Liv Kelly

Here at Time Out, we love all hotels equally: the flashy five-stars, the cool boutiques, the well-thought-out budget stays. But some are, undoubtedly, better looking than others. Whether ‘beautiful’ to you is a secluded jungle lodge or an eco-cool city stay, a kitschy motel or a reawakened royal residence, we’ve got them all on this list (and then some).  Now, it goes without saying that any list of the world’s most beautiful hotels is entirely subjective and by no means exhaustive. But what we can offer is real-life experience: every place on this list has been visited by one of Time Out’s editors, writers and hotel experts. From Punjab to Palermo, California to Costa Rica, we can guarantee that each hotel packs serious wow factor, and you’ll have an excellent stay at them all.  The world’s most beautiful hotels at a glance 🏰 Best heritage hotel: Ashford Castle  ⛰️ Best for show-stopping scenery: The Hiramatsu Karuizawa Miyota 🌺 Most beautiful gardens and grounds: Four Seasons Hotel Firenze 🎨 Best for avant-garde art and design: Jackalope Hotel 👑 Best for all-out maximalism: The Fifth Avenue Hotel 🏊 Most beautiful pool: The Phoenicia Malta 🏙️ Most beautiful city-centre hotel: Le Pavillon de la Reine How did we choose the world’s most beautiful hotels?  Our global team of editors, writers and hotel experts spend a lot of their time reviewing hotels in their corner of the world. Every hotel on this list has been selected for a reason: show-stopping scenery, beautiful i

August 2026: While it’s tempting to get swept up in a sea of beer garden hangs, music festivals and alfresco shenanigans at this time of year, London’s museums are still putting on world-class exhibitions (and they’ve got air-con). This month, look out for The Imperial War Museum’s poignant Childhood in War exhibition, which illuminates the experiences of kids in conflict, and make time for the Wellcome Collection’s look at Audrey Amiss.  Museums are one of the things that London does best. This city boasts grand institutions housing ancient treasures, modern monoliths packed with intriguing exhibits, and tiny rooms containing deeply niche collections – and lots of them are totally free to anyone who wants to come in and take a gander. And with more than 170 London museums to choose from, there's bound to be one to pique your interest, whatever you're in to.  Want to explore the history of TfL? We’ve got a museum for that. Rather learn about advertising? We’ve got a museum for that too. History? Check. Science? Check. 1940s cinema memorabilia, grotesque eighteenth-century surgical instruments, or perhaps a wall of 4,000 mouse skeletons? Check, check and check! Being the cultured metropolitans that we are, Time Out’s editors love nothing more than a wholesome afternoon spent gawping at Churchill’s baby rattle or some ancient Egyptian percussion instruments. In my case, the opportunity to live on the doorstep of some of the planet’s most iconic cultural institutions was a big r

If you’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it a thousand times: this is the year of the staycation. After all, who needs to go abroad when the weather is this damn good at home, and when there are oh-so-many incredible hotels to pitch up in for the weekend, right here in the UK? In fact, we’d go as far to say that the UK’s hotels are some of the very best in the business – 10-room boutiques, seaside townhouses, sprawling countryside estates n’ all. Whatever trip you’re after, be it a quick break from London or a remote coastal stay, there is a perfect hotel waiting for you. And on this list, we’ve got it all: food-focused pubs with rooms, remote hotels with blessedly patchy signal and all-out, OTT luxurious. However, we want this list to reflect a full spectrum of properties available to travellers (and not just the ones with gold towel holders and Michelin-starred room service.) As a result, we make sure to take into account location, price and value for money – and bring you a guide that has plenty of budget-friendly options included too. Oh, and family-friendly ones. And yes, dog-friendly, too. Itching to book? Read on, friends. Here are our favourite hotels in the UK right now.  The UK’s best hotels at a glance 👑 Best overall: Gleneagles Townhouse, Edinburgh 🎀 Best boutique: The Newt, Somerset 🥂 Best luxury: Claridge’s, London 💍 Best for couples: The Bull, Cotswolds 🌾 Best countryside: Cavendish Hotel, Peak District 💸 Best budget option: Leven, Manchester How we curat

Why should you stay in The Loop? Well, the list of reasons is long, but to start with, because it’s close to nearly every CTA “L” line, the best museums in the city and the Willis Tower, and the river provides easy access to great boat tours, and gorgeous inner-city green spaces like Millennium Park and Grant Park. Oh, and the neighborhood is completely packed with brilliant hotels, promising everything from rooftop, Olympic-sized swimming pools to world-famous brownies. Scroll on for our handpicked selection of the very best places to stay in downtown Chicago.  The Loop’s best hotels at a glance: 🌳 Best for park views: Chicago Athletic Association 🌆 Best for iconic skyline views: LondonHouse Chicago 💎 Best for show-stopping luxury: JW Marriott 👛 Best for a central budget option: Staypineapple Chicago ➡️ Discover our ultimate guide to the best hotels in Chicago How we curate our hotel lists Our team of writers and travel experts review hotels all over the world—new openings, old classics and everything in between—to bring you fresh, honest recommendations, all year round. We have reviewed many of the hotels featured below, but we may not have stayed at every single one. Any we haven’t stayed in have been selected by experts based on their amenities, features, pricing and more. By the way, this article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines. 🛏 Check out the best Airbnbs in Chi

