Boutique hotel in Turkey allows guests to sleep in caves and meander through underground tunnels

by Jessica Festa on

Located in the center of Cappadocia, Turkey, on the site of an ancient monastery, there is the Argos in Cappadocia, a historical and experiential boutique hotel. The remains of the historical structures, tunnels, and caves have been restored and turned it into a unique accommodation for travelers.

The views from the hotel look like a mix between a fairy tale and a sci-fi film, overlooking volcanic peaks and valleys of apricots and apples as the hotel is literally imbedded into the layered hillside. Room styles vary from “standard” to “Splendid Suites”, with each type being housed inside of a cave. These cave rooms are each located in hillside mansions that are connected to underground tunnels containing meeting rooms and fully stocked wine cellars. If you’re imagining a dark and dismal atmosphere, think again, as these rooms open onto terraces, balconies, and private courtyards with clear views of the adjacent Guvercinlik Valley and faraway mountain peaks. Moreover, each guestroom is technology-capable, with wireless internet and state-of-the-art sound systems. Turkish carpets, artifacts, and candles adorn each dwelling, although you may want to opt for the Splendid Suite for your own private in-suite swimming pool.

Having a hard time picturing it? Check out the gallery below to get a better idea of what you can expect.

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10 best wine hotels around the world

by Jessica Festa on

What’s better when you’re on vacation than a day at the vineyards? How about wineries that let you stay the night, as well? No more worrying about drinking and driving or figuring out transportation as these ten wine hotels offer guests vino tastings as well as a comfortable place to sleep.

Marqués de Riscal
Elciego, Spain

Situated in the middle of the Vinos de los Herederos de Marqués de Riscal’s vineyard, the hotel itself opened in September, 2006. The building was designed by world-renowned Frank O. Gehry and combines wine-growing traditions with 21st century avant-garde design. Guests can stay in one of forty-three luxury rooms and suites that include unconventional furniture, high-quality linens, and Wi-Fi internet. After the sun sets, visitors can move from the vineyards to the informal Wine Bar or a rooftop lounge with panoramic views. Another option is to snuggle up next to the fireplace and sample the myriad vinos from the hotel’s cellar.L’Andana
Tuscany, Italy

This wine hotel is situated in the heart of the Tuscan Maremma, in the 500 hectare La Badiola Estate. Along with natural beauty, the property also contains a rich history as it was once a Medici villa where Grand Duke Leopold II and his court stayed during the summers. Guests can try some of the best wines in Italy in the accommodation’s cellar, both through tastings and through the on-site restaurant’s cooking. For those who want to do more than just sample, cooking and wine classes are also offered to L’Andana guests.

Cavas Wine Lodge
Mendoza, Argentina

Located at the foot of the Andes Mountains and nestled in a 35 acre vineyard, this 14 room lodge offers peace and tranquility in nature. Guests can enjoy private pools, terraces to watch the sunset on, and an expansive wine cellar featuring 250 of the best wines Mendoza has to offer. Wine tastings and private dinners in the cellar are musts for wine enthusiasts, as is indulging in a Signature Wine therapy treatment at the hotel’s spa.

Alluvia Stellenbosch Wine Farm
Stellenbosch, South Africa

This wine farm is set on a working wine estate in the heart of the Stellenbosch Winelands and is known for challenging traditional methods of wine making. Guests can sample some of the vineyards award-winning vinos, like their “ilka” Cabernet Sauvignon and their “lisa” Cabernet Franc, partake in wine tastings, or request to have a personal chef create the perfect gourmet South African meal and wine pairing in the privacy of their room. In terms of accommodation, there are 5 luxury suites, all named after soil types from the farm with color schemes to match, and 2 self-catering houses.

The Carneros Inn
Napa, California

Located in the famous Napa Valley, the property is nestled among 27 acres of grape vines and apple trees that seem to stretch on forever. The inn is a combination of country-style and resort-luxury, including barns, silos, and cottages with modern and comfortable interiors and amenities. Enjoy complimentary fitness runs/walks through the vineyard, peruse the wine-inspired specialty items at the on-site store, MARKET, and treat yourself to all-natural and vineyard-themed spa options, like the Chardonnay Anti-Oxidant Wine Therapy Facial or the Grape Seed and Guava Manicure and Pedicure.

