THE WINNERS
City Star
CAPELLA SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
Remote Escape
UNDER CANVAS BRYCE CANYON, USA
Mountain Refuge
SIX SENSES CRANS-MONTANA, SWITZERLAND
Food Hero
BOTANIC SANCTUARY, BELGIUM
Romantic Bolthole
ANANTARA CONVENTO DI AMALFI GRAND HOTEL, ITALY
Beach Sanctuary
AHU BAY, SRI LANKA
Wellness Haven
ALEENTA RETREAT CHIANG MAI, THAILAND
Eco Stay
CAP KAROSO, INDONESIA
Unique Space
CANFRANC ESTACIÓN, SPAIN
Country House Retreat
BOYS HALL, ENGLAND
Clever Conversion
SOMMERRO, NORWAY
Revamped Hotel
LIFE HOUSE, BERKSHIRES, USA
Budget Break
LEVEN, ENGLAND
Boutique Pad
DE DURGERDAM, NETHERLANDS
The judging panel of travel writers
JULIA BUCKLEY
LEE COBAJ
ZOEY GOTO
CAMILLA HEWITT
BEN LERWILL
ALICIA MILLER
JOHN O’CEALLAIGH
DANIEL STABLES
KERRY WALKER
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER (UK) TEAM
CITY STAR
FULLY IMMERSE YOURSELF IN URBAN LIFE AT THESE THREE STYLISH SPOTS
Capella Sydney, Australia
A painstaking labour of love brought Capella Sydney into being: it was formed from the city’s heritage-listed Department of Education building, a striking sandstone monolith in the financial district dating from 1912. Period features are complemented throughout with works by First Nations artists and tasteful design touches like vintage cocktail sets. Respite from the clamour of Sydney is promised at guest-only spa Auriga, which features locally inspired spa treatments. Visitors are actively encouraged to explore the wider city, too. The hotel team enthusiastically curates itineraries that range from private Champagne cruises along the harbour to foraging for endemic foods with Aboriginal Australian guides. From A$690 (£358), B&B. capellahotels.com
Runners-up
PALIHOUSE WEST HOLLYWOOD, US
The kitschy-cool decor here spans the public spaces and 95 guest rooms, but the star of the show is the rooftop pool, with views of Los Angeles’ Hollywood Hills. From $225 (£173), room only. palisociety.com
PALAZZO VILÒN, ITALY
This hotel in Rome is an exercise in good taste. Vintage design touches complement magnificent period features, with mid-century modern furniture beneath goldfrescoed ceilings. From €820 (£707), B&B. palazzovilon.com
REMOTE ESCAPE
GET AWAY FROM IT ALL AT PROPERTIES THAT OFFER A TRUE ESCAPE FROM THE WORLD
Under Canvas Bryce Canyon, USA
Those yearning to get far, far away from it all should venture to the fiery red rocks of southwest Utah. Set on a plateau surrounded by 3,000m-high mountains are the 50 luxurious safari tents of Under Canvas Bryce Canyon. These come with king-sized beds, equipped with the kind of sumptuous mattresses usually found in five-star hotels. As close to nature as it gets, the camp’s surroundings offer an outdoor playground on an epic scale, with potential for hiking and biking and the option to climb the nearby
