Family Resort Moar Gut - A Family Stay

Between Meadow and Mountain
A Family Stay at Moar Gut

written LE MILE

Arriving at Moar Gut in Großarl feels like entering a place that revolves around families in a very practical way. The road narrows as the valley opens, mountains rising on either side, and then the buildings appear: timber façades, wide balconies, and pathways connecting the different houses across the ten-hectare area. The entire property is car free, which changes the atmosphere immediately. Children move freely between lawns and courtyards, parents walk without distraction, and best of all, the pace settles immediately.

Moar Gut Family Resort
Yoga

Moar Gut Family Resort
Suite with Chimney / seen by Albrecht Schnabel

Moar Gut Family Resort
Suite

We arrived with two young children and the usual logistics that come with travelling as a family. Within minutes of check-in, things began to feel lighter. The resort is still family-run by the Kendlbacher family, who transformed what began as a farm in the 1960s into a five-star family nature resort over decades. That background is present in the way the team moves through the space, very attentive, direct, genuinely welcoming. Families are clearly understood here, down to the very smallest detail.
Our suite, one of 46 spread across three interconnected buildings, offered generous space and a clear layout. Wood defines the interior, paired with linen, natural stone, and wide windows opening onto the surrounding landscape. Each suite includes a separate children’s room, which changes the dynamic of a stay with young kids entirely. Evenings become manageable, mornings calmer, and everyone has space to retreat.

Food quickly shaped the rhythm of our days, as the resort operates on a full gourmet board basis, allowing meals to structure the experience without requiring constant planning. Breakfast unfolds generously, lunch is fresh and light, afternoons bring cakes and small creations, and evenings present six courses for adults. The children move between their own buffet and our table, choosing dishes that are adapted to their tastes while maintaining quality and freshness.

Moar Gut Family Resort
Spiral Staircase / seen by Albrecht Schnabel

Moar Gut Family Resort
Outdoor View / seen by Albrecht Schnabel

Much of what is served comes from the resort’s own bio farm, regional producers, and even its own hunting grounds, and ingredients feel clear and precise. Plates arrive carefully arranged, colours balanced, textures considered. There is visible attention in every course, and the kitchen works with confidence. Wine is treated with equal care; Thomas Kendlbacher, a trained sommelier, curates and advises personally. By this, dinner becomes an experience that belongs equally to parents.

While adults linger at the table, the children are usually still active. The Natur-Kinderhof welcomes babies from 30 days old and offers structured childcare throughout the day. Around 1,000 square metres are dedicated to children, designed with wood, wool, and natural materials. There are climbing areas, ateliers, a theatre room, a cinema space, workshops with real tools, and a gaming area for older kids. Our children entered this world with ease and returned with stories of baking, painting, and rehearsing performances.

Outside, the bio farm extends the experience, and horses, cows with calves, alpacas, goats, and a donkey named Benjamin live on the property. Each family can take on a temporary animal sponsorship, including introductions and feeding. Our children are still too young for longer riding sessions, so the pony ride quickly became their highlight, small hands gripping the saddle with full concentration as they circled the paddock. The presence of Icelandic horses and a professional riding hall adds another layer to the connection between children and animals on site.

Moar Gut Family Resort
Spa

Moar Gut Family Resort
Relaxation Room

There is a dedicated Baby Spa offering floating, yoga, and massage sessions guided by trained staff. Infants drift in pure mountain spring water under careful supervision. At the same time, adults have access to a 25-metre outdoor infinity pool, an adults-only sauna world, and quiet relaxation areas. Pools are maintained with drinking-water quality, and sustainability is integrated into daily operations.

The architecture supports the entire concept, because the buildings are connected underground, preserving a village structure above ground. Renovations have been guided by solar energy thinking, local craftsmanship, and natural materials.

During our stay, mornings often began with a walk along the Panoramaweg, afternoons included time at the indoor pool, and evenings ended with long dinners while the children were still absorbed in activities. The surrounding Großarltal offers over 250 kilometres of marked hiking trails and access to Austria’s largest national park region, yet much of what we needed was already present within the resort itself.

What defines Moar Gut is the coherence of everything working together. Babies, toddlers, school-aged children, parents, and grandparents share the same environment with ease. The rhythm feels practiced and sincere. For families with young children, finding a place that combines design quality, culinary depth, professional childcare, and emotional warmth is rare. But at Moar Gut, it feels resolved and so we left with children already asking when we would return, and with the certainty that we will.

