Best new hotels and places to stay in 2024

Number One Bruton, Somerset
The launch of a Hauser & Wirth gallery in Bruton hurled this sleepy Somerset town into the limelight a decade ago, and Number One Bruton opened five years later. Don’t let its "dull name" put you off, said Fiona Duncan in The Telegraph – this former coaching inn is full of "artistic, boho charm". The 12 rooms are all different (mine had an Uzbek wall hanging and a Syrian chest of drawers), the bathrooms are "quirky and pretty", and the restaurant – recently taken over by River Cottage alumnus Sam Lomas – serves "delectable" small plates and sharing dishes made with local ingredients. Doubles from £180 b&b; numberonebruton.com.No. 124 by GuestHouse, Brighton
This recent opening on Brighton's seafront is the fourth from GuestHouse – Britain's "liveliest new boutique hotel brand". Made up of four townhouses with "creamy" facades, it has "tastefully flamboyant" decor and "effervescent" service, said Duncan Craig in the Financial Times. Works by local artists adorn the communal spaces (including an "enticing" bar with deep leather armchairs) and 32 rooms. Of the latter, half have sea views, all have record players (with vinyl), and some have private balconies (one with a hot tub). There's a good "surf and-turf" restaurant and a "compact" spa is due to open in February. Doubles from £175 b&b; guesthousehotels.co.uk.Cul na Shee Saddell Bay, Argyll and Bute
With its long sandy beach overlooking the Isle of Arran, Saddell Bay is a beautiful spot on Scotland's Kintyre peninsula. The Landmark Trust has six properties to rent here, including a grand old castle, but none is more "wonderful" than this "tiny" cottage, said Louis Cheslaw in the Financial Times. Built in the 1920s for a retired school teacher, it has two bedrooms, a spacious kitchen and a cosy sitting room; and, sitting alone at the end of the bay, it offers complete solitude. A sea otter can sometimes be spotted here; and there's a ruined abbey nearby, lovely boat trips, and coastal walks to enjoy in the area. From £80 per night; landmarktrust.org.uk.The Merry Harriers, Hambledon, Surrey
Refurbished this year by "local boys" Alex Winch and Sam Fiddian-Green, this 16th century inn sits in the village of Hambledon in the lovely Surrey Hills. It's a "family and friends project", says Rick Jordan in Condé Nast Traveller, with greens grown by Sam's sister and sheep reared by his mother, and so on. The menu sticks to the "country pub playbook", but is "expertly cooked" (I loved the lamb loin with laverbread leeks). There are four cosy bedrooms upstairs, five shepherd huts by a pond in the garden, and an inglenook fireplace in the "uncluttered" downstairs, where the "wood-beamed history" is allowed to "breathe". Doubles from £140; merryharriers.comThe Whitebrook, Monmouthshire
"Cocooned in riverfront woodland" in the Wye Valley, The Whitebrook is one of the UK's best restaurants with rooms, said Alicia Miller in The Sunday Times. Chef Chris Harrod "dishes up Monmouthshire on a plate", using only the freshest local ingredients (and his efforts have "earned the place a Michelin green star as well as a traditional one") in dishes such as his Huntsham Farm suckling pig with caramelised celeriac, pear and lamb's sorrel. The eight rooms are all pleasant, with walk-in showers, and the inn (originally a 17th-century drover's cottage) sits beside a beautiful hiking trail, the 136-mile Wye Valley Walk. Dinner and b&b double from £440; thewhitebrook.co.uk.Seehotel Ambach Caldaro, Italy
Offering "breathtaking" views across Lake Caldaro in the Italian Alps, this family-run hotel is a "beautiful" relic from the 1970s, said Max Benato in The Guardian. Designed by the architect Othmar Barth, its whitewashed exterior curves like a "brutalist boomerang", and its interiors are a parade of "the Italian design industry's greatest hits" from the era, all "channelling good-time vibes". Walking in "really is like time travelling", with nothing but the bathrooms altered during a recent refurbishment. There's a hectare of parkland by the lake, with a spa and pool, and Bolzano is nearby. Doubles from €168 per person, half-board; seehotel-ambach.com.Mýse, Hovingham, York
Set 20 miles north of York, Hovingham is a pretty place, and this Michelin-starred restaurant-with-rooms does it proud, says Mark C. O'Flaherty in The Daily Telegraph. Occupying a former pub, it has "pleasingly austere" decor; and when I went, chef Joshua Overington's tasting menu included some "exceptional" dishes (the scallop in sea urchin butter was truly "amazing"). Only the desserts disappointed. The rooms are beautiful, and the breakfast is a "banquet" – indeed, this is not only a great place to dine, but also "accidentally" one of the best b&bs in England.Son Vell, Menorca
