One of the most notable addresses in Bloomsbury, Bertrand’s Townhouse has a way of making you feel part of the story. There are curious details to discover, corners made for conversation and, upstairs in The Philosopher’s Quarters, a clawfoot bath that makes a compelling case for lingering.

There is something rather special about spending the night in a place that has stood for more than a thousand years. In Mondsee, a picturesque town in Austria’s Salzkammergut lake district, Schlosshotel Mondsee offers the chance to experience history not as something tucked away in a museum, but as part of your everyday surroundings. You sleep behind historic walls, walk through corridors that have witnessed centuries of change, and step outside into a charming Austrian town with a beautiful lake just a short stroll away.

For travelers who enjoy places with a genuine sense of history, Schlosshotel Mondsee offers a different kind of Austrian escape. It is less about a grand mountain resort and more about discovering a destination through its architecture, food, culture and beautiful natural surroundings.

There are hotels in Aspen that lean heavily into the expected mountain-lodge aesthetic. MOLLIE Aspen takes a different route. Here, you get very little of the antler-and-fireplace idea of what an Aspen hotel should look like. Instead, the design is restrained, tactile and quietly confident, with Japanese and Scandinavian influences, Bauhaus principles and references to the town’s mining history woven into almost every detail.

Named after the historic Mollie Gibson Mine, Aspen’s most successful silver mine of the 19th century, MOLLIE feels like a thoughtful conversation between old Aspen and new Aspen. The hotel opened with 68 rooms and was designed by CCY Architects with interiors by Post Company. The inspiration came partly from Aspen’s unusual connection to the Bauhaus movement, which arrived in the 1940s through Walter and Elizabeth Paepcke and their vision of creating a community centered around art, culture and ideas.

The result is one of those hotels that gets the details right without constantly asking you to notice them.

There is something especially appealing about having a home in Aspen rather than simply a room.

At The Gant, that is essentially what you get. The property is made up of 140 individually owned condominiums, each with its own character and decoration, but all offering the essentials that make an extended mountain stay feel easy: a full kitchen, living and dining areas, and a private balcony or patio. Add daily housekeeping, concierge assistance, resort shuttles and ski services, and you have the comfort of a private mountain residence with the convenience of a hotel.

Set across five acres at the base of Aspen Mountain, The Gant is close enough to walk into town but removed enough to feel like a retreat when you come back.

Hua Hin has long been one of Thailand’s favourite mainland seaside destinations. Golden beaches stretch for miles, vibrant night markets come alive after sunset, and the laid-back atmosphere offers the perfect contrast to Bangkok’s fast-paced energy. Families, couples and friends all arrive looking for the same thing a place to unwind while still having plenty to see and do.

Just moments from the shoreline, Best Western Plus Carapace Hotel Hua Hin delivers exactly that. Combining contemporary comfort with outstanding family friendly facilities, this beachfront retreat has quickly become a favourite for travellers wanting more than just a place to sleep. From its impressive swimming pools and water play areas to spacious accommodation and easy beach access, it’s a resort designed around making every holiday effortless.

@intercontinentaldanang designed by the legendary @billbensley 🏛️

I didn't grow up traveling. Places like this weren't even on my radar growing up, let alone somewhere I'd actually stay.

So walking into a resort with four levels, 189 rooms, and its own tram still doesn't feel normal to me. And I hope it never does.

Heaven, Sky, Earth, Sea — that's how the property is built into the mountainside, and the Nam Tram (a tram with carriages shaped like traditional basket boats) is how you move between them.

Bensley's fingerprints are on every detail — hand-carved temple motifs, monkey mascots everywhere (you're on Monkey Mountain, after all), surfboard-shaped tables, black-and-white walls that nod to yin and yang. It's whimsical in a way most "luxury" isn't.