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header image (c) Matthias Warter

nhow Roma - A Roman Stay, From the First Evening On

A Roman Stay, From the First Evening On
*nhow Roma

written ALBAN E. SMAJLI

Rome reveals itself gradually, especially in the late afternoon, when the light begins to fade and the city shifts into evening. The drive along Corso d’Italia passes apartment buildings with warm windows already lit, cafés pulling in chairs and lowering shutters, traffic moving steadily through the dimming street. The trees of Villa Borghese stand dark against the sky, stretching along the edge of the road. The car slows, luggage is lifted from the trunk, and within a few steps nhow Roma stands directly ahead, its façade illuminated against the evening traffic, marking the beginning of the stay.

Lobby and Reception Entrance
(c) Minor Hotels

Lobby and Reception Sculptural Art
(c) Minor Hotels

Suite, Lounge Area
(c) Minor Hotels

Inside, the lobby is already active, guests checking in, suitcases rolling across the floor, staff moving between desk and entrance. On the walls, classical figures appear in bold reinterpretations, their forms integrated into columns and surfaces that continue along the corridors. Fragments of sculpture and graphic details surface near the lifts and along the way to the rooms, appearing again on different floors in new arrangements. We arrive later than expected, so check-in moves quickly, a key card handed over, brief directions given. In the room, the suitcase is placed by the door just as the phone rings. A small welcome gathering is taking place in one of the hotel’s private suites, spaces set up for intimate get-togethers with their own bar and bartender. The suitcase remains unopened as I head back into the corridor and join the group, the first evening in Rome beginning before the room has even been settled.

By the next morning, the breakfast room fills gradually, guests arriving at different times, carrying coffee and small plates of fruit, pastries, and eggs to their tables. Some are still quiet, others already in conversation about the plans for the day.
At one point, a small group of guests begins to sing together, forming an a cappella harmony that spreads across the space. Heads turn, a few people smile, some join in for a line or two, and after a few minutes the singing fades, leaving the room to return to its steady pattern of breakfast and conversation.

Room Premium
(c) Minor Hotels

From the hotel entrance, Villa Borghese can be reached within minutes. The path leads past trees and open gravel walkways toward the Galleria Borghese, whose façade appears between the greenery. Inside, painted ceilings and marble sculptures fill the rooms, visitors moving steadily from one gallery to the next. After some time in the museum and the surrounding park, the walk back toward Corso d’Italia follows the same route, the hotel entrance appearing again at the edge of the street.

In the afternoon, we set off in an electric Fiat 500, driving through Rome with the roof open and the engine barely audible. The car moves easily through traffic, passing monuments, residential streets, and small cafés tucked into corners that are easy to miss on foot. The driver talks continuously, pointing out buildings, sharing anecdotes, explaining details that slip by quickly if no one names them. With Facile Tours, the tour lasts around three hours, and by the time we return, many parts of the city have already been seen in sequence, connected through streets, stories, and conversation.

Later, back at the hotel, the lift becomes its own small stage. Inside, a built-in karaoke station invites guests to pick a song while the cabin moves between floors. People laugh, sing a few lines, forget the lyrics, and start again as the numbers above the door light up one by one. The doors open, conversations resume in the hallway, and the evening continues upstairs. Dinner takes us to different places over the course of the stay. At Rosina - Cucina di Casa, the room is arranged like a narrow Roman street, with laundry lines overhead and closely set tables. Plates arrive in large portions, pasta, meat, and vegetables served in quantities that assume no one leaves hungry. When some dishes return half full, the staff laughs and says an Italian mother would insist on finishing everything.

Restaurant LUDO
(c) Minor Hotels

On another evening, we remain at the hotel for dinner at LUDO, nhow Roma’s own restaurant, which is scheduled to open officially in mid-February 2026. The restaurant is already operating in a preview setting, and during dinner the waiter explains the concept behind it: once fully launched, the space will host live music and DJs, turning it into a place where guests come to dine, drink, and spend the evening together. The menu combines Italian and international dishes, from pasta to grilled meats and lighter plates, setting the foundation for a restaurant designed to stay active well beyond dinner hours.

