Boutique hotels in Rome tend to be classic in style, rather than contemporary and trendy, but Hotel Dharma is a beautiful exception. It is minimalist in style, but if you have a closer look you see every detail is in place and the overall look is very classy. You can see a holistic mentality behind the concept. Natural materials and modern designer furniture are used, providing a harmonious and ambient setting. The philosophy of the hotel is also reflected in the services and amenities it provides, such as light therapy, or bio-fireplace, Feng Shui water, steam bath and Jacuzzi in the rooms.

The rooms, decorated in an elegant Japanese style, are very spacious and provide all the comfort one needs. Apart from the unique facilities already mentioned, there are a good sized bed, air-conditioning, flat screen TV, wi-fi, mini-bar and tea/coffee making facilities in the rooms. The emphasis is on well-being, in accordance with the hotels Zen approach. It’s a perfect place to relax and recharge after a tiring sighseeing day or a night out.

Located in the center of Rome near the elegant Via Nazionale and Piazza della Repubblica, Hotel Dharma is perfectly located to discover the wonders of the Eternal City. Places of interest such as the Teatro dell’Opera, the Colosseum, the Historic Center, the Trevi Fountain or the Spanish Steps are within easy walking distance. The hotels location is also convenient to catch transport to sights further away, such as the Vatican, as well as the airport shuttle buses and trains at Termini station.

Well located, unique and classy, Hotel Dharma is also very reasonably priced. If someone is after something different and a memorable stay, it is the place!

Hotel Dharma

Via Torino, 122
00184 Roma, Italy

Website: http://www.dharmahotel.it/

A pretty new face on the chic and sometimes unconventional Paris designer boutique hotel scene, Hotel Original has just opened its doors recently. Located a couple of minutes from the historic and charming Marais quarter around Place des Vosges and the busy, vibrant and eclectic Bastille area, the hotel is in an excellent spot in the center of the Right Bank. It is near the tourist attractions but also to the authentic Paris, with its bohemian life.

Step inside the hotel and you enter a world of fantasy and poetry. Created by famous designer Stella Cadente, the rooms present the feel of a magic forest, mermaid paradise or Alice in Wonderland. The tyle, in any case, is striking and magical. Combined with luxurious facilities, comfort and an excellent service, Hotel Original is the ideal place for those who want something different, but also the highest standards.

Hotel Original is a wonderful artistic creation, it stands in one of the trendiest Parisian quarters and, as a bonus, it offers very reasonable rates. It is a magical experience at an affordable price that will be long remembered.

Hotel Original

8, boulevard Beaumarchais – 75011 Paris

Website: www.hoteloriginalparis.com

If price matters but you don’t want to be way out in the outer districts of Paris, an excellent option on the Left Bank is the 2-star Grand Hotel Jeanne D’Arc. Located near the Seine river, the cute island of Ile Saint-Louis, the lively Rue Mouffetard area, the famous Sorbonne University, the magnificent Pantheon and other top attractions, the hotel is a great base to explore a big portion of Paris on foot – and for the rest of Paris there is the convenient metro system. There are four metro stations within a short walk, and also a RER line at the Austerlitz Railway Station a little further. It’s a lively district, and entertainment, shops and great food are all around.

The hotel is quite simple as far the interior design is concerned, it is not one of those extravagant designer boutique hotels for sure. For those, however, who just need a decent room to stay it is perfect. Rooms are good sized with Paris standards, clean and comfortable. For a budget place Grand Hotel Jeanne D’Arc is really well equipped with flatscreen TV and telephone in the rooms, room service, free internet in the lobby and a lift.

Despite the great location and services not expected normally in 2-star hotels, Grand Hotel Jeanne D’Arc offers rooms at very reasonable rates, making it one of the best places for the budget traveler.

Grand Hotel Jeanne D’Arc **

43, boulevard St Marcel 75013 Paris

http://grandhoteljeannedarcparis.com/

One of the best holiday destinations in the Mediterranean is undoubtedly Tel Aviv in Israel – it’s Middle Eastern yet Western, traditional yet cosmopolitan, laid back yet lively. The weather is perfect all year round and it is a city far from the troubles of other parts of the region. Tel Aviv is famous for its long stretches of golden beaches, but also for its high energy cultural life and it’s also a major business center. And so it offers plenty of accommodation, from very basic to the luxurious. Belonging to this later group, the Savoy Tel Aviv is a very stylish and trendy place, a contemporary designer hotel with a unique character. Located only 25 meters from the beach and 200 meters from the Promenade, the 4-star hotel is also close to the commercial and cultural center of the city, and attractions such as Sheinkin Street, the Carmel Market, the Tel-Aviv Marina, Old Jaffa port, Dizengoff Center Mall or the Hatachana Compound are all an easy and short stroll away.

