Touching Down in Cape Town

The question isn't "what should we do?" but "how can we fit it all in?" Foodies, families, party animals — there's something for literally everyone. Contributing editor Christina Ohly breaks down your many, many options.

CAPE TOWN, South Africa – Picture the perfect mix of Los Angeles, San Franciso, and Napa Valley — with a little Bilbao thrown in for good cultural measure — and you've got Cape Town and the Winelands. It's pretty much the perfect destination for a foodie (copious amounts of fresh fish and global cuisine) who also loves nice weather, nature, and great design. The town is still abuzz after its starring role in the 2010 World Cup, and there is so much to learn about, from wildlife (playful penguins at Boulders Beach) to history (tours of the townships, where your eyes will be opened to the way millions of South Africans live in the face of incredible adversity).

Cape Town is a city with style and edge. Partiers will love the Ibiza-like vibe at al fresco beach clubs and restaurants, where the Veuve flows freely and an entire cosmopolitan world whizzes by. At the same time, the trip proved ideal for my children (ages nine and ten), who loved the hiking, cheetah-petting, and the ever-popular hotel swimming pool. The holiday was meaningful (though not in a museum-filled sort of way) and completely relaxing at the same time.

A cable car climbing Table Mountain. Photo: flowcomm / Flickr

WHAT TO DO

As I said, your biggest challenge will be paring down the itinerary. Outdoor enthusiasts go for big surf and challenging hikes, while aesthetes hit the design-centric shops in Cape Quarter. History and wildlife are everywhere. The best part is that you can sample a little of everything, making for days that are always varied.

LOOK
Table Mountain is a must for anyone not prone to vertigo. A seriously steep cable car whisks large groups to the top of a spectacular rock formation which has incredible views of the ocean, football stadiums, and flowering plants.

HIKE
Lion's Head also has spectacular vistas — onto Table Bay, the Atlantic Ocean, and Robben Island in the distance. This is a manageable three-hour hike (with stops), though not ideal for small children due to several steep pitches.

Robben Island Museum. Photo: wirelizard / Flickr

LEARN
Robben Island Museum, the former prison that once held Nelson Mandela, bills itself as a "poignant reminder to the newly democratic South Africa and the price paid to freedom." You'll learn about the Cape's complicated political history and the anti-apartheid activists who were jailed here. How poignant is it? Many tour guides are former prisoners. The island can be accessed by ferry from the Victoria & Albert Waterfront.

LEARN SOME MORE
A tour of a township is one of the few absolute must-dos in Cape Town. These are not designed to be depressing, begging-bowl routes or guilt trips. One of the best private operators, Uthando Tours, works with children's music and dance groups, women's gardening collectives, and prisoner rehabilitation projects that are making life better for all. Truly inspiring.

An African penguin at Boulders Bay Beach. Photo: jorge-11 / Flickr

GET WITH NATURE
Boulders Bay Beach is worth the quick trip from the center of town for the endearing African penguins that frolic freely on pristine beaches. In warmer months, you can swim. Add a stop in quaint Simon's Town for ice cream and local beadwork shops.

SURF
At Surf Shack in nearby Muizenberg, the waves break (relatively) gently, making it a perfect spot to take up the sport. Just beware the ominous shark warning flags that are frequently posted along these coastlines. Shark spotters — often located in central lookout points — add a whole level of excitement to local water sports.

Photo: Courtesy of Babylonstoren

EAT, DRINK, AND BE MERRY
And do so amid mountain ranges, sprawling vineyards, and beautiful Cape Dutch-style homesteads. Stellenbosch, in the heart of wine country, is worth a detour. Don't miss lunch at the Delaire Graff Restaurant. Franschhoek is considered the gourmet capital of South Africa. French Huguenot style abounds, not to mention farm-to-table eating at every turn in this part of the world. Another regional best bet is Babylonstoren, an eight acre garden/stylish inn that is a fresh food paradise. (Read more about this incredible place in another Fathom postcard.) 

Photo: Courtesy of Nap Living

SHOP

Cape Town is an epicenter of great design, artisinal craftwork, and homemade foods of all kinds. The Bo Kaap and Cape Quarter areas are bursting with boutiques that cater to an aesthetically-minded crowd. Nap Living is a Zen sanctuary that sells homewares like bath salts to delectable fudge. Find African-made clothing at Merchants on Long. Stock up on baskets, beadwork, and ceramics at African Nova and Monkey Biz. Head to the hip Woodstock area for an exquisite selection of art, antique, and decorative objects at O.live (8 Kloof St; +27-21-426-5773).

Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden. Photo: dkeats / Flickr

WITH THE KIDS

While virtually everything is casual and kid-friendly in Cape Town, there are a few spots that are not to be missed, especially when the family is in tow.

HANDS-ON FUN
Children of all ages will go crazy for the Cheetah and Raptor Centre at Spier, where they can learn about these magnificent cats and even pet the more docile ones. At The Eagle Encounters, a bird of prey rehabilitation, education, and conservation program, children can feel raptors alight on their arms (best for kids older than seven) and watch dancing barn owls sway to local tunes. Bonus: Spier is a world-class wine with a casual restaurant, Eight, that serves delicious food.

GO GREEN
Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden, regarded as one of the most beautiful in the world, is the perfect place to let children run free amidst 7,000 different species of flora. While the gardens are lush year-round, the best time to visit for maximum plants in flower is in spring and early summer (August-November).

Photo: Courtesy of Cape Grace Hotel

WHERE TO STAY

Cape Town is a city that is easily explored on foot, so a central location is key. There are several good bets for families, as well as smaller, stylish places that are perfect for couples or solo travelers.

Cape Grace Hotel
Set on a private quay on the bustling Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, the hotel has an ideal mix of top-notch service, rooms that look across the harbor in all directions, and the all-important swimming pool (especially during the warmer summer months). It is newer in feel, and the amenities — kitchenettes, great laundry service, massive terrace — make for a successful, smooth stay.

The Mount Nelson Hotel
The hotel remains old-school, with 209 rooms overlooking Table Mountain, lush gardens, or the hotel pool. Restored garden cottage suites work well for couples seeking a hidden retreat; superior one-bedroom suites are perfect for families. Nine acres of gardens and proximity to Two Oceans Aquarium make the hotel great for kids.

The Cape Heritage Hotel
There's a wonderful mix of South African history throughout the recently-renovated rooms, along with enormous, high-ceilinged suites, state-of-the-art bathrooms, and a sweet trellised courtyard. The hotel is all about social responsibility: They participate in mentoring programs for at-risk kids and support local producers and craftspeople.

Cape Cadogan
A tiny gem of a boutique hotel that perfectly mixes history with contemporary, chic accents. This place is very high-touch, almost like staying in a tasteful friend's home.

One & Only Cape Town
Centrally located and probably the slickest game town with excellent dining options (Nobu and Maze restaurants) and incredible spa offerings (Elevate massages, yoga classes).

Photo: Courtesy of Harbour House

WHERE TO EAT

You just can't go wrong. From delicious sushi and Italian specialties to local Cape cuisine, the emphasis is on fresh ingredients and plates that please both the palate and the eye. You'll find universal favorites almost everwhere: the ubiquitous Caesar salad, California rolls, fish and chips, thin crust pizzas — all slightly reimagined and all delicious — as well as Dutch and Afrikaans-inspired dishes.

Harbour House
Their newest outpost is located directly on the Victoria & Alfred waterfront, and an outdoor table is a great spot for watching boats and buskers. Best described as a modern fusion, the menu ranges from light pastas and maki rolls for kids to freshly grilled Kingklip, a local fish delicacy.

Live Bait
A casual open-air bistro on a pier in quaint Kalk Bay, overlooking the water and the basking seals below. The lunch menu is perfect for a light bite: catches of the day, prawn cocktail, inventive signature salads, and freshly shucked oysters. As with most restaurants in South Africa, there really is something for everyone.

The Grand Café & Beach
Just a five-minute walk from town on Granger Bay, this is the place to people-wach (seriously leggy blondes in strappy sandals) and enjoy a varied menu of seafood, wood-fired pizzas, and a dessert sampler that I'm still recovering from (indigenous fruits, popsicles, chocolates). The place feels a bit like Ibiza. Kids can frolic with an enormous disco ball in the sand. Good times.

The Bunglaow. Photo: Christina Ohly

The Bungalow
Located in scenic Clifton, just a few miles outside of town, the relative newcomer is exactly what traevlers from wintry, dark clime seek: a sprawling outdoor deck overlooking the sea, an incredibly cheerful wait staff, and a little techno/house overlay in the background. It's a restaurant by evening, but turns into a full-on club in the wee hours. Go for the top-knotch burgers with guacamole and brie, vanilla-smoked butterfish, and the view.

Babylonstoren
If I had my way, Babylonstoren would serve me my last meal on earth. Set in the Winelands, the innovative farm/restaurant/small inn is a perfect mix of fresh produce, imaginative cuisine, and tasteful minimalist out-buildings that meld seamlessly into the landscape. Stroll the expansive gardens before drinking freshly squeezed juices, delving into salads of all tastes and colors — red (slow-roasted tomato, crisp wild rice, pomegranate), yellow (spekboom, melon, sweetcorn), and green (spinach chiffonade, minted zucchini ribbons) — not to mention the most succulent, locally farmed lamb cutlets that will ever pass your lips. I am still in awe of this place, and I'm pretty sure Alice Waters would be, too. Miraculously, it's remarkably inexpensive, and they cater to kids (a French fry is a French fry, organic or not).

95 Keeron
Delicious tuna tartare, carpaccios of beef and line fish, and grilled ostrich filet are all on the menu at the minimalist, Milanese favorite. The brick-and-wood interior with warm, natural lighting, it´s a vibrant (though relaxing) spot with a bit of buzz.

Bistro Sixteen82
A glass-and-light-filled, Zen oasis at Steenberg Vineyards in Constantia Valley with views of False Bay in the distance. Savor plum tomato gazpacho, summer vegetable capellini, locally cured meats, and a killer carrot cake "composition" for dessert. The kids menu is so good that parents will happily devour any/all of it.

The Roundhouse
A former hunting lodge overlooking beautiful Camps Bay where they serve a feast of tapas and local specialties like fallow deer, cob, and guinea fowl sausage. The cuisine is refined South African with modern European twists, and the atmosphere is laid back enough to keep from feeling oppressive. Oenophiles will love this one for its extensive cellar and unique pairings.

Other Good Bets
Il Leone Mastrantonio for great Italian.
Greenhouse at Cellars for imaginative tasting menus in an intimate setting.
Café Paradiso for kids' pizza-making programs.
Test Kitchen for creative takes on traditional Cape cuisine.

PLAN YOUR TRIP

When To Go
Cape Town enjoys a sunny, mild climate year-round, but it is at its very best between November and March, when the days are long and dry.

How To Get There
South African Airways and British Airways both offer nightly non-stop flights direct to Cape Town International Airport (CPT), and South African Airways also has flights from New York to Johannesberg with connections to Cape Town on local carriers.

Great Guides and Planners
India Baird (+27-0-82-734-4569): An American civil rights lawyer, foodie, and outdoorswoman who gave us lots of local color and insider knowledge.
Lisa Lindbald Travel Design: Based in New York with a knack for arranging the best tours, operators, and in-country flights.
Ilios Tours: For Table Mountain tours, transfers, and more specifics.

Troutbeck Is (Once Again) New York City's Perfect Retreat

The just-opened Troutbeck hotel is a unique Hudson Valley hideaway that’s at once historic, low-key, and luxurious. Christina Ohly takes a look around.

AMENIA, New York — All the cool kids are flocking to the Hudson Valley — and for good reason. They’re drawn to the lush landscape, the fine cuisine, and the lack of traffic and pretense. So it has always puzzled me why there are so few — if any — really lovely, top-notch places to stay around here. 

The scene has just changed for the better with the opening of the re-envisioned Troutbeck, a 250 year-old inn-cum-gathering spot in Amenia that has played host to Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Mark Twain, Ernest Hemmingway, Governor Teddy Roosevelt, and such giants of the civil liberties movement as Sinclair Lewis, W.E.B. Du Bois, Thurgood Marshall, and Langston Hughes.

You’re swept up in the history of the place from the approach: a glorious lawn leading to a massive slate-covered Manor House. The building has seventeen highly individualized rooms — some sprawling suites, some intimate doubles that are perfect for a one-night escape. They were designed by Alexandra Champalimaud, whose storied hotel credits include The Hotel Bel-Air and The Carlyle. But this project is personal: Not only is she a nearby resident, but her son Anthony Champalimaud is the hotelier running the luxurious compound.

Troutbeck is personal for me, too, as my mother lives in the area. I initially came for lunch, having heard that the chef from Fish & Game, a wonderful Dutchess County restaurant, had landed here.

I was beyond impressed by the food and the ambience. What started as a quest for a simple salad and sandwich led to a leisurely lunch with Anthony, who spent hours telling me incredible stories of Troutbeck’s past and showing me around the 45-acre property, including the rooms at the separate Century House. Cottages, which are slated to open next summer, will no doubt appeal to discerning travelers who love their privacy.

BOOK IT

Rates change seasonally and typically range from $225-$900 depending on room type. Click here for reservations.

Checking In

Location
The Dutchess County property is just two easy hours from New York City on border of Litchfield County, Connecticut. The setting is ideal throughout the seasons: Hiking, biking, snowshoeing, reading by a roaring fire, and swimming in the pool in summer are just a few of the activities on offer.

Hotel Style
The current owners — a consortium of area residents who prefer to stay under the radar — have preserved the rich roots of Troutbeck while updating it for today’s tasteful (and demanding) traveler. The original slate tiles remain on the exterior of the Manor House, but interiors have been lightened to create warm, minimalist, homey spaces. The guest rooms are highly individualized and honor the original woodwork, windows, and quirky configurations, but have been updated with LCD TVs, Tivoli Audio Bluetooth everything, and Frette linens that making lying in a must.

This Place Is Perfect For
Couples looking for a weekend escape, anyone looking to gather a group of friends for the ultimate and intimate house party, and families with older children who seek a dose of nature and maybe skiing at nearby Mohawk Mountain. Troutbeck is also perfect for history buffs and, come to think of it, anyone looking to write their next, great novel.

What’s on Site
The smart owners have thought of virtually everything a picky Manhattanite might need, and gear is plentiful supply. No need to pack snowshoes, tennis rackets, yoga mats, children’s toys, or even chic Kenyan Kikoy towels for swaddling post-swim. It’s all here.

The food is no afterthought and is in plentiful supply. The spacious main restaurant seats 76 and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Seating options include cozy booths, an inviting farm table for twelve in front the fireplace, and an outdoor deck for casual suppers under the stars. It has become a magnet for locals, so be sure to book ahead. The seasonal poolside grill serves incredible burgers. A fully stocked pantry (with a cute Smeg fridge) is a nice touch for returning outdoor enthusiasts or anyone in search of cocktail hour nibbles.

Number of Rooms
There are 37 total guest rooms in the Manor House and Century House, with nine suites and multiple connecting configurations possible. Cottages will open in the summer.

In-Room Amenities
The WiFi is excellent, as are the Malin & Goetz bath products that match Troutbeck’s low-key yet luxurious aesthetic. Thick Frette robes, down duvets, radiant heated bathrooms, soaking tubs with smart book caddies, and breakfast in bed are among the thoughtful touches.

Drawbacks
I am hard-pressed to identify one, but, if pushed, a few of the rooms are dark. The building is old and made of wood and slate, so this is to be expected. If this is an issue, request a light-filled room upon booking.

Standout Details
The standouts are the original features that have been painstakingly preserved, like the Walled Garden dating from 1916 that’s tiered over two levels and feels like a magical escape. And the stylish pole barn now strewn with little white lights to make for an ideal party setting. A sweet old stone chapel makes the visitor feel like they’re in Ye Olde England.

In terms of contemporary standouts, the food and service make Troutbeck feel so warm and welcoming. I’ve never had a more delicious (if elevated!) grilled cheese sandwich, and the staff are all so incredibly kind and accommodating that the hotel feels, to borrow an overused cliché that really fits, like a home away from home.

Checking Out

Surroundings
The 45 wooded acres of Troutbeck have it all: streams for fishing (poles are provided), hiking trails, towns dotted with cute antique shops, bucolic spots for morning yoga. It’s a quiet, natural setting just perfect for quick restoration.

What to Do Nearby
You’re in striking distance of all sort of interesting options, like the artist-run The Wassaic Project and MassMOCA in nearby Lenox, Massachusetts, a world-class art destination that’s worth a day trip. So is a detour north to the antique-filled town of Hudson for mid-century and vintage furniture at Red Chair on Warren and beautifully curated finds at Finch. Fuel up on inventive pizzas at Baba Louie’s before heading south to explore the quaint towns of Litchfield, Kent, and Salisbury with their postcard-perfect white church steeples. For those with a need for speed, Lime Rock Park offers race car driving lessons and skiers will love nearby Mohawk Mountain.

Plan Your Trip

How to Get There
Troutbeck is an easy two-hour drive from New York City and six minutes away from the Wassaic train station that’s serviced by MetroNorth. Stewart International Airport is an hour away and is serviced by flights from Europe and Canada.

Getting Around
A car is definitely helpful as there is so much to explore — towns, parks, stores, and art galleries. The hotel will happily pick up guests from the train station, so if you plan to sit still and lounge on property, a train trip with no car works perfectly well.

Keep Exploring the Hudson Valley

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A Romantic Hudson Valley Retreat For All Seasons
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The Best of City and Country Rolled into One Little Weekend in Hudson, NY

US Road Trips: The Northeast

The quintessential city escape: seaside retreats, rolling hills, secluded lakes, beachy hangouts, sunset beers. Pack up and hit the highway with this list of weekend road trip destinations in the northeast United States. Are we there yet?

Jump to: Connecticut | Maine | Maryland | Massachusetts | New York | Rhode Island | Vermont

Photo courtesy of Privet House.

Head to Southport/Westport

If you're in the mood for low-key antiquing and the beach. The Delmar Hotel and Artisan restaurant are around the corner from what is, quite possibly, the sweetest, tiniest town. Terrain, Anthropologie's stunning offshoot (greenhouse, garden center, cafe), has a packed summer lineup of classes and events.
Route to take: Straight shot on I-95, 90 minutes from Manhattan.
Good to know: The Gray Goose Cafe is adorable for lunch.

