Hotels as adventures – different type of travel

Travellers are a lot more demanding these days. In the times when categorization is no longer possible (or needed) and when all attention gets focused on whatever is new and different, we started changing our outlook on vacation. It’s still not hard to be original but, you can always exceed expectations.

Have you ever wanted to do something way different, try something uncommon, something you have never done before? Have you ever thought about hotel stays as adventures?

We all know about boutique hotels and themed hotels…that’s not it. More and more people are opening hotels in unusual places and it’s becoming rapidly popular.

You are familiar with

castles turning into hotels (they have been that way for years in Europe; some located in: Austria, Slovenia, Italy, France, Spain…) as well as

historic buildings like monasteries, churches and train stations (located in: Sweden, France, Ireland, Norway, UK, Italy, The Netherlands,Turkey, Belgium, Spain, Hungary…)

It seams like everything can turned into a hotel…and the crazier, the better!

lighthouses (The Netherlands, Norway…)

tree houses (Sweden, Germany, Turkey)

caves (Sweden, France, Turkey)

they can even be found in forests (Sweden)

underwater or floating (Turkey, Sweden, The Netherlands, Switzerland)

made from ice (Switzerland, Andorra, Sweden, Finland)

as prisons (Sweden, Slovenia)

or inside planes and trains (The Netherlands, Sweden, UK)

even inside pipes in parks

As you can see, Scandinavia is at the leading edge at the moment. In my opinion, some ideas are quite interesting…why not change the way we look at accommodation and travel. If it can be more fun, more exciting, and if you are up for it, you already have a good choice. It’s definitely changes the concept of travel and adventure…

Are you up for this kind of adventure?

Stella – European Travelling Advisor

Design Hotels (TM)

One of the benefits while travelling is staying at great hotels. If you like art and design, you will afford to stay at a boutique hotel that appeals to you. On the plus side, every design hotel is a reflection of culture and art at its best, so wherever you go, you’ll have a different feeling. There are many interpretations, or styles, from which you can choose. In today’s developed (but still not enough) travel industry, there will always be a company to offer special services, discounts, and people and hotels who will remember frequent guests and give you a special treatment because you keep on coming back…no matter where in the world.

Design Hotels (TM) is a company that gathers some of the best design hotels around the world. Most of the represented ones are located in Europe, form capitals to coasts. Once you choose the country and the place, you’ll be shown a list of hotels. Every hotel is presented to you with a description, list of facilities, explanation of the design concept and accompanied by a gallery of exceptional photos. Also, on the right hand side of every hotel page is a booking option so, you can check availability and prices while you are there.

On the plus side of this (these) company is that they offer better rates and discounts then you would get sometimes when booking directly with a hotel or through some other websites. You can join Desing Hotels Club and receive benefits such as 50% discount for new members, special rate as long as you are a member and additional offers from time to time. Recently, Design Hotels (TM) introduced a 10% off for booking 21 days in advance.

GO PRIVATE + is a service that offers anyone to book the entire hotel for business meeting or vacations, weddings, gatherings… Whether it’s you with your friends, family, colleges or partners, you can call Design Hotels and let the arrange the booking for you. Sweet!

Which design hotel did you stay? Which ones you would like to go to?

Stella – European Travelling Advisor

Resort Boutique Hotels

Although having the same philosophy as city boutique hotels, resort destinations bring significant differences. Location is still one of the most important things, but now they are not situated as close as possible to populated places. It’s the opposite, well-hidden places are more appreciated. That doesn’t mean that they have to be on desert islands, on the contrary, they can be anywhere.

Resort boutique hotels are usually smaller in size and more intimate. Location and a small number of guests allows you to enjoy the quiet atmosphere and relax. One more thing that is the complete opposite from hotels in cities is the technological aspect. There are no electronic devices for entertainment or communication. Resorts are oriented toward rest and relaxation, a way to escape the city hustle and bustle. And they are serious about it.

Santa Teresa Resort, Sicily

One the other hand, resort design hotels need to be more distinctive, more recognizable than those in cities. In this case, design is again not enough. The attraction factor then becomes local produce, cuisine, special spas or activities like ridding and art workshops (painting, sculpture…). Boutique hotels can be owned by anyone. What’s important is that they are a reflection of the local community. As an example I took these pictures of a boutique hotel in the Sicilian archipelago (shown above). It is situated half-way between Europe and Africa which is recognizable in design and atmosphere, same as food: fish, couscous and Arabic sweets.

Sometimes resort boutique hotels are closed during winter time. That refers to warmer regions only. Because, as I said before, resort boutique hotels are not reserved for tropical islands only, they can be anywhere in the countryside, even close to cities.

Stella – European Travelling Advisor

City Boutique Hotels

There is one thing that always comes first about city boutique hotels. It’s location. Many would say it’s logical, location is always important; the closer you are to the city center, the more attractive you are. But, there is more to it. In today’s vibrant cities, certain neighbourhoods are considered the popular ones, or the fancy ones. And they are different in a way because they have something that others don’t; it’s an artist’s area, it’s well-known because of the old architecture, it has a beautiful park in the area…and with all that come chic places, like cafes, restaurants and galleries. Again, the reflection of culture but this time, inside one city.

Technology is also an important factor. There isn’t a city designer hotel that doesn’t have rooms and suites equipped with flat-screen televisions, (computers with) high speed internet connection, cordless phones, dvd players. Some go a few extra miles with sensor lights, universal remote controls, special showers and music and TV in the bathroom. When you think a little better about it, every five-star hotel should have a few of those first things, it’s the 21st century! But the sad truth is they don’t; some are making it possible because they are realizing that the time of pretty little soaps and candies on a pillow is long gone.

The Hempel Hotel, London

The third criteria is entertainment. Only live music in bars doesn’t do the trick any more. Hip restaurants, lounges and bars, in hotels, with exceptional themes and design are what attract people and make them feel great.

Today, what’s considered good is no longer good. What’s considered safe is actually risky. We are all searching for something new, something different, looking for ourselves by taking what appeals to us. Hotel business, same as travel, is rapidly changing, and it’s reacting to what we have to say. This is where it’s taking us now.

What do you think about it?

Stella – European Travelling Advisor

Design hotels

Travel has changed. There are no unfamiliar places any more. Demands have increased and so did the choices. Now, travelers are able to persue travel experiences on a more individual level. Travel is not only about sightseeing any more. Every travel destination is defined in a way by a new approach in architecture, design, art and entertainment.

Boutique hotels, or popularly called design hotels, are one of those ingredients that can give your travel experience a more individual feeling. Boutique hotels are a lot different from chain hotels, in design, service, ownership and most of all, philosophy. They are operated by individuals or companies with a small collection and usually don’t have a large number of rooms. It depends on the location but the number is between a few and 150. Just enough to be unique and create a connection between customers and hotel staff.

Hotel Sezz, Paris

Design is the first and most important determinant when we are talking about boutique hotels. Most attention goes to interior design; furnished in a period style or modern, with different accents. Sometimes every room in a hotel is furnished differently to give a unique look and feel for every guest. It also happens that a particular hotel guest books the same room every time. Except styles, artwork and popular designer pieces, usually 20th century design, makes them so appealing. That’s where the term design hotels derived from and became more used than boutique hotels.

The George Hotel, Hamburg

They are not only a fancy place to stay in, they have a deeper meaning. Every place, that being a vibrant city hotel or a small resort, is a cultural reflection. As art and architecture, people are trying to distinguish themselves through designing new places; hotels, bars, restaurants and shops. So each of them has a story to tell, a story told in their own, unique way.

Next time you travel, add a personal note, in every aspect!

Stella – European Travelling Advisor