L’Acadie Vineyard Cottages
Nova Scotia, Canada

Right on the side of the L’Acadie vineyards are 3 bedroom and self-catering cottages. Hand-crafted soaps, picnic tables, and private verandas give the accommodations a whimsical touch, while the surrounding landscape acts as a reminder that you are in wine country. All the wines produced at L’Acadie are certified-organic, so you can rest assured that while you enjoy the fine vinos of the winery you are not consuming chemicals. Along with touring the vineyards and sampling the products, guests should visit the property’s geothermal winery and tasting bar for a unique experience and magnificent views of the land.

Wine and Spa Resort Loisium Hotel
Langenlois, Austria

Located amongst the vineyards of Kamptal, this luxurious “floating” (it appears to be lifted off the ground) hotel offers rooms with courtyard and grape vine views. The vino immersion continues with lights in the shape of corks and hallways illuminated in shades of wine. Oenophiles will also enjoy wine and meal pairings, lounging near the fireplace in the wine library, or tastings from wine cellar. A range of spa treatments involving vineyard grapes can also be enjoyed, including an aromatic grape seed bath in a wine barrel, grape seed body peels, and grape extract facials.

Patios de Cafayate Hotel & Winespa
Cafayate, Argentina

This stunning hotel is located on 400 hectares of organic vineyard, allowing guests to completely immerse themselves in wine culture. What’s really unique about this vineyard is that they participate in “zero farming”, which consists of using organic material from the soil to farm the land and lessen the impact of harmful fertiziliers and chemicals. Visitors can participate in the hotel’s harvest program, witness the crushing of the grapes, visit the wine and barrel room, and be guided through tastings with professional winemakers. The luxury spa on site is also a must, as the treatments take advantage of the healthy polyphenols found in grapes and wine. When dining on the property, chefs pair “high-altitude” wines to match the flavors of the cuisine.

Château Les Carrasses
Langeudoc, France

This luxury self-catering estate, including 28 suites, apartments, and villas, is a 19th Century Wine Domaine in the South of France. Not only will guests enjoy private gardens, terraces with barbeques, and private heated pools, but also wine tastings, classes, and events. If you’re planning on going here in 2012, you will be able to sample the first vintage of their boutique “terroir” wines.

Owhanake Bay Estate
Aukland, New Zealand

This accommodation has a lot to offer in terms of nature, as it is not only situated on a boutique winery, but also an olive grove, berry garden, orchard, and among native trees. Guests can relax on a private deck in modern yet elegent suites while sipping from a complimentary bottle of “Melina” Flora Pinot Gris. Private tours of the vineyard and tastings are available, and there are an array of packages offered to wine-enthusiasts, such as the “Island of Wine Package”, which includes a selection of wines, tours and tastings, homemade bread and local olive oil, and dinner at a local vineyard restaurant with a Mercedes to transfer you to and from the venue.

10 best art hotels for creative travelers

by Jessica Festa on

Sometimes when traveling, the average hotel can get a little boring. Why not try something unique and artistic on your next trip? These ten hotels don’t just hang paintings on the walls, they make guests feel as if they’re staying in a real life work of art.

Daddy Long Legs Independent Travellers Hotel
Cape Town, South Africa

The designers of Daddy Long Legs had independent, creative backpackers in mind when building the property. Staying here is like being inside an interactive art exhibition, with unique rooms decorated by artists, poets, photographers, musicians, and designers who had free range to do whatever they pleased. The result is a mix of funny, ironic, and adventurous themed hotel rooms. Some room examples include:

  • the Freshroom- This is the only room to be commissioned by a commercial product. Guests can expect a retro Mentos theme, including a blinds with a pinup of Mona Lisa holding a pack of Mentos, circular raised wallpaper, and furniture adorned with 2,500 rolls of Mentos mints.
  • Far From Home- This room makes guests feel as if they are in the Karoo Wilderness by turning photographs of the region into wallpaper.
  • The Photo Booth (pictured above)- This room contains 3,240 images that are geared around the theme of “life”.

The Henry Jones Art Hotel
Tasmania, Australia

The Henry Jones Art Hotel is a unique hotel offering first class accommodations. Australia’s first art hotel, Henry Jones features original contemporary artworks by emerging and established Tasmanian artists. Sculptures, design pieces, paintings, prints, photographs and more can be perused in the rooms, restaurants, bars, and public spaces, and some of it can even be purchased. For guests who want the full art experience, take a guided tour through the hotel to get a closer look at the range of works as well as the historical overview.

Hotel des Arts
San Francisco, California

The Hotel des Arts is located in the French Quarter and presents the contemporary work of local artists. Guests will not only look at art, but interact with it. Staying in one of the hotel’s Painted Rooms will immerse you in your choice of imaginative installations or edgy graffiti from floor to ceiling. And, if that’s not enough, there is an art gallery on premises that hosts an array of creative exhibitions.

