Daily Tablet Hotel

Algodon Mansion : Buenos Aires, 아르헨티나

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 05:01:28 GMT

For all the recent commotion in the Palermo district of Buenos Aires, where every week seemingly marks the opening of another desperately hip little boutique hotel, it would be easy to forget that it’s not the city’s only neighborhood. A little to the east lies Recoleta, a long-established residential district whose stately Belle Époque structures (Algodon Mansion included) are key to Buenos Aires’s status as the most European city in the New World. If Palermo is Clerkenwell then Recoleta is Belgravia or Knightsbridge; if Palermo is SoHo, then Recoleta is the Upper East Side.

In hotels, of course, location is nearly everything. Algodon Mansion, though brand new — it’s the in-town sequel to Mendoza’s Algodon Wine Estates — already feels like a Recoleta fixture, so effortlessly does it match its luxe surroundings. Its ten suites, all different, mix period architectural detail with stylish modern comforts, and the vibe, posh but relaxed, is more akin to upscale apartment living than typical hotel formality. Even at their most basic the suites include butler service and lack for nothing in the way of luxury, and at the top end they’re probably the finest in town, right down to the baby grand pianos and the personal chefs.

Chez Nous, with its French-inflected menu, is the marquee restaurant, and the Cognac Bar doubles as a private events space. But the most remarkable of the Mansion’s common spaces has to be the rooftop, a rarity in Buenos Aires — this one offers a pool, a spa, and by night the Sky Bar.

Sofitel Munich Bayerpost : Munich, Bavaria, 독일

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 05:01:28 GMT

Sofitel Munich Bayerpost는 마치 뮌헨 그 자체를 축소해 놓은것과 같습니다. 첫 눈에는 보수적이고 최대한 고풍스러움을 간직한 듯 보이나 가까이 들여다보면 의외로 모던하고 세련되기까지 합니다. 뮌헨의 씨티센터 기차역에서 약 100미터 떨어져있는 이 낡은 우체국 빌딩은 클래식한 외관을 유지하고 있습니다. 하지만 내부는 완전히 새롭게 바뀌었고 그 결과 순전히 컨템포러리하며 숨막힐 정도로 세련된 럭셔리 호텔로 변신하였습니다.

소피텔의 공공 공간에는 가장 특별한 부띠크 호텔에서도 단 한번 볼 수 있을만한 진보적인 디자인의 흔적이 있습니다. 게스트룸은 아주 럭셔리하게 적응시켜져 있으며 석제로 만들어진 커다란 욕조에는 살짝 미니멀리스트한 스타일이 스며들어 있습니다. 처마 밑, 8층에는 이 호텔 특유의 "메이저넷(maisonette:작은 집)" 스위트룸이 있는데 고미다락방 스타일의 경사진 천정과 뮌헨의 경치, 혹은 알프스의 경치가 내려다 보입니다.

Sofitel Munich Bayerpost같은 호텔을 풀서비스 호텔이라 부르는데, 소피텔의 스파 Lagune은 그 이상을 넘어갑니다. 섬세한 석제작업과 모자이크 타일은 트리트먼트 룸과 피트니스 그리고 실내 풀장에 인상적인 배경을 만들어줍니다. 그리고 소피텔 그룹의 관습대로 모든 레스토랑에서는 프랑스식 음식이 서빙되는데 높은 레벨의 다이닝룸과 캐쥬얼 비스트로가 있습니다.

Sivory Punta Cana : Punta Cana, 도미니카 공화국

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 05:01:27 GMT

Sivory Punta Cana가 도미니칸 리퍼블릭(Dominican Republic)에 있다는 것이 중요한 것이 아니라 지구 끝의 해변가라는 것이 중요한 것입니다. 이 호텔은 모래와 파도와 수평선위의 무인도에 있다고 해도 과언이 아닐 것입니다. 만약에 모든 것으로부터 해방되어 떠나고 싶은 곳이 있다면 이 보다 더 안성맞춤인 곳은 없을 것입니다.

호텔 시설과 편의 시설들은 겉으로 보이는 것과 흡사합니다. 즉, 매우 모던하지도 않고 시골틱하지도 않습니다. 다만 만족시킬 정도의 모던함과 미묘하고 고요한 사치스러움이 어우러져 있습니다. 무선인터넷이나 2인용 욕조, 그리고 와인냉장고도 갖추고 있으며, 충분한 공간과 해변 스위트에 펼쳐지는 전경은 마치 당신이 아름다운 전경이 담긴 엽서 속의 주인공이 된 듯한 느낌을 선사할 것입니다.

신혼부부들과 지친 심신의 피로를 풀어줄 약 400평방미터(약 120평) 넓이의 풀 패키지 스파가 있으며 룸서비스 뿐만이 아니라 약 100여명(55개의 스위트룸)의 고객을 좀 더 편안히 모시기 위해 씨가 바를 포함한 레스토랑과 8,000병이 넘는 와인을 보관하고 있는 와인셀러를 보유하고 있습니다.

