’s throw away from Red Square, this 11-story five-star is all glittering crystal chandeliers, massive flower arrangements and security men wearing earpieces—just what one would expect from a Ritz-Carlton in the Russian capital. While the location couldn’t be better, the other things they’ve done so right are hotel bars and restaurants: O2, a groovy rooftop lounge is the place to be at night in this city; and Jeroboam, the hotel’s fine dining restaurant run by Michelin three-star Heinz Winkler, is awaiting stars of its own.READ FULL REVIEW »
When Sheen Falls opened in 1991 on its magical 900 woodland acres of County Kerry, it was something new for Ireland—an elegant country sporting resort. It’s since become a role model for the Celtic Tiger’s other rural retreats and has established itself as a classic with a loyal repeat business who return for the Relais Chateaux restaurant; salmon fishing in the Sheen River; and the pleasure of checking into a five-star just off the Ring of Kerry. Irish charm—you’ll be offered Irish coffees before your clay shooting lesson—and true luxury—the smallest room, is 500 square feet—meet in this buttercup-colored lodge that sits on the Marquis of Lansdowne’s summer estate.READ FULL REVIEW »
Americans in particular tend to consider this the perfect small hotel in London. Perhaps this tradition dates back to when the wine cellar sheltered a group of them during the Blitz. Steps from bustling Piccadilly and swanky Jermyn Street, it’s tucked away on a cul-de-sac, accessible from a footpath off Green Park. Once inside, it’s as if you stumbled upon a manor in the countryside, with fabric-filled guest rooms in the main house, an 18th-century carriage house and the Stafford Mews extension, completed in 2007.READ FULL REVIEW »
There are five-star Swiss hotels, and then there is the Victoria-Jungfrau. The original Hotel Victoria opened in 1865, but it wasn’t until 1895, when the owners took over the adjacent hotel, that the Victoria-Jungfrau (and its geometrically patterned gardens) was born. Today, the marble floors, vast chandeliers, painted ceilings and colonnaded banquet rooms keep the feeling of royalty alive, even as a more modern note—which blends harmoniously with the old—is being introduced. Conferences and conventions are a hazard, but this is a brilliant venue for exploring some of the most spectacular scenery in the Alps. READ FULL REVIEW »
This cream-colored 16th-century neoclassical palazzo has been a magnet for the world’s famous and fabulous since it opened in 1873. Set behind tall iron gates on the shores of Lake Como (George Clooney and Donatella are nearby homeowners), the property has a very glamorous feel—from the jaw-dropping decor (all rich jewel tones, polished marble and Venetian glass) to the stylish clientele (Prada-toting women in Audrey Hepburn sunglasses and men in impeccably tailored Zegna blazers). READ FULL REVIEW »
Just outside the city and set on the lush green banks of the eddying Arno, this almond-colored Renaissance villa was built in the 16th century by one of Florence’s most famous noble families as a sylvan escape from the heat of Tuscan summers. Over the years it has seen its share of more modern nobility, from Gregory Peck to Winston Churchill, and today the villa continues to call Firenze visitors to the countryside and offers a taste of this bygone life, amid almost 30 acres of exquisitely landscaped gardens. It serves up a rich and memorable dose of magnificent Old World elegance, while channeling the unique style of titled Italians: friendly and casual. READ FULL REVIEW »
Set 1,200 feet above sea level in the Tuscan hills, 20 minutes from Florence’s center, this former Renaissance Franciscan monastery was transformed into a Tuscan Garden of Eden in the 1950s and is today an easy-access weekend retreat for an atmospheric alternative to Florence’s hotel palaces along the Arno. The hotel’s Michelangelo-designed facade gives it unrivaled authenticity, and helps with its ultimate "My Own Private Palazzo" feel. It’s also a registered National Trust Monument, fittingly teeming with original antiques, but also with high-tech comforts amid the rustic landscaping. READ FULL REVIEW »