El Tablet Hotel del Día

Hôtel Arès Eiffel : Paris, Francia

Thu, 17 May 2012 04:00:31 GMT

In a city as heavily traveled as Paris, hidden gems don’t stay hidden for long — especially when they’re as photogenic as the Hotel Ares Eiffel. We don’t mind sharing, though; it may fill up earlier than it used to, but the Ares remains one of Paris’s most stylish hideaways, thanks to a location that’s at once central and off the beaten path, and a design scheme that’s highly opinionated yet thoroughly accessible.

It’s a mix of baroque and modern, with a healthy dose of contemporary Italian influence in the form of Versace tile work and furniture by Poltrona Frau. The spaces aren’t enormous, but they’re opened up nicely by the clean design and the plentiful sunlight, and the considerable physical comforts ensure that the rooms feel cozy rather than cramped.

The concept might be described as something like “bare-bones luxe” — as is often the case in Paris, the Ares gets by without such niceties as a restaurant or a spa. Deserving of special mention, however, is the library, a small but finely-wrought space in dark wood and lime green. Best yet, you’re just blocks away from the Champ de Mars, and virtually in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, which makes for easy navigating, at the very least.

Hôtel Arès Eiffel : Paris, Francia

Thu, 17 May 2012 04:00:31 GMT

The Liaison Capitol Hill, an Affinia Hotel : Washington, DC, USA

Wed, 16 May 2012 04:00:11 GMT

The contrast between the grandeur of Washington’s public face and the relative shabbiness of its functional spaces has long been a common observation. And until fairly recently, its hotels only strengthened the stereotype. But The Liason Capital Hill, an Affinia Hotel belongs to a new, more style-conscious D.C., where the nightlife is on the upswing, the restaurant scene is booming, and the hotels, increasingly, live up to their greater architectural setting.

Of course from the outside The Liaison isn’t exactly the Capitol, but once you’re through its doors you’re treated to hotel interiors that leave the old drab D.C. in the dust. The bedrooms are simple and modern, stylish but quietly so, understated enough that they’re still palatable for more conservative audiences.

Bolder still are the public spaces, from the lobby bar with its almost Pop Art portraits of world leaders to the rooftop lounge, a warm-weather gem, and Art and Soul, a restaurant where the visual style, however impressive, takes a back seat: chef Art Smith won a James Beard Award for his inventive upscale take on traditional soul food.

Business travelers, as ever in this town, are certain to be well looked after, but the Liaison sets its sights equally on leisure guests — and nobody minds thoughtful details like the seasonal rooftop pool.

Hotel Muse Bangkok : Bangkok, Tailandia

Tue, 15 May 2012 04:00:17 GMT

Some of the most successful hotels play against type. Given Bangkok’s image as some sort of latter-day Sin City, there’s a real shortage of old-fashioned elegance. This is where the Hotel Muse Bangkok comes in. It’s a member of Accor’s MGallery sub-label, and it inherits some of its French colonial style from its European ownership, but it doesn’t stop there: the Muse’s lines are clean and contemporary, but its design is full of homages to the Bangkok of a century ago, rendered with a level of detail that’s almost baroque in its ornateness.

High marks for personality, then. The appeal, however, is more than skin deep, as the Muse’s facilities and comforts place it squarely in luxury-hotel territory. Even the most basic rooms have space for sofas and work desks, and in the bathrooms roll-top tubs and separate showers are standard throughout. Corner rooms make the most of the views, looking out over Bangkok’s upscale Langsuan district, and the top six floors are reserved for the Muse Residence King rooms, which are outfitted for long stays but make for perfectly plush short ones as well.

A business center and masses of event space mean the Muse is well suited to business travel, but it’s by no means solely a business hotel. The rooftop pool has an impressive view of the skyline, and is accompanied by a spa and fitness center. Meanwhile a Thai restaurant is joined by an Italian kitchen, and the nightlife is headlined by the Speakeasy, which isn’t quite what it sounds like — rather than some basement hole-in-the-wall, it’s a multi-room bar and lounge spanning two levels at the top of the Muse.

