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
This month, we ventured to Italy where we found an eco-friendly farmhouse, Masseria Cervarolo hotel in Puglia, and Torre Fiore Hotel Masseria, a former fort in Basilicata. Over in Spain, the family-run Primero Primera hotel in Barcelona won us over with its mid-century style, and in the UK, we relaxed in traditional British fashion at [...]
With autumn kicking in down under, our top tip for a warm-weather staycation is Australia’s aptly named Sunshine State. Here, we bring you our pick of the best Queensland holiday houses… BEST FOR COASTAL COOL Alinghi, Great Barrier Reef Stay A contemporary cedar, glass and steel eco-eyrie set in 14 acres of bushland, this architect’s [...]
There’s nothing cookie-cutter about travel in Australia, with city breaks, coastal escapes and outback adventures all jostling for a place on your holiday itinerary. To help separate the wheat from the chaff, the Gourmet Traveller Awards seeks out and celebrates the best hotels and destinations down under, from soothing spa retreats to life-changing Outback adventures – such as [...]
How far are you willing to travel for a good feed? The Smith team has planned holidays to Shanghai in search of xiao long bao soup dumplings and lost countless hours in Ho Chi Minh alleyways hunting bánh xèo pancakes. We also think nothing of making a six-hour round-trip for dinner, recently setting out for [...]
We’ve sprung into action this spring, with a host of April additions to our handpicked hotel collection. First, we enjoyed the Andaman Sea views from the glamorous Paresa Hotel in Phuket, whose name means ‘heaven of the heavens’ in Sanskrit. Then we admired the modern design at the sleekly stylish Chedi Chiang Mai, dressed up to [...]
Less hotel of the week, more ‘Bush & Breakfast’ of the week – if struggling with a tent holds no appeal but you still fancy the idea of communing with nature, pitch up at Luxury Swag Camp, an open-air boutique hotel in the Blue Mountains, just two hours’ drive west of Sydney. Style Intimate upscale bush [...]
On a recent weekend away in the Queensland capital, we hit up some of Brisbane’s best bars and restaurants before our heads hit the pillow at designer haven Spicers Balfour Hotel. Here are our tips for eating and drinking in Fortitude Valley, just a short hop from this hip urban bolthole. If you’re staying at Spicers [...]
If you’re planning your diary and looking for things to do in Melbourne, take a peek at the Malthouse Theatre’s sensational season opener, The Wild Duck. Running from 17 February to 17 March, this cutting-edge play has picked up a slew of awards, including three Helpmanns and four Sydney Theatre Awards (that’s serious stuff down [...]
In honour of yesterday’s Australia Day celebrations (for which our Melbourne team naturally took a day off in the sunshine, and laughed at their colleagues in London and NY while eating Samboy barbecue chips and Tim Tams), we bring you Spicers Canopy, a glorious glamping getaway in Australia’s Scenic Rim. Style Back to nature Setting [...]
Bringing your travels home is not just about snapping up souvenirs, it’s also about reworking ideas from the road – a colour palette, graphic pattern or tactile handmade object – to suit your style. Global nomads can find interiors inspiration anywhere, from a walk around a new town to museums, galleries, flea markets or food [...]
