At Home While Away
The properties that seamlessly blend upscale service with a sense of genuine connection and ease set themselves apart in a world where the ultra luxury traveler is accustomed to a particular level of service, and small touches make for a far more memorable travel experience We’re seeing these ultra-luxury types of properties offer:
· An Intimate Experience hotels with 30 rooms or less offer a more intimate atmosphere with higher staffto-guest ratio, ensuring personalized attention and bespoke services.
Home-Like
Amenities…From kitchens where guests can help themselves and bar carts where they’re encouraged to select a spirit of their choosing should they like, to cozy living areas and common spaces, these properties are designed to allow guests to unwind in what feels like their own personal sanctuary
Hotel Torre di Bellosguardo | Florence, Italy
· Exclusive Experiences…These hotels excel in providing exclusive, tailor-made experiences that cater to individual preferences. Whether it’s a private wine tasting, a personalized ATV tour, or a cooking class with a renowned local chef, guests can enjoy activities that resonate with their interests at these properties – creating connection and a feeling of comfort.
We’ve rounded up a selection of true ultra-luxe properties that fit the mold of hotels that feel like home.
Wharekauhau Country Estate | Ocean Beach, New Zealand
The ultimate high-end farm stay and one of the top luxury lodges in New Zealand, this Relais & Châteaux gem is a 5,500 acre working sheep and cattle farm, set on the dramatic coastline of the Wairarapa winegrowing region in Featherston –boasting 17 quaint yet elevated cottages, beautiful grounds, a heated swimming pool, gym, allweather tennis court, spa and outstanding culinary program showcasing traditional Kiwi cuisine. After checking in, guests will feel right at home with convivial gourmet meals, pre-drinks over canapes during the daily cocktail hour with fellow guests (featuring rotating sips), and home-baked
cookies. Start each day with hikes at leisure – exploring the vast property that feels like their own; take one of the bikes out for a spin along the Pacific coastline; or opt for a tennis match or croquet session with friends, family or other guests at the lodge. The luxury stay is meant to truly inspire guests to feel right at home, just as if they’re family.
Southern Ocean Lodge | Kangaroo Island
Celebrated around the world as the pioneer of experiential luxury in Australia, the new iteration of Southern Ocean Lodge (following a tragic bush fire in 2020) has returned to crown the wildly beautiful clifftops on Kangaroo Island with a stunningly new feel. The 25-suite property transcends the ordinary through daily experiences that forge connections, where visitors are welcomed into a warm, inviting ambiance – bringing
in a sense of community and belonging As part of the "home away from home" philosophy, guests are encouraged to explore the expansive walk-in cellar and select a bottle of their choosing, just as if they were in their own cellar at home. They can return to their table, ready to share stories and create lasting memories with newfound friends often acquired during the daily sociable dining experience. As the evening winds down, travelers can head to the open bar to craft their own nightcap or kick back as the friendly staff happily helps.
Silvestre Nosara Hotel & Residences - Playa Guiones, Costa Rica
Just opened in February 2024, Silvestre Nosara is a luxury beachfront surf living destination, just steps away from one of the most consistent surf breaks in the world in Nosara, Costa Rica
Silvestre seamlessly interweaves the opulence of a hotel with the privacy, space and freedom of a home, with spacious residentialstyle accommodations boasting full kitchens, dining areas, washers/dryers indoor/outdoor living spaces complete with BBQ and lounging spaces, plus select patios have their own private barrel sauna. Featuring just 9 master residences including a 4-bedroom rooftop penthouse, an expansive rooftop lounge and pool serving cocktails and small bites, beach and surf concierge, custom surfboards to use at your leisure, kids programming, outdoor cold plunge and sauna sanctuary space, and an expansive Studio space that hosts curated classes and extensive wellness programming, Silvestre was designed to help travelers forge authentic connections, recharge and explore Costa Rica with all of the comforts of home.
The Grange Estate | Willamette Valley, Oregon
Featuring just nine beautifully designed rooms in the heart of the Willamette Valley, this new luxury inn is located adjacent to the beloved Black Walnut Inn & Vineyard and offers a rustic yet homey luxury retreat in the heart of Oregon’s wine country Overlooking a vineyard of pinot noir and chardonnay grapes and the rolling Dundee Hills beyond, this modern farmhouse inn features bespoke interiors reminiscent of a private luxury home, and exceptional culinary delights and wine tastings at the neighboring Four Graces Winery and exceptional culinary offerings at Anthology, the on-site destination dining experience
The design of The Grange Estate embodies Oregon's wild spirit with a blend of traditional craftsmanship and modern comforts. From Black Walnut tables sourced locally in the Willamette Valley to refurbished Princeton Law School chairs, each room is designed differently from the next, and farmhouse-style lighting and in-room fireplaces create a nostalgic and comfortable ambiance that feels like home. Other home touches include a communal dining space and living room equipped with board games, fireplaces and books to encourage
connection and gathering in addition to a kitchen space where guests are able to cook up a meal of their own at their leisure. The Grange Estate exemplifies understated luxury while paying tribute to Oregon's rich natural and cultural heritage.