No. 1 Pery Square : Limerick, 아일랜드

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 05:01:09 GMT

It’s all the way the other side of Ireland from Dublin, but the boutique townhouse hotel No. 1 Pery Square could, in a pinch, serve as a setting for a film of Joyce’s “The Dead.” Originally built in 1830 and restored with great precision, the hotel gets the aesthetic just right, from the ornate marble hearth to the gilt-framed mirrors. It never verges on rococo, but if the common areas feel a bit too vintage for your tastes, fifteen of the twenty guest rooms have been made over in a more modern, clubbier style.

The period-style rooms are hard to resist, however, with their suitably expansive sash windows overlooking the garden — it’s here that the natural grace and elegance of the style asserts itself. Even in the regional gloom, there’s a light freshness to the rooms that’s enhanced by their spaciousness. The single Townhouse Suite offers an intriguing combination of old and new, with multiple flatscreen televisions, a private bar, and top-floor views of Limerick and surrounding mountains of Clare.

The hotel stresses its townhouse origins, with the personalized attention of a bed and breakfast that also feels like a neighborhood focal point. This makes the restaurant, Brasserie One, at once upscale and congenial. Tasting nights, guest chefs, and wine flights are all part of the experience, while the drawing room offers classic afternoon tea. The basement is given over to the spa, which is exactly as a boutique spa should be: soothing, candlelit, and lined with exposed brick.

Sofitel The Grand Amsterdam : Amsterdam, 네덜란드

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 05:00:57 GMT

Grand 호텔은 이름에서 상상이 가듯 자부심 강한 고대의 외관을 갖춘 역사있는 호텔로서 역사적인 건축물이 늘어선 시중심부에 위치하고 있습니다. 모든 서비스나 설비가 충실하며 게다가 고객숙박부에는 업계의 중역이나 정치가 그리고, Mick Jagger도 이름이 적혀있습니다. 서기 1400년대에 지어진 이 위엄 있는 호텔은 수도원으로 시작하여 100년전에는 시청으로 이용되고 있었습니다.

그렇지만 역사적인 것은 건물의 정면뿐이고, 내장은 지극히 20세기적이며 객실도 근대적이면서 클래식한 스타일로 마무리되어 있습니다. 실내는 아름다운 패브릭의 이용이 인상적이고, 아트데코풍의 욕실 등 전통적인 디자인도 받아들여지고 있어 대단히 매력적입니다. 시내에는 대형 호텔이 몇개 있습니다만, 그 중에서도 가장 질적으로 좋은 것은 이 호텔입니다. 아름다운 패브릭과 부드러운 소파, 안락의자, 그리고 위성 TV, 인터넷 액세스, 24시간 대응하는 룸 서비스 등이 완비되어 있습니다. 게다가 Roger & Gallet 제품의 목욕 용품과 욕조도 기분좋은 서비스입니다.

호텔의 일각은 넓게 펼쳐져 3개의 프레지덴셜 스위트와 3개의 로열 스위트가 있습니다. 충실한 스파 시설과 고급 레스토랑은 호텔의 실력을 유감없이 발휘되고 있어 반드시 만족시켜 줄 것입니다. 그리고 또한 훌륭한 것으로는 호텔이 시 중심에 위치하면서 운하가 양옆에 흘러 댐 광장으로부터나 술집거리로부터 접근하기 편리한 장소에 있습니다.

Vila dos Orixas Boutique Hotel : Morro de São Paulo, Bahia, 브라질

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 05:00:57 GMT

브라질로 여행을 떠날때면 Rio로 가느냐 아니면 São Paulo로 가느냐의 선택뿐이었던 것이 그리 오래된 일은 아닙니다. 이제는 새롭게 오픈하는 수 많은 작은 부띠크 호텔들 덕분에 Bahia 주에도 여행의 쵸이스가 많아졌습니다. 이 곳 Vila dos Orixas Boutique Hotel은 해변가 옆에 10개의 객실을 갖추고 이 곳을 찾는 고객을 기다리고 있습니다.

각기 다른 층의 10개의 방갈로로 구성되어 있으며, 시골풍의 외관 속에 깔끔한 컨템포러리 인테리어를 감추고 있습니다. 전통적인 하드우드와 브라질리언 인테리어가 LCD TV, 훨풀욕조와 같은 모던 편의시설과 함께 독특한 조화를 이루고 있습니다. 불과 몇 미터 떨어진 바다로부터 지역산 해물과 바히아 향의 재료들이 어우러져 근사한 지중해 요리를 선보입니다. 낚시나 세일링을 즐기실 수 있으며, 트로피칼 브라질 사이로 산책을 하실 수도 있습니다.

