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Hotel Gotham, not to be confused with the home where a retired Batman decided to spend the rest of his days, is a glorious bit of architecture set over seven floors, with some pretty special views of the city. The former bank is home to 60 rooms and is art deco all the way.. dark polished woods, luxurious leather, velvet, faux fur and geometric carpets. The in-house restaurant Honey turns out a modern menu and the top-floor Club Brass is a member’s (and guests) only Prohibition-style speakeasy. Hotel Gotham is housed in one of the city’s grandest properties and is without doubt one of the best boutique hotels in Manchester.
The Standard in Downtown LA, is the second property in The Standard Hotels family, it was originally used as the corporate headquarters of Superior Oil when it was built in 1956. Today it’s an uber cool, chic M.F that embodies everything about the sunshine state of California that you could imagine…yes this is innovative hospitality.
The 207 room hotel has a variety spaces, including two penthouses and the aptly named ‘Wow Rooms’ which is where we laid our heads. The rooms are Instagram heaven, from the giant black foot plonked on the bathroom floor to the in-room tub which could qualify as a swimming pool. There’s even a whole other room just for the shower. Decor wise it’s inspired by the 60’s and 70’s with a huge platform bed that sits next to a bright orange corner sofa – big enough to sit the entire LA Lakers. Rooms are pet friendly and have everything you could need from sweets to reading material.
Outside of the rooms the hotel has plenty to boast about too with a rooftop pool, waterbed cabanas, 24/7 restaurant, shop, photo booth, Rudy’s Barbershop and even a Ping-Pong club. The Standard, is anything but standard, so raise your game and enjoy the panoramic views of LA in one of their cool hotel rooms.
Nestled in between the NoHo Arts District, Griffith Park and the studios, The Garland is away from the madness of Hollywood but still central enough to make travelling around the city easy. With tons of outdoor space and plenty of tree cover, it definitely has that ‘urban oasis’ vibe.
The retro-inspired rooms are spacious and super comfy; the Front Yard restaurant serves up grub that showcases LA’s diverse food scene; the pool has a large sun deck and bar; and they even sell locally-sourced Cali products in their on-site store…all in all, it’s a mellow and relaxing environment. And with hotel activities happening every day of the week, from complimentary wine tastings to poolside movies to tai chi yoga, The Garland is a place to hang out as well as sleep.
If hotels aren’t your thing, there is a luxury seaside apartment on Airbnb that shows off high ceilings, white walls, exposed brick and beautiful wooden floor boards throughout…it’s pretty snazzy.
ZANZIBAR INTERNATIONAL HOTEL
Zanzibar Hotel is what Condé Nast Traveller have named as a world class boutique hotel and offer rooms from £99 per night. Their ‘no children under 5’ rule means relaxation and rejuvenation is top priority too.
Right on the edge of the Old Town you can find The Old Rectory, an eight bedroom house that has been given a WOW-over and been dolled up pretty damn nice. Amenities include WIFI, a TV and DVD player and each room has been designed individually with it’s own, unique character.
Whether you are travelling on a budget or just need somewhere to rest your head for the night, the Atlantic Surf Pods are a cheap and convenient way to visit Cornwall if you don’t fancy camping. Fitted out with everything you may need, including private bathrooms and bbqs, they are also just minutes from the beach!
Feeling rich? You could stay at Paul Ainsworth’s swish-ayy 6 suite Townhouse in Padstow that is set in an 18th century townhouse but definitely doesn’t skimp on the mod-cons, including it’s own private chauffeur driven BMW to roll around town in.
Fancy a more ‘grown-up’ trip away? The Scarlet is an adults only hotel with lots of fancy touches perfect for a romantic getaway, such as clifftop hot tubs that provide stunning views of the sea.
Cornwall has plenty of unique places to stay and if you’re Mr Big Bucks you can even rent out a WHOLE island. Trek across the 90ft suspension bridge and stay at The Island, a private house with 360 degree views from it’s lofty, isolated position.