Head to Greenwich

If you're in the mood for fresh air and fancy shopping. Hit "The Ave" for boutiques like Privet House. Enjoy a leisurely lunch at local favorite Meli Melo, where specialties include French onion soup and freshly squeezed OJ. If you're still around for dinner, stroll down to L'Escale for harborside dining and specialty cocktails named for the seven heavenly virtues.
Route to take: One hour by car from New York City via I-95.
Good to know: The Drawing Room serves hand-blended teas and delicious scones with clotted cream. Their adjacent shop is the place to buy decorative pillows and scented candles. Stop off in Port Chester for a pizza margarita at Mario Batali's Tarry Lodge and freshly baked bread and cured meats from the market.

Head to Washington

If you’re in the mood for a classic, picturesque New England town. Dine by the open hearth fire at the Mayflower Inn, pick up hot cross buns and Irish soda bread from The Pantry, or take a picnic and hike the beautiful trails along the Shepaug River in Steep Rock Reserve.
Route to take: A two-hour jaunt from NYC.
Good to know: Averill Farm has been family-run since 1746. Go in the fall for apple picking, homemade pies, and old-fashioned farm fun.
Read more on Fathom: New England Classic: A Design Duo's Favorites in Washington Connecticut

MAINE

Photo courtesy of White Barn Inn.

Head to Acadia National Park

If you’re in the mood for coastal scenery at its finest. Bike the national park's 45 miles of carriage roads, hike the diverse terrain, and watch the sunrise from atop Cadillac Mountain. Stay at charming and kitsch-free West Street Hotel in Bar Harbor and get popovers fresh from the oven at Jordan Pond House before gorging yourself on lobster rolls and ice cream.
Route to take: Stop along the park’s 27-mile scenic route at Sand Beach, Thunder Hole, Jordan Pond, and Cadillac Mountain.
Good to know: For late night bites and weekly karaoke, head to Little A's Sports Bar.
Read more on Fathom: Finding Arcadia in Acadia

Head to Rockland

If you're in the mood for farm-fresh food without the Boston or New York price tag. Make a reservation at Primo and enjoy a creative menu that uses produce and animals raised on the property.
Route to take: Route 1 affords beautiful coastal scenery, complete with waves crashing into rocky cliffsides and charming lighthouses.
Good to know: The Farnsworth Art Museum is also located in Rockland, giving you a good dose of culture along with a fantastic meal.

Head Down the Coast of Maine

If you're in the mood for by-the-book prep, nature adventures, and rural farm areas.
Route to take: Skip around from Camden to Rockport to Kennebunkport to Norway.
Good to know: Stay at the Country Inn or The White Barn Inn; stock up on L.L. Bean; let Ducktrap Kayak handle your paddling details.
Read more on Fathom: Little Black Book for Coastal Maine

MARYLAND

Photo courtesy of Inn at Perry Cabin.

Head to the Chesapeake Coast

If you're in the mood for a nautical state of mind. Start by gazing at the sailboats from your bedroom window at Inn at Perry Cabin. Get dirty with buckets of peel-and-eat shrimp poured onto tables covered in brown paper by day; clean up for the five-course dinner menu from a Per Se alum at Bartlett Pear Inn.
Route to take: Route 301 is a pleasant alternative to the NJ Turnpike and I-95.
Good to know: The NYT has a list of finger-licking crab shacks that's worth a gander.

MASSACHUSETTS

Photo by Todd Beeby.

Head to the Berkshires

If you're in the mood for dance, theater, yoga, Shakespeare, and skinny dipping with mountain as the backdrop.
Route to take: Saw Mill from NYC; Mohawk Trail into North Adams from Boston.
Good to know: Jacob's Pillow, Mass MoCA, Kripalu, and Canyon Ranch are all here.
Read more on Fathom: Berkshires Hot List and Breathing Lessons in the Berkshires

Head to Nantucket

If you're in the mood for a new flavor profile on one the coast's most historic islands. Do Provisions for brunch, Ventuno for dinner, and Brotherhood of Thieves for a sunset beer. Shack up at White Elephant or Wauwinet.
Route to take: JetBlue flies to the island during summer months.
Good to know: Take the pooch. There's a lot of outdoor living, dog-friendly hotels, and off-leash beaches.

NEW YORK

Photo courtesy of The Arnold.

Head to Barryville

If you're in the mood for locavore eating, sustainable shopping, patronizing family businesses. Stay at Hillside Schoolhouse, a two-bedroom charmer nestled in the woods of Sullivan County. Head to Benji & Jake's for cold beers and wood-fired pizza on the upstairs deck overlooking Kauneonga Lake. Pick up locally sourced pantry items from modern general store River Market or the Barryville Farmers Market (on Saturdays during the summer). Rent an inner tube and take a ride along Skinner's Falls. Follow with a long and lazy dinner at The Heron.
Route to take: Route 97 through Barryville has crazy winding roads, scenic overlooks along the Delaware River, and habitats for birds of prey (once a dirt road referred to as the Hawk's Nest).
Good to know: Take a cue from owner Bronson Bigelow, who quit his corporate job to open the inn and make all the furniture in it. Or just shop his collection of upcycled antiques, vintage industrial objects, and restored ice boxes.

Head to Hudson

If you're in the mood for juxtaposing well-worn Victorian charm with big city comforts and a bit of edginess. Stay at Inn at Hudson, drink a perfectly pulled espresso at Swallow, check out the mini food truck emporium on Warren Street, have killer (local, sustainable, homemade) burger with the works at the retro-fitted '50s diner Grazin', and finish off with a nightcap and live show at Helsinki.
Route to take: Ride Amtrak right into town; zip up from NYC in a car on 87.
Good to know: Check the schedule for happenings at the cathedral-like Basilica Hudson, an old glue factory that's been turned into a performing arts space.
Read more on Fathom: The Best of City and Country Rolled Into One Little Weekend in Hudson, New York

Head to Ithaca

If you're in the mood for a healthy dose of counter-culturalism and hippie goodness. The Argos Inn, a LEED-certified 10-room inn meticulously renovated with heated stone slab floors, velvet drapes, and turn-of-the-century Bergere chairs. It's a ten-minute walk from your velvet-flocked suite to the iconic Moosewood restaurant, which turned all-natural cooking and '70s-era co-operative business ideals into a full-fledge vegetarian kitchen collective. Obviously, pick up a cookbook. Morning coffees can and should be had at the original Gimme! Coffee (now a Brooklyn mainstay). Besides swimming holes and architectural tours of nearby Cornell campus (I.M. Pei! Koolhaus! Richard Meier!), you're spitting distance from the Finger Lakes wine country.
Route to take: Make it scenic and curve up the Catskill Mountains. Make a sweet rest stop for a few scoops of ice cream made from Cornell's own dairy farm.
Read more on Fathom: This Is Where Locavore Was Born

Head to Livingston Manor

If you're in the mood for a monastic environment. Book a weekend at Dai Bosatsu Zendo, a Japanese Buddhist sanctuary where you can workshop the basics of being — like breathing and being quiet.
Route to take: The Palisades (from NYC) are soothing and scenic.
Good to know: No prior Zen practice necessary. And if you want your alone time with somebody, you can rent a small cottage on the premises.

Head to Montauk

If you're in the mood for an easy, breezy beach weekend. Ruschmeyer's has a retro camp vibe, but the best way to hang is by renting a little something you can call home.
Route to take: Drive very early in the morning or very late at night on 495 to Sunrise Highway to the very end of Montauk Highway (avoid traffic by using GPS to navigate back roads).
Good to know: BYOB seafood shack Duryea's Lobster Deck and Fishbar on the Lake are musts.
Read more on Fathom: Hamptons Guide and Montauk Master Plan

Head to the North Fork

If you're in the mood for large plots of farmland, farmstands, U-picks, and wineries. Book at slow-food hang North Fork Table and Inn.
Route to take: Tiny town centers dot the Main Road (Route 25) and Sound Avenue (Route 48).
Good to know: The Custer Observatory is open every Saturday from dusk to midnight for stargazing.
While in the area: see our North Fork hit list.

Head to Phoenicia

If you're in the mood for agritourism with a Dutch design bent. Try Stony Creek Farm in Walton, where fancy tents with wood-burning stoves are nestled on a working farm. Nightly harvests become dinner.
Route to take: Take 87 and stop in for a tour of Tuthilltown Spirits, the distillery where Hudson Baby Bourbon is made.
Good to know: The culinary cognoscenti of NYC get their prime cuts from Fleisher's Meats; you can pick up breakfast sausages at their full-service butcher shop.
Read more on Fathom: Catskills Hit List

Head to Shandelee

If you're in the mood for hiking, biking, foraging, and dozing off in the sun. The Arnold House, an adorably Instagrammable 10-room inn (Sferra linens, Pendelton blankets, cork floors), is the perfect setting for your country retreat. Being the proper hosts that they are, the Foster family proprietors offer plenty of fun activities (ice fishing in the winter, ramp foraging in the spring, ravioli making at nearby Northern Farmhouse Pasta).
Route to take: Wind through the Palisades and continue northwest from NYC.
Good to know: If you didn't bring your own pooch (the hotel provides dog beds, water bowls, housemade treats), spend some time cuddling with Adelaide, the English Bulldog.

Head to West Kill

If you're in the mood for the simple Catskill pleasures. Star at the Spruceton Inn, a Catskills "bed & bar" with mountain views. Get your pancakes stacked at Phoenicia Diner. Work off the carbs with a picturesque hike to Diamond Notch Falls, a serious hike up Overlook Mountain, or, come winter, some ski tubing on Plattekill Mountain. Dine on savory pies at Table on Ten. Ride Icelandic horses on quiet trails. Or, back at the inn, just play some bocce and make some snacks in your own kitchenette or on the grill.
Route to take: Hit the Palisades and roll through Woodstock. No wheels? Coordinate a pick-up with your guest house after catching the Trailways bus from Port Authority.
Good to know: Leave plenty of time to get home so that you can stop for antiques and farmstand souvenirs: raw milk and gouda from Byebrook Farm; old thingamabobs from Lyon Mountain Blue Barn Antiques; farmy furniture at Wood Bull antiques; honey and grass-fed meats from Stone & Thistle.
Read more on Fathom: Where to Go from NYC, the Catskills Checklist

Head to Lake Placid

If you’re in the mood for adult summer camp in the Adirondacks. Check out Wild Walk, the “High Line of the Forest,” a museum experience suspended in the treetops of Tupper Lake. Canoe or kayak down the Raquette River, and end the day with a good meal and a better cocktail at Liquids and Solids.
Route to take: Hit the Taconic Parkway from New York City.
Good to know: Stay at Whiteface Lodge for a well-appointed resort experience, or camp near Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, or Tupper Lake for a real back-to-nature experience.
Read more on Fathom: A Walk in the Woods Above NY’s Adirondacks

RHODE ISLAND

Photo courtesy of The Ocean House.

Head to Watch Hill/Weekapaug

If you're in the mood for a gorgeous beach escape with excellent cuisine to match. The recently revamped Weekapaug Inn where sail boats, fishing gear, and a discreet, black-bottomed pool are all at your disposal. A meal of locally caught lobster, Matunuck oysters, and native beets is as memorable as the sunsets overlooking bucolic Quonochontaug Pond.
Route to take: Head south on the I-95. On the way back to civilization, stock up on freshly baked chocolate chunk and molasses cookies at gourmet emporium The Cooked Goose.
Good to know: Killer Swedish massages at Relais & Chateaux sister property The Ocean House are a Zen bonus.
Read more on Fathom: Summer with the Kids in Watch Hill

VERMONT

Photo courtesy of Woodstock Inn.

Head to Woodstock

If you're in the mood for quintessential Americana combined with a new, LEED-certified spa. Book the grand Woodstock Inn in New England's most picture-postcard-perfect town. They have a serene spa and delicious farm-to-table cuisine in its casual Red Rooster restaurant. Head across the quaint village green outside your front door and make stops at the old-school Gillingham's general store and Yankee Bookshop before a lovely dinner-a-deux at The Prince and The Pauper, a town institution.
Route to take: The Taconic Parkway from NYC. It might be a slightly longer route, but the scenery — and a stop at the old-school Millbrook Diner (3266 Franklin Ave.; +1-845-677-5319) — makes it worth it.
Good to know: Do not skip town without a stop for black raspberry ice cream cones at the White Cottage Snack Bar. Open only in summer, this low-key spot is worth a serious, deep-fried detour.

Head to Burlington

If you’re in the mood for getting back in touch with nature and ending the day with a fantastic craft beer. Stay at eco-friendly Hotel Vermont and dine next door at Chef Eric Warnstedt’s revered restaurant Hen of the Wood. Do some boutique shopping on Church Street, or head down the hill to Lake Champlain for lakeside activites in the summer and winter.
Route to take: On your way into the city, stop at Shelburne Farms, a nonprofit farm focused on sustainability education, for tours of their historic barns, tons of scenic walking trails, and classic Vermont foodstuffs from the farm store.
Good to know: August First Bakery may not allow laptops, but they have the best bread downtown.
Read more on Fathom: It’s All Small Town Good Vibes in Burlington, Vermont

MORE FATHOM-APPROVED GETAWAYS

Have you seen our list of the Most Romantic Hotels in The Northeast?

Special thanks to contributors Devorah Klein Lev-Tov, Christina Ohly, and Ilaria Urbinati.

South Africa's Luxe and Low-Key Tswalu Redefines the Safari

Subtly luxurious lodgings and top-knotch guides come together to perfectly redefine "safari." Contributing editor Christina Ohly has her ultimate bespoke safari experience.

KALAHARI DESERT, South Africa – From the moment I arrived at the Johannesburg airport for the flight to Tswalu, a truly unique game reserve located in the southern part of the Kalahari Desert, I knew this one was going to be different. My family and I boarded their luxurious Pilatus plane for the one-and-a-half hour hop to Tswalu's dedicated airstrip, warmly welcomed and escorted to a thatched roof terminal, and were greeted with thousands of chirping sociable weaver birds. The eco-adventure had begun!

What sets Tswalu apart is not so much its red sand dunes and sprawling grasslands — though those certainly make for spectacular viewing — but the completely relaxed pace and tasteful motse (the local Tswana word for "village") that create a safari unlike any other I've experienced. After checking into one of the eight spacious legae — "little houses" — you'll have to pry yourself from your sun terrace in order to take in the game which you've theoretically come to see. No detail has been overlooked, and while the suites are utterly simple (think minimalist contemporary furnishings mixed with traditional African baskets and art) the details — outdoor showers and big, open fireplaces — make them special.

The Motse deck.

Tswalu offers a bespoke safari experience. Gone are the 5 a.m. wake-up calls (unless you want them), endless off-schedule meals, and the quest for the Big Five. Tswalu — a thousand-square-kilometer reserve that is a labor of love for the Oppenheimer family — is all about conservation and land use, as well as the pursuit of animals that are not easily found elsewhere. Enormous black-maned Kalahari lions dazzle. So do families of frolicking meerkats, elegant giraffes strolling across open plains, and the elusive aardvark. It is also a birder's paradise, with over two hundred rare species readily on view. There is no sense of imminent danger here and that makes Tswalu what I refer to as "safari lite": you will constantly see, do, and learn, but without the threat of being some animal's next meal.

A horseback safari.

The guides and trackers are top-notch ecologists who lead safaris in a Land Rover, on horseback, or even on foot so that you can get up close to nature. Tracking takes on new meaning here. Our guide was happy to alight from the vehicle, rifle in hand, and bushwhack until he found prides of lions and desert black rhinos languishing in the mid-day sun. Other highlights included sleeping under the stars, eating a delicious lunch by the motse pool, and receiving authentic spa treatments that incorporate indigenous red dune sand, desert minerals, and botanical fibres. Add to this the absence of malaria and a warm community comprised of 142 staff members (plus a peek into their eco-friendly housing, preschool, dedicated health clinic, and adult literacy programmes) and you get a real sense of how Tswalu is transforming this massive area, in terms of both environmental conservation and education.

With only twenty guests at a time, Tswalu feels more like an intimate, low-key house party than a Relais & Chateaux nestled at the foot of the Korannaberg Mountains. Its stated mission is "to restore the Kalahari to itself"; and I left this magical place feeling as though I'd been restored to myself as well.

Photo by Christina Ohly.

FIND IT

Tswalu Kalahari
+27-0-53-781-9331
res@tswalu.com

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE

Losing My Virginity on Safari
Uganda on Safari: The Pearl of Africa
Debrief: Bruce Bromberg in South Africa

History, Hollywood, Heaven: San Ysidro Ranch

Contributing editor Christina Ohly has a knack for finding the world's loveliest hotels. She's found her ultimate in Montecito, California.

SANTA BARBARA, California – History, old Hollywood, and hospitality in the extreme meet at San Ysidro Ranch, a citrus farm-turned-luxury hideaway nestled in the foothills above Montecito. I have wanted to visit this special hotel for years — and even noted it on my Fathom travel wish list — primarily because I'd heard such wonderful things about the food (almost all of it locally sourced), the laid-back atmosphere combined with scrupulous attention to detail, and the scenic hiking trails that surround the sprawling, 500-acre spread. I was not disappointed on any front, and San Ysidro Ranch has shot to the number one position on my list of favorite hotels of all time. We're talking an overall outstanding user experience — a 12 on a scale of 1-10. There are not adequate words to describe the perfection you'll find here, but it's an understatement to say that San Ysidro is worth a detour, a long weekend, a honeymoon, a mellow family vacation, or all of the above. We're talking Nirvana here.

Bliss at San Ysidro begins in the driveway.

It all begins upon check-in, which isn't really a registration at all, as you are greeted in the driveway and whisked straight to your lovely yet low-key cottage. No pesky paperwork here. They cater to a clientele that likes privacy: Silicon Valley techpreneurs, Hollywood starlets.

If you're really looking to splash out, the Ty Warner Cottage, with private patio and pool, is as swank as it gets.

Our home for three days — and you really do feel as if the house is yours — came complete with sumptuous robes, stacks of reading material, and freshly made snacks at every turn. The difference here is in the little touches: endless chips and salsa, local wines on ice, crisp copies of the Financial Times at the crack of dawn. Nothing has been overlooked, and sitting on my bougainvillea-laden porch watching the sunset with a cold Diet Coke in hand was simply perfection.

