The Most Exciting New Hotels of 2020
When COVID-19 grounded the travel industry earlier this year, we were in the process of adding a slew of terrific hotels to our selection. You might not be able to visit any of them for a while, but we figured you’d still like to see the ones we’re most excited about.
What It’s Like to Begin a New Life
Many people dream of dropping everything and starting a new life somewhere different. Rebecca Schönheit did it. She traded a law career and the familiarity of her home in Berlin for a tiny island in the Wadden Sea. That’s where she and her husband decided to start over as directors of a small hotel — with dreams of getting it up to Tablet standards.
The Price of Perfection on the California Coast
You don’t get a piece of land as spectacular as Big Sur without a lot of providence. And you don’t get to keep it that way without a lot of protection. Big Sur is a success story in many ways, but not without cost.
The Golden Age of Travel That Never Was
Holiday magazine reached its zenith during the Golden Age of travel and publishing. But like everything born out of nostalgia, the “golden age” wasn’t quite as golden as it seemed.
American Small Batch Hotels
Smaller hotels tend to be independently-owned, and with COVID-19’s destructive effects on the travel industry, their futures are less certain than the massive mega-chains. Volume #4 of our Staying Small series gives a little love to some of our favorite modestly-sized American hotels.
A Sampler of Small Hotels in Northwest Europe
It’s no slight to call these hotels slight. Because of their modest size, they’re particularly well-suited to address guest concerns about COVID-19.
Our ‘Take Me Away’ Contest Winners
A little while back, we asked you to tell us which hotel you most dreamed of visiting once you could travel safely again. These were our favorite responses.
Château and Country House Hotels of France
For the second entry in our Staying Small series, we turn to France, a country that’s mastered the art of hotels that are both small and spacious.
A Little Something for Everyone in Italy
If there’s something we can all agree on, it’s that Italy has more charming rural hotels than anywhere else. They’re iconic, and as the country reopens to tourists, they’re exactly the type of lodging people are looking for.
Palisociety Broadens the Meaning of Bespoke
The word “bespoke” conjures up images of intimacy and a high degree of detail. Can it also be used to define a hotel group that’s in the midst of a significant expansion? Palisociety is rising to that challenge.
Memorable Hotels With a Maritime Connection
Grizzled old ship captains tend not to mince words nor waste them, so neither will we. This is a list of hotels that have a seafaring slant. Each of them either connects with, or celebrates, the nautical history of their home port. Some of them even do a little floating of their own.
Thorngrove Manor Rebels Against Replication
When it opened in 1984, Thorngrove Manor was a response to the bland and banal chain hotels of the day. As boutique hotels in 2020 march further into the mainstream, the mission is much the same for this eccentric castle in South Australia.
Shine Some Light on Your Travel Dreams
These days, we’re traveling in our minds a lot more often than usual. Let’s get those dreams out into the light, shall we? Tell us the hotel you most want to visit once you can travel again, and you could win a $50 credit and a year of Tablet Plus.
The Curious Case of Restaurant Hotels
Hotel restaurants are nothing new. Restaurant hotels, however, are another thing entirely. They’re a rarity, and they arouse intense curiosity from anyone who makes food a focal point of their travels.
Les Bains Is Not Like Other Hotels
Les Bains Paris stands apart from the crowd. It was once a spa, and then a nightclub, before becoming the luxury boutique hotel it is today. Through its many iterations, one thing has always remained consistent: dazzling success.
The Coolest Hotels You Haven’t Seen Yet
Some of you, it is certain, have stayed at a few of these hotels. Though with their remote locations or the level of demand for a room, chances are that most of you haven’t. But maybe, after COVID-19, you’ll be inspired to go where not a lot of other people are going, and where you’ll have plenty of room to yourself.
Wythe Hotel Shines a Beacon in Brooklyn
As COVID-19 escalated in New York City, we’d heard heart-wrenching stories of hospital workers sleeping in their cars to avoid exposing their families to the virus. The Wythe Hotel had heard these stories too, and they wanted to help.
Helping Hotels Through Their Online Gift Shops
Being the hotel obsessives we are, we’ve been searching for ways we can help them out while the travel business is stalled. One easy way is by purchasing an item from a hotel’s online gift shop. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite hotel boutiques so you can treat yourself while you #travelinplace.
Hotels Other Architects Wish They’d Designed
Our friends at Phaidon books gathered together dozens of the world’s top architects and had them recommend the hotels that they love best. Many took it a step further and volunteered the hotels they most wish they’d designed — perhaps the highest compliment they could offer.
Hotel Experiences You Can Enjoy From Home
Around the world, hotels are taking to digital media to share insights and experiences with their home-bound clientele — everything from cooking and yoga classes to live feeds at exotic locales and live talks with notable experts. We’ve collected some of our favorites so you can #travelinplace.
15 of Our Favorite Literary Journeys
A somewhat random, completely personal list of books that challenge us to think more carefully about travel, movement, and how we engage with the world.
The Panoramic Vision of the Zannier Hotels
Arnaud Zannier doesn’t just create hotels, he creates panoramas — complete, comprehensive hospitality experiences with all the drama and amusement of the cinema. When the world returns to traveling again, the world will deserve to stay at hotels like his.
Desktop Wallpaper & Zoom Virtual Backgrounds
If you have to be stuck in place, make it an impressive one. We’ve created a series of enchanting hotel scenes that can be used as virtual backgrounds for your Zoom calls and as wallpaper for your computer or smartphone.
A Wedding in the Chaos of COVID-19
Rebecca Schönheit had a big wedding planned for April. Because of the coronavirus, her plans changed.
The Friendliest Pet-Friendly Hotels
The opportunity to travel will come again, but until then — now is the time to sit tight, daydream about future journeys, and look at cute animals on the internet. We can help you with two of the three.
Information About Hotels and Travel
Travelers are rightfully worried about how the coronavirus will affect their travel plans. In a situation that continues to rapidly develop by the day, we want to share with you the information we have now.
The Best Inexpensive Restaurants in Paris
The MICHELIN Guide is famous for its star ratings, awarded to the finest restaurants in the world. But diners should pay equal attention to Michelin’s Bib Gourmand designation, recognizing the best inexpensive places to eat.
The Intoxicating Nature of Patagonia
Patagonia is a place of unmatched splendor and magnificence. Unmatched, that is, by everything but its own hotels.
The Incredible Cave Hotels of Cappadocia
Once upon a time, the cave dwellings of Cappadocia were hidden. Not anymore. The ancient residences have been restored by hoteliers who believe the best way to enjoy the odd geology of the region is from within it.
The Growing Popularity of Saltwater Pools
Compared to traditional pools, saltwater pools are friendlier to the environment, healthier to splash about in, and more sustainable in terms of maintenance and cost. They’re also popping up at many of the world’s coolest hotels.