Generator Barcelona opened its doors back in 2013, and the part hostel/part hotel offers a unique concept, drenched in cutting edge conceptual design right in the heart of Barcelona. On arrival you’ll see a huge structure embedded into the space from floor to ceiling, swinging hammocks and chairs and various boutique hotel touches – a hostel is the last thing that springs to mind. But being this damn fancy doesn’t mean spending has to go through the roof, the hotel rooms are priced from just €52 per night…and yes, they do come with private bathrooms and double beds.
The hotel rooms are located on the top floors of the building with a private lift which means whilst you can still take advantage of the facilities you’re also far enough to avoid the noise. Inside the contemporary designed rooms are slick and modern; all come with electric blinds, balconies, designer beds, chic lights, beautifully tiled bathrooms and quirky touches like wall hanging plants.
The whole place is kitted out with free super fast wi-fi and the staff are helpful when it comes to local tips. Breakfast is reasonably priced but unless you want to hang with the kids in the self service basement canteen we’d say get your ass to a cafe…it’s a little too much like being back for school dinners for us. The word posh-tel was designed for The Generator Barcelona, it blends hostel with boutique hotel and with private rooms from just €52 per night we’re happy.
The hostel part offers shared and private dormitories of 6 or 8 single sex rooms and even triple rooms – perfect if with a group of friends and let’s face it when you explore a city like Barcelona you want to be out and about not stuck in your bedroom. This place also has plenty to keep you entertained so you don’t have to sit in your ‘shared room’ if you don’t want to.
For lounge lizards you can chill out pretty much all day on the comfy seats, there’s a tapas menu, cracking G&T’s and a games room. For those wanting a little more party vibe just hit the bar next door…themed nights go off every evening…you might even make some friends, just practice that Spanish first.
MANDARIN ORIENTAL
The Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona is situated in an elegant mid-20th century building in the heart of the shopping and food district. The rooms have great views over the city and some even have terraces of their own. The hotel design takes inspiration from its original Spanish heritage and mixes it with modern design for an uber-stylish finish. There are so many things we love about the hotel. The fact that each room has a free standing bath, the restaurants, serving up both formal and casual dining experiences as well as some traditional, Catalonian cuisine and the modern Bankers Bar with outdoor terrace. But our favourite part of the hotel has got to be the roof top sun deck with plunge pool and views over the city, perfect for soaking up those rays. Read the full review here.
EL PALACE
Refurbed hotels have something new hotels can’t offer, they have history and this combined with a face lift creates hotels to be reckoned with. El Palace in Barcelona is one of those hotels, from the minute you arrive you can feel the glamour and glitz of the roaring 20s whilst still having access to a host of mod cons of course…..Did we mention that this place used to be The Ritz? One look inside and it’s easy to see why this is a fave. The interiors are timeless; velvet curtains, chandeliers dripping from the ceilings, deep sinking arm chairs, golden tables, lamps, plush carpets….we could fill pages just listing everything we love about this hotel. Find out more in the long read here.
If you want something a little more spesh for your weekend away, why not stay in the Martello Tower, just down the coast in Aldeburgh… one hell of a rooftop and no need to worry about meddlesome neighbours.
Sutherland House is a great hotel and restaurant choice. It’s one of the oldest buildings in Southwold… we’re talking around 1455 kinda old…and King James II once stayed, so you can kip just like royalty.
The Adnams-owned Swan Hotel is right in the centre of town and has a good spread of rooms; you can get views of the lighthouse, the garden or the sea.
Fo those on a bit of a budget is B&B, Hilda’s Terrace, a gorgeous Georgian house that has a secret walled garden.
Shepherd’s Purse is in the heart of the old town and is home to The Dove Loft, a top floor attic room perfect for a romantic tryst. The rooms are as twee as you can get, with antique-style, wrought iron bed posts and lots of mismatched, floral prints for ultimate in cosiness.
