Nine hotels our editors are dreaming of booking
When November arrives and it's drizzly and dreary outside, it's almost impossible to stop your mind from transporting you elsewhere. Whether your idea of a perfect hotel is a cosy pub in the British countryside or a modern marvel in Greece, we've rounded up a selection of charming places to stay, so you too can dream the winter away.
Martin Morrell1/9The Bradley Hare, UK
The Bradley Hare has been on my must-visit list since it was reviewed in House & Garden a few years ago, and I'm determined to finally get my stay booked in. Located on the Duke of Somerset's estate in the Wiltshire village of Maiden Bradley (hence the name), it is actually a pub with rooms, where you can enjoy delicious food and a super comfortable stay. The interiors are the vision of one of our 2025 Top 100 designers James Thurstan Waterworth, founder of Thurstan, so you can expect his signature mix of carefully sourced antiques, beautiful fabrics and calming colours. The Nest room even has a rustic wooden box bed framed by curtains inspired by a dress worn by Jane Seymour, Henry VIII’s third wife and sister of the first Duke of Somerset, plus a roll-top bath with views over the gardens. The Bradley Hare would be an excellent base for a long winter weekend full of bracing walks on the West Wiltshire Downs, trips to nearby Bruton, Frome and Bath – and perhaps even to Salisbury Cathedral for a festive carol service if I time it right – before heading back for a drink and a roast dinner by the fire. I'll just have to persuade a friend with a driver's licence to let me come along for the ride. - Rose Washbourn, digital writer and books editor
2/9Hotel Al Moudira, Egypt
I visited Egypt for the first time earlier this year and spent a crazy, exhilarating 48 hours in the capital working on a story for House & Garden. While I found the buzz of Cairo so intoxicating that I could barely sleep, I kept hearing whispers about the relaxed magic of Luxor – and in particular the Al Moudira Hotel on the city's outskirts on the west bank of the Nile. Since then I've thought of few other places that I'd like to hide away for a few blissful days (without my strong-willed toddler, I might add). Set amongst 10 hectares of lush gardens with suites dotted around a series of courtyards, there is something otherworldly about this sprawling hotel. Adding to its dream-like quality is the fact that the land was a monoculture of cane fields 25 years ago. Now, there are exquisite painted ceilings, frescos galore, flower-draped courtyards, meals whipped up from homegrown produce and low-key pools to dip in. Does it get any better? While there is plenty to do nearby – not least the UNESCO World Heritage site of ancient Thebes and the Valley of the Kings – I'd be quite happy to just bed in for a few days. - Elizabeth Metcalfe, features editor
3/9The Fortingall, UK
I'm a sucker for a) the landscapes of the Highlands and b) traditional country house hotels, and as such, The Fortingall in Glen Lyon is high on my wishlist at the moment. This new boutique hotel, a little way south of the Cairngorms National Park, has absolutely heavenly interiors courtesy of Anbôise – a perfect Scottish country house but updated for the modern age. I'd gladly head up with a suitcase full of waterproofs and a suitably outdoorsy companion whom I could drag on hikes and chilly swims in the river – there are plenty of trails on the doorstep and six miles of private river. Once we'd blown all the cobwebs away we could retreat to the hotel's bar/pub, The Ewe, for a jolly supper. The Ewe hosts regular folk music nights, so depending on the amount of whiskey consumed, I could be persuaded into a little reeling. What nicer way to spend an autumn week? - Virginia Clark, digital director
4/9Homa Serifos, Greece
One of my favourite islands in the Cyclades is Serifos – which is small and calm enough to feel intimate even in peak summer, yet large enough to allow for beach and village hopping during a week's stay. Luckily, at least for now, it has bypassed high volumes of tourists like that on nearby Sifnos, Paros and Mykonos.
One of the most interesting recent openings is Homa, which rises out of the ground in zig zags towards the sea, cutting through the mountain rock in pristine lines as if just lasered out of the earth. The brutalist design is inspired by the island's ancient mining history, which deeply scarred the landscape, before stopping operations by the mid-20th century.
Designed by Athens based Mold studio, Homa is surrounded by nearby structures from the island's mining past like the abandoned Megalo Livadi loading bridge. The approach was to create a “second level of habitation” on the land while paying tribute to its past. Three villas have been created at an angle up the mountain and facing Vagia beach. Each has two bedrooms, a living and dining area, kitchen and a private pool with outdoor living nooks. The structure containing the villas carves into the mountains with some rooms dug below ground level and accessed via the roofs, creating a discreet, flat configuration which feels like an extension of the landscape. Homa, meaning soil, couldn’t have been a more fitting name. - Arta Ghanbari, travel editor
5/9La Clé Lodge, South Africa
A couple of years ago I stayed in what I now look back on as the world's most charming and beautiful hotel in Franschhoek, South Africa. La Clé Lodge is a thatched roof house-turned hotel nestled in the heart of this old dutch winemaking town, which feels more like a family home than a hotel. The rooms are decorated in the classic south african style, which echoes the cultural melting pot of the country itself but is underpinned by craft, texture and robust furniture. The surroundings offer plenty to do (though, doing nothing by the pool is also an option, and you're unlikely to ever have an empty glass of wine due to the wonderfully attentive staff) -- whether it is wine tasting you are after (the town's wine tram stops just a couple of minutes walk away), an hour spent sitting lakeside in the hotel's garden or a game of tennis. The food here is exceptional and there is plenty of it - the braai (traditional open-fire barbecue) for two works out at less than £50 a head and would easily serve four, while a picnic lunch in among the vines is the perfect way to spend an afternoon. I am hoping to return with my husband next year, as autumn emerges in South Africa and hot temperatures turn pleasantly warm. - Christabel Chubb, acting deputy digital editor
6/9Cristine Bedfor Sevilla Boutique Hotel, Spain
My parents have a real knack for discovering brilliant hotels in bucket-list destinations. The latest in this long line of enviable stays is Cristine Bedfor's ‘Sevilla Boutique’, a charming four star hotel in the heart of Seville's old town. The hotel is not too big, with 27 rooms, a fine dining restaurant and a pretty tiled rooftop pool, and walks the line between destination stay and city break base perfectly. Inspired by 16th-century Adalusian style, the interiors are some of Marta de la Rica's best. Both rich in colour, and light and airy, making the hotel a great year-round destination.
