Get the low-down from the original style-seekers' latest good-time hunting expeditions, find destination inspiration and insider tips from around the world. Welcome to the official Smith blog: we hope you enjoy your stay
January and detoxing go together like Brad and Angelina. Tis the season to give your body and mind an MOT, boosting wellbeing levels and booting those pesky bad habits into touch. So where better to kickstart those 2012 Brand New You resolutions, than at luxe private retreat Como Shambhala Estate in Bali, one of the [...]
We couldn’t forgive ourselves if we didn’t begin 2012 in style. Luckily, this month’s exploring unwrapped some super new Smith hotels in Somerset, Shropshire and Naples. First we checked into The Swan Wedmore, a pub with poise (and a darn good restaurant) in Sedgemoor, a quiet, pretty patch of Somerset. Here we discovered real ale, the [...]
My journey to Romania started in a Chiswick bookshop. Our Transylvania destination guide recommends a few books; standing in the travel section William Blacker’s Along the Enchanted Way looked just the ticket for a taste of northern Romania. By the time we reached Copsamare Guesthouses I’d already been charmed by the country folk and entertained [...]
Whether you’re desperate for a New Year detox or just fancy some pampering as a January pick-you-up, Smith’s pick of five stylish Asian spa hotels should prove just the tonic. Lie back and let the masseur take the strain… 1: COMO SHAMBHALA ESTATE, BALI, INDONESIA Serious spa junkies swear by Como Shambhala Estate in Bali, [...]
Totting up your 2012 travel wishlist? Jade Mountain in St Lucia is worthy of going straight to the top… Abundant in all the Caribbean vacation clichés (sun, sea, snorkelling, secluded sands), Jade Mountain has everyone feeling like a honeymooner. It’s an architectural triumph that insists visitors to this friendly island enjoy all the tropical paradise [...]
Start 2012 with a bang after a bunk-up in one of London’s original boutique hotels, the Sanderson. A shimmy from Oxford Street, she’s got all that you need for a glamorous intro or outro to the year. And well, it is the sales: this hotel’s neighbourhood is the beating heart of retail. London – you’re [...]
Christmas is nearly upon us, and with it thoughts of fun family get-togethers. But by Boxing Day, those 24 hours spent playing charades with the in-laws will no doubt have you dreaming of family getaways instead – so here’s our hotel of the week: Oceana Santa Monica, a ray of Californian sunshine that’s child-friendly, chilled out [...]
Andalucian tiling, Moorish archways, salvaged castle doors – it’s near impossible to believe that Finca Cortesin in the Costa del Sol, was recently built from scratch. Opened in 2009, this modern classic has quickly become a favourite with the discerning luxury traveller – especially for a Mr & Mrs Smith romantic getaway. Picture the scene: [...]
A cyclist in a wetsuit pedals by clutching a surfboard. An old man in wizard’s robes skateboards along the pavement. Buskers play the didgeridoo… Laid-back Aussie beach town Byron Bay, on the north coast of New South Wales, is just over an hour’s flight north of Sydney, but it might as well be a parallel [...]