Hotel Madero : Buenos Aires, 아르헨티나

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 05:00:45 GMT

Hotel Madero는, 근처의 필립 스탁이 디자인한 유명 호텔 에 비해, 매우 조용한 모습입니다. 하나부터 열까지 갖추어지는 대형 시티 호텔과는 달리 심플한 비즈니스 호텔입니다. 그것이 나쁜 의미로 하는 말이 아닙니다. 모든 비즈니스 호텔의 표본이 될만한 호텔이면서도 모던 디자인을 교묘하게 살리고 있습니다. 소피텔이 경영하므로, 견실하게 만들어진 기성복에 비유될 만 합니다. 이것과는 대조적으로, 는 뉴 웨이브 디자이너의 드레스 같은 호텔입니다.

객실은 깔끔한 인상으로, 현대의 비즈니스 여행자가 원하는 모든 것이 갖추어져 있습니다. 무선 인터넷 접속, 노트북 용 금고, 위성방송 대응의 플랫 TV가 준비되어 있고, 창에서는 거리의 경치가 한 눈에 바라 보입니다.

한편, 호텔 내의 헬스 클럽에는, 옥 내외의 풀장과 마사지, 사우나, 피트니스 센터가 있습니다. 또 호텔 내에는 현대풍의 프랜치 아르헨티나 요리를 즐길 수 있는 레스토랑 외에도, 와 라는 2개의 바가 있습니다만, 호텔 가까이의 강가의 뿌에르또 마데로 지구에도 각종 레스토랑이나 바를 갖추고 있습니다.

Hotel Recamier : Paris, 프랑스

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 05:00:11 GMT

공지사항: 주말을 포함한 예약은 기간에 따라 최소 2박이나 3박 예약만 가능한 경우도 있사오니 양지하시기 바랍니다.

파리에는 보통 수백년이 넘는 전통을 가진 그랜드 호텔들과 최첨단 시설을 겸비한 호텔들이 그 자신들을 과시합니다. Hotel Recamier은 새롭게 개조되고 리모델링된, 밖으로 보여지는 곳이 아닌 조용히 숨어 있을 수 있는 럭셔리 호텔입니다.

매력을 풍기는 오래된 교회와 럭셔리 브랜드들이 모여있는 St. Germain des Prés 중심의 경치 좋은 Place St. Sulpice에 위치해 있습니다. Racameir호텔은 작지만 이웃처럼 친근함이 느껴지고 공용 공간은 없지만 아침식사실과 테라스 그리고 24개의 리모델링된 객실이 있습니다.

여기에는 각 층마다 '모던함'에서 '평범함' 혹은 '아프리카' 느낌이 어우러진 미묘한 테마가 존재합니다. 모든 객실에는 갓 리모델링된 듯한 신선함과 컨템포러리 디자인이 보여집니다만 파리의 어느 호텔보다도 Hotel Recamier에서 누리실 수 있는 것은 외부와 격리된 '프라이버시'라는 것입니다. 이 호텔의 단점을 굳이 꼬집어 말한다면 미니멀한 서비스일 것입니다. 하지만 '파리에서는 배고플 날이 없다'라는 말처럼 가끔은 이러한 신개념의 독립된 호텔도 고객님의 피로와 여정을 푸는데 큰 도움이 될 수 있을 것입니다.

Villa Paola : Tropea, Calabria, 이탈리아

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 05:00:13 GMT

Please note: Villa Paola is open seasonally, April through October. Children under 12 are not permitted.

There’s no place on Italy’s Tyrrhenian coast that’s hard on the eyes, exactly, but the sixteenth-century sisters who founded the St. Francesco of Paola convent chose their location with an eye worthy of a twenty-first-century property developer. One imagines that thanks to their duties they didn’t spend an inordinate amount of time basking in the views, but present-day visitors are under no such constraint; anyone unlucky enough to miss out on a sea view from their guest quarters (read: anyone on the ground floor) will find no shortage of postcard-perfect vistas from Villa Paola’s patios and gardens.

You’ll want to spend some time looking at what’s inside as well. In Italy, like perhaps nowhere else, they’re comfortable spanning centuries in architecture and design. Here clean-lined contemporary Italian furniture blends seamlessly into sixteenth-century spaces, with modern conveniences included as a matter of course. For while the house represents its era well, it hardly shows its age; the hotel conversion included a very thorough restoration, and it’s doubtful whether it’s ever looked fresher. The village of Tropea makes for a pleasant stroll, if a quiet one — just be back at Villa Paola by sunset for a cocktail on the terrace or by the poolside.