Another night leads into the city to The Appuntamento. The interior is clearly structured, with strong colours, defined shapes, and distinctive tableware chosen to match each course. The design approach connects naturally to the aesthetic direction of nhow Roma, where bold forms and visible details shape the atmosphere throughout the building.

Over several days, the hotel becomes more familiar through repetition. Murals catch attention in passing, reflections shift as daylight moves through the lobby and corridors, and conversations with the staff continue from one day to the next. During one of those conversations, the building’s background comes up: it was constructed between 1968 and 1971 on the grounds of a former Vatican convent. The renovation kept the original structure intact, updating the façade with large solar panels that are clearly visible from the street. Standing again on Corso d’Italia, the earlier framework becomes easier to notice within the current design.

On the final morning, Rome begins as it did on the first, with traffic along Corso d’Italia and early light settling across the façades. The Spanish Steps are still only a short walk away, reachable within fifteen minutes through streets that have already become familiar over the past days. There is time for one more coffee, one more slow walk through Villa Borghese, one more look back at the hotel entrance before stepping into the city again. What remains are the days themselves, marked by rooms returned to at night, streets crossed in the afternoon, and tables shared in the evening.

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all images (c) Minor Hotels

Vila Vita Parc Algarve - Art, Village Life & Luxury by the Sea

The Art of Village Life

Why Vila Vita Parc is Portugal’s Most Stylish Community

written LAURA DUNKELMANN

Forget the concept of a "resort" for a moment. The word often suggests lobbies, room numbers, and anonymity. Vila Vita Parc, perched on the dramatic rocky coast of the Algarve, plays in a different league. It isn’t a hotel block—it is a village. But not just any village; it is arguably Europe’s most curated, aesthetic, and relaxed microcosm. It is the "Luxury Edition" of Portuguese country life.

Vila Vita Parc
Terrace

Vila Vita Parc
Oasis

Vila Vita Parc
Suite

Checking in here means becoming part of a temporary community. You don’t just stay; you reside in an organically grown ecosystem. The architecture proudly cites the region’s Moorish heritage: blinding white walls, terracotta roofs, and the Algarve’s signature ornate chimneys. You stroll across authentic Calçada Portuguesa (cobblestones), past intimate piazzas and splashing fountains. It has everything a functioning municipality needs—from the local wine merchant (a spectacular cellar deep underground) to the "village baker" (world-class pâtisserie). You nod to neighbors on the winding paths. You belong.

However, what distinguishes Vila Vita Parc from a mere luxury retreat is its soul—and that soul is artistic. The immense tropical gardens that weave through the estate are not just scenery; they form an open-air museum. Everywhere, amidst palms, hibiscus, and the deep blue of the Atlantic, art emerges.

It is a constant journey of discovery: contemporary masterpieces, such as the striking works by Arne Quinze, stand in dialogue with the wild nature of the cliffs. The art here isn't locked behind glass cases; it is part of daily life. It stands beside the pool, watches over the path to the spa, or hides in the lush greenery. This curated approach gives the resort an intellectual depth rarely found in the Algarve.

Vila Vita Parc
Sunset at Beach

True luxury today implies responsibility, and this village takes care of its surroundings. With its own farm, Herdade dos Grous, ensuring a genuine farm-to-table experience, and a dedicated desalination plant to preserve local water resources, the resort operates in deep harmony with nature. This commitment extends to the local fauna as well, through active partnerships with conservation groups like RIAS to rehabilitate wildlife and protect the ocean’s biodiversity.

Despite the two Michelin stars at the "Ocean" restaurant and the flawless service, nothing feels stiff here. This is due to its deep roots in Portuguese culture. Traditional Azulejos (colorful tiles) add splashes of color and history throughout. The hospitality is warm, almost familial—typical of a village community that is proud of its home.

Vila Vita Parc
Green lupine by Arne Quinze

Vila Vita Parc
Fountain lupine by Arne Quinze

Vila Vita Parc manages the feat of offering world-class luxury while feeling as authentic as a walk through an old fishing hamlet. It is a place for aesthetes who want to experience, not just consume. At the end of your stay, you don’t feel like you’re checking out of a hotel, but rather moving away from a beloved neighborhood. And in your mind, you’re already planning your return to this artful village by the sea.