The opening of a Hauser & Wirth gallery has brought an "arty boho crowd" to Menorca, and with it, a new wave of boutique hotels, says Gemma Bowes in The Times. Occupying a gorgeous 18th century mansion in the southwest of the island, Son Vell is among the most "beguiling". Terracotta tile floors lend it a homely air, but the interiors are glamorous too, with "expensive-feeling everything", and "amazing" showers in the 33 rooms. Food is "all light deliciousness", the gardens are "luscious", and the nearest swimming cove lies half-a-mile down a farm track, good for cycling. Doubles from £385 b&b; vestigecollection.com.The Pig in the Cotswolds, Barnsley, Gloucestershire
The tenth hotel in the "phenomenally successful" Pig group, this is also the swansong of hoteliers Robin and Judy Hutson, who are retiring after 30 years in the business, said Susan d'Arcy in The Sunday Times. It occupies a 17th century mansion, Barnsley House, which was once home to the garden designer Rosemary Verey, and consequently has "the prettiest hotel garden I know". The interiors exude "cheeky charm", with "rich colours, vintage furniture and quirky curios". There are 21 spacious rooms, an elegant restaurant with an excellent chef, and a small spa area. Doubles from £250, room only; thepighotel.com.The Kirkstyle Inn, Slaggyford, Northumberland
Set in the wild moorland of the North Pennines, this 18th-century inn has recently been transformed into a "posh dining pub", said Sean Newsom in The Times. Its new owner is Nick Parkinson (son of the late Sir Michael), an industry veteran with a sure touch, and in the kitchen is Connor Wilson, a chef who is "preternaturally talented". The roasted venison I ate was "show-stopping", and for dessert I had a rhubarb soufflé as "light as a summer evening". The "snug, earth-toned" bedrooms are lovely, and there's much to do nearby, including walking, fly-fishing and trips to Hadrian's Wall. Doubles from £170, b&b; theksi.co.uk.Gundari Folegandros, Greece
Known for its "dramatic peaks and plunging canyons", the little Greek island of Folegandros is spectacular, but blessedly untouristy. This new hotel is its first five-star "boutique resort", says Francesca Syz in The Daily Telegraph. Perched on a cliff ten minutes by car from the main town, it has 25 suites, all "spacious and light-filled", with sea views through floor- to-ceiling windows and terraces with infinity pools. The restaurant is overseen by the "legendary" Michelin- starred chef Lefteris Lazarou. There's also a communal pool, a spa and an organic farm. A second restaurant is due to open next year. Suites from £520 b&b; gundari.comBorgo Tre, Torri del Benaco, Italy
Lake Garda is less "glitzy" than nearby Lake Como – and the "low-key" style of this luxurious new apartment-hotel matches it well, said Emma Love in House & Garden. Occupying an 18th century farmhouse perched high above the lake's western shore, it has "minimalist" interiors featuring natural materials: travertine floors, oak beams, white linens. The four suites have kitchens and their own terraces. There's a small pool where drinks and snacks are served, and a wellness area with hot tub, cold plunge pool and sauna. Breakfast is delivered to your suite, and there are good restaurants nearby. Suites from €600 b&b; borgotre.com.The Cavendish Hotel, Baslow, Derbyshire
The sixth Duke of Devonshire won this country inn at cards in 1830, said Claire Wrathall in the FT. A 20-minute walk from Chatsworth House in the Peak District, it has just been revamped with the keen involvement of William and Laura Burlington, the heirs to the dukedom. The designer Nicola Harding has brought a lively new look to the rooms (jaunty striped fabrics, antique furniture, chunky modern lamps). The two restaurants offer "highly accomplished" cooking using local ingredients. And there's lots of lovely art on the walls, much of it modern or contemporary – the Burlingtons are also "avid" collectors of ceramics. Doubles from £200 b&b; cavendishhotelbaslow.co.uk.Carlton Cannes, France
The Carlton in Cannes "has always been at the centre of film industry razzmatazz", and a recent revamp has only enhanced its "glamour", said Lanie Goodman in Condé Nast Traveller. In the "show-stopping" lobby, original ceiling frescoes have been revealed, and the brass lift buttons are gleaming again. Cinephiles will love the "white-on-white" decor in room 623, where Hitchcock filmed the seduction scene with Grace Kelly and Cary Grant in To Catch a Thief. But the hotel has much to offer besides its "storied past" – including an excellent beach club, Cannes' largest infinity pool, a "hi-tech" fitness centre and two excellent restaurants. Doubles from about €330; carltoncannes.com.Son Bunyola, Mallorca
