very small hotels

Elsewhere, Goa, India

On a private spit of land overlooking the ocean, separated from the world by a salt water creek, stands Elsewhere, an idyllic small hotel in the former Portuguese colonly of Goa.

Elsewhere is a unique small hotel made up of four simple but charming houses located on a beach where the footprints of fishermen and turtles can still be seen. Elsewhere can only be accessed by a private bamboo footbridge.

Each house faces the sea and are built in the traditional style with thick walls, shuttered windows, cool natural flooring, and terracotta tiled sloping roofs. The furniture is a mix of traditional and eclectic. Each bedroom has a large double bed and accommodates 2 adults. Extra beds can be provided for a fee.

Along with the 4 houses, Elsewhere also has three exclusive and comfortably furnished tents in a gorgeous setting. These are the Otter Creek Tents. Each tent sleeps 2 people in a double four-poster bed and has private en-suite Western style toilet and bathroom with running water and hot shower. The tents are located on the beach facing the creek and each tent has its own sit out and bamboo jetty over the creek.

Elsewhere is run like a small hotel. Housekeeping is provided and a dining shack area is where guests order food from a menu. The cost per meal is approximately 3 to 5 GBP dependng on what is ordered from the vast menu. Elsewhere has been featured in fashion magazines and travel publications who have enthused over the hotel’s beautiful colors, dreamy location, and private setting.

Visit our website at http://www.aseascape.com/index.html

MORE >>

Bloom Organic B&B, Salt Spring Island, Canada

Freshness, light and elegance created by your hosts, the artists Anna Gustafson and Paul Burke. You will feel instantly at home at Bloom Organic B&B, located on Salt Spring Island, just off the coast of Vancouver, British Columbia.

Bloom contains 2 guest suites that accommodate 2 people each. The self-contained ‘Pond Suite’ is located just above the beautiful Blue Horse Art Gallery and accessed by a private staircase. It has a queen sized bed, skylit bathroom, and dressing room. The ‘Orchard Suite’ has a large sitting area that opens to a private patio and garden. Both suites are full of elegant ambience and simple charms.

We provide yogurt and delicious home-made granola and bread. A fresh-baked treat is brought to you in the first morning, and of course, everything is as organic and locally grown as possible. You can make tea and coffee at anytime.

Bloom Organic B&B is located just minutes away from kayaking and hiking on invigorating forest and ocean shoreline trails – a total escape into nature. Relax here at Bloom or explore the island, your spirit will be nurtured and refreshed.

We welcome you to take a look at our reviews on TripAdvisor.

MORE >>

Maison Couturier, San Rafael, Mexico

Make the “French connection” in Mexico at Maison Couturier, a 19th century farming estate turned into a chic 9-room hotel near Veracruz, Mexico.

The traditions of the French immigrants who originally settled the area have been preserved at Maison Couturier. Surrounded by lemon and banana trees, the hotel offers guests a remarkable opportunity to “travel back in time” and enjoy the simple luxury of a lush tropical lifestyle. Guests have the option of staying in the landowner’s suite or one of 8 bungalows, each with their own private terrace and hammock. Each room has air conditioning, wireless internet, and a plasma screen television.

The pool lies at the center of the hotel’s garden, surrounded by the bungalows and the bar’s terrace. There is plenty of outdoor spaces for lounging and enjoying French inspired meals and drinks made from locally grown fresh fruit. The hotel staff are happy to arrange excursions to nearby archeaological sites and the town of San Rafael.

MORE >>

Fazenda Brazil, São Luiz do Paraitinga, Brazil

Located on the edge of the Atlantic Rainforest on a coffee farm high in the coastal mountains, Fazenda Brazil brings together the history, culture, and beauty of the country in one small hotel. The main house is a traditional 1850′s colonial estate, while guests stay in 5 small villas around the property for a more exclusive experience. Each villa has its own aesthetic and charm.

As Fazenda Brazil is a working farm (Fazenda refers to the coffee plantations that spread across the interior of Brazil in the second half of the 19th century), meals are a large part of guest experience. The hotel prepares traditional meals from organic produce grown right in the backyard. You can enjoy fresh milk, cheese, and fruit pies for breakfast while the evening brings organic caipirinha – the national drink of Brazil – before dinner.

Guests have the choice between staying in a double/twin room or suite in the main building, or in one of 5 private villas on the property. See Notes in Info/Rates section for specific details.

There is no TV, cell phone service, or internet access at Fazenda Brazil, ensuring total tranquility. No wonder the hotel is often used as a residency setting for international artists! However, the area offers plenty of activites and no 2 days are alike at Fazenda Brazil. Choose from hiking, rafting, horse back riding, fishing, swimming, or just relaxing on the farm.

