As a team, we’re incredibly lucky to stay in plenty of incredible hotels across the world each year, meaning that each and every one of the hotels on this list of our favourites offers something spectacularly special.
But what makes a good hotel? “High-quality friendly service,” says CF’s beauty and wellness director Becki Murray, “often the best stays extend beyond the facilities and architecture. It’s how the place makes you feel that’s important, and that is so often influenced by knowledgeable, personable staff who can help you make the most out of your holiday”. CF’s managing editor Katie Silcox agrees, “staff need to be intuitive to guest needs, but not intrusive, it’s a hard balance” she says, adding that “pillows are also important – and bonus points for a pillow menu!”
“A hotel truly distinguishes itself when it doesn’t just occupy a place on the map, but fully engages with the soul of its destination,” says our founder, Sheena Bhattessa. “By thoughtfully integrating local design, art, cuisine, cultural experiences and collaborations with community partners, a property transforms from a generic place to rest your head into a meaningful chapter of a journey”.
Izza Marrakech is one of CF’s fashion feature’s director’s favourite hotel stays of the year
A sense of community ranks high for our fashion feature’s director Ella Alexander. “What I loved the most about Izza Marrakech is that it had the feeling of a (very wealthy) friend’s home,” she notes, adding that “its nickname ‘the house of friends’ really fits – there were so many communal spaces that were perfect for meeting kindred spirits, including a magical rooftop bar and restaurant.”
For junior culture editor Ella Mansell, it’s character or personality: “alongside great interior design and maybe even an interesting backstory, small touches like unique artwork, bespoke scents and collaborations with local artisans show consideration and really add to the overall atmosphere,” she says.
“In an era when experience defines travel, a hotel that genuinely reflects the character and stories of its surroundings offers something quite special,” concludes Sheena.
Spanning a tiny Caribbean island making big waves (Canouan) to Sicily, Sweden, the UK, two hotels in Greece, Madrid, Marrakech and the Maldives (no surprise here!), these are the CF team’s favourite hotel stays of 2025.
Sheena Bhattessa, Founder
Canouan Estate Villa, Canouan, The Caribbean
Canouan Estate Villa was undoubtedly one of the highlights of our travel year. When you’re looking for something to satiate the appetite of a two-year-old and a 70-year-old, its hard to find something all encompassing. You can’t go wrong with a beach, but plenty for children to do, along with excellent dining for the adults, is really key. Here, there’s a sense of space, privacy, and natural beauty that is breathtaking across the vast, lush grounds of Canouan’s private estate, expansive indoor-outdoor living, stunning views over the Caribbean, and a feeling of actually being ‘away from it all’. The kids could splash in the pool or explore the calm beach while we soaked in the sunset over world-class golf fairways, and every evening felt like a celebration of togetherness. The island’s broader luxury offering – with Soho Beach House Canouan just a short hop away for laid-back beach vibes and creative dining, and the ultra-refined Mandarin Oriental, Canouan for elegant meals, spa days and seamless service – made it the perfect family break where everyone got exactly what they wanted; a great way to find time to connect as a family.
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Katie Silcox, Managing Editor
Four Seasons Astir Palace, Athens, Greece
I kicked off the year at one of my favourite hotels in Greece: Four Seasons Astir Palace on the Athenian Riviera. I’ve previously stayed during the hotter months – when beaches, swimming pools and yacht trips take centre stage – so I was unsure how the hotel would feel over the winter season but it met (and exceeded) my expectations. The hotel is split into two sections, Arion and Nafsika (each only a two-minute walk from one another): we stayed in Nafsika – which is where the already impressive but very-festive-at-this-time-of-year Avra bar is located. Ideal for a pre-dinner cocktail before heading to any one of the wonderful on-property restaurants, including Beefbar (an all-time favourite, too), Matsuhisa, Michelin-star Pelagos, and Taverna 37, which offers a special winter menu comprising dishes like roast lamb with spinach and fennel, or a wild mushroom pappardelle with Greek truffle. Athens is generally warm enough at this time of year for outdoor walks, so it’s worth taking a stroll along the scenic coastline on the hotel’s doorstep, or perhaps to the new marina nearby (you can also take a golf buggy from the hotel) before heading for Ancient Greek-inspired treatments at the cosseting spa. Don’t believe me how impressive this hotel is? It came in at no. 17 in The World’s Best Hotel list this year, and is also the only hotel in Greece to be awarded three Michelin keys.
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Becki Murray, Beauty & Wellness Director
Anantara Kihavah Maldives
In my opinion, sun lounger by the sea-type holidays don’t come much more special than Anantara Kihavah in the Maldives. I checked in at the resort in November for my birthday with the sole aim of doing very little – and while that’s definitely possible, the resort offered even more than I was hoping for with its abundance of sea, sun and sand. I could easily have stayed in my over-water villa for the whole two weeks, so mesmerising was the ocean view from both the private pool and the bedroom, but the house reef (and an array of brilliant excursions, including to local islands and private sandbanks) enticed me out. Arguably one of the very best reefs in the Baa Atoll, which is itself a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve for marine life, I came face to face with turtles, sharks, stingrays and more fish than I could count simply by slipping into the crystal blue waters, straight from my room. Factor in the elegant underwater restaurant where you are likely to rub shoulders with one or two celebrities (although the resort is incredibly discreet), an incredibly pampering spa and a lively overwater bar, and it was the perfect recipe for a relaxing couples’ retreat. I boarded the seaplane back to the airport with my brain and body feeling totally recharged.