It's been a year since Richard Branson reopened this 16th-century finca in Mallorca's wild Tramuntana Mountains as a 27-room hotel, and it has proved a great success, said Rick Jordan in Condé Nast Traveller. Its setting is spectacular – with "teetering" sea views – and the interiors have been beautifully restored, with "Riviera stripes" and "lobster pinks" in public areas and more restful tones in the rooms. There are also three villas with private pools. The main restaurant serves excellent "vegetable-forward", farm-to-table food; there is also a large pool, a tennis court, and a pebble beach that's usually pretty deserted. Doubles from €600; virginlimitededition.com.Highland Base, Kerlingarfjöll, Iceland
This new "off-grid retreat" lies in the heart of Iceland, in a silent landscape of "snowdrift-blanketed peaks", glaciers and lava fields, said Stephanie Rafanelli in Condé Nast Traveller. Getting to it is "a mission", especially in winter, but for "adventure extremists" it's worth it for the activities on offer, which include cross-country skiing and hiking. The hotel, which looks like "a Nordic minimalist space station", has 28 rooms, six pod-like lodges, and some A-frame huts. There are geothermal baths, too – great for admiring the Northern Lights "after dinners of Arctic char and warming shots of Brennivin schnapps". Doubles from £285; highlandbase.is.Jannah Lamu, Lamu, Kenya
The Kenyan island of Lamu is a "bohemian hot spot", known for its beautiful beaches and "crumbling" mansions. Newly opened by hotelier Anna Trzebinski, Jannah Lamu occupies a traditional building in Shela village, says Catherine Fairweather in Condé Nast Traveller. It has three twobedroom suites and a onebedroom penthouse that is "a honeymooners' dream". Its "breezy" spaces combine traditional design – painted beams, four-poster beds, polished-plaster floors – with contemporary touches. There's a scented walled garden and three wooden dhows for "day trips to distant dunes and islands". Suites from £430 b&b; jannahlamu.com.Puqio, Arequipa, Peru
This new, safari-style tented camp is a great base from which to explore Peru’s "show-stopping" Colca Valley, said Megan Spurrell in Condé Nast Traveller. Guides lead treks and horseback rides to see preInca sites, spot wildlife – including condors and llamalike vicuñas – and to watch the sunset over the canyon (the world’s second-deepest, after its neighbour, the Cotahuasi). The camp’s eight tents have double beds, wood-burning stoves, and terraces with outdoor tubs and showers. The food is "on a par with Lima’s best restaurants", and draws on local ingredients such as coca leaves and sanky (a cactus fruit). Doubles from £650; puqio.pe.The Whitebrook, Monmouthshire
“Cocooned in riverfront woodland” in the Wye Valley, The Whitebrook is one of the UK’s best restaurants with rooms, says Alicia Miller in The Sunday Times. Chef Chris Harrod “dishes up Monmouthshire on a plate”, using only the freshest local ingredients (and his efforts have “earned the place a Michelin green star as well as a traditional one”) in dishes such as his Huntsham Farm suckling pig with caramelised celeriac, pear and lamb’s sorrel. The eight rooms are all pleasant, with walk-in showers, and the inn (originally a 17th century drover’s cottage) sits beside a beautiful hiking trail, the 136-mile Wye Valley Walk.Eliamos, Kefalonia, Greece
Kefalonia is one of the few Greek islands served by direct flights from the UK, but until now, it didn't have any hotels as "smart" as the best on Santorini or Mykonos. The recent opening of Eliamos has changed that, said House & Garden. Built from the local honey-coloured stone, its 12 spacious suites and villas sleep up to seven, and are set in "lavender-scented" gardens above a quiet beach. Some have private pools and kitchens, offering the freedom of a holiday let – but there's also a restaurant serving superb modern Mediterranean cuisine, as well as a shared pool, a spa and a gym. Doubles from £529 b&b; eliamos.com.Hacienda de San Rafael, Andalucia, Spain
An 18th century farmhouse in the "agricultural heartland" of Andalucia, Hacienda de San Rafael opened as a family-run hotel in 1992, said Pamela Goodman in Condé Nast Traveller. "Aristocratic and grand" is the impression you might get as you approach, but guests are greeted "like long-lost friends". Among the 20 rooms are three thatched casitas and a pool villa, and there are three other pools in the gorgeous gardens. It's so lovely that "the temptation is to stay put", but Seville and Jerez are nearby, and there are activities on offer, including riding and sherry tasting.Doubles from about £450; haciendadesanrafael.com.
