Seaside hotels, spa resorts, boutique hotels in the world’s coolest cities – what are the best hotels in Europe to book right now? Some of them just sit head and shoulders above the rest, offering unforgettable experiences from the moment you walk through their grand doors. Our pick of Europe’s (and the UK’s) most magnificent luxury stays is here. We hope it inspires you to stop dreaming, and book that Luxury Gold journey to Italy, France, Ireland, Spain, Switzerland or Sweden.

Four Seasons Firenze, Florence

A true classic – there’s scarcely a list of luxury hotels the Four Seasons Firenze doesn’t appear on. The building itself is a restored 15th century palazzo and it sits surrounded by Florence’s largest private garden – flamboyant with fountains, statues, umbrella pines, yews and sweeping beeches. Some rooms have views of the Duomo and the interiors are opulence itself: dramatic bouquets, frescoes, bronze sculptures, mosaics, moldings – the full Italian Renaissance.

 

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Le Bristol, Paris

Another icon in the world of luxury hotels, Le Bristol has been offering a haven to luxury-loving artists since 1925. Among the people to have graced its sumptuously oversized suites: Coco Chanel, Pablo Picasso, Charlie Chaplin, Christian Lacroix. The rooms are full of light, as well as period furniture and antique mirrors. Close to the Champs-Élysées, Le Bristol’s courtyard is the ideal escape, with its serene white and green palette. And the restaurant – Epicure – has three Michelin stars.

 

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You may also enjoy reading: 10 Most Exciting Hotel Openings of 2025

Raffles London at the OWO, London

The Old War Office (OWO) on Whitehall is now (as of 2023) one of the best hotels in Europe – a super-sumptuous luxury stay imbibed with history and subterfuge (there’s a hidden bar in the underground interrogation rooms once used by MI5 agents, for instance). Over an eight-year renovation, the original floors and staircase were preserved – where Winston Churchill delivered his wartime announcements. The rooms are nothing short of spectacular.

 

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Passalacqua, Lake Como

This 18th century villa opened as a hotel in 2022 and has quickly emerged as one of the most idyllic luxury stays in the world. Surrounded by the impossible blues, greens and turquoises of Lake Como, the hotel is resplendent with Murano chandeliers, gilded mirrors, original frescoes and manicured gardens. The pool scene has to be one of the most glamorous in the world, with its pine green loungers and lily-petal parasols, against the lake backdrop.

 

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Adare Manor, Ireland

This neo-Gothic manor house sits within 840 acres of formal French gardens, parklands and the River Maigue and is quietly one of the best resorts in Europe. Activities on offer include falconry, fishing and archery, and the spa is world-class. The padel club is tucked in the woods, with a gym, sauna, steam room and enormous swimming pool alongside the courts. The interiors are all oak, leather, monumental stone-vaulted ceilings, chandeliers and red velvet. Adare’s got it all (including a chocolate shop). If you’re enamored with our Castles & Kingdoms journey, you’ll adore it here.

 

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For more breathtaking stays read: How You Can Stay in Europe’s Finest Private Castles

Gran Hotel Ingles, Madrid

This boutique hotel in the middle of Madrid’s Barrio de las Letras is tucked down a narrow street – soothing, but full of life. At its heart, the glamorous lobby is abundant with gold, bronze and velvet; it has a central bar surrounded by cocktail lounge space, designed as a gathering space, inspired by the Café Inglés of the 19th century, which attracted writers and artists. The rooms are white and grey with lots of straight lines and sharp angles.

 

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Borgo Santandrea, Amalfi

If Amalfi isn’t on your luxury hotels bucketlist, put the Borgo Santandrea on there right now, truly one of the best beach hotels in Europe. Built dramatically into the rockface (as only the Amalfi Coast knows how), looming directly over the glimmering sea, with a private beach club, suitably serene white and blue rooms and all the Negronis and fritto misto you could dream of, this address is simply special.

 

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Kalesma, Mykonos

Another of the most glorious beach hotels in Europe, Kalesma sits up a Mykonian hill, out of reach of the parties, surrounded by olive trees, bougainvillea and the scent of rosemary, basil and lavender. With only 25 suites and two villas, this luxury boutique hotel is arranged across gorgeous whitewashed buildings, inspired by Cycladic architecture, but with chic, modern interiors. The dining options – meze, pool bar, sunset lounge and private dining – make it difficult to leave.

