Travelore Report, Monthly In Print Since 1971: The World's Most Romantic New Hotels

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

The World's Most Romantic New Hotels

Marrakech, Morocco

The Delano's location, in the heart of Marrakech, is ideal for anyone wanting to sample the medina. Guests (mostly wealthy Moroccans and Americans) can shop during the day, return to the hotel for a hammam treatment or a dip in the pool, and go back to the medina for dinner. Three upscale restaurants offer a break from couscous and tagines: Galerie, located in the soaring lobby; a fun, trendy Japanese place on the roof; and an Italian spot with a menu overseen by Giancarlo Morelli of Osteria del Pomiroeu, outside Milan. READ MORE

Marrakech, Morocco

This happening resort is all about the public spaces—the large pool that functions as party central for the young and beautiful, the indulgent spa, and the rooftop bar where a DJ keeps the music pumping all night. At restaurant Le Namaskar, chef Antoine Perray shows off the techniques he picked up during his time at Paris's Plaza Athénée. Each plush neutral-toned room comes with a fireplace and a Bulgari-packed bathroom with a two-person glass-walled shower. READ MORE

Punakha Valley, Bhutan

With a staff-to-guest ratio of two-to-one and communal spaces that encourage mingling, this second Bhutan property from the Como group is far more intimate than its outpost in Paro. A secluded aerie close to major attractions, it is exceptionally comfortable for Bhutan, where hotels tend to be cold in winter and short on hot water and other amenities. The restaurant serves an excellent mix of local and western dishes. Rooms have king-size beds, a small living space, and tubs for hot soaks after winter hikes. A winding one-hour climb through sculpted rice fields brings you to the temple.READ MORE

Shanghai

In a neighborhood of big hotel players, Four Seasons competes with a swank little outdoor terrace and a forty-first-floor infinity pool—kept at a constant 80 degrees, the better to enjoy a long soak while ogling the rapidly rising skyline. The food is inventive and great-tasting, but $10 for a few slices of tomato is a bit rich. (Don't be surprised to see portly captains of industry sipping tea from their own plastic thermoses rather than the restaurant's cups.) Service throughout is attentive, almost to a fault, but that's what's expected by the largely Chinese clientele. READ MORE

Madikeri, India

Four hours from Mangalore airport and 4,000 feet above sea level, this mountainside resort offers many ways to take in the gorgeous landscape, starting with the jaw-dropping panorama from its dramatic lobby with sunken seating. Activities range from early-morning platform yoga or the ridge hike to zip-lining, biking, rafting, forest walks, and visiting a coffee plantation or monastery. Clustered and backed by soaring jungle trees draped with orchids and vines are the bar, a large multi-cuisine restaurant, and a more intimate one for local dishes. READ MORE

Bali, Indonesia

The Mulia resort is part of a sprawling complex comprising three discrete properties—a virtual pleasure city by the sea. Its 15 acres are divided into a series of tropical parterres, with three swimming pools and nine smaller lagoon pools, descending to a sandy beach. The garden encloses a pre-existing temple where daily prayers and ceremonies continue to be performed. There are four excellent restaurants (international/Indonesian, Mediterranean, Japanese, deli), three bars, and a nightclub. A few details have been overlooked (no hand soap in the lavatory), but the service is butler-attentive throughout, even in the standard rooms. READ MORE

Okinawa, Japan

Up to nine hours from Tokyo by plane, ferry, and automobile, the Okinawa Islands are known to the Japanese less for their U.S. military bases (a matter of occasional controversy here) than for their beaches, rough-hewn nose-to-tail cuisine, distinctive music, and artisanal crafts. Hoshinoya is aimed at a domestic audience (almost none of the in-room material is in English), but you'll never feel like an outsider. The service is warm and gracious and children are welcome—family-oriented activities include a traditional water buffalo–cart ride and nightly music and crafts demonstrations—but banish all thoughts of fruity drinks, shrieking playtime, and inflatable toys: As much as the tropical foliage suggests Bali, this is still Japan, and the mood is one of relaxed elegance, not giddy euphoria. READ MORE

Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia

This 101-room resort strives to be many things to many people, and for the most part succeeds. There's a kids' club, a children's pool, and daily activities for the families that descend for Christmas and Chinese New Year, as well as a swim-up bar, a sexy jungle spa, and curtained poolside alcoves for the honeymooners. Guests include Western hedge-funders from Singapore and Hong Kong, newly moneyed Chinese mainlanders, and Russian families on holiday. There are aesthetic issues—a distant refinery mars the view, the landscaping needs to grow in, and concrete roads detract from the natural beauty—but the pristine coral reef makes for superb snorkeling and diving, and guided walks give a sense of the island's biodiversity.READ MORE

Singapore

This W's main draw is its 14,000-square-foot pool, which takes up most of the courtyard. Business travelers with family in tow gravitate to the shallow end; club kids, drawn by Sentosa's renowned DJ beach parties, cluster around the swim-up bar; couples canoodle in the shaded hammocks. Menu items at the two so-so restaurants include $30 steaks and a hodgepodge of buffet dishes ranging from sushi to wood-oven pizza. READ MORE

Bangkok, Thailand

Independent travelers who love boutique hotels have been quick to discover this one, situated on a cul-de-sac on Soi 45. The restaurant features an open kitchen, period furniture, and a brilliant mélange of North/South Thai and Lao dishes, all irresistibly priced from $4 to $5. Best of all is the rooftop pool, a long stretch of calming water amid the restless skyline.READ MORE

Bangkok, Thailand

This elegant oasis owes its success to the people who own and run it, starting with the Sukosol Group, a celebrated family of musicians turned hoteliers headed by matriarch Kamala. Krissada Sukosol-Clapp has outfitted the place with one-of-a-kind pieces and is on hand to greet guests. Butlers can arrange anything from a hard-to-get dinner reservation to a replacement computer charger. The food is excellent, from the simple Thai classics for lunch around the pool to the imaginative tasting menus at Chon. READ MORE

Chiang Mai, Thailand

The best thing about this sweet and modest 30-suite property is its neighborhood. Chiang Mai hotels tend to be located outside town or in tourist enclaves; Wat Gate, with its charming houses and flowering trees, feels like a real community. Rooms are large and unfussy, with substantial balconies and outdoor showers. The big drawback is noise: owing to the coziness of the property, sounds from the public spaces are clearly audible. READ MORE

Ho Chi Minh City

Kimberley Coast, Australia

Your wilderness adventure begins with a one-hour flight (luggage allowance: a mere 22 pounds) over 96,000 square miles of cattle stations, rugged coastlines, and watery deltas. You land at the mouth of a river that provides habitat for nesting turtles, crocodiles, and dingoes. The lodge organizes fishing expeditions, guided hikes, river cruises, helicopter flights, and four-wheel-drive tours. Dinner is a casual affair with friendly service and sophisticated food by chef James Ward. Get there in time to watch the light fade over the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf and the Timor Sea. READ MORE

Kingsford, Australia

This 1856 homestead is cozily charming rather than ultra-luxe, with an approach that is warmly personal thanks to the hospitable live-in couple. Visitors should expect a gourmet approach to dining—evening meals alternate between five- and three-course dégustation banquets—and really appreciate the all-inclusive room rate (yes, that includes the liquor cabinets). Suites are named for former owners, including department store founder Frederick Scarfe, media baron Kerry Packer, and the Wirra people, who first populated this land. Kingsford's signature is its very private alfresco bush bath—a large claw-foot tub beneath shady gum trees overlooking an unspoiled valley. READ MORE