Domina Home Piccolo : Portofino, Genoa, Italia

Mon, 14 May 2012 04:00:23 GMT

The sheltered seaside village of Portofino is probably the highlight of the Ligurian coast, and in a setting like this, where a jumble of picturesque little villas clings to the rocky hillside, there’s no need for a hotel to go too far out of its way to make big waves. So the piccolo in Domina Home Piccolo isn’t necessarily a reference to the raw size of the place — the rooms are actually quite spacious by the standards of a hotel in an Italian seaside town — but it perfectly describes the atmosphere: this 22-room boutique does a pretty convincing impression of a private villa.

And while the exterior is pure classic Portofino, the interiors have been thoroughly renovated, the rooms presenting a minimalist aspect, with modern furniture and large expanses of sunshine-intensifying white. The best-positioned rooms face out to sea, but there’s not a bad room in the house — and everyone’s entitled to a front-row view of the water from the restaurant’s terrace or from the hotel’s private beach. Anyway, you’ll want to sample as many of Portofino’s other views as you possibly can. Domina Home Piccolo isn’t the sort of hotel where you’ll pass an entire stay on the premises; but as a home base from which to explore this storied seaside town, it’d be difficult to top.

How to get there:
Domina Home Piccolo is located approximately 18 miles (30 Km) from Genoa airport and 6 miles (10 km) from the Rapallo exit off the A12 motorway. Santa Margherita Ligure railway station is 3 miles (5 Km) from the hotel. Please contact CustomerService@TabletHotels.com for assistance with airport transfers.

Down Town Mexico : México D.F., México

Mon, 14 May 2012 04:00:21 GMT

The Habita group, over the past decade or so, has amassed an impressive collection of boutique hotels, an empire that spans more or less all of Mexico, from the cities to the countryside to the beaches of Playa del Carmen. And even as their holdings expand to include their first foreign property, New York’s Hotel Americano, the brand-new Down Town Mexico is proof that they aren’t letting their imperial ambitions loosen their hold on the capital’s boutique-hotel business.

Architecturally it’s a bit of a departure, occupying a brick-fronted 17th-century palace a short walk from the Plaza de la Constitución, as central a location as a Mexico City hotel could ask for. Once inside, though, that signature Habita architectural flair returns with a vengeance: the original high ceilings remain intact, among other charmingly weathered period details, but the prevailing atmosphere is that of a very clean, very contemporary modern boutique style. Simple forms highlight rich textures, from the dark tiled floors to the raw wood furnishings to the screens, almost Moorish in style, that set the bathrooms apart from the bedrooms.

Where the Habita group goes, a certain stylish crowd is sure to follow, and that’ll be the case before long at Down Town’s restaurant and its roof terrace lounge. For boutique hotel enthusiasts, it’s another Mexico City neighborhood added to the recommended itinerary.

How to get there:
Down Town Mexico is located 6km from the Mexico City International Airport. Transfers can be arranged for US$250 for up to 2 guests in a private car or US$350 for 4-6 guests in a private van. Please contact CustomerService@TabletHotels.com for assistance with airport transfers.

Tosen Goshobo : Kobe, Japón

Mon, 14 May 2012 04:00:18 GMT

The perennial tradeoff in ryokan hotels is getting the right balance of seclusion and accessibility. Tosen Goshobo, however, manages to get away with a pretty impressive combination. It’s only twenty minutes’ drive from the Kobe rail station, which means relatively easy access from most any of Japan’s major cities — but its position in the mountain village of Arima, one of the oldest hot springs in the country, means that the stresses of city life, once you’re within its walls, are little more than a memory.

A ryokan in one form or another has stood on this spot for centuries, though in its current incarnation it only dates back a little less than a hundred years. Goshobo is no nostalgia trip, though — even at mid-century, its owners kept pace with developments in modern architecture, and the result is a ryokan that’s quietly contemporary, blending traditional tatami interiors with some of the finer currents in Western residential design.

Along with the hotel’s design credentials, the healing waters of the Arima springs are well known across Japan, and they probably account for their fair share of the business. So too does the cuisine: it’s worth booking in advance to get yourself a seat at Goshobo’s table.

Casa La Siesta : Vejer de la Frontera, Andalusia, España

Sun, 13 May 2012 04:00:05 GMT

In Spain, where mass tourism is at its most massive, the best travel experiences are very often found in the smallest places. On that score Casa La Siesta certainly qualifies. It’s far enough off the beaten path, a few miles outside of Vejer, near the Andalusian coast. And it’s a mere speck of a place, a seven-room house isolated on a hill facing out toward the sea, a new build with a rustic edge, a luxe and stylish little boutique hotel.

