The Times last Saturday rather beat me to this, publishing their 50 sexiest hotel rooms in Britain. But I had been mulling it over for a few weeks now – which hotel rooms had that little extra something to turn an ordinary stay into a sizzling one.
Dougie and I have been in some flea-pits during our 26 years together. Our first romantic trip abroad was to Tunisia and we spent most of the week flicking flies off the walls. Things have thankfully improved since then so please indulge me as I plunder the memory bank to remind myself of all the bedrooms in the world where the instinctive reaction was to leap onto the bed shouting ‘whey-hey’.
I haven’t included apartments so those belonging to Martinhal in Portugal, Parc Germano on Lake Garda and Staying Cool in Birmingham have had to be filed under ‘rather sexy rooms with a kitchen’.
Without further ado, I give you, in reverse order, my favourite love nests from my travels.
10. Kesgrave Hall, Suffolk.
The room was large, the colours warm, I loved the sofa at the bottom of the bed and there was a rather nice etching of a ram looking down at me. However, the best bit about it was the bathroom which had the warmest, toastiest underfloor heating imaginable. I loved it so much that, when we re-did our own bathroom earlier this year, I borrowed the colours and the heating arrangements.
The rest of the hotel was just as stylish but with a relaxed atmosphere: the squashy sofas in the drawing room were designed for cuddling up with the Sunday papers.
9. Palais de la Mediterranee, Nice
Like Kesgrave Hall, above, the room here was interconnecting so our son was ensconced next door. Family rooms may sound like a good idea but they are no good if you want to get amorous. And, to be honest, if you are paying as much as we did for this swish hotel in a prime location on the sea-front, you at least want to get your money’s worth. The memorable aspect of our stay here in 2009 was the fact that the dining room was being refurbished so room service breakfast was available at no extra cost. Dressed in fluffy bathrobes, eating scrambled eggs and sausages, served in a mini-tagine, was a wonderfully lazy way to start the day.
8. Aphrodite Hills, Paphos, Cyprus
Named after the goddess of love so it was bound to have a head-start on the lurrve front. Beautiful room with classic furniture, benefiting from a fabulous bathroom. Not sure who the bloke is in the picture but I couldn’t see him from the bed so he didn’t put me off. We paid extra for a private pool which added to the fun.
7. Nobis Hotel, Stockholm
There’s nothing like a bit of history to add a sense of intrigue to a hotel. Previously a bank where a robbery and hostage-taking took place in 1973, leading to the phrase ‘Stockholm Syndrome’, this smart, chic hotel had rooms which were cool, minimalistic yet very sexy.
The lounge, with its phallic chandelier, and the adjoining provocative Gold Bar, served sensational cocktails. How about a Mexican Mailman or a 50 Shades of Summer?
6. Hotel Klitterhus, Ängelholm, Sweden
Another stop on our Swedish fly-drive last year, the Klitterhus had the rudest name yet the prettiest bedroom. Huge entertainment value could be gained from making jibes about husband not being able to find the Klitterhus and whether he needed directions. The location was perfect, on a vast sandy beach. Picture windows, beautiful sunsets, the sounds of Abba thumping upwards from the bar below. Gimme, gimme, gimme…
5. Ca’Pisani Hotel, Venice
A truly beautiful hotel, 14th century Venetian palace combined with Art Deco interior design. We stayed here in 2006, our first real taste of a boutique hotel before every hotel owner took possession of the term.
The room was quite masculine with rich, polished furnishings, subdued lighting and two striking orange leather chairs in the lounge area which were exceedingly desirable. We returned home and bought an orange leather chair of our own.
4. Prestonfield House, Edinburgh
This one had the potential to be the stand-out blow-your-socks-off passion parlour of the lot. A lavish room brimming over with velvet cushions, heavy brocade curtains, textured wallpaper and a massive wrought-iron bed. Unfortunately, as we threw ourselves back onto the bed, a puff of dust and feathers went straight up Dougie’s nose, setting off a massive allergic reaction: cue sneezing and subsequent nose-bleed. Passion killer.
3. Barnsley House, Cotswolds
Whilst our son was on a school skiing trip, we splurged on a short break to the Cotswolds staying in a stableyard suite in one of England’s most beautiful hotels. The room was huge and on two floors: a seating area on the mezzanine above the main bedroom. Felt inclined to stand on the balcony and sing to my husband as he wallowed in the bath below me. Full of technical wizardry, a hand-held console controlled the TV and music which was piped through to the loo and shower-room. Unable to figure out how to change from the default station of Classic FM, Dougie took pleasure in performing his morning ablutions to the March of the Toreadors.
2. Hotel Urban, Madrid
This really was a sensual, hedonistic place: a room full of satin and animal print, taffeta bedcover, peacock feathers, wood, slate, leather. Even the complimentary slippers were black. It had a fully glazed bathroom within the bedroom area (blinds available for modesty) and the bath itself sat in a window overlooking the street below for any potential exhibitionists. Everything about the room oozed style and sex-appeal. It was, frankly, exhausting.
