hip destinations

Short Break: Valencia's Renaissance

Valencia on Spain's eastern coast is experiencing a renaissance. Not only will Valencia host the 2007 America's Cup, the first held in Europe, it has caught up with other hip cities in Europe. The skyline has been embellished with everything from an impressive contemporary art museum to the sprawling Ciutat de les Arts i de les Cienes, Santiago Calatrava's swooping collection of white, organically contoured museums and theaters. The special charm of Valencia is a mix of Seville with its crowded cafes and tree-shaded plazas, the Moorish traces and ancient monuments of Granada as well as the tumultuous nightlife of Madrid. Yet this old city by the sea also has an identity all its own, as just one spin around town will attest.
Where to stay There are a few new upmarket desinger hotels that signals Valencia's change in fortunes. We recommend the Palau de la Mar, housed in a adjoning pair of eleganat 19th-century mansions, mingles grand marble entryways and staricases with 66 sleek rooms. The white walls, chocolate-brown floors, and antique tubs provide a tranquil respite from the glamourous streets.

Just back from Marrakech . . .

Do you want to experience something different? Fly to Marrakech and indulge yourself in the fascination of this bustling city. Stay at the Riad El Fenn and enjoy a luxurious oasis. Carefully designed - this place makes you forget that you are in the middle of the Medina. The food, served on the rooftop terrace with a spectacular view of the high atlas, is home grown and organic, tastefully arranged by the skillful chef.

Short Breaks: City or Beach? Enjoy both: Barcelona

City or Beach? There is no need to decide - Barcelona offers both. Barcelona is the ideal city for a loooong weekend. Here are three hotels we recommend: Hotel Pulitzer is a new design hotel built right in the heart of Barcelona, located at Plaza Catalunya, the main cultural, historical, business and shopping area. Try to get a room with a private roof terrace. In the Gothic Quarter, also close to Plaza Catalunya, you find the Hotel Neri, a small boutique hotel in an old, gothic house. We especially recommend the high-tech rooms and the exquisite restaurant. The hotel is so small that the staff treats you like you're the owner of the house. If you are looking for an unusual, luxury experience, try Gran Hotel La Florida located on Mount Tibidabo. Twenty minutes from the sweltering masses at Gaudí's Sagrada Familia cathedral and the teeming Ramblas promenade, this unique hotel isn't exactly in Barcelona; rather, it hovers above it. Everything about this place is deluxe - the views of the town are spectacular and it features an indoor/outdoor pool that literally overlooks the entire city.

Short Breaks: The Villa Dar Zina - A quiet haven in bustling Marrakesh

Just a few minutes from the hustle and bustle of the famous Djamaa El Fna place, is the quite legendary Targa palm plantation where the Villa Dar Zina stands. Combining contemporary comfort and oriental refinement, you will live in an enchanting environment. The exceptional Villa Dar Zina is located in the heart of a luxurious garden, where bougainvilleas, palm trees, jasmin, citrus trees and orange trees grow and give off rich appeasing fragrances that delight your senses. You can rent the whole villa (including the ten staff members) or just one of the four suites and four double rooms. The Villa Dar Zina has a very special charm when the sun sets and the lamps are lit in the garden.

Envy in Amsterdam

If you are in Amsterdam and are bored with the usual open face sandwiches - try Envy, a new delicatessen restaurant. Ultra modern design with an open kitchen, oak wood fridges with chrome handles, the restaurant looks like a delicatessen shop somewhere in Italy. The food is just delicious and the ambience always busy.

City Hotel: Zurich's Hotel Baur au Lac in new glamour

Zurich's Hotel Baur au Lac is a top address in the middle of the city, ideally located at the shore of Lake Zurich (and close to the luxurious Bahnhofstrasse, Zurich's premier shopping address). A perfect place to get some rest and relax in the busy City. The hotel has recently, under the pressure of the new Park Hyatt Hotel and the Grand Hotel Dolder which will re-open in early 2007, undergone a major renovation. The guestrooms have been newly decorated and the bathrooms have been completely redone and are now finally meeting international standard. Don't miss the small but well equipped fitness room on the roof-top of the building. The spectacular view of Lake Zurich and the Swiss Alps is worth the sweat of your work-out.
Best thing: The magnificent garden, a real oasis next to the Lake.
There is also a small restaurant ideally for a lunch or just for relaxing with a drink and enjoying the wonderful atmosphere.
Worst thing: The dreadful plastic chairs on the guest room's private balconies. Didn't the interior designer who was responsible for the refurnishing of the guest rooms see them?

Private Collection: La Gioia - A charming country house in Umbria

Whatever your heart desires - La Gioia extends a warm welcome. Daniel and Marianne Aerni-Kühne, a Swiss couple, have converted a 300-year-old defunct oil and grain mill into a charming country hotel. La Gioia is an oasis of tranquility and "joie de vivre". Enjoy the inspiring remoteness from everyday routine. Relax in the heart of Italy's lush green hills. An ideal place to start exploring Umbria with its small medieval villages such as Montefalco or Spoleto.
The Country House La Gioia offers one single and eleven double rooms, all of them reflecting the harmonious earthy hues of the region. The rooms are individually furbished with loving attention to detail (Marianne is a former interior designer).
A special treat is the restaurant with its open terrace. Enjoy an evening under the stars with delicious food, excellent wines from the region and the charming, discreet attention from the hosts.

Private Collection: Casa Howard - A designer B&B in Rome

Casa Howard was one of the first designer B&Bs in Rome and consists of five distinctive guestrooms. Owners Jenifer Howard Fornieris and her husband carefully watch over all the details that mean a lot to experienced travelers; best quality fabrics, an Italian breakfast with freshly-baked cornetti (sweet croissants) and home made jam from the owner's Tuscan estate served in the guest rooms, soaps from the historic Santa Maria Novella pharmacy in Florence. The concept was so successful that Jenifer added a second casa on via Sistina which is slightly more expensive than the first one on via Capo le Case. Architect Tommaso Ziffer who was brought in to apply his retro-modern touch to the rooms worked only on one other project in Rome, the much more expensive Hotel de Russie. Both casas have small hammams, and via Sistina has broadband Internet connection in every room.

Short Breaks: A gourmet hideaway in Brittany

Are you longing for a break away from big cities, trendy designer hotels, party crowds and unbearable noisy restaurants and bars? A place to unwind, relax and get pampered by a couple who lives for their guests and their well-being is Jane and Olivier Roellinger's "Maisons de Bricourt" in Cancale, Brittany, France.
Overlooking the bay of Mont Saint-Michel, Chateaux Richeau, an old castle-like building with 18 rooms, including 2 suites, each individually designed with a lot of charm, host the casual restaurant "Le coquillage". There you can enjoy a fabulous "plateaux de crustacés" while enjoying the view over the bay. The signature restaurant, where Olivier Roellinger and his talented crew combine local specialties with spices from his trips to the most exotic places, is located just a short drive away in the village. A private shuttle takes you there, so the rigid regulations about drinking and driving in France will not affect your experience.
During the day you can relax in the wonderful gardens overlooking the bay, walk along the cliffs or visit St. Malo, a small city with a rich history.