Bungalow-style cottages are individually designed, with big sitting rooms, tons of amenities, and peaceful terraces.

The Magnolia room has cozy spaces and a wood-burning fireplace.

Bathrooms have high ceilings and claw-foot bathtubs.

Each cottage is decorated differently, and whether you're in the most basic one-bedroom or in the spacious Ty Warner Cottage (so named after the current owner and Beanie Baby entrepreneur), the bathrooms have soaring ceilings and tubs that are made for soaking. The décor is not the least bit slick or mod, but rather country chic, which only adds to the overall charm and ambience.

The main hacienda — the reception area — was once the focal part of the ranch and now provides a spacious place for people to commune with others (never happens), play board games, and enjoy a constant supply of warm cookies. You're likely to run into Seamus McManus, an Irishman and a consummate hotelier who is happy to share stories about the Ranch and its celebrity-studded past: Audrey Hepburn, Bing Crosby, Winston Churchill, and President and Jackie Kennedy all spent time here, and Hollywood's A-list now comes with kids in tow.

The Stonehouse patio serves delicious food, much of it from the Ranch's organic garden.

The Plow & Angel serves SoCal versions of classic pub fare.

The highlights (and there are so many) are the hotel's two restaurants — the slightly more formal Stonehouse and the relaxed Plow & Angel, where farm-to-table eating takes on a whole new meaning. Much of the produce is grown on the Ranch's organic garden and the cuisine is simply top-notch — and brilliantly simple. I had some of the best wood-fired pizzas and sashimi I've ever tasted beneath an arbor of twinkling orange trees. This being wine country, the lists are extensive, and the sommeliers are approachable and happy to educate anyone (my curious kids included) about local vintages and $5,000 bottles alike. Breakfast is not served in either restaurant, as guests typically prefer to take it in their rooms in front of the fireplace or on their front porch with sweeping views and fragrant magnolia and orange blossoms.

The chic simple pool area.

There are more than seventeen miles of manicured yet challenging hiking trails that run through the property, as well as a minimalist-chic hilltop pool that I could easily spend a month lolling beside.

Nestled in the foothills of Montecito, San Ysidro Ranch has about five hundred acres of spectacular gardens, hiking trails, and elegant cottages.

With 360° degree views of the Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean, San Ysidro Ranch will make you forget civilization in the best possible way. You'll only interact with other guests as you'd like. I can still see the California light, taste the scrumptious food, and feel the gentle warmth of that Santa Barbara sun. I'm hoping my Zen lasts until I can return to this utterly tasteful, tranquil spot.

PLAN YOUR TRIP

Fly: Santa Barbara Municipal Airport is 15 miles away. Otherwise, Los Angeles is about 100 miles south. San Ysidro Ranch is located just off Highway 101.

FIND IT

San Ysidro Ranch
900 San Ysidro Lane
Santa Barbara, CA
+1-805-565-1700
guestservice@sanysidrorancy.com
sanysidroranch.com

The World's Most Romantic Hotels: The Northeastern United States

Honeymoons, anniversaries, engagements, make-ups — there are plenty of reasons to be amorous. Find love in all the right places with this list of romantic destinations in the northeast United States.

Jump to: Connecticut | Maine | Massachusetts | New York | Rhode Island | Vermont | Washington, D.C. | Canada

CONNECTICUT

The Mayflower Grace
Washington, Connecticut
What's to Love: Set on 50-plus unspoiled acres in rolling Litchfield Hills, this is the spot to snowshoe, read by the fire, and languish in the hotel's gleaming, serene spa.
Good to Know: Don't miss a meal at their soothing restaurant, which serves hyper-local everything, like upscale cinnamon doughnuts with housemade cinnamon ice cream.
Read more on Fathom: The Hotel Is Great, But You Should See the Spa

Photo courtesy of Mayflower Inn and Spa.

MAINE

White Barn Inn
Kennebunk Beach, Maine
What's to Love: : Located in coastal Maine, which is by definition wicked far, the hotel is part of the luxurious yet laid back Relais & Chateaux hotel group. No detail is overlooked, from the names of the private cottages (such as Gull and Loon) to the fireplaces, sumptuous linens, and every imaginable amenity.
Good to Know: Foodies pilgrimage here for chef Jonathan Cartwright's inventive takes on New England cuisine served in a reimagined barn setting, complete with flattering candlelight and impeccable (read: unobtrusive) service. This is one of the most romantic meals you'll likely ever share. And local lobster on fettucine is a must.

MASSACHUSETTS

Blantyre
Lenox
What's to Love: One of a dozen Gilded Age "cottages" left in the Berkshires, the country resort and estate just outside cute-as-can-be Lenox is now under new ownership, but the important things haven't changed. Namely, the beautiful Tudor House is still perfectly appointed, with crystal carafes set out for wine in the lounge, elaborate chandeliers, overstuffed sofas, huge and beautiful rooms with four-poster beds and fireplaces, and an excellent restaurant.
Good to Know: Make sure to meet the in-house historian, David Pupo, who tells great stories about former owners (including filmmaker D.W. Griffith) and the antics the house has seen. 
Read More on Fathom: The Gilded Age Fantasy Is Alive and Thriving at Blantyre

Old Inn on the Green
New Marlborough
What's to Love: The pre-Revolutionary restaurant and candlelit inn was a popular stagecoach stop in 1760. The antique decor is streamlined and sophisticated. And incredibly cozy.
Good to Know: There are several intimate dining room nooks with roaring fires and exceptional (local, seasonal) tasting menus.

Red Lion Inn
Stockbridge
What's to Love: The old-fashioned birdcage elevator, a wraparound porch, a tavern that serves hearty stews, and the Lions Den for pints.
Good to Know: Bonus charm: It opened in 1773 as a stagecoach stop and has been welcoming guests ever since.

Wheatleigh Hotel
Lenox
What's to Love: Very romantic year-round, but especially during the winter months when you can make the most of your in-room fireplace. The gardens were designed by Frederick Olmstead, and the restaurant is incredible.
Good to Know: Tanglewood, the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, is just down the road. Pack and a picnic and enjoy sonatas under the stars.
Read More on Fathom: See our Berkshires Itinerary for tips on what to do, eat, and see.

NEW YORK

Buttermilk Falls
Milton
What's to Love: Low key but high-end and cool, with a fabulous spa, nice food, and lots private room options. The Pony Pad is a little house with a fireplace.
Good to Know: Take a hike around Minnewaska State Park for views of the Shawgagunk Mountain Ridge and Lake Minnewaska at any time of year (don't forget a thermos of hot chocolate in winter). Revive après-hike at The Village Tearoom.
Read More on Fathom: See our Hudson Valley Itinerary for tips on what to do, eat, and see.

Crosby Street Hotel
New York
What's to Love: The design-driven hotel mixes eclectic art, bold contemporary interiors, and a plethora of daring colors and fabrics that, in a rare occurrence, doesn't detract from its homely charm.
Good to Know: That this is all in the middle of busy SoHo makes it even more charming. The neighborhood is all quiet cobbled streets, artisan shops, street stalls, hidden bars, and amazing eateries that span from high-end restaurants to hole-in-the-wall burger joints. It's definitely a place you can lose yourself.

The Lowell
New York
What's to Love: Evoking everything that's wonderful about old-school, discreet uptown, the intimate boutique hotel feels so timeless that it would be so easy to ignore Central Park and Museum Mile (mere steps away) and lose yourself inside.
Good to Know: Make sure to have a meal there, even though there are many options within a short walk, to make it an extra sumptuous experience. Start with cocktails at Jacques Bar, followed by a Mediterranean-infused French meal at Majorelle. Settle for a nightcap in the deep sofas in the Club Room, then wander upstairs, where the fireplace is roaring at the foot of your bed. Wake up, have room service on the terrace, and do the whole thing all over again.

Glenmere Mansion
Chester
What's to Love: All the Gilded Age trappings needed for a night of romance — grand cortile, marble staircase, garden terraces, and formal gardens for indiscreet canoodling.
Good to Know: All that European elegance (and a full-service spa), just 50 miles from Manhattan.

Photo courtesy of Glenmere Mansion.

Ham House
Tivoli
What's to Love: Gorgeous restored mansion on a hill in the perfectly picturesque upstate hamlet of Tivoli. The bridal suite has views of the Hudson River and the Catskill Mountains, and the extensive vintage decor was done by a former antiques dealer.
Good to Know: Feels like staying in a palace, and you can take a hike right out your door. Saul Bellow wrote Herzog and Henderson the Rain King while living here. Also, this is a small operation. If the website isn't working, you can always call them:  +1-845-757-3424
Read More on Fathom: See our Hudson Valley Itinerary and Catskills Itinerary for tips on what to do, eat, and see.

Inn at Windmill Lane
Amagansett, New York
What's to Love: Classically modern cottages and suites with ridiculously lavish amenities: Duxiana beds, private exercise rooms, rain showers, preferred tee times at Montauk Downs Golf Club.
Good to Know: Prices go way down off-season, and it's very quiet and cozy.

Kayak Camping
Saranac Lake
What's to Love: Not a hotel but rather an experience. Each of the dozens of tiny islands in the Saranac lake chain has individual campsites you can rent. Like having your own private island for $15. The only way to get to the islands is by boat, so you rent a kayak to get there.
Good to Know: Don't forget firewood, a cozy tent, lots of wine, and great food. Make a weekend of it. Beyond blissful, and super cheap.

Lafayette House
New York City
What's to Love: A narrow brocade-and-chandelier-filled boarding house conjures fantasties of urban living circa 1880. The place feels like a find — there is no signage, front desk, or hotel lobby.
Good to Know: Rooms vary in size and style. Ground floor suites share a backyard patio.
Read More on Fathom: See our NYC Guide for restaurants, sites, shopping, and nightlife ideas, as well as our list of Most Romantic Restaurants in NYC.

Monteverde at Oldstone Manor
Cortlandt Manor
What's to Love: Two-room inn and new seven-room garden house with gorgeous views of the Hudson River Valley, which doesn't have as many nice hotel options as it should. Great on-site spa and restaurant.
Good to Know: It's the best place to stay when you're making a trip out of dinner at Blue Hill at Stone Barns, a short drive away.

The Pierre
New York City
What's to Love: Old-world glamour and service and location, location, location. All that New York has to offer is steps away and the hotel's perch on Central Park offers some of the best views in the city.
Good to Know: The high tea is delightful, and the hotel's complimentary BMW makes quick junkets to the theater or a downtown restaurant effortless.
Read More on Fathom: Go Big and Opulent at This Old-World Central Park Hotel

The NoMad Hotel
New York City
What's to Love: The Beaux Arts show-stopper designed by Jacques Garcia has a cozy library, swanky drinking dens, and several dining alcoves — meaning there's plenty of places to show off your hot date. The dining atrium is run by the exceptional team from Eleven Madison Park.
Good to Know: Clawfoot bathtubs, Sferra bathrobes, and antique writing desks channel romantic notions of Paris.

Photo courtesy of NoMad Hotel.

RHODE ISLAND

The Chanler
Newport
What's to Love: Imagine Americana wallpapered in luxury and plastered in WASP. The Chanler is the only hotel on Newport's breathtaking, crazy romantic Cliff Walk. It's surrounded by rugged nature, endless ocean, and OMFG mansions — and has an exquisite food program has all the fancy (and wannabe fancy) New Englanders aflutter.
Good to Know: Every room has a jacuzzi which can be filled with rose petals upon request. Yes, really. And with ongoing series like "Scotch & Cigars" and "More Bubbles," it seems that every hour is cocktail o'clock. Here's to that.

The Ocean House
Watch Hill
What's to Love: Gorgeous hotel overlooking the beach and the quaint, picturesque seaside village. Ideal for summertime seaside fun and indulging in pure Americana at its baronial best.
Good to Know: The couple's room at the spa has a private hydro-soaking tub and deluge shower.
Read More on Fathom: A Few Days In: Watch Hill

The Weekapaug Inn
Weekapaug, Rhode Island
What's to Love: The old-school yet updated Relais & Chateaux property sits on scenic Weekapaug Pond and offers a respite from reality: no TVs (unless requested), sumptuous rooms, low-tech games (remember shuffleboard?), as well as sailboats for sunset cruises. Excellent cuisine including local lobster and organic vegetables of sizes/colors you've never seen before.
Good to Know: Guests can use the fantastic facilities at the nearby Ocean House, including the spa, squash courts, and dinner on the porch overlooking the Atlantic.

Photo by Geri Abdoo / Courtesy of Weekapaug Inn.

VERMONT

The Pitcher Inn
Warren
What's to Love: Only eleven rooms, each with its own design theme and decor. Of special note, Mountain and Ski rooms. The restaurant is outstanding, and the downstairs bar/game lounge is great, especially after a day on the slopes.
Good to Know: The country store across the street is just as postcard-perfect — and serves great sandwiches. You're only a short drive from the Sugarbush and Mad River Glen ski areas. American Flatbread, a very special pizza restaurant found in a barn, is also nearby — and an absolute must.

Twin Farms
Barnard
What's to Love: Tastefully appointed everything, smack in the middle of nowhere. Super private, homey, and, even when full, feels like you have the place to yourself. Individual cottages are decorated with the owner's incredible art collection. Hushed, darkened dining room is set up so that all parties face the fireplace and kitchen sticks to local goods even in the depths of winter. Meals are made to order according to a pre-arrival food questionnaire; you never see a menu.
Good to Know: Go here instead of the nearby ski resorts: There are a half dozen downhill trails on the property and the most fun thing ever is that they cart you around the mountain on snowmobiles. Hit the furo (Japanese soaking tub) on a cold snowy night — a car service brings you to and from the tiny shack which is hidden in the woods.

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Hotel Tabard Inn
Washington, D.C.
What's to Love: There's little that's truly romantic in the nation's capital. But this quirky inn has so much Americana charm, it almost makes up for the lack everywhere else.
Good to Know: Every room is different and some have shared baths. Room 26 has a grand piano, but book ahead because it's often used for events.

CANADA

Note: Sorry, Canada. We don't have a guide for you yet. But we're working on it!

Clayoquat Wilderness Resort
Tofino, Canada
What's to Love: At the stunning Vancouver Island eco-safari, they craft bespoke expeditions in the remote wilderness of British Columbia, like mountain river kayaking, hot spring hiking, and bear and whale watching, to name a few. When you're in the temperate rainforests of Pacific Rim National Park, you and boo are snug between the covers in one of twenty luxury canvas tents furnished with old-world rugs, antiques, and heirloom china.

Fogo Island Inn
Newfoundland and Labrador
What's to Love: The island is remote and rugged, but the retreat is a hyper-modern salt box with solar panels and steel stilts that rise up from craggy mores and Arctic Ocean ice floats. Every textile and piece of furniture is made locally by hand; the kitchen scours the island for every meal. The characters at the bar (woodworkers, fishermen, foragers) are priceless.
Good to Know: Beyond the rooftop sauna and your personal wood-burning stove, you can get cozy on a skiff as it heads out to the magical offshore Little Fogo Islets.

Photo by Alex Fradkin / Courtesy of Fogo Island Inn.

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE

The World's Most Romantic Hotels

Contributors: Becca Bergman Bull, Scott Conant, Eric Demby, Kate Donnelly, Christina Ohly Evans, Stephanie March, Erin Murray, Alyssa Shelasky, Beth Silverman, Lockhart Steele, Angela Tribelli, Sheri Warshaw.

The World's Most Romantic Hotels: The Western United States

Honeymoons, anniversaries, engagements, make-ups — there are plenty of reasons to be amorous. Find love in all the right places with this list of romantic destinations in the western United States.

Jump to: Alaska | Arizona | California | Colorado | Hawaii | New Mexico | Utah | Washington | Wyoming

ALASKA

Tordrillo Mountain Lodge
Judd Lake

What's to Love: A multimillion-dollar revamp by thrill-seeking owners (Olympic gold medalist Tommy Moe and Alaskan heli-ski pioneer Mike Overcast) takes the heart rate to new heights at this five-star, multi-sport wilderness lodge. A 40-minute floatplane flight from Anchorage lands guests in the remote Tordrillo Mountains, where stylish digs, fancy chefs, a lakeside sauna, and in-room massages round out helicopter-based adventure experiences all year long. An accomplished guide team leads guests in skiing and snowboarding through steep gullies and powder fields. Summer calls for glacier hiking, wake surfing, waterskiing, wildlife viewing, and catching the Northern Lights at night.

ARIZONA

Adobe Grand Villas
Sedona
What's to Love: Wagon Wheel Room, an incredibly homey and imaginative villa that immediately transports you to another time. Red sandstone landscape panoramas. Masseuse on staff.
Good to Know: Great short day-trip stopover if headed to Grand Canyon via Flagstaff.

Royal Palms Resort and Spa
Scottsdale
What's to Love: An intimate 1929 Spanish Revival villa at the foot of Camelback Mountain. Outdoor fireplaces, winding walking paths, and tranquil fountains cover the grounds. Guest rooms are decorated in lovely Mediterranean style. The on-site restaurant, T Cook's, prepares rustic cuisine like rotisserie in a 1930s fireplace. There's no reason to leave this kind of serenity.
Good To Know: Book a room with a fireplace and soaking tub. The Arizona air is very healing, and the Alvadora Spa does outdoor treatments in their lush garden.

CALIFORNIA

Northern California

Auberge du Soleil
Rutherford
What's to Love: Built as if it grew out of the hillside with an unobstructed view of the Napa Valley. Quiet elegance, privacy, very peaceful.
Good to Know: The service is immediate and understated. There's no reason to leave you thoughtfully stocked room, but you should for a magical dinner at the restaurant up the hill. Atmospherically, again, the intersection of nature and elegance.

Calistoga Ranch
Napa Valley
What's to Love: Romantic bungalows right out of Williams-Sonoma Home with incredible bedding. Fireplaces and wine. Just so, so much wine.
Good to Know: Be sure to have a nibble at the Lakeside Lounge. It's only open to hotel guests, which, considering the clientele, turns it into a Napa version of Soho House.

Duchamp Hotel
Healdsburg
What's to Love: This is a modern design fanatic's dream come true: private villas in the middle of wine country.
Good to Know: Return from a day at the vineyards to sip your purchases poolside.