Read about SL’s visit to the Grange Estate in “On Cloud Wine,” from the Sept/Oct 2024 issue here.
Washington School House | Park City, UT
As one of the last surviving school houses built in 1889, Washington School House offers 12 spectacular suites – filled with original antiques and art – built into the original structure, creating a truly breathtaking space and located just steps above Main Street.
For the ultimate cozy getaway,
guests can enjoy daily breakfast in the Living Room or daily aprés-ski fare, both included in all reservations, or cozy up under a blanket by the outdoor poolside fireplace which is made from a steel Olympic torch from the 2002 Winter Olympics. Housemade s’mores with a variety of seasonal gourmet spreads (all made in-house) are also available for an added homey touch. The intimate hotel also offers an easy, luxury buyout option for families looking for a space that feels like a beautiful home. Guests can occupy the whole space for up to 34 people. Tailored family offsite activities include fly-fishing, skiing, museums, hiking, snowshoeing, dogsledding and more
The Horse Shoe Farm | Hendersonville, NC
It's easy to feel right at home when visiting The Horse Shoe Farm, a once bustling cattle farm that transformed into a one-of-a-kind boutique hotel. Owned and operated by the Turchin family, The Horse Shoe Farm stands today as a retreat that offers a captivating escape to a simpler way of life.
Often greeted upon check-in by the Turchin Family pup, guests can’t help but feel the irresistibly positive and warm energy from the moment they step foot on the grounds, and even more so when checking in to one of the farm’s original estates and cottages each of which have been meticulously restored, filled with one-of-a-kind pieces of art and decor from the family’s travels around the world.
With spacious, fully-equipped kitchens, guests can cook up (or have a private chef do it for them) their very own home-cooked meals or can make their way to The Silo Cookhouse for a communal dining experience that offers the best in farm-to-table cuisine
Days are best spent frolicking around the farm, taking advantage of everything it has to offer from unparalleled wellness experiences in the horse-stable-turned-Spa to feeding the farm animals, playing
every game under the sun in the game room, and so much more And to top it all off, nights are made for stargazing, lightning bug catching, and cozy nights in the living room or gathered around the fire pit
Beaverbrook Town House | Chelsea, London
Overlooking the Grade-II-listed Cadogan Gardens, the hotel, which is the sister property to Beaverbrook in Surrey, occupies two Georgian townhouses on Sloane Street Downstairs, the not-sosecret Chelsea hit is all about socializing. . Guests can sip cocktails in the art-deco Sir Frank’s Bar and dine on delicate Japanese dishes in The Fuji Grill.
Meanwhile upstairs, guests can lay their heads in one of 14 colorful suites designed by Nicola Harding. Each is named after a London theater and bursts with contemporary art and opulent textiles. Additionally hugging the front of the hotel and with views over Cadogan Gardens, the terrace is an extension of Sir Frank’s Bar and Fuji Grill, serving an elegant yet frivolous menu of sushi and nigiri alongside signature tipples such as the Sloane Martini and the rumbased Sir Frank’s Libation.
Cottages at Lido House | Newport Beach, CA
Lido House, designed with an effortless, yet definitive beach house vibe, debuted as an Autograph Collection hotel in April 2018. The hotel has established itself as Newport Beach’s favorite guest house for locals and out of town visitors with the debut of its five residential-style cottages, each designed by a different Newport Beach designer.
The three-story cottages span 1,500 square feet and feature full kitchens, expansive rooftop decks with a fireplace and barbeque, two bedrooms and a living room, showcasing masterfully designed interiors Each cottage is also adorned with its own street address and parking spot. Named after the islands in Newport Beach and featuring a distinctive motif, Lido House tapped five elite Newport Beach-based design firms for this special project: Grace Blu Design, Jennifer Mehditash Design, Brooke Wagner Design, Erica Bryen Design and Blackband Design.
Twin Farms | Barnard, VT Welcome home to Twin Farms the casually luxurious, exclusive, all-inclusive retreat settled amongst lush Vermont mountains. Natural by design, the adults-only culinary destination exemplifies the new era of bespoke through its chef-guided culinary experience, 28 richly appointed accommodations (including eight new Treehouses!), and a plethora of indoor and outdoor activities.
