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his year’s European hotel winners include a wide variety of accommodations, including a winery built from centuries-old stone, a collection of preserved caves, and a renovated 16th-century unfinished watchtower. These hotels offer the chicest amenities for a luxurious stay–complimentary unpacking services, claw foot tubs, crystal-encrusted tiered chandeliers, and even cold-pressed olive oil produced on property. Beds are outfitted with the finest Italian linens, duvets, and thread counts and views range from the fairy chimneys of Cappadocia to panoramas of the white-capped Alps.

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Borgo Santandrea

Conca dei Marini, Amalfi Coast, Italy

It’s easy to get lost in the romance of the Amalfi Coast, especially if you’re a guest of Borgo Santandrea. Nestled between Amalfi and Positano, the beachside resort hotel overlooks the Mediterranean at 300 feet above sea level. But if you prefer your holidays beachside, the property includes a private beach, which can be accessed via an elevator or scenic path.

Elegantly designed rooms are spacious and calming with floor-to-ceiling windows drawing in natural light; rooms have balconies and sea views. The hotel prides itself in combining a mid-century design and contemporary artisanal culture with Amalfitano artisans; ceramists and ironmongers have contributed their skills to the overall beauty of the hotel design.

Energy-saving technologies and state-of-the-art waste management systems are put into place to run the hotel, but the hotel’s sustainable efforts are also found in the three restaurants where locally sourced and sustainable ingredients are used. The gourmet restaurant La Libreria by chef Crescenzo Scotti is fresh yet sophisticated (the lobster ceviche is highly recommended). If you’re feeling relaxed and looking for a beachy vibe for dinner, Al Borgo serves up a mean and very fresh fritto misto, best enjoyed with a Negroni on the terrace as the sun sets over the coast.

Borgo Santo Pietro

Tuscany, Italy

In the heart of Tuscany sits Borgo Santo Pietro, a pristine family-owned property that opened in 2001, but whose land dates back 2,500 years. The five-star luxury resort is owned and operated by Danish couple Jeanette and Claus Thottrup, who originally purchased the 800-year-old countryside villa to convert it into a family home. The property now features 22 rooms and suites, a holistic spa, 300-acre organic farm, cooking school, restaurants, vineyards, and 13 acres of manicured gardens—11 acres used for growing herbs and two acres for vegetables.

Be sure to reserve a seat at the Michelin-starred restaurant Saporium (formerly known as Meo Modo), helmed by executive chef Ariel Hagen, as well as La Trattoria sull’Albero. Guests can pick out a pour from one of the 1,200 prestigious wine labels housed in the ancient brick wine cellar. The real draw here, however, is the farm-to-plate ethos that begins with the gardens and herbal greenhouse. There’s even a honey and cheese-making facility onsite. Sign up for a guided truffle hunting tour to unearth truffles in the forest and take them back to the Borgo Cooking School for a themed cooking class.

Ample activities from tennis to bocce ball are available. There’s a “forest gym” with state-of-the-art equipment located in nature. For those looking to get pampered, check out the healing-oriented flagship Seed to Skin spa, featuring the all-natural product range created by Jeanette Thottrup, who was inspired by her passion for natural ingredients.

To mark its 20th anniversary, the hotel introduced two new pool houses, Casa Gerda and Casa Ellen, named after Claus and Jeanette’s mothers, respectively. These standalone suites offer guests their own private pools, Mediterranean-style terraces, cozy fireplaces, luxury rooms, and a tranquil setting.

Cas Gani

Santa Gertrudis, Ibiza, Spain

The serene eco boutique hotel Cas Gani is the perfect getaway from the bustle of Ibiza, yet it’s close to all the main attractions the island has to offer. Located in Santa Gertrudis in the heart of the island, not too far from Ibiza town and Sant Antoni de Portmany, Cas Gani offers some of the most beautiful views on the island. The authentic and rustic chic design pays attention to detail and provides a peaceful atmosphere that instantly mesmerizes guests.

