Hotels


A Place To Celebrate - 10 Hip Hotels

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  1. Cocoa Island

    Maldives, Maldives

    Cocoa Island is for people who want their paradise experience pure. No bling, no shopping, no underwater bars; just a great beach, great snorkelling and simple but delicious food.

    The beach, in fact, is better than great. It is possibly the whitest sand ever seen and it takes up more surface area than the island itself. It is, literally, brilliant, particularly when combined with the turquoise shade of the surrounding water.

    The snorkelling is definitely pure – pure Nemo. Just swim from your terrace and you will soon be in a giant aquarium. Big turtles, fish of every colour and pattern, and the odd baby sharks just to keep it interesting.

    Explore the water, explore the beach, read all the books you thought you never would, and that is the closest you will get to an agenda on this island.

    A pure paradise experience.

    Photos of Cocoa Island

    • Cocoa Island is for people who want their paradise experience pure.
    • Cocoa Island is for people who want their paradise experience pure.
    • Rooms are inspired by ‘Dhoni’ boats as used by local fishermen adjoined by simple wooden walkways built above the shallow ocean.

    Prices from:

    £2,099 pp in low season

    £2,835 pp in high season

  2. Hotel on Rivington

    New York, USA

    Special Offer

    Built from scratch by a creative team, The Marcel Wanders designed entrance is a hit, the completely off the wall Thor restaurant on the ground floor is consistently voted in New York’s top 100, and the rooms, with their all yellow or all black bathrooms are a sumptuously spacious alternative to smaller spaces elsewhere in Manhattan.



    Thor is the Viking God of the area, a thunderbolt of a restaurant enhanced by Wanders’ wild wallpaper and his outhouse in the middle of the space. But the real plus of Hotel on Rivington came as a surprise to everyone, including the owners. There had never been a tower in this area, so no one knew that it would have such an amazing view. A view of New York’s famous skyline from a completely new perspective.

    Situated right in the middle of the Lower East Side, Hotel on Rivington is a study in contrast; a shiny glass and steel tower in a neighbourhood of tenement buildings

    Photos of Hotel on Rivington

    • Situated right in the middle of the Lower East Side, a shiny glass and steel tower in a neighbourhood of tenement buildings
    • Situated right in the middle of the Lower East Side, a shiny glass and steel tower in a neighbourhood of tenement buildings
    • The rooms, with their all yellow or all black bathrooms are a sumptuously spacious alternative to smaller spaces elsewhere in Manhattan
    • A lively bar scene for guests and locals into the late hours
    • The completely off the wall Thor restaurant on the ground floor is consistently voted in New York’s top 100

    Prices from:

    £849 per person

    Add an extra night for free for stays in January and February with our Stay 4 pay 3 offer

  3. Laluna Hotel

    Grenada, Caribbean

    It’s not a surprise to discover that Laluna is the vision of an intrepid Italian; they seem to have a knack for places like this. Bernardo Bertucci arrived here just over 10 years ago, and fell in love with the island, and the fact that it was not as commercial as other Caribbean islands.

    This hotel is far more colourful and ethnic than any of the other hotels. The owner decided to focus on a décor and design much more in tune with the surrounding jungle. Laluna is for people who embrace the chance to escape to a bungalow disguised by the verdant green of a tropical island, just above a beach that is hidden away for all but the guests of the property.

    This is a place where you forget time, routine and protocol, and focus instead on the natural beauty of these volcanic Caribbean islands.

    Photos of Laluna

    • This hotel is the ‘outsider’ on Grenada.  For starters, it’s the only place not on Great Anse Beach.  It’s also far more colourful and ethnic than any of the other islands’ hotels.
    • This hotel is the ‘outsider’ on Grenada.  For starters, it’s the only place not on Great Anse Beach.  It’s also far more colourful and ethnic than any of the other islands’ hotels.
    • La luna is for people who embrace the chance to escape to a bungalow disguised by the green of a tropical island.
    • This is a place where you forget time and focus instead on the natural beauty of these volcanic Caribbean islands.

