boutique hotels of Europe

Indonesian version published in Dewi, Aug 2008

Hôtel Monna Lisa

After attempting to get in touch with the artist within me by staying in cramped, musty albeit artistic Left Bank hotels, I was searching for an alternative. A converted 19th century townhouse, the Monna Lisa offered a haven of calm in the bustling city that is Paris. Tucked in a side street just off the boulevard de Champs Elysees, the hotel is within walking distance to the city’s best sights and is one of the most reasonably priced accommodations in the area. The twenty-two elegant rooms, all standard petite Parisian size are dressed in clean lines and modern furnishings are equipped with a wonderful jet power shower that is the heaven-sent remedy for any tourist who has walked the streets of gay Paree. Earthy tones and rich oak floors dominate the colour scheme of the hotel’s minimalist and clean-cut style while the gracious and accommodating staff gave the air of a family-run hotel. Following the theme of the famous Da Vinci painting, each room bears a close-up of a piece of the painting. My deluxe room itself contained a reproduction of Mona Lisa’s neckline.
For a tasty meal or a light aperitif, look no further than the bar-restaurant Caffe Ristretto, which adjoins the hotel lobby. Sit by the open windowsill, which overlooks rue de la Boetie and watch Parisians weave their elegant selves through the tourist crowds.

97, rue de la Boétie 75008 Paris
Tél : +33.1.56.43.38.38
http://www.hotelmonnalisa.com/

Isoco Pensione, Taormina

Walk down the winding roads past the old town of Taormina and look for yellow parasols and a silver wind-chime and you would have arrived at the Isoco Pensione, perhaps one of Sicily’s best-kept secrets. Draped in bougainvillea, this sunny guest house is a home away from home run by Michele, a local Sicilian who will treat you like family, make sure you are comfortable in his exquisite abode and go through every single question you may have about the best restaurants, beaches, theatre shows and even hiking trails around the town of Taormina.
That is considering you are even keen to leave his little piece of paradise where guests can choose from five charming rooms with names such as Botticelli, Keith Haring, Herb Ritts. Wilhelm von Gloeden and Pierre & Gilles. Each room is follows the colour theme and character of the famous artists they are named after.
I chose the Botticelli, the largest room in the pensione. The girl in me adored the room’s red chiffon drapes, curved chandelier and rose bedspread with a view that overlooked the Sicilian sea. Each room comes equipped with a kitchenette and a fridge always filled with your favourite fruits and yoghurts that Michele provides. A lush, romantic garden with a newly fitted hot tub is available for all guests.
Breakfast of fresh fruits, muesli, ham, eggs and toast is served every morning on the sunlit terrace with spectacular views of the sea. If you are lucky, the pensione’s tabby Caramelo will join you for a piece of your pastrami. Everything about Isoco Pensione is delightful, welcoming and beautifully thought of down to the colour schemes of each room to the personalized service Michele offers each traveller who walks into his pensione.

tel: +39 0942 23 679
Isoco Guest House
Via Salita Branco 2
98039 Taormina (ME)
Italy
http://www.isoco.it/

Locanda di Palazzo Cicala, Genoa

Originally housing the Cicala family of nobles in the mid-sixteenth century, this six room boutique hotel in the heart of Genoa’s historic city centre truly is a palace fit for the modern tourist who enjoys the melange of fresh, vibrant colours and contemporary shapes in a city steeped in culture (Cristoforo Colombo’s birthplace and the Palazzo Ducale are just around the corner). Situated in front of Piazza San Lorenzo, mornings chime in with the ringing of bells from the San Lorenzo cathedral and the hustle-and-bustle of the farmer’s market, where ripe blood oranges, local delicacies and the fervent aroma of Italian espresso awaits.
Locanda di Palazzo Cicala brings the boutique hotel concept to life being the first of its kind in Genoa. It offers all the amenities of a furnished apartment with modern amenities while preserving the original 16th century old façade of the Palazzo Cicala, including an impressive grand staircase and the original stucco decor that still exist in the high ceilings of each room. Italian designer furniture by Philippe Stark, Castiglioni, and Jasper Morrison juxtapose alongside antique pieces adorn the interior of the hotel, provides a delicious setting where the old and the new intertwine gracefully and complement each other. I was ushered into a spacious room fully kitted out with a magnificent view of the piazza, free internet and a cozy living room and kitchen. For breakfast, I sampled the appetizing buffet breakfast on offer although the fully stocked kitchen allowed me to try my hand at cooking my own Genoese delicacies and feel like a bonafide local for two nights. For the couple seeking privacy or high-flying business executive who take pleasure in the convenience of a travelling office, this place cannot be beat.
A tip – pack lightly as there is no lift in the locanda.

Palazzo Cicala
Piazza San Lorenzo
16 – 16123 Genoa
Italy
Tel: +39 010 251 8824
http://www.palazzocicala.it/

~ by Titania Veda on Tuesday, 15 July 08.