A warm and welcoming family of staff shows thoughtful attention to every guest need, from breakfast delivered to your door in the morning to popcorn whipped up for you late-night. The kitchen team dreams up new dishes daily for a menu-less dining experience or serves up a seasonal menu at the cozy Twiggs next door, where the best of our backyard’s own produce comes to life at each table. Discover the Farm’s hidden treasures, from unique artworks chosen by the owner to a stand-alone Japanese Onsen tucked away in the forest closeby From check-in to checkout, you pick and choose the landscape of your day, unplugging and indulging in simple luxury
Half-Mile Farm | Highlands, NC
Set just a short drive away from the quaint mountain town of Highlands, Half-Mile Farm is a peaceful adultsonly getaway where the rustic decor, cozy four-poster beds and inroom fireplaces redefine the luxury bed & breakfast concept.
Set on 14 acres of lush lawns and forest, enjoy a secluded setting beside the private Apple Lake where canoes, paddleboards, fishing poles, and bikes for lake-side trails can be used at leisure. Gather in the morning at the Main House for a chef-made farm-to-fork breakfast with each day's menu written on the chalkboard by our servers. In our backyard find a tranquil and newly completed walking trail to explore with benches placed thoughtfully for quiet reflection. In the evenings, dine at the charming J. Henry Farmhouse Tavern just inside from the fire pit or venture away from home to delight in the amenities of Old Edwards Inn & Spa.
Edgecamp Pamlico Station | Hatteras Island, North Carolina
Nestled in the coastal South on the Outer Banks of North Carolina is home to a boutique hotelEdgecamp Pamlico Station (recently opened June 2024) on Hatteras Island along the northernmost beaches which were home to America’s first colony, the Wrights’ first flight and the nation’s first seashore. The 14-suite hotel combines the best of a standalone home or AirBnb with privacy and space, paired with the personalized service and amenities travelers love from a luxury hotel, bringing a brand new luxury concept for OBX travelers. Featuring 14 spacious suite-style hotel rooms designed by Jonathan Adler, each room is outfitted with a full kitchen to provide everything travelers need to feel at home. Not to miss, the property is home to a Wellness Center offering a curated clock-like guided wellness program with amenities including a cold plunge, sauna, and hot tub
Hotel Torre di Bellosguardo | Florence, Italy
Nestled atop a hill with panoramic views of the iconic Florentine skyline, this historic estate offers a serene escape from the bustling city below. The warm, welcoming staff greets you as if you were an old friend, ensuring your every need is met with genuine care
Each room, adorned with antique furnishings and personalized touches, tells a story of its own, blending timeless elegance with modern comfort. 16 rooms & suites look over the lush gardens and tranquil surroundings invite you to relax and unwind, creating an atmosphere of intimate seclusion. Whether enjoying a leisurely breakfast on the terrace or exploring the rich history embedded in every corner of the property, Hotel Torre di Bellosguardo envelops you in an ambiance of heartfelt hospitality, making it feel like a true home away from home.
Grand Hotel Tremezzo | Lake Como, Italy
This century-old palace seamlessly blends opulence with comfort, welcoming guests with its warm ambiance and attentive service
The elegantly appointed rooms, with their plush furnishings and breathtaking views of the lake and surrounding mountains, provide a serene sanctuary where you can truly unwind The lush gardens, private beach, and inviting pools create a tranquil escape, while the gourmet restaurants serve exquisite meals that evoke the warmth and tradition of Italian home cooking. Whether savoring a sunset cocktail on the terrace or exploring the charming surroundings, the Grand Hotel Tremezzo envelops you in a sense of belonging, making every moment feel like you are home.
For more, read “A Shore Thing,” from SL’s Sept/Oct 2024 issue here.
Cedar Lakes Estate | Port Jervis, New York
Cedar Lakes Estate in Port Jervis, NY, feels like home with its nostalgic charm and personalized touches that create an intimate and welcoming atmosphere. Tucked away in the Hudson Valley, this picturesque retreat offers a blend of elegance and modern luxury, reminiscent of family gatherings and childhood memories. The inviting cabins and luxury cottages, thoughtfully designed with cozy furnishings and warm decor, make you feel instantly comfortable. The staff's genuine hospitality and attention to detail ensure that every guest's needs are met with heartfelt care. Communal dining experiences, like the property’s Supper Series, foster a sense of community, while activities such as curling, Nintendo games, and "drive-in" movies evoke a delightful sense of nostalgia The natural beauty of the estate, with its serene lake and scenic landscapes, provides a peaceful escape that feels like a true home away from home, where every moment is infused with warmth and familiarity.