Rough timbers and raw wooden furniture contrast with rain showers and plush king beds, while the suites add elegant freestanding tubs, and there’s more than a touch of Moorish or Moroccan tile work, as befits Casa La Siesta’s Andalusian heritage. All are expansive enough, with impressive views from private terraces, but for an added measure of space and privacy there’s always the Casita La Siesta, a separate two-bedroom house with its own gardens and pool.

It’s a simple life, where the nightly highlight is a prix-fixe dinner prepared by the Casa’s private chef. From here it’s a short drive to Vejer, which has a few fine restaurants of its own, or a little longer to the beach or the golf course, and a little longer than that to Cadiz, if you’re dying for some city life — though the possibility, after a taste of Casa La Siesta’s pastoral atmosphere, does seem remote.

Trump International Hotel Las Vegas : Las Vegas, NV, USA

Sat, 12 May 2012 04:00:07 GMT

It’s about experience. There are smaller hotels, hipper hotels, certainly less ostentatious hotels than this gleaming gold tower, but if you’re looking to do Sin City the way it’s meant to be done, there are few hotels better suited to the purpose than the Trump International Hotel Las Vegas. The views are impressive, the rooms suitably flashy, and there’s no in-house casino — some find this last fact a drawback, but to be able to shut out the chaos of the gaming floor at will is, in this town, one of the most useful luxuries there is.

The interiors aren’t short of marble or crystal, but in Las Vegas that signature Trump look comes off looking tastefully conservative. In fact, perhaps unsurprisingly, the style is more Manhattan residential than Vegas theatrical. The studio suites pack in luxuries like king beds, marble baths well-equipped kitchenettes and HD televisions, and things only spread out from there, through one-bedroom suites to two- and three-bedroom penthouses.

And there are places where the Trump shows peculiar strengths. The spa covers eleven thousand square feet, all of it put to good use, and the hotel welcomes children and dogs with what seems like genuine enthusiasm. There’s a fine-dining restaurant named for Donald J. himself, as well as a health-focused poolside eatery. And the Trump’s location provides entree to the best Las Vegas has to offer, from the Fashion Show mall to the Strip and beyond.

Hotel Endemico : Ensenada , México

Fri, 11 May 2012 04:00:25 GMT

Now that they’ve got the urban boutique hotel more or less down to a science, the Mexico-based Habita group is on to the next challenge. Hotel Endémico is a major departure: on a hillside overlooking the Valle de Guadalupe in the Baja wine country, the Endémico is hardly a hotel at all. Gone is the traditional luxury lodge, replaced by twenty hyper-modern freestanding "EcoLofts," pod-like villas elevated on stilts a few feet above the desert floor. From the outside they’re almost comically minimal, simple wooden boxes with rakishly angled roofs.

But that’s from the outside. From the inside they’re impeccably styled, compact luxury bedrooms with dramatic views: the valley is framed through floor-to-ceiling windows, with your neighbors cleverly placed outside the edges of the picture. At 215 square feet they’re not overly large, but a certain coziness is what’s called for here. The interiors look sharp in black, white and raw concrete and there’s some semi-private exterior space as well: each one comes with a furnished private deck, complete with an enclosed firepit.

And the Endémico, for all its privacy, isn’t entirely an exercise in solitude. There’s an infinity pool and jacuzzi that share the same valley-spanning view, as well as a restaurant that takes a local, handmade approach to the cuisine of Baja California, under the direction of the Culinary Arts School in nearby Tijuana.

How to get there:
Hotel Endemico is located 113 km (1h:30min) from General Abelardo L. Salinas airport in Tijuana. Transfers can be organized upon request. Please contact CustomerService@TabletHotels.com for assistance with airport transfers.

Jinya Ryokan : Hadano-shi, Kanagawa

Thu, 10 May 2012 04:00:15 GMT

The first reason to consider Jinya Ryokan might be convenience — it’s an hour by train from Shinjuku Station, which means Tokyo residents can swap city for country in no time at all. Foreign visitors might find it even easier — there’s a regular shuttle straight to Jinya from Narita. But the appeal of its location is much more than simply a matter of travel time.