    Prices from:

    £1,439 pp in low season

    £2,025 pp in high season

  4. Necker Island

    British Virgin Islands, Caribbean

    Necker, Sir Richard Branson’s private island paradise, is situated in the British Virgin Islands, a stunning and unspoilt area of the Caribbean. At 74 acres, Necker sits in turquoise waters surrounded by coral reefs and fringed with beautiful white sandy beaches. The island can be hired exclusively or you can enjoy the Necker experience during selected Celebration Weeks when individual rooms can be booked by singles or couples to enjoy our fabulous island paradise ‘house party’ style. Guests are encouraged to treat Necker like their own home, and are welcome to help themselves to anything they want, any time.

    Although Necker Island’s Great House was destroyed by fire in 2011, the vast majority of the island and its facilities were unaffected. There will be some renovations taking in place in early 2012 with some exciting enhancements for the re-opening in April. The Great House itself will take a while to restore to its former glory but in the meantime guests will be accommodated within the six refurbished Bali Houses, Temple House (Sir Richard’s Branson’s house) and also on board Necker Belle, Sir Richard’s luxury catamaran! Therefore there is plenty of exciting spaces to sleep up to 28 guests for all kinds of celebrations with friends and family.

    Necker can become your own private hideaway; away from the stresses and strains of daily life.

    Photos of Necker Island

    • This majestic, airy Balinese villa is the hub of the Island, located on Devil’s Hill and boasting panoramic views of the Caribbean, the Atlantic Ocean and neighbouring islands.
    • This majestic, airy Balinese villa is the hub of the Island, located on Devil’s Hill and boasting panoramic views of the Caribbean, the Atlantic Ocean and neighbouring islands.
    • There are six Balinese style houses which are perfect for tropical seclusion.
    • Fine food is the highlight of any guest’s stay, meals can be enjoyed by firelight, candlelight or starlight and the chefs will prepare whatever guests desire.
    • Situated in the British Virgin Islands, Necker sits in turquoise waters surrounded by coral reefs and fringed with the beautiful white sandy beaches.

    Prices from:

    £10,229 pp

    Celebration weeks throughout the 2011

  5. Park Hyatt Dubai

    Dubai and Beyond, Dubai

    The same patch of palm trees and rolling green lawns that host the hotel is also the venue for Dubai’s yacht club and its premier golf course. Here you have the space and facilities to enjoy Dubai’s sunshine and climate,this is probably the best location in town.

    There are three restaurants, choose from middle eastern, Thai or modern-European cuisine, or kick back on The Terrace, an indoor-outdoor venue with a raw bar and marina views. The Amara Spa is styled on a Moroccan palace and opens out onto a serene pool and deck; at night it’s torch-lit, perfect for a swim in the Arabian Night!

    The guest rooms are among the most attractive in Dubai. They are like contemporary lofts with an Arabic twist. The bathroom and bedroom are open-plan, and blend seamlessly into each other.

    Timeless modernity is mixed with Moroccan detailing - Park Hyatt Dubai is a luxury hotel in an Arabic style.

    Photos of Park Hyatt Dubai

    • A luxury hotel in Moorish Mediterranean style.
    • A luxury hotel in Moorish Mediterranean style.
    • Kick back on The Terrace, an indoor - outdoor venue with a raw bar and marina views.
    • Thai, Eastern and European Cuisine and The Terrace and Traiteur bar with Creek views.
    • Serene, palm fringed pool with hydrotherapy jets - lit by fire torches at night – very Arabian nights.

    Prices from:

    £1,089 pp in low season

    £1,279 pp in high season

  6. Round Hill Resort

    Jamaica, Caribbean

    Special Offer

    Round Hill is where Jacqueline and JFK spent their honeymoon, where Rodgers and Hammerstein played chess, where Hitchcock got sunburned and where Noel Coward, if egged on enough, would sing for the guests.