Farmhouse Inn
Russian River Valley
What's to Love: Tucked away in the backwoods of beautiful Sonoma, the dreamy hotel has a fireplace in every room, fluffy feather beds, and huge soaking tubs. In the lobby, there are different kinds of homemade bath salts and soaps to squirrel away, and they hand you warm chocolate chip cookies and cold milk when you check in.
Good to Know: Rent a car. The Michelin-starred restaurant is amazing and there are several low-key wineries within a short drive. Take the on-site wine class taught by the restaurant's sommelier.
Read More on Fathom: Learning to Sit Still in Sonoma

Nick's Cove
Point Reyes
What's To Love: The waterfront cabins, which actually sit in the water on stilts, are as eccentric as they are delightful. Go for Nicolina, a reclaimed 1930s boat, and dream of the ocean.
Good To Know: The hills you'll gaze at across the water, Point Reyes Park, make for one of the most beautiful hikes in California.

The Carneros Inn
Napa
What's to Love: Cozy private cottages with secluded patios and outdoor showers. Breathtaking vineyard views at the infinity pool. Spa treatments take cues from wine country's harvest and terroir.
Good to Know: The Boon Fly Cafe's hearty breakfasts and FARM's elegant Cali cuisine make it hard to leave the rolling property.

Hotel Les Mars

Healdsburg, California

What's to Love: It's a good time to give Napa and Sonoma a little love, as the area emerges from the fires that raged last fall. But there's no tragedy at this intimate nine-room hotel in the charming small town of Healdsburg. Evocative of 17th-century French chateau, the dreamy rooms have rich textiles, wood-burning fireplaces, deep marble bathtubs, and four-poster beds.

Central Coast

Glen Oaks Cabins
Big Sur
What's to Love: A nature lover's swoon spot. Luxury mid-century cabins, outdoor fire pits, fragrant Redwoods in absolute serene Big Sur beauty.
Good to Know: Worth the splurge for the Big Sur Cabin to fall asleep to sounds of the river after a soak in the outdoor claw-foot soaking tubs.

Post Ranch Inn
Big Sur
What's to Love: Everything — from the infinity pool overlooking the Pacific surrounded by Redwoods to the fact that they don't allow kids or visitors around the property. It's perfectly tranquil. Some ocean suites have their own hot tub sitting on the cliff. Oh, and no televisions.
Good to Know: There's no need to leave the compound, but if you do, try Big Sur Bakery and Café for fresh pastries and breads as well as rock star pizzas.

Southern California

Hotel Bel-Air
Los Angeles
What's to Love: The residential feel, the beautiful outdoor spaces, the pool, the small bungalows furnished with fireplaces, and the fact that you're hidden away but still close to the action.

Beverly Hills Hotel
Beverly Hills
What's to Love: Old-school glamour, secluded bungalows, and the best chopped salad and fries in the world. Along with the occasional Reese Witherspoon sighting.
Good to Know: It has just had a massive renovation, so it's very old-meets-new.

Hope Springs and Miracle Manor
Desert Hot Springs
What's to Love: Very small ex-motels (about ten and six rooms, respectively) done in perfect mid-century style (Hope is mid-century; Miracle is a bit more Zen). The natural hot springs are incredibly restorative, with beautiful mountain desert views that make for magical sunrise and sunsets. Interesting industry hipster types go there.
Good to Know: No children under 14 allowed and allegedly clothing is optional at Miracle Manor . The best time to go is February; any later than April is scorching.

Peninsula Beverly Hills
Beverly Hills
What's to Love: What isn't? Sumptuous suites in lush gardens are pure old Hollywood glamour, just updated with every electronic gadget imaginable. The hotel is the kind of escape from reality where no detail is overlooked, from the silent spa (try the Duet Moonlight Massage, which is also available in a poolside cabana) to incredibly high thread counts to delicious breakfasts in the sun at the Roof Garden restaurant.
Good to Know: Feel no pressure to be cultural — or engaged in the world in any way. You're in LA, and this is a hotel to be checked into and thoroughly enjoyed. Besides, the room service is so excellent, you don't even need to leave to eat.

San Ysidro Ranch
Montecito, Santa Barbara
What's to Love: We're talking an outstanding experience. A 12 on a scale of 1-10. Laid-back atmosphere, scrupulous attention to detail, a hilltop pool, scenic hiking trails surrounding the sprawling, 500-acre spread. You're greeted in the driveway, and whisked straight to your lovely yet low-key cottage. No pesky paperwork. The bungalow-style cottages are individually designed, with big sitting rooms, peaceful terraces, and soaring ceilings in the bathrooms.
Good to Know: For dinner, try the wood-fired pizzas and sashimi at Plow & Angel. Or the Stonehouse is a more formal option.
Read More on Fathom: History, Hollywood, Heaven in San Ysidro Ranch

Shutters on the Beach
Santa Monica
What's to Love: Those huge bathtubs and comfy beds just spell romance. Plus cozy lobby bar and two good restaurants (one fancy, one casual).
Good to Know: Northern-facing rooms have view of Santa Monica Pier and Ferris wheel. A five-minute walk puts you on Main Street, a trove of funky shops and good food.

The Willows
Palm Springs
What's to Love: Lavish yet private yet warm and friendly B&B tucked into Mt. San Jacinto where Albert Einstein, Shirley Temple, and Clark Gable once frolicked (presumably not together).
Good to Know: The O'Donnell House, a sister property up the hill used for weddings and events, affords some of the region's best views, as well as a stone-walled "grotto" that's oddly profound.

COLORADO

Taylor River Lodge
Crested Butte
What's to Love: Open from late May through mid-October, the off-grid locale deep in Taylor Canyon is a woodsy wonderland perfect for families. There are private cabins with various set-ups — lofts, bunk beds, kitchens, and a teepee lounge. The all-inclusive rate includes not only food and drink (and an awesome mini bar), but activities like river rafting, axe-throwing, fly fishing, mountaineering, shooting BB guns (you'll shoot yer eye out, kid), and access to the beautiful pool cabin.

HAWAII

Four Seasons Hualalai
Kailua-Kona
What's to Love: Totally dreamy. (And totally pricey.) Rooms are buried within leafy foliage, producing a manicured jungle feel. Individual outdoor showers burst with orchids.
Good to Know: The pond is meant for snorkeling, and swimming among jewel-colored creatures without fear of hungry sharks or rogue waves is a singular experience.
Read More on Fathom: See our Hawaii Big Island itinerary for tips on what to do, eat, and see.

Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows
Kohala Coast
What's to Love: One of the rare independent hotels on the island. The amazing beach is a private crescent of powdery sand lapped by calm turquoise water frequented by sea turtles.
Good to Know: The staff, many of whom have been there forever, provide indispensable advice for exploring the island like an insider.
Read More on Fathom: See our Hawaii Big Island itinerary for tips on what to do, eat, and see.

Volcano House Hotel
Hawaii National Park, Hawaii
What's to Love: While it won't be the most elegant and traditionally romantic place you'll ever stay, your love here will feel extra, er, explosive: The hotel is located on the caldera rim of Kilauea, one of the most active volcanoes in the world, and that's Halema'uma'u crater bubbling lava a short distance away.

NEW MEXICO

Four Seasons Resort Rancho Encantado Santa Fe
Santa Fe
What's to Love: Sit around the circle fire pit with a hot toddy and soak in the magic of the distant Jemez Mountains and the warm, soothing scent of pinion wood.
Good to Know: If you're there during opera season, have the hotel set up a Champagne tailgate and sit under the stars.

Photo courtesy of Four Seasons Resort Rancho Encantado Santa Fe.

Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi
Santa Fe
What's To Love: A warm, cozy spot nestled in the heart of Santa Fe, with Navajo rugs, hand-carved doors, beamed ceilings, and sandstone walls. A pinion wood fire burns in the lobby, making for an intoxicating scent of the Southwest. The lighting is low; the mood is relaxed. You will feel exceptionally cozy.
Good to Know: Book a superior room with a balcony for the an enticing kiva fireplace. Yes, you'll feel like you're on fire in the best possible way.

UTAH

Amangiri
Canyon Point
What's to Love: Perhaps one of the most romantic spots on earth due to the surrounding dramatic canyons and plateaus, spare aesthetic (starchitect Annabelle Selldorf designed the adjacent villas), and lovely, understated swimming pool. Enormous soaking tubs, rain showers, and all kinds of stone, leather, and wood finishes make it an ultimate oasis.
Good to know: The setting 600 acres overlooking Escalante National Monument makes for all kinds of guided hiking and biking options. And since this is an Aman resort, the Zen spa with its flotation room is not to be missed.

WASHINGTON

The Willows Inn
Lummi Island
What's to Love: In a quintessential Pacific Northwest setting, cozy rooms and quaint activities (bocce! bike riding! puzzles!) offer ideal complements to renowned farm-and sea-fresh dining experience.
Good to Know: Come for the food, stay for the views. Weather permitting, sit on the deck for the best sunset perch.

WYOMING

Amangani
Jackson Hole
What's to Love: The spectacular Grand Tetons steal the show at the spare, elegant retreat where massive suites in neutral hues will make you never want to leave.
Good to Know: A spectacularly sleek, outdoor pool is available for use in all seasons, and bespoke trail rides and trips to nearby Yellowstone are not to be missed.

Eyes drawn upward at Amangani. Photo courtesy of Aman Resorts.

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE

The World's Most Romantic Hotels

Contributors: Cassandra Barry, David Bernahl, Ingrid Bernstein, Becca Bergman Bull, Eve Epstein, Christina Ohly Evans, Emily Fiffer, Nikole Flores, Laura House, Justin Kazmark, Sally Horchow, Stephanie March, Carrie Molay, Lanee Neil, Karen Palmer, Margaret Spencer, Bridgette Thom, James Truman.

The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie: A Country Chateau in the Heart of Paris

Indefatigable hotel-hopper and Fathom contributing editor Christina Ohly finds an incredibly chic, family-friendly Parisian hôtel particulier that feels like a countryside gem.

CHECKING IN

Overview

Set in a secluded Neo-Classical mansion circa 1892, the Saint James is a truly unique hôtel particulier — a stand-alone building that feels like a country chateau in the heart of the chic 16th arrondissement in Paris. Built by the widow of French Prime Minister Adolphe Thiers, Saint James is now an exquisite, slightly quirky oasis with just 48 rooms — 21 of which are spacious suites. The restaurant — by Michelin-starred chef Virginie Basselot — draws locals, club members (the building first opened as a private club and still has a wonderful, homey vibe), and tourists alike for refined but not fussy French cuisine.

But it is the grounds that separate the Saint James from the rest of the neighboring five-star hotels: Located on what was once a hot air balloon field, the approach feels more Loire Valley than Centre Ville although it's just steps from the Arc de Triomphe, Trocadero, and the much-hyped, Frank Gehry-designed Fondation Louis Vuitton.

Staircases to heaven.

The sumptuous library-bar.

What's New

The hotel was redone in 2012 — and continues to see additions — by French-American decorator Bambi Sloan, who is known for her bold use of color and cutting-edge design. The result is 48 spacious rooms, no two exactly alike. Trompe l'oeil parquet, tweedy armchairs with leather patches, graphic wallpapers that reflect the building's balloon history, and low lighting combine to create a "crazy chic" signature Sloan environment that is, if nothing else, truly memorable. The Guerlain spa has been upgraded to include facials, deep tissue massages, hammams, and aromatherapy treatments. The beautiful gardens now host beehives that make the honey served at breakfast. And the biggest claim to fame here is the restaurant, which should be reserved well in advance. The delicate Brittany cod with young vegetables and the plate of scallop and oyster tartare have legions of fans.

The restaurant, where Michelin-star chef Virginie Basselot reigns.

Chef Virginie's famous Brittany cod.

The Food

People come here specifically for Michelin-star chef Virginie Masselots and her fresh sea urchin and cockle concoction, as well as her exquisitely light chocolate mousse. Reservations in the formal dining room are recommended. Dining outdoors in the gardens — amidst metal "balloons" in the warmer months — is a must, as is a cocktail in the hotel's atmospheric bar. If you have just one meal here, make it dinner — preferably with a dirty martini — in the two-story library bar where club sandwiches and excellent burgers are savored on velvet couches. Breakfast is another highlight, a complimentary buffet of breads, yogurt, fruit, and cereals, as well as eggs cooked to order.

A junior suite at the Saint James.

A Boudoir room at the Saint James.

In the Room

Some offer a profusion of graphic pattern, while others (including 311 and 303) are a bit more subdued despite the enormous floor-to-ceiling windows. There is plenty of gilding and an abundance of jewel-toned fabrics and chandeliers, but somehow it all works in a playful, baroque way. In addition to easy WiFi access, all rooms feature flat-screen TVs, hidden mini-bars, Guerlain amenities, and excellent, state-of-the-art showers and deep bathtubs. There are 48 rooms in total — many interconnecting or duplex — making them ideal for families or for business travelers who want separate workspaces.

I stayed in room 311 — a junior suite overlooking the terrace and gardens — which was perfect for our family of four. Views of the neighboring mansard rooftops made this a particularly Parisian experience, though I wouldn't mind staying in room 509 on my next visit — a spacious, two-story suite that feels like an apartment, complete with an upstairs master bedroom and quiet neighborhood views.

This Place Is Perfect For

Couples, families with older children who will appreciate the large rooms and separate sleeping areas (the place has a grown-up vibe), and business travelers.

But Not So Perfect For

Anyone without an Uber account. It is a tad farther removed than the hotels of the Golden Triangle or St. Germain-des-Pres. But the peace and quiet is worth it. The Louvre, for example, is just a ten-minute taxi ride away.

The hotel offers plenty of lounges for relaxing after a day of sightseeing.

Breakfast al fresco in the hot air balloon-themed terrace.

CHECKING OUT

Neighborhood Vibe

The Saint James is set in the equivalent of New York's Upper East Side. Meaning, it's residential (of the highest end) and quiet, with tiny grocers and shopkeepers dotting the streets. The Champs Elysées is just a few blocks away for any necessary late-night shopping.

What to Do Nearby

Incredibly helpful, connected concierges can book tables at Mathieu Pacaud's gastronomic restaurant, Hexagone, or arrange private Eiffel Tower tours, but you'll find plenty to do in this part of the 16th arrondissement as well. Fondation Louis Vuitton, a cultural center designed by Frank Gehry with expansive gardens and dynamic programming, is a must. Fashion aficionados will appreciate Pallais Galliera, a museum of fashion, as well as Fondation Yves Saint Laurent. Marmottan-Monet Museum and Museum of Modern Art are other area highlights. Borrow one of the hotel bicycles and explore the neighborhood at a leisurely pace or stroll to dinner in the 8th at Le Grand Restaurant, chef Jean Françoise Piége's new temple of haute cuisine. If you prefer classics, try L'Entrecote, Chez Andre, or Noura for excellent Lebanese food.

Good to Know

It's usually beside the point in Paris, but this hotel sports a very well-equipped gym, complete with chandeliers. I wish I'd eaten more meals in the bar — English club here — because both the food and lively atmosphere are outstanding.

Getting Around

Charles de Gaulle (CDG) and Orly Airport (ORY) are approximately 30 minutes away by taxi, and the closest Metro stops are Porte Dauphine and Victor Hugo. With Uber taking over Paris, this is your best bet for exploration, though walking the streets of the lovely neighborhood is another excellent idea. A Smart Car and bicycles are available to guests.

BOOK IT

A Boudoir room starts at €380 per night. Click here for reservations.

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE

Fathom's Paris Guide
Mind Your Bubbles and Nudes at the Moulin Rouge
Our Favorite Paris Neighborhood Spots

Three Days in Istanbul with the Kids

Contributing editor Christina Ohly and her globetrotting family went on a three-day whirlwind of Istanbul. Boat rides, mosques, markets, the Bosphorous — everybody left happy.

ISTANBUL, Turkey – It's best to set everyone's expectations before hitting this dramatic city of mosques, minarets, and delicious mezzes. First of all, Istanbul is vast and densely populated (we're talking two times the size of New York City, with a population of 14 million). It is also extremely hilly (a la San Francisco), so if you're trying to see a lot in a few days with kids, you'll want to enlist an expert for help. Among other things, you're definitely going to hit traffic, so planning your days wisely is extra important here.

We worked with Lisa Lindblad Travel Design, who did a fantastic job, sorting our guide, hotel, and transfers in advance. (Less on-the-ground stress means happier vacation for everyone.) The guide she picked for our family of four (me, dad, ten-year-old Will, and nine-year-old Kate) was the marvelous Serhan Gungor. He is part political scientist, part art historian, part personal shopper, and all-around foodie. Perfectly suited to the varied interests of our well-traveled family. Serhan met us with our kind driver for the weekend, Ali, whose discreet black van whisked us all over the city for the three absolutely incredible days.

Boats on the Bosphorous.

Summer houses of kings.

Kate and Will on the Bosphorous.

Passing the Topkapi Palace.

DAY 1: A Bosphorous Boat Ride

We checked into our hotel, The Four Seasons Bosphorous, which is ideally situated on the water, and immediately hit the outdoor patio for a lunch of grilled kebabs, mezzes, and the requisite grilled cheese sandwich (made with haloumi cheese and pita) for the kids. 

Promises were made for a swim in the hotel pool later that afternoon, and we were quickly whisked away on a private boat tour around the Bosphorous, a 20-mile-long strait which joins the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea. A boat ride is the perfect way to explore the old and new cities of Istanbul, as well as the Asian side. We passed enormous bridges, summer houses of kings, freighters, and outdoor discos. We were all thoroughly delighted. Serhan talked us through the city's complex history as the former capital of both the Roman and Ottoman Empires, as well as Turkey's ever-changing political landscape. Best of all, he managed to make all of that understandable and enthralling for the 40-somethings and the under-10-year-olds alike.

Our first evening found us at the bustling House Café, an outdoor restaurant full of Turks and tourists, where festive music and smoke wafted throughout the terrace. (Kids will be fascinated — and righteous — about all the smoking that goes on in this country, so prepare yourself on this topic.) We feasted on thin crust pizzas, grilled sea bass (a local specialty), and delicious sumac and lentil salads. An easy stroll back through neighboring tchotchke shops and a Friday night traffic jam, and we all slept soundly in our slightly sterile yet blissfully silent suite. 

