Over the years we’ve been lucky enough to have some incredible experiences and stay in some breathtaking places. This collection of 11 dream hotels around the world are all special for so many reasons; from ancient castles to modern skyscrapers with infinity pools overlooking city horizons. (Tap the linked title to read more about each individual stay.)
CASTLE HUNTING: GLOUCESTERSHIRE PRINCESSES FOR THE NIGHT | UK
Once upon a time, two Kiwi girls voyaged across the globe in search of adventure, exotic climes, unbelievable history and the occasional good quality Flat White. Years pass, each settling at opposite ends of the M25. Having grown up in the same small town they were fortuitously destined to meet over the clinking of beautiful London fine china to discuss the finer vagarities of blogging, shoes, life in England and taste-testing arrays of gluten-free dining.
OUR GOREME CAVE HOTEL | TURKEY
Choosing where to stay in Cappadocia was a tough decision. I’m not being hyper dramatic when I say that I probably spent more time choosing this hotel than I did when I was choosing a wedding dress – and in the end, I made a decision via the less than scientific method of asking Mr Kiwi for two favourites, and flipping a coin. (The hotel, not the dress.) I love staying in quirky hotels…
AN ICONIC LUXURY HOTEL REVIEW: RAFFLES | SINGAPORE
A raffia fan slowly spun as motes fell through the heavy sunshine. Seated in the gorgeous foyer, I was welcomed to the Raffles Hotel first by the immaculately liveried Sikh doorman and then checked in smoothly with a Singapore Sling in hand. [PRESS STAY]
A DREAMY SHANGRI-LA HOTEL STAY IN SYDNEY | AUSTRALIA
To sit in my hotel room window, and gaze over the Sydney Harbour – the waters enfolded by the Sydney Harbour Bridge on one side, and the iconic Sydney Opera House on the other – is a memory I won’t forget for a long time. I mean, this was the view from my bed…
THE MALMAISON HOTEL IN OXFORD: A RATHER LUXURIOUS PRISON STAY | UK
Most people spend their lives avoiding situations that would put them behind bars. But true to past form, I actively researched the best way to get Mr Kiwi and I locked into prison – but it was at the luxurious Malmaison hotel in Oxford, rather than at her Majesty’s pleasure. When I first saw Lauren’s gorgeous stay here last year, it stayed on my mind and at the top of my UK hotel bucket list…
SALISH LODGE AND SPA: OVERLOOKING SNOQUALMIE FALLS | USA
We slept with our hotel balcony door slightly ajar, the softly rushing sound of Snoqualmie Falls providing a soothing backdrop to our travel weary dreams. The smell of our own private fireplace was a rich and spicy quilt to our city senses, and the thick carpet of our Salish Lodge King Room was plush beneath our toes. That building on the top left-hand side? That was our hotel – the Salish Lodge and Spa…
Living it up at the Hotel California, Hollywood | USA
Technically the only non-hotel on this list of 11 dream hotels around the world, our Hollywood apartment was in the hotel famous for hosting The Eagles and appearing on the inside of their infamous album cover, Mr Kiwi stopping dead in the centre of the foyer to exclaim in excitement (I just nodded with a ‘yes dear, can we do this in the morning please?’ like the killjoy I am) at recognising a place of music history…
CHATEAU PAPE CLEMENT – A DREAM EXPERIENCE IN BORDEAUX | FRANCE
We wove our way through the streets of Bordeaux, beginning in the Medieval Quarter all carved in butter stone, glimpsed occasional hard modern buildings which turned to suburban homes before giving way to rolling fields of blooming crops. As we turned the corner onto our destination, I excitedly clutched the boy as fields of vineyards heavy with grapes came into view, cart horses grazed contentedly and the crenelated Chateau Pape Clement appeared – our home for the night. [PRESS STAY]
THE MARINA BAY SANDS HOTEL | SINGAPORE
When I had planned a few days in Singapore, I knew there were only two hotels that I wanted to stay in. They couldn’t be more different in almost every way, and both of them fascinated me. For my first night, the Marina Bay Sands Hotel called my name.
BECOMING A COWBOY AT THE BEAUMONT RANCH TEXAS | USA
Do you ever find yourself having a literal ‘pinch me’ moment? At the end of our fortnight we hit the tarmac, rolling out of the gleaming Dallas city centre – on our way back to Austin to sadly fly home – we headed for one last adventure to round out our Southern America roadtrip.
A LUXURY STAYCATION AT THE ELEGANT LANGHAM HOTEL | UK
To say we were ready for our Langham Hotel staycation was an understatement. As you get older, everyone says that time simply gets faster and faster, and Christmas simply seemed like a blink of an eye ago. Luckily enough we had a magical 24 hours inked into the diary based in this bastion of timeless London elegance… [Press Stay]
What would make your list of dream stays? Add yours to this month’s travel linkup below!11 Dream Hotels Around the World