With all the landmark movie theaters and iconic Los Angeles attractions, we can certainly understand why Hollywood tops tourists’ to-do lists. And sure, the Walk of Fame is too clogged with bootleg superheroes to exude much elegance, but you can still find a bit of that old glamour in the luxurious Hollywood hotels, or save your money for other Los Angeles indulgences by staying in a more budget-friendly option. Below are our favorite stays in this part of the City of Angels.  Hollywood’s best hotels at a glance: 🍸 Best for classic Hollywood glamour: The Hollywood Roosevelt 💸 Best budget-friendly stay: The Whisky Hotel 🪩 Best for vibrant rooftop nightlife: Dream Hollywood, By Hyatt 📍 Discover our ultimate guide to the best hotels in L.A. How we curate our hotel lists Our team of writers and travel experts review hotels all over the world—new openings, old classics and everything in between—to bring you fresh, honest recommendations, all year round. We have reviewed many of the hotels featured below, but we may not have stayed at every single one. Any we haven’t stayed in have been selected by experts based on their amenities, features, pricing and more. By the way, this article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines. 🛏 Check out the best Airbnbs in Los Angeles

We can obviously make a case for visiting ol’ New York at any time of year, and while the summer is a fantastic time to make the most of the High Line, walks around Central Park, and kerbside dining in Downtown, it can also be pretty darn sweltering. That’s why having a glistening pool at your hotel can offer travelers some much-needed respite, and we’ve taken the time to try out the very best ones, from hidden spots in Manhattan to sweeping, resort-style rooftops in Brooklyn.  New York’s best hotels with swimming pools, at a glance: 🌆 Best overall skyline views: 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge 🌞 Best year-round rooftop: Gansevoort Meatpacking District 🧖‍♀️ Best for a spa vacation: The Mandarin Oriental, New York 🏝️ Best for a resort vibe: The William Vale 📍 Discover our ultimate guide to the best hotels in New York How we curate our hotel lists Our team of writers and travel experts review hotels all over the world—new openings, old classics and everything in between—to bring you fresh, honest recommendations, all year round. We have reviewed many of the hotels featured below, but we may not have stayed at every single one. Any we haven’t stayed in have been selected by experts based on their amenities, features, pricing and more. By the way, this article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines. 🛌 Check out the best Airbnbs in New York

Whatever your vibe (and whatever your budget), London’s got it all – and anyone will find something they love here. Whether you’re searching for a cheap central London studio, a luxury Hackney loft, or a leafy Highgate townhouse, finding where to stay in London is step one. From historic pubs to world-class dining, London delivers year-round. To help you book, our local editors rounded up the best Airbnb venues in London for 2026 – including our top new addition, a sunny home in Peckham. Best Airbnbs in London at a glance  📍 Best central Airbnb near Soho: Aribnb with balcony in Bloomsbury 🌇 Best east London warehouse loft: Loft in London Fields 💗 Best for couples: Holland Park home with balcony 🧸 Best for families: Luxury loft with workspace in Archway 🤑 Most affordable: Spacious flat with a bath in Brixton 🎊 Best Airbnb for large groups: Huge home in Canary Wharf   Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in and review every Airbnb featured, our writers have based our list on expert knowledge of the destination covered, editorial reviews, user reviews, amenities and in-depth research to find you the best stays. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines. Ella Doyle is Time Out’s guides editor, based in London. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guide

Once upon a time, hikes across the British countryside were far from as accessible as they are today. While it’s now easy to take for granted the ability to go out and hike the country’s countless trails, it’s thanks to grassroots campaigners in the 1930s and laws passed in the decades that followed that we’re able to walk so much of this island’s landscape.  And what a landscape it is! Britain has romantic rolling hills and plunging valleys, extinct volcanoes and foreboding mountain ranges, idyllic beaches and sweeping coastal cliffs, wildflower-covered moorlands and breathtaking lakes – the list could go on. Among all that natural beauty, you’ll find age-old castles, charming villages and boozers that have been providing refuge to weary travellers for centuries.  Whether you’re planning a pleasant afternoon ramble or an arduous two-week expedition, we’ve compiled a list of 10 walks, country hikes and coastal routes that show off some of the greatest scenery the UK has to offer (whatever weather gets thrown at us). Lace up and get out there.  RECOMMENDED:🏖️ The best seaside towns and most spectacular beaches in the UK🇬🇧 Britain’s best places to visit in 2026🌆 The UK’s most underrated city breaks🏛️ The greatest museums in Britain right now Time Out’s best UK walks mapped Image: Time OutMap of the best hikes in the UK 2026

One of the best things about L.A.? Undoubtedly, it’s the county’s expansive sandy shores. Miles of sunny coastline stretch all the way from Malibu down past Manhattan Beach and Palos Verdes toward Long Beach, and no matter what kind of vacation you’re seeking, you simply can’t go wrong with the best hotels on the beach in Los Angeles. So, from secluded spots along L.A.’s best beaches to swanky suites in Santa Monica, these are the best hotels on the beach in the City of Angels, handpicked by us.  L.A.’s best beachfront hotels at a glance: 💎 Best for luxury: Regent Santa Monica Beach 👛 Best value on the sand: Venice on the Beach Hotel 🏊‍♀️ Best swimming pool: Santa Monica Proper Hotel 🌃 Best rooftop: Fairmont Breakers Long Beach 🤩 Most iconic stay: Shutters on the Beach ➡️ Discover our ultimate guide to the best hotels in L.A. Which area is best to stay in Los Angeles for the beach? Each beach town boasts a different vibe to suit your fancy: the ’Bu for an A-list-style retreat; Venice for an eclectic, no-frills getaway; a trendy, commercial setting in Santa Monica; Rancho Palos Verdes for a luxury resort feel with a golf course to boot; and a laid-back, surf and beach-volleyball vibe in Manhattan Beach. Oh, and have a look at our brilliant neighborhood guide for more insight from local editors.  How we curate our hotel lists Our team of writers and travel experts review hotels all over the world—new openings, old classics and everything in between—to bring you fresh,