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New Year in Lugano - Holiday Season Guide 2025

New Year in Lugano
How Lugano Sets the Tone for the 2026

written SARAH ARENDTS

The days leading into the new year often carry a quiet expectation. People look for places that allow them to reset, to shift into the next chapter with intention. In Lugano, the hotels of the DOT Lifestyle Collection create exactly that kind of environment. Each property approaches hospitality from a different angle, yet they share a sense of ease and clarity that feels right for the holiday season. Their locations above and around the lake give guests an immediate connection to light, stillness, and the rhythm of the city in winter.

Villa Principe Leopoldo
Lago di Lugano

Villa Principe Leopoldo
Lago di Lugano

Villa Principe Leopoldo
Lago di Lugano

Villa Principe Leopoldo has a presence shaped by its history and by its position overlooking Lake Lugano. The building once served as a private residence; today it offers a setting where the final days of the year feel spacious and grounded. Guests arrive to a house that moves at its own pace. The team focuses on creating an atmosphere that supports long dinners, conversations that extend into the evening, and mornings that unfold gradually. New Year’s Eve here is structured around time spent together at the table. The kitchen develops a menu that reflects Italian technique and local ingredients, and the evening becomes a sequence of moments. On New Year’s Day, breakfast on the terrace or in one of the salons sets a calm tone for the year ahead.

Higher up in the hills, the Kurhaus Cademario offers a different rhythm. The property is known for its wellness focus, and it becomes especially relevant in late December when people look for quiet and clarity. The indoor and outdoor spa areas create long stretches of time where guests can detach from the usual pace. The view across the valley and the lake adds to that sense of distance from daily life. Dinner on New Year’s Eve follows a refined but understated approach. The cooking centers on regional products, seasonal flavors, and a style that feels aligned with the house’s emphasis on balance. For guests who want to start the year with intention rather than intensity, the Kurhaus becomes a fitting choice.

Back in Lugano, the Villa Sassa sits closer to the center and carries a more urban energy. The hotel brings together people who want movement, light, and a social environment while still staying within a relaxed setting. Evenings here often stretch into small gatherings at the bar or on the terrace when weather allows. For the holiday season, the atmosphere becomes slightly more festive without losing its sense of ease. New Year’s Eve is lively, shaped by music and a more dynamic dinner service. On the first morning of the year, the long brunch with a view of the lake gives the experience a calm finish.

Villa Principe Leopoldo
Lago di Lugano

Villa Principe Leopoldo
Lago di Lugano

Taken together, the three hotels form a clear recommendation for anyone planning the holiday season or the transition into the new year. Villa Principe Leopoldo for presence and elegance, Kurhaus Cademario for quiet restoration, and Villa Sassa for a more social and energetic stay. Lugano in winter has a specific charm, and the DOT Lifestyle Collection offers three distinct ways to experience it—with time, space, and attention to detail. Enjoy!

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Wellnesshotel Wittelsbach - A Steady Wellness Stay

.culture vulture
Days of Quiet Rhythm in the Sky Spa
at Wellnesshotel Wittelsbach

written ALBAN E. SMAJLI

The arrival in Bad Füssing forms a particular first impression, because the town consists mainly of hotels and wellness facilities, and the atmosphere settles once the entrance of Wellnesshotel Wittelsbach comes into view with its fresh interior and the sense that the stay can unfold entirely inside this building.

The lobby opens with warm colors, soft materials and a balanced light that eases the transition from the road into the steady rhythm of the hotel. Our experience took place in autumn during bright days, and the sunlight shaped the interior in a way that made every surface feel warm and calm, especially because the colors and textures supported long stretches of rest without distraction. The room contained thoughtful furniture, and we settled into it quickly because it felt immediately comfortable.

Hotel Wittelsbach
Interior Design, Superior Room seen by Alex Filz

Hotel Wittelsbach
Interior Design, Superior Room seen by Alex Filz

Hotel Wittelsbach
Lobby seen by Alex Filz

The Sky Spa forms the center of the entire experience, and the placement on the highest level of the building creates a feeling of being slightly lifted above the town. The saunas, the quiet zones and the view toward the Alps form a setting that encourages slow movement and long pauses. One evening stands out with particular clarity, because the moon appeared in a size and brightness that felt rare, and the moment after sunset when we stepped into the relaxation area showed the landscape in a very steady alignment of mountains, sky and soft light. The warmth of the sauna, the cool evening air on the terrace and the quiet inside the room formed a sequence that shaped the entire night. The indoor thermal pool on the ground floor carries the warm regional water in a way that supports quiet floating and slow swimming, while the outdoor pool creates a refreshing shift when the air turns cooler. The massage area offers full body treatments, ayurveda sessions and various options for guests who want a deeper form of rest, and the atmosphere inside the cabins remains consistent with the calm design language found throughout the spa.