 

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Experimental Chalet Verbier

Soul-reviving views of snow-capped peaks, tartiflette by Gregory Marchand, an epic hammam, cosy rooms with mountain terraces, and Winter Cup cocktails (Pimm’s, Fino sherry, lemon, cucumber, bitters) make this one of the best hotels in Europe. From outside, it looks like a regular luxury chalet, but the flashes of scarlet on the shutters let you know that what lurks within is far more stylish than all of the others, bar none.

 

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Bookmark for later: How to Spend 48 Hours in One of Norway’s Most Scenic Hotels

Hjortviken Country Club, Sweden

One of the hot new boutique hotels of the year, this unique escape just outside of Gothenburg is worth having on your list, particularly if you’re considering our Timeless Scandinavia journey, which starts in Copenhagen. Low-key glamor is the vibe – there’s cross-country skiing in winter, lake activity in summer, and plenty of lounging under coral, fringed parasols, plus a Swedish brasserie, some Cali-inspired tapas and an eighties New York City-style nightclub.

 

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Discover how magnificent stays bookend each day on every Luxury Gold journey.

Scotland has the sheer personality that makes for a trip of a lifetime. The most beautiful places in Scotland include its castles, world famous lochs, national parks, buzzy cities, historic towns, white sand island hideaways and natural wonders. You can visit Scotland with Luxury Gold as part of either our British Royale or our Castles & Kingdoms journeys – both of these travel from Alnwick Castle in Northumberland, England, across the border to Edinburgh, where we take in Edinburgh castle, a whisky tasting and the 17th century Mary King’s Close. And you could easily extend your journey to fit in some of the special Scotland attractions below.

Edinburgh

It’s hard to believe Edinburgh is real until you’re within it, meandering its cobbled streets and otherworldly nooks in search of ice cream or Harry Potter or whisky or books or vintage clothes, while the castle looms above you, as though it’s floating in the clouds, and the sound of bagpipes drifts on the wind. Edinburgh’s dazzling array of architectural styles makes it one of the most beautiful cities on earth to behold. See it all on a Scotland luxury tour.

2. Isle of Skye

Were you to ask, what is the prettiest part of Scotland?, many people will respond: the Isle of Skye. The largest island in the Inner Hebrides archipelago is a dramatic, rugged, 50-mile beauty, graced with nature’s most bountiful riches: mountains, volcanic rock formations, craggy coastline, shimmering lochs and heather-covered hills. Despite all the drama, it’s a distinctly serene place, ideal for those seeking a quiet, restorative Scotland trip.

You may also enjoy reading: The 10 Most Scenic Train Rides in Europe: From Switzerland to Scotland.

3. Loch Lomond

Loch Lomond is the largest of the lakes of mainland Britain but only the second most famous lake in Scotland (after Loch Ness, of course). Alongside the area of wooded glens and braes that surround it (the Trossachs) this is a scenic area with a little bit of everything to offer. You can take a waterbus from various piers around the loch and explore the landscape – and you’re rarely more than an hour from Glasgow.

4. Cairngorms National Park

What is the most magical place in Scotland? Well, this national park in northeast Scotland looks like an ice queen took up residence centuries ago. The mountains that give the national park its name provide a unique arctic-alpine environment, with snowy peaks and reindeer at large. It’s a semi-tundra moorland habitat, home to ospreys, golden eagles, snow buntings, crested tits and many more rare species of wildlife. They’re not Scotland’s highest mountains, but they’re easily the wildest.

Bookmark for later: The Great Clans of Scotland

5. Stirling

There is something very special and uniquely Scottish about this little city that sits surrounded by swathes of gorgeous scenery, with a mighty castle sitting on an intrusive crag. The Old Town offers cobbled streets and historic buildings, and the castle ramparts have seen attacks, sieges and royal business dating back to the 12th century. You can look out from them, over the Forth Valley, the National Wallace Monument and the strategic approach to the castle gates.

