This week we’re setting our sights on a mid-year minibreak full of rest, relaxation and retail therapy. Celebrate the solstice with a stay in the heart of Hong Kong, at boutique city hotel Ovolo 2 Arbuthnot Road. Style Futuristic city slicker Setting In-the-thick-of-it Central Why this week? Take cue from the changing weather and skip town for [...]
It’s peak road-trip season and sun and scenic routes are on our minds, so this week we’ve been California scheming. Take the infamous Highway 1 for its vertiginous coastal views, then hotfoot it inland to wine country. Luxury boutique hotel the Farmhouse Inn in Sonoma County (Napa Valley’s chilled-out contender) awaits with its sip-worthy wining [...]
This month, the intrepid Smith team of style-seeking hotel hunters began its global trek in canal-crossed Amsterdam, home to a trio of reinvented Dutch stunners: a modern aristocrat named Sir Albert (originally a diamond factory), the fantastical Andaz Amsterdam (formerly a library) and modernist masterpiece Conservatorium (the one-time Sweelinck Conservatory of Music). Then, we headed [...]
Looking for boutique hotels in London but want to escape the bustle of the city? Go west: in riverside Richmond, the Bingham is a smart townhouse with stylish rooms, excellent food and a verdant lawn that leads down to the Thames… (All photos by Rachel Juarez-Carr.) Tweet
We were doubtful of its existence, but spring has finally made its stateside appearance. And all these blooms have us craving a weekend at the glam hotel St Regis Washington DC, in one of the most glorious spots to stop and Instagram the flowers this time of year. Style Old-world wow Setting Steps from the Obamas [...]
This week we’re dusting off the ski boots and setting our sights on snow-covered slopes. Swap rainy cityscapes for jaw-dropping mountain panoramas at Azur Lodge in New Zealand, set on the hills over Queenstown’s spectacular Lake Wakatipu. Style: Luxe lakeside lodges Setting: Lush Queenstown hillside Why this week? As the southern hemisphere’s cooler months creep up, it’s the [...]
This week we’re wowed by the warm waters and white beaches of the Maldives. With its palm-dotted sands, piercing blue seas, overwater spa and underwater restaurant, family-friendly hotel Anantara Kihavah Villas is the stuff of desert-island dreams. Style Breezy seaside retreat Setting Blissful Baa Atoll Why this week? If you’re already setting your sights on school holidays [...]
Ever fancied yourself as lord or lady of the manor? As soon as you cross the drawbridge over the moat at aristocratic Château de Bagnols hotel in Beaujolais, you’ll feel as though your palace-dwelling dreams have come true… Style Five-star aristocrat Setting Cultivated Beaujolais Why this week? Once spring sunshine arrives, the French countryside’s ripe [...]
This month, we explored the edenic eastern Algarve from our temporary home at quirky country house Fazenda Nova; after that, we lounged by the pool at Corsican beauty La Signoria. Once we managed to tear ourselves away from the sun, we were northward bound, off to hang out with a host of cool locals at [...]
Longing to live the high life? Ascend from the world of mere mortals to Spicers Peak Lodge, a summit-set haven in rustic Queensland’s Scenic Rim. Within easy reach of Brisbane, this mountain retreat offers gourmet dining, outdoor pursuits, spa pampering and vineyard-hopping in Australia’s Granite Belt wine region. Style Luxe modern chalet Setting Peak plateau Why this [...]