1. Hotel Paggeria Medicea, Tuscany
18 years ago we stayed in this picture-perfect spot in the heart of the Tuscan countryside, overlooking our very own Medici villa next door. White linen, dark wood floors, simple furnishings. There was an atmosphere of romance and love. Nine months later our longed-for child, Rory, came into this world. The Paggeria Medicea takes the prize in my list. No other hotel will ever come close.
All photographs my own apart from the last one which I have borrowed from Hotels.com.
Oh my word, the bath in Barnsley House looks incredible, I think I'd spend all weekend up to my neck in bubbles if I stayed there!
The bath was beautiful as was the whole hotel. It had fabulous gardens and a little spa at the bottom of the gardens. I didn't want to leave!
Gosh. I would love to have stayed in that many hotels to have a top 10 list. Maybe when we retire!
You're right, Rebecca. It dawned on me as I compiled the list that I have been very very lucky. Mind you, I am old so these trips have been over a number of years!
huge envy alert!! You have stayed in some truly beautiful places!! Mostly Premier Inns here….!
I should probably follow it up with the top 10 worst hotels I've stayed in but it might get me into an awful lot of trouble. In our early years together we stayed in some right dumps.
oh goodness – massively envious, we need a weekend away, the man and me – will sort something in the new year – maybe I'll even book one of these for a Christmas pressie!
Can't beat a weekend away. Makes for such lovely memories.
Oooh and now for some time off please!
Just writing this up has got me in holiday mood – normally that starts on Boxing Day when the adverts for hols start appearing on the TV.
Gorgeous! Love the look of the Edinburgh hotel.
Yes it was so opulent. Will take antihistamine in advance if we go again 🙂
oooh Edinburgh looks like my cup of tea – a cosy place to stay in and over indulge – very opulent
It's a gorgeous little place – a little way out from the centre. Same company own The Witchery in the centre of the city.
Did you ever have to resort to room service?
I've usually found we can manage quite well on our own.
Ooh you've stayed in some lovely hotels x x
We have been very fortunate. These are the creme de la creme. We've stayed in some nice caravans too!
Oh wow, what a selection, there are some lovely hotels there. Many years ago we stayed at Saint-James & Albany Hotel on the Rue de Rivolli in Paris and it was divine. Mich x
I'll have to make note of that hotel, Mich. We chose to stay in an apartment in Paris and it was ok but a bit bland.
Yayyyy! Italy is number 1 and I couldn't agree more with you that Tuscany is the most beautiful place on earth.
Your list is giving me itchy feet Trish, fingers crossed for an exciting 2014 xx
I had a look at the website for the hotel and it looks even more gorgeous than when we visited in 1995. May need a second visit. Such wonderful memories – Italy is always a winner.
Love the story linked to your number one hotel! :o)
I am a huge fans of beautiful and sexy hotel rooms, but I have not been to any of the hotels you listed. Thank you for giving me new ideas! xx
I could see you in the hotel in Madrid – it's just your style with all that animal print!
These places all look gorgeous. We're off to Kesgrave Hall soon so I'm glad that you rate it so highly.
Ooh I'm sure you will love Kesgrave Hall. We loved it, very relaxed but attentive service. Very novel way of ordering dinner – a bit like Nandos – you scribble down your order on a pad and take it to the pass!
Oooh my OH was born in Scotland but hasn't been back for years ….. I wonder if I can entice him with Prestonfield House in Edinburgh
My husband is Scottish too, from Edinburgh. We stayed at Prestonfield to coincide with a fundraiser for his old school. It was lovely for him to go back to his home city.
Wow, what a lovely selection. you are a lucky girl!
I know, I have to pinch myself sometimes. We have been very fortunate.
Oooh you have stayed at some fantastic places.
I enjoyed reminiscing about them – realised just how fab some of them were.
Some lovely hotels in there. I'd been feeling ashamed that I'd never made it to Prestonfield House when I lived in Edinburgh, but having read about the dusty beds I'm not so fussed now!
Ha! I'm sure the dust was just normal when two people take a dive into a pile of velvet cushions!
You lucky luck thing! Hotel Klitterus (giggles) looks gorgeous!
Still makes me smile. I booked it purely for the name – I'm that shallow – but it was just so different from other places, perfect seaside decor.
All of those sound divine… Will be making a note of the Venice one in particular! 🙂
I've looked at the website and it still seems to be as good as it was then – a good few years ago when we stayed with Rory (he was in the lounge, separated by sliding doors)
Location fab, near the Accademia.
Ha, I can empathise with the number one hotel staying forever in your heart. It's a lovely place, but is oh so special because of what happened there. Same for me and number 2 when we were camping near St Jean de Luz. 🙂