Hotel Beaux Arts Miami : Miami, FL, USA

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:00:14 GMT

One of the joys of the job is finding extraordinary hotels in unexpected places. Of course downtown Miami shouldn’t count as an unexpected place — some quirk of the novelty-driven travel press leads it to lavish attention on Miami Beach at the expense of its mainland neighbor. But in this case we’re also talking about finding a hotel inside of another hotel. For it’s within (or more precisely, atop) the already very fine JW Marriott Marquis that you’ll find the Hotel Beaux Arts Miami, a “private hotel” occupying the top floors of this high-rise tower, with access to the parent hotel’s five-star services and facilities but with its own private reception and lounge, and accommodations that are, incredible as it may seem, a generous cut above what’s offered downstairs.

Of course, in a more perfect world, this might be what all of Downtown’s luxury hotels look like — clean-lined minimalist rooms, modernist furniture, impressive views through full-length windows and a full complement of thoughtful conveniences, from Bang & Olufsen entertainment systems to Illy espresso machines (the product of which is complimentary), and an iPad issued to every room. The beds are enormous, the materials are rich, and the bath products are Molton Brown. All this and access to the JW Marriott Marquis too — this means access to the spa, the gym, Daniel Boulud’s db Bistro Moderne restaurant and even a golf school by Jim McLean, should your swing require a brush-up. And the rates include a wealth of extras, from breakfast to cocktails to hors d’oeuvres; if you’ve had Club Level treatment at any of Asia’s top luxury hotels you’re familiar with the drill.

As for the location, it’s not really meant to be a substitute for the hedonism of South Beach. Downtown is the home of Miami’s design district, and it’s the center of quite a bit of the city’s local life, a world apart from the tourists-only vibe on offer elsewhere. Where Miami Beach traffics in fantasy (with varying degrees of success), downtown is reality — and if the Beaux Arts is any guide, it’s a pretty appealing reality at that.

Hotel Beaux Arts Miami : Miami, FL, USA

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:00:11 GMT

Le Caméléon Hotel : Puerto Viejo, Limón, 코스타리카

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:00:24 GMT

Location isn’t everything when it comes to hotels, but it’s not nothing either. In some countries Le Caméléon’s crisp, contemporary monochrome look might signal little more than membership in the local boutique-hotel scene. In Costa Rica, land of natural-finish eco-lodges and thatched-hut villas, its modern interiors and glossy white-on-white color scheme is something of a statement — a statement to the effect that while the Caribbean coast is all about the beaches, the water, the jungle, there’s no reason why you can’t live in the urbane, sophisticated style to which you’re accustomed.

These rooms are about more than just looks, with comforts that begin to edge into luxury-hotel territory: plasma TVs, iPod docks, some with king beds and private balconies or terraces. Die-hard luxury junkies will have to admit they’ve seen rooms that are bigger and plusher, but in these environs, anything more would be incongruous. Suffice it to say the physical charms are every bit the equal of the visual ones, and taking the natural environment into account, it’s essentially paradise. There’s a stylish pool deck for the moments when you don’t feel like venturing all the way to the beach, there’s a full-service spa, and the Numu restaurant and bar are stylish spaces, accentuating, perhaps, the contrast between Costa Rica’s Caribbean and Pacific coasts.

How to get there:
Le Cameleon is 136 miles (3h30m) from the Juan Santamaria Airport. Airport transfer can be arranged for USD287.50 per way. Please contact CustomerService@TabletHotels.com for assistance with airport transfers.

Eagles Palace : Halkidiki , 그리스

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:00:24 GMT

Please note: Eagles Palace is open seasonally, April through October.

As the sister hotel to the Excelsior, a city boutique in Thessaloniki, Eagles Palace is the opposite of an urban hotel. This part of Greece, on the peninsula just short of the remote Eastern Orthodox holy site of Mount Athos, was more or less entirely unsettled before the hotel broke ground. Fresh off a 2008 renovation, Eagles Palace is looking quite up to date — and while it’s not quite as secluded as the monks’ refuge at Athos, this part of Halkidiki is still quiet, relatively untouched by development, especially when compared with some of Greece’s better-known destinations.

The rooms start out comfortably enough, with views of the garden or the sea, their solid, unfinished furnishings taking some inspiration from the monastic setting. The suites begin to pile on the luxuries, with balconies or terraces and, in some cases, Jacuzzis. It’s in the sea view bungalows, though, that Eagles Palace really starts feeling palatial — space, obviously, is no concern, and each one comes with its own private plunge pool.

Like its city cousin, Eagles Palace comes equipped with an Elemis spa and a handful of fine restaurants, some featuring sea views from the outdoor terraces. And while you’re seemingly worlds away from it all, it’s no less stunning a natural setting than most of Greece’s island destinations. A private beach and a PADI dive center make the most of the seaside location, and a number of watercraft are available for excursions to the nearby islands and inlets.

How to get there:
Eagles Palace is a 90 minute drive from Thessaloniki, which can be reached by air or train from several European cities. Please contact CustomerService@TabletHotels.com for assistance with airport transfers.