July 2026: We've updated our roasts list to reflect the fact it's sunny and pretty warm out. Try the Macbeth in Hoxton, which offers a great Portuguese-style Sunday sesh, the ravishing Jamaican-inspired roast at Buster Mantis in Deptford, or Rice Paddy's northern Thai meat platter in Peckham. There are a couple of posh restaurants in the mix too, with a Nordic roast at the plush Ekstedt at the Yard near Westminster and a serious meat feast at Quality Chop House in Clerkenwell. We also have a new Number 1 to welcome summer in; a masterful roast at The Golden Tooth on Green Lanes. London’s best Sunday roasts at a glance: 🥩 Central: Sessions Arts Club, Clerkenwell 😇 North: The Golden Tooth, Newington Green ⛪ South: Old Nun’s Head, Nunhead 🌈 East: The Nelson’s, Hackney 🍻 West: The Mall Tavern, Notting Hill Sunday lunch. There’s nothing quite like it. An elemental meal, one that Londoners take incredibly seriously. Debates about what constitutes the ‘perfect’ Sunday roast have been known to last for hours. There is no shortage of top roasts and Sunday lunch options in London. We’ve rounded up the city’s best Sunday meals from a host of pubs, restaurants and breweries all around town. What makes a good roast? For us, it’s simple; a welcoming room is a good start, maybe in a pub with an open fire during the winter months. Then it comes to the plate – we need perfect roast potatoes, well-cooked lamb, beef or pork and a decent plant-based option too. A Sunday roast is more than

These days, it’s not just the specialty wine bars and caves that are putting together the best lists in London. A burgeoning interest in wine across all regions, colours and styles has encouraged many restaurants to up their game to meet the curiosity. So, the 20 suggestions here encompass wine bars, pubs and restaurants where you can order a glass without needing to buy food (although I strongly advise you do so, as each place recommended has an excellent menu that informs each venue’s drinks offering). Everything here has passed the vibe check and will hold a special place in my heart, and liver, for life. RECOMMENDED: These are London’s best bars.  Hannah Crosbie is a London-based wine writer for The Guardian, GQ, and the FT. She hosts regular wine clubs and has appeared on Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch. She published her debut book, Corker: A Deeply Unserious Wine Book, in 2024

The best cities on the planet are not only beacons of groundbreaking art, world-class food and top-quality parks, museums, nightclubs and cafés primed for visitors to explore – they’re also good places to live.  Time Out’s definitive ranking of the world’s best cities is based on a massive annual survey of urbanites worldwide to determine just that – a list of hubs which are cool, exciting, easy to navigate and pleasant spots to call home. And while there’s plenty everyone can agree on when it comes to the factors that make your everyday easy and enjoyable – who’s gonna turn their nose up at efficient transport or idyllic views, right? – what matters most to locals varies between different generations.  To curate Time Out’s Best Cities for Gen Z with Intrepid Travel, we narrowed down the results from our 2026 survey to reflect the responses of those under 30, including only the highest-scoring city in each country. As a member of Gen Z, I can obviously vouch for the benefits of a flourishing exhibitions calendar, excellent gigs and theatre performances, great food and nightlife – but this ranking hones in on the forensic details which make each hub particularly liveable for under-30s.  Much of Gen Z loves to exercise – we’ve even been dubbed ‘Generation Active’  – so we can safely assume walkability and access to nature play an important role in a city’s overall liveability. The availability of cool things to do is crucial, but so is affordability. And when it comes to social

The Amazon Rainforest, with its verdant hills, alarmingly large insects and sticky climate is hardly everyone’s cuppa tea, but for the most outdoorsy folk among us, it’s an unmatched destination for bird-watching, waterfall bathing, and true, unbridled adventure.  The ecosystem blankets itself over San Martín, a lush region of northern Peru, and if you’re planning a beyond-the-obvious stop off on your way to Cusco Machu Picchu (which you absolutely should), I urge you to splash out on a stay at the Bosque Guardian Lodge.  What are the rooms like at Bosque Guardián Lodge? Not so shockingly for a lodge buried in the heart of protected reserve Cordillera Escalera, nature is the star of the show. Each of the 12 cabins (which come with forest or forest-covered mountain views) is nestled at the end of a pebbly pathway off the hotel’s main concrete track, which winds through the critter, frog and bird-filled trees all the way from the entrance, over a footbridge, past the restaurant, and to the individual accommodations. Inside the rooms, tall bamboo ceilings arch over a grand and plush bed which has a much needed but also pleasingly dramatic mosquito net draped over it, which feels like you’re sleeping in the bedroom of a Disney princess. Flanked by French doors that lead onto a jungle-surrounded terrace, and a large window with panes of nets instead of glass, you sleep seriously up close and personal with the rainforest and all its wonderful, chattering creatures. There are no bri

Bonne Route is a natural wine bar, but before you think that London already has enough of those, note that there’s something particularly alluring about a spot which feels like you’re in someone’s (exceptionally well-furnished) living room. Bonne Route sits in a tiny but cool pocket of Quernmore Road (just past the pedestrian walkway at Harringay train station) and hits all the marks of a good wine bar – solid snacks and a well-chosen selection of white, red, rose, and orange wines – with an atmosphere that’s more cosy than snooty. It’s a cute spot if you nab one of the too-few outdoor tables, but Bonne Route is at its best inside and after dark, when it’s candle-lit and blowing a gale outside. Order this I’ve never been let down by whatever French orange wine is on the menu, but you can also order from the small menu of cocktails. The margarita is always good. Oh, and try the pickled olives. Time Out tip  It’s a cute spot if you nab one of the too-few outdoor tables, but Bonne Route is at its best inside and after dark, when it’s candle-lit and blowing a gale outside.

