Top Hotels In Europe

Say it with me now, Hotel La Scalinatella—”Little Stairway.” Yes, hard to spell and pronounce, but by golly wow, Conde Naste Traveler’s readers has rated this Italian hotel a perfect 100% out of all the hotels in Europe. It ranked best in food, rooms, design, service, and location. Let’s check some of them out.

Excellence in all standards is a bar very few hotels can ever reach. According to the article, the distinction of the hotel starts when a Mercedes picks you up from the airport. Once you arrive, you’ll notice that the architecture shows a Moorish influence, where white is the prominent color. The room’s panoramic terraces usually face Capri and the sea. The room itself is considered as luxurious and modern. You had better secure a reservation as early as possible though, there’s only 30 rooms available in this hotel and it’s only open from Easter to October.

It may not be owned by any prominent Hotel Company, but it sure does the job better. For more info on please go to their website.

If you’re planning to go to Paris and looking for a hotel near the world-famous Champs-Elysées, think of Four Seasons Hotel George V. Opened in 1928, this 245-roomed hotel is considered to be one of the most prestigious hotels in all of Paris.

This is one big hotel. The rooms are considered to be some of the largest rooms among all the hotels in Paris. Ranging from 420 to 4,000 square feet. The employees to serve the guests are large in numbers as well; staff ratio is two to one guest.

Another reason this hotel is known for, is its restaurant, the two-starred Michelin, Le Cinq. It was voted as 28^th best in the world in 2007. For a more romantic view, it’s recommended that you take your tea with your loved one at the La Galerie.

Clearly a hotel with class. More info on their site here.

This private 5 star hotel is situated in an exceptional location, just right next to the gardens of Montjuic and Costa i Llobera. If you’re after the spectacular views of the Mediterranean Sea and the city itself, then AC Miramar is just the right place to check in.

The hotel is housed in an old structure which was erected in the historical Montjuïc for the World Fair in 1929. The surroundings of the hotel include a variety of fresh flowers, typical to that of a Mediterranean garden (a sight to behold!). Aside from these, there are also a number of conference rooms just in case your company decides to have business conventions in Barcelona.

Photo taken from http://images.priceline.co.uk

No, it’s not a palace—it’s a hotel, mind you. Palais Coburg is a five-star hotel that has been a member of the esteemed Relais & Châteaux group since 2004. Although the hotel only has 34 suites, it is a part of the management’s initiative to offer guests with spacious and lavish rooms that’ll give you an memorable experience. The hotel’s topmost floor offers you a spa with pool, sauna and the like, and a perfect place for relaxing, as well as other facilities.

The Palais Coburg, in the heart of Vienna has a captivating architecture that reflects almost 6 centuries of Austrian history. Let Palais Coburg be a part of your Austrian experience

Photo taken from http://www.truevenue.com

Hotel Splendide Royal in Rome, Italy won’t be named “Splendide” for nothing. In fact, it is a five star hotel that boasts of fine services and top of the line amenities. If you’re in for a little history, prior to the hotel’s existence is a 19th century monastery, so the architecture looks pretty much the same but the management added some frills to make it look like a hotel from the renaissance period. Four of their rooms have spacious terraces which allow you to view Villa Borghese, a very lavish park, at night (with all the lovely lights). Plus, the welcoming atmosphere of the personnel and the excellent cuisine served in Mirabelle Restaurant (included in the Michelin Red Guide), would make you want to go back.

Photo taken from http://www.italytraveller.com

Holiday Inn Florence is located in the southern residential area of Florence, near the exit Florence South (Firenze Sud) of Motorway A1, direction ‘Viale Europa’ and is only 15 minutes from the fascinating city centre. The hotel is a modern building with 92 rooms comfortable and completely refurbished and elegantly furnished ideal both for business and leisure customers to spend relaxing and cultural stays

This famous Hilton Imperial is built from scratch as it restored and salvageable from the Dubrovnik’s historic, 19th-century Imperial and graft a modern hotel onto the base. Every detail has been delicately made to provide guests a perfect experience. Whether you hail from America or Azerbaijan or from any part of the globe, you’ll be treated as an honored guest.

Photo credit here

The Princesa Sofia is a 19 floors hotel and it is surrounded by beautifully maintained gardens and a terrace to give each guests an experience close to nature. The sophisticated marble clad lobby features a grand chandelier that creates a striking first impression from guests and this sets the tone for the rest of the hotel. At the turn of the century, the hotel underwent an extensive three year $18 million renovation to ensure a more excellent service and amenities for guests and visitors to enjoy.

Photo credit here

Based on Travel and Leisure’s site, one of the Top Hotels in Europe for 2008 is Hotel Sacher Wein. Located in Vienna, Austria, this five-star, 152-roomed hotel has been around since 1867. One of its specialties is the Sachertorte cake, considered by most guests as one of the best chocolate cakes they have ever tasted. Another one of its competitive edge over the other local hotels is the spa—voted as one of the best in the city.

Here are some excerpts from tripadvisor.com:

“I admit it. . . I wanted to stay here because of the famous cake. The original Sacher Torte is truly amazing . . . best chocolate cake I have ever had. . .”

–fand, Washington, DC

Now, before this becomes a cake review, there were also many comments regarding the excellent service.

“The staff was absolutely lovely and precious…the concierge was very helpful, recommending a wonderful restaurant for dinner nearby. The Hungarian bellman was full of tips for the next leg of our trip (to Budapest) and greeted us like old friends each time we passed in the hallway.”

–cleverlittlemadam, Los Angeles, CA

More former guests commented on the rooms and location as well:

“The hotel is truly a grand dame of a hotel – plush and beautifully decorated in the Belle Epoque style – lots of red velvet and midnight blue wallpaper – but all very tasteful. And – gorgeous chystal chandeliers!!!!!!!!! Like stepping back in time to the heyday of old Vienna.”

–travellergirl28, NY

Click on this link for more information on Hotel Sacher Wein.

Ever wondered what a prince’s city palace would look like? No, don’t climb over the Buckingham Palace gates, just hop on over to another one of Travel and Leisure’s Top European Hotel, The Hotel Imperial. Located in Vienna, Austria, this five-star, 138-roomed hotel was once the home of the Prince of Württemberg. After living there for five years, he didn’t like his new home and he sold it off. Well, one man’s garbage is another man’s treasure.

So what’s so great about it? Some of it’s more famous (and other infamous) former guests were Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Emperor Franz Joseph, and the current Emperor and Empress of Japan. The hotel also specializes in the Tart Imperial, a tasty pastry dish that has an expiration date of two months.

Next time, you feel the need to dwell in a former Prince’s home, look no further than the Hotel Imperial. More info on their official site here.