Southern Ocean Lodge : Kangaroo Island, 호주

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:00:12 GMT

Bringing crisp minimal design out of the city and into the wild, Southern Ocean Lodge is a shining example of very modern and very Australian architecture: clean open spaces, neutral tones and tons of glass wrapped in an environmentally-friendly package. Located on Kangaroo Island just off the South Australian coast, Southern Ocean Lodge is unexpectedly hip for such a remote and rugged locale, sporting a cool, unlabored vibe that doesn’t interfere with its beautiful coastal surrounds.

Comprising 21 sea-facing rooms, the SOL hovers over the mallee scrub, offering wide views of ocean, sky and whatever fauna happens to venture past: expect anything from kangaroos to echidnas to native birds. Inside, paintings by local artists complement pure white walls, with bespoke furniture and Ecosmart fireplaces creating the type of relaxed, uncluttered feeling one vows to recreate at home.

Tuning out is the main past time at the SOL (only the Family rooms have TVs) and guests can choose to do this on their private terrace, in their sunken lounge, or on one of a long list of nature tours. The surrounding national parkland offers so much by way of exploration — sea lion-spotting, kangaroo-meeting and hiking included — that the lodge provides each guest with a custom itinerary. Of course, some may opt to do nothing more demanding than enjoy the property’s gourmet meals and open bar, including a walk-in cellar stocked with locally-produced and imported wines, all included in the tariff.

Daily sunset drinks in the lodge’s Great Room allow guests to swap travel stories while taking in views of the Southern Ocean. An onsite spa with floor-to-ceiling windows offers a further chance to unwind while watching — and being watched by, presumably — the local wildlife.

How to get there:

Connect through Adelaide for flights to Kangaroo Island, or drive to Cape Jervis to board the ferry for the island.

Terre Resort and Spa : Marrakech, 모로코

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:00:14 GMT

마라케시에서 예로부터의 숙소라고 하면, 구시가 ‘메디나’의 호화로운 전통 주택을 이용한 리아도 호텔이 일반적입니다. 소규모로 사적인 분위기로, 치밀하면서도 호화스러운 분위기입니다. 그 리아도 호텔을 한층 더 호화롭게 하는 것이, 마라캐슈 시가에서 15분 인 사막의 오아시스, 팔메레에 있는 테레 리조트 앤 스파 (Terre Resort and Spa)입니다.

미국인이 소유하는 옥토곤 호텔즈 (Octogone Hotels)의 일원인 이 호텔은, 월드컵 경기장 1개 정도인 12 에이커라는 광대한 부지에 8동의 리아도를 지어 객실 수는 전부 52개입니다. 실내는, 휴가 기분을 북돋우는 사치스럽고 느긋한 구조입니다. 상급의 빌라나 스위트는 보다 넓고, 현대적인 치장과 아까울 정도 고저스한 욕실을 완비하고 있습니다. 또 전용의 풀이나 자쿠지가 달린 방도 있습니다.

한편, 부지 내에는 ‘하맘’이라 불리우는 터키풍의 욕실을 병설한 호화 스파, 매우 넓은 스위밍 풀, 레스토랑, 라운지, 도서실 외에도 테니스 코트과 패팅 그린도 있습니다. 또 근처에는 다양한 골프 코스가 갖추어져 있습니다.

구시가의 리아도 호텔은, 모래 먼지로 뒤 덥힌 이국적인 정서의 모습이 특징입니다. 이 호텔은 그 점에서 리아도 호텔적이지 않을지도 모릅니다만, 그것을 보충하고도 남을 정도의 선명하고 럭셔리한 빛이 휘감고 있습니다. 아직 개업한지 얼마 되지 않은 호텔입니다만, 향후의 개발이 계획대로 나간다면, 모로코에는 전부 8개의 옥토곤 호텔이 나오게 됩니다.

위치정보：

마라캐슈 메나라 공항에서 차로 약 20분, 마라캐슈 중심부로부터 약 10km 정도의 거리에 위치합니다. 공항픽업을 원하시면customerservice@tablethotels.com으로 연락주시기 바랍니다.

Secret de Paris : Paris, 프랑스

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:01:05 GMT

After years of pining for more contemporary hotels in Paris, we’re finally getting what we wished for. Suddenly the place is awash in design-oriented boutique hotels. And not half measures, either. The Hotel Secret de Paris, for example, isn’t content with just one vibrant, contemporary look — not when it can have six of them, each one patterned after a stylized version of a different view of Paris.

There’s the Musée d’Orsay, with its famous clock face, the Tour Eiffel with its iron beams, the ballet-themed Opéra Garnier and the art deco Trocadéro. Moulin Rouge is suitably saucy, and the Atelier d’Artiste, all in white (with judicious splatters of paint), is a rather luxe interpretation of the classic artist’s garret. Suffice it to say you’re reminded at every turn that you’re in Paris.