700 metres of private beach. A 50-metre infinity pool that's adults-only. 6 restaurants and bars, including Central Vietnam's only Michelin-starred restaurant. And just beyond the property line — Son Tra Nature Reserve, one of the last coastal rainforests in Vietnam and home to the red-shanked douc langur, a critically endangered primate found almost nowhere else.

Just named Hotel of the Year by @Tatler Best of Vietnam 2026 — and standing here, it's easy to see why.

I built a whole life around getting myself to places like this. This is what it was all for.

📍Da Nang, Vietnam

What makes it different:
— @billbensley Outsider Art Gallery, all proceeds go towards Shinta Mani Foundation and Wildlife Alliance
— Home to the critically endangered red-shanked douc langur, fewer than 3K remain in Southeast Asia, with roughly 2K on Son Tra Peninsula alone
— Moulin Rouge Lounge & Karaoke, with 6 karaoke rooms themed after icons like Tina Turner
— Movie theater room

🍽️ Where to eat:
— Citron: all-day Vietnamese dining from the North, Central & Sout

 — @lamaison1888: Central Vietnam's only Michelin-starred restaurant, French tasting menu
— @tingara_modern_japanese: interactive modern-Japanese omakase + teppanyaki, perched over the sea
— Terra Mare: beachside Italian, wood-fired and family-style

Follow @somewherewithkyle and @heritagetraveler for more luxury destinations.

Hashtags:
#LuxuryTravel #VietnamTravel #DaNang #Monkeys #LuxuryDestinations

From the very first moment, you can feel this special warmth. The service team truly anticipates every wish, and the owner family is incredibly present, personal and approachable. For me, that is exactly what makes a stay so special. 🤍

Culinarily, I would honestly place it closer to 5-star level than 4-star superior: from the generous breakfast to lunch, sweet and savoury afternoon treats and the multi-course gourmet dinner in the evening. A special compliment also goes to the pastry chef, the desserts were truly exceptional. Fresh salads and vegetables are available from the buffet as well. Coffee specialities and several non-alcoholic drinks from the self-service stations are included until 5 pm.

And then there is the spa: 4,500 m² of Nature & Sky Spa with several pools, saunas, spacious relaxation areas and an exclusive Adults Only Sky Spa. There are also two swimming ponds and a separate nudist area. 💦🏔️

Somewhere in the middle of Icelandic nowhere, there's a glass box that reflects the sky back at you and a hot tub with zero neighbors for miles.

We almost drove past it. Trevor's exact words: "are you sure this is an Airbnb and not a bit."

Private sauna, private hot tub, a kitchen better stocked than ours at home, and views that make you forget you have a phone. We spent the evening doing absolutely nothing and it might've been the best "nothing" of the whole trip.

Huge thank you to @aura_retreat_iceland for hosting us — this one's going straight to the top of the "if you're doing the south coast, stop here" list. 🤍

📍 Aura Retreat, Hella, Iceland

There is something wonderfully cinematic about arriving at Hotel Bella Riva. The lake is right there, the small harbor of Fasano sits beside the property, and the western shore of Lake Garda stretches out in front of you. But this is not one of those hotels that relies entirely on its postcard setting. Bella Riva has its own personality, pairing the character of a historic building with clean-lined interiors, contemporary design and an easygoing atmosphere.

Built in 1904 by Italian architect and builder Giuseppe Cipani, the hotel has a story that reaches back more than a century. Today, it presents itself as a five-star property with 23 rooms, including six suites, alongside eight apartments in the nearby Villa Mughetto. The mood is elegant without feeling overly formal, which suits Gardone Riviera particularly well.

Reykjavík has no shortage of stylish hotels. @reykjavikkonsulat is the one that made us stop planning and just sit.

We walked into the lobby expecting a nice check-in. Instead we found a library, a wine bar, and an accidental chess match that turned into the highlight of the stay. Classic bones, modern edit — every corner photographs like it was styled just for you (it wasn't, it's just that good).