Sydney, Australia

Hedonistically adult and full of surprises, some of them unsettling—wall art that moves, a singing elevator, door numbers on little signs held up by spooky gray hands. The minibar contains multi-colored lollipops and an "intimacy kit" (lubricating gel, prophylactics, an "obstetrical" towelette). The clientele is as diverse as the detailing, ranging from the simply curious to the sparklingly chic. Breakfast can be taken at the retro Parlour Lane Roasters café, dinner at the brasserie-style Gowings Bar & grill. READ MORE

Cap Cana, Dominican Republic

No-hassle island luxe. Golf carts come with each cottage and are used to make the five-minute trundle from your room to the resort-owned Caletón Beach Club. Here, you'll rub elbows with chic Santo Domingans and sun-chasing Europeans on a picture-perfect (though small) palm tree-lined private stretch of sand or at the large main pool. Even the lowest-level Junior Suite is a huge 824 square feet. An iPad lets you send e-mails or adjust the air-conditioning from your plush four-poster bed. Couples will appreciate the twin marble-topped vanities and the enormous coral stone tub (it takes an eternity to fill). READ MORE

Dorado, Puerto Rico

Easy resort-style living with a focus on service and the tropical surroundings. Attention is paid to detail throughout, from the framing of the impressive opening view of the ocean at reception and the appealing, playful art throughout to the retro large-faced bedside alarm clock, the ripe tamarind on a fruit plate, and the prompt arrival of the room's embajador to help with a stiff socket. READ MORE

Uvita, Costa Rica

With a single-room spa, an as-yet-unshaded roof lounge, and a slender saltwater infinity pool (and not much else), Kurà lends itself more to decompression than fun-in-the-sun activity. The open-air restaurant serves a well-prepared if limited menu, and the compact bar and lounge has a telescope for spotting wildlife in the canopy. Multitasking staff are warm, and the hands-on Costa Rican owners moonlight as an architect and a biologist. READ MORE

Panama City, Panama

Joining the trend of affordable design hotels, Tántalo brings the new and playful into a lively and charming historic colonial neighborhood that's undergoing massive restoration efforts. The happening rooftop bar, Encima, has panoramic views of Panama City's burgeoning skyline and the Pacific Ocean. A party spirit rocks the interiors, too. Rooms have comfortable beds, a wet bar, and tiny balconies overlooking narrow (and noisy) streets. READ MORE

London, England

A friendly welcome at check-in warms up the lobby, and from there you can savor an Italian interpretation of English tea in the adjacent lounge. Next door is Il Bar, with cocktails inspired by Bulgari perfumes, and down a wide spiral staircase is Il Ristorante, serving contemporary Italian cuisine. Guest rooms have walls sheathed in silver-gray silk, silver detailing on the side tables, and generous bottles of Bulgari products in the extra-luxurious marble bathrooms. READ MORE

London, England

The conservatory-style Potting Shed in the English basement, with a refectory table, intimate banquettes under corner arches, and obliging staff, serves delicious renditions of simple English food, be it freshly baked raisin scones with raspberry and rhubarb jam for tea or fish pie followed by treacle tart for dinner. In the ground-floor drawing room with an "honesty bar" and boho-chic furnishings, floor-to-ceiling windows overlook the square. The small guest rooms are inviting with furnishings in patterned fabrics, and cricket balls as closet handles. In the modest bathroom with a rain shower over the tub, there's adequate space for toiletries, and a little radio.READ MORE

London, England

Come for the meeting, stay for the weekend. A spirited addition to an area that's been lean on options, South Place is a smart choice for work and play, owing to its efficient multilingual staff, business-friendly amenities (Eero Saarinen desk chairs, international electrical sockets), petite spa, gym, and top-notch restaurants. It's not all steel- and-glass offices around here—there's also a trove of Christopher Wren churches (his St. Paul's Cathedral is a 20-minute walk away). Streets are quiet on weekends, but trendy bar, boutique, and restaurant-filled Shoreditch is a short stroll north.READ MORE

Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, France

Your hosts, a well-traveled French couple who cut their teeth as hoteliers in the West African country of Sierra Leone, greet you and assist as needed, but your well-appointed pied-à-terre comes with everything you require for an independent stay. Provisions are all around—bread and croissants across the square at the boulangerie; a mind-boggling array of cured meats, cheeses, and other yummies at the Sunday market (your room has a bird's-eye view)—to say nothing of the sidewalk cafés, bistros, and fine restaurants in every direction. The winding and well-groomed streets are made for strolling, and bike paths lead to nearby wine estates. READ MORE

Uzès, France

A luxe and laid-back spot where you can curl up in the lounge with a book, relax over tea on the covered terrace, or lounge by the heated pool. At sundown, everyone drifts to the garden for a glass of wine before dinner—either a brilliant feast on the premises in one of the best restaurants in the south of France, or something simpler in town, an easy ten-minute lavender-scented walk away. Beghin and Herault are charming and attentive hosts who never skimp on quality, ensuring that everything from the handkerchief-weight Belgian linen sheets to the Pascal Morabito toiletries reflects their superb taste. All rooms come with well-equipped kitchenettes. READ MORE

Kranidi, Greece

Aside from visits to the Mycenaean ruins or a stylish harborside restaurant, guests tend to hole up and take advantage of this destination resort's many attractions, including an eight-treatment-room spa and a private beach club reached via the hotel's Mercedes SUV. In addition to a sandy strand, the club has a full menu of water sports/boating activities, two freshwater pools, an excellent restaurant, a bar, and vast terraces with loungers. READ MORE

Budapest, Hungary

The second hotel in the Buddha-Bar line gives new life to the secession-era Klotild Palace, an architectural masterpiece in the street-smart district of Pest. Guest rooms are large for this part of Europe, and come with Nespresso machines and remote-control Japanese-style toilets (no excuse for not putting the seat down—there's a button for that). The flatiron-style building is ideally sited for exploring boutiques and museums, although amorous types will probably choose to stay in and enjoy the romantic atmosphere. The trendy pan-Asian restaurant draws locals and hotel guests, the latter primarily from western Europe and the Middle East. READ MORE

Amalfi Coast, Italy

This chic luxury resort is distinguished by its tranquil location—atop a rock promontory beyond the reach of Amalfi's day-trippers—and its intimate scale: With only 20 rooms, it is less than half the size of many neighboring hotels. The spectacular pool is a destination in and of itself. READ MORE

Monastero Santa Rosa Hotel & Spa, Amalfi Coast

Cascais, Portugal

Silence reigns on the fortress's broad cobblestoned plaza, its garrisons transformed to serve modern travelers. Illuminated by the sunlight that sparkles off the sea, the pousada—big enough for visitors to get lost in—has an indoor pool, a spa, and a cheery bar. In the evening, a cozy on-site tavern offers expert tapas versions of traditional Portuguese dishes and an extensive wine list. READ MORE

Alentejo, Portugal

At first sight, this stark villa off a curvy country road appears dramatically out of place at the heart of rural Alentejo. But behind the sliding cork-and-glass doors is an intimate high design world with a low-key vibe. The day begins with a breakfast of homemade cakes such as queijadas (cheese tarts) and pear and quince jams from a neighboring farm, served by Extramuros's doting and discreet Parisian owners. Once you've lounged to your satisfaction on the sun-lit inner patio or by the infinity pool, they will happily steer you to area highlights: the museum city of Évora, tastings at wine and agricultural estates, sailing on Lake Alqueva, and wandering the medieval town of Arraiolos, known for its carpet-making and wool-dying. Return for a dinner of regional treats like carne de porco à alentejana. READ MORE

Ponte de Lima, Portugal

Situated off a country road and shaded by cedars, this intimate, casual property feels like the upscale abode of friends who are away, their books and heirlooms lying around, their quietly attentive staff left to take care of you. Meals are served wherever you please—in the dining room, the garden, or the vineyard by the pool. Opportunities for exploring abound: Within a 90-minute radius are the cultural center of Guimarães, the ancient town of Braga, the northern capital of Porto, and across the border, the World Heritage Site of Santiago de Compostela. READ MORE

