Reviews
A considered record of the places worth staying — and the ones that fall short. Every review is based on an actual stay by a member of our team.
Pestana Carlton Madeira Ocean Resort Hotel
“Cliff-edge Atlantic theatre — saltwater pools carved into the rocks, ocean-view balconies as standard and Funchal's old town a scenic walk along the shore.”
Ocean Pearl Apartment V
“A simple self-catering perch above Funchal's seafront strip — clean, sensibly kitted out and priced for levada hikers who use a room only to sleep.”
Maldron Hotel Parnell Square Dublin City
“Maldron's northside Dublin formula — new-build efficiency at the top of O'Connell Street, where two clean rooms and a fast check-in beat character on a one-night brief.”
IFC Residence
“Lujiazui living above the IFC mall — apartment space, hotel discipline and the Bund skyline delivered nightly through floor-to-ceiling glass.”
The Cityview — Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong
“Kowloon practicality with a social conscience — the YMCA-run Cityview trades glamour for space, calm and rates Hong Kong rarely offers.”
Aroma Tea House Formula Museum Hotel Guilin
“Part tea museum, part guesthouse, entirely Guilin — antique furniture, gongfu ceremonies at check-in and karst peaks a short stroll along the lake.”
Ascott Raffles City Chongqing
“An apartment in the sky where the Yangtze and Jialing meet — Raffles City's horizontal skyscraper underfoot and Chongqing's neon canyon out the window.”
Wanda Reign Chengdu
“Chinese luxury at full volume — river-view marble, tea service theatre and rates that would buy half a room in Europe. Chengdu's statement address delivers.”
Hotel Royal Zurich
“An old-school Zurich three-star with a brass revolving door and fair rates in an unfair city — dated in places, dignified throughout.”
Leonardo Boutique Hotel Budapest M-Square
“Chain-boutique done right off Deák Square — playful design, four honest stars and a location that makes the whole of Pest walkable.”
Royal Plaza Montreux
“Front-row Lake Geneva glass and a New Year's fireworks view from bed — the Royal Plaza is Montreux's modernist counterpoint to the Belle Époque palaces.”
Park Inn by Radisson Muscat
“Cheerful, colour-blocked and competent — a mid-market Muscat base that overdelivers on service and sits an easy drive from both airport and old town.”
1000 Nights Camp
“Deep in the Sharqiya dunes where the generator hum fades and the Milky Way takes over — a proper desert camp that trades polish for the real thing.”
Best Western Premier Sur
“The dependable overnight between Muscat and the Sharqiya Sands — clean, calm and unpretentious, which is precisely what a coastal road stop needs to be.”
Tested TwiceShangri-La Dubai
“Quietly excellent in a city that shouts — the Sheikh Zayed Road tower trades spectacle for genuinely polished service, serious beds and Burj Khalifa views from the pool deck.”
El Convento Boutique Hotel
“Candlelit stone corridors opposite the Capuchinas convent ruins — El Convento distils Antigua into fourteen suites of colonial romance done with real polish.”
Eurostars Langford
“A 1920s bank building reborn with European management sensibilities — Downtown LA's most characterful sleep, as long as you make peace with the neighbourhood after dark.”
Villa Sassa Hotel, Residence & Spa
“Hillside curves, lake panoramas and one of Ticino's best spa decks — Villa Sassa is Lugano's wellness address, even if the walk uphill earns it.”
Millennium Hotel Broadway Times Square
“Location is doing all the lifting — one block from Times Square with theatre-district convenience, wrapped in a product that needed renovating years ago.”
BEST VALUEComfort Suites Paradise Island
“A strategically positioned Paradise Island option whose strongest selling point is value relative to the destination.”
Phuket Marriott Resort & Spa, Merlin Beach
“A private-bay resort that solves Patong — all the infrastructure of Phuket's busiest coast, hidden behind a headland with its own reef and three-tier pools.”
Phuket Marriott Resort and Spa, Nai Yang Beach
“Barefoot Marriott polish on Phuket's calmest stretch — Nai Yang's casuarina-lined sand stays local and low-rise, and the resort respects that.”
SWISS RATED EXCEPTIONALWilson's Retreat
“An intimate tropical property whose strength comes from scale, atmosphere, location and calm rather than enormous resort infrastructure.”
DESIGN DISTINCTIONShaza Doha
“A visually distinctive Doha hotel with strong regional identity and rich interiors. Its ornate aesthetic sets it apart from more anonymous international chains but may not suit travellers who prefer strict minimalism.”
REPEAT STAYTested TwiceJianguo Hotel Beijing
“An established Beijing property with a distinctive garden environment, calm atmosphere and old-school international character. Some areas feel dated compared with newer Beijing luxury hotels, but repeat stays establish a strong sense of consistency.”
Le Méridien Stuttgart
“A composed five-star opposite the Schlossgarten that delivers German precision with just enough Méridien style — the sensible premium choice in a city short on them.”