Cas Gani’s abundant gardens are filled with roses, jasmine flowers, and orange and palm trees with views of the mountains. Daily yoga classes, optional massages, and individual fitness coaching add to the retreat-like nature of the property. The real specialty of Cas Gani is their organically grown food from the garden, served in delightful creations for breakfast and dinner. Even the cold-pressed olive oil is produced locally.

The main building is where guests can mingle, but the hotel never seems crowded, even when fully booked. Two pools invite you to relax (one is for kids), hidden corners inspire romantic escapes, and each room is designed and decorated individually in Ibiza’s charming neutral country style. Beds are outfitted with a duvet and Italian linen, and each room has a sofa and a private terrace. All options have a balcony to watch the sunset and enjoy an evening with a glass of wine.

Coco Hotel

Copenhagen, Denmark

Copenhagen has served as the capital of Denmark since the early 1600s, but in between all of the royal palaces and centuries-old cathedrals, the Coco Hotel offers a breath of contemporary design right in the city’s vibrant Vesterbro district. While this boutique property is equipped with a café, restaurant, ping pong studio, and 88 cozy rooms, the most admirable quality about the Coco is its steadfast dedication to sustainability—the hotel draws its energy from a massive collection of solar panels spanning 14 acres, and also adheres to Green Key standards to ensure that all hotel operations are conducted with minimal environmental impact.

Drinks-wise, serious wine aficionados would be remiss in skipping out on Bar à Vin, the property’s ground-level wine bar. Though small in stature, this polished watering hole packs a king-sized drinks menu, equipped with wine sourced from all across the globe. Alongside the expansive red, white, and rosé selection, guests can also choose from a variety of small plates, with the Loire valley goat cheese pairing perfectly with a glass of Chablis.

D'une île

Rémalard, France

Founded by the owners of Paris’s legendary Septime restaurant, Dune ile is a dream escape for the food-obsessed. Located in a bucolic 17th-century micro village just over two hours from the city, the vibe is intimate. It has only 10 rooms split throughout five buildings on the property. They also happen to be nestled hillside in the French national park, Le Perche. Lush greenery is right outside your door in the warmer months and snowy pines in the cooler ones. Take advantage of the portal windowed sauna if it happens to be chilly.

The decor is rustic minimal chic, with white walls, wood and beam ceilings, claw foot tubs, and fireplaces. Natural elements surround the property, including a vegetable garden that provides some of the produce for the on-site restaurant. It’s a shockingly affordable, seasonally inspired prix fixe menu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily. The food is 75% vegetarian fare all supplied by local farms and markets. Dishes like blistered tomato salads in the summer, apple galettes in the fall, and brothy braised beans in the winter. The wine list is a careful selection from small French producers who focus on natural and biodynamic wines.

The Dolder Grand

Zürich, Switzerland 

Overlooking Switzerland’s largest city, Zurich, and sitting on its own little mountain top is one of the country’s coolest hotels, The Dolder Grand. Although the hotel was established in 1899 as a wellness center, major renovations in 2008 brought this historical hotel to life and set it up as a destination for art-lovers, gastronomes, and culture-seekers without missing a beat more than a decade on.

For those unfamiliar with the iconic hotel, the Dolder Grand Hotel is more than just a place to sleep when in the German-speaking side of Switzerland–the hotel boasts an extensive private art collection with pieces by Salvador Dali, Takashi Murakami, and Andy Warhol splashed out around both the public spaces and suites. With 175 rooms and suites, accommodations range from truly elaborate, like the Maestro Suite equipped with its own baby grand piano, to impressively well-designed yet quaint and chic double-rooms that pay homage to the Belle-Epoque era in which the hotel was founded.

Self-guided art walks around the hotel make for a nice change from playing tennis and golf, but guests often flock to the 43,000-square-foot spa with sweeping panoramic views of the Alps for immediate gratification. The hotel bar is a perfect place to chill out during the day, but if you like champagne, be sure to ask the concierge for a private seat in the Dolder KRUG Bar for extra privacy and fizz in your life. If the 10-minute free shuttle down to Zurich is unbearable for the evening, take a seat in the Michelin-starred restaurant The Restaurant by chef Heiko Neider and settle a growling stomach, or opt for a quiet spot on the terrace at Saltz Restaurant and enjoy both Mediterranean dishes and Alpine classics, depending on the time of year.

