WEEBOBBY

For location the Intercontinental Bora Bora
For service the GHM villas at the Club @ The Legian Bali

porsche911

Resort - Sandy Lane
City - Pen NYC - had an amazing experience at this great hotel

Londonjetsetter

I have just returned from Grand Hotel a Villa Feltrinelli and I have to say it gets better each time. In my mind it is a notch above anywhere else I have stayed.

BLV

Sorry, Kage, just saw this.

My reservation was made through London friends who are members at Morton's. Not sure about balcony tables, even though we sat next to the window (but it was dark inside & out). And just a slight OT, while the dining room is interesting only because of its art, food was so mediocre, and in one instance so over-salted, that I wouldn't come back there to eat (or actually ever, because I don't understand the place's appeal to begin with ).

P.S. Just scrolled through my iPhone photos and looks like there are tables on the balcony.

Groombridge

I'm curious what room you booked this time. I haven't been since 2009 . . . can't believe it's been 5 years. So glad to hear it's only improved, as I'd worried that somehow time would be taking its toll on the hard product.

Londonjetsetter

We couldn't stay away from La Limonaia in the end and we loved it even more this time. Everything was immaculately maintained and some things improved, for example a new music system for the rooms. Northern Italy has had a shocking summer, but we were lucky enough to catch a string of warm sunny days, so the terrace was perfect. We travelled with friends who stayed in the main house in Occidentale and that was lovely too, albeit smaller. The highlight of the trip was, again, our day out on the lake on one of the Villa's boats. They seem to have more options than I remember from last time. The staff is incredible - there has been very little turnover and they appear to love their jobs.

Looking back at the bill, some of the pricing is slightly excessive (e.g. 27 euros for a gin and tonic and 9 euros for a double espresso....), but somehow it all seems worth it when you are there.

TRAVELSIG

Indeed this is correct. +1000 on the "shocking summer" part.

Glad to learn you were able to grab a few summer days this year!

Also- we have had the same reports from friends that Feltrinelli is maintaining its very high standards and is still very much a destination at Garda.

quitecontrary

I hope that summer is continuing there for the next week - we're flying into Marco Polo tonight and out of Malpensa next Friday!

Londonjetsetter

We had been in Siracusa in Sicily for a week beforehand (which we loved) and the weather there was perfect. The forecast for Garda had been horrendous for several days and we were wondering if we should just stay in Sicily, but luckily the clouds cleared just as we arrived and it stayed sunny the whole time.

Enjoy!

TRAVELSIG

At least Monday, Wednesday, and Friday next week look good with Tuesday having a good chance and Sunday being Sunny. Temperatures all week should have lows around 16 and highs around 25-26.

Back on topic- I have debated with Mrs. Travelsig on our best hotels and what it has come down to is she likes familiarity and excellent F&B with also a balance between what she calls an "easy" atmosphere yet with good attention to detail.

Her favorite therefore remains the Four Seasons Bangkok where everyone from the GM to the bell staff have seen us at the hotel enough to really know what we like and do not.

I tend to go for "non chain" hotels in many cases- yet this summer I had an absolutely perfect stay (as in not one flaw) at the FS Koh Samui.

Previously in Europe we like Feltrinelli (much discussed here), a couple of little places in the Dolomiti and around Merano, and we have had very good consistent experiences at the FS Geneva.

Best is very relative and difficult to hit on "one place".

Enjoy your stay in Italy with some great food and wine that fortunately are not temperature dependent!

I would say though in general the concentration of "best hotels" would tend to lean heavily towards SE Asia in general.

HKTraveler

Travelsig, aside from Villa Feltrinelli, do you have other favorite hotels in the Milan, Venice, Alba area? Am thinking about making a road trip to the area and would like to build the itinerary around good hotels and restaurants. Villa Feltrinelli and the Aman Venice both look amazing and would definitely like to visit those two

TRAVELSIG

A lot of favorite properties!

Here are three starters. I would tend in these areas to concentrate more on restaurants and then find something nearby to stay at. For example- if you are a food enthusiast then a lunch or dinner at La Calandre is surely worth a stop: http://www.alajmo.it/sezione.asp?pag...dre&lingua=ing

Cuneo I don't know so well so will leave to someone else.

And this is a big area to cover. Not all are luxury properties- and Treviso is even a B and B (although quite upscale)- so do study what you want- a lot are just great places to relax, reflect, and recharge.

Here are three good choices- apart from the Four Seasons Milano the other two don't get a lot of coverage here:
Milano- Four Seasons.
Asolo- Villa Cipriani.
Treviso- Maison Matilda.

robyng

Thank you for clearing up my muddled memories! I have always recalled that we stayed in a place in a small town near Venice that had the same name as another hotel we stayed at. And I also recalled that it was called Villa San Michele. Wrong <smacking head> (which is why I never could find the place on line). It was Villa Cipriani in Asolo. The place wasn't the best place we've ever stayed. But it was a very pleasant property with good food in a charming small town. We took a couple of day trips out into the country during our stay there. Very scenic with long lazy excellent lunches (even though I couldn't remember the name of the hotel - I remember a meal in the countryside like it was yesterday - glorious little birds roasted to perfection - amazing pasta - etc. - I don't think we ever had a bad meal in Italy ).

Is Asolo still a charming small town? When we stayed there - it was really small (my husband lost a filling and we had to go to another town to see a dentist - Asolo didn't have a dentist). The rooms look like they're been upgraded substantially since our stay (a long time ago). And - if the food is still as good as it was (or better) - then I agree it would be a nice place to stay for a couple of days. Robyn

robyng

We once did a 3 week driving trip in this part of the world. Started in Milan - and then spent a while north of Milan in the "Lake District" before heading to Villa Cipriani. I thought the Lake District was extremely beautiful (especially some of the gardens - and especially those in the Borromean Islands - http://www.vancouversun.com/homes/to...461/story.html) - and would definitely make it part of my itinerary. My experience is too ancient to comment intelligently on places to stay/dine these days so I'll leave it to others to make recommendations in those departments.

BTW - my husband and I are still thinking about our best hotel experiences (exclusive of location and fine dining dinner/lunch options - but including things like breakfast - service - and other hotel-specific amenities). No clear winner. But FS Tokyo and the Beverly Hills Hotel are right up there.

I agree with TRAVELSIG that in many parts of the world - especially when you're not in a big city - it's best to pick your food first - and then find a place to stay. Many of our best stays have been in "restaurants with rooms" - where the food was fabulous but the rooms were often nothing to write home about and - in some cases - really laughable. Robyn

TRAVELSIG

Asolo is still a very charming town. There are a few dentists (and even a hospital)- population in the surrounding area is about 20,000. If you travel just a few km you will also arrive at larger towns including Bassano Del Grappa, Castelfranco Veneto, Montebelluna, and of course Treviso.

The hotel is undergoing an overall upgrade program which include this year the addition of a swimming pool- the swimming pool won an award as best swimming pool project (luxury) addition in Italy!

Food is excellent also in the surrounding area- I highly recommend Osteria Bellavista, Locanda Baggio, and the in town Bistrot, and Tappobar ristorante for example.

If driving from Villa Feltrinelli- barring any exceptional traffic it should be just around 2-2.5 hours to arrive at Asolo if not much less.

Personally this whole area warrants a visit to Merano and the surroundings which have a number of not quite luxury places to stay but restaurants that more than make up for it.