Tsurumaki Onsen, in Kanagawa, is the very picture of the archetypal Japanese country resort, and it’s no coincidence that the celebrated animator Hayao Miyazaki spent time at Jinya Ryokan during his childhood — anyone who’s seen films like Spirited Away will recognize a certain almost supernatural aspect to the beauty of Jinya’s setting.

And then of course there’s the ryokan itself. A selection of totally traditional tatami-style rooms is complemented by a handful of hybrid Japanese/Western rooms, and if you’re in the market for a slightly more indulgent ryokan experience there’s Matsukaze, a freestanding residence with its own outdoor cypress tub.

The hot springs’s waters are, naturally, are open to all, and the Tsurumaki spring is noted for its particularly high calcium content — and the spring water is also purportedly key to the flavors of the ryokan’s locally sourced cooking.

L'Hotel Palermo : Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Wed, 09 May 2012 04:00:16 GMT

Even an extrovert needs an occasional moment of quiet, and that’s where L’Hotel Palermo comes in. Located in the center of Palermo Soho, Buenos Aires’s answer to all the other Sohos you know, this hotel hides in plain sight. Of course such a modish neighborhood offers plenty of places to lay your head among its cafes, clubs, shops, and art galleries, but perhaps none is so secretive as this one.

From the outside, this small boutique hotel resembles the many mini-manses you’ll find on the cobblestone streets. It reveals nothing. The fact is, if it’s an overdose of design you want, from minimalism to maximalism, from riots of color to chi-chi monochrome, you can get it — elsewhere. Ditto bar scenes and hob-nobbing with art dealers or doñas, or a night pretending to be a sexy tango expert or carnivorous gaucho. Instead, the hotel offers a friendly fantasy in green, a respite from the frenetic pace of the neighborhood’s trendiness, which increases exponentially by the minute. The owners spliced together two actual houses, ensuring the idiosyncrasy of each room as well as a lived-in feel.

Some rooms have private terraces that face the street, but others face a hidden garden, a square of grass, a sunken pool, and practically sky-high walls of flora. Antique tables, antique mirrors, antique patio furniture — ah, so this hotel offers a trend after all. Whether these things are actually old matters not, as they effect a bucolic elegance, more Provence than metropolitan, despite the urban (and South American) address.

How to get there:
L'Hotel Palermo is located 4km (15 min) from the Jorge Newberry Airport and 22km (45 min) from Ezeiza Airport.

The Restoration on King : Charleston, SC, USA

Tue, 08 May 2012 04:00:13 GMT

While there must have been a few Who’s On First moments during construction — “yes, exactly, the Restoration on King, but what’s it going to be?” — now that it’s open it’s dealing in restoration of a different kind. If you’re reading this then you’re well aware of the restorative effects of a comfortable night in a stylish suite, complete with luxe bathrooms and well-equipped kitchens. And of course the Restoration’s setting in the heart of the old downtown district places guests right in the thick of Charleston’s booming restauration scene.

The fifteen suites deal in a contemporary urban-reclamation style, all exposed brick and original hardwood floors, adding a welcome industrial edge to Charleston’s classic elegance. Well-chosen antiques and artworks liven the spaces, and the creature comforts are legion, right down to washers, dryers and kitchens that probably rival what you’ve got at home.

And while the feeling is residential, the Restoration comes with its share of services. Breakfast arrives in a picnic basket each morning, there’s an evening wine and cheese reception, and cookies and milk make an appearance a little later on. They’ll send out for groceries in case you’re planning on dining in, and the lobby is the site of a 24-hour coffee and tea service.

The Restoration on King : Charleston, SC, USA

Tue, 08 May 2012 04:00:08 GMT

Helvetia & Bristol Hotel : Florence, Tuscany, Italia

Mon, 07 May 2012 04:00:24 GMT

El edificio del hotel, que se remonta al siglo XIX, se funde a la perfección con la arquitectura de la zona, con sus paredes blancas y sus arcos de piedra gris, que recuerdan a las iglesias de Brunelleschi. Pero aunque la fachada del hotel recuerda al Renacimiento florentino, los interiores no pueden ser más modernos, gracias a un reciente proceso de restauración. Las ventanas de las habitaciones están vestidas con elegantes cortinas mientras que las paredes están tapizadas en tela de brocado. Los espacios comunes son acogedores y destacan por sus preciosos muebles de época, hermosas tapicerías y cómodos sofás de terciopelo. El comedor recuerda a un típico club inglés, con sus tapices, cuadros italianos del siglo XV y sillas de terciopelo rojo. Durante las noches de invierno, se enciende la chimenea del salón. El Helvetia & Bristol goza de una ubicación privilegiada en el centro de Florencia, que le permitirá desplazarse a pie a todos los lugares de interés.

