The 16 best new hotels in Europe that every traveler should visit
by Melissa Wiley, Business Insider US
- The 19th-century Palazzo Daniele in Italy’s Puglia region was named Europe’s hotel of the year in the Ahead Europe 2019 Awards.
- Run by Sleeper magazine, the awards recognize European hotels built or renovated from June 2018 to May 2019.
- Ahead Europe announced its 16 winners across 18 categories, including best hotel newbuild, best “visual identity,” and best hotel restaurant.
- Winners include an American-inspired 1950s roadside diner in England, eco-friendly sea cabins on a private island in Norway, and a secret garden hotel in Mallorca, Spain.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
The 19th-century Palazzo Daniele in Italy’s Puglia region has been named Europe’s best new hotel of the year by Sleeper magazine, a UK-based hotel-design publication.
Sleeper recently announced the winners of its third annual Ahead Europe Awards, which recognize the best new hospitality projects and renovations in Europe.
In total, 16 hotels newly built or renovated from June 2018 to May 2019 were awarded across 18 categories including best new lobby, best restaurant, and best new concept. A panel of international hospitality experts, including Marriott International’s senior interior design director and Hilton Worldwide’s vice president of architecture, design, and construction, chose the winners based on “the application of design and architecture to deliver great guest experiences.”
From eco-friendly sea cabins on a remote Norwegian island to an abandoned wine factory turned hotel, take a look at the 16 winners.
Starting rates, when not stated on a hotel’s website, are based on the lowest rate available for Saturday, January 11, at the time of publication.
AHEAD Europe Hotel of the Year and Best Guestrooms: Palazzo Daniele
Located in southern Italy’s Gagliano del Capo, the 158-year-old Palazzo Daniele earned two distinctions: Best Guesthouses and Hotel of the Year. Milanese design team Ludovica and Roberto Palomba transformed the 19th-century property’s interior into a minimalist 9-suite hotel.
The palazzo is closed for winter break starting January 5 and reopens on March 15, with nightly rates starting at $308.
Source: AHEAD Awards
Best Bar, Club, or Lounge: Soho House Amsterdam
The members-only Soho House in downtown Amsterdam consists of 79 hotel rooms located inside a Functionalist office building dating back to the 1930s. The AHEAD Awards judges describe the space as having a “a real sense of place throughout which perfectly matches the building’s architecture.”
Member rates start at $160 per night.
Source: AHEAD Awards
Best Event Space: Cinema Paradiso at PURO Lódź
Home to one of the world’s oldest film schools, Lódź, Poland, lives and breathes cinema. The Puro Hotel in Lódź’s city center took note, creating an event space that hosts regular movie nights and bears the name of the iconic 1988 film “Cinema Paradiso” directed by Giuseppe Tornatore.
Rates start at $74 per night.
Source: AHEAD Awards
Best Hotel Conversion: The Langley
An hour’s drive outside of London, the Marriott Langley is located inside a historic manor home surrounded by 150 acres of parks and gardens. Marriott’s conversion of the estate into a hotel resulted in what AHEAD describes as “an opulent country retreat with a high-end residential feel.”
Rates start at $476 for non-Marriott members.
Source: AHEAD Awards
Best Hotel Newbuild: Mollie’s Motel & Diner
Mollie’s Motel & Diner, a Soho House project located in Buckland, England, is modeled after a 1950s American diner and even features a drive-thru. AHEAD judges praised Mollie’s for its “quality and simplicity,” noting that it has become a favorite local haunt.
Rates start at $122 per night.
Source: AHEAD Awards
Best Hotel Renovation & Restoration: Heckfield Place
Located in Hampshire, England, Heckfield Place consists of a working farm and a 46-room Georgian estate dating back to the 18th century. Architectural firm Spratley & Partners restored the property, collaborating with the interior design team bwt London.
Rates start at $450 per night.
Source: AHEAD Awards
Best Landscaping & Outdoor Spaces: Can Bordoy Grand House & Garden Palma
Can Bordoy Grand House in Mallorca features a “secret garden” with more than 70 plant species and a heated swimming pool. AHEAD’s judging panel noted how Can Bordoy’s “mindful” landscaping ensures even more privacy for its guests.
