With the arrival of spring, the appetite for European getaways has well and truly taken off. With this in mind, we’re pleased to share a selection of luxury hotels across the continent, all re-opening for the summer season ahead.
From a quiet corner of the Costa Brava and the rolling hills of Tuscany to the cliff tops of Santorini and the shores of Lake Como, there’s no better place to spend long summer days and balmy evenings than the Mediterranean.
Here are the top picks from the LLM travel team.
Hostal de la Gavina, Costa Brava, Spain
Soak up Spanish culture at Hostal de la Gavina – three Salvador Dalí museums, 21 Michelin stars within reach and uncrowded, local beaches to explore by foot.
Having attracted Hollywood’s elite from Elizabeth Taylor to Robert De Nero, Hostal de la Gavina reopened for its 90th season on April 14, and arriving to mark the milestone is a new infinity pool and re-imaged garden. The first hotel in the country to become a member of Leading Hotels of the World is the perfect place to soak up the Spanish atmosphere, with three Salvador Dalí museums, wandering along the coastal path to hidden coves and strolls through vineyards to sample Catalonian wine. Hostal de la Gavina’s gastronomic trail of the region (which holds 21 Michelin stars) is a must for discovering seasonal tapas.
Rates from: €280 (approx. £239) per night for a classic room, including breakfast.
Villa d’Este, Lake Como, Italy
Lake Como’s grande dame is marking its 150th season in sensational style with evening galas, floating concerts, an electric yacht show, and as an exception for its milestone year, the hotel’s first festive season.
Villa d’Este is welcoming back guests for its 150th season. 2022 will see a prestigious calendar of events, including an official birthday celebration on June 28, and as an exception for its milestone year, the hotel will remain open throughout the Christmas period. A highlight of the season will be the‘Villa d’Este Then and Now’ exhibition, showcasing archive photography of iconic spots and history.
Meanwhile, Villa d’Este’s institutional events will also return, including Concorso d’Eleganza (May 20-22), Villa d’Este Wine Symposium and Villa d’Este Style Electric Yachting (September 17), and it will collaborate with Teatro Sociale di Como to showcase Italy’s finest operas.
Rates from: €1,050 (approx. £888) for a double classic room per night, including breakfast, parking and access to the Sporting Club facilities. Price includes VAT and service.
Villa La Massa, Tuscany, Italy
To celebrate the vibrant heritage, exquisite cuisine and glorious gardens of Tuscany, with a dedicated Iris Month experience in May and culinary celebrations hosted throughout the season.
Villa La Massa is the perfect base from which to discover Florence, a mere 15-minute shuttle ride away. Throughout May, it will celebrate the city’s floral symbol, the iris, offering exclusive tours of Florence’s Iris Garden with panoramic views and over 1,500 varieties of the flower. Alfresco painting classes and an iris tipple will be on offer at the hotel.
Villa La Massa further celebrates the heritage of Tuscany through a series of special menus and soirées. With new Chef Stefano Ballarino at the helm, it will co-host Four Hands Dinners in April, June and September, a lavish Italian Ferragosto feast, an Autumn Flavours dinner and L’Oliveto Bistrot Summer Lounge every Wednesday from June.
Rates from: €520 (approx. £470) for a double deluxe room per night, including breakfast. The price also includes the use of the Arno SPA facilities (including a gym, sauna, and Turkish baths). Price includes VAT and service. City tax excluded.
Parklane Resort and Spa, Limassol, Cyprus
For a lengthy season of sunshine, fun-filled activities for children and unique cultural offerings without a long-haul flight.
The perfect destination for families longing for a lengthier season of sunshine without a long-haul flight. Children can let their imaginations run wild in the hotel’s impressive Park Kidz, with a lifesize castle and multi-activity pool complete with a pirate ship. Guests can drop off their little ones and head to the Kalloni spa for rest and relaxation, with four thalassotherapy pools at hand (one of which replicates the salinity of the Dead Sea).
Those wishing to explore Limassol’s culture can tour the old town, exploring its castle, emerging foodie scene and colourful street art. Or, for a unique experience, make halloumi with local expert Mrs Loulla, who has produced traditional Cypriot cheese on her Choirokoitia farm since 2004.
Rates from: €300 (approx. £257) per night, including breakfast.
Andronis Arcadia, Oia, Santorini
For contemporary design lovers and families in search of space, spa and fewer crowds.
One of the island’s only ultra-luxury family welcoming hotels, Andronis Arcadia is a rare find. Families can enjoy yoga, kids’ spa treatments, cooking lessons, tennis, hiking trails and photo safaris. Each of the sugar cube villas, with soothing neutral colour palettes, ranging from one to four bedrooms, each boasting its own private pool, spacious living areas, local artwork and sustainable design (over 90 per cent of the furniture was made inside the hotel using locally sourced materials).
A 10-minute walk from the main pedestrian strip of Oia (possibly the world’s most Instagrammed village), Andronis Arcadia sits away from the crowds on the caldera edge with unobstructed sunset views and masses of space.
Rates from: £425 per night for a suite.
Andronis Concept Wellness Resort, Imervogli, Santorini
A hidden, hilltop wellness escape (with a blow-dry bar and new CBD spa treatments).
Set on one of the highest points of Santorini, Andronis Concept blends seamlessly into the hillside and resultantly offers the utmost privacy – it’s no wonder several Hollywood A-listers visit every summer. Each suite has an ocean-facing infinity pool, with breath-taking sunsets and sunrises when the sky turns shades of pink.
A hiking path runs parallel to the property and wellness experts offer daily hikes, yoga, tennis, personal training, nutritionist-approved Greek cookery lessons, and new – CBD treatments using Ila’s concentrate balm which is known to alleviate inflammation and numb pain caused by trauma.
Rates from: £315 per night for a suite.
Hotel Château du Grand-Lucé, Loire Valley, France
With newly relaxed restrictions, France holidays are back on for all UK travellers, enjoy cooking classes, wine tasting and mixology classes in the undiscovered Sarthe region of Pays de La Loire.
Located 30 minutes from the Le Mans 24 racetrack and less than one hour from Paris by train is the stunning Hotel Château du Grand-Lucé. The former country home of the Baron Jacques Pineau de Viennay, Hotel Château was built in 1760 and has played host to some of the greatest philosophers and minds from the Age of Enlightenment – Voltaire, Mozart, Rousseau and Goth – as well as nobles, writers, design teams (i.e., Louis Vuitton).
With vigilant attention to detail, the 45,000 square-foot Hotel Château has 17 rooms and suites and is one of the finest remaining examples of French Neoclassical architecture to date, serving as a stunning tribute to its noble provenance and rich history.
Rates from: £400 per night including breakfast.