Gladstone Hotel
Toronto, Canada

The Gladstone Hotel is more than just an accommodation; it’s an ongoing experiment that intertwines urban development and cultural entrepreneurship. Along with being a values driven business with a green philosophy, the property also promotes art. Artists created unique themes for each room, a few of which include:

  • The Biker Room (pictured right)- This room features furniture and adornments influenced by motorcycle culture.
  • The Map Room- The goal of the artist was to have guests create their own view Toronto by engaging with the room’s features. For instance, the headboard and ceiling chart the surrounding streets, while a line drawing in the bathroom depicts the nearby ferry route and street grid.
  • The Felt Room- This room is based on the material and the idea behind it. Associated with modern industrialization, felt is rich in scope and can be worked as a surface as well as a structure.

New Majestic Hotel
Singapore, South East Asia

The New Majestic Hotel includes 30 rooms, all designed by artists whose creations were made specifically for the accommodation. While some rooms may contain hidden messages in the art work that can only be read when laying in bed or sitting in the bathtub, others are more flashy with mirrors making up the walls and ceiling. There is an array of creative and interactive experiences for guests to choose from.

Arte Luise Kunsthotel
Berlin, Germany

Originally a building for artists to camp out after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the structure eventually evolved into what is now known as the Arte Luise Kunsthotel. Often called “a gallery where you can spend the night”, this hotel offers rooms that have each been designed by established artists. Guests can choose from an array of themes. While one room may have life sized women painted onto the walls, another may be created to make you feel like you are on safari. Others may have shoes protruding from the walls or have accessories that make you feel as if you are an actor in a sci-fi film.

21C Museum Hotel
Louisville, Kentucky

The 21C Museum Hotel holds a creative experience in every room and space, including the bathrooms and sidewalk outside. While the rooms themselves hold unique pieces of art, what’s really special about this property is the fact that it houses North America‘s first museum dedicated only to collecting and showcasing 21st century contemporary art. On the first floor you will find the actual gallery, while the restaurant and bar also feature a rotation of exhibits. Upon check-in, guests will be given an I-Pod that will give them a guided tour of the hotel’s collection.

Hotel Fox
Copenhagen, Denmark

Hotel Fox is an exciting and creative lifestyle hotel that features 1,000 ideas from 21 different artists in 61 rooms. Combining comfort with the bizarre, each room is a unique piece of art. Some themes include the wacky and humorous, street art, Japanese Manga, fairytales, monsters, and more.

Kosta Boda Art Hotel
Kosta, Sweden

The Kosta Boda Art Hotel is a hotel with a glass art theme, with a glass bar, glass art installations and exhibitions, glassblowing workshops, and rooms featuring creative glass works. Not surprisingly, the hotel is located in the center of the Kingdom of Crystal, so even when you venture out of the hotel your glass art experience will continue.

Propeller Island City Lodge
Berlin, Germany

The Propeller Island City Lodge is truly a unique property as it is a “habitable work of art”. All rooms and their contents are creations of German artist Lars Stroschen, with every object in every room being custom made. While rooms vary from the tame to the extreme, your sense of reality will be altered. And with hanging beds to entire rooms being made of mirror, you will encounter a lot of unusual and trippy scenery.

Affinia Hotels launches Tender Loving Comfort movement

by Jessica Festa on

This week, Affinia Hotels launched their new Tender Loving Comfort movement in New York, Washington D.C., and Chicago. The program is based on deep-customer service as well as the body language of guests. In fact, earlier this year the company partnered with body language expert Patti Wood to train hotel staff to know how to respond to body language cues.

Tender Loving Comfort staff and hotel managers will be interacting with guests during their new Comfort Hour, where guests will get the opportunity to sample snacks, test out new items like tech gear and pillows, and give feedback on what makes them most comfortable when staying at a hotel.

Some interesting findings of the studies so far include:

  • For 68.5% of travelers, little extras at check-in make a big impact
  • 75% of travelers have lied to get a better room or free amenity
  • 43% of travelers say that a warm and friendly hotel staff that anticipates everyday needs is important

Click here to learn more about the Tender Loving Comfort program or to book a hotel room with Affinia.

10 unique experiential hotels from around the world

by Jessica Festa on

A trend in the travel world that is becoming increasingly popular is the “experiential” hotel. Many travelers are no longer looking for a basic room in a premier location, but instead for an experience that will allow them to get to know an (often remote) area, or at least have their hotel be something they’ll never forget. From staying in mines in the deepest hotel suite in the world to getting in touch with nature in a tree-top accommodation, these ten unique hotels are must-stays for the experiential traveler.

