Are you thinking of a trip to Dublin, Glasgow, Berlin or Helsinki? Well, you should so you can stay in one or more of these new cool hotels…
The NYX Hotel, Dublin: You may have visited NYX hotels in Madrid, Milan or Munich and know the collection is defined by its urban “concept” style. The first newly built Dublin property has opened in Portobello, after a whopping €31m investment. Interior designer Suzanne Garuda, of Garuda Design, is responsible for the bold decor with striking design elements, mood lighting and contemporary artworks from Irish artists including Shane Sutton, Janine Jordan and Art Loves. All 175 bedrooms feature special “Dream” beds, amenities including Nespresso machines and toiletries from The White Company. A gym and bar with an all-day dining menu, as well as a roster of DJs at weekends, ensure a lively ambiance. www.nyx-hotels.co.uk/dublin
The Address, Glasgow: Popping over for a concert in the Ovo Hydro or a sporting event? Try this hotel from the family-owned Irish hotel group Address Collective, which has invested £9m into the renovation of six-storey listed building. Housing 95 rooms, a restaurant and bar, North, plus a fitness suite with plunge pool and Himalayan salt rock sauna, The Address is a welcome addition to a city short on stylish hotel options. www.theaddressglasgow.com.
Sly, Berlin: Sly is located in the city’s trendy Friedrichshain neighbourhood. It blends indoor and outdoor spaces, while oak wood, Italian serpentine stone, stainless steel, and Brutalist concrete accents feature in the guest rooms. There’s also a large rooftop sauna with skyline views, a health club, and an open kitchen-style restaurant. If in the city, do visit Newton Bar where walls are adorned with massive prints of the fashion photographer’s work. Don’t forget to pack a black poloneck sweater and sunglasses! www.sly-berlin.com.
Hotel Maria, Helsinki: The Finnish capital is a quietly cool mix of its Russian and Scandinavian heritage. So is Hotel Maria, which sprawls across four buildings dating from 1885. The supersized light-filled rooms feature big windows; some have private saunas or steam rooms (the hotel has a wellness concierge). Three dining outlets ensure guests refuel in style. www.preferredhotels.com.
Stay in the polished, pretty Hotel Motto, in the fashionable 6th district, accessible to the Museums Quartier and the charming, cobblestone streets of Spittelberg. Like Vienna itself, Motto’s decor is a mash-up of glamour and fun with Parisian accents (including a chandelier from The Ritz, Paris). It also has a bakery, Motto Brot, spa and restaurant Chez Bernard. When in the city, I make a beeline for foodie haunts, the Naschmarkt and Demel café, its fabulous National Library, and Do & Co Restaurant on the top floor of the eponymous hotel which serves up great views over St Stephen’s Cathedral. Former resident Aerin Lauder stocks up on Tyrolean sweaters and slippers from Loden Plankl and recommends Zum Schwarzen Kamel (The Black Camel) for Weiner Schnitzel. www.hotelmotto.at
Amsterdam’s Pulitzer hotel also sparks fond romantic memories. This Dutch masterpiece, set in 25 interconnected houses within the UNESCO protected Canal Ring, is a warren of passages, stairways, courtyard gardens and a great art collection. Rooms come in all shapes and sizes – one of which featured in the heist film Ocean’s 12 – most with canal views and Le Labo Santal 33 toiletries. Breakfast in Restaurant Jansz is a highlight, while cocktails in the Pulitzer Bar draw the city’s cool crowd. www.pultizeramsterdam.com.
Finally, wandering around Georgian Edinburgh tops my list for a low-key getaway. On my last visit, I stayed at The Dunstane Houses, a short hop from the airport. Keep The Hoxton Edinburgh on your radar – its opens later this year in the Haymarket area. Other new Hox outposts for 2024 include Dublin and Vienna. www.thehoxton.com.