A gym, sauna, hammam and massage room are there to keep the Secret’s guests feeling fit, and in typical Parisian style you’re left at the city’s mercy when it comes time for a meal — a blessing, in this town, not a curse. For the city’s minimalist clientele, perhaps not, but anyone who’s found Parisian hotels a bit drab is bound to love it.

Armani Hotel Milano : Milan, 이탈리아

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:01:05 GMT

Some hotels need to be seen to be properly understood. Other hotel concepts, though, more or less speak for themselves. Simply at the mention of the Armani Hotel Milan one knows what one’s going to get: a bold and tasteful elegance, a certain richness in texture and materials, and of course an imposing silhouette — and one, incidentally, that’s suitable both for business and for pleasure.

In one sense it’s almost a living showroom for the Armani Casa shop across the road. But it’s more than that — a hotel, for a fashion chain, is a showroom for an entire lifestyle, and these interiors, modern Milanese to a tee, will have you checking yourself in the mirror to make sure you’re measuring up. And like the best in fashion, they’re more than surface deep, with a remarkable amount of attention paid to the physical luxuries that don’t show up on film.

Ninety-five rooms isn’t enormous, but without question the Armani joins the Milanese big league, competing directly against the town’s top luxury hotels. The spa and the restaurants see to these high-flying guests’ needs in the manner to which they’re accustomed, and the location is tough to beat, with walking access to what’s arguably the world’s finest shopping district. As branding, it’s a stroke of genius — and it’s no less impressive as a hotel.

Secret de Paris : Paris, 프랑스

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:01:04 GMT

Secret de Paris : Paris, 프랑스

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:01:03 GMT

Secret de Paris : Paris, 프랑스

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:08 GMT

Casa del Horno : Panama, 파나마

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:04 GMT

It’s not necessarily the owners’ Italian heritage per se that makes Casa del Horno one of Panama’s top boutique hotels. The house is an architectural treasure in its own right, dating back to the French colonial days, and its rough-hewn stone provides the backdrop against which its sleeker, more contemporary elements are allowed to stand out. But in the end it’s the keenness of that contemporary eye which elevates a charming house into an extraordinary hotel.

And it’s in the design that the owners’ influence shows through most distinctly. At the moment there’s nothing quite like Italian design for blending modernist visual impact with top-notch tactile luxury, and Casa del Horno’s interiors fit that description to a tee. Imported pieces mesh with local craftsmanship and antique details, and the result is a hotel with a character all its own — and in boutique hotels, that’s at least half the battle.

The other half, of course, is the nuts and bolts: the LCD televisions and iPod docks, the Old Town location with its picturesque views, the in-room massage service, the thoughtful concierge and the generally high level of service. It’s safe to say there’s nothing else quite like it anywhere else in town.

How to get there:
Casa dal Horno is 33.5km away from Tocumen International Airport (30-40 min) or 3.5km from Marcos A Gelabert Airport. Transfers can be organized for USD35 for 2 guests, each way and USD10 per additional guest. Please contact CustomerService@TabletHotels.com for assistance with airport transfers.

Locanda Rossa : Capalbio, 이탈리아

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 05:00:05 GMT

Please note: Locanda Rossa is open annually April through December. Three night minimum required for stays in June, July and August. Two night minimum required for all other dates.

The Maremma, the coastal region where Tuscany meets Lazio, is a bit of a Johnny-come-lately as a holiday destination, though you’d never know it from looking at it today — here a once-impoverished agricultural region has been transformed into, well, a not-at-all-impoverished agricultural region, and one that’s as well known for tourism as for produce. And this fame is due in no small part to a wealth of independent hotels, places like Capalbio’s Locanda Rossa.

Locanda Rossa’s original structure has undergone a modern expansion, but the seams don’t show a bit. Contemporary interiors meet farmhouse architecture in the rooms and suites, which, if not for the half-timbered ceilings and the views of the farm, could easily pass for modern urban apartments. Then again those views of the olive groves, not to mention the gardens and the pool deck, are why you’re here and not in a modern urban apartment in the first place.

There’s a spa for those tough cases who need even more relaxation, and the Osteria Wine Bar is more than a wine bar, serving sophisticated local fare, much of it made from the estate’s own produce. Meanwhile the beaches are minutes away, and the splendid Maremma countryside surrounds — all less than two hours’ drive from Rome.

How to get there:
Train: Rome to Capalbio, approximately 2 hours. Transfers from the train station can be arranged with the hotel.
Driving Directions from Rome: Take Strada Statale 1 Aurelia in the direction of Livorno. Exit at Chiarone 124 km then turn left towards Pescia Fiorentina. After 2.5 km, take mandatory left turn to Capalbio. After 3 km you will find the red entrance to Locanda Rossa on your right. Approximate driving time from Rome is 1.30 hours.