CitySuites Aparthotel
“Manchester's aparthotel benchmark — full kitchens, a proper heated indoor pool and residential quiet a bridge away from the city core.”
Maldron Hotel Manchester City Centre
“A fresh, well-run four-star that proves Manchester's new-build hotels can be more than glass boxes — sharp housekeeping and an easy walk to everything that matters.”
BOUTIQUE DISTINCTIONAm Pavillon Bed & Kitchen
“A quiet, residential and personal alternative to a conventional city hotel. Strong atmosphere and intimacy, but naturally fewer full-service amenities.”
Best Western Plus Suites Hotel – LAX Airport / LA Stadium
“Large rooms and airport practicality define the stay. Useful and functional rather than atmospheric.”
Radisson Hotel Santa Maria
“A dependable full-service road-trip stop with greater comfort and facilities than many roadside alternatives.”
Motel 6 Anaheim, CA – Maingate
“A utilitarian Anaheim overnight whose principal strengths are price and proximity.”
DoubleTree by Hilton LAX – El Segundo
“Predictable Hilton execution, comfortable rooms and practical airport access. More logistical than memorable.”
DESIGN DISTINCTIONFreehand Los Angeles
“A strong lifestyle property whose rooftop, social atmosphere and visual identity give it more personality than conventional Los Angeles hotels. Some room types prioritise atmosphere and location over space.”
ROAD TRIP PICKSleep Inn & Suites Hurricane Zion Park Area
“A surprisingly competent Zion-region base with relatively modern rooms, good value and practical access.”
ROAD TRIP PICKComfort Inn Near Grand Canyon
“A dependable Grand Canyon gateway hotel that understands its role: comfort, parking and straightforward access to the destination.”
Quality Inn Spanish Fork North
“A conventional American road-trip overnight prioritising accessibility, simplicity and value.”
Quality Inn & Suites Downtown Walla Walla
“A practical downtown road-trip hotel with useful parking, accessibility and dependable basics.”
Red Lion Hotel Yakima Center
“A convenient overnight stay whose practicality compensates for areas where the property feels dated.”
InterContinental Real Guatemala
“The reliable heart of Zona Viva — corporate polish, serious security and one of the city's better breakfast spreads make this the sensible Guatemala City choice.”
Quiet, Clean and Comfortable Room
“A straightforward independent accommodation that succeeds through quiet surroundings, cleanliness and comfort rather than conventional hotel services.”
Radisson Blu Vancouver Airport Hotel & Marina
“A more characterful airport hotel than expected thanks to its marina setting and water views, although the overall experience remains driven primarily by practicality.”
The Ranchland Inn Kamloops
“A basic, practical road-trip overnight with useful access and reasonable value but limited refinement.”
AUTHENTIC STAYRegent Hotel Revelstoke
“A characterful mountain-town property that feels more distinctive than a conventional roadside chain hotel.”
BOUTIQUE DISTINCTIONAlong River Ridge
“A calm and personal alternative to Calgary's conventional hotel market, with a residential atmosphere and strong sense of retreat.”
Hoover Dam Lodge
“A functional desert base with a casino floor between you and your bed — but for Hoover Dam and Lake Mead access at this price, it does exactly what it needs to.”
SWISS RATED EXCEPTIONALSun Gardens Dubrovnik
“A large Adriatic resort whose strongest qualities are views, facilities, swimming, space and complete resort infrastructure. The scale reduces intimacy, but the setting gives the property a clear identity.”
AUTHENTIC STAYHotel Alpina
“Traditional Swiss hospitality in a dramatic alpine setting. The strength is not luxury but authenticity, location and regional atmosphere.”
SWISS RATED EXCEPTIONALHotel Museo Spa Casa Santo Domingo
“One of the defining properties in the entire archive. Historic ruins, museums, gardens and hospitality combine into an unusually powerful sense of place — the public spaces are arguably even more memorable than the guest rooms.”
AUTHENTIC STAYMundo Abu San Juan La Laguna
“A characterful Lake Atitlán stay whose strengths are personality, local atmosphere and sense of place rather than international hotel polish.”
BEST LOCATIONRadisson Blu Waterfront Hotel, Stockholm
“A highly functional Stockholm hotel with excellent Central Station access, polished operations and strong views from selected rooms. Less intimate than boutique alternatives, but consistently competent.”
VIP Executive Picoas Hotel
“A polished and practical Lisbon base that prioritises functionality over personality. Rooms are comfortable and the central positioning works well, but Lisbon offers stronger boutique choices for travellers seeking atmosphere or local character.”
ibis London City – Shoreditch
“A reliable East London base with excellent practical positioning. The product is recognisably ibis: efficient, uncomplicated and predictable rather than memorable.”
ibis budget Zurich Airport
“An airport overnight reduced to the essentials. Compact and basic, but coherent and practical for travellers who need a simple stay close to Zurich Airport.”