Aunque el restaurante se enorgullece de recuperar algunas recetas tradicionales toscanas, como el risotto con pichón, hay otros restaurantes excelentes muy cerca. Por eso le recomendamos que coma en el restaurante del hotel una noche, cuando el turismo le haya dejado tan exhausto que se sienta incapaz de salir en busca de un restaurante, y que después pruebe otros restaurantes de la ciudad. No obstante, no se pierda el Winter Garden Bar del hotel. Durante la década de los veinte, el bar del jardín era el punto de encuentro predilecto de la elite intelectual, entre la que destacaban Pirandello, Stravinsky, De Chirico, D’Annunzio y su amante Eleonora Duse, y el mismísimo Bertrand Russell. Aunque no podemos garantizarle que la conversación vaya a ser tan interesante como lo fue entonces, lo que sí le aseguramos es que disfrutará de un ambiente agradable y fresco, perfecto para las noches de verano, y, quién sabe, igual logra recuperar parte del brillo y del encanto de antaño.

Y aunque estimular el intelecto no sea su idea de vacaciones, puede estar seguro de que el Hervetia & Bristol logrará satisfacer todas sus necesidades. Las habitaciones tienen enormes televisiones con una infinidad de canales entre los que elegir. Si lo que le gustan son las compras, se encuentra en el mejor lugar posible, a sólo unos pasos de la Via Tornabuoni, la calle donde se concentran las mejores tiendas de la ciudad; Gucci, Trussardi, Armani, etc. Y, por supuesto, también se encuentra muy cerca del Duomo y otros tesoros florentinos. A diferencia de otros hoteles, tiene que pasar por delante de las mejores boutiques para llegar a los monumentos. Y, como todos sabemos, es absolutamente necesario comprarse unos zapatos de Prada antes de contemplar los Caravaggios en los Uffizi o disfrutar de una obra postmoderna de Pirandello.

Castle on the Hudson : Tarrytown, NY, USA

Mon, 07 May 2012 04:00:21 GMT

Este es otro magnífico ejemplo de un hotel cuyo nombre prácticamente lo dice todo. Y si se trata de castillos a orillas del río Hudson, este tal vez le sigue en grandeza solo al de la academia militar West Point, pero con la innegable ventaja de que uno se puede quedar en Castle on the Hudson sin tener que convertirse en oficial del ejército. No es que sea algo malo, pero a los neoyorquinos seguro les alegra saber que a media hora de la ciudad tienen la oportunidad de disfrutar de la lujosa vida palaciega sin un compromiso de cuatro años o una carta de su senador.

Se construyó hace un siglo como residencia privada y el resultado fue impresionante. Hoy contiene 31 habitaciones cómodamente, todas completamente modernizadas tal como se acostumbra en los hoteles de lujo. Desde luego, el resto del castillo ayuda a imbuirlas de personalidad ya que al mismo nunca le falta ambiente, y la variedad de cuidadosamente escogidos muebles antiguos, incluyendo estupendas camas de cuatros postes, también influye.

En los espacios públicos es donde recibirá las dosis más fuertes de sus viejas paredes de piedra, especialmente en el restaurante Equus, con sus techos en vigas de madera y una enorme chimenea, también de piedra. La cocina atrae a muchos comensales de la ciudad que llegan a pasar la noche y, en los meses más cálidos, la terraza es tentadora; las vistas desde la propiedad del castillo al tope de una colina son simplemente extraordinarias.

