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The DuoMo Hotel: Reason 4,327 To Go To Italy This Summer!

Plenty of hotels out there claim they’ll provide an experience that feels “just like home.” But wait - isn’t the whole point of traveling to get away from home?  The duoMo Hotel in the seaside town of Rimini, Italy, is just what we had in mind.  With its futuristic club-like feel, guests get the elevated experience they crave from staying in a hotel, while enjoying all of the amenities that they expect, some of which include flat screen televisions, bathrooms designed with Alessi accents, bike service, and jacuzzi. 

Ride the Wave to Inner Peace at a Surf & Yoga Retreat

Surfing and yoga. Yoga and surfing. Like all great pairings - peanut butter and jelly, espresso and skim milk, and TomKat come to mind - yoga and surfing make for one bizarrely perfect match. If the idea of a vacation spent learning how to ride the waves and tone up your wannabe-yogi bod sounds as heavenly to you as it does to me, you’re in luck. I’ve om’d my way through a virtual world tour of surf and yoga retreats; without further ado, the top four finds…

TravelSlides: Blue Palace Resort & Spa

Looking for a romantic getaway with sun, sand, luxe private digs, and pristine secluded beaches? Then jet on over to Greece’s Blue Palace Resort & Spa!  The ultimate honeymoon destination, choose from among 251 rooms dotted along the beautiful Crete shoreline including bungalows, suites, or private villas. With amenities such as private jacuzzis, magnificent sea views, and spacious terraces, relax and soak up the sun in style. 

TravelSlides: The Hotel at Esperanza, Cabo San Lucas

In Cabo San Lucas, its always summertime. And there’s no better place to spend summer, whenever you decide you need more of it, than at the Hotel at Esperanza, voted #1 Spa in Latin America by Travel + Leisure this year. With 50 ocean view casitas and six luxury suites, you’ll enjoy the privacy of a smaller resort while enjoying all of the amenities of a luxury hotel.  These include an oceanfront restaurant and bar, yoga studio, fitness center, and an art gallery, La Galeria, where you can admire and purchase sculptures and paintings by local artists. 

TravelSlides: Athens’ Baby Grand Hotel, Baby!

Imagine a front desk flanked with real Mini Coopers. Picture yourself snoozing away under cartoon forests. Now wake up - because such a place actually exists! Designed by ten international artists, Athens’ Baby Grand Hotel is literally a work of art. Rooms are embellished with Japanese-inspired animations, where you can pick from suites adorned with smiling blue smurfs, magical waterfalls, and more.

Gotta Getaway: South Beach’s Swank-tastic Sagamore

If you’re itching to party like a rap star ala Jay Z, or an heirhead likeParis Hilton, or if you’re looking to turn those pasty legs into a perfect shade of tan, hit up Miami’s South Beach and give the swank-arific Sagamore Hotel a try.  This intimate oceanside resort takes the color white to a whole new level - think Hamptons meets Vegas (minus the cheese factor).  White couches, white walls, white terraces, white dining rooms, white accented pool, white clouds, white salt, white rice… you get the pic.  With sleek clean lines and a modern…

Gotta Getaway: San Diego’s Tower 23 Hotel

We’re talking beaches, sunshine, palm trees, and hot beach babes.  And it’s just a couple hours (er, okay. maybe 8) from Stylehive’s San Francisco office. Road trip, anyone? Located in the heart of San Diego, the Tower23 Hotel offers the best in comfort and style and is right on the beach.  It’s the perfect place to wind down and relax for a low key weekend getaway and if you’re up for partying - San Diego’s got some of that, too.  The resort is beautiful, as it resembles a “translucent, exquisitely crafted glass box that evokes a…

Gotta Getaway: Add an Hour to Your Day

25hours is a visionary hotel chain, and their newest Frankfurt outpost is an amazing, affordable stay. Hip, modern furniture meets vintage wallpaper. Young, attentive staff bustle purposefully. Themed floors (Ancient Rome, your childhood, Australia, luxe casino, forest preserve, under the Baltic Sea) offer 49 individualized guest rooms, all equipped with a flat screen TV, iHome sound system, and free internet access. A real find.

