In full bloom: the loveliest hotel rooms with gardens

Verdant views and bucolic bliss await in these blooming beautiful bedrooms

As the world is beginning to open up again and summer is in full swing, we’re looking ahead to greener pastures, back-to-nature breaks and anywhere with a bit more fresh air than we’ve had in the lulls of lockdown. From countryside cottages and converted farmhouses, to rainforest retreats and urban oases, here are some of the best boutique hotel rooms with glorious gardens.

1. Finca Serena, Mallorca

Right at home in the Mallorcan countryside, the whitewashed walls of Finca Serena sit within an idyllic 40-hectare estate wrapped in vineyards, olive trees, cypresses and citrus groves. The neutrally decorated rooms are dotted throughout the fragrant Mediterranean grounds, while French doors in the light-filled Garden Suites open directly onto spacious terraces with rippling hills and dramatic peaks as far as the eye can see. With its own vegetable gardens, orchards and more than 900 olive trees, home-grown produce provides the base for the menus here – best enjoyed alfresco beneath palms swaying in the Balearic breeze.

2. Grove of Narberth, Wales

The gardening team at the Grove of Narberth, a wonderfully rustic retreat which started life as a traditional Welsh longhouse, are continually evolving the beautifully-kept grounds within the 26 acre estate. Perfectly positioned on a hillside overlooking rolling Pembrokeshire countryside, the Grove’s gardens are spectacular in every season, framed by ancient oaks and towering beeches. Be sure to join the Head Gardener for an educational amble around the restored 17th-century walled garden, before settling in to one of the four cottages with private south facing gardens. Period features blend with local crafts and neutral tones, and each room has its own distinct character and features – such as Sorrel in the Herb Cottage with a private garden and wood burning stove.

3. Hotel Nantipa, Costa Rica

With the wildlife-rich rainforest behind you and the ocean in front, you’ll be surrounded by natural beauty at Hotel Nantipa. The Ninta beachfront bungalows open out onto spacious, jungle-enveloped terraces, with private plunge pools and gently swinging hammocks made for barefoot luxury breaks. From dawn to dusk you’ll have the sand between your toes and the sound of crashing waves in your ears, surrounded by tropical plants and sweet-scented flowers.

4. Susafa, Sicily

Immersing guests in Sicilian rural life, Susafa is a 200-year-old family-run farmhouse which celebrates the beauty of its natural surroundings in every way. Chefs gather herbs and vegetables from the gardens, ready for dinner – or for a traditional cookery class. The family harvest olives to press for their own, organic oil, and hand-pick cherries from the orchards for their homemade jam and fruity cocktails. The rustically styled suites are all garden facing, and the ground floor rooms have direct access to a bucolic landscape of cherry trees and a lagoon-like pool set in the green Mediterranean scrub.

5. San Canzian Village & Hotel, Croatia

Perched up on the Croatian peninsula near Buje in the medieval village of Mužolini Donji, the two-storey villa at San Canzian Village & Hotel is surrounded by shady olive groves, its own private garden and outdoor pool, and the celebrated vineyards of San Canzian. From private dinners beneath the olive trees to truffle hunting and sampling the hotel’s home-made dried fig jam and olive oil, San Canzian Village & Hotel celebrates every inch of the Istrian countryside.

6. Dar Ahlam, Morocco

Unwind in a haven of manicured lawns and fragrant almond blossom at Dar Ahlam, a terracotta coloured Kasbah on the fringes of the Moroccan desert, shaded by Skoura palm grove. A stillness reigns over the 19th-century walls, which house a set of Garden Suites on the ground floor which come with beautifully furnished private terraces, dappled by the golden glow of the Saharan sunshine. With no menu or dedicated restaurant space, alfresco tables pop up around the Kasbah grounds serving meals crafted from local ingredients sourced from the souk or grown in the hotel’s garden.