What’s the vibe?  Refined and modern yet pleasingly laid-back, Maré is Brighton and Hove’s first Michelin-starred restaurant in nearly 50 years, clinching the accolade just six months after it opened its doors last September.  It’s owned by the two Michelin-star chef of London’s Da Terra Rafael Cagali, and at the helm in the kitchen is head chef Ewan Waller, but while these names and promptly-acquired awards are impressive, you needn’t worry about it being an overly flouncy dining experience.  Sure, this restaurant is sleek and high-end, with both the food and the service polished and precisely executed. It’s a pretty, minimally-decorated space with disco music humming politely in the background, but there’s a warmth to the restaurant which ensures that, when you arrive to celebrate a big occasion (which I highly recommend you do), the vibe is welcoming as opposed to snooty.  What are the prices like? Opt for the Taste of Maré, and the team here will bring a selection of their favourite dishes from the menu for your entire table to share. It’ll cost you £90 per person (with the optional addition of a sommelier-selected wine pairing for another £65), but in such a classy setting with so many dishes, it’s worth it for a special occasion.  What should I order? The menu rotates here regularly, but standout dishes from our meal were tempura oysters, and a surf and turf course of dreamily tender beef and lobster with rice cooked in lobster bisque. ‘Maré’ translates from Portuguese

Crafting an atmosphere which could be described as ‘buzzy’ is pretty tricky at 5.30pm on a Monday evening, but Waltz somehow manages it. This place has won a smattering of awards since it opened in 2025, but the execution of the service and the quality of the drinks are more reminiscent of a veteran institution. Inside, high navy walls are painted with dainty little starling murmurations to mimic a dusk sky, and chipper jazz plays, pleasantly filling what could otherwise be a slightly whispery space. Japanese culture rotates around not four, but 72 different ‘micro-seasons’ – yes, that’s more than one per week – and the menu at Waltz is shaken up regularly to best embody the tradition, as well as offering an evergreen selection of signature drinks. When we stopped by, best-seller British Strawberry was sampled by every group in the bar as well as us, but our standout seasonal order was the White Asparagus & Fresh Peas with mezcal, kefir, lemon juice and pisco, which came served in barely-there glass alongside a dainty little pod of salted fresh peas. Order this The signature Original Picante is the ultimate summer drink – it’s shockingly green and perfectly spicy. Time Out tip  There are a couple of tables available for reservation, but you should really sit at the gorgeous bar and ogle these cocktail masters while they stir and shake your drinks.

It's finally time, guys. King Benito lands in London this month for his DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS World Tour dates at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and to mark the occasion (whether you’re concert-bound or not) a slew of London’s bars are participating in a takeover run by Hennessy. Head to Copper Cats in Dalston for a special edition of the bar’s weekly salsa class (with a bespoke cocktail menu on offer) or make sure to head to Electric Brixton for an official afterparty following Saturday night’s gig. You can also find slushy machines at La Pollera Colora, or Bad Bunny-themed Karaoke nights at U9 Karaoke in Leicester Square on Friday nights throughout June.

Paris is home to some of the world’s most iconic places to stay, but up there with the palatial Hôtel Plaza Athénée and decadent Le Bristol, this 16th arrondissement resort deserves a spot in the hotel hall of fame.  Molitor Hotel & Spa reopened in its reimagined form back in 2014, but it has retained the laid-back aura and eccentric Art Deco style of the original swimming pool where a generation of Parisians first learned how to swim – oh, and where the bikini was initially debuted 80 years ago.  A far cry from the ornate but cosy hotel rooms of central Paris, Molitor is an expansive, breezy retreat popular among international visitors (often in town for gigs or sports competitions at the nearby stadiums) as well as staycationing locals. Here’s what we thought of it.  What are the rooms like at Molitor Hotel & Spa? Minimalist in their design, but luxurious in their attention to detail. The real stars of the show at this hotel are its two showstopper swimming pools, and they not only act as a massive pull for heat-fleeing guests, but also as a focal point for the 120 rooms (out of 124 in total) which have a view of at least one of them.  Rather than try and detract from its majesty, the view of the outdoor pool from my Deluxe Room is proudly showcased through multiple floor-to-ceiling windows. The glinting water gently reflected pleasing glimmers of light on the ceiling, and the canary yellow paint and cobalt doors of the ship-shaped building were nodded to subtly with pops o

Paris’s streets are full of ornate, delicate-looking 16th century buildings, and if you’re after somewhere to stay that’ll give you all that quintessential charm – paired, of course, with the comforts of a slick hotel brand – then consider Maison Colbert Meliá Collection.  Acclaimed philosopher, activist and feminist Simone de Beauviour used to live in this place, but the plaque immortalising her presence on the exterior wall is far from the only historical nod that you’ll find. Inside, the decor is inspired by the dreamy works of Spanish painter Joaquín Sorolla, and some of the rooms even come with a view of the newly reopened Notre Dame, which is just a five minute stroll away.  What are the rooms like at Maison Colbert? A lot of enjoying Paris’s charm involves turning a blind eye to how cramped it can be, but that isn’t a problem at Maison Colbert. Our Superior Room Partial Notre Dame View had ample space for storing a city break’s worth of luggage, and the en suite – with a large walk-in shower (and insanely good water pressure) – was separated from the bedroom area by curtain rather than wall, making it feel all the more spacious throughout. Oh, and you could just about peak the cathedral’s towers from the window.  A replica of one of Joaquín Sorolla’s pleasing luminist paintings was the focal point of the room, filling the wall above the bed, but nods to its vibrant summery tones continued throughout the rest of the space. Bright turquoise velvet covered the chairs, hea