MORE >>

El Cosmico, Marfa, Texas

Less a small hotel than the coolest collection of temporary lodgings for artists, wanderers, and chic nomads everywhere, room at El Cosmico are located in 5 beautifully restored vintage trailers from the 1950′s. You can choose from: 1956 Imperial Mansion (45 feet), 1953 Vagabond (35 feet), 1951 Royal Mansion (35 feet), 1951 Kozy Coach (27 feet), and 1950 Branstrator (27 feet).

El Cosmico offers guests all modern luxuries in a retro-cool setting. Each trailer has a stove, small refrigerator, fan, floor heating and hot water, unique light fixtures, and furnishings. The hotel also provides bedding, bath towels, and cooking utensils.

On-site amenities include a bath house with showers, tub, toilets, sinks, and electric outlets. Dutch tubs (a woodfired hot tub) are available for rent by the hour. A hammock grove is the perfect place to relax, while a shared outdoor kitchen has a fridge, BBQs, and picnic tables. Wireless internet is also available in the lobby.

MORE >>

Charming Pousada, Paraty, Brazil

Charming Pousada overlooks a peaceful bay at the heart of the Natural Park of Serra do Mar, the tropical coastal forest running between Rio and São Paulo, about half an hour’s drive south of Paraty. It is the only charming hotel in a 30km radius. It faces the sea and a 3 km-long protected sandy beach.

The hotel offers 10 comfortable rooms all opening onto the natural surroundings and the sea, including a dream honeymoon suite with en-suite jacuzzi and a breathtaking view of the ocean. The local road stops at the beach and one has to walk the last 250m to the hotel, nestled in the forest.

A large spring-water swimming pool is set in a tropical garden designed by a Sao Paulo landscape architect using local species of plants. The pool bar offers tropical juices and snacks during the day and cocktails at night. A large deck offers panoramic views of the bay.

The hotel has a restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner for guests made from organic, local specialities raised and grown at Charming Pousada’s own farm.

When you stay at Charming Pousada, you will be enveloped by the beauty of Paraty. The interior decor is a blend of Portguguese colonial architecture and primitive Amazonian Indian crafts. There are no telephones, televisions, or internet in the rooms, preserving the natural sights and sounds of the wind through the tropical trees and the waves lapping the shore. 

MORE >>

The Farm, Jaipur, India

25 minutes outside of Jaipur in the peaceful Indian countryside is the Farm, a beautiful hotel that opened in 2009. The property was originally a family palace destroyed by a dam. Many of the unique features around the Farm have been salvaged and reworked from elements of the original palace giving a cultural, colorful look to the surroundings.

The atmosphere is relaxed and creativity is encouraged. Classes in cooking, painting, and yoga are offered onsite. The Farm provides meals cooked from homegrown and seasonal produce for all guests, with extensive vegetarian options, served wherever you choose (poolside, perhaps?).

The hotel has 5-rooms, each with its own theme, a swimming pool on a raised terrace, on-site spa treatment room, and a recreational area with books, games, DVDs, and a wide-screen TV. Bicycles and ATV rentals are available for guests to explore the area on their own.

The Farm is constantly evolving thanks to the artistic passion of owners Ritu and Surya. 

MORE >>

Monastero, Pantelleria, Italy

Four beautiful private ‘Dammusi’ stone villas make up this exclusive resort founded by photographer Fabrizio Ferri and restored by architect Gabriella Giuntoli.

A favorite of the international jet set, Monastero is located in the heart of a national park on the tiny island of Pantelleria (between Sicily and Tunisia), far from the well-trodden tourist paths of Italy. It’s an island on an island, a retreat for absolute relaxation.

The extensive facilities include a media room, pool, Turkish bath, massage room, indoor and outdoor seating areas, a large dining room and kitchen (though meals can be prepared for you by in-house chef), a wood burning stove, and air conditioning throughout. Each Damuso has its own patio.

MORE >>

Salt & Sill, Sweden

Salt & Sill is Sweden’s first floating hotel. Originally a restaurant, expanded to include a hotel, it drifts alongside the herring island of Kladesholmen, on the far western side of Tjörn island. It is made up of six two-storey buildings on floating pontoons. All the rooms have their own entrance and access to an outdoor seating area. The interior is characterised by modern Scandinavian simplicity with functional furniture and unique detailing. Salt & Sill’s restaurant is well know for its high-quality food sourced from local raw materials.

MORE >>