Indicaciones para llegar al hotel:

Castle on the Hudson queda a solo 30 minutos del norte de Manhattan (por auto). Para obtener direcciones más especificas para llegar por carretera o para asistencia con traslados de aeropuerto, por favor comuníquese con atención al cliente

Niki Club : Nasu-machi, Nasu-gun, Tochigi-Ken, Japón

Sun, 06 May 2012 04:00:24 GMT

The world of Japanese country inns can seem an impenetrable thicket to foreign visitors, thanks to the language barrier, the obscure locations, and the arcane traditions. Even the traditional Japanese architecture gives little guidance to Westerners not schooled in deciphering the buildings’ spatial grammar. The Niki Club & Spa tackles that last problem, cracking the code with a key that’s familiar to boutique hotel devotees the world over: modernist architecture.

At its inception in 1986 Niki Club spanned a mere six rooms, but it’s the recent addition of a 24-room Sir Terence Conran–designed wing that’s put the resort on the map for international travelers — though the contrast between the two phases is, in the end, a subtle one. Standard rooms in the Conran wing are laid out like studio apartments, while the Maisonette rooms are split-level, with the bedroom in a lofted upper floor. Meanwhile the cozier 1986 wing features three twin and three double rooms, and its original six Japanese-style rooms are undergoing a renovation.

The dining room and the library bar are housed in the original wing, while the new expansion is home the Garden restaurant and the international-style spa; onsen aficionados find the traditional baths in the old wing, and the woodland baths, the outdoor hot springs alongside the river, are not to be missed. Viewed on its own, it’s a unique take on the Japanese onsen resort experience; or as an introduction to Japan’s country inns, it’s a perfectly accessible hybrid.

Niki Club : Nasu-machi, Nasu-gun, Tochigi-Ken, Japón

Sun, 06 May 2012 04:00:20 GMT

Playa Viva : Juluchuca, Guerrero, México

Sat, 05 May 2012 04:01:13 GMT

Take everything that annoys you about mass tourism on the Mexican coasts and put it out of your mind. Whatever your mental image, Playa Viva is more or less the opposite of that. A mere eight casitas, for starters, is about as far as it gets from mass tourism in the first place. And this location, on protected land a half hour outside of Zihuatanejo, has a long, long way to go before it could be considered developed, much less overdeveloped.

The accommodations are perhaps more reminiscent of something you’d expect to find in Bali, or at least St. Lucia: these thatched-roof villas are open to the air, their walls absent in order to maximize the sea views. It’s all very low-tech, and it’s no surprise that Playa Viva is about as green as they come, its low-impact approach perfectly suited to the hotel’s low-key charms.

This means morning yoga, spa services and meditation classes, as well as a wide variety of outdoor explorations, on land and on the water. For a bit more human contact you’ll have to venture as far as Zihua, if not farther — there are any number of resorts elsewhere on this coast where a party atmosphere is easy to come by, but Playa Viva is where you go to get away from all that.

How to get there:
Playa Viva is located 35 minutes from the Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa International Airport. Transfers are included in regular room rates. Please contact CustomerService@TabletHotels.com for assistance with airport transfers.

St Pancras Renaissance Hotel : London, England, UK

Sat, 05 May 2012 04:01:11 GMT

The great Gothic grand hotel at St. Pancras station lay in neglect for the better part of a century, but after a heroic decade-long restoration the St. Pancras Renaissance is back in business. Gone are the dull and utilitarian British Rail offices that once filled the space, replaced by lavish reconstructions of the original Victorian rooms and suites.

It’s not a value proposition, exactly — no expense was spared in restoring the hotel to its former glory, and if anything it’s a reaction against the economizing tendency which has done so much to put the grand-hotel era to an end. But it’s worth it just for the chance to see this magnificent building looking its best. When you’re splashing out for one of the extravagant, period-styled Chambers rooms and suites you’re treated to a state-of-the-art luxury hotel experience.

These days that necessarily includes such extras as a gym, spa and indoor pool, more conference and business facilities than you could possibly use, and a couple of big-time restaurants. Among them is The Gilbert Scott, named for the building’s original architect and operated by Marcus Wareing, one of London’s biggest culinary names. It’s only right that the Renaissance would go out of its way to represent Britain at its best; this hotel’s fortunes were surely linked to those of St. Pancras Station itself, the Eurostar’s new home, and will be the first stop for quite a few travelers from the Continent.