The days follow a gentle structure, and the hotel supports this with a clear culinary rhythm. Breakfast includes a wide selection with regional influences, and the dining room maintains a balanced tone through warm colors and soft materials. In the evening, dinner unfolds with a buffet for the starters, and guests create their own beginning to the meal before choosing a main course from the menu, which includes dishes built around fish, meat or vegan options. The combination feels flexible and easy, and the thoughtful preparation gives the meals a steady continuity throughout the stay. Desserts arrive with a calm sense of order, and the wines available at dinner support the courses without drawing attention away from the relaxed atmosphere. During the afternoon, the café O´Lala offers pastries and small dishes from the in-house patisserie, which creates a small moment of indulgence within the daily flow of spa and rest.

Hotel Wittelsbach
Sky Sauna seen by Alex Filz

Hotel Wittelsbach
Steam Sauna seen by Alex Filz

Hotel Wittelsbach
Restaurant seen by Alex Filz

Bad Füssing carries a particular character, because the town stands almost entirely on wellness traditions, and this influences the surroundings through quiet streets, open paths and a slow pace. At first, this setting feels unusual, and the Wellnesshotel Wittelsbach benefits from this through its complete offering inside the building, which creates an environment where every part of the day unfolds within walking distance and without planning. Walks around the area follow flat routes through small parks and calm streets, and bicycles extend the reach toward the fields and wider landscapes. The hotel’s design brings a sense of clarity into this environment, and the atmosphere inside the property remains steady from morning to night.

The overall experience at Wellnesshotel Wittelsbach grows from the alignment of architecture, thermal tradition and a comprehensive wellness program that fills each day with quiet presence. The Sky Sauna shapes this rhythm with its broad views and warm interiors, while the pools, the treatments and the resting zones hold the pace throughout the building. The rooms provide space for slowing down, and the culinary structure supports the day with a clear and gentle sequence. Our stay carried a personal sense of ease, and the brightness of the season, the calm water, the thoughtful meals and the view toward the mountains created a continuous flow of rest that stayed with us long after leaving.

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Hofgut Hafnerleiten - A Calm Retreat Story

.culture vulture
Architecture, Landscape and Rest
at Hofgut Hafnerleiten

written ALBAN E. SMAJLI

The arrival at Hofgut Hafnerleiten creates a steady shift in atmosphere, because the property sits within a wide landscape that gives every structure generous space and a clear relationship to its surroundings.

The road from Bad Birnbach passes open fields and forest edges, and the entrance to the Hofgut introduces a calm rhythm that shapes the entire experience from the very beginning. The first steps through the Brunnenhaus lead into the courtyard, and this small transition helps guests enter the mindset that the location invites.

Hofgut Hafnerleiten
Baumhaus seen by Joschija Bauer

Hofgut Hafnerleiten
Haus am Feld seen by Joschija Bauer

Hofgut Hafnerleiten
Sauna seen by Joschija Bauer

During our visit, we stayed in the Wiesenhaus, which features a planted roof, a large window front, a fireplace and a private sauna. The house stands slightly raised above a meadow, and this setting creates a very steady sense of privacy throughout the day. The interior supports long stretches of rest, because the living area flows naturally into the outdoor view and into the warm zones around the sauna and the fire. The days unfolded in autumn, marked by continuous rain and low temperatures, and the Wiesenhaus offered an environment that allowed long hours of reading, thinking and quiet activities without any pressure to leave the house. The absence of a television strengthened this quality, because the interior stayed free from digital noise and encouraged an unhurried rhythm.

The structure of the day at the Hofgut follows a gentle sequence. In the morning, the team delivers a breakfast basket directly to the house, and the selection inside the basket forms a balanced and refreshing start to the day. During the afternoon, the property remains peaceful, and guests move between their themed houses, the wellness cubes and the surrounding paths. At six in the evening, the team hosts an aperitif in the courtyard, and this moment allows short conversations with other guests and introduces the evening with an easy sense of togetherness.

