Europe works a little differently on this site. Rather than a country guide, this is a short list of hotels we would send friends to, spread across Italy, France, Greece, Portugal, Spain, the UK, Switzerland, and Austria and Germany. Some are grand old addresses, some are small family places, and a couple are newer houses that have earned their reputation quickly.
What they share is simple. Each one has a strong setting, whether that is a cliff above the sea, a lakeshore garden or a quiet street in a capital. Service is personal and well judged. And each feels like the place it is in, so you know you are in Liguria or Somerset or the Engadin. Where possible we lean toward hotels small enough that the staff learn your name by the second morning.
Most good Europe trips are built around two or three bases, not a checklist of cities. A week split between Lake Como and Portofino, or Paris and the Riviera, usually beats five hotels in ten days. Use the list below as a starting point and we can build the route around it.
At hotels like these, the room matters as much as the hotel. A sea view versus a garden view, a quiet wing versus one over the pool terrace, can change the whole stay, and we know which questions to ask. We also help you book the right season, since many of these places close for the winter and the best rooms for June and September go months ahead.
Where partner programs are available, booking through us can add perks such as breakfast, a hotel credit or an upgrade when one is free, at the same rate you would pay directly. Just as useful, we pair hotels into a route that makes sense, with sensible train or car links between them, so the trip has a rhythm instead of a string of check-ins.
Responsible travel in Europe is mostly about how and when you go. A few habits make a real difference to the places you visit.
Europe has a long travel season, and each part of it suits different trips.
Seasonal hotels reopen, gardens are at their best and the sea warms up by June. This is a lovely time for the Italian lakes, Tuscany, the Douro and Paris.
Long, hot days and full beaches. The Riviera, the Amalfi Coast and the Greek islands are at their liveliest and most expensive. The Alps are a good, cooler alternative.
Our favorite window for the Mediterranean. The sea is still warm, the light softens and the crowds thin. September is also harvest time in the vineyards.
Many coastal hotels close, but cities like London, Paris and Rome are quieter and full of life indoors. December through March is ski season in St. Moritz and the Bavarian Alps.
Greece rewards planning around one or two regions rather than every island. Athens and the Peloponnese hold the great ancient sites, and the Cyclades give you white villages and Santorini.
We usually start in Athens, then add the mainland and one island group. Late spring and early autumn are best.
Switzerland is a small country with big lakes, glaciated peaks, car-free mountain villages and some of the best trains in the world.
We plan it around two or three bases, usually one lake and one or two mountain valleys, traveling by rail. It works in winter for skiing and in summer for hiking and Alpine wildlife.
Spain has great cities, Moorish palaces, long Mediterranean coastlines and some of Europe's best food, with fast trains linking Madrid, Barcelona and Andalucía.
We usually pair a city or two with Andalucía and the coast near Marbella. Southern Spain also offers a real chance at the Iberian lynx.
France gives you a great city, serious food and wine, Mediterranean beaches and high mountains, all linked by fast trains.
We usually start in Paris and then head south. Most trips pair the city with Provence or the Riviera, and in summer we can add the French Alps for walking and wildlife.
Ireland is green, small and easy to travel, from Dublin to the Atlantic coast, where most people fall for it: sea cliffs, islands and good pubs in small towns.
We plan it around two or three castle and country house hotels linked by a private driver. It suits families and multigenerational groups.
The United Kingdom packs London, the West Country, Edinburgh and the Scottish Highlands into a small space, so one trip can cover a city, countryside and wild country.
We plan it around a few good bases rather than a long road trip, such as London, a Somerset country house and Scotland.
Every itinerary begins with a conversation. Tell us what you're dreaming of, and we'll design a journey tailored entirely to you.
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