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Rachel Story, Style & Commerce Director
The Peligoni Club, Zakynthos, Greece
This year we took a memorable multi-generational trip with my whole family to The Peligoni Club in Zakynthos, Greece, to celebrate my parents’ ruby wedding anniversary – and it more than lived up to the hype. With four children under 10 in tow and 12 of us in total, it really catered for everyone. Not really a hotel as such, guests stay in villas nearby to the central club – a members-only space perched on the cliffside that has all the amenities on tap. My sister and her boyfriend could amble down to the club for a workout or a slow yoga session, before taking a romantic cool-off dip in the ocean; my nieces soon made friends and actually wanted to spend time in the kids’ club, where they would take part in water fights and tie-dye T-shirt competitions; and my two-year-old was well looked after in the crèche the day we went out on the Odyssey yacht for the day (sans kids!). During communal evenings in The Courtyard guests gather on long tables, dining on street food-style dishes or on an open-fire feast; it’s a great way to meet new people (and the party after the street food night is a must!). There’s so much to do for guests who like to stay active, but at the same time there’s zero pressure if all you want to do is fly and flop. There’s no beach, but the club hugs the coastline, and being able to dive straight into the ocean off the rocks is pretty special.
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Ella Alexander, Fashion Features Director
Izza Marrakech, Morocco & La Scibina in Marina di Ragusa, Sicily
There are two hotels that really stand out that I stayed at this year, and both totally different. The first is Izza Marrakech, a zen-like, beautiful riad with an arts focus. It feels like being in the home of a very well-connected, affluent friend, complete with two pools, a rooftop bar and restaurant and a library. Every room is different, each inspired by an artist or aesthete who once called Marrakech home, but a love of Moroccan craftsmanship and art is the uniting thread. I’ve been lucky enough to travel to Marrakech a few times, and this was by far my favourite place to stay. Later on in the year, during my annual trip to my beloved Sicily, my husband, son and I stayed in a hotel called La Scibina in Marina di Ragusa, a very pretty seaside town on the southeastern part of the island. If you’re looking for family-friendly accommodation that adults will love too, this is it. The rooms were calming and spacious with views of the sea (the beach was a 10-minute walk) and the pool, and there was a sweet play area for little ones. Breakfast was divine and all made on site, and the garden smelt of jasmine and rosemary. I didn’t want to leave!
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Bibiana Obahor, Head of Graphic Design
Jacy’z Hotel & Resort, Gothenburg, Sweden
I’m usually drawn to laid-back, resort-style holidays, so booking a city hotel isn’t an obvious choice, but Jacy’z Hotel & Resort in Gothenburg, Sweden completely changed my mind. Even though it’s in the heart of the city, it genuinely feels like a destination in its own right, blending high-energy entertainment with the kind of relaxation you’d expect from a far-flung resort. The standout for me (and many others) was the Pachanga Pool Club & Spa, perched high above the city with sweeping views across Gothenburg’s skyline. It’s the sort of place you could easily spend an entire day moving between the pool, the spa and a sun lounger, forgetting you’re in a city at all. But what really sets Jacy’z apart, though, is just how much there is to do. Spread across 27 floors, the hotel is packed with entertainment, from live performances and concerts, to an indoor golf simulator, a cinema, and six bars and restaurants to suit every mood. It’s rare to find a hotel that delivers this level of buzz while still offering genuine switch-off moments, but Jacy’z strikes that balance beautifully. If you’re after a city break that feels more like a resort escape, this is it.
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Ella Mansell, Junior Culture Editor
Brach Madrid, Madrid, Spain
A creative city break is one of my favourite ways to travel, especially because exploring capitals across Europe often feels like stepping back in time. For those who find themselves craving nostalgia (guilty), Brach Madrid is steeped in artistic references and histories that bring both the cultural pulse of Madrid (past and present) to life and make for a very enriching stay. The hotel opened earlier this year, as the latest (at the time) project by industry stalwart, architect Philippe Starck, and is built on the site of Palacio de Masserano (once the home of Victor Hugo). Inside, you’ll dine next to French and Spanish oil paintings, and books about El Greco, Velásquez, Goya, Dalí and Picasso, and sleep next to old flamenco instruments and hand-crafted ceramics. Plus, the bathrooms have a wonderfully moody vibe with their chocolate brown tiles and low lighting, while the intimate downstairs spa is gold… There is also a colourful rooftop bar come summer.
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Sadaf Quyoum,
Grantley Hall, Yorkshire, UK
Grantley Hall has a rare ability to feel both indulgent and deeply comforting, a true hidden treasure tucked away in the Yorkshire countryside. Having travelled mainly within the UK this year, it’s been especially rewarding to rediscover places closer to my family, that offer such a strong sense of escape without the long journey. The spa alone is reason enough to return, with serene pools, restorative treatments and an atmosphere of quiet luxury that instantly slows the pace of life. It makes the ideal retreat, striking that perfect balance between feeling removed from everyday life while still being wonderfully convenient. It’s also a place that works effortlessly for everyone, refined enough for rest and restoration, yet engaging for the teens, who always find their own sense of independence within the breathtaking grounds.
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