With summer around the corner, boutique hotels and grand resorts all over Europe are gearing up welcome guests travelling from near and far. For those who are seeking a memorable European getaway with friends or family, or lusting for that “Eat, Pray, Love” experience now that travel is back in full swing, there are endless options to choose from. Whether it’s a rooftop bar with a view in Florence or a chic design resort in Greece, Xhibition can suggest something for everyone.
Here are our top European hotspots for summer 2023:
For the old soul
HOTEL CALIMALA and ANGEL ROOFBAR & DINING, FLORENCE, ITALY
Since opening in 2020, ANGEL Roofbar & Dining has elevated both the 19th-century boutique hotel, Hotel Calimala (opened in 2019), as well as the foodie scene in Florence, Italy. Set on the fifth, sixth and seventh floors of the 38-room property, the destination dining rooftop restaurant has firmly become a much-loved gastronomic treasure to locals and guests alike.
Complete with unparalleled 360-degree views of Florence, ANGEL Roofbar & Dining has joined in the city’s new generation of exciting young chefs and has introduced the ultimate urban oasis to sample the city’s finest Mediterranean dining. More than just a hotel, Hotel Calimala has become a dining destination in and of itself with the addition of the ANGEL Roofbar & Dining, transforming the hotspot to one of the best in the region. Setting the hotel apart from other traditional properties, with live musical performances, weekend DJ sets and adapting itself through the day, ANGEL Roofbar & Dining debuted a new cuisine to the Florence foodie scene. With interior and exterior design by acclaimed London-based architect and interior designer, Alex Meitlis (designer of London’s popular Ottolenghi Restaurants), the hotel rooftop features both indoor and outdoor areas, framed by a central floral garden patio and plunge pool, making for a totally unique Italian experience. The green landscape elements were crafted and designed in collaboration with Vieri Torrigiani of the Torrigiani Family, taking inspiration from Florence’s iconic giardini and are designed to become a garden in the sky, unlike anything in the city.
For more information please visit www.hotelcalimala.com
For the nostalgic-hungry
THE REMIX HOTEL BY SAAR ZAFRIR DESIGN, PARIS, FRANCE
Located on the River Droite and designed by London-based Saar Zafrir Design, the ReMIX Hotel takes guests on a journey back in time, with colourful interiors reminiscent of the 1980s. The remodelled hotel encompasses 259 stylish rooms, a lobby bar and casual dining lounge, co-working space, meeting and banquet rooms and an old-school gaming area reminiscent of ’80s arcades. Upon entering, guests are greeted by a reception desk constructed from original cassette tapes slotted together and finished with a sophisticated marble top. The self-check-in facility is set into an original arcade machine, and in the lobby bar, a wall of old, analogue televisions stacked upon each other broadcast 24-hour content through advanced video mapping technology. The hotel offers a truly unique Parisian design concept, with 90% of the furniture having been up-cycled or custom-made by Saar Zafrir Design including neon wall signs, original artworks, wooden furnishings, light fixtures, and wallpapers and rugs referencing popular culture of the era.
For more information please visit www.saarzafrir.com
For the families
WYNDHAM GRAND CRETE MIRABELLO BAY, CRETE, GREECE
April brings the unveiling of Wyndham Grand Crete Mirabello Bay’s third and final renovation. New for 2023, the five-star resort will reveal the redesign of the final 108 rooms, which are set to feature an earthy colour palette and natural materials, including oak wood flooring and sophisticated black metal finishes. The new rooms will offer bungalow suites and rooms with far-reaching sea views and private pools and indoor jacuzzis, providing guests with the utmost comfort and privacy. The hotel’s main swimming pool will also be extended and finished with an impressive infinity overflow feature, and a floating platform will be constructed in the sea to better serve the water activity center. The resort olive grove surrounding the yoga platforms will be landscaped, and a new garden will be created growing aromatic native plants and herbs. Designed to be a maritime asylum for venturesome seafarers, Wyndham Grand Mirabello’s Marina ensnares guests with the gentle zephyr and the azure, almost transparent waters.