Please contact CustomerService@TabletHotels.com for assistance with directions.

Aditya : Galle, 스리랑카

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 05:00:18 GMT

There are places whose appeal waxes and wanes with the trend-chasing crowds — and then there’s the southwest coast of Sri Lanka. The boom in Sri Lankan hospitality doesn’t seem to have much to do with the changing fashions, and one imagines a place like Aditya, though recently opened, is in it for the long haul, as its splendid beachfront location and its low-key, friendly approach to service are unlikely to see substantial revision any time in the near future.

Most every boutique hotel thinks of its design sense as “eclectic,” but Aditya presents a stronger case than most, its starkly modernist beds, furniture and bathrooms sharing time with antique pieces and traditional architectural details. Five suites are nestled into private gardens, six of them face out to sea, and the Grand Surya Suite, a two-story villa, has a private terrace with a plunge pool and a prime view of the Indian Ocean sunset.

The activities on offer are suitably low-key, from spa treatments to cooking classes to coastal explorations, whether that means the old fort at Galle or dolphin-watching at Mirissa. The beach occupies its fair share of guests’ daytime hours, as does the pool. And while there’s no nightlife to speak of, it’s hard not to imagine that that’s just how Aditya’s guests like it.

How to get there:
Aditya is located on a secluded beach 10 minutes north of Galle (on the SW coast of Sri Lanka). The hotel is 2.5 hours south of Colombo. Transfers can be arranged from/to the Bandaranaike International Airport (135 km away) in Colombo. Train service is also available from Colombo to Galle (where a taxi can be arranged to pick you up). Please contact CustomerService@TabletHotels.com for further questions or assistance with airport transfers.

Aditya : Galle, 스리랑카

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 05:00:14 GMT

1864 The Sea Captain's House : Santorini, Cyclades, 그리스

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 05:00:12 GMT

Please note: 1864 The Sea Captain's House is open seasonally, March through mid-December.

In Santorini, the location does almost all of the work; most hotels just do their best not to spoil the view. Any hotel that can actually add something to the natural experience very quickly crosses over into the extraordinary — and the reason we’re here, as you might have imagined, is that the delightfully named 1864 The Sea Captain’s House is one of this rare breed.

First of all, even on Santorini, there are locations, and then there are locations. Oia, at the top of the inner crescent, is probably the island’s most picturesque town, its terraced residences cascading precipitously down the cliffside. The Sea Captain’s House joins them — with just four suites (and no reception or other common space), it’s scarcely a hotel at all, presenting what’s essentially an idealized, luxe version of Oian village life.

That means jacuzzis in every suite, for one, and an approach to decorating that goes beyond the stripped-down Greek-island norm — there are hints of the baroque in these bedrooms, with their antique woodwork and gilded mirrors. It’s all in the name of character, though, rather than pure flash; the scale of the place prevents it ever feeling over-opulent. Dine in, if you’re in the mood for some privacy, or book a table at one of the owners’ two village restaurants, if you prefer a more sociable stay.

How to get there:
Santorini (Thira) can be easily reached by plane or ferry. Flight time from Athens is approximately 45 minutes.

Ferries from Athens' Pireaus port to Thira take approximately 3 hours. For more information about ferry schedules, and to purchase tickets in advance of your trip, we recommend the following website: Paleologos

Please contact CustomerService@TabletHotels.com for assistance with transfers to the hotel.

137 Pillars House : Chiang Mai, 타이란드

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:00:13 GMT

Thai boutique hotels tend to stick to a couple of themes; think beach villas in the coastal regions, or ultramodern design in Bangkok. More suited to the old northern capital of Chiang Mai, however, is 137 Pillars House, a luxury boutique that’s more elegant than funky, more traditional than outré, a natural stylistic evolution from the old house’s former use as the headquarters of the East Borneo Company.

So well kept is 137 Pillars, however, that the result is more a trad-luxe fantasy than an outright preservation job. Much of the construction, however classic in style, is in fact a painstaking contemporary reconstruction, giving the lie to the notion that “they don’t make them like they used to.” In fact they make them better; these century-old suites are only improved by the addition of modern electronics, plumbing and climate control, and the 19th-century atmosphere suffers not a bit.

The common spaces are equally genteel in aspect, from the Library Bar to the Parlor Lounge, from the dark and romantic Dining Room to the casual show kitchen, which mounts demonstrations and cooking classes. The gym, spa and pool keep guests in fighting trim, and outside, rather than some generic entertainment district, is Old Chiang Mai, home to any number of temples, monuments and cultural attractions.

How to get there:
137 Pillars House is located 10 minutes from Chiang Mai Airport. Please contact CustomerService@TabletHotels.com for assistance with airport transfers.

