7 boutique hotels to inspire your next holiday

What moments are you manifesting for your travels this year? Whether it’s sipping mezcal by a private lagoon somewhere in the Mexican jungle, meditating creekside beneath Sedona’s red rocks, or dining on just-plucked artichokes in the Apulian countryside, these boutique stays offer immersive, considered experiences in carefully sought-out corners of the world.

1. Masseria Palombara Relais & Spa, Apulia - Italy

Set within sun-dappled olive groves and almond trees near Oria, Masseria Palombara Relais & Spa is a 2,700-year-old fortified masseria standing as a bastion of Apulian heritage. The spa lives within a vaulted granary, where Romanesque stone arches enfold a ritual suite — hammam, sauna, heated pool, and cold plunge all flowing beneath medieval buttresses. Breakfasts arrive on Grottaglie ceramics, dinners by hearth light showcase seasonal fare and local vintages. Expect long, unhurried meals, with organic homegrown produce, eggs from the hotel’s own hens and honey from the groves which encircle this agrarian haven.

4. Hotel Lucia, Portland - USA

A living homage to Portland’s creative spirit, Hotel Lucia occupies a meticulously restored 1909 Whidden & Lewis building. Gallery-style interiors, featuring rotating prints by Pulitzer Prize-winning, Oregon-bred photographer David Hume Kennerly, sit alongside plush velvet armchairs and pops of vibrant orange. Stay here with four-legged friends who’ll enjoy VIP (very important pup) treats — from edible welcome kits and toys to comfy beds. Evenings hum with retro Penny Diner nights, craft-beer tastings, and lobby board games — while complimentary bikes and a make-it-happen concierge ethos ensure the downtown’s quirks are at your feet.

7. Maya Hotel Courchevel 1850, Courchevel – France

Opening December 2025

Save this one for your winter wish-list. Ski-in, chic, and decidedly zen, Maya Hotel Courchevel 1850 merges stripped-back Japanese minimalism with high ailtitude refinement. Interiors by renowned architect and designer, Sylvestre Murigneux, are rendered in warm woods, Lalique crystal accents, and sunken soaking tubs. Its 14 rooms — including a slate-stone-haven Lalique suite with private massage room — are the essence of cocooning alpine design. Japanese-Thai fusion dishes keep the menu at MayaBay feeling fresh and flavourful, and offer a welcome dash of warming spice after days spent chasing powder in the French Alps.

Previous

Top things to do, see, and eat in Cefalù: plus, where to stay in Sicily

Next

Game, set, relax: 8 boutique hotels where tennis takes centre court

Latest stories

Caribbean island-hopping in the Lesser Antilles: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda

There’s no rule that says your Caribbean escape has to be a one-island affair. Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda are close enough to link in a single trip — and different enough to keep every day feeling new. This Lesser Antilles itinerary links three Leeward Islands; Anguilla’s laid-back, barefoot glamour with

Susafa: the eco-friendly farmhouse to book in rural Sicily

Trade the crowds of Palermo for something quieter, slower, and more soulful in Sicily’s rugged interior. Susafa, a centuries-old farm turned sustainable hotel, offers a different kind of Sicilian escape. This isn’t the place you come to check off sights. Instead, your days unfold gently, lingering by the pool, strolling

The ultimate Madrid city guide

Sometimes overlooked by other European capitals, Spain’s biggest city has so much to offer from world-class museums and galleries to talking-point architecture and a lively music scene. Madrileños also take food (and drink) very seriously, and whether you want to prop at the bar for the tastiest tortilla or your

Sicily on a plate: a foodie guide to the Italian island

There’s something about Sicily that sticks with you. On your skin, in your camera roll, in how quickly you develop opinions about brioche. The island is full of contrasts: volcanic cliffs and citrus groves, peeling paint and polished marble, sea urchins eaten on plastic plates next to grand old cafés