Edinburgh, Scotland

Your friendly manager receives you in the lobby, an ornate glass-ceilinged affair with a banister staircase and chinoiserie frescoes. Whether you've booked a one-, two-, or three-bedroom suite, you find a spacious set of rooms including a state-of-the art kitchen and a sitting/dining room furnished with weighty sofas, armchairs, and ottomans. Fireplaces are comparatively small (and antique). Bedrooms are sized on a more intimate scale and furnished in muted shades. Bathrooms have walk-in rain showers and freestanding porcelain tubs with oversized bottles of Penhaligon's bath products. Breakfast cooked to order is included in the room rate, and there are several table d'hôte options for chef-cooked dinners. All menus are for carnivores, including such delicacies as crispy chicken oysters, roasted langoustines, and poached quail eggs, but the chef can improvise for a vegetarian on short notice. READ MORE

Ljubljana, Slovenia

Targeted to hip urban weekenders, the Vander has an intimate feel and a friendly staff. The French chef at the ground-floor restaurant uses the best local ingredients to create Slovenian cuisine with a modern twist. The mini-bar is stocked with local goodies (Kratochwill Slovene beer, Mavia wines, chocolate truffles), the bathroom with Molton Brown toiletries. Skip the rooms facing the side street, which are tight and dark; larger units are flooded with natural light and graced with river views. READ MORE

Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona's Gothic Quarter teems with inviting little boutiques and charming cafés, but until now it didn't have a truly chic hotel. A medieval courtyard dotted with fragrant orange trees throws light onto a snug little bar and cozy restaurant. And come summer, look for the rooftop bar—located between two former watchtowers in the Roman walls that once encircled Barcelona—to become one of the old city's most happening hangouts. READ MORE

Zurich, Switzerland

The rooftop spa is spectacular and the rooms comfortable, good-looking, and well-designed, but this property would be more fun if it were animated by a destination bar/restaurant. The lobby bar just serves a few tapas and, without a lively local crowd, the hotel feels a little isolated. READ MORE

Olhuveli Island, Dhaalu Atoll

Forty minutes southwest of Malé by seaplane, this popular resort appeals to a youthful crowd with such amenities as an indoor gaming center and large inroom fridges—the better to take advantage of the on-site deli. After a day of water sports, excess energy can be expended in the gym or on the dance floor—two DJs keep the nightlife pulsing, spa treatments are available 24/7, and there's a large infinity pool for recuperating during the day. Quieter pastimes include sunset sails in a picturesque dhoni and snorkeling over the coral nursery with the resident marine biologist: For a donation of $40, you can pick out a coral to name and plant on a new reef, and receive progress reports on your progeny for the following year.READ MORE

Valle de Guadalupe

With this simple, ecology-minded wine resort, the Mexico City-based boutique chain Grupo Habita ups the cool cred of once sleepy Valle de Guadalupe, newly favored by weekenders from SoCal and Mexico City. Leave your car at the winery (which doubles as reception) and hitch a ride via electric cart up the hill to your cabin. You can hang by the sparkling infinity pool and snack on Peruvian-style seviche and tuna tostadas or have dinner at one of several farm-to-table restaurants that opened nearby. READ MORE

Mexico City, Mexico

Whereas other new luxury hotels are clustered in the upscale Polanco neighborhood and the business district of Santa Fe, the Habita Group has ventured into the capital's gritty, vibrant historic center with a hotel two blocks from the zócalo. A fitting calling card for an area made safer and more tourist-friendly in recent years, the Downtown attracts well-heeled shoppers, adventurous travelers, and a fashionable set headed for the rooftop bar. Inside the former palace, guests can check out top-of-the-line Talavera pottery and delicately embroidered shawls, then sit down to a meal at Azul Histórico, where noted chef Ricardo Muñoz Zurita interprets traditional dishes sans gimmickry. The bar has a plunge pool and rooftop views of Baroque and Art Deco buildings. Spacious, spare rooms offer a retreat from the sensory overload of the historic center. READ MORE

