Best Hotels

From the inner core of downtown DC to a sparsely settled archipelago at the junction of the North Atlantic and the Norwegian Sea – with loads of scenery and bon vivant adventures along the way – I stayed in some fantastic hotels this year.

Listed below in alphabetical order are five hotels (and four honourable mentions) where I still can’t believe I had the pleasure to lay my head in 2014. Wow.

Keep an eye out for more Best of 2014 posts over the coming days. And please note, these ‘best of’ lists merely reflect how I chose to spend my time during the year and are comprised of well established and brand new venues as well as businesses that are local to me or somehow related to where work and play took me.

Battle House Renaissance Mobile Hotel and Spa
26 North Royal Street, Mobile, Alabama 36602
Established on the site of military headquarters set up by Andrew Jackson during the war of 1812, today the Battle House is a landmark luxury hotel in the heart of downtown Mobile, Alabama and a member of the Historic Hotels of America association. Closed since the 70s, the hotel reopened in 2007 after a $200 million renovation. With its centrepiece domed skylight, its trompe-l’œil plasterwork, and its extra spacious rooms, the Battle House is a gem of a hotel and without doubt one of the finest I’ve ever come across in the Deep South. There’s a great gym with a rooftop pool and heated Jacuzzi, and lavishly decorated upscale restaurant, Trellis House.

The Hay-Adams
800 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20006
This downtown Washington DC hotel’s biggest claim to fame is being the closest hotel to the White House. Boasting panoramic views of the White House, Lafayette Square, Lafayette Park and more, its location is without doubt its major selling point – whether there for an overnight stay, a business lunch, dream wedding or quick drink. Still – view or no view – I’d be inclined to return for the gracious service, amazingly knowledgeable head concierge (Eric Gammill), low key watering hole Off the Record, and some of DC’s finest and most innovative dining.

Herdade da Malhadinha Nova
7800-601 Albernoa, Portugal
Located at the end of a winding dirt road and set amid 450 hectares of rolling farmland and vineyards, visiting this estate in the Alentejo of southern Portugal was like diving into the pages of a Condé Nast spread about discovering some idyllic getaway. The sights around the farm – nesting storks and all sorts of waterfowl, an infinity pool with views over the vineyards, the low to the ground and traditionally built farmhouses (with no sight or sound of the near-ish highway or anything that might be deemed less than perfectly bucolic) – lulled me nicely. And my room was – a 90 square metre suite featuring mega-bed, mega-bath, cantilevered stairs and all mod cons – was probably the nicest accommodation I experienced during my couple of weeks roaming round Portugal (if not out of all my travels of 2014). Horseback riding, canoeing, hot air balloon rides, a luxury spa … if there’s something scenic to do in the Alentenjo countryside, Malhadinha appears to offer it. And if there’s something exquisite to taste, they probably have that to share with guests too in the estate’s restaurant with its kitchen run by Michelin starred Executive Chef Joaquin Koerper.

Hotel Foroyar
Oyggjarvegur 45, 100 Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
Four star Hotel Foroyar is situated on a hill above the far flung Faroe Islands’ capital city of Torshavn and about an hour’s drive from the airport. In addition to its many Nordic comforts, utter tranquility and serene ocean views, the hotel is home to Koks, one of the finest restaurants I’ve ever come across in my life.

Quinta do Vallado
Vilarinho dos Freires, 5050-364 Peso da Régua, Portugal
To put it plainly, I loved everything about Quinta do Vallado. It hurt a little to leave this “wine hotel” set in the heart of Portugal’s undulant Douro Valley, and months later I still ache to return for another chance to admire in situ Vallado’s architectural blend of tradition with modern design; to savour more of its homey food; and, of course, to enjoy its fabulous wines.

Honourable Mentions

More of the Best of 2014 to follow!