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Unless you get special permission from Rome officials to set up a tent on Piazza di Spagna, one of the most visited pedestrian squares in Rome’s historical center, there’s no better place to stay in the whole of the Eternal City than the Hassler Hotel. The historic establishment is at the top of the Spanish Steps, next door to Trinità dei Monti Church, and it overlooks the aforementioned piazza. Staying at this five-star hotel means that you’ll be within walking distance of the city’s emblematic landmarks, be able to watch the sunrise over the most iconic neighborhood in Rome from an exceptional vantage point, and even get the Spanish Steps all to yourself if you time it right.
The Hassler Hotel is the building at the top of the Spanish Steps, behind the palm tree. Photo: Hassler Hotel
That’s exactly what happened to me this past November when I was lucky enough to be invited to spend one night at the Hassler Roma. After a wine-filled evening at the on-site Salone Eva restaurant and an exceptionally comfortable night in one of the hotel’s Deluxe Double Rooms, I got up at an ungodly hour for a Sunday morning and walked out of the hotel to find myself alone on the Piazza della Trinità dei Monti, looking down at the crowd-free Spanish Steps. It is a privilege granted to few — only insomniacs and jet-lagged guests at the Hassler Hotel get to enjoy such a scene. I was so taken by the view that I almost forgot that a cornucopia of croissants and strong coffee was awaiting me inside. Luckily the breakfast room is just five steps to the left, so I made it well before the baked goods were all gone.
Sunrise over Rome from the top of the Spanish Steps, where the Hasler Hotel is located. Photo: Jesse Adams
Opened for the first time in 1893, the Hassler Hotel was entirely demolished in 1939 and subsequently rebuilt. Upon reopening in the late 1940s, it quickly became the favorite Roman pied-à-terre of heads of state, royals, and film stars. Today, the hotel is still owned by the same family (the sixth generation to run the place) and VIPs are still choosing the Hassler for their jaunts to the Italian capital. If you’re just as keen to rub shoulders with dignitaries and personalities as to visit the Pantheon or the Villa Borghese, the Hassler Hotel is the place to stay.
That said, for an iconic five-star hotel, the Hassler Hotel is unusually discreet. There’s no golden columns, red-carpeted steps, flamboyant architecture, or extravagant fountains to indicate you’re about to enter one of the top
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It’s a new year, but when it comes to world-class food and drink, it’s still the same ol’ London. Meaning there's no Shoreditch—err...shortage of options across this perennially dynamic cityscape. With literally thousands of restaurants and bars worth exploring, there’s obviously no way we can include everything on one measly list. So the task here is to highlight some places that are doing something especially awesome this winter season. Whether you’re in town for a short stay, or a longtime local, check out what’s on below and you’re certain to be satisfied.
Tucked into the northwestern tip of Italy and surrounded by towering peaks such as Mont Blanc, Matterhorn and Monte Rosa, the autonomous Aosta Valley region packs a serious Alpine punch. Despite being the smallest and least populous of Italy’s regions, the area is a haven for lovers of winter sports. The regional capital, Aosta, is a well-connected hub that’s the perfect base from which to explore a total of 19 ski resorts in the surrounding area.
To say the Luc Alphand slope in Chantemerle ends abruptly is an understatement. The piste, graded as a black run, is more like a sheer-drop slide at a giant’s play park, coming to a dramatic halt on the pavement in the middle of town. As I sit in the breakfast room of the Grand Hôtel with a ringside view of skiers barrelling their way down the mountain, wondering whether I’ll be brave enough to join the Luc at some point, I’m all too aware that this dilemma may soon be a thing of the past. Warming temperatures and a lack of snow in the valley mean that the slope, like many around the Alps, needs a lot of artificial snow, using up precious resources.
With Valentines Day just around the corner, rediscover romance with the finest wellness retreats to suit the preferences of any couple. Whether you’re an adventurous, outgoing fitness duo or partners looking for a more holistic experience, Health and Fitness Travel, the wellness holidays specialists has amassed a variety of wellbeing breaks to rekindle that deep, intimate connection with your significant other. From setting out together to discover the vast landscapes and rich culture of Qatar, to exhilarating fitness breaks in the UK, or whisking your partner away to Italy for a romantic and revitalising mindfulness retreat, there is truly something to suit every couple.
There’s something very satisfying about a hotel—or any enterprise, really—that settles on one thing and decides to do that thing very well. The First Roma, a new collection (or triptych, in the words of a marketer) from the Hong Kong–based quiet-luxury Pavilions Hotels & Resorts brand (known for low-key five-star properties like the Pavilions Bali), seems to have taken that idea to heart.
For the vast majority of travelers, a cruise is anything from a weekend getaway to a 7- or 14-day vacation in the sun. Some people can afford the time and money to splash out on a longer trip, perhaps an intensive month-long historic tour of the Mediterranean, or the Caribbean and Central America. But for the fortunate few, there is another option.
For the third year running, Delta has been named the carrier with the best on-time performance record in North America by the airline analytics company Cirium, which crunches data for 32 million global flights annually. Delta also won Cirium’s Platinum Award, determined by evaluating timeliness alongside the overall breadth of an airline’s operations.
The survey compared hotel rates across 40 European destinations for December 31, with prices at all hotels with a central location and rated three stars or more in each destination recorded.