The Grand Hotel Tremezzo

Lake Como, Italy

The crown jewel of Lake Como is not the glitzy villa housing yet another A-list Hollywood celebrity but the historical 20th-century hotel, The Grand Hotel Tremezzo. Despite the excitement surrounding the opening of the sister property, Passalaqua, the original hotel just cannot be beaten when it comes to elegance, style, and true La Dolce Vita when holidaying in northern Italy.

The grand hotel draws the attention of passersby who whip out their cameras to take a selfie in front of the hotel’s grand facade, taking them back to 1910 when the hotel first opened in the Belle-Epoque era. Despite its classic bones, the hotel property has been delicately restored by the De Santis family, who have maintained the Art Nouveau palace with period decor and vibrant colors paying homage to the glamor of the roaring ’20s.

The hotel has five restaurants and bars, so you are spoiled for choice, with the fine-dining La Terrazza Gualtiero Marchesi serving iconic dishes in tribute to the founding father of modern Italian cuisine, Marchesi. Fresh seafood is the highlight when dining lakeside in Giacomo Al Lago, but for wine-lovers, you should not pass an informal dinner in the hotel’s ancient wine cellar L’Escale for the perfect drop of Barolo.

Outside the hotel, a whole new vibe is felt with sun chairs lining the hotel’s private lake and doting waiters bringing your Negroni as if it were free-flowing water from the Como fountains. While the pool in the garden and the hotel’s infinity pool are fun options, the water-on-the-water pool is where you should head first thing in the morning if you want to snag a prime sunbathing spot. Be sure to take a morning stroll or evening walk around the hotel’s own botanical gardens featuring rare and tropical flowers on the 215-square-foot private estate.

Hotel Imperial

Vienna, Austria

A royal palace built in the 19th century, the Hotel Imperial has remained a Viennese landmark in its own right ever since. Guests with accommodations on the first floor ascend a grand staircase watched over by an oil portrait of the Prince of Wuerttemberg, the original resident. Guest rooms have chandeliers, marble baths, and bespoke furnishings.

When it’s time to explore, the hotel’s clefs d’or concierge team can arrange concert tickets or tours of Vienna’s summer and winter palaces. The hotel’s impressive chandelier-capped Imperial Bar Wien is a see-and-be-seen temple for cocktails, snacks, or afternoon tea, while the all-day Café Imperial Wien serves up lavish breakfasts, Austrian favorites like schnitzel or tafelspitz. The hotel’s most famous dish, however, is undoubtedly the Imperial Torte, created to celebrate the hotel’s 1873 opening, and shipped daily to fans all over the world. Just don’t ask for the 150-year-old recipe—it’s a closely-guarded secret.

Kalesma Mykonos

Mykonos, Greece

Kalesma Mykonos serves up pure luxury in an environment that naturally blends into the surroundings of the sought-after destination Greek isle, Mykonos. Built into a hillside with a white and earth-tone aesthetic, this resort’s offerings will deliver the perfect relaxation associated with a Mediterranean vacation.

There are no hotel rooms here, only suites and villas. The starting one-bedroom suites are anything but basic—each has a private heated swimming pool and outdoor shower and a private 970-square-foot outdoor terrace with a dining area and lounge. They all have sweeping direct views of the Aegean Sea on the sunrise side and even the bathtub has sea views.

You can have a massage, yoga class, or private dining experience brought to your suite, or if you want to venture out, enjoy the in-house amenities including the poolside bar, the DJ at the restaurant, the shopping boutique, and the firepit at the sunset lounge.

Kayakapi Premium Caves

Ürgüp, Cappadocia, Turkey

Crafted with exquisite traditional Turkish architecture, Kayakapi Premium Caves offers stunning sandstone cave residences carved near the colorful hot air balloons and wind-swept fairy chimneys of the Cappadocia Valley.