Location apart, the hotel stands out for its striking modern design, high level of service and state-of-the-art facilities. It offers 55 stylish designer rooms, ranging from standard single and double to self-contained studio rooms, complete with a kitchenette, queen size bed and Jacuzzi. All the rooms are equipped with cutting-edge technology, such as flat-screen LCD TV, free Wi-Fi, smart panel for lap-top computers, as well as other amenities including air-conditioning, tea and coffe-maker, mini-bar and safety-box. All the rooms have their own private balcony, the studio rooms actually two – one with a city view the other with a sea-view. A unique service is the free bicycle rental, especially handy for guests staying longer. A hearty breakfast is included in the rate, and the staff is attentive, knowledgeable and friendly.

Ideal for both business and leisure travelers alike, the Hotel Savoy Tel Aviv provides class, stunning design, comfort and practicality with a tranquil atmosphere, in one of the best possible locations of the city at a very reasonable price.

The Savoy Tel Aviv ****

5 Geula St. Tel-Aviv - 61049 Israel

Website: http://hotelsavoy.co.il/

In the charming medival Italian city of Firenze – Florence – a new 4-star contemporary designer hotel is opening soon. Hotel Loft Florence is expected to add a trendy and unique new style to the available designer hotel choices in Italy. Opening is expected in the summer of 2012 – we don’t have the exact dates but stay tuned, we will visit the hotel as soon as it has opened and report on it. For now all we have is this visualization.

Bookings are accepted if you are not afraid to take a chance and want to be one of the first to discover the hotel. Contact the hotel for details.

Loft Hotel Florence ****

Via San Quirico, 250,
50013 Campi Bisenzio Firenze, Italy

Website: http://hotelleloft.com/

Hotel Urquinaona, in the center of Barcelona, gets only 1 star, but as far as quality, style and service are concerned it definitely deserves more. The location is also great on Plaza Urquinaona, just meters away from the modernist buildings of Gaudi and the trendy boutiques and shops of Paseo de Gracia. Plaza Catalunya, the Ramblas, Palau de la Musica, Ciutadella Park and other top Barcelona sights are a short walk away. There is also a metro stop at the hotel as well as taxi and bus stops, providing direct access to other Barcelona attractions such as Montjuic, Tibidabo, Park Güell or the National Museum of Catalonia. It is an attractive and lively location with superb restaurants, cafés and bars, although it’s quieter than the touristy Rambla. The area is absolutely safe.

Budget hotels are very simple usually and guests don’t expect from a 1-star hotel all the amenities and services Hotel Urquinaona offers. The rooms, located on five floors with elevator access, range from single to double and triple. They are spacious, comfortable and modern with a minimalist yet elegant look. All rooms are equipped with air-conditioning, satellite plasma TV, refrigerator, telephone, free Wi-Fi, private bathrooms  and safety deposit box, and some of the rooms got a private balcony. In the building of the hotel there is a renowned Barcelona restaurant and wine bar, the Cullera de Boix, serving great Catalan and international cuisine and a wide selection of wines.

If you are looking for a decent budget hotel in a good Barcelona location, with Hotel Urquinaona you will get much more than you expect. You will get services and amenities of a higher standard hotel, but at a more affordable price.

Hotel Urquinaona *
Ronda de Sant Pere, 24
08010 Barcelona

Website: http://www.hotelurquinaona.co.uk/

Plaça Catalunya is the most emblematic location in Barcelona’s center, an interesting and lively public square a short walk from the city’s top tourist sights, entertainment and the main shopping streets. But Barcelona is a crazy place and one needs some peace and quiet as well. In a busy location such as Plaça Catalunya it is indeed a real treasure to find a hotel like the 4-star Hotel Olivia Plaza, a secluded tranquil oasis in the city.

Hotel Olivia Plaza, right on Placa Catalunya, is in a new building and its exterior is not revealing too much. However, stepping inside, the contemporary designer atmosphere is captivating – and then you discover the hidden secrets. There is a peaceful, green inner garden surrounded by the stone walls of a Romanesque church – it is really an “unexpected surprise”. Then there is the state-of-the-art cyber corner and an ambient relaxation room with a library. The hotel also has an excellent restaurant with great food, and also an intimate bar. There are also business facilities and banquet/ meeting rooms.

