We know it’s easy to book a bargain flight to Europe. And we know there are
lots of wonderful cities on the airline network that weren’t there a few
years ago. There’s just one piece of the jigsaw missing: how do we find a
decent hotel? Well, here are 15 to get you started.
The 2005 Continental Europe Edition of The Good Hotel Guide comes out
on Thursday, but we’ve got an exclusive early peek at the editors Adam and
Caroline Raphael’s favourites. Each is in (or near) a city well served by
no-frills airlines as well as price-slashing traditional carriers. Some are
inexpensive, some luxurious — but then you’ve saved money on your air fare,
so why not splash out when you get there?
BILBAO
Iturrienea Ostatua
This friendly pension offers extraordinary value. Its bedrooms, with old
beams, Basque paintings on the walls and interesting antique furniture, are
mostly small, but it is superbly located in the Casco Viejo, near the
cathedral and the lively Mercado de la Ribera. Breakfast, served until noon,
features vast pastries, excellent bread and, sometimes, fresh figs. The
Guggenheim Museum is a short journey away by metro.
Details: 00 34 94 416 1500; doubles £38, breakfast £3.
Fly with: EasyJet, Iberia.
BUDAPEST
Hotel Astra Vendeghaz
Below the Castle district of Buda, this quiet, good-value B&B is a stylish
conversion of a white 18th-century house. Its public rooms are light and
airy, and the 11 bedrooms stand around a geranium-covered courtyard.
Details: 00 36 1 214 1906, www.hotelastra.hu; doubles £67-£74, B&B.
Fly with: Aer Lingus, British Airways, EasyJet, Jet2, Malev, SkyEurope,
Wizz Air.
COLOGNE
Hotel im Wasserturm
This 19th-century water tower has been converted into a luxury hotel with
austere ultramodern decor (lots of contemporary art). Its Michelin-starred
restaurant, on the 11th floor, has expansive views. The hotel stands in
large grounds in a residential area less than a mile from the Dom.
Details: 00 49 221 20080, www.hotel-im-wasserturm.de; doubles
£147-£235, breakfast £12.50.
Fly with: BMI, British Airways, EasyJet, Germanwings, Hapag-Lloyd
Express, Luft-hansa, Thomsonfly.
COPENHAGEN
71 Nyhavn Hotel
At the junction of the Nyhavn canal and the harbour, set amid colourful gabled
houses, two spice warehouses have been converted into a large hotel within
walking distance of most of the main sights. Huge, bright abstract paintings
and thick wooden beams and posts give it great character; the staff are
notably helpful and there is a sophisticated rest- aurant. Free parking is a
bonus.
Details: 00 45 3343 6200, www.71nyhavnhotel.com doubles £134-£225,
breakfast £12.
Fly with: Aer Lingus, BMI, British Airways, EasyJet, SAS.
FLORENCE
Loggiato dei Serviti
Rodolfo Gattai’s gracefully restored and elegant B&B is much loved
by readers of the Guide. Built in 1527 for the order of the Serviti fathers,
and rich in atmosphere and comfort, it is on one of Florence’s loveliest
squares. The 38 bedrooms vary in size and quality; some have views of the
Duomo.
Details: 00 39 055 289592, www.loggiatodeiservitihotel.it; doubles
£95-£144, B&B.
Fly with: British Airways, Jet2, Ryanair, Thomsonfly.
GENOA
Villa della Pergola
This former haunt of English nobles is now a delightful B&B, converted
from two pink colonial-style villas. It stands above town in a tree-filled
park, with magnificent views of the Baia del Sole, on the Ligurian coast.
The hospitable owner, Marcella Demartini, serves a bountiful breakfast, and
sometimes aperitifs, on the panoramic terrace.
Details: 00 39 0182 640414, www.villadellapergola.it; doubles
£105-£126, B&B.
Fly with: British Airways, Ryanair.
HAMBURG
Garden Hotels
In the trendy Pöseldorf district, on the west bank of the Alster Lake, three
houses have been turned into a chic, modern hotel. The attractively
furnished public rooms are hung with modern pictures; some bedrooms overlook
the gardens. Restaurants and shops are within easy reach. Breakfast is
served all day in a conservatory.
Details: 00 49 40 414040, www.garden-hotels.de; doubles £102-£130,
breakfast £6.50.
Fly with: Air Berlin, BMI, British Airways, Hapag-Lloyd Express,
Lufthansa, Ryanair.
