We’re taking a cue from the animals this month and squirrelling ourselves away in various locales across the world, from harvest-ready Tuscany to the USA’s sultry south to a private island in Indonesia. October might bring the spooks and scares of Halloween, but these stays fall very much into the ‘treat’ camp.
Palma, Mallorca
If, like me, you like your hotels infused with community spirit, Palma’s Terreno Barrio Hotel takes ‘love thy neighbour’ literally. Not only has it taken the barrio‘s name as its own, but it’s pledged to support and sustain it, too. This neighbourhood stay oversees community events (from group runs to film screenings in its indoor-outdoor cinemas); harbours spaces where people can gather (a co-working hub, gallery and café); and showcases works by local artists and craftspeople. But above all it’s giving its neighbourhood a comeback story. Terreno was a magnet for the rich and glamorous back in the 1950s, and with a speakeasy-style nightclub and rooftop pool, the hotel is giving the barrio back its pull.
Why we love it: A stay here offers a chance to see a different, more residential side of Palma. And, with its whimsical murals, squiggly neon lights and penchant for primary colours, Terreno Barrio Hotel’s aesthetic feels a touch fresher than stays in the Old Town.
Kate Weir, Deputy Editor
Savannah, USA
Hold on to your bonnets, because here’s a fun fact about Savannah’s Municipal Grand hotel: it was once a municipal building. I know, right. OK, I admit taxes and permits are somewhat dull origins, but what is seriously fun is a stay here. The hotel’s Southern hospitality is as layered as a petticoat, from the lobster rolls and spritzes served beside the rooftop pool, to martinis made tableside in the Municipal Bar, and highballs and shooters in the low-lit Hot Eye club. There’s even a menu of taster-sized ‘cheekies’ and ‘baby bloodies’ to get your night started. Lest you think you’ll spend your whole stay inebriated, you’ll also be intoxicated with its 1960s-inspired style and its proximity to Savannah’s iconic squares, River Street and Forsyth Park.
Why we love it: You might be thinking, ‘this sounds like a party-hard hotel’. Before you stage an intervention, know that the team behind Municipal Grand is Death & Co, highly respected movers and shakers in the cocktail world, with very cool bars spread across the States, and now one very hip hotel, too.
KW
Tuscany, Italy
The grapevine tells us that October is Tuscany’s sweet spot, when the summer crowds and fiercest heat have ebbed away and harvest season is getting into its stride. There are pressing matters to attend to at Il Falconiere Relais & Spa among the Baracchi family’s Sangiovese vines and olive groves, or you can go rooting around the surrounding forest for truffles before retreating to the impeccably stocked cellar to taste the fruits of somebody else’s labour. I’d work up an appetite on horseback cantering through Cortona’s ochre-hued hills, before handing the reins to chef-owner Silvia Baracchi, whose Michelin-starred restaurant turns the working estate’s spoils into polished Tuscan plates within the former limonaia.
Why we love it: Besides those views of the Valdichiana in all its burnished, bronzed autumnal glory? Il Falconiere takes farm-to-table literally: its vertical garden and herb beds are within plucking distance of the kitchen, and the estate’s grapes and olives make their way into treatments at Thesan Spa, too. The red-wine bath, accompanied by a glass of the Baracchi’s own vintage, is perhaps the best way to reap the rewards of the season without lifting a pair of secateurs.
Chloe Frost-Smith, Senior Content Writer & Editor
Suffolk, UK
I’ve never heard of a rivalry between Norfolk and Suffolk (and am not trying to incite one — there’s clearly no need for fighting over cream and jam in East Anglia), but had you asked, I would’ve firmly staked my flag in Norfolk’s soil for its wild coastline, seaside villages and how it proves you don’t need hills to be photogenic. But turning my attentions to Suffolk is The Ickworth Hotel & Spa, a grand Italianate residence that occupies a whopping 1,800 acres of parkland near Bury St Edmunds. The marquess has moved out and handed over his impressive acreage to guests, and I can’t think of a better place for a walk after the first Sunday roast of the season this autumn. There’s also a cinema room for cosy film nights in which to herald (finally) some cooler weather.
Why we love it: There’s fun for all the family to be had here, with a kids’ club the little ones will love, an art gallery to explore, tennis courts, a games room, library and the aforementioned cinema, plus a spa — A/W’s minibreak sorted.
Caroline Lewis, Senior Editor
Andalucia, Spain
It’s been a long, hot summer in London, but there’s nothing like the first chill of autumn to have us Brits (who spent the last three months moaning about the infernal weather) not quite ready to reach for the knitwear just yet. If you want one last short-haul hurrah before the nights draw in, a visit to Seda Residences Granada in Andalucia offers an optimal proposition of temperatures in the mid-twenties well into October, centuries of history all around you and — speaking of which — walking-distance proximity to the Alhambra palace complex. The word ‘seda’ means silk, and the name is a nod to Granada’s role as a Silk Road stop dating all the way back to the 15th century. You can still visit La Alcaicería, the city’s ancient silk market, today.
Why we love it: You won’t need to raid the silk market to be surrounded by opulence, since you’ll find it in abundance at sister stay Seda Club Hotel (just across Plaza de la Trinidad) — from the colourful tiling and bronze accents, to the rich silks and velvets, and patterned rugs and chintzes. We’re also fans of the view of the cathedral from the rooftop bar
CL
Croatia
Back after a lengthy restoration, turn-of-the-century stay, Villa Argentina Dubrovnik, occupies one of the city’s most enviable patches of shoreline, with Mediterranean gardens tumbling towards the Adriatic and the Old Town’s limestone walls and Lokrum island filling the view. This is a much-loved Dubrovnik institution given a thoughtful new chapter, with local stone, reworked terraces and thousands of newly planted species bringing the grounds back to life. Rooms are soft and sea-toned, most with balconies looking through the greenery towards the water — I loved wandering down through the gardens straight to the sea.
Why we love it: You’ve got the best of both worlds here: the Old Town is close enough to dip into whenever the mood takes you, while back at the villa, the pace slows. Add seafood fresh from the Adriatic, sunset drinks in the garden and that knockout view across to the city walls, and you’re onto a winning hotel.
Martin Dickie, UX Writer & Editor
Bintan Regency, Indonesia
If you’ve ever fancied going off grid without quite giving up the cocktails, Cempedak is your kind of island. A short hop from Singapore, this adults-only hideaway is a study in barefoot luxury, with vast, open-sided bamboo villas tucked into the jungle and private plunge pools overlooking the sea. Not much separates you from the landscape here: breezes drift through the rooms, geckos and birds provide the soundtrack and the island’s untouched forest is left to do its thing. Spend your days swimming, kayaking or moving between the beach and Dodo Bar, then settle in for a sunset to remember.
Why we love it: Because of how time slows down. Once you’ve crossed the water, you’ll discover there are no cars, no crowds and barely a straight line in sight, just dense jungle, sandy coves and bamboo villas scattered among the palms. Here, a morning swim can easily turn into an afternoon nap, which can easily become aperitifs and lime-fresh barbecued fish for dinner.
MD
Keep some space in your calendar for our other new arrivals