Margate’s Old Town is a quaint network of historic yet polished-looking lanes which are peppered with plenty of bookshops, vintage stores, cafés and pubs. It actually feels more like a countryside village than the whimsical core of the UK’s go-to seaside town – until the wind hits you, that is.  Right in the middle is the Old Town House, a restored property comprising of just eight rooms, which is barely a five-minute walk from the beach, Margate’s Harbour Arm, as well as Turner Contemporary and plenty of top places to eat and drink. Here’s why, if you’re headed to Margate for the weekend, it’s one of our favourite places to stay. What are the rooms like at the Old Town House Margate? Despite its classy Georgian facade, this hotel feels surprisingly modern – firstly because there’s no lobby. Instead, before arriving you’ll be sent instructions on downloading an app that’ll give you a digital code, so you can tap in and out of both the entrance and your room as you please.  The rooms all branch off from a freshly painted winding staircase, and we stayed right at the very top in a premium suite (where rates start from £190-350). Inside, the floors were lined with delightfully plump carpet, the walls with pretty, shimmery wallpaper and the room was furnished with ornamental antiques as well as handy amenities like a hairdryer and a tea, coffee and hot chocolate set up. There was a small wardrobe as well as storage under the stairs (we’ll get to that), plus ample surface space to

When it comes to ultra-luxurious stays, the scene is largely dominated by monolithic five-star chains which have properties in every major city. That isn’t the case with Firmdale Hotels. Instead, owners and designers Tim and Kit Kemp have kept their portfolio – which comprises nine London and three New York stays – modest, and what it’s resulted in are efficiently run, tastefully-designed hotels.  This particular building functioned as a hospital for French soldiers during the Second World War before becoming the Shaftesbury Hotel and operating as such until 1992. It was in 1996 that it became the Covent Garden Hotel, and 30 years on, it’s still a worthy member of London’s hotel crème de la crème.  What are the rooms like at the Covent Garden Hotel? Full of texture, colour, and lavish touches. There are 58 rooms on offer at the Covent Garden Hotel, and if you’re lucky enough to afford something at the upper end of the price range, opt for the palatial Loft Suite. Spread over a first and mezzanine floor (with an entrance at each level), this place had a downstairs bathroom, dining and living space, plus an airy and bright master bedroom, a walk-in wardrobe and en suite upstairs. As is typical at Firmdale Hotels, there was a well-executed balance of country-house cosiness and modern amenities. The chain of boutiques are pleasingly uniform in their flamboyant yet quintessentially English interior aesthetic (courtesy of Kit Kemp), and from the wallpaper and the curtains to the th

Cato is a tale of two bars. You’ll arrive at what they’re calling The House of Julep, a lively, chatter-filled space on the ground floor with dark wood, garnet-painted walls, and the pleasant rattle of cocktail shakers. Here, the vibe is relaxed, jovial, and on a Thursday evening it feels like the merry hum of a pub has been transplanted into the swankier body of a sultry bar.  In the basement, you leave the hubbub behind to find a much more intimate space, draped in scarlet velvet. This is Cato, a name inspired by freedman and pioneer of American cocktail culture Cato Alexander. Classic disco plays as we snack on pretzels, olives, and airy focaccia while browsing the menu, which is organised by colour. Inspired by the colour-coded brain phenomenon of synesthesia, it includes 14 different cocktails which contain ingredients sourced exclusively from UK suppliers. The standouts? If you fancy something ‘Brown’, then Chestnut + Brown Butter is an exquisite, earthy, very savoury combination of aged rum, Balvenie 14 Year Old Caribbean Cask, brown butter, caramelised chicken broth ‘brown’ rum, and chestnut praline. The most impressive was undoubtedly Wasabi + Mustard Greens, where ginger and honey shrub, foraged mustard greens and mustard leaf tincture mixed with gin and English wasabi distillate make for a refreshing, slightly fiery zinger of a cocktail. Order this Don’t sleep on The House of Julep’s menu. Go for The Oyster House Martini – it’s a pellucid blend of Ford’s London Dry

If you’re after a refined and polished bar perfect for quiet conversation, Homeboy is not the place. What it is good for, however, is expertly-executed cocktails served in what feels more like a raucous Irish pub. Enter and you’ll be enveloped into a snug, pleasingly low-lit space and affably greeted like a regular, even if you’ve never been here before. It’s a welcome tonic to the monosyllabic, named-after-a-generic-white-bloke bars which have proliferated London of late: there’s ample room on plump Chesterfield banquettes and lots of dark wood. On Thursdays and Sundays your evening will be soundtracked not by vinyl, but by a live Irish band.  There are TVs which, when we visited, were blaring the Six Nations, and once the music actually gets going, this place gets properly noisy. However, the seamlessness of the table service and the lively atmosphere proves that this place is a well-oiled hospitality machine – as do the drinks. Homeboy Bar’s menu features a signature collection of cocktails which have been steadfast inclusions since it opened, but there’s also a list of drinks inspired by Irish idols. The Punk Poet is one of these: it blends Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon with orange zest-infused oil, dark chocolate liqueur and demerara sugar, and it’s moreish, sour and sharp. The emphasis is very much on mixing a bit of Irishness into classic cocktail recipes, and dirty martini drinkers will also enjoy an Irish Sea.  Oh, and arrive hungry. This place doesn’t just knock it out of