Rates start at $436 per night.
Source: AHEAD Awards
Best Lobby & Public Spaces: Belmond Cadogan Hotel
The judges praised the Belmond Cadogan Hotel‘s recent updates to its lobby, describing it as “light, airy and inviting.” The hotel was originally built in 1887.
Rates start at $562 per night.
Source: AHEAD Awards
Best Lodge, Cabin & Tented Camps: Manshausen 2.0
Located on a 55-acre private island in Norway, Manshausen 2.0 is the latest extension of the Manshausen Island Resort and consists of three “sea cabins” boasting breathtaking views of the ocean. They are built primarily of cross-laminated timber and coated in aluminum to protect against the elements. The AHEAD judges praised Manshausen 2.o for the sustainability of its design.
The sea cabins are available to book February through November, and rates start at $393 per night.
Source: AHEAD Awards
Best Resort Hotel: The Retreat at Blue Lagoon Iceland
Iceland’s Blue Lagoon is undeniably picturesque, and the Retreat at Blue Lagoon is equally so. Its 62 suites feature panoramic views of the lagoon’s alluring, steamy waters and surrounding landscape. The resort also features a subterranean spa and traditional Icelandic restaurant.
Rates start at $1293 per night.
Source: AHEAD Awards
Best Restaurant: NENI at 25hours Hotel Terminus Nord
Conveniently located across from the Gare du Nord train station in Paris’ 10th arrondissement, 25hours Hotel Terminus Nord features a restaurant that AHEAD describes as having a distinctly feminine feel. Marrying Persian, Arabic, French, and Russian influences, it features pastel velvet chairs, pink marble tables and several women-themed artworks. 25hours Hotel Company founder Christoph Hoffmann, who has overseen the development of 13 25hours hotels since 2005, separately won the Outstanding Contribution category of this year’s AHEAD Europe Awards for his contributions to the hospitality industry.
Rates start at $112 per night.
Source: AHEAD Awards
Best Spa & Wellness: Euphoria Retreat
Carved into a mountainside in Mystras, Greece, Euphoria Spa spans four stories and merges elements of Byzantine architecture with minimalist Zen design. One of the spa’s defining features is its dome-like “Sphere Pool,” inspired by the architecture of the Hagia Sofia Church.
Rates start at $525 per night.
Source: AHEAD Awards
Best Suite: Dexamenes Seaside Hotel
Once a derelict, abandoned wine factory, Dexamenes Seaside Hotel in Kourouta, Greece is now beachside haven thanks to K-Studio architects. AHEAD judges described Dexamenes as “the height of unpretentious luxury.”
Rooms are available April through October, with rates starting at $176 per night. Source: AHEAD Awards
Best Transport: Ponant Le Champlain
Le Champlain is one of six new luxury vessels released by cruise operator Ponant, which sends cruises all over the world. The ship, named after famous French explorer Samuel de Champlain, embarked on its maiden voyage in October 2018.
Double occupancy fares for available trips in 2020 start at $980 for four nights.
Source: AHEAD Awards
Best Visual Identity: Amerikalinjen
AHEAD awarded Amerikalinjen, once the former offices of cruise ship Norwegian American Line, for how well the boutique hotel incorporates travel and navigation themes into its design. The hotel’s suites feature objects related to the history of Amerikalinjen, and its cocktail bar is named after one of the cruise ship’s iconic final destinations: New York’s Pier 42.
Rates start at $242 per night.
Source: AHEAD Awards
New Concept of the Year: The Audo
AUDO hotel in Copenhagen, Denmark, won one of AHEAD’s special category awards, touted as “a hotel that truly offers everything,” from typical hotel features like restaurants and cafes to a “concept store” and “material library.” In the concept store, guests can purchase AUDO linens, robes and furniture to commemorate their stay, and in the material library, they can draw design inspiration from a rotating selection of natural materials, fabrics, and leathers.
Rates start at $708 per night.
Source: AHEAD Awards