Pumphouse Point
Tasmania
As striking as the settings in a brooding film noir, the scenery around Tasmania’s Lake St Clair is probably why these untouched landscapes are now protected World Heritage areas.Tourism is closely allied to the natural environment, so contemporarydesign-led lodgings are few and far between.
One hotel for your travel bucket list is Pumphouse Point, an architectural relic left over from Tasmania’s industrial past. The main building, an Art Deco waterworks, lies 275 metres out on the lake and contains 12 minimally decorated bedrooms.
Though it’s special to sleep over the water, we’re most excited by The Retreat, a new private suite on the shoreline with dramatic glass walls and two bathtubs for soaking under the stars.
In the know:
Explore the magnificent outdoors: hiking,b iking, dinghies, fishing.
Eat delicious Tasmanian cuisine at the hotel’s Shorehouse restaurant.
Leave the kids at home. Pumphouse Point operates a no-under-18s policy to preserve the tranquil atmosphere.
Book itStandard rooms from £150 a night.
Shinola Hotel
Detroit, USA
The staggeringly rapid regeneration of this once all but forgotten American industrial city is showing no signs of slowing down. Millennials – and other finger-on-the-pulse creative types – are flocking to Detroit for its tempting mix of affordable real estateand growing enterprise opportunities.
At the heart of the city’s renewal is American brand Shinola, best known for its luxurious but hipster-friendly watches, bikes and leather goods. The brand’s first hotel is exhibiting some serious style credentials.
Housed inside three renovated historic buildings, the art-strewn interiors include inviting living spaces littered with mid-century seating and impressive bedrooms where soaring arched windows gaze over the bustling street below.
This high-design hotel is a perfect reflection of the city around it: legacy bones finding buzzy new life.
In the know:
Discover the exciting work of local artists at Detroit Artists Market.
Eat an Italian feast of ’nduja octopus and wood-fired pizza at the hotel’s San Morello restaurant.
Drink the afternoon away at Old Miami, the original Detroit dive bar.
Book itDouble rooms from £190.
Palazzo Bozzi Corso
Puglia, Italy
Spurred on by the successful launch of their first Puglian venture, Lecce’s La Fiermontina, brother-and-sister double act Antonia Filali and Giacomo Fouad have expanded, snapping up the grand 18th-century Palazzo Bozzi Corso, an architectural wonder full of baroque flourishes.
The interiors, designed by French practice Laboratoire Design Rabat, are a sharp contrast to the building’s bones. Think a clean, contemporary celebration of some of the great names of modern design.
Expect seating by Italian design god Gio Ponti, lighting by Le Corbusier and a general smattering of the family’s eclectic art collection.Dinner courtesy of the palazzo’s chef, served under the stars in a secret garden, is a particular treat.
In the know:
Take a leisurely dip at the nearby sister hotel’s stylish pool.
Visit the Museo Faggiano to discover 2000 years of Italian history.
Explore the baroque architectural marvels of Lecce, which has justifiably earned the accolade ‘Florence of the South’.
Book itRooms from around £380 a night.
The Datai, Langkawi
Malaysia
Legendary in the world of exotic destination hotels, this nature retreat, located in the Langkawi archipelago off the coast of Malaysia, has recently re-emerged after a top-to-toe renovation. The refresh introduced a new spa hidden within the jungle, updated restaurants and restyling of the bedrooms.
Guests can take their pick from three collections of rooms – though the beach suites set on the white sands of Datai Bay are tempting with their private pools and stunning views over the Andaman Sea, our favourites are those up in the rainforest, surrounded by tropical foliage.
Jewel in the hotel’s crown is its new nature centre, offering activities such as guided hikes and mangrove kayaking, all led by the hotel’s crack team of expert naturalists.
In the know:
Eat local cuisine at The Gulai House, one of the hotel’s five restaurants.
Relax by the chic infinity pool and admire the exotic forest backdrop.
Splash out on a cruise around Langkawi aboard the Naga Pelangi, the hotel’s traditional Malay sailing junk.