Pass under the quintessential New York black awning, rotate through the revolving door and Sofitel New York greets you with a lengthy, imposing, Art Deco-esque lair of a lobby. It’s a lowly illuminated but pleasingly warm welcome from New York’s crispy late-fall streets, and while confusingly you’ll need to walk all the way towards the glitzy statement staircase at the far end to reach the actual reception, there are plenty of staff floating around to assist you.  This hotel is Sofitel’s new North American flagship property, which, after a substantial facelift, is a Midtown base that brims with potential. Despite a slightly bizarre entrance and shortcomings in the food offering, the hotel’s impressive location, immaculately designed beds and assured luxury service are where it gleams. Here’s what we thought of Sofitel New York.  Why stay at Sofitel New York? You probably haven’t traveled all the way to New York for a glimpse at the French way of life, but Sofitel is keen to deliver at least a flavor of it anyway. With the brand’s renewed emphasis on eating, drinking and sleeping well (which they refer to as the ‘French zest’), Sofitel New York has emerged from its site-wide renovation, striving and mostly succeeding to deliver on all those with polish.  The number one reason you should stay at this hotel is because of its prime—and we mean prime—location. Beyond having the Rockefeller Center, Empire State Building, Bryant Park, Central Park, Broadway and Times Square all with

Nepal’s beautiful Rasuwa region has long been a popular destination for travellers venturing to the district’s spiritual sites and gorgeous mountainous scenery. However, after a suspected glacial collapse in Tibet, both places were ravaged by fatal flash floods, which have wiped out villages and killed hundreds of locals and tourists.  Transport and communications infrastructure has been destroyed, and as well as the ever-growing number of fatalities, there are still hundreds of people missing. Here is everything you need to know if you have travel plans, and how you can help those affected right now.  Is it safe to travel to Nepal? Right now, it’s not advisable to travel to Nepal. Major flooding hit Nepal’s Rasuwa district (and the Tibetan border) on Wednesday August 26, and has caused severe destruction and an ever-growing number of fatalities.  It was likely caused by a glacial collapse in the Himalayas, and has led to the destruction of entire villages as well as other buildings, roads, and transport and communications infrastructure.  The region is a popular pilgrimage destination, with trekkers travelling to visit sacred sites like Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar in Tibet, according to The Independent.  At the time of writing, the official death toll has reached 543, according to the Guardian. Hundreds of nationals and travellers are still missing, including 33 British tourists. What is the latest government travel advice? The UK government’s FCDO advice page for Nepa

Apenas duas semanas depois de partes da Europa terem sido mergulhadas na escuridão por um eclipse solar único numa geração, aproxima-se outro fenómeno celestial – desta vez, porém, é um eclipse lunar. Estes ocorrem quando, em vez de a lua bloquear a luz solar, a Terra bloqueia o caminho entre o Sol e a Lua, criando uma bela e misteriosa névoa vermelha sobre a sua superfície. Partes da América do Norte, Europa e Reino Unido estão prestes a vislumbrar o eclipse, por isso, abaixo encontra tudo o que precisa de saber sobre o evento e onde, exactamente, será visível. O que é uma “lua de sangue”? A “lua de sangue”, de nome assustador, ocorre quando a Terra se coloca directamente entre o Sol e a Lua, e a Lua é engolida pela umbra da Terra (a sua sombra), criando a tonalidade avermelhada e atmosférica. A cor ocorre porque alguns dos raios solares ainda chegam à Lua, mas a luz na extremidade violeta do espectro é filtrada pela atmosfera da Terra, pelo que apenas os raios vermelhos chegam à superfície da Lua. Chama-se dispersão de Rayleigh, e é a mesma ocorrência que causa pores-do-sol coloridos. Quando é a “lua de sangue” e quais são os melhores locais para a ver? De acordo com o Time and Date, a lua cheia vai mover-se para a parte exterior da sombra da Terra à 1.23 UTC (uma fase apelidada de eclipse penumbral pelos astrónomos). Uma hora e dez minutos depois, mover-se-á para a sombra mais escura e densa (a umbra) e iniciará o eclipse parcial antes de se atingir o eclipse máximo às 4.1

Encontrar um bilhete de comboio, um quarto de hotel ou um voo barato é sempre um bónus quando se planeia umas férias, e, numa excelente notícia para os viajantes europeus, uma novíssima companhia aérea económica está prestes a ser lançada. Chama-se Fly2Galicia, terá a sua base no Aeroporto Rosalía de Castro, em Santiago de Compostela, no noroeste de Espanha, e os seus serviços entrarão em funcionamento em apenas quatro meses. É verdade – 1 de Dezembro é a data inaugural do seu primeiro voo, com 17 partidas planeadas todas as semanas para os seus oito destinos a partir dessa altura até 24 de Outubro de 2027, data em que o horário será revisto. As ligações internacionais incluem Bruxelas, Munique, Milão, Praga e Veneza, e haverá também voos domésticos para Granada, Alicante e Saragoça (que será o destino do primeiro voo). Ver esta publicação no Instagram Uma publicação partilhada por Fly2Galicia (@fly2galicia) A notícia mais empolgante, no entanto, é o preço. As viagens de ida começarão nuns meros 19 euros, com opções para Milão e Bruxelas a partir de 39 euros e Munique, Praga e Veneza a começar nos 49 euros. Ah, e o bilhete incluirá duas peças de bagagem de mão – um artigo pessoal mais uma mala de cabina de oito quilos. Nada de taxas de bagagem desnecessárias por aqui – podemos agradecer às novas regras de bagagem de mão da UE por isso. Para os entusiastas da aviação, consta que a Fly2Galicia utilizará um Airbus A320, que tem uma capacidade entre 150 a