The SnowHotel
Location: Ylläsjärvi. Finland

This hotel is an experiential property located in the Snow Village, a compound of snow and ice making a restaurant, bar, lobbies, sculptures, walls, slides, and, of course, the SnowHotel. Stay overnight in a room made completely of snow and enjoy the illuminated ice art that surrounds you. Rooms range from double igloo rooms to “furnished” ice suites.

The Sala Silvermine
Location: Sala, Sweden

The Sala Silvermine is not for the claustrophobic. Stay in the deepest hotel suite on Earth. Once you arrive, you will be given a guided tour of the mine, once Sweden’s largest producer of silver, which is 155 meters underground. After the tour, guests are given a goodie basket of fruit, biscuits, cheese, chocolate, and wine, which can be a romantic touch in the dim, candle-lit room. Prepare to rough it a little as the toilets are located 50 meters from the room, while the showers are above ground in the hostel.

Safari Land Farm and Guest House Resort
Location: Tamilnadu, India

Often called the Tree House Resort, Safari Land will really get you in touch with nature. Safari Land is specifically designed with wilderness lovers, bird watchers, and environmentally conscious. Guests will stay in tree houses perched above 4,000 feet high hills. Look down and you will see a tranquil stream pouring down the hill. Look forward and your view will be of the Blue Mountains in India. And for those who want to have a rustic experience but still enjoy some comforts of home, electricity, toilets, and hot water are available.

La Balade des Gnomes
Location: Heyd Nr Durbuy, Wallonia, Belgium

La Balade des Gnomes is an experiential hotel for those who have a big imagination. With a fairy-tale theme in mind, the rooms are extremely detailed and over-the-top. Sleep in a boat under twinkling lights while floating in a swimming pool or opt for the enormous Trojan Horse Suite where you will literally be staying inside a trojan horse.

Palacio de Sal
Location: Uyuni,Bolivia

Those with high sodium levels, beware! The Palacio de Sal is, exactly as the name states, made entirely out of salt. Not only are the walls, ceilings, and floors made out of salt, but also the furniture. And, it doesn’t stop there. Salt artwork and a salt golf-course are also part of the experience.

Controversy Tram Inn
Location: Hoogwoud, Netherlands

Guests of the Controversy Tram Inn can experience sleeping in a railcar converted into a 5-room Bed and Breakfast, each with a unique theme. A double bed, shower, sink, and toilet are also included. Next to the experiential hotel live the owners, Frank and Irma Appel, who also live like their guests, sleeping in a London double-decker bus in their living room and eating in a kitchen that is now a French Van.

Jules Undersea Lodge
Location: Key Largo, Florida

Imagine having to dive underwater to get to your room? If you stay at Jules Undersea Lodge, this becomes a reality, as guests dive 21 feet to get to this completely submerged experiential hotel. Meals and luggage are handled in waterproof suitcases, and the food is actually hot. Each room holds a 42-inch round window so that guests can check out the many species of sea life swimming in the lagoon. If you’re into diving, the hotel provides unlimited tanks for their guests to explore the sea.

Propeller Island City Lodge
Location: Berlin, Germany

With rooms designed by German artist Lars Stroschen, staying here is like sleeping in a giant work of art, with upside-down rooms and flying beds. Everything you find in the Propeller Island City Lodge is custom-made and one-of-a-kind. Rooms range from mild to extreme and have the ability to alter your sense of reality. Be prepared for surprises everywhere you turn.

Wigwam Motel
Location: Holbrook, Arizona

The Wigwam Motel is one of the last standing Wigwam hotels left from a 1950’s chain. In 2002, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Guests have the opportunity to stay in one of 14 authentic-looking teepees. Making the stay more experiential is the fact that it is located in close proximity to a number of Native American Reservations. Unlike Indian-style teepees, however, guests at Wigwam can enjoy double-beds and air-conditioning.

The Boot Bed ‘n’ Breakfast
Location: Tasman, New Zealand

Remember the childhood nursery rhyme The Old Woman Who Lived in the Shoe? Well picture that, but a lot more luxurious. This giant boot is located on 6 acres of gardens, courtyards, and well-manicured property. With private outdoor seating, a spiral wooden staircase, a cozy fireplace, and fresh flowers in rooms made for two, it is easy to see why the Boot Bed ‘n’ Breakfast is the perfect romantic experience for couples. Still, if you’re single and still want to see what it’s like to sleep in a giant shoe, make the trip anyway.