Your favourite money-no-object hotel?

[Jimmyville]

I am planning a possible trip or trips for my 50th and for some of it I would like to go to a fabulous hotel. The best. Anywhere in the world or the UK.

please bring me your tips/daydreams for hotel bliss!

Another vote for Burgh Island. Also love a Chewton Glen treehouse or a suite at Cliveden (although a tad chintzy for my taste).

We’ve never really stayed anywhere super swanky abroad, although we have done Raffles in Singapore which was nice and the Crillon in Paris. Neither were worth the price imo.

These all sound amazing 🤩

In which case, Las Lagunas in Flores, Guatemala. In the middle of a lake in the middle of a jungle but 20 minutes from an airport. Some of the best Mayan ruins a stone's throw away. Restaurant on site but not AI. Feels like a luxury lodge but run by people who like you

Udaipur ❤️

Giraffe manor, Nairobi, stay there 2 nights and do a safari too

Da nang intercontinental - amazing location, huge rooms, rare monkeys on paths, 20min into town if you want to eat out. Club level a must.

We had two nights at the Ritz for our ten year anniversary and did the dinner and dance there and it was fabulous. Thinking of staying again for my 40th

Is it the Bellevue Syrene in Sorrento? I went to a wedding there years ago and it was amazing, but we couldn’t afford to stay the night at the hotel.

For Raffles style and luxury, the Eastern & Oriental in Penang is a bargain. It was built by the Sarkies brothers who built the Raffles and other hotels around South East Asia. Make sure to book on the sea view side, as the road side is noisy.

Mandarin orientalLondon

UK, a spa suite at the Gilpin.

Gleneagles
The Witchery
Hotel Gritti Palace, Venice.

Once In a lifetime: Icehotel Sweden
Pure luxury: Four Seasons Landaa Maldives
Surprise of the year: Oberoi Marrakesh
Weekevd away: suite at Four Seasons George V Paris or FS Florence for service
Best spa in the world: Silky Oaks Lodge, Daintree rainforest Australia

Six Senses Con Dao is in an amazing location.
Ritz Carlton Hong Kong is, again, a great hotel in an amazing location.
Four Seasons in Kyoto is beautiful with fabulous rooms.
George V in Paris.
Claridges in London.

@EmeraldRoulette we stayed at the Ritz in London a few years ago for a long birthday weekend. We were in Covid-esque times so didn’t want to venture abroad. Everything was quietly elegant. Comfortable rooms, great food and service and the thing I remember most fondly was the breakfast - you could sit there undisturbed and read your newspaper in peace. In fact, it’s the only place I’ve stayed where I can say it was faultless. Looking forward to trying the one in Paris.

The Headland in Penzance.

For safari, best for luxury was Ngoro Ngoro crater lodge, but I loved Lake Manyara tree lodge even better. Simple, but magical.

Le manoir quatre saisons near Oxford, fabulous rooms, 2 michelin star restaurant- they're building a spa but I don't know when it'll be ready

Pennyhill park has a lovely spa and one star michelin

Cool rooms in Madrid is an old palace hotel and its beautiful

Paradise Cove, mauritius

The grand mercure in Agra, India was pretty good - can see the Taj Mahal from the roof pool and bar/restaurant. Added bonus - you get to visit India. Is amazing and a very special experience, especially with your own driver and private guides (which is actually cheaper than those group tour holidays for 2 people!)

In the U.K. the Buxton Crescent is excellent, especially if you like to combine with a bit of nature

1. Burj Al Arab, Dubai / Emirates Palace Abu Dhabi
2. The Lodge at Sonoma Valley (California)
3. Taj Mumbai
4. If you can afford the suites then Claridges Mayfair / Dorchester / Ritz in London. If you can’t then Shangri-La near London Bridge

Oh and I'm the current series of that amazing hotels series, there was one in Rome that looked really special, family run and really high end in a classy way

Wading in on Oman... I was underwhelmed by the Chedi - it was very much style over substance, and as it's in the city it's a bit underwhelming driving in from Azaiba with lots of new tall building popping up around it. Al Bustan is lovely, stayed many times -on it's own private sweep of beach, but a little dated. I've stayed the most at the Shangrila Al Husn. Lovely in that it's adult only (but you have access to the other attached hotels). It's got its own private beach, you get breakfast, afternoon tea and an evening cocktail hour with canapes, drinks and a musician(s) as standard. Oh and free mini bar.
Pair Muscat with a stay up in the mountains (Anantara and Alila both excellent)

Hamilton island on the great barrier ref was amazing! As was the hotel on lake Louise in Canada. I always wanted to go to shutters on the beach in California,
I suggest browsing old episodes of Giles (now Rob) and Monica for inspiration!!

If you're really into food and want something special in the middle of nowhere then the Georges Blanc hotel in Vonnas, France. Three star Michelin in a tiny village which has evolved to become a foodie heaven around the hotel. Hotel itself has the mandatory spa, pool etc but is nice, not take your breath away. But the meals are really breathtakingly good.