How I choose hotels
Location first: I want to be able to set off on foot in the morning. Then the reviews – from 8.5 on Booking.com it gets interesting for me, and I read the critical voices above all. The hotels below passed this test – and then won me over on site.
Recently tested
December 2024 to February 2026 – with my own photos.
Boutique hotel in a historic building, 300 metres from the Gran Vía – the perfect base for a Madrid weekend.
Early 20th-century grand hotel right on the Ligurian coast – with pool, gourmet restaurant and the station five minutes’ walk away.
Five stars with indoor pool and spa at the foot of the medieval Cité of Carcassonne.
Five-star resort high above Vale Covo bay – cliff views, spa and a breakfast that deserves the name.
Design hotel in the creative Lend district – rooftop terrace, art in the room and the old town within walking distance.
Modern hotel at the main station with garage – ten minutes to the old town, ideal for a road trip by car.
Beach hotel of the Marriott Autograph Collection right on the Mediterranean – pure peace, even in December.
Iceland – once around the island
Six hotels along the Ring Road, tested myself. More about the trip on the Iceland page.
Two kilometres from the Blue Lagoon, 20 minutes from the airport – the perfect first or last night in Iceland.
130 rooms on the historic Lækjargata, right in the centre – spa with rooftop terraces and an open kitchen in the restaurant.
45 minutes from Reykjavík in the geothermal town of Hveragerði – with a food hall in the building and the warm river Reykjadalur on the doorstep.
Between Skaftafell and the glacier lagoon Jökulsárlón – hot tubs, sauna and a sky without light pollution.
The former hospital of French fishermen from 1903, today a hotel with museum – and European Heritage Award 2016.
Family-run country hotel 20 minutes from Húsavík – hot tubs, Icelandic dinner with lamb and char, horses on the doorstep.
Sardinia – my favourite island
Six hotels from north to south, all tested myself. More about the island on the Sardinia page.
Costa Smeralda without Porto Cervo prices: several buildings in the typical style between granite and maquis, 600 metres to the beach.
Family resort on three hectares of maquis, 400 metres from its own beach and 15 kilometres from Olbia airport.
One kilometre from the Catalan old town of Alghero – with 25-metre pool, gym and restaurant.
Family hotel behind the mountains of Cala Gonone, two steps from the Grotta di Ispinigoli and ten minutes from the beach.
The emptiest coast of the island: five minutes’ walk to the beach, view of the little harbour – and dogs are welcome.
Colonial style in the heart of Villasimius – terrace with pool, breakfast from the family farm, two kilometres to the beaches.
Switzerland & Alps
Right on the piste, quietly located and with a genuine Engadin panorama – my first choice in St. Moritz for ski holidays, and in summer a dream for hikers and bikers.
Location, garage and a hotel that has been just as good for decades – you don’t find that often.
One of the great wellness addresses of the Alps, without noise and without children – perfect for a long weekend out of season.
Germany
Uncomplicated, reliable and perfectly connected – just right for trade fairs and city trips.
The classic Munich grand hotel: central, steeped in tradition and with a service second to none.
Expensive, but flawless – the right address for a special occasion in Munich.
Best location in Baden-Baden, excellent spa, and two hours from Switzerland.
Italy
Historic, elegant and quiet – for golfers, combined with the Golf Club Asolo, a weekend of superlatives.
The Venice hotel par excellence, for that once-in-a-lifetime stay you never forget.
Venetian palazzo with lagoon view at a price that remains reasonable compared with the palaces on the Grand Canal.
Relaxed design, quiet location and yet everything within walking distance – my tip for Florence.
Original, well located and with a wine cellar where you’ll happily spend the evening.
Practical, reliable and with parking – the right base for a tour of Umbria with your own vehicle.
Beach on the doorstep, old town overhead and a region many don’t yet know – highly recommended.
France, Spain & Portugal
Small, personal and in the heart of Provence – perfect for two or three nights between the Pont du Gard and Avignon.
Great golf course right next door, beach on the doorstep – the ideal stopover on the way south.
Quiet, adults-only and affordable – a good choice for a few winter weeks on the Costa del Sol.
Lisbon views, peace by the river and a resort for the price of a city hotel – the better Lisbon base for those travelling by car.
USA & Hawaii
Suites, location and infrastructure – if you work or party in Las Vegas, this is the place.
A piece of Denmark among vineyards – an unforgettable stop on a road trip along the California coast.
Prime location in South Beach – after the reopening once again one of the top addresses in Miami Beach.
Central between Beverly Hills and West Hollywood – the right base to experience Los Angeles without permanent traffic jams.
Honest boutique hotel in a prime seafront location, without the prices of the big houses.
The Penthouse restaurant alone is worth the stay – plus style, calm and the Pacific on the doorstep.
Modern, quiet and with one of the best rooftop bars in the city – my tip for San Francisco.
Dolphins in front of the room, whales on the horizon and golf on lava – Hawaii as you imagine it.
Endless golf, stress-free all-inclusive and Florida sun in winter – one of the best addresses on the East Coast for golfers.
Asia
Temples, golf above the surf and the calm of the west coast – Bali away from Kuta and Seminyak.
One of the most extraordinary hotels in the world – and right in the city.
Quiet resort with its own course and the best starting point for Red Mountain – a must for golfers on Phuket.
Haven’t found the right hotel yet?
I almost always book through Booking.com – for the free cancellation and the genuine reviews. You’ll also find apartments and guesthouses there.
Search for accommodation on Booking.com