HIT PARADE OF THE WORLD'S BEST HOTELS
Best Castle Hotels
Tripadvisor.com has published a list of the best European hotels located in castles. The list includes ten castle hotels from seven European countries.
In first place is the Irish Ashford Castle, built in 1625. It now houses a luxury hotel with numerous restaurants and a SPA center. The castle is surrounded by a beautiful park planted with old oaks, beeches, and chestnut trees. Room rates start from $341.
Second place went to a hotel located in the English Thornbury Castle, which once served as the residence of King Henry VIII. The cost starts from $408 per night. In addition to the hotel, Thornbury houses a museum of medieval art.
In third place is the French castle hotel Bagnoles, located among the forests and vineyards of Lyon. The owners have preserved the 13th-century architecture and the drawbridge leading to the castle gates. Room rates start from $664.
Best Beach Hotels
The Guardian offers its readers a hit parade of the best European hotels located on the seashore. First place went to the Perantzada hotel on the Greek island of Ithaca. Perantzada is housed in a 19th-century building designed by the famous German architect Ernst Schiller. All rooms are furnished with natural materials, and the walls are adorned with paintings of Greek landscapes. Room rates start from $165 per night.
Second place is the San Marco hotel, located in a 17th-century Sicilian fortress, with its own white-sand beach and pine grove. The price is from $96 per night. Third place went to the Swedish hotel Torekov, located on the coast of the Baltic Sea and surrounded by strawberry fields. Room rates start from $215 per night. In fourth place is the Greek hotel Grace on the island of Mykonos, and fifth is the Urban Beach hotel in the British city of Brighton.
Best Canal Hotels
The Independent published a list of the five best hotels in the world located on canals. First place went to the Belgian Hotel de Orangerie, located on the Den Dijver canal in Bruges. The minimum price is €195 per night. All 20 rooms are furnished with antique dark wood furniture, and its French cuisine restaurant is considered one of the best in the country.
Second place is the British hotel Malmaison in Birmingham, which received the European Hotel Association award for best room design in 2004. Guests can take a boat trip along the city's canals directly from the hotel. Room rates start from £140.
Third place went to the Venetian hotel Ca'Nigra Lagoon, which offers a beautiful view of the Grand Canal. The ranking also includes the Dutch hotel Misc and the Chinese Kempinski Hotel Boao.
Best Family Hotel
The British travel site Travel.timesonline.co.uk published tips for those who prefer luxury hotels while traveling with young children.
First place in the ranking of the best family luxury hotels went to Insotel Punta Prima, located on Menorca (Balearic Islands, Spain). It has three children's clubs for all ages, and parents can use babysitting services and a special service that allows them to order diapers, bottles, and other necessities at any time of the day.
Second place went to the Forte Village hotel (Sardinia), which has a small amusement park and a special restaurant for children. Third place is the Cypriot Almyra Hotel, where parents can rent strollers and cars with child seats, as well as baby food prepared by the hotel chef. The list also includes the Greek hotels Le Meridien Chia Lagun and Porto Elounda Deluxe Resort.
Best Yacht Hotels
CNN published a list of the best American yacht hotels. First place went to the InnChanter hotel, located on a 1920s yacht near Vancouver Island. Guests have five cozy rooms, a fireplace lounge, a gourmet restaurant, and canoe and boat rentals. Room rates start from $120 per night.
Second place is the luxury yacht hotel Southern Comfort, located off the coast of South Carolina. Each of the four rooms is furnished with exclusive furniture by contemporary designers; the yacht also has a small cinema, restaurant, library, and music salon. Room rates start from $295 per night.
Third place is the Sea Suites hotel, located on a yacht off the coast of Lake Michigan. All rooms are equipped with a jacuzzi, TV, and minibar. Room rates start from $165 per night.
Luxury Hotels in Hong Kong
About.com published a list of the most luxurious hotels in Hong Kong. First place went to the famous Peninsula hotel. Guests can enjoy rooms designed by the world's best designers, fine dining restaurants, one of the largest SPA centers in Asia, and luxurious thermal baths.
Second place is the Langham hotel, located in the city center. 10 of the 495 rooms at Langham are specially equipped for business travelers; 10 are a so-called wedding section for newlyweds.
Third place went to the Four Seasons hotel, designed in a high-tech style and equipped with the most modern technology. The list also includes the Island Shangri-La, Mandarin Oriental, Renaissance Harbour View, Ritz-Carlton, Langham Place Hotel, Regal Airport, and Excelsior hotels.
Budget Hotels in Amsterdam
The British magazine Telegraph published tips for travelers who want to stay in an inexpensive but cozy hotel in Amsterdam.
First place in the list of comfortable budget hotels is occupied by the Brouwer hotel, located in a building built in 1652, which once served as the home of a captain of the Dutch fleet. On the walls of each of the nine rooms hang paintings depicting naval battles, and the hotel's small restaurant specializes in fish and seafood dishes. The cost of accommodation is $124.36.
In second place is the Orlando hotel, located on the canal bank. Each of the five rooms of the Orlando is furnished with oak furniture and decorated in gold tones. The minimum price is $138.40 per night.
Third place goes to the Seven Bridges hotel, located in a three-hundred-year-old residential building. The 11 rooms of Seven Bridges are decorated in an oriental style, and accommodation will cost $152.44. Also included in the list are the hotels Owl, Lloyd, 't Hotel, Piet Hein, Canal House, Misc and De Filosoof.
Cozy Hotels of Portugal
The Independent magazine published a list of the coziest hotels in Portugal. First place is taken by the boutique hotel Vilacampina, located in the town of Algarve. Each of the nine rooms is decorated in light colors and furnished with antique Spanish furniture; guests have access to a swimming pool, a golf course, three bars, a restaurant and a small cinema where you can watch movies from the 60s. The cost of accommodation is from ?90 per night.
In second place is the hotel Ha Mar Ao Luar, located in the Arrabida mountains – from its windows there is an extraordinary view of the ocean. The hotel is located in a building of a 19th-century windmill, and each of the five rooms has a terrace and a small kitchen. The minimum price is ?55.
Third place goes to the Casa Dos Assentos hotel, located in the town of Minho. The Casa Dos Assentos building is a 17th-century town house, surrounded by a grove of orange and lemon trees. Guests have access to two swimming pools, a tennis court and spacious rooms furnished with antique furniture. The cost of accommodation is from ?80. Also included in the list are the hotels Monte da Fornalha and Quinta do Barranco da Estrada, located in the town of Alentejo.
Based on materials from Travel.ru