7. The American Colony Hotel, Israel

Deservedly the pride and joy of this Ottoman-inspired oasis, the gardens of The American Colony Hotel wrap the rooms in a leafy light and the exotic scents of Jerusalem. Several of the suites in the Main House boast private patios and lead out onto the fragrant courtyard, shaded by tall mulberry trees throughout the summer and cooled by a central fountain. Guests of The East House can linger by the fishpond or take a quiet moment in one of the other secluded seating areas, set within a functioning herb garden from which the chef makes his daily personal selection for the kitchen.

8. Porto Zante Villas & Spa, Greece

Arrive at Porto Zante Villas & Spa on the naturally beautiful Greek island of Zakynthos to feel the sand beneath your toes as you head to the calm of your totally private villa. Walk through the large glass doors, overlooking the beach, to a deck and your own private pool and garden. The four-bedroom Imperial Spa Villa has the feel of a private estate, with its own dedicated area on the beach and large tropical gardens overlooking the nearby island of Kefalonia, Kyllini castle in the Peloponnese and the endless Ionian Sea.

9. Sowaka, Japan

A restored ‘ryokan’ in one of Japan’s most alluring destinations, the bedrooms and suites at Sowaka Kyoto are discreetly arranged among flourishing green courtyards bubbling with water features. Many of the rooms have their own private gardens, seamlessly blending the outdoors with the traditional Japanese guesthouse interiors infused with modern touches, like handmade cedar wood speakers.

10. Donna Carmela Resort & Lodges, Sicily

Mediterranean scents of citrus and olive groves fill the Ionian Sea air at Donna Carmela Resort & Lodges, where just a handful of spacious suites dotted amongst verdant grounds come with outdoor terraces to take in the Etna or sea-facing views. Here, nature takes centre stage – from the treetop Flora Lodge to the garden-grown produce freshly picked and prepared by the resort’s Sicilian cucina. Branching out this year with new additions to the resort, including upscaled rooms using all-natural materials, this ecologically minded resort is cultivating a slower, more sustainable way to experience Sicily’s eastern coast.

11. Elite Spring Villas, China

Among the tea terraces of southern China you’ll find Elite Spring Villas – an exclusive collection of Zen-infused villas beside natural hot springs. Stroll along pathways between gently bubbling fountains to your private heritage-inspired Garden Floating Clouds villa, before taking a Tai Chi session or tea ceremony beneath an ancient Banyan tree.

12. The Franklin, England

The luxury stores of Knightsbridge are just a hop, skip and jump from The Franklin’s front door, and this grand English townhouse is a most welcome refuge from the hustle and bustle of London life. With high ceilings and full-height windows looking out onto the lovely Egerton Gardens, the elegantly styled Garden Suites are oases within an oasis, where relaxation reigns from the snug library to the Hempel-designed hammam.

13. Muh Shoou Xixi Hotel, China

Every element of Muh Shoou Xixi Hotel is connected to the landscape it belongs to. Flowing lines, pools of water and open-sided structures bring a sense of the outdoors in – as does weather-worn stone, wooden accents and water-washed marble features. Glass walls and open spaces frame views of the wetlands, while the Courtyard Suites take you one step closer to nature from traditional tatami areas onto expansive patios for guests to enjoy the forested surrounds.

14. The George, New Zealand

A stylish urban sanctuary within easy walking distance of Christchurch centre, The George is peacefully situated overlooking the Avon River and Hagley Park. The three bedroom Residence has the feel of a country lodge overlooking the hotel’s private gardens, complete with kitchen, library, dining room on the ground floor.

15. Hidden Hills Villas, Bali

Just as no two stays at Hidden Hills Villas are the same, no two villas are either. Taking inspiration from China, Java, the Mediterranean and, of course, Bali, each has its own distinct personality. You’ll have a personal Jacuzzi or pool, a just-for-you garden or a terrace for taking in the sunsets. Windows for walls open up breath-taking Indian Ocean views, plus you can step straight from a petal-strewn bed or flower-filled bathtub out into your own patch of paradise.