    After 50 years, Round Hill has a million stories to tell, but most impressive is how little it has changed. The place today offers the same blend of qualities that has always pulled the famous names and faces; namely a well-preserved slice of old Jamaica.

    Today you still enjoy its stylish architecture and a predictably colonial pace of life, but with the added pull of an oceanfront spa and refurbished hotel rooms designed for beach living by Ralph Lauren, (perhaps whilst visiting his own villa at Round Hill).

    A former pineapple plantation on the outskirts of Montego Bay, what is it about Round Hill that makes it such a magnet?

    Photos of Round Hill

    • After 50 years, Round Hill has a million stories to tell, but most impressive is how little it has changed.
    • After 50 years, Round Hill has a million stories to tell, but most impressive is how little it has changed.
    • Make sure you have a drink in the semi-enclosed lounge, listening to the strains of the piano and watching the sun set.
    • Having Noel Coward as one of the first guests was a huge coup for Round Hill. Today it offers the same blend of qualities that has always pulled the famous faces.
    • What is it about Round Hill that makes it such a magnet? A significant part of the equation is Jamaica itself.

    Prices from:

    £1,399 pp in low season

    £1,599 pp in high season

  7. Soho House Hotel

    New York, USA

    The rules are simple, if you’re not a guest you cannot eat in the restaurant, swim in the pool, lunch on the roof, have a drink in the bar, watch a film in the private screening room, throw a private party in the library, or chill out in the Cowshed – the club’s famous spa… unless you’re a member. But one thing it is not, is stuffy. As a club, it has managed to attract the kind of people that normally never belong to clubs. Film directors, writers, artists, creative types in all fields make up the member roster, and yet Soho is not painfully arty either.

    The look, if it has to be defined as such, is a mix of laid back modern and iconic antique, with the odd bit of bling. The rooms are bohemian loft with soaring ceilings, exposed beams, chandeliers and big, baroque carved beds. The Playhouse and Playground rooms have giant egg-shaped baths big enough for two. But more important than how it looks is how it feels with just the right balance of cosy and trendy.

    Soho House is not a hotel, it’s a private club – the hottest private club in New York – that happens to have a small hotel.

    Photos of Soho House

    • This converted warehouse is part private members’ club, part swish hotel, and shot to fame when it was featured in an episode of Sex and the City.
    • This converted warehouse is part private members’ club, part swish hotel, and shot to fame when it was featured in an episode of Sex and the City.
    • Soho House gives you bohemian loft – big, baroque carved beds, egg shaped tubs, French style cupboards, 50s consoles, 60s lamps.
    • The Library on the fifth floor with its own bar
    • Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served in The Club, an expanse of original wooden flooring broken up into a lounge, bar and dining-room on the sixth floor.

    Prices from:

    £1,199 pp

    Upgrade to a Playroom from £89pppn

  8. The Carlyle is the Upper East Side, and vice versa. All the values of patrician New York are the qualities that define The Carlyle. Woody Allen can often be found jamming on his clarinet with the Eddy Davis New Orleans Jazz Band in the Café Carlyle (resident caberet jazz/venue) on a Monday night. A neighbourhood that has a world class museum on practically every other corner, not to mention the proximity of Central Park, The Upper East Side is interesting precisely because it's not like the rest of New York. The doormen with their traditional brass-buttoned coats and caps, school children in blazers and ties, discreet little restaurants tucked into the brownstones on gentrified side streets, and, of course, the shopping, all give this part of New York a signature as distinctive as the tenement housing of the Lower East Side.

    One of New York's most genuine and charismatic experiences.

