All of us look for different things when we stay in hotels. If you are like me, a comfort factor is an advantage hard to explain. For instance, though I must have stayed in most of London's great hotels, these days I always book myself into the Taj-run 51 Buckingham Gate. It is where I feel the most comfortable, because of the excellence of the service; the Tajness of the hotel.
In Mumbai, the ITC Maratha cannot call itself the best in a city that also has the grand, original Taj and the elegant Oberoi. But the Maratha is a hotel with such warm and efficient service that I always feel at home.
Bear this in mind when you read this list of best hotels I stayed in, in 2023. (To keep the numbers down, I have eliminated all Indian hotels so this is a list of hotels around the world.)
The Four Seasons, Florence.
This one appears on most lists of best hotels. It is stunningly beautiful, and consists of two separate buildings and a huge, art-filled private garden in the centre of Florence. One used to be a medieval monastery. The other is a centuries-old palazzo. My room in the palazzo may well be the most stunning bedroom I have ever slept in. The walls were full of original frescos. Service standards are impossibly high too.
Atlantis, The Royal, Dubai.
Denne historien er fra December 30, 2023-utgaven av Brunch.
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Denne historien er fra December 30, 2023-utgaven av Brunch.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Staying well within range
Driving from Mumbai to Mahabaleshwar in an XC40 Recharge at night means going against the odds but it's not dangerous
Forget demure, forget mindful
Women are expected to dress their age. But why should arbitrary numbers dictate anyone's choices? Wear what you want, when you want
Bubbling under, boiling over
The year's best food yet, from Bandra to Seoul, from old names and new, from starters to afters
The new spin doctors
Come for the hooping, stay for fire poi, dapostar, leviwand and more. India's newest subculture blends art and athletics, meditation and showmanship, public and private. And it looks great on the 'gram
Shall we put a label on this?
What is high fructose corn syrup? Is red dye good? Dieticians and nutritionists break down the confusing stuff we see on food labels
Pho heaven's sake, explore!
There's more to Vietnam than the Golden Bridge or Ha Long Bay. Discover limestone cliffs, rice terraces, and local foods that haven't made it to the 'gram
No. Wait. She did what?
These mean girls are self-centred, bratty, and can make your life hell. But they stole the show. Read on, loser. And tell us how it wasssss
Are you seeing spots too?
Jyoti Bhatt's serigraphs use traditional symbols in modern ways, creating art that is slyly clever and full of little stories
Leave us to our own devices
Instead of banning gadgets, restaurants should ban people that are actually disturbing the peace
Siam Siam, but different
The reason Indians feel instantly at home in Thailand is because their mix of Hindu and Buddhist traditions so closely mirrors our own, creating a comfort zone abroad