And Now a Word from the Kids 
Best Activity: "I liked the boat ride up and down the Bosphorous because it was an easy way to see a lot of the landmarks, and there was no traffic. It was very wavy the day we went, so this wouldn't be great for really little kids." – Kate

Most unexpected food: "Dondurma, which is a really thick ice cream.  It was so thick and chewy that the waiter had to cut it with a knife." – Kate

Biggest surprise: "That there were so many mosques and minarets all over the skyline. I thought there would be about five." – Will

Will at the Blue Mosque.

The Blue Mosque. Photo: Becky Cheang

Hagia Sophia. Photo: Dirk Heitepriem / Flickr

DAY 2: Mosques, Mezze, and Markets

The breakfast spread at this Four Seasons is of special note, with every imaginable delight from Turkish breads and Japanese specialties to perfect pancakes. And the staff is more than eager to grant your every wish. Children are doted on in Turkey, and this is particularly true at mealtimes in a fancy hotel.

After a full feast we headed for our first stop, The Sultan Ahmed, which is better known as The Blue Mosque for its beautiful blue tiled interior. Throughout the trip, our kids found particular delight in the calls to prayer that ring out five times per day to call Muslims to pray. These chants change in tempo and tone as the day goes on, so each call held new fascination for our kids.

The Blue Mosque was stunning with its Ottoman and Byzantine decorations, floral motifs, and gilt spaces, not to mention the spectacle of thousands of people taking their shoes off in the middle of a rainstorm to enter into the sacred and still functioning mosque. (Note to parents: Pack long pants. This is a Muslim country, and although it is very European in feel, knees should be covered.) The kids loved walking in their sock feet on giant Oriental carpets and seeing the elaborate chandeliers that illuminate this vast mosque.

With no time to waste, we headed for the nearby Hagia Sofia, a Byzantine gem that was once a church, a mosque, and is now a museum. No art history course has ever done this one justice, and we were all entranced by its massive dome, endless gold mosaics, and the natural light that floods the space.

Turkish delights at the Spice Market. Photo: Becky Cheang

Photo: Courtesy of Sur Balik

Serhan led us to a conveniently located (and pre-reserved) lunch spot, Karakol, within the nearby Topkapi Palace grounds. We refueled on more sea bass (when in Rome...), endless mezzes (some unidentifiable, all delicious), and a local favorite, kofte meatballs.

And then we went into sensory overload in the Spice Market. We stocked up on everything from tea to Turkish delight candy in delicate rose water and mint flavors, as well as evil eyes — glass charms that are meant to keep the wearer protected from the envious looks of others. We bought them in all forms — necklaces, holiday ornaments, and even pins, which the shopkeepers delight in bestowing upon small children for free.

This was followed up by a trip to the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum. I feared this would push two tired kids over the edge. Instead, we found a manageable museum filled with carpets, intricately drawn Korans, and lifelike recreations of nomadic life. Delightful.

After a full day, the kids got to call the shots, so we retreated to the hotel pool. This is no small thing in a hot, crowded city, and it makes the Four Seasons Bosphorous a perfect pick for families, more so than the very urban Four Seaons Sultanahmet in the Old City. Our final stop of the night was Sur Balik, a four-story fish restaurant set in a historical building with distant water views. We loved picking our dinner from the catches of the day (sea bream, lobster, and fried calamari were all winners), sipping ice-cold Turkish raki (well, two of us), and capping it all off with baklava and the freshest figs imaginable.

Best Sight: "I thought the pet area outside the Spice Market was the coolest thing we saw. There were turtles the size of a quarter, chickens, buckets of leeches, and pigeons, too." – Will

Best food: "Turkish meatballs!" – Kate

One of many aisles in the Grand Bazaar. Photo: Frank Kovalchek / Flickr

DAY 3: The Grand Bazaar

Our third and final day was devoted to shopping the massive labyrinth of shops that is the Grand Bazaar. With more than 60 streets and 5,000 shops, this is not one to attempt on your own. It is, however, the place to score everything, especially fantastic scarves (Ottoamano for hand-painted silks and fatoush shawls) and peshtemal towels (inexpensive, thoroughly modern hammam towels made of fine cotton that make great hand towels). The Bazaar is organized into areas — jewelry, candy, rugs, slippers — which makes targeted buying very easy. My kids had a limited attention span for retail overload, but they did enjoy the haggling part of any purchase.

Our third and final night was spent at Ulus 29, a rather fancy restaurant located on a hilltop overlooking the Bosphorus and the bridge connecting the European and Asian sides of the city. This is definitely a white tablecloth-and-chandelier situation, but absolutely worth it for the sashimi and the stunning views. Ulus 29 has a traditional Turkish menu (kids will love their meatballs and mini pizzettes) as well as a full sushi bar with what must be the freshest fish I've ever tasted. After a dessert of homemade sorbets and pastries (even if you say "no, thank you," you will invariably and always be served sweets), we retreated to the hotel through the winding streets of the upscale Ulus neighborhood.  

Three days in Istanbul will allow you to taste the European and Asian flavors of the city, and to enjoy the intricate mix of ancient culture and incredible innovation. My mantra holds true: Leave wanting more.

Best Souvenir: "I liked shopping in the Grand Bazaar best because I got a tiny, glittering elephant jewelry box that is encrusted with little pearls. I'll keep it forever." – Kate

Total trip highlight: "Hagia Sofia, and the swimming pool, and the hot tub at the hotel were the best parts of this trip." – Will

PLAN YOUR TRIP

Fly: Istanbul Atatürk Airport (IST) is the city's main international airport and less than 15 miles away from the heart of Old Istanbul. You can take a taxi, bus, or metro in to the city for a reasonable price. There is also the Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW) on the Asian side, servicing mostly budget European airlines.

Visa: Depending on your nationality, you may need a visa to enter the country (U.S. passport holders need one). You can either queue for it upon arrival before going through passport control, or apply and pay online prior to your trip.

MAP IT

See all locations mentioned in this story on a map. (Google Maps)

MORE ON FATHOM

Falling in Love with Istanbul
Stephanie March: Istanbul Diary
Hometown Debrief: BEATRIXE in Istanbul

Live Like an A-Lister in the Heart of Beverly Hills

Contributing editor Christina Ohly is no stranger to the world's best hotels, but she just may have had her mind blown during a recent stay in Beverly Hills.

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LOS ANGELES – For anyone interested in mingling with Hollywood's industry elite there is no better place to be than the Peninsula Beverly Hills — on any given day of the week, at any time of day or night. But it's during awards season — the period from January through March that includes the Golden Globes (early January), the Screen Actors Guild Awards (late January), and the Oscars (late February) — that this particularly special Peninsula really shines in all its star-studded, high-wattage glory.

From its power position in the heart of Beverly Hills (it never hurts to be next to CAA headquarters, after all) to its relaxed rooftop pool setting, to two of the best restaurants in town, the staff at the Peninsula Beverly Hills never makes a false step. The attention to detail begins at check-in, when I was recently greeted with a thoroughly rare and endearing question: "Would you like a late check-out?" First question! Every service touchpoint from there was over-the-top in the best possible way, and my quiet garden view allowed for the most restorative sleep I've had all year.

Claim to Fame

Ridiculous food and people-watching. First and foremost is the Roof Garden, where healthy SoCal cuisine meets comfort food in the form of egg white omelets, pressed juices made with goji berries and yuzu, the signature cobb salad, and crispy frites — all served under chic umbrellas. The adjacent tables will invariably be packed with hitters: agents, actors, and yoga-toned beauties all call this their canteen. The Roof Garden is quintessential California fabulousity.

The Belvedere's specacular terrace. Photo courtesy of the Peninsula Beverly Hills.

What's New

The recently opened Belvedere, a Mediterranean restaurant with one of the most beautiful patios in town, adds to dining delights. The mezze-heavy menu begins with fattoush salads and Greek-inspired taramasalata for dipping freshly baked pita and stars delicious lamb tagine and a monkfish osso bucco that I won't soon forget. The portions are enormous and satisfying, but I fell on my sword (all in the name of research…) and went for the dessert sampler of compotes and artistic creations that rival the restaurant's world-class art collection. The work of Yayoi Kusama, Sean Scully, Josef Albers, Alex Katz, and Robert Indiana enliven the walls and add to an incredible experience for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

What's on Site

The Peninsula is a tech-focused hotel company, so you'll find the best here in terms of TV, seamless WiFi, state-of-the-art telephones, and bathroom technologies. The amenities are similarly top-notch, and The Peninsula Spa is destination-worthy — particularly leading up to any awards night, so book well in advance if you want to jostle the nominees out of their appointments. Two treatments are of special note: Precious Ruby Massages ($410/120 minutes) include dry body brushing followed by a gardenia- and ylang ylang-scented scrub, topped off with a hydrating rose clay wrap and a killer foot massage. The Organic Oxygen Facial ($285/60 minutes) is a lovely post-flight pick-me-up, turning complexions from dull to dewy.

It's all about lines around the rooftop pool. Photo by Christina Ohly.

The food, and the lively Living Room bar scene, the spa, the pool with its secluded cabanas, and the curated shops (including 100% Capri for that forgotten bikini) ensure that you really don't need to leave the premises. Unless, of course, you've been nominated in the film or television category or are holding tickets for the red carpet extravaganza.

The Food

As discussed, the food is excellent in all restaurants and lounges, but the Roof Garden is my favorite for California classics. The views of Century City beyond, not to mention the industry titans quietly talking shop at the surrounding tables, add to the breezy vibe. The dinner wait staff at Belvedere couldn't be more attentive and animated. (The waiter/actor factor in LA ensures meals are lively). 

The Grand Deluxe Suite bedroom, also known as the "blue room." Photo courtesy of the Peninsula Beverly Hills.

A most extravagant fruit cup. Photo by Christina Ohly.

In the Room

The 195 rooms and suites range from standard guest rooms to private villas placed around the property gardens. There is nothing "standard" about this category at The Peninsula, where the thread counts are high, the heavy wooden furniture feels regal, and the welcome amenity includes a lavish fruit platter, chocolates, cookies, and more. This isn't an afterthought, but rather an appreciated meal at the end of any long day.

Best of all are the bathrooms. Even in a basic room category, the lavish marble set-ups are bigger than most NYC apartments. Deep soaking tubs, spacious showers with all kinds of settings, plush terry robes, well-stocked vanity kits (with extras such as hand sanitizer), and a television stream mean that you can blow dry your hair and listen to CNN at the same time.

This Place Is Perfect For

Anyone with red carpet tastes — and a budget to match. Villa suites (from $1,900) work well for families, superior rooms (from $575 per night) are ideal for business travelers. The Beverly Suite (from $1,500) is spacious, with a separate sitting space and scenic views. I stayed in a deluxe room (#209) that was quiet and a little dark (in a good way), overlooking palm fronds.

CHECKING OUT

Neighborhood Vibe

Set in the heart of the Golden Triangle, this is the place to get your shop on: Barneys, Neiman Marcus, and Rodeo Drive are just steps away. No one really walks (anywhere) in Los Angeles, so don't be shy about taking advantage of the hotel's fleet of complimentary cars for area trips. The Rolls Royce is the swankiest; the Minis are more ego- and eco-friendly.

If you must drive, drive in style. Photo by Christina Ohly.

Speaking of Cars

It's all about Uber in LA. It's much cheaper than taxis, though those are plentiful, too. Just don't rent a car. When you factor in the valet costs, parking tickets, and traffic headaches, and the nightmare that car rental is at LAX, calling a ride is a no-brainer. That said, a rental car can be delivered and picked up at the hotel for approximately the same daily rate.

What to Do Nearby

The Los Angeles Country Museum of Art (LACMA) is always a highlight for innovative exhibitions and for its permanent James Turrell installation; ditto the Hammer Museum and MOCA which are within a small radius. Further up the coast, The Getty Center is a must (use of the hotel's Infiniti cars for the scenic journey), and book ahead at Nobu in Malibu, one of his best spots anywhere in the world.

Beverly Hills is home to classic, old-school restaurants like the Polo Lounge and the downstairs soda fountain at the Beverly Hills Hotel, the original Matsuhisa, Nate n' Al delicatessen, and Spago. I also loved Curtis Stone's Maude and Republique. It's in Hancock Park, but worth the drive for the castle-like setting (it was once home to Nancy Silverton's beloved Campanile).

Good to Know

Don't be afraid to ask for upgrades. They are so accommodating at this particular Peninsula that they'll happily oblige if space allows. I speak from experience.

BOOK IT

Rates begin at $575 per night and go up sharply from there.

Strike London Hotel Gold at Charming, Posh (and Shockingly Affordable) Flemings Mayfair

Can it be? A gorgeous, centrally located, family-owned hotel in Central London that's actually affordable? Contributing editor and London regular Christina Ohly strikes hotel gold at Flemings Mayfair.

LONDON – Visitors to London are spoiled for choice when it comes to fantastic hotels, so I am always on the lookout for the latest, greatest, newest offering when I return to this city that I consider my second home. I tend to stay in more residential areas — Chelsea, Kensington, Notting Hill — but my latest favorite find is in the heart of Mayfair, tucked away on sweet Half Moon Street. I literally can't stop raving about this hidden gem.

Originally opened in 1851, Flemings Mayfair was converted from thirteen adjoining Georgian townhouses, which gives it an intimate, smaller feel than the other surrounding luxury hotels. I love the warmth of the place — the very personal greeting at check-in, the helpful concierges, the bartender in the Drawing Room who was happy to replenish my endless pots of tea — as well as the ease of access to everything from Piccadilly and the Green Park tube to the restaurants and shops of tony Mount Street.

Flemings Mayfair, which is still a family-owned hotel (a rarity in the luxury space) achieves the perfect balance of being very high-touch yet perfectly low-key.

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Location
Just past Park Lane, mere steps from Green Park, Flemings Mayfair is set on quiet Half Moon Street, with several private apartments accessed by Clarges Street just round the corner. The surroundings feel very local and touristy at once, given the number of nearby sites. There's a small café at the end of the street, an independent bookseller and, Kiku, a delicious off-the-radar Japanese restaurant next door. Best of all, a mini Marks & Spencer around the corner carries the edible essentials (prawn crisps, chocolate chip cookies) that you might crave. Its location between Park Lane and Berkeley Square means multiple tube possibilities. Getting around on foot couldn't be easier.

Hotel Style
The hotel recently received a £14 million facelift courtesy of London-based interior design firm Tully Filmer. The results are a series of serene spaces throughout the 129 guest rooms, the jewel box Drawing Room bar, and subterranean Ormer Mayfair restaurant and Manetta's Bar. The sleek furnishings are in neutral hues, with the punches of aqua and rose gold adding cheerful flair.

High-ceilinged bedrooms often include Art Deco touches like desks and custom chairs made of dark sycamore as well as contemporary photography by Andy Gotts, MBE. The juxtaposition of the artist's portraits of Kate Moss, Kylie Minogue, Harrison Ford (many taken at the hotel) with period finishes isn't totally obvious, but it adds to the overall fun, personalized approach of the hotel.

This Place Is Perfect For
Flemings Mayfair is ideal for the business traveler because of its easy access to the City and surrounding Mayfair, and it would work equally well for the well-heeled tourist interested in the many excellent museums, restaurants, parks, and shops nearby.

What's on Site
The striking restaurant in the basement, Ormer Mayfair, helmed by Michelin-starred chef Shaun Rankin, is definitely a highlight. The inventive menu is full of Jersey-grown produce, meat, and fish. I loved the breakfast spread (excellent charcuterie and gluten-free options) as well as one late-night dinner of sweet lobster ravioli in crab and tomato bisque with shallots, followed by a dark chocolate brownie with sticky popcorn, salted caramel sauce, and ice cream. Nirvana! The wines selected by award-winning sommelier Andreas Rosendal were outstanding. Oenophiles will love selections like the magnum of 2009 Classic Cuvee from English estate Nyetimber, which can be enjoyed by the glass. Keep drinking at dark and moody Manetta's Bar, where the walls are lined with portraits of famous literary figures of yore like Gertrude Stein, Alice B. Toklas, and Oscar Wilde.

My favorite part of the hotel is the Indian-inspired Drawing Room, done in conjunction with The East India Company. It's the perfect place to sip Darjeeling and work on the laptop. Hand-painted de Gournay wall panels in jewel tones, velvet seats, shelves of Assouline books, and a crackling fire add to the clubby ambience.

While I am not likely to use it, I am a fan of having a gym on premises (option value when dealing with jet lag), and the gym here is clean, light, and state-of-the-art. Nothing over the top — just four machines, sets of weights, and a TV — but it is a rare find for a hotel of this size in central London.

Number of Rooms
There are 129 bedrooms, suites, and apartments, with a top floor penthouse that sleeps six and has a private lift and roof terrace for entertaining al fresco. The Townhouse features several beautifully appointed bedrooms and can be booked in a series of suites or taken over as a whole property. Junior suites and studio suites, as well as one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments accessible via Clarges Street round out the slightly quirky offerings. This lack of uniformity adds to the charm: No two rooms are exactly alike, and you feel like you're staying in someone's opulent, velvet-swathed home, circa 1932, if 1932 had modern everything.

In-Room Amenities
The mark of any good hotel is free, excellent WiFi, and Flemings Mayfair has this covered. Ditto the mini-bar stocked with Cadbury's chocolate and the vast marble bathrooms with Miller Harris amenities. Discreet flat-screen TVs include hundreds of channels (literally) and don't detract from the Zen design scheme. If you don't want to lose yourself to the tube, spend a few hours flipping gorgeous hardcover volumes of Penguin classics. While it may be hipped-up, this is England, so there is definitely no yoga mat in the closet.

Perhaps the most unique in-room offering is a complimentary gin bar. I can't stand the stuff, but the idea of my own bar comprised of five different gins (including Flemings' own signature blend) curated by spirits experts Joel Harrison and Neil Ridley almost won me over.

Drawbacks
The only drawback is that some of the rooms are a bit small and dark side. This is London, so many of the rooms are courtyard-facing, and on a dreary day…well, it can be a bit dreary. Looked at another way, these same rooms are particularly excellent for quiet, uninterrupted sleep.