Dinner happens either in the GenussHOF at one long communal table, where guests share the evening in a relaxed and open setting, or inside the individual houses for those who prefer a fully private atmosphere. The kitchen team cooks with a very clear focus on seasonal ingredients, and every course arrives with thoughtful combinations that highlight the quality of the produce. The meals follow a steady rhythm with a warm starter, a carefully prepared main dish and a dessert that completes the sequence with balance and precision. The flavors feel clean and direct, and the presentation reflects the same calm and confident approach found throughout the property. The team presented each course with steady precision, and the structure of the menu created an experience that carried a quiet sense of care. The atmosphere inside the Wiesenhaus shaped every dinner in a consistently pleasant way, because the food aligned beautifully with the calm interior and the view into the garden. During dinner, we enjoyed the Iphöfer Kronsberg Scheurebe from the Brennfleck winery, which complemented the menu with a fresh and balanced profile.

Hofgut Hafnerleiten
Baumhaus seen by Mona Ortner

Hofgut Hafnerleiten
Wiesenhaus Sauna seen by Mona Ortner

Hofgut Hafnerleiten
Wiesenhaus seen by Mona Ortner

The surroundings of the Hofgut include forest paths, meadows and a quiet rural setting that encourages long walks without planning. The proximity to nature becomes part of the day in a steady and unobtrusive way. The Hofgut’s four cats appear at various moments with an easy familiarity, and these small encounters create warm moments without seeking attention. The staff maintains a consistently friendly presence, and each interaction carries a clarity that shapes the relaxed rhythm of the place.
The overall experience at Hofgut Hafnerleiten comes from a combination of architecture, landscape and hospitality that work together without excess or distraction. The themed houses, the culinary structure, the spacious grounds and the calm rhythm create a stay that supports rest, presence and personal focus in a very steady way.

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A Trip to Hamburg with Kids at Barceló Hotel

.culture vulture
City Days and Quiet Evenings
*Our Family Story at Barceló Hamburg

written AMANDA MORTENSON

We arrived in Hamburg on a Monday morning, the air cool and a little damp, the streets wrapped in that early-week calm that cities only have when the weekend rush has passed.

The train slid into the main station, and within minutes we stood at the entrance of Barceló Hotel Hamburg, our suitcases rolling over cobblestones, the children half-awake but already pointing at the boats drifting on the Binnenalster. The hotel’s glass façade caught the light in a quiet way, and stepping inside felt like exhaling — warm air, soft colors, an easy welcome.

Our Family Junior Suite became home almost immediately. A long window stretched across the room, framing the city like a slow-moving film. The children ran from bed to sofa, testing every corner, while we unpacked and made coffee, grateful for the stillness that comes after travel. The room carried an understated elegance — wooden floors, neutral tones, thoughtful details that made sense for families: enough space for toys and jackets, a large table that turned into a drawing station, a bathroom big enough for the entire bedtime routine without chaos.

Barceló Hotel, Hamburg
Exterior

Barceló Hotel, Hamburg
Family Junior Suite

By midday we were already out, walking toward the Binnenalster, the lake only a few minutes away. The children watched boats pass under the bridges, and stopped at every kiosk that sold roasted nuts. The hotel’s location placed us exactly where the city opened in all directions — toward the shopping streets, the old arcades, the parks, and the harbor. Everything was reachable on foot or by a short U-Bahn ride, which quickly became part of the adventure.

That first day set the tone. Each morning began in the hotel restaurant, where the buffet became an event of its own — pancakes, fruit, small pastries, and the quiet hum of travelers starting their day. The children discovered that the orange juice machine could be operated without help, a small victory that defined their mornings. After breakfast we planned loosely, letting the weather decide: a visit to the Miniatur Wunderland, hours spent watching tiny trains cross landscapes; an afternoon at the Planten un Blomen Park, where autumn leaves turned the ground into a soft mosaic; short stops for coffee and cocoa in between, always ending with a slow walk back to the hotel.

Evenings carried their own rhythm and sometimes we ate at the B-Lounge, the hotel’s restaurant with its open design and calm lighting, where the children shared pasta while we tried local fish and a glass of Riesling. Other nights we brought back sandwiches from a bakery nearby and turned the suite into a small picnic, the city lights glowing through the window. The sense of ease came from the balance the hotel created — close enough to everything, yet quiet enough to feel completely private.