For more information please visit www.wyndhamhotels.com
For the design buff
ISLA BROWN CORINTHIA, GREECE
Isla Brown Corinthia, a new resort designed by Greek-based Elastic Architects, (Brown Hotels, Aman Hotels, Nobu, etc.) was recently awarded the Gold Prize by the International Design Awards (IDA) in their 2022 cycle celebrating exceptional architecture and interiors. Having opened this past June, Isla Brown Corinthia is the first ‘design resort’ by international hotel collection Brown Hotels and is also the collection’s first five-star property. Not far from Athens, the property offers breathtaking views of the Saronic Gulf and embodies whimsical, yet sophisticated interiors perfect for those looking for a fashionable Greek getaway. Originally built as the Hotel Hanikian in the 1970s, the fully modernised renovation incorporates organically-shaped wraparound balconies inspired by Greek mythology and evokes geological lava-like forms that appear to change shape as one circles the property. The resort offers 166 rooms and suites and 110 bungalows, a pool, events space, a rooftop bar and restaurant, a water sports centre, a private beach, and more.
For more information please visit www.brownhotels.com/corinthia
For the style savvy
ISLA BROWN CHANIA, CRETE, GREECE
Opening in May, Isla Brown Chania is the second property to launch under Brown Hotels’ “Isla Brown” line of luxury design resorts, following the opening of Isla Brown Corinthia in the summer of 2022. Ideally located just a 15-minute drive from Chania town, situated on the coastline with panoramic views that stretch across the Mediterranean Sea, Isla Brown Chania will present a fresh and contemporary five-star resort on the popular island of Crete just in time for the summer season. Designed by Greek architectural firm Liakos Associates Architects, Isla Brown Chania boasts a clean and organic design concept, championing the use of natural materials with a refined interior decor decorated in earthy tones. Opening with 148 spacious rooms and suites, many with the addition of private pools, the hotel has plans to introduce a further 29 rooms next year as the resort expands its offering. With three unique restaurant concepts, an outdoor bar and lounge area, a main swimming pool, a spa and wellness centre, and an event space, Isla Brown Chania is one of Greece’s most anticipated openings of the year.
For more information please visit www.brownhotels.com/crete/chania
For the art lover
LOCANDA LA RAIA, GAVI, ITALY
Locanda La Raia is a 180-hectare estate that includes a 12-room property and an outdoor art foundation in the picturesque hills of the Gavi region where sustainability, biodiversity, and homey Italian hospitality meet. The property is located in Southern Piedmont just a 90-minute drive from Milan Malpensa International Airport and is surrounded by the vineyards, pastures, and woods of the biodynamic farm La Raia, owned by the Rossi Cairo family. Each room is different from the other, furnished with 1600 and 1800s Piedmont pieces matched with contemporary design furniture.
The outdoor art foundation known as “Fondazione La Raia”, exhibits artworks permanently installed in La Raia’s vineyards and fields that explore the interconnectedness between the land, nature, and art. With a mission to combine art, culture, and the local territory, the Fondazione aims to protect and preserve the natural environment. Its thematic pursuits align with the trajectory followed by the Rossi Cairo 
family and La Raia Estate over the past two decades.
For more information please visit www.la-raia.it/en/locanda
For the inner sommelier
LOPOTA LAKE RESORT & SPA, KAKHETI, GEORGIA
Considered the birthplace of winemaking dating back 8,000 years ago, Kakheti has emerged as one of the most exciting and surprising wine destinations in the world. More than 200 wine varieties are described in this region, which is the hometown locavore Georgian grape varieties, including Rkatsiteli, Kakhetian Mtsvane, Khikhvi, Kisi, and Saperavi. The newly revamped Lopota Lake Resort & Spa is the most enticing property for guests to stay at, featuring 232 rooms and an indoor spa & wellness center, as well as an on-property wine chateau, multiple restaurants, a horse stable and vineyards that is home to the Châteu Buera, the property’s onsite winery and event space.
For more information please visit www.lopotaresort.com