Standout Detail
The standout details for me all involved impeccable service: the helpful front desk person who graciously checked me in at 11 a.m., even though I wasn't due until 2 p.m. Another striking personality was the bartender in the Drawing Room, who happily accommodated everyone from afternoon tea drinkers to late-night champagne enthusiasts. I cannot forget the concierge who arranged for the delivery of my work-related packages to various locations throughout the city, seemingly free of charge (I'm still waiting for this bill).

Manetta's Bar.

Lunch from another era. Photo by Niall Clutton.

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Mayfair has it all — great shopping, beautiful Georgian architecture, picture-perfect mews, and some of the world's finest museums and restaurants. There is a mix of outdoors — parks, sidewalk cafes, and the ubiquitous pubs that spill out in the streets in warm weather — as well as culture, so there is literally something for everyone within a half-mile radius of the hotel.

What to Do Nearby
This is prime London park territory, and two of my favorites — flower-filled Green Park and St. James' — are basically across the road, and Hyde Park is a stone's throw away. Nearby museums include Buckingham Palace, The Royal Academy of Art, The National Gallery, and The Wallace Collection.

Some of the world's best galleries are in Mayfair, including David Zwirner, Gagosian, and the recently opened Marian Goodman Gallery. Shoppers will be in heaven with everything from the established luxury houses along Bond Street (Chanel, Bulgari, Hermès) to more niche finds like the French designer Vanessa Bruno, whose two-story shop on Grafton Street is full of chic, functional finds. Selfridge's, with its impressive food hall and endless array of clothing and accessories, is still the superstore to end all superstores.

The restaurant options within a half mile span the globe from Italian to Lebanese and range in style from scene-y (Asian fusion Sexy Fish) to classic (Scott's, The Wolseley, Helene Darroze at the Connaught, and The Ritz), to cheap and cheerful (Itsu). In terms of (relatively) newer area additions, Mount Street Deli is the place for a casual breakfast, with its beautiful flora outside, while lunch at Selfridge's — particularly when they host interesting pop-ups, like Dan Barber's recent wastED residency — is always worthwhile. High tea feels like an American construct, but if you must, there is no better venue than Claridge's: The pastries, sandwiches, and fresh infusions in that magical, Art Deco setting just can't be beaten.

Lunches in Mayfair can vary between an affordable chicken schwarma wrap and a full-on, four-course feast at La Petite Maison, a Provençal delight tucked just behind Claridge's. Another long-standing gem is Ikeda on Brook Street, where you'll find seriously authentic Japanese food with little fanfare. The best tables in this part of town include members clubs like 5 Hertford, The Arts Club, and George, so if you can score an invitation, know that the quinoa salads and people-watching are both unparalleled.

Evenings should always include a drink at The Connaught Bar — the best ambience in London, I think — followed by dinner at Sexy Fish or Roka (for sushi) or at Fera at Claridge's if you're feeling seriously adventurous (be prepared for funky, foraged ingredients). The classics remain just that, and the Dover sole at Scott's and contemporary Indian cuisine at Gymkhana are all worth a stop.

Good to Know
I wish I'd known about this hotel earlier, as it really offers good value for money. It is chic, quiet, understated yet luxurious, with perfect attention to detail. I would also highlight the restaurant — and not just to hotel guests — as I feel it gets a little lost for its underground location. Which is too bad, as it is a remarkable culinary experience.

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Finding Southern Italian Hotel Charm in London

What happens when you bring Italian hospitality to a quiet London neighborhood?

LONDON – London may be the ultimate hotel town — with everything from luxurious, chintz-filled suites to bijou, boutique bolt holes — but there are surprisingly few options in SW3, the quiet residential area near Sloane Square in Chelsea where I used to live and prefer to stay. Needless to say, I am always happy to make a lodging discovery. My latest find isn't brand new, but it is under the radar due to its small size and low-to-no traffic location. My new home away from home is San Domenico House, an authentic, antiques-laden English charmer with a Puglian twist.

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Overview

San Domenico House is a 17-room red brick Victorian home that was purchased in 2005 by the Melpignano family and lovingly transformed into a cossetting guest house just steps from the King's Road. (The same family owns Fathom Favorites Borgo Egnazia and Masseria San Domenico, five-star resorts in Puglia that are at the opposite end of the design spectrum.) Built in 1887 and established as the Sloane Hotel in 1991, the latest iteration of the hotel is a rare, slightly quirky find – making it ideal for travelers who like this part of town, favor peace and quiet, like to open the windows, or are traveling with older kids who will love the easy access to the shops, cafes, and parks of Chelsea. Spread across four floors, the rooms and suites are all individually designed, some with antique armoires, others swathed in toile du jouy fabrics. Some are bi-level; some have lovely terraces. But each makes guest feel like they are staying in someone's well-appointed house, with en-suite, modern bathrooms.

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Rates start at £195. Click here for reservations.

Claims to Fame

San Domenico House is known for the art and antiques that have been lovingly curated by the elder Mrs. Melpignano. The public sitting room — sumptuous couches, serious oil paintings, roaring fire — is period perfect, so warm and inviting that I spent a Sunday morning reading the papers as natural light streamed in through the enormous, original windows.

Another point of differentiation is the staff: They're all Italian, and most from the same town in Puglia. This adds a sweet aspect to a stay here. Everyone is eager to please, to try their English, and to make you feel a part of their family, if only for a short while.

The deluxe suite terrace.

What's on Site

This is primarily a place to (peacefully) lay your head. No swanky bar and no spa, but there's a sweet breakfast room on the lower level. The staff takes great pride in serving everything from full English breakfasts to egg white omelettes (with a bit of translation required). The Deluxe Suite has a terrace overlooking the iconic townhouses and chimney pots of Chelsea. For my money, there's no better spot to enjoy a summer breakfast.

The Food

The breakfast offerings are excellent — fresh fruit, flaky croissants, and seriously strong coffee — and the sweet waiter will source whatever they don't have on hand (in my case, an icy Diet Coke which I think he had to run to the Sainsbury's to get, yet another gracious touch). Afternoon tea served in the main sitting room feels quintessentially English, right down to the overstuffed chairs and collection of antique silver. Lunch and dinner are available as is a nice room service option for late arrivals. The neighborhood has so many wonderful restaurants, from delicious Lebanese holes-in the-wall to fine dining establishments, that you'll want to walk the 500 yards to some of London's best meals.

A gallery suite bedroom.

Room with a View

There are 17 rooms in four categories. All have high ceilings and marble bathrooms; most have enormous bay windows, opulent draperies, and precious antiques. The Deluxe Suite is the top of the line, followed by Junior Suites decorated with vintage Louise Vuitton cases and gilt-framed paintings. Gallery Suites have a slightly regal vibe — velvet curtains with silk tie-backs, four-poster beds, and lots of rich red fabrics — while Deluxe Doubles have been designed in lighter palettes of cream and beige. Central air conditioning (still not the norm in small hotels), free WiFi, small flat screen TVs, and Molton Brown amenities round out the spare but practical room offerings.

This Place Is Perfect For...

Anyone who appreciates local color, Italian warmth, and good cheer. Just step outside the front door to see children going to nearby schools and people walking to the market. This is real London life, not busy, polished Mayfair. It's also perfect for anyone looking for an affordable, old-school weekend away or proximity to the shops and restaurants at the Brompton Cross.

But Not So Perfect For...

People with small children. You're living in close proximity, and no one needs the noise. Also not ideal for the sybarite in need of shiny, endless amenities, e.g. an on-site gym, vast room service offerings, or anyone with an aversion to heavy, slightly baroque décor. Consider this a very upscale B&B where you get real value for money.

Shake the London chill by the fire.

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Neighborhood Vibe

Chelsea is understated, well manicured, and definitely not the epicenter of the action in London. That said, it is full of beautiful architecture, particularly the white Georgian row houses with their colorful doors, and is also home to lovely parks and excellent restaurants. Staying in this part of town gives you a more local look at London life, and it's an easy jumping off point to nearby museums including the V&A and the Science Museum, the shops of Sloane Street, as well as the extremely cool Chelsea Physic Garden.

What to Do Nearby

Shopping is a major Chelsea highlight, and one of the best stores (anywhere) is the Conran Shop on Sloane Avenue. Not to be confused with the more mass Conran stores, this one-off is a highly edited, design-led emporium full of Eames and Saarinen furniture and the best letterpress cards, gifts, and accessories anywhere. Ideal for holiday gifts and stocking stuffers. Just steps away is the original Joseph boutique, a highly curated, multi-brand store with amazing fashions as well as practical pieces (pants and their signature sweater collections) at the annex across Walton Street.

Strolling the King's Road is a must, and Antiquarius is perfect for affordable vintage things, like Art Deco match strikers and silver picture frames, while Taschen Books in Duke of York Square has beautiful art and fashion-centric tomes. Muji is a must for desk accessories, as is Partridge's for snack foods. The massive Peter Jones is the place for practical, Union Jack-bedecked things.

Grab a picnic at Finns of Chelsea (prepared salads and sandwiches) and head for the slightly secret Chelsea Physic Garden or the Royal Hospital Gardens. Or have a light lunch at Itsu on Draycott Avenue. The best of this chain of restaurants, the Chelsea outpost has table service and a vibrant atmosphere. Other foodie highlights include Tom's Kitchen, noted chef Tom Aiken's comfort food spot; Manicomio for stylish breakfast, lunch or dinner with Italian flair; and Bibendum for celebratory lunches involving oysters. For excellent Lebanese food, I love Al Dar on the King's Road, where the chicken schwarma more than makes up for the ambience. For the best steak frites in town, go to La Brasserie, where the service is quite French. For a casual coffee or a light lunch, Baker & Spice is the place. Sit at a farmhouse table and order beautiful salads and baked goods, notably their enormous, signature meringues. This is a hip, farm-to-table spot that could easily flourish in the Berkshires or Williamsburg.

Good to Know

Chelsea closes early. Restaurants are finished by 10 p.m. and the streets get extremely quiet. On the plus side, the gastropubs are excellent (The Enterprise and Admiral Codrington are my favorites), flower vendors like Gilding the Lily are abundant, as are endless places for coffee including the café at Bibendum, Aubaine, and Poco.

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Rates start at £195. Click here for reservations.

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Start the Day with the World's Best Hotel Breakfasts

Fresh-baked breads. Never-ending eggs. Extravagant pastry towers. Who doesn't love a sumptuous hotel breakfast? Certainly not Christina Ohly. The hotel-hopper extraordinaire put together a list of spreads worth traveling for, which include a few recommendations from Team Fathom. (We couldn't help it. We're equally obsessed.)

Everyone knows that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, something that rings true and clear during a hotel stay. My daughter Kate, who doubles as my intrepid travel companion, has pointed out on numerous occasions that a fine breakfast spread — and it doesn't have to be fancy, just delicious, beautiful, and even quirky — is often worth planning an entire trip around. With that in mind, here are a few of our most memorable morning meals.

The rooftop breakfast. Photo courtesy of La Scelta di Goethe.

La Scelta di Goethe

Where: Rome, Italy
What's to love: The small all-suite hotel — which is really more like a sumptuous private apartment — offers the most spectacular spread of cheeses, salami, muesli, fruit tarts, and freshly baked breads on its expansive private terrace. No one but you, with your deliciously strong pot of coffee, will be overlooking Villa Borghese, endless cupolas, and Vatican City in the distance. The peel of church bells and seagulls standing sentry adds to the lovely, very local vibe.
Check in: Book a Room

The carb-lovers breakfast. Photo courtesy of La Mamounia.

La Mamounia

Where: Marrakech, Morocco
What's to love: Start with the service. You'll never find kinder people offering fresh juices, strong coffee, and Moroccan mint tea infusions, all in a poolside pavilion setting with lush garden views. The breakfast spread is magnificent and very authentic. Local specialties including khobz (flatbread) with olive oil and jam, sweet rolls studded with anise and sesame seeds, a version of pancakes, as well as meats, cheeses, and all kinds of eggs cooked to order.
Check in: Book a Room

The Japanese-style vegetarian breakfast. Photo by Berit Baugher.

Hoshinoya Tokyo

Where: Tokyo, Japan
What's to love: Quite possibly one of the best room service breakfasts in existence can be experienced at this new ryokan-style hotel. A beautiful wooden box is brough to your suite by a kimono-clad attendant who carefully explains each small plate. Even though it will be hard to follow most of what she says, and even though you might never know what you're really eating, you'll be delighted by each and every bite.
Check in: Book a Room

The vegan petit dejeuner. Photo courtesy of La Réserve.

La Réserve

Where: Paris, France
What's to love: The signature vitality breakfast is a gluten-free, vegan take on a classic Paris petit dejeuner, with detox juice, lemon-ginger herbal tea, pastries, buckwheat and berry muesli with almond milk, avocado with hempseed gomasio, raw everything, and even a take on French toast with coconut butter. Fashion editors, designers, and the haute couture crowd flock to this Jacques Garcia-designed gem during Fashion Week. Be sure to book ahead.
Check in: Book a Room

The savory spread. Photo courtesy of The Ritz-Carlton Kapalua.

The Ritz-Carlton Kapalua

Where: Maui, Hawaii
What's to love: Fuel-up for a day of biking down the side of a volcano with a buffet extravaganza that includes all kinds of island specialties: POG (papaya, orange, and guava) juice, Portuguese sweet bread, and a seed bar — chia, flax, poppy, sesame — more comprehensive than the Whole Foods bulk bin isle. Fresh tofu, steamed rice, and a full salad bar add savory, healthy touches.
Check in: Book a Room

The healthy option. Photo courtesy of Claridge's.

Claridge's

Where: London, United Kingdom
What's to love: Everything. The Art Deco setting, pots of proper Sri Lankan teas (theirs is bespoke), and all kinds of delicious dishes like vegan scrambled tofu on rye bread with tempeh, pork gyoza, and prawn dumplings from the Chinese menu, and flaky, gluten-free croissants. The chocolate coconut whey protein smoothies can't possibly be healthy, but sides of chicken sausage, grilled tomatoes, and wilted spinach most definitely are. Everything's to love about the old-school full English breakfast, complete with an omelette of fine herbs, granary toast, and fresh pink grapefruit juice. Plus, the people-watching is unparalleled.
Check in: Book a Room

The fashionista's choice. Photo courtesy of Four Seasons Hotel Milano.

Four Seasons Hotel Milano

Where: Milan, Italy
What's to love: The hotel has a completely different feel and clientele than most Four Seasons. Many fashion editors and other generally fabulous Fashion Week attendees have created demand for the Taste & Shine breakfast, comprised of freshly pressed juices and gluten-free everything, served while getting a quick-dry, or express-dry, manicure. Hungrier types will want to head to the dining room, where, on weekends, there is a special room dedicated to chocolate creations.
Check in: Book a Room

The best of Sicilian summer. Photo by Jeralyn Gerba.

Monaci delle Terre Nere

Where: Sicily, Italy
What's to love: Breakfast is served under a canvas canopy on a terraced hillside of pine and olive trees. The bounty is the best of Sicily in the summer: bowls of stone fruit, glass jars of sheeps' milk yogurt and local honey, blood orange juice, farm eggs, and fresh-baked loaves of Sicilian wheat — all of which have benefitted from Mount Etna's nutrient-rich soil. In the summer, a long and lazy taste-testing session (washed down with cappuccino) is unadulterated joy.
Check in: Book a Room

The Grand Restaurant. Photo courtesy of The Kulm Hotel.

The Kulm Hotel

Where: St. Moritz, Switzerland
What's to love: Breakfast in the baroque Grand Restaurant will leave you well-stoked for skiing, hiking, and high-end alpine shopping. Local specialties on the buffet include birchermüsli, bündnerfleisch (air-dried Grisons meat, an Engadine Valley speciality), real (thick!) hot chocolate, and the creamiest Tilsiter Swiss cheese. Other pluses include a comprehensive selection of regional butters, jams, and honeys, and perfectly formed, piping hot omelettes.
Check in: Book a Room

Il Palagio. Photo courtesy of Four Seasons Hotel Firenze.

Four Seasons Hotel Firenze

Where: Florence, Italy
What's to love: There is nothing typical about this Four Seasons. Set in a 16th-century frescoed palazzo, the Sunday brunch is, well, beyond memorable (I'm still talking about this meal five years later). The formal restaurant, Il Palagio, is transformed into a multi-station brunch by noted chef Vito Mollica, who makes killer poached eggs with Florentine-style spinach. The atmosphere is very casual (local families linger, too) and the food is delicious and all locally sourced (berries are the size of golf balls). Make this your only meal of the day.
Check in: Book a Room

The Alain Ducasse classic. Photo courtesy of Le Meurice.

Hôtel Le Meurice

Where: Paris, France
What's to love: The Michelin-starred Alain Ducasse restaurant, with its stylish Phillipe Starck update, is a magical place to kick off a day in the City of Light. The American breakfast is full-on: eggs with a truffle, Kristal caviar or salmon supplement, Ducasse's own hot chocolate, pressed juices by Nubio, and thick, crispy waffles doused in whatever you like. This is old-school luxury.
Check in: Book a Room

The outdoor spread. Photo courtesy of Belmond Villa Sant'Andrea.

Belmond Villa Sant'Andrea

Where: Taormina, Sicily
What's to love: The seaside terrace setting and the comprehensive spread are unmatched. Choose from freshly baked croissants and plum tarts, peach compote, housemade tangerine marmalade, acacia honey from nearby Etna, Parma prosciutto, and the most delicious smoked swordfish. Apricot, green apple, and blueberry juices, sipped overlooking the Bay of Mazzaro, are just sublime.
Check in: Book a Room

The brunch buffet. Photo courtesy of Peninsula Chicago.

The Peninsula Chicago

Where: Chicago, Illinois
What's to love: As a general rule, Peninsula Hotels do breakfast really well, with plenty of Chinese offerings standard. Chicago offers lobster and scallop congee and steamed shrimp dumplings, but with a hefty dose of Midwestern, carb-laden goodness added in. Think fluffy pancakes, chocolate desserts, waffles with berry compote, and serious specialty meats like steak, various kinds of bacon, and pork and chicken sausages.
Check in: Book a Room

The breakfast at Aman Tokyo. Photo by Jeralyn Gerba.