This boutique hotel is not one single structure but an entire UNESCO-Heritage neighborhood in itself, a collection of preserved caves, traditional homes, and one sprawling historical mansion (Davut Agha Mansion).

Each room is elegantly decorated in gold and draped in thick rugs and woven curtains. The most luxurious cave rooms contain a small pool for private soaks and a wood fireplace adding to the cozy atmosphere. The standard rooms are spacious and decorated with traditional Turkish art on the cave walls.

Guests enjoy complimentary access to the marble slabs of the on-site domed Turkish hammam for a rich cultural experience unique to Turkey and a 24-hour room service menu serving local delicacies. When you aren’t out exploring the red rock rivets of Cappadocia, you can marvel at the alien landscape and quaint village from the rooftop cafe, swim in the turquoise pool of the Davut Agha Mansion, or sip regional wines from the property’s private cellar.

Levin Iglut

Lapland, Finland

One hundred miles above the Arctic Circle, Levin Iglut provides a new meaning to sleeping under the stars. Twenty-seven all-glass “igloos” are situated on a slope at the edge of the wilderness with unobstructed views of the sky. The possibility of watching the magic of the Northern Lights from a reclining bed is a reality here. Each room comes complete with a small kitchen, therefore there’s little reason to leave your charming snow globe. For a more gourmet experience, Utsu, a glass-tower restaurant that serves local ingredients and offers lean-back seating to take in the Arctic views while dining, is located within a few-minute walk from all domes.

Wander the property and find Kota, a traditional Sami dwelling where guests can spend time together in the Finnish style. Use the firewood inside Kota to create a log fire and purchase sausages at the reception to cook. Unwind by gazing at the stars from the property’s sauna and outdoor jacuzzi with a glass of champagne in hand. Levin Iglut prides itself in its use of geothermal heating, providing staff uniforms made from recycled materials, cleaning with ecological detergents, and reducing light pollution (necessary for marveling at the northern sky).

Masseria Moroseta Hotel

Puglia, Italy

Escape to the Puglian countryside with views of the Adriatic sea in your very own stone-built farmhouse at Masseria Moroseta Hotel. Located in the town of Ostuni, the tranquil location of this near-perfect Italian retreat is both calming and inspirational.

The farmhouse is not your everyday cottage stay. Design enthusiasts, artists, and self-professed bohemians will find the “masseria” designed by architect Andrew Trotter to be charming in style. Its whitewashed sandstone structure features an open courtyard for inspirational daydreaming in the Italian countryside.

The rooms are minimalistic yet luxurious which resonates beautifully well with the hotel’s simple and understated living ethos where less is more. The eco-efforts, solar power, and an energy-saving insulation system, complement the overall wellness retreat vibe the hotel gives off. Often seen as a popular yoga retreat for Italians, the hotel also offers cooking classes and also has a nice relaxation area with an outdoor pool and steambath in the spa area which overlooks the property’s sun-blessed estate.

Surrounded by olive trees, the hotel has its own chicken coop (fresh eggs are served at breakfast, of course!), vegetable farm, and dozens of fruit trees which are best enjoyed when a guest of chef Giogria Eugenia Goggi in his kitchen in the evening. Dishes combine Italian tradition and know-how with a creative flair: the fresh handmade pastas are joyful as starters and the mains, like miso-turmeric spiked consomme, depend on the seasonal produce provided by Mother Nature.

Meneghetti Wine Hotel and Winery

Istria, Croatia

Meneghetti Wine Hotel and Winery is ideal for guests seeking pure tranquility and decadent cuisine. Built from centuries-old stone, this property houses a variety of spacious rooms, suites, residences, and villas, each surrounded by lush vineyards and olive trees that promise ultimate privacy. The property also offers several unique experiences: cycling tours along the Adriatic coastline, truffle hunting adventures, boat rides, and perhaps most importantly, wine tastings.

