FHM: March 2006

Wanderlust
We hook up with cool boutique hotel guide Mr & Mrs Smith to signpost you and yours to the sexiest summer hideaways.  And make an offer you can’t refuse…

Berns
Stockholm
Built as a restaurant in 1863;  reborn as an entertainment palace 15 years ago.  If you can splash, try the awesome rooftop Clock Suite.  There’s the grandest dining room ever, concert hall and nightclub.  You may never leave.  A cosy hotel with grandeur – no mean feat.  £160-£475

Puro
Mallorca
Before building this Palma retreat, Mats Wahlstrom made like Jack Kerouac and hit the road on a motorbike tour of the globe.  As a result, this converted 14th-century palace hotel conceals an oasis-like interior which strikes notes of Marrakech, Miami and Bali.  At night, a DJ spins the obligatory Balearic tunes, while stylish couples unwind or rev up.  Perfect for today’s beat generation.  £100-£270 (plus tax)

Columbus
Monaco
With superyachts vying for your attention in Monte Carlo’s harbour and the bling brigade outflashing each other in the glitzy nightspots, the simple interior of Columbus provides a soothing antidote.  Ken McCulloch (creator of Malmaison) and his life-in-the-fast-lane business buddy, David Coulthard, ensure that this is a slick operation, with flawless service and cool surroundings.  £165-£400

Capri Palace
Capri
If you crave eye candy and require romance, this Lilliput-like island’s five-star flagship has got it all in spades.  A fantasyland of draped muslin and trickling water, it’s got heaps of style – as a swim in the look-at-me glass-walled pool and dinner at the tealight-twinkling Michelin-starred restaurant will attest.  £195-£1,900

Astra
Santorini
Hugging the island’s pumice cliffs, Astra overlooks azure waters and postcard-perfect fishing villages.  The high-ceiling abodes tick every box on the romance-guaranteed list; candles on every surface, giant his’n’hers shower, four-posted beds, even your own private plunge pool.  £120-£440

Hotel Raya
Aeolian Islands
It sounds like a medical condition, but the Italian hotspot of Panarea is in fact an upmarket coastal destination.  The beautiful people flock by taxiboat to this traffic-free paradise and swiftly fall in love with, and at, the Hotel Raya.  Whether relaxing in a sumptuous boudoir, soaking up sun on deck, or shaking your booty in the candlelit rooftop bar, this sea-and-be-seen rendezvous is perfection.  £130-£330

Murano Urban Resort
Paris
This ordinary-looking building does little hint at the freaky, funhouse inside.  The white-and-silver lobby is pure Space Odyssey, and techno wizardry makes for a high ‘wow factor’.  The fingerprint entry to your room could come in handy after a night in the 130-vodka-strong bar.  £240-£1,715

The Dylan
Amsterdam
A dramatic canalside bolthole, so it’s fitting this more-is-more Anouska Hempel creation stands on the site of a 17th-century theatre.  Extraordinary antiques, swathes of black soft furnishings, obsessive detail – it’s lavish to the max.  £275-£1,025

Neri Hotel
Barcelona
This 18th-century palace combines Gothic architecture with super-modern design sensibilities.  Tucked away on a quite square in the Gothic Quarter, a mere stroll from all the action of this vibrant city, you may find the sultry, spacious bedrooms inspire some extended siestas.  £145-£260

Llety Bodfor
Aberdovey
The St Tropez of Wales according to residents of this cute seaside resort.  On a glitz-starved coastline, this contemporary B&B is making waves.  Owned by interior designer Ann Hughes and husband Gareth, the record player and huge vinyl collection in the lounge is just one cool detail of this funky home from home.  Don’t expect to bump into Donatella, just yet.  £108-£145