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WINNERS OF THE
MR & MRS SMITH HOTEL AWARDS 2018
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SINGAPORE
January
blues be banished – it’s time for hotel lovers the world over to raise their glasses to the winners of the Mr
& Mrs Smith Hotel Awards… And the first to be popping corks will be
Provençe’s art-packed escape, Villa La Coste, named Best Smith Hotel 2018 –
the judges and the public alike swayed by its elegant design, artistic endeavours, first-class fare and
creative caché.
The globetrotting panel of
travel-savvy judges – including fashion designers Jenny Packham and Olivia von
Halle, Asia’s very own chef Willin
Low and bar guru Zdenek Castanek
– have also crowned a further 11 boutique beauties in a range of other
categories, from World’s Sexiest Bedroom to Best Date-Night Bar and, for the first time this year, Best Smith Villa to show-off an ever-growing collection of private group getaways.
With winners dotted around
the world – from the Chilean desert to the Japanese mountains; Icelandic
backwaters to Manhattan avenues – it’s a ready-made holiday hotlist for the new
year.
‘As
a travel club, we like to do things a little differently – our awards are a
chance to champion those one-of-a-kind places that have made a real impact on
us. This year we’re celebrating 12 of the world’s best stays with incredible
stories to tell. If you’ve ever asked us for travel tips, consider this our
ultimate must-visit list for 2018 (featuring our villa collection for the first
time). We hope it inspires a memorable year of adventures. –
James Lohan Co-founder, Mr & Mrs Smith
AND
THE WINNERS ARE….
Best Smith Hotel
Villa La Coste Provence, France
‘As the only category voted for by
the public, Best Smith Hotel is a serious accolade. Villa La Coste is new on
the boutique-hotel circuit but has since become a firm favourite. With it's
cutting-edge design, arresting architecture and amazing art collection, it’s a
very well-deserved winner – one of the most impressive boltholes on our books.’
–
James Lohan Co-founder,
Mr & Mrs Smith
Best-Dressed Hotel
Le Roch Hotel & Spa Paris, France
‘Having spent nine straight nights
in this hotel during Paris Fashion week, I must say I wanted to stay nine more.
Its location is perfect, the decor is elegant, it’s chic yet cosy and the
service was perfect.’ – Jake Rosenberg Founder, The Coveteur
World’s Sexiest Bedroom
Soneva Jani, Maldives
‘One button on this
retractable roof stands between you and post coital stargazing. Did I mention
you're lying on a bed in the middle of the ocean? If that’s not sexy I don't
know what is.’ – Olivia von Halle Fashion designer
Best Date-Night Bar
Roxy Hotel NYC, US
‘The cocktail list is
impressive at the Roxy: the perfect harmony between cool and laid-back. The
lounge area makes you feel like you’re in someone’s living room yet when the
jazz starts playing you feel like you’ve been transported back in time.’ – Laura
Jackson Presenter and author
Best Gourmet Getaway
Zaborin
Niseko,
Japan
‘The
food from Yoshihiro Seno is as pure and as well thought out as the hotel. He
draws from his own experience of ‘kaiseki‘
and ‘washoku‘ techniques and makes good use of local produce including his own
grown ingredients. Guests are in for a delightful journey in taste.’ –
Tom Aikens Chef and author
Most Spoiling Spa
Les
Sources de Caudalie Bordeaux, France
‘As if having
developed an exceptional product range wasn’t enough, this spa nails a holistic
approach with treatments that really deliver.’ - Nick Shelton Founder, Broadsheet Media
Best Smith Villa
Annandale Scrubby Bay Pigeon Bay, New Zealand
‘Seclusion is the new
opulence, so this remote villa – situated on a lake in an extinct volcano, with
working farm and superb eco credentials – is truly off-the-grid. The ultimate
good-for-the-soul retreat. (Plus: cashmere pyjamas!)’ – Lee
Tulloch Travel Editor, Vogue Living
Best Pool with a View
Tierra Atacama Hotel & Spa Atacama Desert, Chile
‘This really is an
escape from it all. The mountainous landscape looks almost lunar, and is so
peaceful you could be forgiven for imagining yourself on another planet
altogether. I think the natural wood and furniture design sits in harmony really
beautifully with the landscape around you – it embraces it rather than trying
to fight it. Fab.’ –
Lauren Laverne Broadcaster and founder of The Pool
Above & Beyond
Chamba Camp Thiksey Himalayas, India
‘Absolutely magical eco-friendly glamping in palatial tents with
panoramic vistas of mountain-top
monasteries by the foothills of the Himalayas in Ladakh.’ – Johannes
Pong Travel writer
Best Family Hotel
Taylor River Lodge Crested Butte, US
‘If you are an
adventure family that loves the outdoors but wants to experience a holiday
where you also feel looked after, treated and the workload is non existent,
this is the place. An incredible location this is truly the perfect scenario
for the whole family to connect to each other and the unparalleled landscape
that is Colorado.’ –
Sheree Commerford Founder,
Captain & The Gypsy Kid
Coolest Creative Hub
Public NYC, US
‘The clue’s in the name: Public is
truly a hotel for the people. It dispenses with hotel frills to focus on the
communal – the co-working lobby space, the city-spying rooftop bar, the
multicultural kitchen, the local-loving boutique, the basement nightclub – and
has rightly become a honeypot for creative types as a result’ – Richard MacKichan Editor, Mr & Mrs Smith
Dedon Island Resort Siargao Island, Philippines
‘Not only is this
place perfect for completely unwinding in paradise, they also take great care
in making sure their carbon footprint is minimal by using solar power,
composting, growing their own produce and reducing the use of plastic
materials. Additionally, the owner of the hotel has a foundation to support
local community projects, therefore everything on the hotel property is crafted
by locals – how cool is that?’ –
Phoebe Dahl Founder and CEO, Faircloth + Supply
Mr
& Mrs Smith
Mr & Mrs Smith is the travel
club for hotel lovers: an award-winning boutique-hotel booking service
specialising in the world’s most seductive stays. Founded in 2003, there are
now more than 1,000 boutique and luxury hotels in the collection, all
hand-picked and anonymously reviewed. With Smith you’ll get the best prices
guaranteed, free extras on arrival and round-the-clock service from Smith24,
our in-house travel specialists. The collection now also includes luxury villas,
bespoke itineraries and unique experiences, too. Go to mrandmrssmith.com to
browse and book.