Supper Schedule: August 18, September 29, October 13 and October 20
Supper Pricing: $125 per person or $95 for children aged 5-12
The Islands of Islamorada | Islamorada, FL
The resort’s residential-style layout merges private home comforts and five star hospitality together to create an unparalleled experience in The Keys. Twenty-two three-story waterfront villas offer four bedrooms, full kitchens, living and dining spaces, and three outdoor waterfront lounge areas ideal for a family, group of friends, or simply an extended stay. Eight onebedroom luxury suites follow suit, with unobstructed ocean views, for a refined homebase in Islamorada.
Tickets: Available here
Bolt Farm Treehouse | Whitwell, TN
Perched within a sprawling 55-acre expanse of lush Tennessee wilderness and with a sweeping view of the surrounding three states, Bolt Farm Treehouse offers an exquisite glamping-sanctuary nestled within nature's embrace where guests can escape the hustle and bustle of modern life and connect with the serene rhythms of the natural world without sacrificing the luxury of their accommodations
The brainchild of dynamic husbandwife team Seth and Tori Bolt, the property features an array of stunning lodgings including five elegant treehouses, eight serene domes, and five captivating mirror cabins Surrounded by lush forests and panoramic vistas, the haven is designed with togetherness and joy in mind, and includes amenities such as enchanting outdoor showers and hot tub, a cozy private fire pit perfect for campfire songs and s'mores under the stars, swinging hammock chairs for lazy afternoons, and, of course, mesmerizing views of the Tennessee landscape Each element allows for the comfort of a cozy home, while maintaining an environment conducive to relaxation, reflection, and rejuvenation.
The Chanler at Cliff Walk | Newport, RI
A vintage Newport mansion turned luxury boutique hotel, The Chanler at Cliff Walk is known as one of the most romantic hotels in the US. An intimate Gilded-Age-style hotel at the start of Newport's famous cliff walk with stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean, The Chanler has become a popular hideout for guests looking for a cozy getaway that feels like home.
The Chanler is the only hotel on the cliff walk and features 20 beautifully and uniquely designed
rooms each that boasts its own historical design or destination theme.
Enjoy a cozy and quiet dinner for two, at The Chanler’s five-star rated Cara while you look out over the Atlantic Ocean and sip signature wine. After dinner guests can enjoy a cocktail in the new and aptlynamed Living Room or escape to their rooms and enjoy an Aromatherapy bath in a deep soaking tub Exploring the hotel guests will find images of the property throughout the decades, seeing into its past as a summer “cottage” for New York Congressman John Winthrop Chanler, a school for girls, and more
Healdsburg, California
Situated 65 miles north of San Francisco, Healdsburg is an incredible wine country destination nestled in a quaint yet sophisticated town An ideal getaway with a population of nearly 11,000, Healdsburg is known for its relaxed atmosphere and small town charm where it’s easy to walk or bike between acclaimed restaurants, and world-class wineries. An urban yet casual vibe, Healdsburg features a walkable downtown centered around a historic Plaza and offers travelers vibrant culinary diversity, sustainable farming practices and a deep connection to the agriculture of Sonoma County with sweeping views of acres upon acres of vineyards
WHERE TO STAY:
o Calderwood Inn: Built in 1902 and set in peaceful, English countrystyle gardens, this Queen Annestyle home features 10 individually decorated romantic rooms with antique furnishings, plush beds, daily breakfast, a wine reception upon arrival, and more.
o Grape Leaf Inn: Built in 1900, the Grape Leaf Inn is a charming Queen Anne-style home located in Healdsburg's exclusive "Nob Hill" area, offering a quaint and luxurious bed and breakfast experience.
o Camellia Inn: Built in 1871 and historically significant from the beginning of Healdsburg, The Camellia Inn combines its rich heritage with modern hospitality, boasting nine charming rooms
Hotel Château du Grand-Lucé | Loire Valley, France
Among France’s finest examples of neoclassical architecture, sits Hotel Chateau, a destination-changing hotel. A former country home of the Baron Jacques Pineau de Viennay, the Château has played host to some of the greatest philosophers and minds from the Age of Enlightenment Voltaire, Mozart, Rousseau as well as nobles, writers, design teams (i.e., Louis Vuitton), and some of France’s most recognized individuals.
Built in 1760, the chateau has been returned to its former splendor after a private restoration by Pilot Hotels, offering a stunning tribute to its noble provenance and rich history. Guests can luxuriate in the French countryside and enjoy the chateau’s 19 beautifully appointed suites, intimate spa, signature restaurant, outdoor pool, and 80 verdant acres of meadows and magnificent gardens. Jaw-dropping touches throughout the historic property include canvas-covered walls painted in the Chinoiserie style by renowned French Rococo-era painter Jean-Baptiste Pillement (1728-1808) whose work can be found at the Petit Trianon, Marie Antoinette’s private garden palace at Versailles; and more