The 113 hotel rooms are all very good sized, with the atmosphere of a futuristc studio apartment – minus the kitchen. The modern décor and furnishing are stunning, and so is the bathroom separated elegantly by a glass wall. The rooms offer a spectacular view on Placa Catalunya below and the skyline of Barcelona beyond, but the double glazed floor-to-ceiling windows and the air-conditioning guarantee a good night’s sleep. Reasonably priced for the class and style alone, Hotel Olivia Plaza stands in the best possible locations of Barcelona, offering a tranquil retreat – a priceless quality indeed.

Hotel Olivia Plaza ****
Plaça Catalunya 19.
08002. Barcelona

Website: http://www.oliviahotels.es/

Located right across from Teatro Dell’Opera and a minute from the Repubblica metro station, the 3-star Hotel Selene Roma is in a convenient spot. On one hand the Termini station is a short distance, providing access to trains, airport shuttle buses, trams and metro and sights further away, such as the Vatican. At the same time the charming Centro Storico or Historic Centre, the Colosseum, the Spanish Steps or the Trevi Fountain are an easy walk away. There are many cafes, restaurants, bars in the area, cute neighborhood markets, little streets, piazzas and old churches.

The hotel is in a nicely renovated historic residential building, probably from the 1800s, that has retained its beautiful old look from outside. The interior however is modern, with spacious, comfortable, well equipped and spotlessly clean rooms ranging from single to quadruple family rooms. The décor is elegant but reserved – it’s not a trendy ultra contemporary boutique hotel but a classic Italian hotel with a homely atmosphere. In the rooms there are air-conditioning, flat screen TVs, Wi-Fi, telephone and all those things that make a stay even more pleasant. In the price a hearty buffet breakfast is included, served in the dining room.

The staff are very knowledgeable, helpful and attentive, always at the service of guests. Hotel Selene Roma is renowned for its excellent service, it gets rave reviews on the different hotels forums. It is the perfect place for a memorable stay in Rome.

Hotel Selene Roma ***
Via del Viminale, 10
00184 Rome

Website: http://www.hotelseleneroma.it/

Those wanting to be close to all the action Barcelona offers, the 3-star Hotel Moderno BCN is a perfect choice. It’s located just 20 meters off from the city’s most famous and liveliest joint, Las Ramblas – you can even see a section of it from the balcony of some of the hotel rooms. Despite being so near to the Rambla, the hotel is peaceful at night, as it is in a quiet little street.

The rooms are modern, simple and functional. You find everything you need, such as air-conditioning, free Wi-Fi, satellite TV and telephone. The rooms and bathrooms are well kept, spotlessly clean. The staff at the reception is very attentive, helpful and knowledgeable. The price includes a hearty buffet breakfast and on the street level there is great restaurant serving excellent Catalan, Spanish and international dishes.

It’s a very popular hotel and seems to get steadily good reviews on the different forums – the secret is in the location, friendliness and price. It is indeed a great mid-range hotel, in one of the best possible Barcelona locations, and guests who staye here tend to come back – as friends.

Getting there:

- Aerobus shuttle and Tourist Bus stop 300 meters (Plaza Cataluña)
- the Liceu metro station is 50 meters (line 3 – green)

Hotel Moderno BCN ***

Carrer de l’Hospital, 11
08001 Barcelona

Website: http://www.hotelmodernobcn.co.uk/

I decided to talk about a hotel which is not open, and I haven’t even seen any pictures. Yes, for real.
Why? Because the hotel Fusion might be a unique hotel, and I actively  follow its news ( notably with its starting Facebook fan page ).
The hotel Fusion will open its doors in a few months , in 2012 (the definite date hasn’t been disclosed). It’s located in Prague, the capital of Czech Republic. By the way, Prague is more and more popular in terms of tourism, and that because, first, it’s a lovely city (okay, not in every districts…), the prices are more than affordable, and also, because Prague is known for being awesome to party!

The hotel Fusion will be a “concept hotel“. Indeed, the customers will have the choice between either a basic and cheap room, with a simple decoration, or on the contrary, a very modern and design room.
Therefore, the originality is to offer, in one establishment, such different rooms. Different by the decoration but also by the rates. However, the idea had ever been used by the Ace Hotel, in NYC.
To be continued…

Here’s the official website of the Fusion, which is, unfortunately, still under construction : http://fusionhotelprague.com/