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Ett Hem, Stockholm, Sweden
Ett Hem is Swedish for A Home, and it’s an entirely appropriate name for a converted early-20th-century building that was once home to a government official whose wife had impeccable taste and an appreciation for local arts and crafts. The 12-room hotel occupies a corner lot in a residential neighbourhood and has been reinvented by British-Danish designer Ilse Crawford to resemble an elegant contemporary home, with vintage flourishes and attention to detail. This is a boutique hotel with style to burn. Each room is unique (mine had a floor-to-ceiling ceramic fireplace, a bathtub in the bedroom and a bathroom with heated floor), with an emphasis on eclectic interiors and casual comfort. Guests are welcome to mingle, work on their laptops in a quiet corner of the drawing room or retreat to the library with some reading material. There’s a garden area beyond the main entrance and in the rear is a glasshouse, or conservatory, where guests can gather for breakfast or afternoon tea. This brand of Nordic chic doesn’t come cheap (rooms start at S$600) but in the six years since its opening, Ett Hem has established a reputation as one of the best hotels in town.
2 Skoldungagatan, 114 27, +46 820 0590 www.etthem.se
Casa San Agustin, Cartagena, Colombia
“The best thing about Cartagena is that life is not complicated,” says Eduardo Fuentes, a laid-back guide to this port city beside the Caribbean Sea. The old town, a fortified walled city founded by Spanish colonialists in the 16th century, is a well-preserved, much-visited World Heritage site – one that still manages to retain much of its charm. Its cobblestone streets and colourful colonial architecture are within easy reach from Casa San Agustin, a former colonial home-turned urban retreat in the centre of the old town. The hotel, designed around a 300-year-old aqueduct and decorated in native Colombian style with contemporary touches and cool interiors, offers a peaceful respite from the tropical heat. But when the urge to explore the city strikes (and it surely will), an array of shops, bars and restaurants is mere steps away. Further afield there are fishing villages and islands in the sun. Being a Cartagenero – if only for a few days – is difficult to resist.
Centro Historico, 34-36 Calle de la Universidad, Cartagena de Indias +57 5 681 0000 www.hotelcasasanagustin.com
Qasr Al Sarab, Abu Dhabi
An ocean of sand awaits visitors to Qasr Al Sarab (or “the Mirage Palace”), a hotel in the remote Empty Quarter section of Abu Dhabi’s Liwa Desert – otherwise known as the largest uninterrupted sand desert in the world. The resort was built from scratch for a princely sum (a reported US$5 billion) with architecture inspired by desert fortresses. Apart from the stifling summer heat the only difficulty guests are likely to encounter is having to choose between a sedate camel trek and going dune bashing in a four-wheel-drive. There are other diversions to keep you amused and occupied: Qasr Al Sarab’s multiple claims to fame include a location credit for an episode of Star Wars (The Force Awakens, 2015) but don’t look too hard for evidence – it’s hard to tell one sand dune from the next. A stay here will provide an opportunity to enjoy rustic Arabian charm and a sense of luxury living in the desert.
1 Qasr Al Sarab Road, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates +971 2 886 2088 www.anantara.com
This story was first published in The Business Times. Click here to read the original story.