Our room leaned moody and rich — the kind of space that makes you want to pour a whiskey, put your feet up, and let the evening slow all the way down. The balcony didn't hurt either — prime people-watching, and that famously clean Icelandic air doing its thing.

And the location is unmatched: steps from Reykjavík's legendary hot dog stand (yes, it's worth the hype), plus shopping and some of the city's best restaurants right outside the door.

Consider this your sign — @reykjavikkonsulat is where you stay in Reykjavík. 

📍 Konsulat Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton — Reykjavík

✨ Some places welcome guests. Others welcome friends.

And that’s exactly what makes the @alpinspahoteltuxerhof  feel so special. 🤍

The hotel is run by the Schneeberger family, and you can truly feel their presence throughout the house. They know their guests, take time for a conversation, remember familiar faces and create that rare feeling of not simply checking into a hotel, but coming back to people who are genuinely happy to see you. 🫶🏼🏔️

And then there’s the Zillertal itself… one giant playground for families and outdoor lovers. 🌿🚲🥾

Summer days are made for hiking, mountain biking, cycling and exploring the countless valleys, waterfalls, mountain huts and viewpoints nearby. Even in summer, a trip up to the Hintertux Glacier is an unforgettable experience, surrounded by impressive alpine scenery and snow high above the valley. 🏔️❄️

In winter, the region turns into a paradise for skiers and snow lovers. 🎿❄️ With incredible slopes, winter hiking, tobogganing and the Hintertux Glacier close by, there are endless possibilities for active days in the mountains.

Families are especially well looked after here. 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦✨ There’s loving childcare and plenty for little guests to discover, both directly at the hotel and at the nearby Kids Club / Playarena. While the kids are busy with their own adventures, parents can enjoy some quiet time in the spa. 🧖‍♀️💦

And after a day full of experiences? You return to wonderful food, wellness, warm hospitality and that very special feeling of being welcomed back home. 🥂🍽️🤍

Maybe that’s exactly why so many guests return year after year.

Because at the Tuxerhof, you arrive as a guest and somehow leave feeling like a friend. ✨

There is something wonderfully seductive about a hotel that encourages you to stop checking the time.

At Hotel Avidea, high above Merano in Lagundo, South Tyrol, the days seem to fall naturally into a slower rhythm. Breakfast stretches into late morning, the mountains and vineyards provide the scenery, afternoons disappear around the pool or on a hiking trail, and dinner arrives as a proper five-course affair rather than something squeezed between sightseeing plans.

This is a small, family-run hotel with just 29 rooms and suites, designed exclusively for adults aged 16 and over. Its setting is particularly beautiful, surrounded by apple orchards, vineyards, forests and the mountains of the Merano valley.

The atmosphere is quiet without being overly formal. The design is contemporary but rooted in the landscape, and the all-inclusive concept means there is very little reason to keep reaching for your wallet once you've arrived.

In other words, Avidea is built around the idea of having time.

And actually using it.

Bucharest wasn’t a city we knew particularly well before this trip, but it ended up being one of those places that surprised us in the best way. Great food, extraordinary architecture, plenty to do with the children and a slightly chaotic energy that made it a really fun city to wander around.

For our time in the capital, we stayed at Matisse Bucharest Old Town, a collection of luxury apartments right in the heart of the Old Town. Travelling as a family, particularly with three children, I increasingly appreciate the difference between simply having somewhere to sleep and having enough space to actually live for a few days. Here, we had the latter.

Three days. Two nights at @Warredal. Everything I didn't know I needed.

A cabin tucked in the nature. Jacuzzi and sauna still warm from the evening. BBQ smoke still in the air. And then… just stillness.

Birds in the morning. Crickets at night. The kind of quiet that doesn't feel empty, it feels like the chaos finally stopped. This is what rest actually feels like.

Day two. Forty kilometres on two wheels from @Warredal. 

We stumbled across a little café tucked inside a train station.