Gotta Getaway: Le Blanc Spa Resort in Cancun

The goal of Le Blanc Spa Resort is to be as close to heaven as possible. This oasis is located in the center of Cancun, Mexico, a city reasonably close geographically to the U.S., but far enough away to forget where you come from entirely. The resort, “towers majestically over one of Mexico’s most beautiful stretches of private beach, just 15 minutes from downtown Cancun and 25 minutes from the airport. Covering five acres, it offers 260 air-conditioned luxurious rooms with an ocean or lagoon view, balcony, double Jacuzzi, flat screen LCD TV with satellite and much more.…

Gotta Getaway: Gramercy Park Hotel’s Roof Club

The roof of the Gramercy has been so consistently packed since it opened in April, so you probably haven’t been able to get in, no matter how many Washingtons you slide the doorkeeper. If you’re unable to upgrade to Franklins, drink in these pics. Hotelier Ian Schrager‘s club is inspired by the roof top garden life popularized at the turn of the century in New York City at such places as Ziegfeld’s Club at the New Amsterdam Theatre. But Ziggy’s architect didn’t have artist and bon vivant Julian Schnabel by his side like Ian did! Schnabel’s…

Gotta Getaway: Blakes Luxury Hotel, London

If you’re looking for style, class, and elegance, look no further than the swanky Blakes Luxury Hotel in London, England.  Created by international designer and famed hotelier Anouska Hempel, the boutique hotel is renowned as the premiere fashionable small hotel in both London and several other cities around the world. Blakes is a standby for film stars, musicians, and designers, but if you’re itching for a celeb sighting, be prepared to get shot down - the hotel is known for protecting its clients . Depending on the room (and how much you’re willing to plunk down), you will…

Gotta Getaway: Coral Bay Resort, Thailand

Imagine soothing, pristine beaches, tropical wildflowers, thatched roof bungalows. No Skipper, you’re not on Gilligan’s Island, you’re at Thailand’s luxurious Coral Bay Resort!  Located in the tropical province of Koh Samui, the lush 10 acre resort offers the best of comfort and privacy.  Breathe in the scent of coconut palms and fragrant hibiscus while taking a stroll amongst tropical gardens, or snooze until noon under one of 56 traditional wood and stone Samui-style bungalows, each containing a huge private balcony with views of the tropical gardens or sea.  For fun in the sun, lounge away in a sweet…

Gotta Getaway: East Germany, The Way Kruschev Liked it

Berlin’s latest manifestation of ostalgie- nostalgia for life in the former East Germany- is brilliantly expressed in OSTEL, a budget motel located in the city’s celebrated Mitte district.  Cleverly designed with countless amusing references to life in the GDR, each room features its own fun theme.  Choose from the pre-fabricated apartment, the Stasi suite, or a multi-person pioneer camp room.  Look out for authentic period furniture and decorations such as brightly colored graphic wallpaper and framed pictures of communist leaders.  With reasonable rates ranging from 9-39 euros per night, you might even manage to pick up a little something from…

Gotta Getaway: L’Andana Tenuta la Badiola, Tuscany

Imagine strolling along in a garden surrounded by olive trees, taking in the scent of wild flowers as you gaze at the surrounding hills.  Sound nice?  Well, if you’re lucky enough to go to Tuscany this summer, be sure to stay at L’Andana, where those daydreams will come to life.  Located in an area known as Maremma, the serene resort features 33 guestrooms furnished in rustic elegance, with Italian fabrics and antiques adding to the palatial atmosphere.  If spa treatment is your thing (it’s definitely mine), visit the Espa, L’Andana’s own service complete with four treatment…

Gotta Getaway: Rayavadee, Thailand

Amidst the beautiful beaches of Krabi, Thailand lies the Rayavadee Hotel, a luxury seaside resort flanked by majestic cliffs, beautiful white sands, and the clear blue waters of the Andaman Sea.  If privacy is what you’re after, they’ve got you covered. This tropical oasis is hidden on a secluded headland and accessible only by boat. Choose from a two bedroom villa ideal for families, a Deluxe Pavilion (with hydro pool!), or a romantic Spa Pavilion with a secluded outdoor garden Jacuzzi perfect for honeymooners.  Depending on your villa (and bank account), rooms can include luxuries such as private…

Gotta Getaway: Hotel Tomo

Sure, we’d love to pack up and take a last minute trip to Tokyo, but since that isn’t quite possible we’ll take the next best thing. Located in the heart of San Francisco’s historic Japantown lies the newly renovated Hotel Tomo, a majestic abode that fuses the aesthetics of modern design and Japanese pop culture.  Designed by seasoned artist Heisuke Kitazawa, the hotel combines elements of anime, manga, and street fashion as inspiration, using bright colors, modern decor, and quirky embellishments.  In addition to the 125 rooms, amenities include two gaming suites, a fitness center, five meeting spaces,…

Gotta Getaway: Fast Forward in Florence

Meet the Hotel Vittoria. Surrounded by historic churches and shops in the quarter of Florence’s San Frediano, this breathtaking abode fuses the two Italy’s - old world and modern.  A fresh and contemporary getaway, the Hotel Vittoria boasts 84 exquisite rooms, each painted with vibrant colors, and are embellished with modern materials such as mosaics, leather, and printed lame. For those who can’t bear to be away from the computer, don’t fret - each room includes broadband connection (and 42-inch wide plasma screen televisions)! The Vittoria also houses a restaurant and a bar, both decorated in…