Aman Tokyo

Where: Tokyo, Japan
What's to love: It's hard to describe the sheer delight of sitting down to a proper Japanese breakfast. Each little bento box compartment offers a surprising bite of something gastronomically remarkable — it's like getting permission to open all of the advent calendar doors at once. To be able to enjoy the elevated morning ritual at Aman, itself a jewel box of architectural surprises, while overlooking the Imperial Gardens and Mount Fuji? Arigato. 
Check in: Book a Room

Madonna! London's High-Fashion Hotel Is, of Course, Italian

If you walked past this high-end hotel, you might mistake it for one of the surrounding haute boutiques. And you wouldn't be far off. Fathom contributor Christina Ohly checks into one of the poshest addresses in Knightsbridge, London.

LONDON – There's no place more special than London for celebrating a milestone birthday, a romantic anniversary, or a Power Ball payout. The historic city holds special charm for revelers: sublime scenery, culture galore, incredible food (who would have thought), and above all else, some of the most luxurious hotels on the planet. Among the most special and sumptuous is Bulgari Hotel London in Knightsbridge. Such a hotel experience isn't cheap, but here's what you get for your hard-earned pounds.

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Overview

It makes sense that a hotel from the most luxurious jewelry brand in Italy would be just as stunning and opulent. Opened in 2012, the 85-room sleek spot in Knightsbridge is all polished cherry and mahogany and steel finishes, yet the atmosphere is incredibly warm and accessible. That's due to the staff, who are always attentive but never fawning and are clad in simple, streamlined outfits — plain cotton jackets, sensible outerwear, no white gloves or top hats in sight. Everything from your personalized butler to the crisp-filled minibar is incredibly high-touch and low-key at the same time.

The lobby. All photos courtesy of Bulgari Hotel London.

The spa pool.

What's New

The Bulgari Spa is a stand-alone destination, home to one of the most beautiful pools in London. There's also an expansive menu of treatments ranging from bespoke facials to full-body Thai massages to emotional healing with modern wizard Andrew Wallas, who practices spiritual psychology. New this month are Mauli treatments, like insanely relaxing Sacred Indian Head Massages incorporating hand-crafted Ayurveda products that can only be found on-site.

What's On Site

Besides the spa and a chic restaurant serving Mediterranean tapas, you'll find the most outrageous minibars and wine refrigerators. There are no wants for amenities — as the room is already stocked with international electrical sockets, Nespresso machines, personalized stationery, Bulgari beauty products, fruit baskets of never-before-seen varieties, and excellent WiFi.

The Food

Rivea, the hotel's main fine dining restaurant, is now overseen by Alain Ducasse, and serves everything from perfectly poached eggs at breakfast to small dinner plates for tasting and sharing. Among the standouts are cep mushroom and ricotta ravioli, citrus marinated line-caught sea bream, a Provençal vegetable caponata, house-made lemon shortbread, and a tangy limoncello sorbet.

Room service is excellent, too, should you want to have a leisurely meal across from your massive flat-screen TV in the comfort of one of your many fluffy bathrobes.

Rivea restaurant.

A deluxe room.

The Rooms

There are 85 rooms, seven of which are indulgent, massive suites. Standard rooms have exquisite linens and fine wood finishes. Suites are something else entirely — expansive living rooms, kitchens with separate refrigerators for wine and food, a dining room that seats ten, and a closet bigger than most New York City apartments.

I stayed in Room 553, a decadent suite with floor-to-ceiling windows and three TVs, but a simple, 43-square-meter Deluxe Room would have worked just as well. I barely looked out the window because I was so focused on my exquisite surroundings — the king-size bed and sprawling living area. Sixth-floor suites have expansive terraces and gas fireplaces.

This Hotel Is Perfect For

Romantics, tourists who want to explore the shops and restaurants of Knightsbridge, and anyone who likes to be near Hyde Park.

And Not So Perfect For

Anyone on a budget. People who get annoyed by the occasional growl of Ferraris, Lamborghinis, and McLarens that pull up curbside.

The dining room in Bulgari Suite I.

The living room in Bulgari Suite I.

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Neighborhood Vibe

I've always thought of Knightsbridge as the part of London that's thronged with tourists flocking to Harrods, but I found it the perfect jumping-off point for exploring Mayfair, Notting Hill, and North London. The tube station is just steps away from the hotel; Fifth Floor at Harvey Nichols still has the best jams and conveyor belt sushi; and Brompton Road and High Street have everything a hotel guest could need — Boots, Carphone Warehouse for chargers, and the food hall at Harrods which, I must admit, is wonderful.

Things to Do Nearby

Head out the hotel front door to Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens before hitting the wonderful restaurants of Kensington and Notting Hill, like Sally Clarke's, The Ledbury, and E&O. For a scenic stroll, pass behind Harrods and walk down Chelsea's Walton Street to Brompton Cross for chic shops like Joseph and Chanel and lunch spots like Itsu (another conveyor belt sushi with great people-watching) and La Brasserie (excellent steak frites served by waiters with Continental attitude).

Steps from the hotel are concerts at Royal Albert Hall and permanent collections of fashion, furniture, jewelry, and decorative objects at Victoria & Albert Museum. Natural History Museum and the Science Museum is great for families, with its turbines, locomotives, and flight simulators. After a packed day, nothing beats robata-grilled tiger prawns with yuzu or sea bass with burnt tomato and ginger relish at Zuma on Raphael Street just behind the hotel.

Not the Georgetown of Your Youth: The Very Grown-Up Capella Hotel

Capella is a charming new addition to the Washington, DC, hotel scene. Guest services are at a premium, and the staff knows how to make a stay feel special but never ostentatious.

WASHINGTON, DC – It had been years since I’d spent any real time in Georgetown, the quaint Washington, D.C., neighborhood of cobblestone streets and picturesque row houses, and I was pleased to see that it has retained its charm even as it’s been spiffed up in recent years. I went in expecting the M Street of my youth — a main drag cluttered with chain stores and tourists — and instead found a contender for my new favorite urban hotel, excellent restaurants, and quiet, atmospheric side streets at every turn.

CHECKING IN

Overview

It used to be that a luxury stay in Georgetown was synonymous with The Four Seasons, a hotel long considered a DC power breakfast spot with a killer, central location. Now there is a new, design-led addition to the five-star hotel scene, the quietly cool Capella Hotel just down the street.

With 49 sumptuously appointed rooms, the high-touch, boutique escape is tucked away next to the historic C&O Canal Towpath. It feels like a luxurious homestay — albeit one with an excellent restaurant, a rooftop terrace with sweeping views of the Potomac, a state-of-the-art fitness facility, and a staff of knowledgeable personal assistants at your beck and call. I spent 24 blissful hours here and I can’t stop raving about it to anyone who will listen.

Claims to Fame

There are so many special touches at Capella, and they begin from the minute you check in at — get this! — whatever time you choose. There is no need to request an early check-in or a late check-out because the management believes that their customer wants flexibility above all else. I tested the system by arriving at 11 a.m. and was whisked to my room without delay. There is no traditional registration. Guests are somehow knowingly greeted curbside and all paperwork is handled in a discreet, pleasant way in a casual living room setting.

The property’s sleek, modern finishes, courtesy of designer Peter Sillig, include exquisite marble floors and paneling, parquet floors reclaimed from a European schloss, and a stellar contemporary art collection with works by abstract expressionists Edvins Strautmanis and Markus Lupertz and sculptures by English artist, Collin Reid, to name a few.

From the Living Room, with its eighteen-foot ceilings, to the Grill Room, a destination restaurant, to the clubby, cozy Rye Bar that draws a discreet, local crowd, the Capella feels like a hidden gem. Yet it is mere steps from the bustling intersection in the heart of Georgetown, M Street, and Wisconsin Avenue.

The private rooftop lounge at the Capella Hotel. 

The indoor/outdoor rooftop pool at Capella.

What’s on Site

The area is culturally rich — Georgetown University, The Kennedy Center, the Smithsonian museums — so, of course, you must leave the premises, but you will be hard-pressed to do so. Capella is just so peaceful, so cossetting, that it makes for a perfectly self-contained 48-hour stay.

The private rooftop lounge has an indoor/outdoor pool and a fire pit. Rye Bar on the first floor offers an excellent selection of craft cocktails and rare whiskeys to whet the appetite for the Grill Room next door. The soothing dining room — all hues of grey and aubergine — serves breakfast, lunch, brunch (that must be booked well in advance), and formal dinner.

I found the fitness facilities to be sufficient — an elliptical machine, a treadmill, and a bike overlooking the spires of Georgetown University and the National Cathedral. The truly motivated can go to a yoga studio and a more comprehensive gym nearbby.

There is no spa by design, as the management decided that in-room services were preferable for their clientele, but everything, from a simple pedicure to a haircut by noted stylist Luigi Parasmo, can be arranged with a few hours notice. Resident stylist April Yvonne is at the ready if the need arises for a frock to wear to the Kennedy Center or for after-hours access to Neiman Marcus. A personal assistant on staff specializes in cultural experiences like walk-on roles for children at The Washington Ballet and behind-the-scenes tours of Mount Vernon. In short, every request can be accommodated. 

Perhaps the biggest on site asset is Jason Denby, director of guest relations, who is incredibly attuned to his guests’ needs and knows how to make a stay feel special but never ostentatious.

The Grill Room restaurant at Capella.

The Food

One of the stars of the show at Capella is The Grill Room, a modern European restaurant with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the C&O Canal. Outdoor seating (with wool blankets and heat lamps when it’s chilly) lend it a European vibe, and executive chef Frank Ruta (formerly of the White House) creates everything from a terrific burger with shoestring fries to a refined Dover sole with passionfruit sabayon, leeks, and pea shoots. Familiar comfort foods — a wedge salad, thick cut pork chops — are thoughtfully tweaked and paired with delicious sides like oven-roasted potatoes and root vegetables drizzled with a warm anchovy balsamic vinaigrette.

A private dining room that seats up to eighteen guests is set like a glass-walled library at the center of the restaurant and would be a wonderful place to host a special event. Light bites — plates of salumi to share, artisanal cheeses, and freshly baked chocolate chip cookies — are available in The Rye Bar. Oh, and room service delivers a mean pasta Bolognese, as confirmed by my hungry teen who ordered it at an insane hour.

In the Room

All the rooms and suites have a separate sitting area with desk, a soaking tub, flat screen TVs, plush beds, and comfortable furnishings in shades of cream and grey.   

Spacious bathrooms have two sinks, plentiful mirrors, and rainfall showers and some have canal views. Other thoughtful touches include free WiFi, beverages, and newspapers of choice, as well as coffees, teas, and Keurig machines for brewing at all hours.

Room with a View

I stayed in a superior king room, a spacious 420 square feet overlooking 31st Street and the hotel entrance. This doesn’t sound lovely, but it was surprisingly quiet and there was abundant light. I liked seeing the small Italian restaurant across the street and the Potomac River in the distance.  

In an ideal world, I’d love to stay in one of two 1,200 square-feet Presidential Suites ($7,000 per night) for the full living rooms, stocked pantry areas, fireplaces, and, yes, the expansive views.  

This Place Is Perfect For

Business travelers, parents dropping kids off at Georgetown University, foodies, families who need large suites and interconnecting rooms, and couples looking for a romantic getaway. Capella has seriously wide appeal, and can work for a solo traveler as well as it did for the multi-generational family celebration that prompted my visit.

But Not So Perfect For

Anyone looking for a scene or travelers who like a sprawling hotel with all the bells and whistles.

Rates

Superior king rooms start at $495 a night. 

The superior king room.

Presidential suite inspiration.

CHECKING OUT

Neighborhood Vibe

Georgetown is a bustling, walkable, college town. Get out and enjoy it.

What to Do Nearby

One block from the hotel is busy M Street, which has all the basics: pharmacies, Dean & Deluca (excellent spot for picnic provisions), lots of shops. A few more blocks away are N and O Streets, with their sweet, historic brick homes and well-manicured trees. Still further is Dumbarton Oaks, a stately house museum with gardens that makes for a great wander before hitting the Georgetown University campus at the corner of 37th and O Streets.

DC’s biggest annual events are the Cherry Blossom Festival, which begins at the end of March and is an occasion for an array of cultural activities as well as beautiful blooms, and the Fourth of July fireworks from the Mall, which some of the best in the country. July 4 guests will have a perfect, calm vantage point — cocktail in hand — from the Capella’s rooftop terrace.

Food is a major area focus. Nearby Fiola Mare in Georgetown Harbor serves incredible Italian seafood along the Potomac. Chez Billy Sud is a lovely spot for an intimate French meal. Café Milano is the go-to for all kinds of crudi. Obelisk in nearby Dupont Circle serves simple Italian fare in a charming townhouse setting. Sushi Taro offers a traditional kaiseki experience. Gourmands should take advantage of Capella’s ability to score a reservation at Minibar, molecular gastronomist José Andrés’ superb but tiny restaurant that offers a multi-course, fully immersive dining extravaganza. 

Good to Know

Consult the Georgetown University schedule to avoid Parent’s Weekend and graduation. Also, get comfortable with taxis and walking everywhere, as the DC Metro doesn’t stop in the vicinity.

PLAN YOUR TRIP

How to Get There

The Capella is a fifteen-minute taxi ride from Union Station (Amtrak) and Washington Reagan International Airport. The hotel’s personal assistants are very good at gauging traffic patterns and arranging taxis accordingly. When possible, they will have you driven in the hotel’s complimentary car that waits outside.

Getting Around

Parking in this part of Washington is a nightmare, so it’s best to explore the area on foot. Excellent restaurants, the scenic C&O Canal, the Georgetown University campus, and the particularly lovely N and O streets are all just a few blocks away.

Finally! A Hotel We Can Love in Notting Hill

Fathom contributing editor Christina Ohly has lived in London on and off for years. Now based in NYC, she recently checked in to a Victorian townhouse in London's Notting Hill that's been updated with stylish modern charm, a serious art collection, and a killer chef serving snacks behind the bar.

CHECKING IN

Overview

You may know the areas in and around London's W2, W8, and W11 post codes as Kensington and Notting HIll, but I consider them my second home. I've never been able to find anywhere (at least of a certain standard) to stay when visiting, until the recent opening of The Laslett, a chic boutique hotel spread across five gorgeous, stucco-fronted townhouses in Pembridge Gardens. Design-led touches — modernist furniture and fabrics, a curated ground-floor boutique, Samsung LED TVs, and classic British antiques and objets d'art sourced by Jerome Dodd of Les Couilles du Chien — make this unique hotel feel like a cozy home away from home.

Claims to Fame

The lobby, library, bar, and rooms are filled with art by British favorites like Barbara Hulanicki and Barry Kamen, giving the hotel a gallery feel.The Laslett is home to Henderson Bar, named after Russell Henderson, founder of the famed Notting Hill Carnival and creator of the bar's signature rum-based cocktail. Henderson Bar is also where you'll find the culinary genius of Sally Clarke on full, glorious display in her first food foray outside her eponymous restaurant. The overall design is another claim to fame: The Laslett is a collaboration between luxury specialist Living Rooms and interior design firm Waldo Works, who have peppered the rooms with cool custom finishes and contemporary furniture by UK brands like Race Studio and Pinch.

What's on Site

Henderson Bar, which serves as the breakfast room, café, and cocktail lounge, is a lovely place to savor a cup of Workshop Coffee Company's strong brew or take down an orchard (a fresh-pressed apple, lemon, and ginger concoction) with one of Sally Clarke's perfectly flaky pains au chocolat. The library's literary offerings are another bonus, as is the shop's creative mix of jewelry by Les Glorieuses, art tomes, assorted knickknacks, and Neal's Yard Remedies creams and gels.

The Food

There is no formal restaurant, but guests can order platters piled high with Neal's Yard cheeses and charcuterie and Sally Clarke's delicious baked goods and homemade muesli at breakfast. You know parents are behind this operation, as there is a dedicated children's menu offering pizzettes, toasted sandwiches, and ice cream all day. The Laslett is perfect for craft cocktails and heavy hors d'oeuvres, but neighboring restaurants like The Ledbury, Wolfe, and Pizza East are the real culinary draw.

Room with a View

The 51 rooms, including eight suites, are set across five townhouses in a soothing Scandinavian palette on the quiet, tree-lined surroundings of Pembridge Gardens. Master bedroom suites are the way to go: Several have separate living room spaces, making them ideal for families. Double bedrooms offer value for money (as the Brits say) with beautiful finishes like bespoke light fixtures by Nocturne Workshop, sumptuous textiles by Eleanor Pritchard, and a full array of Neal's Yard Remedies and plush robes for use in the state-of-the-art bathroom. Ask for a garden-facing room to capitalize on the great natural light (whenever possible) and absorb the West London neighborhood feel.

This Place is Perfect For

Local color. The Laslett is a gem for design junkies and anyone who wants to feel like they are staying at the home of a stylish, slightly boho British friend. It's perfect for lovers of good literature: Each room is outfitted with copies of Penguin classics like Mrs. Dalloway and The Canterbury Tales.

But Not So Perfect For

Anyone looking for that polished Mayfair five-star experience. The Laslett is all about stylish charm, not fine porcelain and starched linens.

Notting Hill has always been cool, but the W2 area has seen a major resurgence in popularity over the past few years due to its incredible restaurants and cafes, proximity to shops on Westbourne Grove and Ledbury Road, and beautiful parks like Kensington Gardens.

What to Do Nearby

Kids will love Diana Memorial Playground at the top of Kensington Gardens. Anglophiles of all ages should flock to Kensington Palace — Will and Kate's former abode — for tea time at Orangery. Saturday mornings are all about Portobello Market, where dedicated scavengers find all kinds of bits and bobs — antique nautical equipment, hotel silver, vintage toys — before heading to Electric Cinema for lunch and screenings of the latest films in comfy leather chairs.

Food is a major focus in this area, and Granger and Farm Girl are two of the best breakfast spots in any London post code. Book a table at Clarke's on picturesque Kensington Church Street, where Sally Clarke serves unbelievably delicious set menus of Devonshire crab, organic lamb, British and Irish cheeses, as well as trifles, tarts, and decadent chocolate tortes. Books For Cooks remains one of the best foodie bookshops on the planet, and E&O next door is still a great spot for people watching and prawn and chive dumplings.

For more shopping, head to Kensington High Street for the world's best, most civilized Whole Foods, or entertain yourself at nearby Print Room, an eclectic theatre company housed in the iconic Coronet Theatre at Notting Hill Gate.

BOOK IT

Rates start at £275. Click here for reservations.