Halfway through the week the weather changed, rain sweeping across the city, but even that felt part of the experience. We spent that afternoon inside, the children building Lego cities on the carpet while we watched the clouds shift over Hamburg. The large window turned into a screen of light and sound, the rain rhythmic, the city still visible through it.

Barceló Hotel, Hamburg
B Lounge

Barceló Hotel, Hamburg
B Lounge

By day three the children already called the hotel “our house.” They knew every corridor, every shortcut to the elevator, and where to find the best spot in the lobby for people-watching. On Thursday morning, before leaving, we walked once more around the Alster. The air felt crisp, the trees golden, and the city moved at a slow pace that matched our own.

Back in the suite, we packed slowly, looking out at Hamburg’s skyline one last time. The stay had unfolded without hurry — days filled with small discoveries, moments of calm, and the comfort of a place that understood families without turning family travel into routine. Barceló Hamburg held all of it, the light of the city, the rhythm of daily life, and a quiet sense of belonging that stayed even after we left. Thanks for having us!

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The Charles Hotel - A Munich Story

.culture vulture
THE CHARLES HOTEL
*Rooms of Art, Gardens of Light

written ALBAN E. SMAJLI

Munich in late light, the park leaning against the city like a velvet cushion, and in the middle of that green hush stands The Charles Hotel, big shouldered yet strangely gentle, all windows and reflections, with rooms that look across trees that refuse to bow to glass and steel.

You arrive, and it feels less like checking into a hotel and more like slipping into a frame already painted, the old botanical garden at your feet, the towers of the city humming somewhere behind, the soundtrack softened by leaves. The thing about staying here is that you start walking and suddenly the city is yours. Five minutes to Königsplatz, a drift down to Marienplatz, a shortcut into museums and markets, all by foot, as if Munich has been tailored to your pace. Yet when you turn back, when you push open the doors again, you’re greeted by the stillness of a park. It’s an odd and satisfying trick—the ability to hold pulse and pause in the same space.

Rocco Forte Hotels
The Charles Hotel, Monforte Royal Suite

Rocco Forte Hotels
The Charles Hotel, Monforte Royal Suite

Inside, it unravels in layers. The spa first, an entire floor given over to water and steam and that pool—long, luminous, unapologetically generous. Munich rarely gives you this. You float, and the ceiling seems to rise with every stroke, a cathedral of chlorinated air. Saunas, treatments, therapists who seem to know where the tension hides before you’ve even said a word. It is a sanctuary disguised as a hotel amenity.

Then the interiors you notice them before you even try. Furniture that insists on being touched, wood that looks like it could still whisper, velvet that soaks up the light, patterns that converse. Someone here has a hand for colour and a memory for detail. Olga Polizzi’s design eye, precise and idiosyncratic, lives in the upholstery, in the rhythm of the corridors, in the way each suite is its own little manifesto.

And then the art, everywhere, quietly, loudly, unashamedly: paintings, photographs, sculptures, even prints tucked into the suites, waiting on side tables like letters from someone you admire. It feels curated not in the stiff museum way but in the sense of a friend with impeccable taste who fills their home with things you secretly wish were yours. Contemporary, bold, and varied. A hotel that collects art not to live with it.

The Charles opened in 2007, a child of Berlin architects Hilmer & Sattler and Albrecht, a modern gesture standing by nineteenth-century gardens. The building has already won its share of awards for stone and form, but what lingers is atmosphere. One hundred and sixty rooms, suites that open to balconies and light, bathrooms with heated floors and long baths that want you to linger until you prune. At the very top, the Monforte Royal Suite, a sundeck lifted above Munich, a stage for morning espresso or midnight wine.

Rocco Forte Hotels
The Charles Hotel, Lobby

Rocco Forte Hotels
The Charles Hotel, Monforte Royal Suite

None of this stands alone. The Charles is part of the Rocco Forte constellation, a family of hotels scattered across Europe—Sicily, London, Rome, Palermo, Florence, Brussels, Edinburgh—each one stitched into its city with personality, each one guided by the same family hand. Founded in 1996 by Sir Rocco Forte and his sister Olga Polizzi, the group has built a reputation less on empire and more on intimacy, places that feel designed not produced, hotels that wear their locations like bespoke suits. The Charles carries that ethos in Munich, central yet calm, crafted yet lived-in, a hotel that belongs here. Enjoy yourself!

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