May is a season of fresh growth, and we don’t just mean the asparagus and rhubarb cropping up on menus. Smith’s editors, too, are poking their heads out and flying off to experience something new: a journey into Morocco’s Agafay Desert, hikes through a Welsh wonderland, and surfing off the Basque Country coast.
The Hoxton, Shoreditch
London, UK
There may be many Hoxton hotels now — the Ennismore group has properties from Paris to Portland — but the Shoreditch outpost was the original, where members of the indie-sleaze wave would retire after gallery private-view hopping and watching raucous gigs at The Old Blue Last. Its brick-and-steel look, cued-in DJs, irresistible Autofoto booth and just-the-right-amount-of-styled rooms made it a scene-stealer.
These days, like the rest of the skinny-jean crowd, it’s more grown-up and was given a makeover for its 20th birthday this year, using earthy tones, warm wood and marble, befitting a sleeker Shoreditch. However, like an Alexander McQueen skull scarf, it still appeals to first-time-rounders and has caught the eye of a whole new audience.
Why we love it: The hotel still sparks up nights, serving Pisco Sours at its rooftop Peruvian joint The Llama Inn, and turning soundtrack duties to DJs each Wednesday eve. Plus, it hooks up with cult fave Beigel Bake for late, late-night room service salt beefs in bed.
Kate Weir, Deputy Editor
Penmaenuchaf Hotel
Snowdonia, Wales
There’s plenty of myth and magic in Snowdonia (or Eryri as it’s known locally), land of the red dragon, water horses, giants and Arthurian legend — the storied king was rumoured to be buried here. The fantastical starts to feel quite tangible at Penmaenuchaf Hotel (which, FYI, is a Welsh pronunciation challenge in easy mode); a gabled country house with topiary and parterre in its glorious grounds, rooms that each tell a different colour story, and the National Park’s full-throttle adventure and Dark Sky stargazing on your doorstep.
It was once home to a 19th-century cotton mogul, but now the threads here are those that tie it to the locality, with a restaurant that leans heavily into the landscape with many local delicacies, a bar named in honour of neighbouring mountain Cadair Idris, and a strong sense of Welsh pride — and warmth — throughout.
Why we love it: Yes, Snowdonia’s peaks are the star of the show, but take time to pause on one of the garden’s many tucked-away benches to admire carpets of spring daffodils and bluebells, clouds of fuchsia azaleas, and blooming hydrangea bushes.
KW
Masseria Auraterrae
Puglia, Italy
About a decade ago, Puglia was so hot right now. Never one for original thinking, I swiftly jumped on the bandwagon, locating the nearest restored masseria for a group holiday with old friends. I’ve returned to the region several times and am always equally enamoured — it’s one of my favourite parts of Italy (is there a bad part of Italy?).
And luckily, as its popularity grew, so did its volume of buzzy hotels, with exciting new arrivals every summer since. A couple of seasons ago, Masseria Auraterrae re-opened its 17th-century doors on a hilltop above perfect Pugliese town Polignano a Mare. The farmstead (complete with a fortified tower) now houses 22 guestrooms and a sea-facing saltwater pool, and there’s a beach club to entice you down to the shore.
Why we love it: The impressive acreage keeps the estate’s agrarian past alive and well, with citrus and olive trees, orchards, kitchen gardens and vineyards cultivating produce for the hotel. I can already smell the tomatoes…
Caroline Lewis, Senior Editor
Hotel Indarra
French Basque Country
This southwestern corner of France is one of my favourites: it’s got mountains, it’s got ocean — a timeless formula that requires little to no reinvention. Coastal towns such as Biarritz, Saint-Jean-de-Luz and Hendaye retain a village-y feel alongside supermodel good looks, while an emphasis on farming and fishing brings a proudly Basque flavour to the area’s dining scene.
Base yourself at boutique farmhouse stay Hotel Indarra, and you have a bucolic launchpad from which to explore this surf-and-turf region. The swimming pool alone has me reaching for the ‘Book now’ button; but bolstering its bed-and-breakfast set-up, the hotel also totes pared-back contemporary bedrooms, Alaena spa treatments and a fine-tuned aperitivo hour.