6. The Argyll Peninsulas

There is a deliciously protected little microclimate in this glittering, oasis-like area of the west coast, where so many little nuggets of land jut out into the sea that Argyll comprises 3,000 miles of coastline, about the same as the whole of France. There are castles and forts aplenty and some incredible wildlife to spot too, including basking sharks, otters and white-tailed eagles.

You may also like to read: The 30 Most Beautiful Places in the World You Need to Visit

7. The Highlands

People travel to Scotland on the sleeper train in order to fall asleep in one magical European city (London) and wake up in another (Edinburgh), but also because the views out of the window of the Highlands are spectacular – it feels like the most beautiful places in Scotland are flashing through your window. There’s the wilderness of Rannoch Moor and then lochs and glens all the way to the Glenfinnan Viaduct – the one from the Hogwarts Express.

8. Ben Nevis

This one is Scotland’s highest mountain, and the wider UK’s highest mountain too. And on a clear, crisp day the views from the top are electric, making the climb well worthwhile. If you don’t fancy the six to nine-hour hike, though, you can take the gondola up Aonach Mor next door. It’s intended for use by hill walkers looking to reach specific routes, but it offers panoramic views of the Scottish Highlands up and down, all year long, including the Great Glen and Ben Nevis himself.

Discover what’s so special about your Luxury Gold Travel Concierge: How Travel Concierge Shona Goes Above and Beyond

9. Isle of Mull

Embrace nature on Mull in the Inner Hebrides, where crags of solid black basalt sit against Maldives-esque white sand and whales, dolphins and porpoises can be spotted off the coast. The main town, Tobermory, is as beautiful as it sounds, too, with its row of colourful houses on a sheltered bay – a place to slow down, pottering in the old pub, tea room, cheese shop and mini distillery.

10. The Borders

The much-contested border between England and Scotland is one of the most beautiful places in Scotland for some leisurely sightseeing, with its unique blend of Scottish and Northern English charm, majestic landscapes and historical landmarks. Pretty towns here bustle with independent shops and cafes, which sit almost impossibly between castles and ruins. Particularly atmospheric is Jedburgh, a picturesque town which boasts the ruins of a Romanesque and early Gothic abbey, a brilliant castle-turned-jail-turned-museum.

Bookmark for later: Meet Andy Coulter, the Highland Piper with Royal Connections

11. Fingal’s Cave

A short boat ride from Mull, this enchanting sea cave is found on the uninhabited isle of Staffa, in the Inner Hebrides. Formed over 50 million years ago, Fingal’s Cave is similar in structure to Giant’s Causeway in Ireland, sculpted entirely by nature from hexagonal basalt columns which appear to rise directly from the sea. The volcanic columns are home to black guillemots and puffins, creating a scene that is pure fantasy.

12. Isle of Barra

In the Outer Hebrides, Barra is a rugged beauty that has been jokingly referred to as Barradise and Barrabados – for its white sands, turquoise waters, but also its hills, machair and moor, not to mention the sight of planes landing on the hard-sand beach at low tide. There are epic adventures to be had on Barra, including sea kayaking trips, surf lessons. snorkelling with seals and coasteering.

For the ultimate luxury tour to Britain, including Scotland, take a look at our British Royale or our Castles & Kingdoms small-group journeys.

Life is to be celebrated, any time of year and, for those who have been married for a decade, we’re sharing some fabulous 10 Year anniversary trip ideas. Why is 10th anniversary important? It’s possible you spend more time looking after others and less time celebrating each other, and the life you’ve made together – and you deserve to spend more than one night doing that.

It doesn’t really matter what sort of anniversary getaway you go for; the key is finding the trip that brings you together. Maybe there’s a city or small town you’ve always wanted to go to, or one you spent some of those heady early days in that you’d like to return to? Maybe there’s a destination that was in the running for your honeymoon? Or maybe you’ve always fancied a hot air balloon ride or a romantic dinner overlooking the Eiffel Tower?

We’ve put together some 10 Year anniversary trip ideas to help you settle on the right romantic anniversary vacation for you. And while we’re here, you might be wondering: what is a traditional 10-year anniversary gift? It’s tin. Might we suggest a little travel tin to go with your trip of a lifetime?