The Siam, Bangkok
It only opened a decade ago, but with its superb interior design and "lush" riverside setting, The Siam feels like "a portal to a bygone Bangkok", says Chris Schalkx in Condé Nast Traveller. Mid-century heirlooms – vintage Pan Am posters, "tattered" travel trunks – share its marblefloored hallways with a fine collection of older antiques. Recent refurbishment has kept the suites and private villas with pools looking fresh, and the Thai restaurant – which occupies three "ancient teakwood houses" – offers good food and "classic Thai hospitality". The hotel is not ideally located for the city's "postcard sights", but for peace and "timeless beauty", it is unrivalled. Doubles from £600 b&b; thesiamhotel.com.Round Hill, Jamaica
With its traditional local architecture, charming service and "pastoral" setting above a secluded beach near Jamaica's Montego Bay, Round Hill has changed little since its 1960s heyday, says Charlie Hobbs in Condé Nast Traveller. John F. Kennedy, Ian Fleming and Paul McCartney were among the guests back then. These days, fans include Ralph Lauren, who owns a villa here and had a hand in a recent makeover – not least in the 36 rooms, with their clean white decor and pink and navy accents. There are also 27 villas, as well as a pool, tennis courts, a large spa and two restaurants, the flagship serving Caribbean cuisine. Doubles from $590; roundhill.com.Castle Elvira, Puglia, Italy
Built in the late 19th century, this castellated mansion has recently been restored in superb style and opened as a hotel by its British owners, says Simon Gage in Metro. Set in landscaped grounds near the historic town of Lecce (only ten minutes' drive from the Adriatic), it has "lavish" but "playful" interiors, featuring an eclectic mix of modern and vintage furnishings and flamboyant contemporary art. There are ten airy rooms spread across the castle and a series of renovated outbuildings; and a swimming pool, a Bechstein grand piano, and a restaurant serving excellent Pugliese home cooking. Doubles from about £425 b&b; castleelvira.com.Hotel The Mitsui, Kyoto, Japan
This five-star hotel in Kyoto is located on the site where the Mitsui family of merchants-turned-industrialists lived from the late 1600s to the 1940s, says Rebecca Misner in Condé Nast Traveller. It then fell out of the family’s hands, but the Mitsui corporation bought it back in 2015, and built this 161-room hotel, which combines “design-forward” elements with sensitivity to the site’s history. But what makes it such a pleasure are the “cosseting touches” – from the neatly folded pyjamas that appear at turndown, to the sprawling underground spa, with its soaking pools. This place is a real “haven”. Doubles from about £800; hotelthemitsui.com.Lunuganga, Sri Lanka
Regarded as "the father of tropical modernism", the architect Geoffrey Bawa (1919-2003) spent 50 years developing this "otherworldly estate" near Sri Lanka's southwest coast as a home for himself. It's a "wonderland", says Harriet Compston in Condé Nast Traveller, now managed as a ten-bedroom hotel by the local Teardrop Hotels group. Furnished with antiques and objets Bawa found on his travels, the rooms are "sublime". So too are the gardens, with their well tended lawns, "emerald" rice paddies and huge old trees. There's a new swimming pool, and a verandah restaurant serving modern Sri Lankan cuisine.Doubles from £312 b&b; teardrop-hotels.com.
