Secret Hotel Lisbon
Small enough that you won’t find it easily online, but still suitable for a large group – when booked in advance. Owned by one of the oldest patisseries in Portugal, this hotel is set in a privileged location in the neighborhood of Chiado, near the Santa Justa elevator. Your breakfast will be served in the […]
Monte Rei Golf & Country Club
The Algarve East Golf Villas saved us a few years ago when a large group needed last minute alternative accommodation. Warmly recommended by our clients, we came for a visit the next summer and found an excellent golf resort, with a very high level of service and beautiful grounds. As a rare exception to most […]
Janu
Not far from Shibuya and Ginza, and very close to Roppongi, Janu is smack in the middle of the city’s best museums and galleries, surrounded by designer shops, and strategically located near metro stations and some of Tokyo’s most iconic buildings. With soft lighting, cushy carpets and fantastic artwork in various corners of the hotel […]
Nishimuraya Honkan
Kinosaki Onsen, 2.5 hours by train from Kyoto, is one of the most famous onsen towns in Japan. It is the only onsen town we’ve been in so far where it’s definitely acceptable and common to walk around town in a Yukata, and the hotels and Ryokans provide ones that are warm enough to do […]
Hiiragiya
Rai-Sha-Nyo-Ki“It is our wish that arriving guests feel as if they are coming home.” – These words, written by the scholar Seisai Shigeno (1827-1910), appear in a calligraphy displayed at the entrance to Hiiragiya since the Edo period. Established in 1818, and opened as a Ryokan in 1861, Hiiragiya was named after the hiiragi – […]
Oni no Sumika
Located in Shuzenji Onsen, the first Onsen town we visited and at the time of writing – still the best. Oni no Sumika offers a welcome combination of both traditional rooms, and rooms that are still traditional but with “western beds”, for an easier lift off bed in the morning. All rooms have their own […]
Nipponia Iga Ueno
Iga Ueno, famous for the Iga Ninja and the feudal castle first built in 1585, is a quiet town 2 hours by train from Kyoto, or 1 hour from Nara. The ninja museum is next to the castle, and its a must-go even for adults – the guided tour of the ninja house and the […]
Asaba Ryokan
Shuzenji Onsen is a hotspring town within the Izu peninsula, Shizuoka prefecture – a 2.5 hours drive from Tokyo, or 1.5 hours by train. The town is scenic, with traditional wooden buildings, and a precious river crossed at several points by iconic red bridges. Within this setting, Asaba Ryokan sits with its front to the […]
K5
Design, Design, Design. Built in what used to be a bank building in Tokyo’s old financial district, K5 has 20 rooms ranging from 20 to 80 square meters, with soft lighting, designer furniture, and turntable sound systems with vinyl collections in each room – curated by DJs who reside at the bar downstairs. The rooms […]
Raya Heritage
We go to Chiang Mai to soak in the essence of Lanna – the ancient kingdom which once covered much of today’s Northern Thailand, Laos and Myanmar. Gorgeous intricate temples are a prominent feature of the Lanna style, but it is also seen in traditional houses, which speak of a unique countryside high-life. It is […]