    Photos of The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel

    • This hotel offers one of New York's most genuine and charismatic experiences, and has been home to society leaders for many years.
    • This hotel offers one of New York's most genuine and charismatic experiences, and has been home to society leaders for many years.
    • The rooms are refined – designed by many a famous name and updated to add a contemporary touch.
    • Bemelmans Bar is a true New York experience. Woody Allen can often be found jamming with his clarinet in the Carlyle Café on a Monday night.
    • A favourite of east side socialites, the restaurant offers elegant eating with a nod to English manor house dining.

    Prices from:

    £1,039 pp in low season

    £1,089 pp in high season

  9. The Metropolitan Hotel

    Bangkok, Thailand

    The Metropolitan is a three dimensional metaphor for the city itself; a heady combination of cool contemporary with reinvented tradition. Beautiful wooden floors are combined with pieces by Thai artist Natee Utarit and an ultra-slick lighting scheme from London’s Isometrix.

    Of all the hotels in Bangkok, the Metropolitan is the first in step with the city’s new energy. The Met Bar is at the cutting edge of Bangkok’s appetite for the contemporary and the restaurant, Cy’an, is Asia’s answer to Nobu, serving some of the best and most inventive food in Bangkok.

    Guestrooms that feel more like a downtown studio than a box, understated splashes of Jim Thompson silk, a gym that is not just an afterthought, an alternative health food restaurant called Glow and COMO's trendsetting Shambhala spa, it's more than just a look that sets this hotel apart.

    Unapologetically modern but distinctly Asian, the interiors are the work of Singapore-based Kathryn Kng. The Aesthetic is a pared down mix of East meets West.

    Photos of The Metropolitan

    • The Metropolitan is a heady combination of cool contemporary with reinvented tradition. Beautiful wooden floors are combined with pieces by Thai artist Natee Utarit and an ultra-slick lighting scheme from London’s Isometrix.
    • The Metropolitan is a heady combination of cool contemporary with reinvented tradition. Beautiful wooden floors are combined with pieces by Thai artist Natee Utarit and an ultra-slick lighting scheme from London’s Isometrix.
    • The rooms are like lofts; open-plan and flooded with light
    • Order a Tom Yumtini or Pineapple Martini, signature drink  designed by the hotel’s famous sister Met Bar in London.
    • Cy’an is Asia’s answer to Nobu. It serves some of the best most inventive food in Bangkok. Or try Glow restaurant showcasing healthful, natural and organic COMO Shambhala cuisine.

    Prices from:

    £829 pp in low season

    £939 pp in high season

  10. The Standard, New York

    New York, USA

    The 18-storey structure consisting of two concrete-framed glass slabs recalls mid-century modernist but the most interesting aspect is how this building interacts with the High Line, an abandoned 80-year-old elevated freight railroad running down Manhattan’s west side that has been converted into a park for locals and tourists to kick back.

    The glass means the interiors have floor-to-ceiling views; of the Hudson to the West, MePa topped by the Empire State to the East and the High Line directly below. Every room maximises its view, none more so than the double height glass-encased space on the 18th floor that will open up in 2010 as an exclusive venue for guests and those on the list!

    In an area now so well known for its food, its obvious that even the most eye-popping architecture and a view will only get you so far. The rest is up to the restaurant.

    Located in MePa - currently New York’s hottest restaurant and bar scene – the new Standard is described by the New York Observer as "the most unusual and significant New York building in years".

    Photos of The Standard, New York

    • A monumental piece of architecture dedicated to mid-century modernism and the hottest bar and restaurant neighbourhood in New York.
    • A monumental piece of architecture dedicated to mid-century modernism and the hottest bar and restaurant neighbourhood in New York.
    • The rooms are compact, stylish boxes with floor-to-ceiling windows that frame some of the best and newest views in Manhattan.
    • The Living Room is a comfortably modish designed lounge overlooking a grand plaza serves beverages and cocktails with live DJs.
    • The Standard Grill has become the new place to eat in MePa, by combining the talents of chef Dan Silverman (ex Lever House) with an uber-hip aesthetic.

    Prices from:

    £1,039 pp in low season

    £1,199 pp in high season

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