Gotta Getaway: Inexpensive, Eco-Friendly Escape

Have a raging case of Spring Fever? Order a mojito, take a deep breath, then head down to Brazil - where the dollar still hasn’t gone south. Just outside Morro de Sao Paulo, on the island of Tinhare, you’ll find the Anima Hotel.  There you can immerse yourself in Anima’s collection of nine eco-friendly bungalows built with environmentally friendly lumber milled without sacrificing any new forest growth. These pics may look a little Outward Bound, but don’t worry, you don’t have to rough it too much. Each bungalow has a private outdoor shower, king-size…

Gotta Getaway: Hanging With the Stars!

See ya tents! See ya bugs! This is our kind of camping! The Nuestro Hotel’s Elqui Domos is one of only seven astronomic hotels worldwide, and the only one in the Southern Hemisphere. Stay in your own private little yurt-like dome underneath the stars. Each dome comes with a living room and bathroom on the first floor, and a bedroom and detachable roof on the second. And leave your telescopes at home: they provide them for you. Specialized astronomic tours, nighttime horse rides, and private telescope sessions round out a truly unique vacation experience. So if…

Gotta Getaway: Going Out for Seafood Gets a Whole New Meaning

The world’s first undersea restaurant sits sixteen feet below sea level, holds fourteen people, and is surrounded by 68 million square kilometers of water. Located at the Hilton Maldives Resort & Spa in the Indian Ocean, the Ithaa restaurant, opened in 2005, offers diners the chance to sit face-to-face with exotic marine life - as they eat, well, exotic marine life. Surrounded by a vibrant coral reef, you can sample champagne cocktails and contemporary Maldivian-Western fusion cuisine while marveling at the 270 degrees of panoramic underwater view that the transparent acrylic roof offers. How do the…

Hot Travel: The Library - Free Your Mind

Set amidst the lush vegetation of Koh Samui, Thailand is The Library.  Not your ordinary bibliothèque, The Library is actually an elegant hotel consisting of 26 suites arranged duplex style around the beach front. Perfectly Hive-worthy, the hotel, designed by Tirawan Songsawat, celebrates minimalistic architecture and witty interiors with bold colors against pure white walls and floors. Plus how could anyone resist the 270-degree view at the gym or the red swimming pool?

Hot Travel: Huvafen Fushi, Maldives - A Waking Dream

Huvafen means “dream” in Dhivehi, the Maldivian language, and Huvafen Fushi is undeniably a dreamscape.  A big hit with celebrities Naomi Campbell and Elizabeth Hurley, this amazing Maldive resort is luxury amidst crystal blue waters, powder white sand, and vivid marine life.  Set within its own lagoon in the Indian Ocean, this tiny island retreat offers 43 lavish bungalows and pavilions, complete with their own private decks and a freshwater pool that leads right to the ocean.  Mixing a chic combination of luxury, minimalism, and nature, the over-water and beach bungalows are outfitted with furniture from the likes of Frank…

Hot Travel: Arte Luise Kunsthotel, Gallery Where You Can Spend the Night

European art hotels are part of a trend pushing the boundaries of the average hotel experience.  We have written about Copenhagen’s Fox Hotel and Berlin’s Propeller Island City Lodge.  Another art hotel in Berlin worth mentioning is the Arte Luise Kunsthotel.  Remodeled from an 1825 former neoclassical palace, about 50 rooms have been devised, planned and realized by German and international artists.  Check out the Bananensprayer Royal Suite, spray-painted with bananas as symbols of fertility and love.  Or Kehl’s “Comic” room where every corner and angle is outlined with a thin, hand-drawn black line to give the appearance of a…

Hot Travel: Wild Canopy Reserve, Rope Tree Hotel in India

Taking treehouses to a higher level, the Wild Canopy Reserve gives us rustic bamboo and rope tree houses with modern luxuries in Masinagudi, Tamilnadu, India.  Located over 40 feet above ground, the tree houses are situated above a watering hole so you can watch the elephants, tigers and other animals drink and congregate below.  You don’t have to go to the bathroom in the wild, all tree houses have en suite washrooms and hot water.  If you don’t want to “rough it” in the trees, you can always stay in the luxury rooms with a private library and a jacuzzi. …