Playa Viva : Juluchuca, Guerrero, México

Sat, 05 May 2012 04:01:07 GMT

Gosoku no Kutsu : Amakusa-shi, Kumamoto, Japón

Fri, 04 May 2012 04:00:05 GMT

Japan’s ryokans offer one of the most unique hospitality experiences available anywhere in the world, and for that they’re quite rightly sought after. But the genre in its most historically correct form can, for an outsider, present obstacles. For anyone who’s not yet ready for total immersion in tatami-style tradition, entrée comes in the form of one of several hybrid-style, Western-influenced ryokans, of which Gosoku no Kutsu is a leading representative.

The location, on the west coast of Amakusa, today feels splendidly secluded, far as it is from Honshu’s big coastal cities. But back in the 16th century, when Japan was making tentative steps towards contact with the West, Amakusa was one of the first ports of call. And with its three European-influenced villas, it’s this legacy which Gosoku no Kutsu consciously recalls.

They’re split up into fifteen units, and if the style is somewhat restrained, the comforts are legion. All of them are to some degree or another open to the lush greenery on the surrounding hillside, and if it’s a bit of oneness with nature you’re after, you’ve come to the right place. Add the obligatory hot-spring baths, an included dinner and breakfast, and a thoroughly old-fashioned approach to service, and you’ve got yourself a very fine introduction to traditional — but not too traditional — Japanese country life.

How to get there:
A complimentary shuttle bus to/from Hondo port, Hondo bus terminal or Amakusa airport can be arranged with at least three days advance notice. Approximate transfer time is 45 minutes.

Transfer-In Schedule: anytime after 14:30 Transfer-Out Schedule: 08:45, 10:45, *Guests should keep in mind the shuttle may pick up other guests at various locations.

Please contact CustomerService@TabletHotels.com for assistance with airport transfers.

Excelsior Hotel Berlin : Berlin, Alemania

Thu, 03 May 2012 04:00:16 GMT

Behind the mid-century facade of what at first appears to be a fairly standard business hotel in Berlin’s Charlottenburg district, there’s a surprise or two to be found. The Excelsior Hotel has seen the design-hotel light, and in its new incarnation it’s looking as good as new, decked out in angular modern furniture and a monochrome color scheme. In today’s Berlin, of course, this counts as a sort of conservatism, an opportunity for travelers to reset their aesthetic sensibilities, avoiding the twin extremes of the city’s riotously eccentric boutiques and its impossibly opulent grand hotels. The Excelsior happily charts a middle path.

The rooms are stylish but far from overbearing, dominated by large-scale photo works and quite variable in terms of conveniences, from the very simple standard rooms to the rather swanky deluxes on up to junior suites, each with a private balcony, and the sunny split-level deluxe suites. The ground-level brasserie serves as the interface between the hotel and the city, bringing locals in and ushering guests out into the streets. And about those streets: the Excelsior is, like so many Berlin hotels, a short distance from the Kurfürstendamm, the city’s main commercial drag — so whether you’re here on business or on holiday, you’re never far from the action.

Excelsior Hotel Berlin : Berlin, Alemania

Thu, 03 May 2012 04:00:12 GMT

La Cabro d’Or : Les Baux de Provence, Francia

Wed, 02 May 2012 04:00:16 GMT

Though just up the road from the stunning Oustau de Baumanière, La Cabro d’Or isn’t competition, exactly. More like a complement. This is the second venue in Les Baux de Provence from Geneviève and Jean-André Charial, and while the Oustau may be better known, it’s not because La Cabro d’Or is any less impressive a hotel. It’s meant to keep a lower profile, a touch more private and casual than its older sibling, but when it comes to the style, the comforts and the cuisine, it’s very much in the same league.

The décor is a contemporary take on the classic Provençal country house, and these 18th- and 19th-century buildings have personality to spare. The hotel gardens make for tranquil surroundings, and the terraces take in views of Les Baux that are sublime in the strictest sense: beautiful with a slight edge of menace.

Meanwhile the Spa Baumanière is perhaps a touch more elaborate than you’d expect from a hotel of this size, which is no bad thing. And the restaurant, as well, is much more than just a hotel kitchen — much of the custom comes from non-guests, whose first impression of La Cabro d’Or is formed at the table of chef Michel Hulin, who trained with the likes of Gérard Boyer and Michel Guérard.