The hotel itself is a great base from which to explore the Real Alcázar and the Catedral de Sevilla, the world's largest Gothic cathedral. Further afield you can visit Caminito del Rey, or the nearby towns of Córdoba and Granada. I'm looking to stay for a long weekend over the late May bank holiday, when Seville is sunny enough to forgo a jacket but not yet overwhelmed by summer tourists. - Arabella Bowes, commerce editor
7/9The Hoxton, Austria
I was excited to discover that the Hoxton group has opened a hotel in the Austrian capital in a culturally rich area between the Stadtpark and the Belvedere Palace gardens. The latter is close to my heart, as it is where my husband proposed towards the end of a weekend trip many years ago to attend the Hofburg Ball. It would be lovely to return. I think Vienna is an underrated city, with much more to appeal to visitors than just the monumental buildings associated with its Austro-Hungarian past. There is a fascinating mix of architectural styles – including some classic examples of modernism, of which The Hoxton's building is one. Hotels in Vienna do tend to be either grand and expensive or basic (and even a little eccentric), so it's great news that The Hoxton seems to offer something in between.
I like the idea of sipping cocktails with my husband on the hotel's rooftop pool with views of the city skyline spread out around us. That would probably be nicest in the summer but, at any time of year, it's a pleasure to join the locals for coffee and cake in the wonderfully atmospheric cafés we discovered on previous trips. No trip to Vienna would be complete without a visit to the Naschmarkt, the diverse food offering of which really represents the fascinating East-meets-West character of this crossroads city. And on Saturday, the Flohmarkt (flea market) takes over the car park next to it, with a mix of dealers and stallholders offering everything from gem-coloured glassware to old shoes. For a rummager like me, it is paradise. - Caroline Bullough, chief sub-editor
The Torridon8/9The Torridon, UK
The Torridon is a striking baronial hunting lodge in Wester Ross in the north west Highlands of Scotland and looks to be as remote as it is beautiful. Having discovered, much to my surprise actually, that I’m a bit of an outdoor-activity holiday person, the various pursuits this hotel offers are incredibly appealing. It’s set in 58 acres at the head of a loch that flows out to sea, and you can kayak, “bag a munro”, fish and even stargaze with an expert astronomer. Living in a city as flooded with light as London, Wester Ross' dark skies are a draw.
The Torridon looks like it has a refined old-world charm. There’s a large kitchen garden you can walk around which provides fresh local produce for the meals which is a strong appeal since I like good eating rooted in place.
I’d say late summer to early autumn would be the best time to stay when the daylight is still generous, the weather mild for mountain walks and, perhaps most importantly, the midge season is mostly over! But they also cater specifically for the winter off-season and I can imagine how magical a winter break would be with the mountains in the distance dusted with snow. With plenty of room and activities this could make a pretty good group get away for a bunch of friends but it looks appealing for lone travelers looking for a true escape too. - Aida Amoako, acting features writer
Ana Lui Phootography9/9Eleven Bahama House, Bahamas
As dark winter nights draw near, I'm already thinking about the nearest exit to sunshine. If you're after a Caribbean winter escape without the generic resort feel, look no further than Eleven Bahama House, tucked behind the port of Harbour Island in the Bahamas – a discreet hideout on the billionaires island known for its miles long pink sand beach.
Despite being the holiday spot of the likes of Bill Gates, Mick Jagger and Taylor Swift, much like the island itself, Bahama House is laidback, unpretentious and feels more like staying in a friend’s chic Caribbean cottage than in a hotel. Much of this is due to the layout of the 11 rooms, which are spread between the main house circa 1800, an annex and two cottages which surround a bougainvillaea filled courtyard with a swimming pool.
In the evenings, all guests gather at the bar for aperitivo hour with cocktails mixed by longtime barman Sam, exchanging stories like long lost friends with an easy friendliness. The pastel pink house has a wraparound veranda where various areas are set up for breakfast, drinks and quiet moments under rustling palm leaves. The hotel has a private strip on Pink Sands beach, set up with sun loungers and drinks. There is no formal spa or restaurant menu like that of Caribbean resorts – it’s bliss served raw. - Arta Ghanbari, travel editor
