Welcome to the inner workings of my brain. Please keep in line and stay to the left – everything to your right is nightmare-inducing. Here is a list of properties I’m keen on returning to or visiting for the first time. They’re not in Upcoming Stays as they’re clearly not that important.
You can use this as a safe space to yell at me for what I’m missing or mock me for what I’ve included.
Top priority
These are the properties that currently occupy my hopes, dreams and aspirations. You may have grown up wanting to be an astronaut, I just want to sit in a hotel room.
White Desert
Leobo
Tswalu
Iniala Malta
Passalacqua
Jao
Singita Castleton
Singita Kwitonda
Grootbos
Revisit
Fregate
Mombo
Aman Venice
Vatuvara
Amanpulo
Amanoi
Everything else
At some point, I’ve looked at these and thought it warranted noting it. The note might have been proceeded by “never stay here” but we’ll never know.
Argentina
Cavas Wine Lodge
Australia
Lord Howe
Southern Ocean Lodge
Lizard Island
Orpheus
Canada
Nimmo Bay
Churchill Wild
Tweedsmuir Park Lodge
Fogo Island Inn
Caribbean
Belmond Cap Juluca
Amanera
England
Heckfield Place
The Newt
Babington House
Foxhill Manor
Dormy House
Soho Farmhouse
Calcot Manor
Barnsley House
Gidleigh Park
The Giplin
The Idle Rocks
Hartless House
Scarlet Hotel
Gravetye Manor
France
Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc
Hotel de Paris, Monaco
Hungary
Four Seasons Budapest
India
Taj Falaknuma Palace
Italy
Forestis
Hotel Il Pellicano
Palazzo Avio
Villa TreVille
Borgo Santo Pietro
Borgo Egnazia
Capri Palace
Hotel de la Ville
Hotel La Palma
Il San Pietro
Le Sirenuse
Santa Caterina
Monastero Santa Rosa
Indonesia
Bawah
Nihi Sumba
Japan
Amanemu
Mexico
Hotel Esencia
Casa Cuixmala
Hacienda de San Antonio
New Zealand
Huka Lodge
Peru
Delfin Amazon Cruise
Monasterio, A Belmond Hotel
Philippines
Nay Palad
Banwa
Portugal
The Yeatman, Porto
Vila Joya
Vila Vita Parc
Six Senses Douro Valley
Scotland
Gleneagles Townhouse
Spain
Mandarin Oriental Ritz, Madrid
Four Seasons Madrid
Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona
Sweden
Ett Hem
Artic Bath
Switzerland
Victoria Jungfrau
Turkey
Four Seasons, Istanbul
United States
Amangiri (Camp Sarika)
Amangani
Post Ranch Inn
Twin Farms
The Point
Blackberry Farm
Four Seasons Orlando
Would recommend adding Sam Ysidro Ranch in Santa Barbara, and staying in Casa Cuixmala as well as its sister property Hacienda de San Antonio in Mexico!
Good idea. We’re familiar with both Cuixmala and Hacienda, it was just too much hassle to get to either last time we were in Mexico.
For your Canada selections, I recommend you to consider Clayoquot Wilderness
Already been and reviewed it. Wasn’t a fan.
In the US/Caribbean, I would add The Ranch at Rock Creek, consider swapping Blackberry Mountain for Blackberry Farm (newer, more activities, much younger crowd), consider the Mandarin Oriental Canouan (only the Italian villas, the rest of the hotel is very old), and swapping Amanyara for Parrot Cay!
This is quite a list, with a lot of inspiration! Thank you! If you don’t mind, I have a few suggestions based on places I’ve researched and come across. Blackberry Mountain should definitely be on your list for the USA (I visited in 2021). In the Caribbean I think that you ought to at least consider: Mandarin Oriental Canouan and Jumby Bay in addition to your list. In the USA I would say that you could add: The Green-O, Lodge at Blue Sky, Chatwal Lodge, and Winterlake Lodge. In New Zealand, there’s Annandale, Solitaire Lodge, and The Lindis. Lastly, in Iceland, I think that Deplar Farm is worth a mention. Sorry if this is an overload, I love your lists and appreciate the effort your put into this site very much. Look forward to future reviews. Thanks!
The Grove in Wales AMAZING. A perfectly lovely stay June 2022. Can’t say enough about it. Service , food, rooms (complimentary mini-bar), location , 2 different restaurants plus several cozy rooms to sit and relax. You must add to your hit list.
With your budget, you can look at an exclusive Delfin charter for the Peruvian Amazon cruise (from $8k per day). https://www.rainforestcruises.com/cruises/delfin-i-amazon?charter=true
Fair list
Worth adding:
Badrutt’s Palace
Cala di Volpe & sister properties
The Chedi Andermatt and The Alpina Gstaad 10 years from now once better settled
(The “proper hotel per square km” rate in CH is very high – PHV being its current crown jewel, those hydraulically suspended windoors and the auto-lift door stoppers are excess liquidity at its finest)
I’d close with Zaya / Nurai Island for its paradise proximity to a real city
On a separate note, might be worth avoiding the odd MO at Lake Como.
I would add The Datai to your list. It’s a magical place. Much better than the Four Seasons and others on the same island. Trust me. It’s special.
Any plans to check out FS Damascus?
That feels like a kidnapping threat
New mgmt does leave a lot to be desired… Could it really be any worse than Soneva Jani?
We booked Southern Ocean Lodge but it burn down 2 weeks before our trip (Januari 2020). Think the plan is rebuild and open year?? Rebooked to Sequoia Lodge outside Adelaide.
Curious to hear your thoughts about Passalacqua if you end up going. Same owners as Grand Hotel Tremezzo, which relies heavily on social media hype. The receptionist I spoke with when I called was so inexperienced I crossed it out as just another expensive photo set without real substance or real service.
Staying in at Southern Ocean and Lizard Island next year – would love to hear your thoughts if you get there before me. While at Cap Juluca, would be worth a trip over to Quintessence while you’re on the island.
It’s highly unlikely I’ll be returning to Australia anytime soon. It’s either a 22 hour flight with a toddler or going solo – I’m not sure what’s worse. You should always travel with someone to Australia, as everything out there is trying to kill you, so you halve your chances if it can attack them first.