Just two weeks after parts of Europe were plunged into darkness by the mystical, once-in-a-generation solar eclipse, another celestial phenomenon is approaching – this time, though, it’s a lunar eclipse.  These occur when, instead of the moon blocking Earth’s sunlight, Earth blocks the path between the Sun and the Moon, creating an eerie, beautiful red haze over its surface.  Parts of North America, Europe and the UK are set to get a glimpse of the eclipse, so below is everything you need to know about the event and where exactly it will be visible.  What is a blood moon? The spookily named blood moon occurs when the Earth comes directly in between the Sun and the Moon, and the Moon is engulfed by the Earth’s umbra (its shadow), creating the atmospheric, reddish hue.  The colour occurs because some of the Sun’s rays still reach the Moon, but the light at the violet end of the spectrum is filtered out by the Earth’s atmosphere, so only the red rays reach the Moon’s surface. It’s called Rayleigh scattering, and it’s the same occurrence that causes colourful sunsets.  When is the blood moon and where are the best spots to see it? According to Time and Date, the full moon will move into the outer part of the Earth’s shadow at 1.23am UTC (a phase dubbed the penumbral eclipse by astronomers). One hour and 10 minutes later, it will move into the darker, denser shadow (the umbra) and begin the partial eclipse before the maximum eclipse is reached at 4.12am, with the Earth covering 96

With its perennially snow-capped peak, rugged paths and sheer magnitude, it’s no wonder Mont Blanc, the highest peak in the Alps, is a popular hiking destination.  However, its popularity – specifically the volume of trekkers who traverse the 170km Tour du Mont-Blanc circuit – are becoming something of a problem. So much so, in fact, that local French authorities have called for a new permit system to be implemented.  Right now, over 80,000 people set out on the Tour every year. That not only places strain on the smallest villages, but even Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, one of the largest and best-equipped towns on the route, is buckling under the pressure of so many visitors.  Recommended: These are the best ski resorts in Europe, according to Time Out.  Photograph: ShutterstockMont Blanc Mayor Jean-Marc Peillex told Swiss broadcaster SRF that groups of hikers have to walk parts of the trail awkwardly in single file, and that litter and a disrespectful attitude towards the countryside are also becoming issues. He backs a cap on numbers to be managed through a permit system, with a fine for anyone who doesn’t comply.  Set to be implemented from spring 2027, rules in Saint-Gervais and a handful of other French towns will mean hikers will need to book their mountain huts or place in bivouac zones in advance. It’s a setup already in place at refuges like Nid d’Aigle, Tête Rousse and Goûter, according to Travel Tomorrow.  However, that doesn’t mean everyone thinks the proposal is a

Finding a cheap train ticket, hotel room, or flight is always a bonus when you’re planning a holiday, and in some exciting news for European travellers, a brand-new budget-friendly airline is about to launch.  It’s called Fly2Galicia, it’ll be based at Santiago de Compostela’s Rosalía de Castro Airport in northwestern Spain, and its services will begin operation in just four months time.  That’s right – December 1 is the inaugural date of its first flight, with 17 departures planned each week across its eight destinations from then until October 24, 2027, when the schedule will be reviewed.    View this post on Instagram A post shared by Fly2Galicia (@fly2galicia) International connections include Brussels, Munich, Milan, Prague and Venice, and there will also be domestic flights to Granada, Alicante and Zaragoza (which will be the first flight’s destination).  Recommended: The 26 most beautiful buildings to see in 2026, according to Time Out.  The most exciting news, though, is the price. One way journeys will start from as little as €19, according to the Sun, with options to Milan and Brussels beginning at €39 and Munich, Prague and Venice starting at €49.  Oh, and a ticket will include two pieces of hand luggage – a personal item plus an eight-kilo cabin bag. No unnecessary baggage fees here – we can thank the EU’s new hand luggage rules for that. For the aerophiles, it’s reported Fly2Galicia will be using an Airbus A320, which has a capacity of between

Andalusia, Spain’s southernmost region, has long been one of the country’s most popular travel destinations. It’s home to the Betic Mountains, some of Spain’s most fantastic beaches, and cities like Málaga, Seville and Granada, which promise brilliant bars, shops, and a striking, unique combination of Spanish and Moorish architecture in buckets.  But the region’s proximity to a high-pressure tectonic plate boundary means it experiences earthquakes. A smattering of tremors have struck the region this week, causing damage to buildings and some light injuries. If you have a trip booked to southern Spain, here is everything you need to know about whether it’s safe to travel right now.  Where was the earthquake in Spain? Three earthquakes were recorded in the Granada region on Tuesday August 18, the largest of which registered as a 4.7 magnitude tremor and hit at 10.37am local time. It had a surface-level epicenter (which means they’re felt more intensely) in the town of Gojar, which is around 10km away from Granada city.  Is it safe to travel to southern Spain? Yes, it is safe to visit Andalusia, though some popular tourist sites have been temporarily closed. The three earthquakes have caused some damage to buildings and led to the closure of some museums and sports facilities – including the medieval Alhambra complex, one of the country’s most-visited attractions and a UNESCO World Heritage Site – and three people have been injured, though not seriously. That’s according to Reut

Indonesia, made up of around 17,500 islands, is the largest archipelagic country on the planet. It boasts dense tropical rainforest, glorious volcanoes and peaks, paradisiacal shorelines and a breadth of extraordinary wildlife, making it a long-popular travel destination for adventurous nature lovers.  However, the country is also nestled atop the Pacific Ring of Fire, the most active tectonic region in the world, and is highly prone to earthquakes and subsequent tsunamis.  A large earthquake struck Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara province on Saturday, and with rescue efforts continuing, here’s a complete guide on everything you need to know if you have a trip to the country booked soon.  Where was the earthquake in Indonesia? The earthquake, which registered at a 7.7 magnitude on the Richter scale, struck at 4.58am local time on Saturday August 15, at a depth of 15km in the Flores region.  According to the Guardian, at least 235 aftershocks were recorded, including one which had a magnitude of 6.1 off the coast of northern Sumatra. Tsunami waves of 1.5 metres were also recorded in some locations, but warnings for more waves have now been lifted.  Is it safe to travel to Indonesia? Komodo International Airport on Flores remains open and operational, and flights to Bali and Jakarta are unaffected.  Flores is still experiencing aftershocks, which could continue, according to Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency. Tragically, at least 68 people have been kil