FIND IT

The Laslett
8 Pembridge Gardens
Notting Hill, London W2 4DU
+44-0-20-7792-6688
reservations@thelaslett.co.uk

Stunning Opulence in Arty Aix-En-Provence at Villa Gallici

If exceedingly elegant and luxurious travel is your style, then add Villa Gallici in Aix-En-Provence to your increasingly long list. (Don't you love us for how we help you with that list?) Fathom contributing editor Christina Ohly visits and finds the renovated beauty even better than expected.

CHECKING IN

Overview

AIX-EN-PROVENCE, France – Just a 15-minute walk from the bustling Cours Mirabou in the heart of Aix, you'll find the 22-room, ultra-luxe, terra cotta dream that is Villa Gallici. The original 18th-century palazzo-inspired building has been lovingly restored by the Italian Baglioni Hotels group and is also part of the Relais & Châteauxconsortium, so every Mediterranean touch feels just right — from the extremely friendly and knowledgeable concierges (none of my bizarre questions about faience shopping proved too much for them) to the refined Provençal cuisine served on the restaurant's atmospheric terrace. Villa Gallici is the perfect oasis from which to explore neighboring Romanesque churches, Mont Sainte-Victoire (Cézanne's inspiration), and some of the most vibrant outdoor markets in the south of France.

Claim to Fame

One of the villa's main draws is the plane tree-shaded piscine. A huge plus in the searing summer heat, it's an ideal spot to while away a lazy afternoon. A day at the pool will leave you refreshed for Villa Gallici's stellar cuisine and the vast wine list overseen by maitre d'hotel Stephane Gilbert, who is happy to arrange tastings throughout the gardens and guide guests through the villa's extensive cellars.

What's on Site

Villa Gallici is set amid seven lush acres of jasmine- and lavender-laden gardens with secret pathways and an incredible statuary collection. So good is the cache of bronze sculptures here that you can almost count this as a cultural excursion and therefor be forgiven for just parking it on property. The villa's refreshing pool — with its brilliant red umbrellas — and the small but fantastic spa (treatments include cryosurgery and Guinot facials) are thoroughly restorative. If you're feeling the need to burn off a little of last night's seared foie gras (don't miss this indulgence), the hotel's recently added fitness facility will put you through a light workout.

The Food

People flock from near and far to sample the creative, locally sourced cuisine in the formal restaurant and the more casual fare served on the relaxed candle-lit terrace. While all of the cooking is rooted in a classic French style — local poached fish, roasted lamb, delicately fried zucchini, and ice cream flavored with anise — there is an emphasis on beautiful vegetables as well as lighter sauces and preparations.

If you have only one meal here, make it the expansive breakfast spread on the patio beside spectacular, 100-year-old cypress trees. Lavender honey, crispy croissants with local jams, and delicious cappuccinos are a fantastic way to start the day. (Throw in their perfect egg white omelette, and this could be my Death Row meal.)

In the Room

Check your modernist aesthetic at the door and embrace the sumptuous, Louis XV surroundings found in many of the 22 rooms, suites, and communal sitting spaces. Each of the recently renovated rooms features toile, chintz, and seriously luxurious linens. Well-stocked minibars mean cold Diet Cokes and salty snacks are within range, and the technology — WiFi, TVs (sacre bleu!) — is top-notch, as expected by the Villa's discerning, ever-connected clientele.

This Place Is Perfect For

Maximalists of all ages. Families, newlyweds seeking seclusion, foodies, and lovers of art history will all rejoice at this ornate hospitality extravaganza.

But Not So Perfect For

Minimalists. One must embrace the slight ostentation and revel in the gilt finishes and multiple shades of crimson at every turn.

Room with a View

Every room affords a view onto the exuberant gardens, but the Superior 8 room — with its four-poster bed and hand-painted wallpaper — is among the best. On my next visit, I hope to stay in Suite 20, a split-level space with an upstairs living room swathed in soothing, cream-colored hues with the scent of orange blossoms filling the air.

CHECKING OUT

What to Do Nearby

You won't want to ply yourself away from this cosseting premises, but you must for the historical, culinary, and retail discoveries that await.

Start with a visit to the cloisters at Aix's Cathédrale Saint-Saveur before wandering the city streets that inspired Cézanne, Camus, and Hemingway, among many other artistic and literary greats. The Saturday outdoor markets, with their piles of lavender, mushrooms, gorgeous eggplant, and locally produced chèvre and honey, are full of local flavor, as is the Musée Granet, with its outstanding collection of nine paintings by local hero Paul Cézanne. Another worthy detour is Atelier Paul Cézanne, a light-filled studio that looks as if the Impressionist artist were recently in residence.

The nearby Sextius Thermal Baths are the place to take restorative hydrotherapy treatments, followed by a meal and a digestif at La Rotonde, or at Brasserie des Deux Garcons, an institution in Aix that is the ideal spot for sipping pastis and watching the world pass by.

PLAN YOUR TRIP

How to Get Here: If you're coming by train from Paris, Aix is an easy ride on the high-speed TGV. If you're flying, Marseilles Provence Airport (MRS) is the closest airport. It's nine miles from the train station and sixteen from the airport to Villa Gallici.

BOOK IT

Rates start at €205. Click here for reservations.

Zone Out on the Beach in Sicily at Belmond Villa Sant'Andrea

Fathom contributing editor Christina Ohly found a certain spot in the Mediterranean to sit back and tune out. She checks into a charming villa in Taormina for a serene stay on the Sicilian coast.

Overview

La. Dolce. Vita. Villa Sant'Andrea, the Belmond hotel on the beach in Taormina, Sicily, is simply a slice of heaven. The original villa was constructed in the 1830s and has been lovingly restored down to the tropical plants in the surrounding gardens. The crowd is a complete mixed bag, but you're guaranteed to find many Americans and Brits, primarily of older age, as quiet is the order of the day.

What's New

The old is what's great here, but the additions of a gym, a small spa, and complimentary boat tours (with swimming) of the surrounding islands and inlets are all pluses.

What's on Site

You'll find beautiful rooms and suites — most with flower-filled balconies and sea views — as well as the most picturesque patio for breakfasts that can last for hours. People don't come here to work out, but if you must sweat, the adequate small gym features several cardio machines. The spa does excellent in-room or outdoor massages. WiFi is available throughout the property, including at the pool and in the hotel's private beach cabanas.

Salty ocean breeze for breakfast. Photo by Christina Ohly.

The Food

Breakfast on the covered terrace is the highlight — a massive spread of yogurts, cereals, breads, and every fruit imaginable, as well as locally sourced honey and jam. And the coffee is killer, of course. Skip dinner as it is wildly expensive and not very charming. You'll have better in town, particularly at rooftop gem Viccolo Stretto in Taormina.

This Place Is Perfect For

Couples and families with extremely well-behaved, older children. This is Italy, so just about anyone and anything will work. But at these prices, it is a wonderful experience for a slightly older set.

But Not So Perfect For

Anyone on a budget. The €10 Diet Cokes really do add up.

Room with a View

I stayed in a small sea view junior suite (Room 211) with exquisite views of the Bay of Mazzarò. The beds are dreamy — thick, firm mattresses with perfectly pressed cotton sheets — in that way that is so specific to great Italian hotels. All rooms have been upgraded to include electrical outlets for all chargers (US, UK, EU) and the most modern bathroom amenities. Be sure to request a room away from the service elevator, which kicks in very early in the morning.

Views inside and out. Photo courtesy of Belmond Villa Sant'Andrea.

Neighborhood Vibe

A shuttle whisks guests up to Taormina proper, where the atmospheric streets — winding passages, frescoed cathedrals, and trattorias galore — make for a fun afternoon or evening. This is not Capri: You won't find Gucci or Prada, but rather smaller, artisanal shops selling beads, limoncello, and some of the best gelato and granita I've had anywhere in Italy.

What to Do Nearby

Mount Etna often supplies visual excitement (it was active this past summer) and Siracusa is a little more than an hour away. A summertime film festival brings stars from around the globe who all stay at the sister property in town, Grand Hotel Timeo, which itself is worth a dinner overlooking the twinkling light of town and the Mediterranean in the distance. The picturesque towns of Modica and Noto — as well as the baroque Cathedral of San Giorgio — can be accessed by your very own Fiat 500, which can be arranged for in advance with the concierge.

The scene in Taormina. Photo by Gnuckx / Flickr. 

Checking Into London's New Hotels

LONDON – There are hotel towns and then there are hotel towns, and London is at the top of my list as the city that gets the hospitality thing just right. From crisp linens and piping hot breakfasts to the kindest, most capable staff, London hotels set the bar high. And while they've traditionally been a tad fusty (think leaky — but charming! — showers and plenty of overstuffed chintz chairs), they've also provided top-notch service and hefty doses of old world charm.

The new entrants into the competitive London hotels scene may be are all over the map stylistically, from baroque charm to state-of-the-art everything, but they still retain that common theme of excellence. By the way, we're taking liberties with how we define "new," as some may be a year or two old by now. But all are certainly boutiques.

Photo: Courtesy of Ace Hotel London

Ace Hotel London

100 Shoreditch High St., Shoreditch; +44-20-7613-9800
Specs: Everything is cooler in Shoreditch, and that includes the hotels. The latest addition to the East End is über cool, like the original Ace outposts in Portland, Seattle, and New York. If your preferred style is grown-up grunge, The Ace makes for a great jumping off point to the city, local galleries, and the incredible local restaurant scene, which includes The Clove Club and Hawksmoor.

Pluses: The lobby scene is vibrant and buzzing with the energy that comes from a fashion-forward, tech, and design-minded clientele. The staff are laid-back and friendly, clad in John Smedley sweaters and Converse trainers. As one might expect from a Pacific Northwest-based company, there is an excellent cafe serving Square Mile Coffee Roasters' best and a juice bar. The happening, in-house restaurant, Hoi Polloi, serves the kind of delicious burgers, inventive sandwiches, and cakes and fancies you actually want to eat at midnight. But the biggest sell is the price point: Rooms are reasonable by London standards. The whole happy-hipster vibe just clicks. Great value for money.

Minuses: Rooms are a bit minimalist (not in a chic, white way) and feel a bit like you're staying in a friend's first flat. Patchwork quilts (albeit by a French design firm), industrial plastic crates, and a slightly gloomy palette (no one needs grey paint in London) add to a slightly depressing effect. The hotel nails the amenities to the wall (refillable jars, all very sustainable, are not for the taking), which lends a gym-like feel to the bathing experience.

Unique Selling Point: Bespoke bicycles are on offer and locally sourced minibars feature killer crisps and crazy things like Pot Noodles that you'd never buy for yourself. The energy at Ace is invigorating, as is knowing that at any moment someone might just bust out a Hacky Sack.

Rates: Standard Double rooms start at $205 per night. Click here for reservations. 

The courtyard and Manor House living room. Photos: Courtesy of Rosewood London

Rosewood London

252 High Holborn, Holborn; +44-20-7781-8888
Specs: This 1914 Edwardian Belle Epoque gem in a former insurance company office building has had a $130-million makeover, and it shows to spectacular effect. There are soaring domes, a grand Pavonazzo marble staircase that rises up seven stories to a massive cupola, and Premier Suites grand enough to host a sizable wedding party.

Pluses: The courtyard entrance feels like some sort of Parisian sanctuary. The lobby is filled with books and interesting art (even fancy gents nod off on the sofas). The sumptuous room details (minibars stocked with select Scotches, N'espresso machines, favorable bathroom lighting) add to the overall luxe effect. Incredibly high ceilings, a vibrant lobby bar, the deliciously stocked Delicatessen that opens onto the High Street, and great fitness facilities (still not the norm in the U.K.) make Rosewood worth the detour.

Minuses: The Holborn location is a bit dodgy, although the cheerful concierge spun it as "where the City meets the West End." This is a Mayfair hotel experience nowhere near Mayfair, so you'll need to familiarize yourself with the Piccadily line or enlist one of the hotel's Jaguars-for-hire to get around in style.

Unique Selling Point: The Grand Manor House Wing is accessed via private entrance, features six bedrooms and more than 6,000 square feet of sitting space — not to mention its own postcode (literally). Another differentiatator: General manager Michael Bonsor hails from Claridge's, so no detail is overlooked.

Rates: Premier King rooms start at $690 per night. Click here for reservations.

A loft suite and Berner's Tavern. Photos: Nikolas Koenig / The London Edition

The London Edition

10 Berners St., Fitzrovia; +44-20-7781-0000
Specs: The impressive Fitzrovia spot is a collaboration between Marriot and perennially hip hotelier, Ian Schrager. (Read Fathom's interview with Ian.) I went in a hater (I'm ashamed to admit it), but this space — with its soaring and meticulously restored ceilings, walnut-clad rooms, and staff from Claridge's and The Sanderson — is firing on all cylinders. Bonus: Le Labo amenities abound.

Pluses: The "lifestyle hotel" is a great respite, especially for business travelers who need connectivity and proximity to central London. The rooms may have a spare aesthetic, but the public spaces (by hot designers Yabu Pushelberg) are swaddled in warm velvet and soft leather, complete with a roaring fire and billiards table. Another big plus is the location: The Edition is a mash-up of five Georgian townhouses in a tree-lined area.

Minuses: Although it's been primped and boutique'd, there's something — be it ever so slight — that is hard to shake off about the mass Marriott brand, especially for indie-all-the-way travelers. It is also a tad slick, but if nightclubs and dark, atmospheric bars are your thing, then you have truly arrived.

Unique Selling Point: Food and beverage. There are multiple bars including the expansive, humming Lobby Bar, as well as Punch Room, a fun, reservations-only grotto that serves drinks from cauldrons. This is not your grandfather's fumoir. Stunning, art-filled restaurant Berners Tavern is the creation of Michelin-starred Jason Atherton and features best-of-British basics like prawns and dressed crab and a proper Sunday roast lunch.

Rates: Deluxe rooms start at $615 per night. Click here for reservations.

A junior suite and Stables Bar. Photos: Courtesy of The Milestone Hotel

The Milestone Hotel

1 Kensington Court, Kensington; +44-20-7917-1000
Specs: Location, location, location! This Kensington bolthole wins for its proximity to Kensington Gardens (many rooms overlook the park and into the Royal Apartments), the Ken High Street tube station, and Whole Foods down the street (where you'll stock the mini bar).

Pluses: The regal, 19th-century Milestone — with its red brick façade and traditional flower boxes — feels almost like a home stay. You'll be warmly greeted by name upon every return, sometimes with a glass of Champagne. It's quintessential Olde England, with plenty of chintz, dark red and green fabrics, and sporting art on the walls. But the bathrooms are modern, the rooms are stocked with international fashion and design magazines, and multiple ports and sockets make working a breeze.

The food is surprisingly good. Cozy Stables Bar (which looks like something straight out of a Ralph Lauren ad) serves excellent club sandwiches at all hours. The more formal Cheneston's is a magnet for the Sunday lunch crowd. And if you don’t fancy traditional Brit fare, the best Lebanese food (Randa) and culinary mecca Clarke's are just around the corner.

Minuses: Rooms are pricey for the square footage, and you won't find a minimalist aesthetic but an exuberant one. Just revel in what English hotels do best — provide excellent, unfailingly polite service, as well as crisp bed linens and warm bath towels. The most nitpicky minus ever: they need new rubbish bins in the bathrooms. The current models are the size of thimbles and overflow frequently. If that's the worst complaint, then this member of the Red Carnation Hotel chain is doing something right.

USP: The small resistance pool in the gym spa is rare for a hotel in this area, and provides a refreshing escape on hot summer days, particularly for kids. No request is too strange: If something needs to be messengered, they'll send their own person for no more than the cost of the taxi ride. Another bonus are the six two-bedroom apartments with kitchenettes for families or extended stays. Apartment 6 (The Rooftop) has an outdoor terrace and a washer/dryer.

Is Europe's Most Expensive Hotel Room Worth It?

The renovated palazzo that is now the Four Seasons Hotel Firenze is its own great excuse to travel to Italy. Its centerpiece: Europe's most expensive hotel room.

FLORENCE – I've seen a hotel or two in my day — some shabby (not anywhere near chic), some completely fabulous — but nothing could've prepared me for my recent stay at the Four Seasons Hotel Firenze, a renovated palazzo in the heart of the Renaissance city.

Opened just three years ago, the property is unlike any other chain hotel I've ever visited. In the first place, it is a magnificent museum in and of itself. The 500+ year-old Palazzo della Gherardesca has been lovingly restored — right down to the original frescoed ceilings and on-site chapel — by the local Fratini family, who are often seen around the hotel on Sundays.

The rooms are, of course, lovely throughout, with elegant Pedersoli linens, views overlooking eight acres of gardens. There's even a 16th-century conventino nearby. But the ultimate accommodation — by many accounts, the most expensive room in Europe — is the breathtaking Royal Suite, which runs a mere 18,500€ per night. It's a baroque explosion of vaulted ceilings, endless rooms, and gilding galore. Add to this an original ceramic floor by Ignazio Chiaiese, and you could be forgiven for thinking you were a long-lost Medici in this stunning perch. The Royal Suite conveniently connects to the grand Presidential Suite next door. The ultimate house party — with park vistas and Michelin-starred room service — is only hundreds of thousands of dollars away.

The Four Seasons Florence is a little oasis in an otherwise cobblestoned, urban setting. Lunch by the pool (yes, a pool in the middle of Florence!) is a welcome respite from sun and all those church and museum visits. And while I am not usually a fan of hotel brunches — especially in towns with wonderful trattorias — the brunch at Il Palagio is not to be missed. Reservations must be made well in advance because it's usually packed with — get this! — real Florentine families there for the buzzing atmosphere and unbelievably good food. Platters of shellfish, cheeses, made-to-order pastas, and chef Vito Mallica's signature soft-cooked egg with citrus, bottarga, capers, and Tuscan olive oil make brunch an hours-long, memory-making affair. 

But I'm not finished gushing. About the grand L'Orangerie lobby lounge and soaring spaces. About how history mixes with modern tech and bath amenities. I still marvel that anyone took on such a massive renovation, and that it was executed so beautifully, down to every last stucco'd detail. There's only one drawback to staying here. You might have to drag yourself out to see the Duomo.

FIND IT

Four Seasons Hotel Firenze
Borgo Pinti, 99
50121 Firenze, Italy 
+39-055-26261