Top 7 Chic Retreats
Top 7 Chic Retreats To Try Now
From party vibes to family fun, here’s our pick of the luxury hotspots that should be on your radar….
Stay in a palace in Positano
Pictured top. One of the most stunning spots on Italy’s Amalfi Coast, there are turquoise waters on one side, dramatic mountains on the other. Wander the twisting streets before dining in one of the fabulous restaurants. Rent the Baroque style Palazzo Santa Croce, which has views over the town, and has been wonderfully restored.
From £13,440 per week | Website
Culture & beach in Turkey
A top hotspot with an increasing number of upscale hotels, Bodrum has beach life, party vibes – and a wealth of sites to visit on a day trip including the ancient city of Ephesus. Chic places to stay include the Bodrum Edition and the Mandarin Oriental. Or try the boutique Susona Bodrum with infinity pool, spa and beach club. It’s open until the end of October.
From £350 per night | Website
Croatia’s island luxe
Luxury playground Hvar has plenty of upscale attractions against a stunning backdrop. Maslina Resort, a member of Relais & Chateaux, is near the old town of Stari Grad, and is surrounded by vineyards, pine forest and has views over the Adriatic.
From €300 per night | Website
Puglia’s spa retreat
Five-star boutique hotel Palazzo Ducale Venturi dates from the 16th century and has a luxury spa and a Cryotherapy chamber. Set in the village of Minervino di Lecce, you can head out on a food or Baroque art tour of Lecce and relax on a boat trip.
From €200 per night | Website
Susona Bodrum, Maslina Resort, Palazzo Ducale Venturi, N Hotel Mykonos, Verdura, Hotel Byron Forte dei Marmi
Party in Mykonos
The international party crowd heads to Mykonos for its beach clubs, boutique shopping and lounging in the sun. N Hotel is located near the famous Psarou beach, and you can spend decadent days with champagne and seafood at Nammos.
From £491 per night | Website
Sicily for families
The Verdura Resort has pretty much everything for all the family, all in a highend beautiful setting. There’s a fabulous spa, golf, tennis and a kids’ club. When you fancy some sightseeing, take a drive to Agrigento’s Valley of the Temples.
From €365 two nights | Website
T&L reviews….
Hotel Byron, Forte dei Marmi
Life is sweet on the Tuscan Coast….
There can’t be many beaches with as perfect a view as Forte dei Marmi. To one side, the dark blue Mediterranean laps against golden sand; to the other, the white caps of the Apuan Alps rise against the azure sky. No wonder the Tuscan seaside has always been a playground of the rich. Our base was the luxurious Hotel Byron, with dinners cooked by Michelin-starred chef Cristoforo Trapani. We visited nearby Lucca, a small, ancient city protected by immense defences, whose winding streets seem built of history. We lunched at Buonamico wine resort, and tasted its structured Montecarlo whites, and substantial reds with layers of oak. But the crowning gastronomic moment was dinner at Ristorante Lunasia in Hotel Plaza e de Russie, the Byron’s sister hotel in the art nouveau seaside resort of Viareggio. Incredible – the kind of food that lives long in the memory, as indeed does this beautiful corner of Tuscany.