Just weeks after Venezuela was struck by a series of powerful earthquakes which killed hundreds, a 7.4 magnitude tremor was recorded in western Colombia on Monday, August 10.  The rescue effort is ongoing, so while the hunt for survivors continues in the affected cities, here is a list of places to which you can donate to aid the relief effort.  Where did the earthquake hit in Colombia? The earthquake struck at 7.34am local time on Monday, August 10, and registered as a magnitude 7.4 according to US and Colombian geological surveys.  The epicentre of the tremor was located in the western department of Chocó, with major cities like Cali and Pereira severely affected. Along with damage to thousands of buildings and thousands of injuries, the death toll sits at 281 people at the time of writing, with around 4,000 people injured and 379 people still reported missing. More than 170 buildings have collapsed, and over 12,000 homes have been destroyed, with a further 74,000 damaged. How can I help earthquake victims in Colombia? Below is a list of more organisations to which you can donate to help with the relief effort after the earthquakes in Colombia: UNICEF is collecting donations to help affected children.  World Central Kitchen provides fresh meals to disaster-struck areas including regions affected by humanitarian, climate or natural crises.  All Hands & Hearts has reportedly been in Colombia since Monday, helping to supply emergency rescue teams with equipment.  The House P

Os eclipses solares não acontecem todos os anos – nem sequer todas as décadas –, por isso, quando surge um, é natural que muitos queiram maximizar as hipóteses de vislumbrar o fenómeno em todo o seu esplendor. A companhia aérea espanhola Iberia sabe disso e, assim, lançou um voo especial no dia 12 de Agosto para dar aos passageiros a bordo (e a todo o mundo) vistas únicas do eclipse. Com partida do Aeroporto Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas às 18.45, o voo (que tem o código IB1473, numa referência ao ano de nascimento do astrónomo Nicolau Copérnico) irá viajar sobre a província de Palência antes de regressar à capital espanhola. Photograph: Soos Jozsef / ShutterstockIberia Airlines plane De acordo com o Travel Tomorrow, o plano consiste em voar a 10.000 metros acima do nível do mar para minimizar o potencial impacto das nuvens e da atmosfera, tendo a rota sido planeada para cruzar a trajectória da totalidade. Embora seja uma oportunidade empolgante para os passageiros, haverá também cientistas a bordo do avião. Investigadores do projecto Shelios, liderado pelo astrónomo Miquel Serra-Ricart, director científico da Light Bridges e investigador do Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, planeiam aproveitar a oportunidade para estudar a coroa solar, que é a camada externa da atmosfera do Sol (normalmente oculta pelo seu brilho). Mas não é tudo – a Iberia, utilizando a sua tecnologia Starlink, irá também transmitir o eclipse em directo através das suas redes sociais a partir do voo, o

Colombia, home to sprawling and magnetic cities like Bogota and Medellin as well as vast swathes of Amazon Rainforest, has been struck by a severe earthquake. There has been damage to hundreds of buildings, thousands of injuries, and a growing number of fatalities, which currently sits at 175.  Below is an up-to-date guide of everything you need to know if you have a trip booked to Colombia.  Where was the earthquake in Colombia? The earthquake struck at 7.34am local time on Monday August 10, and the epicentre of the tremor was located in the western department of Chocó, with major cities like Cali and Pereira severely affected.  It was also felt in parts of Venezuela, which was struck by another major earthquake on June 24.  Is it safe to travel to Colombia? The quake, recorded by US and Colombian geological surveys, reportedly registered at a magnitude of 7.4. At the time of writing, the death toll has reached 175.  The area most severely affected is western Colombia, with images of people hunting for missing people in the rubble and the collapsed spire of the cathedral of Manizales circulating online since Monday.  ‘The ⁠national government has all of its capabilities deployed to protect lives, assist affected communities and deliver aid wherever it is ​needed,’ said the country’s president, Abelardo de la Espriella. ‘The first priority is rescuing the people trapped under the rubble.’  Cartagena, Medellín and Bogota are unaffected by the earthquake, but airports in Medell

If you’ve been daydreaming about starting afresh somewhere remote and surrounded by luscious, peaceful countryside, we’ve got some exciting news.  Portugal has been a longtime favourite amongst people looking to relocate, and the country is offering eligible applicants cash if they are willing to up sticks and settle somewhere a little more remote.  The scheme is called the ‘Emprego Interior MAIS’ programme, and its goal is to ‘cover moving and other costs to relocate’ to a rural region, according to Travel + Leisure.   How does the programme work? Well, according to the government website, the funding ‘provides financial support to workers who change their usual residence to inland territories to carry out professional activity.’ The amount you’ll be entitled to varies depending on several factors, but could reach a maximum of €3,759.91, plus an extra 20 percent per person in your household who moves with you.  Sixty percent of your payment will reportedly be sent 10 days after your application is successful, with the remaining 40 percent paid the 13th month after you’ve started working.  Who is eligible for the programme? Sadly there are some conditions, though the government’s website lists people who are entitled to requesting support, which includes unemployed people who are registered with Portugal’s employment services, as well as employed or self-employed Portuguese nationals, remote workers, and citizens of the EU and wider European Economic Area.  There’s more detai