Hot Travel: Soneva Gili & Six Senses Spa, Maldive

Located in one of the largest lagoons in the Maldives, where crystal clear waters and natural lush vegatation run is Soneva Gili Resort & Spa.  This retreat is the first all-water villa resort in the Maldives, set on the private tropical island of Lankanfushi.  Soneva Gili’s bungalows stand on stilts over the turquoise waters, some accessible only by boat.  Natural materials and eco-friendly meet ultimate decadence with glass window floors, large airy guestrooms, private sundecks, and bathrooms accessed by an open-air walkway with its own private water garden.  You won’t lose out on modern accoutrements such as mini-bar, TV, DVD,…

Hot Travel: Propeller Island City Lodge, Themed Art Hotel in Berlin

Avant-garde art meets hotel lodging with Berlin’s Propeller Island City Lodge.  This innovative and unique hotel made up of 31 themed rooms is the brilliant work of German artist Lars Stroschen.  Probably one of the most eccentric accomodations out there, one should definitely check out the website to choose one of the custom-made theatrical rooms.  The Flying Bed Room has a slanted floor and a bed which appears to float mid-air.  The Upside Room room has all the furnishings on the ceiling and you sleep in boxes under the floorboards.  The Gruft room is for those gothic die-hards who want…

Hot Travel: St. Regis Resort, Bora Bora

Stylehivers know how to travel in style and luxury.  Known as the honeymoon spot of Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban, the brand new St. Regis resort in Bora Bora is the ultimate paradise.  Nicole and Keith enjoyed the $15,000 a night Royal Estate suite which has an amazing 13,000 square feet.  The rest of the luxurious resort boasts over 100 over-water and beach villas, many of which have terrace whirlpools or private swimming pools, private outdoor showers, plasma TVs, Bose DVD/CD players and Internet.  With a 24-hour butler service, spa, state-of-the-art fitness center, and delectable restaurants, this French Polynesian haven…

Hot Travel: The Landmark Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Hong Kong

In the center of one of Asia’s most bustling and beautiful cities lies The Landmark Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Hong Kong.  This 5-star hotel provides a haven of luxury where east meets west in terms of design, service and luxury.  Located in the most central location of Hong Kong, the hotel even connects to the most international buildings via sky bridges.  Boasting the largest average room size in Hong Kong, the rooms were designed by the renowned Peter Remedios.  Chic and contemporary, these rooms have wall-mounted flat-screen TVs with video-on-demand technology, an entertainment system for iPods, a DVD player, and…

Hot Travel: Ripa Hotel, Chic Lodging in Rome

When in Rome, stay at the Ripa Hotel for a modern, high-design, consummate piece of architecture as well as a great cup of cappuccino.  Designed by renowned Italian firm King Roselli Architetti, Ripa Hotel perfectly represents Stylehive style with its form and function.  Only a few blocks from the Colosseum, Ripa Hotel is all suites with large rooms, clean lines, and white walls.  Choose from rooms like the Penthouse Suite, the Nightclub Suite and the Jacuzzi Suite.  Escape old-fashioned and overly-ornate tourist traps with Ripa Hotel’s minimalistic splendour.  Where In The Hive: bookmark/21278 Who:…

Hot Travel: Deluxe DoublePool Villas at Banyan Tree Phuket

We like being indulgently luxurious in the Hive and Phuket’s exclusive Banyan Tree resort is the perfect place to do so.  This gorgeously stunning resort just got more luxurious with their Deluxe DoublePool Villas featuring ten-metre-long private twin infinity pools with a floating bedroom in the center surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows that open into a wading pool.  You can exclusively “own” these villas for 60 days of the year including the long list of amenities such as private massages, daily in-villa cooked breakfast, all-day complimentary soft drinks, vegetables & fruits, complimentary wi-fi and more. Where In The Hive:…

Hot Travel: Burj Al Arab Hotel

We like pretty things in the Hive and hotels are no exception.  If you haven’t heard of the Burj Al Arab Hotel before, the Stylehive is here to share this awe-inspiring architectural wonder with you.  This sail-shaped hotel sits upon its own man-made island in Dubai, setting the gold standard in luxury hotels since it opened in 1999.  At 332 meters tall, the Burj Al Arab towers over the Gulf skyline and reflects light off its glass exterior.  Inside the hotel is the tallest atrium lobby in the world at 180 meters. The Burj Al Arab is an…

Hot Travel: Hotel Fox in Copenhagen, Denmark

Hotel Fox is part of a venture by Volkswagen to introduce the Volkswagen Fox, a small European city car.  Volkswagen wanted snazzier digs for their unveiling, so they took over an old hotel downtown and invited 21 international artists from the fields of urban art, graphic design and illustration to design the rooms.  The only requirement for the artists was to use the specified mattresses and bath fixtures.  The result is that each room is uniquely designed with its own special story.  The trouble will just be picking out the room – from comical styles, graffiti, manga, fantasy…