Meneghetti produces premium wine labels (Meneghetti Red and Meneghetti White) as well as limited bottles of rosé sparkling wine and brandy, all of which make this a top destination for vino connoisseurs. Want to sample something else? No problem. The hotel carries over 100 bottles of fine wine sourced from around the world. You won’t need to schedule a tasting to sample any of this wine, by the way—you can opt for dinner at the two on-site restaurants, Meneghetti Restaurant and Oliveto Restaurant & Lounge Bar. Both embrace local ingredients and cuisine, prioritizing fresh vegetables and homemade pasta drizzled with olive oil made right on the estate. You’ll also want to order Istrian milk truffles.

Mezzatorre Resort and Spa

Ischia, Italy

Effortlessly glamorous and a little bit sexy, the coral-colored Mezzatorre Hotel has always been a place of culture thanks to the owners and residents who once called this 16th-century unfinished watchtower home. After a much-needed renovation in 2019, hotel group Pellicano Group took it upon themselves to revive and reopen this former Italian residence as a luxury hotel. Anchored on the rocky coastal waters of Ischia, the air almost feels fresher on this side of the island with glitzy Capri just a mere 15-minute boat ride away and no doubt filled with tourists wanting to take a glimpse of their favorite celebrity.

Located on 17 hectares, walk through the hotel’s private pine-wooded park, play tennis on a cliff, or just laze around on the private beach after taking a dip in the hotel’s exclusive thermal spa with three whirlpool tubs, cold water bathing pool, and sauna–all of which are best enjoyed after a volcanic mud massage. Like most things in Italy, food is the heart and soul of the hotel with two restaurants: the more casual La Baia serving up simple yet delicious Italian dishes like ragu and vongole pasta; and La Torre, which features lobsters and slow-cooked rabbit (an Ischial specialty).

The rooms are bright and comfortable, and all 57 rooms and suites offer views of the Tyrrhenian Sea. The details in the rooms are well-worth noting with the current owner, Marie-Louise Sciò, curating all the furnishings and artwork to very precise detail. In-room literature ranges from modern classics to offbeat journals, but most importantly, artisan treats like chocolate and olives are given to guests to enjoy throughout the day.

Parīlio Paros

Paros, Greece

A stay at Parīlio on the Greek island of Paros will immerse you in the spirit of the Aegean. White-washed buildings that match the look of the island are dressed in neutrals, ivories, grays, and sienna throughout so as you go to lounge at the resort’s large pool, you’ll soak up the uncluttered Greek island aesthetic while looking at the native vegetation just outside.

All suites at Parīlio Paros have a terrace with sunbeds and dining table, and some offer a private jacuzzi or a private pool on that terrace. Michelin star chef Alexandros Tsiotinis serves up fresh Mediterranean cuisine from mirmitzeli orzo pasta, a traditional Paros dish, to slow-cooked lamb at the in-house restaurant (reservations required). The Elios Spa in the main building offers body, facial, and nail services.

The Twenty Two 

London, England

On a restaurant-lined street in Grosvenor Square, in London’s posh Mayfair, you’ll find this Edwardian mano-designed hotel. The marble steps trimmed in gold leading up to the entryway are the perfect preview of what’s awaiting you just behind the large black palace-like doors.

Inspired by 18th-century France’s grandeur, none of the decor is understated at The Twenty Two. From the golden-armed bellman carts to the crystal-crusted tiered chandeliers, opulence is king here and covers every corner of the manor. Even the bathrooms feature golden hardware, black and white accents, and ceiling mirrors.

There are 31 rooms and suites to choose from, each with a nod to French flair. Most rooms have the essential things in common: oversized windows for spaces drenched in natural light, beds topped with 400 thread count Egyptian cotton linens, and Cabochon marble bathrooms. The Classic Rooms are great for a simple city retreat, while the paisley-wallpapered artist studios are a hideout haven for creatives. No matter which room you choose, indulge in their complimentary unpacking service.

Just downstairs, between pastel blue walls, is a restaurant and bar serving modern British fare with a Mediterranean touch. Everything from oysters with fennel mignonette to loin of lamb with sheep’s ricotta, artichoke, and tomato is served fresh alongside a creative cocktail menu.