Why we love it: By staying in Arbonne, outside of the region’s surfer-loved towns, rates at Hotel Indarra are much more purse-friendly. Plus, you get all the authentic charm of a small-scale escape with a laidback ambience and personalised service. Apartment and suite options are ideal if you’re en famille, too.
Kate Pettifer, Senior Content Editor
Rox Resort
Køge, Denmark
I’ve spent a lot of summers in Copenhagen: bracing myself for cold morning plunges and pedalling between Christianshavn’s palate-pleasing bakeries. But this year, there’s a newcomer in the southern suburbs that has me rethinking my allegiance altogether. Set in a cove along Køge Bay, Rox Resort is only half an hour from the capital by train, though despite its proximity to the pacy city, days here unfold at a leisurely speed. Inside, expressive patterns, dark tones and varied cuisines (from a steakhouse to a dumpling bar) cast Nordic minimalism aside. But have the concierge curate a schedule of wild Baltic swims, wood-fired sauna sessions and hikes around the Øresund Strait, and you’ll realise this is Denmark at its purest.
Why we love it: Personalised itineraries from in-the-know staff make exploring simple. But there’s ample ease for loafers, too, with a trio of heated rooftop pools and stand-out spa to rotate between.
Ellie Nelson, Senior Content Writer & Editor
Casa Naman
Rome, Italy
I’ve realised that all I want to do when I travel is pretend that I live in my new destination. I’ve started avoiding the ‘must-see’ sights in favour of quotidian spots, but the irony is that I then feel guilty for not seeing the big hitters. Enter Casa Naman, a collection of three grand, sculpture-adorned apartments right on the Spanish Steps. You can smugly watch the crowds from your lofty perch, which conveniently comes clad in marble and flaunting an altana (roof terrace)-set sauna. A dedicated house manager and private chefs mean you can cosplay being a local without any real-life responsibilities, leaving more time to sip espressi on your balcony and develop a ‘I’m not like the other tourists’ complex.
Why we love it: With its stellar views, it’s only fitting that Casa Naman’s terrace is such a versatile space. It’s got a Turkish bath and sauna, but staff can also arrange alfresco massages, yoga, fitness sessions and romantic dinners per due up here — all overlooking Rome’s rooftops and the Spanish Steps, of course.
Millie Field, Content Writer & Editor
Hermitage Bay
Antigua, Caribbean
I don’t know about you but barely a third of the way through the year, I’m already drifting — mentally, at least — towards butter-soft beaches and improbable shades of turquoise. Thankfully, this needn’t be some screensaver pipe dream, for I know a luxury hotel that promises, delivers, and then goes way beyond the usual brochure clichés. Hermitage Bay is located at the end of a dirt track in Antigua a long way from the tourist trail, with beachfront villas offering barefoot seclusion and equally private, plunge-pool-toting villas set upon a leafy hillside, with swoon-worthy views through the canopy, all connected by terraced gardens. It’s the very stuff of palm-tree fantasies, which means (of course) that’s it’s all-inclusive, from the minbar in your room to the lobster on your dinner plate.
Why we love it: Simply put, the sunsets. They’re accompanied by sushi tastings, held at the palm leaf-roofed beach bar every evening.
Martin Dickie, UX & Production Editor
Dar Rhizlane
Marrakech, Morocco
You may have noticed we’ve been banging the drum for Marrakech quite a bit lately. We try not to have favourites, but the Moroccan capital has been outdoing itself with a slew of head-turning new stays. Our latest addition is Dar Rhizlane, a Moorish mansion in a verdant plot in the Quartier Hivernage, where the pace of life is worlds away from the frantic commerce in the Medina. The hotel channels the cloistered luxury of a Moroccan palace, with its water gardens, splashing fountains and tadelakt-finished pavilions in which to hide from the sun. Bed down in stuccoed suites named after prized Arabic perfumes; lose hours lolling by the bougainvillea-bordered pool; and dine on Moroccan specialties in a restaurant that spills onto a lantern-lit terrace.
Why we love it: Dar Rhizlane’s Andalusian gardens are a delightful spot to recover in after a morning in the Medina. They smell divine, too, thanks to the rose garden, orange grove and abundance of hyacinths.
Hamish Roy, Senior Associate Editor
Keep some space in your calendar for our other new arrivals