Back to the cabin as the sun started dropping. Electric BBQ, easy and unhurried. Then another round of jacuzzi & sauna. The kind of evening that slowly unknots everything the week tied up.

And then, the deepest sleep we’ve had in weeks.

There are places in Punta Cana where the Caribbean is the backdrop. At Ocean Bay, the idea is that the beach becomes the entire point of the stay.

Set along Bávaro Beach in Punta Cana, Ocean Bay Luxury Beach Residences is being developed as a beachfront condo-hotel combining private residences with hotel-style services. The project is planned around the idea of having the comforts of a private apartment while still being able to step into a managed resort environment with restaurants, pools, a beach club, spa and concierge services.

And there is an important new chapter to the story. In April 2026, Noval Properties announced a strategic partnership with Spanish hotel group Garden Hotels to operate Ocean Bay once the project is delivered. The development is expected to be delivered during 2026 and will operate under a condo-hotel model. 

For Punta Cana, where the resort experience has traditionally been dominated by large all-inclusive properties, Ocean Bay represents a somewhat different proposition.

It is designed around space, beachfront living and the flexibility of a residence.

Las Vegas is usually associated with late nights, pool parties, steakhouses and the kind of excess that does not immediately suggest a relaxing trip with your dog.

But then there is Virgin Hotels Las Vegas.

Just off the Strip on Paradise Road, the resort has a completely different rhythm from many of the giant hotels along Las Vegas Boulevard. There are still cocktails, casino tables, DJs, pools and late-night entertainment, but the property feels more relaxed and approachable. And importantly for anyone who travels with a four-legged companion, dogs are welcome in designated rooms and suites.

That made it the perfect place to celebrate a very special birthday.

Biscuit, the dog, turned three.

Or, as we like to say, 21 in dog years.

And Virgin Hotels Las Vegas made sure he felt like the guest of honor.

There are desert resorts that feel newly designed to look old, and then there is Royal Palms Resort and Spa, where the history is real.

The story begins in 1929, when New York financier Delos Willard Cooke and his wife, Florence, completed a Spanish Colonial Revival estate on what was then a large citrus orchard near Camelback Mountain. They called the home El Vernadero and surrounded it with gardens, courtyards and hundreds of palm trees. Nearly a century later, the property remains one of the more distinctive places to stay in the Phoenix area.

Today, Royal Palms is a 119-room resort with casitas, suites and villas, a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant, cocktail bar, pool and the Alvadora Spa. The atmosphere is intimate and residential rather than conventionally resort-like, with winding paths, courtyards, fountains and mature landscaping creating a feeling that you have arrived at a private estate rather than a large hotel.

It is also a MICHELIN Key hotel, currently holding one Key in the MICHELIN Guide's hotel selection.

@nooemaldiveskunaavashi — a beautiful haven that feels like coming home. Sea, sky, and soul; a place that welcomes you back to yourself.

Hashtags:

#NOOEMaldives #MaldivesResorts #IslandLuxury #HeritageTraveler #ComingHome #MaldivesEscape #LuxuryRetreat #TravelDeeper #IslandLife #BarefootLuxury #welcomehome

@buelowpalais Ein Hotel, das klassischen Charme, zeitlose Eleganz und herzliche Gastfreundschaft auf ganz besondere Weise verbindet. Wir haben uns vom ersten Moment an unglaublich wohl gefühlt und unseren Aufenthalt in vollen Zügen genossen.

Some weekend getaways are about discovering a new city. Others are about slowing down and taking time for yourself. Van der Valk Middelburg offers the opportunity to do both. With its elegant canals, historic streets and close proximity to the coast, the city presents a distinctly Dutch setting while remaining a quieter alternative to Amsterdam and other major destinations.

A stay at Van der Valk Hotel Middelburg combines spacious accommodation, an extensive wellness center and a recently renovated restaurant. The experience is defined by balance: time spent exploring Middelburg and the surrounding Zeeland coastline, alongside relaxing at the hotel itself.