San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

Stepping through the massive portal, you enter what feels like the home of a multimillionaire friend. Fellow guests include weekend travelers seeking a more intimate experience—for half the price—than they'd find at the neighboring five-star Rosewood Resort.READ MORE

Buenos Aires

The Hub stands out for its above-and-beyond concierges, who facilitate introductions to artists, designers, polo players, or literary figures. Chef Dante Liporace reinvigorates suckling pig, puchero stew, and roasted kid in the glass-roofed restaurant shaded by a giant fig tree. READ MORE

Los Angeles, California

Many Palihotel guests are designers, models, and other young business travelers looking for a reasonably priced crash pad not far from Hollywood or Beverly Hills (both a short drive away), which makes for a pleasant round-the-clock buzz in the lobby and the wildly popular Hart and the Hunter restaurant. But the immediate neighborhood isn't all that appealing for leisure travelers—you'll need wheels to go just about anywhere. Staff are friendly though forgetful: Repeated requests for a Thai massage appointment were never answered. READ MORE

Palm Springs, California

The Saguaro makes a splash with its dazzling colors, rapid-response service, and a hipster clientele that loves to lounge beside the liquid and pose in the leathery lobby bar. Standard rooms are a tad small, but suites offer plenty of space and double balconies that overlook the poolside tableau. When hunger strikes, nosh on tapas at the hotel's Tinto restaurant or head for nearby Palm Canyon drive's eclectic eateries. Despite the spa's tiny size, it has a good range of massages, wraps, and facials. READ MORE

San Francisco, California

Instead of proximity to Union Square shopping or the Ferry Building, you get miles of eucalyptus-shrouded hiking trails and views of the Golden Gate Bridge, making this urban oasis popular with local weekenders. There's no in-house restaurant, but the complimentary breakfast is sumptuous, and the wine-and-cheese reception could easily sub for dinner. A car service will whisk you downtown for slightly more than the cost of a taxi. READ MORE

Miami Beach, Florida

Most of the James is mod, but you won't find anything nostalgic about the Collins Avenue-facing restaurant/club Catch, where Kardashian clones munch on salmon rolls and spicy rock shrimp. It's so sceney that you might almost miss J.Lo and her hot young boyfriend chopsticking sashimi at a corner table upstairs. The hotel's other restaurant, Florida Cookery, has jumped on the local-food bandwagon with menu items like the sorrel- and lychee-glazed Florida quail. A mix of Manhattan couples, fancy families, and a few weekend warriors fill the loungers on the beach and around the bi-level pools. READ MORE

New York, New York

You know that fabulous, debonair septuagenarian uncle who always has a guest room ready for you in his Beaux Arts mansion? No? Well, you'll feel like you do at The NoMad, which shares a certain self-conscious but convincing antiques store, artisanal style with its next-block neighbor (and 2010 Hot List entrant) the Ace, albeit on a more elegant scale. Here, the crowd is a little older, more European, and more sophisticated than scruffy. Standard rooms are cozy and homey and feel like a well-appointed bedroom in a New York City town house, with crisp white sheets, tiny writing desks, Oriental carpets, large showers (no tubs), and refreshingly low-tech electronics that you control with a switch instead of a keyboard. There are no treats or extras—no turndown gifts or takeaways—but these shortcomings are compensated for by the lo- cation (equidistant between Midtown and SoHo, and steps from two subway lines), the price, and the on-site bar and restaurant, currently two of the most soigné boîtes in town. For a city hotel, it's also remarkably quiet: You won't hear your neighbors—but the constant creaking of the elevator cables may disturb light sleepers. While not exactly warm, staff are unpretentious and efficient. READ MORE

Contributed by cntraveler.com

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

The World's Most Romantic New Hotels

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