JEREZ DE LA FRONTERA
Villa Jerez
This quiet, beautifully furnished hotel offers luxury accommodation in an old
part of the city. It has a courtyard with palm trees, an elegant restaurant,
a garden with a dining terrace and a saltwater swimming pool, and a gym,
sauna and spa bath. Bedrooms are well equipped, and the manager, Sophie
DeClerck, and her staff are attentive.
Details: 00 34 956 153100, www.villajerez.com; doubles £190-£217, B&B.
Fly with: Ryanair.
NAPLES
Luna Convento
A former medieval convent that has been run with style and elegance for many
years by the Barbaro family. It stands above the busy coast road in Amalfi,
but its cloisters, with lemon and kumquat trees, are tranquil. The
restaurant has fine views of the coast and serves freshly cooked local
dishes. If you can wait until the summer, you can eat across the road in an
old Saracen tower, below which is a swimming pool cut into rocks. There are
also ladders down to the sea if you’re feeling particularly adventurous.
Details: 00 39 089 871002, www.lunahotel.it; doubles £126- £379, B&B.
Fly with: BMI, British Airways, EasyJet, Thomsonfly.
PALERMO
Villa Esperia
In a seaside suburb of Palermo, this modest but well-run hotel is about a
30-minute bus ride from the centre. Ask for a quiet room (at the side or the
back). Local families come here for celebrations and to enjoy traditional
Sicilian dishes. The owner, Petrus Salvatore, hovers in the background,
making sure that all is well. A truly Sicilian experience.
Details: 00 39 091 684 0717, www.hotelvillaesperia.it; doubles
£69-£105, B&B.
Fly with: Ryanair.
PALMA DE MALLORCA
Hotel San Lorenzo
In Palma’s old quarter, a 17th-century house has been sensitively turned into
a six- bedroom hotel. It has wrought iron, tiled floors and antique
furniture, a swimming pool surrounded by bougainvillea and an art-deco bar.
Some rooms have an open fireplace and a terrace. There is no rest-aurant,
but you’ll find plenty of fine places nearby.
Details: 00 34 971 728200, www.hotelsanlorenzo.com; doubles £91-£161,
breakfast £6-£8.
Fly with: BMI Baby, EasyJet, Flybe, Jet2, MyTravelLite, Thomsonfly.
PRAGUE
Hotel U Pava
On Kampa island, near the Charles Bridge, this historic building (a former
Benedictine monastery) offers charming antiques, crystal chandeliers and
impressive works of art, along with such modern comforts as a sauna, a spa
bath and a solarium. It also has a wine cellar, a restaurant and a cafe (the
breakfast buffet is especially good). Dinner is freshly cooked, though
service can be leisurely. The hotel is well placed for visits to both sides
of the city.
Details: 00 420 2 5753 3360, www.romantichotels.cz; doubles £111-£175, B&B.
Fly with: BMI Baby, British Airways, CSA, EasyJet, EUjet, Flybe,
Flyglobespan, Jet2.
SALZBURG
Hotel Gasthof Doktorwirt
This creeper-covered old inn, with panelling, beamed ceilings and carved
wooden furniture, is traditional and professionally run. The Schnöll family
have been in charge for more than a century and are exemplary owners. The
hotel is in a beautiful walking area, the food is great, and there are
swimming pools indoors and out.
Details: 00 43 662 622 9730, www.doktorwirt.co.at; doubles £77-£119, B&B.
Fly with: EUjet, Flybe, Thomsonfly.
STOCKHOLM
Victory Hotel
The Bengtsson family own three hotels in the Old Town, all dedicated
to Lord Nelson. This one, the smartest, has a nautical theme and is crammed
with memorabilia. It has a bistro/bar and a restaurant that specialises in
fish, with a courtyard for summer meals.
Details: 00 46 8 506 40000, www.victory-hotel.se; doubles £151-£278, B&B.
Fly with: British Airways, Finn-air, Ryanair, SAS, Skyways.
TOURS
Les Hautes Roches
On the former site of a monastery just east of Tours, this imposing
18th-century mansion, facing the Loire, has been turned into a luxury hotel.
Some of the 15 rooms have a river view, some are carved out of chalky rock.
The bar is the former monastery kitchen, also hollowed out of the rock. The
manager/chef, Didier Edon, has a Michelin star, and there is a heated
swimming pool in the garden.
Details: 00 33 2 47 52 88 88, www.leshautesroches.com; doubles
£88-£179, breakfast £12.
Fly with: Ryanair.
The Good Hotel Guide is published by Ebury Press at £17.99. You can order
a copy at a reduced price of £15.30 from www.goodhotelguide.com
