Why Small Luxury Hotels Think Tiny Is Mighty in the Post-Pandemic Era

The lights dim, the curtain lifts and your eyes immediately widen to take in the vision of the stage, ablaze in a riot of colour. The hi-energy musical that is Six may be set in Tudor times, but its six characters – the reimagined wives of Henry VIII – are dressed as if Beyonce had styled them, on a set that could have been transposed from America’s Got Talent!

Visiting London is all about hitting the big sites: Tower Bridge, the British Museum, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and, of course, Big Ben. To make every second of your time in the English capital count, book a hotel near one of those must-see places — you’ll feel fully immersed in the city, and you’ll get an eyeful of beauty every time you look out the window or step out the door. Staying in a hotel near Big Ben in London is probably the best strategy because you’re not only next door to the most famous clock tower in the world, but also to so many other must-sees: Westminster Abbey, the London Eye, Trafalgar Square, 10 Downing Street, and, the icing on the cake: Buckingham Palace. Of course, the problem with this idea is that the closer you are to the big attractions, the more expensive the accommodations, but we’ve managed to find six luxury hotels near Big Ben for a variety of budgets.

Although it is only the ninth biggest city in France, Bordeaux is certainly one that should be at the very top of your French to-do list. Not only is it the heart of the famed wine-growing region, the entire city is also a UNESCO World Heritage site, and it has more protected historic buildings than any other city in France except Paris (there are 347 listed buildings in Bordeaux). To see the city, its glorious architecture, and its excellent cultural offerings properly, you need to stay in the city center in one (or several) of the best hotels in Bordeaux, France, for every budget.

Acadia National Park stretches over a rocky and mountainous coastal landscape of the Maine coast. The park has a wild beauty reminiscent of the Pacific Northwest and is home to an extensive network of hiking trails (120 miles, in fact) and its 30 lakes are prime fishing, biking, and boating spots. Mount Desert Island, where the majority of the park is located, has a quintessentially New England atmosphere, with charming fishing villages, bustling lobster boats, and colorful buoys dotting the harbors. While there are no lodges within the boundaries, there are plenty of hotels near Acadia National Park for anyone who would prefer a comfortable bed after a day of adventuring.

When I planned my two-week backpacking trip through six European cities across four countries in October 2022, the last thing I expected was to be blown away by my budget bookings. 

As any jaded traveler will tell you, there are some stays that are luxurious and a great experience, and there are others— albeit few and far between- that leave you blown away.

Jamaica to Triple Visitors from Central and Eastern Europe by 2025

Mrs. Bain’s objective is to significantly enhance the skill set of the hotel’s staff, thereby propelling Mount Cinnamon to expand its range of service provisions.

Anyone who has stayed in an exuberantly designed hotel in Asia has most likely experienced the designs of Bill Bensley: the Bangkok-based designer is the creative force behind The Siam Hotel Bangkok; Rosewood Luang Prabang, Shinta Mani Angkor and Capella Hanoi among others. Apart from his hotel designs, though, Bensley is also an artist and philanthropist and those three interests combine in the first Bensley Art Trail, a 12 day tour for those interested in art, design, luxury and conservation from November 28th-December 10th. Bensley will lead it, taking 12 guests behind the scenes of several of those hotels as well as his home, with itinerary details constructed by the Bangkok based luxury, bespoke travel company Smiling Albino. Proceeds will go to the Shinta Mani Foundation which is based in Cambodia to fund 32 scholarships for students of the Shinta Mani Foundation Hospitality School, Class of 2024.

Jongyoon Kim, the CEO of South Korea-based superapp Yanolja, sees Tesla as the metaphor for its company highlighting how the electronic vehicle company has been rethinking the entire value chain.

“Après ski” in New England is commonplace. But in the heart of Boston? Not so much. 

Before the pandemic hit, hotels had spent roughly 2.5 percent of revenue on new technologies. The size of that investment dropped during the pandemic.