Les Baux de Provence is 30 kilometers from Avignon and 20 kilometers from Arles.
Nearest train stations: Avignon and Arles
Nearest Airport: Nîmes Arles Camargue Airport

La Cabro d’Or : Les Baux de Provence, Francia

Wed, 02 May 2012 04:00:13 GMT

Les Baux de Provence is 30 kilometers from Avignon and 20 kilometers from Arles.
Nearest train stations: Avignon and Arles
Nearest Airport: Nîmes Arles Camargue Airport

The Lowell : New York City, NY, USA

Tue, 01 May 2012 04:00:12 GMT

There’s plenty of flashy, ostentatious luxury to be found in New York, if that’s your style, but the Lowell, on Manhattan’s posh Upper East Side, presents an alternative vision. Around here there’s still some affection for an understated sort of luxury, and anyone who’s nonplussed by the Lowell’s lobby — where’s the soaring atrium, the million-dollar art installation? — need only bear this fact in mind.

For once you’ve stepped off the elevator — an equally humble affair — and into your room or suite, you’ll grasp the point. The Lowell saves the best for where it counts. These spaces are stylish updates on the classic prewar Upper East Side residential template, plush but always dignified, full of creature comforts and steeped in Gotham romance. Suites far outnumber rooms, contributing to the Lowell’s residential aspect, and more than a few of them have original wood-burning fireplaces, long gone from the vast majority of New York hotels.

The Post House serves a well-regarded menu of steaks and chops, and the Pembroke Room’s tea service is an Upper East Side institution. And from there you’re close to more than a few of Manhattan’s most desirable destinations, from Central Park to the Museum Mile to the shopping and entertainment of Midtown.

Armani Hotel Milano : Milan, Italia

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 04:00:08 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.

Hotel Habita : Mexico City, México

Sun, 29 Apr 2012 04:00:29 GMT

El Habita pertenece a esa nueva generación de hoteles futuristas que desprecian lo convencional. El diseño es una moderada interacción de curvas, rectas, y perspectivas angulares, luces y sombras y medios de contraste. La elección de los colores tampoco es fortuita. El Habita, cubierto de cristal esmerilado, flota sobre un arbolado bulevar de Polanco, un barrio lleno de boutiques chic, restaurantes de moda y museos.

Pero no estamos hablando de una reforma total: el confort y la hospitalidad del centro tienen ya una larga tradición. Se trata de un hotel de lujo en toda regla, con 36 habitaciones y suites que cuentan con todos los servicios modernos. Por otro lado, el Restaurante Aura destaca por su cocina contemporánea.

El hotel también dispone de un centro de spa que incluye una piscina climatizada exterior, jacuzzi y solarium, y cuenta con un centro de negocios. El Bar y la Terraza de la azotea, con su tarima de madera de secouya, es el lugar idóneo para relajarse y, tal vez, reflexionar sobre si forma parte de la obra de arte que es Habita, o sencillamente es un admirador.

- Hotel Habita

La Suite Hotel & Spa Procida : Procida, Italia

Sat, 28 Apr 2012 04:00:09 GMT

Please note: A three night minimum is required over weekends in the high season.

Though it’s Capri and the Amalfi Coast that get the most column inches, there’s plenty else to love about coastal Campania. Up around the other end of the crescent-shaped Bay of Naples is the island of Procida, a little speck of a place, which, while you may find it lacks some of Capri’s geographic drama, if you’re at a point in life where Italian islands seem anything less than extraordinary, then it’s time to start asking some hard questions.

Anyway, even if somehow the jumbled rainbow-hued buildings of Procida aren’t filling you with aesthetic admiration, you’ll find La Suite itself quite difficult to resist. Its contemporary forms are in striking contrast to the rustic old town, as is its setting, in five thousand square meters of private garden. Every luxury hotel claims to be a private oasis, and every modern minimalist hotel presents itself as a little slice of Zen; in La Suite’s case both turn out to be true.

The rooms and suites are stylish in monochrome, more contemporary than classic, and luxe in fittings and furnishings, with an urbane mod-baroque vibe. There’s a spa that’s quite a lot more extensive than you’d perhaps expect from a fifteen-room hotel, an outdoor pool, and a café serving a range of Italian food and wine in a striking white-on-white setting. All in all, a remarkably urbane hotel experience, on an island that’s anything but urban.

Beach Access: La Suite is situated directly on the beach “Il Postino”. Guests enjoy complimentary oversize beach chairs; umbrellas are available at a fee.