137 Pillars House : Chiang Mai, 타이란드

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:00:12 GMT

How to get there:
137 Pillars House is located 10 minutes from Chiang Mai Airport. Please contact CustomerService@TabletHotels.com for assistance with airport transfers.

Infinity Residences & Resort Koh Samui : Koh Samui, 타이란드

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:01:02 GMT

Chances are, the “infinity” in Infinity Residences & Resort refers to the seemingly endless views out into the Gulf of Thailand. But it could equally refer to how far this corner of northwestern Koh Samui feels from the rest of the island’s booming tourist business. If you’re feeling social you’re a short drive away from Bophut Bay and Chaweng Beach, but from these wooded hillsides you don’t even have to know they exist — and if you’re a frequent Tablet reader you know that in Koh Samui there’s no greater luxury than that.

Infinity’s residences range from one to four bedrooms, and while the space and equipment necessarily vary a bit, there are some constants: king beds, sea views, full open kitchens, modern electronics, and massive bathrooms. Some have private lap pools, others hot tubs or plunge pools, and in the very worst case you’ll share a pool with the other half of your duplex — life is pretty good when that’s the worst case.

The gym, spa, pool and restaurant, naturally, are up to the same general level as the accommodations, and there’s an astonishing view from just about every corner of the place. If there’s anything to grouse about, perhaps it’s the location, which might feel slightly out of the way in comparison with the rest of the island’s high-end properties — but if remoteness feels like a disadvantage, then we humbly suggest that you just might have your priorities the wrong way round.

How to get there:
Infinity Residences & Resort is located 20 km from the Koh Samui airport. Please contact CustomerService@TabletHotels.com for assistance with airport transfers.

Hotel de la Paix, Luang Prabang : Luang Prabang, 라오스

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:01:01 GMT

Luang Prabang is one of those destinations where you hardly need an extraordinary hotel to have an extraordinary experience — which makes the fact that there are several of them feel almost gratuitous. Not that we’re complaining. In the case of the Hotel de la Paix it means a rare conjunction of historical architecture and modern design, and a chance to inhabit an ancient place in an atmosphere of the utmost contemporary luxury.

The architect, Duangrit Bunnag, is responsible for some very fine modernist beach hotels in Thailand, and here he’s wedded a handful of original French Colonial structures (including the old governor’s mansion) to a number of new buildings, heavily influenced in turn by traditional Lao architecture. The result is a strangely timeless blend, especially in the guest suites, which feel not just sequestered in space but somehow lost in time as well.

Only some of them come with private pools, but all are indulgent in their own way, with private gardens and spa-like bathrooms. Of course there’s a proper spa as well, for when “spa-like” isn’t quite enough, and a main pool for a more serious approach to swimming. Add a fine restaurant and lounge, as well as a cooking school, and the culinary angle is more than covered — especially when you add the restaurants at 3 Nagas, the sister hotel, just a few minutes down the road.

How to get there:
Hotel de la Paix is conveniently located just 5 minutes from the central area of town and a 15-minute drive from the Luang Prabang Airport. Please contact CustomerService@TabletHotels.com for assistance with airport transfers.

Altapura : Val Thorens, 프랑스

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:01:01 GMT

Val Thorens makes much of its status as the Alps’ highest ski resort; more practically, it makes much of its status as its largest, at least in terms of terrain. But from our hospitality-centric viewpoint, a French ski town isn’t really on the map until the Sibuets have opened a hotel there. Altapura, like its sisters in Megève, answers a number of perennial ski-hotel complaints — it’s modern in style without sacrificing a sense of place, it’s comfortable without lapsing into kitsch, and it’s proof positive that a stylish social scene and a family-friendly vibe need not be mutually exclusive.

The look of the place is often described as Scandinavian, but if you look beyond the blond wood you’ll see what’s essentially a post-modern take on a very French alpine lodge. The heavy timbers, it seems, have been hauled down and made into furniture, into patchwork tiles, or into latticed screens; even the traditional taxidermy is present, though largely in stylized carved wood.

In a ski lodge, however, the tactile pleasures often take precedence over the visual ones. Here Altapura doesn’t disappoint. The rooms, however striking, are never stark, and that modern furniture lacks for nothing in terms of comfort — and the less tangible conveniences include Apple iPads alongside pervasive wi-fi and satellite television.

The three restaurants inhabit equally contemporary spaces, but vary in atmosphere, from the ultra-cozy La Laiterie to the rather more adult Les Enfants Terribles. Meanwhile the Pure Altitude spa, with its seven treatment rooms and heated indoor pool, is a viable alternative to a day on the slopes. And last but not least, Altapura benefits from ski-in ski-out access, as well as a ski shop in partnership with Goitschel.

How to get there:
Altapura is located 30 km from the Courchevel Airport (CVF). This is approximately 1 hour by car. Please contact CustomerService@TabletHotels.com for assistance with airport transfers.