Western Europe Archives - A Luxury Travel Blog : A Luxury Travel Blog

Short stay: Hampton Manor, Hampton-in-Arden, West Midlands, UK

By Michael Edwards on Oct 27, 2020 in Accommodation, Europe, Featured, Food and Drink, Going Out, Hotels, Regions, Restaurants, Travel Miscellany, United Kingdom, Western Europe

The country house party is stylishly back at the foodie estate of Hampton Manor. In the parlour, lavish books and board games sit invitingly on coffee tables. Wellies are ready for country rambles. The croquet lawn awaits. Guests gather for pre-dinner cocktails, gins or wine. After dinner Frazer guides guests through a tour of whiskies. […]

6 reasons to enjoy Italy in the Autumn

By Nicole Bergstrom on Oct 24, 2020 in Europe, Italy, Regions, Western Europe

Italy hosts millions of tourists every year. This country has everything to offer from delicious food, spectacular landscapes and an abundance of world history. Most visitors come visit Italy in the Spring and Summer months to sunbathe and swim when the weather is warmer. The Summer months are the busiest and most expensive time of […]

Top 5 stand-alone Alpine chalets in COVID times

By Dan Frith on Oct 21, 2020 in Accommodation, Europe, France, Regions, Switzerland, Vacation Rentals, Western Europe

Well, here we are, nine months have gone by and still no end in sight to travel restrictions and social distancing. It’s understandable that some people are starting to get a little cheesed off. They are the lucky ones. There is hope though for those that really don’t want to miss out on their annual […]

The best tasting menus in Barcelona

By Sandra Roig on Oct 19, 2020 in Europe, Food and Drink, Going Out, Regions, Restaurants, Spain, Travel Miscellany, Western Europe

Barcelona is home to some of the most excellent restaurants that this world has to offer, and thanks to its metropolitan community there is an ample range of cuisines and styles to suit every person’s needs. For those that appreciate the fine dining experience, there is no better way to pass an evening than by […]

The top 5 places to visit in Provence

By Su Stephens on Oct 17, 2020 in Attractions, Europe, France, Going Out, Regions, Western Europe

Go to Provence, they said. You will love all that you see. And they were right. But Provence-Alpes-Cote d-Azur is a region over 31,000 km2 in area and with over 5 million residents. It is close to the Italian Cinque Terre; it borders other beautiful areas of France, such as the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes. When everything is […]

5 of our favourite villas within luxury hotels in Mallorca

By Gail Hewitt on Oct 15, 2020 in Accommodation, Europe, Featured, Hotels, Regions, Spain, Vacation Rentals, Western Europe

Looking to be independent, but also have the benefits of a wealth of facilities close to hand? Perhaps villa accommodation within a luxury hotel might be an option for you to consider. Retain your privacy with the benefit of your own private pool. Alternatively, if you feel like the company of other hotel guests, you […]

Winter is coming for Iceland

By Ryan Connolly on Oct 14, 2020 in Europe, Iceland, Regions, Western Europe

Winter is coming! A phrase adopted by Game of Thrones many years ago, but also something often muttered by the locals when the first snow falls in the autumn months. For the locals, it spells the end of harvest season and the start of a difficult winter. For tourists, it’s the beginning of a winter […]

Short stay: The Cavendish London, Mayfair, London, UK

By Michael Edwards on Oct 13, 2020 in Accommodation, Europe, Featured, Hotels, Regions, United Kingdom, Western Europe

In the true spirit of The Cavendish London you could order The Duchess from The Petrichor Bar: a cocktail of Galliano, Cointreau, orange juice and double cream. Then toast Rosa Lewis, known as the Duchess of Jermyn Street, who worked her way up from humble origins to purchase The Cavendish London in 1902. Back then […]

The 5 best ski resorts in 2020

By Guido Graf on Oct 10, 2020 in Accommodation, Austria, Colorado, Europe, Hotels, North America, Regions, Resorts, Switzerland, USA, Western Europe

The winter is around the corner, and hoping to embrace the next ski season. Despite the pandemic, our preferred ski resorts are committed, motivated, and preparing for their guests with enthusiasm and love. We expect the skiing experience to be even more spectacular due to a reduction of resort visitors, which will give you the […]

6 memorable meals from our pre-COVID-19 vegan travel adventures

By Paul Eyers on Oct 07, 2020 in Accommodation, Asia, China, Europe, Food and Drink, Going Out, Hong Kong, Hotels, Regions, Restaurants, Singapore, Thailand, Travel Miscellany, United Kingdom, Vietnam, Western Europe

The global lockdown and COVID-19 crisis has forced us all to postpone travel plans whilst life as we once knew it is still on pause. As self confessed foodies we have missed the culinary opportunities that our vegan travel adventures presented. We certainly haven’t gone hungry as we have been creating in our own kitchen […]

5 luxury chateau hotels in France

By Richard Nahem on Oct 06, 2020 in Accommodation, Europe, France, Hotels, Regions, Western Europe

American businessman and real estate magnate, Zaya Younan always dreamed of owning a chateau in the French countryside. In 2015, not only did Younan fulfill his dream, he did it on a broad scale by buying four chateaux and converting them into luxury hotels and resorts. Expanding further, he acquired another chateau with a golf […]

Short stay: Roseate House, Hyde Park, London, UK

By Michael Edwards on Sep 30, 2020 in Accommodation, Europe, Featured, Hotels, Regions, United Kingdom, Western Europe

Roseate House London is a white stucco confection of a 48-room boutique hotel within a five-minute walk of Hyde Park. An invitation to revisit an era when London aspired to become the next Athens or Rome. Dating back to 1842, three Grade 2 listed townhouses with classical columns and balustraded balconies, make up this dignified retreat […]

The hidden hamlet of Erbonne, Italy – population: 11

By Jamie Edwards on Sep 29, 2020 in Europe, Italy, Regions, Western Europe

It was a surprise that one of our best lunches in the Lake Como area was not at a stone grotto-ed Michelin-starred restaurant, or on a lakeside patio with the majestic Alps in the distance. It was a surprise that we didn’t need to get there by vaporetto, or pull up to a parking lot […]

5 dark tourism locations

By Nicole Bergstrom on Sep 23, 2020 in Asia, Attractions, Europe, Germany, Going Out, Italy, North America, Regions, Thailand, USA, Western Europe

In the Netflix show Dark Tourist, the viewer is exposed to unusual sites, rituals and ceremonies that occur worldwide. Dark tourism is actually a genre of tourism that has been growing in the last few years. Why do tourists flock to these macabre sites? It could be that the historical significance and the story of […]

The perfect Santorini experience

By Guido Graf on Sep 23, 2020 in Europe, Greece, Regions, Western Europe

Santorini is where the alluring beauty of mother nature invites you to the realm of an iconic paradise. This Cycladic island is famously known for its unique blue and white architecture that seamlessly blends in with multi-coloured volcanic cliffs, that soar out of the turquoise sea-drowned caldera. What sets this national treasure apart from the […]

Top 5 Alpine chalets for an extended stay

By Dan Frith on Sep 18, 2020 in Accommodation, Austria, Europe, France, Regions, Switzerland, Vacation Rentals, Western Europe

Although it’s not exactly re-inventing the wheel the current situation affords the opportunity to rethink the whole work/life balance experience. Currently offices and workspaces are being closed down, some temporarily, some for good. This has given rise to the opportunity for more and more people to be able to work from home. Not being tied […]

Category: Western Europe