Napa Valley 

If the sound of a classic locomotive steam whistle makes your hearts skip a beat and you also happen to love wine, rolling hills and gorgeous dinners in red banquette seating, the Napa Valley Wine Train is for you. Peel your attention from the windows to gaze into each other’s eyes as you roll into world class vineyards for wine tastings in your exquisitely maintained 100-year-old Pullman train car.

You may also enjoy reading: Luxury 25th Anniversary Trip Ideas For Silver Celebrations

The Maldives 

If you didn’t get to do the most honeymoon of honeymoons the first time round, what’s stopping you? Now you can do it without the accompanying stress of planning a wedding. For this anniversary getaway, think: lounging together in your overwater bungalow, gazing at the Indian Ocean from your own private plunge pool, relaxing on the beach, taking a sunset stroll on the diamond white sand.

Japan

Perhaps you both have a hankering for an adventure – somewhere far from home, that you’ve always wanted to see. Find love in the bamboo groves, temples and gardens of Kyoto, or the sheer thrills and traditions of Tokyo, or the art and peace of Naoshima, or all of the above. Our Majestic Japan journey will introduce you to castles, hot springs and bullet trains – it’s the romance and adventure you’re lusting after, the Luxury Gold way.

Explore Japan together in Luxury Style on: Majestic Japan

Paris

Just because the City of Love is obvious, doesn’t mean it’s not the most romantic anniversary trip in the world. There’s a reason why it features on our list of 10 Year anniversary trip ideas. To embrace your inner cliche, you will need: a hotel with views of the Eiffel Tower from your balcony, a hand-in-hand stroll around some gardens, a cruise along the Seine, copious romantic dinners, a moment together with La Basilique du Sacré-Cœur, a kiss on the Pont des Arts, a padlock.

Join our Ultimate France journey to make your romantic Parisian dreams come true.

For more celebration inspiration you may enjoy reading 21 Of The Most Romantic Anniversary Trip Ideas

Cappadocia

If hot air balloon rides are high on your list, you will fall for fairytale Cappadocia, famed for its honeycomb-colored volcanic rock landscapes, sculpted by erosion into towers, cones, valleys, and caves in the central Anatolia plateau. On an anniversary getaway here, you’ll soar above those other-worldly views, sleep in a romantic cave hotel and watch the sunrise over breakfast and Turkish tea on the hotel rooftop – the sky will already be dotted with balloons.

The Amalfi Coast

Take your beloved by the hand and go looking for the dolce vita. You will find there is not much sweeter in the world than the dramatic clifftop views, poolside Bellinis, cliff-clinging villages, vineyards, lemon groves and sparkling, azure waters of the Amalfi Coast. Each small town is as ravishing as the one before it. This is an iconic vacation for a special pair of icons.

Extend our Ultimate Italy journey after you’ve said arriverderci to (the also supremely romantic) Venice. 

New Orleans

If you can’t decide between a vacation and a party, go to New Orleans, where noone would ever make you choose. Spend the night of your life together at a jazz club, sip Sazeracs in a world class bar and send your tastebuds wild over oysters, po’ boys, jambalaya, gumbo, freshly baked beignets and – oh – the pralines! Those little golden morsels of sugar and pecan. And that’s just for starters.

Get a taste for the Big Easy on our Southern Grace journey.

England

If your idea of romance includes quaint English villages, chic cocktail bars and secluded hot tubs in the countryside, pack your peacoat for a romantic getaway on the cobbles. In England, you can do it all in a relatively short space of time: his and hers massages in a world class hotel, Michelin star dining, fairytale castles and all the charm and wonder of those quintessential small towns.

Is our British Royale journey the romantic anniversary trip of your dreams?

Arizona 

California has the most National Parks in North America but Arizona has some of the most astonishing landscapes to bask in. If you like the idea of going off-grid together for a while, perhaps the canyons and craters are calling – and not necessarily the grand one. The artsy desert town of Sedona is breathtaking – celebrate your love in its brilliant orange-red glow by day, staring at its star-spangled, inky black skies by night, with romantic dinners and wine tastings in between.

If our 10 Year anniversary trip ideas have inspired you to travel together in luxury style, take a look at our full collection of small group journeys.