What makes a hotel truly luxurious?

It depends on what your definition of luxury is. For some, luxury is a minibar, telephone, and hairdryer in the room. For others, it’s about an amazing location and great service. Boutique hotels, which are privately owned, tend to give the best personal service, while larger luxury hotels allow you to be more anonymous. Five-star hotels often have a bar, restaurant, and spa, but don’t always provide the best overall experience.

How do boutique hotels differ from traditional luxury hotels?

Boutique hotels are often privately owned, with each room individually designed. Staff are usually passionate about what they do, and the atmosphere is more personal and relaxed. Boutique hotels focus on design, service, and experience rather than star ratings.

What wellness amenities do top luxury hotels offer now (e.g. sleep tech, spa treatments, circadian lighting)?

Top luxury hotels now offer high-tech wellness features such as automatic dimmable lights, in-room voice assistants, circadian lighting, sleep masks, oils, sprays, and mood lighting to support better rest and relaxation.

Which hotels offer AI-personalised wellness experiences or smart rooms?

Sensei Lanai, a Four Seasons Resort in Hawaii, offers Thermal Body Mapping and advanced sensors that personalise treatments. The Ritz-Carlton Orlando and W Scottsdale use AI-powered robotic massages and fitness assessments. Clinique La Prairie in Switzerland integrates AI with genomic data to create tailored longevity programmes. Mandarin Oriental’s AI-driven concierge adjusts experiences based on your preferences. Hilton’s Connected Room technology and Zoku Amsterdam’s AI-powered app learn your routines, while Wynn Las Vegas features voice-activated smart suites. Six Senses and SHA Wellness Clinic use biofeedback and real-time mood tracking for fully personalised stays.

Are pets welcome at most luxury hotels, and what special services do they offer for them?

Each hotel has its own pet policy, but many luxury hotels welcome pets. Expect dog-friendly rooms, beds, and treats, though some may charge an additional nightly fee.

What VIP or concierge experiences can you expect at a luxury hotel?

Concierges can arrange theatre bookings, restaurant reservations, private drivers, cooking courses, truffle hunting in Tuscany, hot air ballooning, and bespoke culture trips — it all depends on what you’d like to experience.

How can I find the best boutique hotels near me or in a specific city?

Explore boutique hotel recommendations on www.lulusluxurylifestyle.uk. Lulu Townsend has over 25 years of experience in the hotel industry, including marketing and consulting for luxury and boutique hotels worldwide.

Which hotels in Rome are best for a romantic weekend, spa retreat, or wellness break?

JK Place Roma, Rocco Forte’s Hotel de la Ville, and Crossing Condotti are three romantic boutique hotels in Rome that suit weekends focused on style, spa time, and wellness.

When is the best time to book a luxury hotel for the best price or availability?

Book in off-peak seasons or when flight prices are lower for the best rates and availability.

Do boutique hotels offer flexible booking or cancellation options?

Many boutique hotels offer flexible booking and cancellation policies, especially when you book directly with the hotel.

What should I look for when choosing a 5-star versus a boutique hotel?

A 5-star hotel typically includes a bar, restaurant, and spa, ideal for a full-service luxury holiday. A boutique hotel offers a more personal, romantic stay and often lets you live like a local.

Which luxury hotels are leading in sustainability or eco-friendly practices?

Leaders include The Brando in French Polynesia, Soneva Resorts, Heckfield Place in Hampshire, 1 Hotels, and Fogo Island Inn in Newfoundland, all combining conservation, regenerative farming, and eco-conscious design.

What are the best eco-luxury hotels for wellness travellers?

Excellent eco-luxury wellness stays include Euphoria Retreat in Greece, Preidlhof in South Tyrol, Kamalaya in Koh Samui, and Ulpotha in Sri Lanka.

How are luxury hotels adapting to conscious travel trends in 2025?

Hotels are moving from being green to regenerative, investing in renewable energy and refill culture, reducing waste, and supporting local communities. Kitchens focus on local sourcing and low waste, while wellness programmes blend science with traditional wisdom. Luxury is now about how a place makes you feel and the positive mark it leaves behind.

Where should I stay in 2025 for the best wellness escapes?

Ulpotha in Sri Lanka is a standout for yoga, Ayurveda, organic vegetarian food, and digital detox in an off-grid setting.

What are the top luxury destinations for solo travellers?

Italy, Bali, Greece, and Sri Lanka are popular with solo luxury travellers for their combination of safety, culture, wellness, and boutique-style hospitality.

What are the best local luxury stays in the UK right now?

Chewton Glen, Heckfield Place, Lime Wood Hotel, Double Red Duke, and Thyme offer standout design, service, and character.

What are trending boutique hotel locations and hidden gem stays this year?

Trending locations include Puglia, Menorca, the Cotswolds, the Scottish Highlands, Lisbon, Sri Lanka, Suffolk, Kyoto, Oaxaca, and Cornwall, each with small, design-led hotels and a strong sense of place.

A large, Mediterranean-style villa with a red-tiled roof and multiple stories, surrounded by lush greenery, trees, and landscaped gardens. There is a swimming pool with lounge chairs and umbrellas nearby, in a scenic rural area with rolling hills in

Modern house with infinity pool, outdoor seating, and minimalist patio on a sunny day amid trees and greenery.

Luxurious outdoor swimming pool surrounded by lounge chairs with umbrellas, lush greenery, and stone buildings on a hillside under a bright blue sky.

Interior of a bright, elegant lounge with large arched windows, a central bar with a variety of bottles, and comfortable seating including pink and patterned chairs, a glass ceiling, and potted plants.

Elegant library room with wooden bookshelves filled with books, ornate ceiling, and a mix of white and teal chairs around a wooden table with vases and flowers, large windows with drapes, and a portrait on the wall.

Overwater bungalow with a private pool, deck chairs, umbrellas, and ocean view under a blue sky.

Lulu’s Luxury Lifestyle & Travel

Articles, Travel Inspiration and Hotel Reviews

Wellness brands, luxury hotels, reviews, features, articles, little hidden gems, shops, travel tips, travel guides, websites, products and restaurants.

#lulusluxurylifestyle

Lulu Townsend 19/10/2025 Lulu Townsend 19/10/2025

Chewton Glen

Chewton Glen is one of Britain’s great country house hotels for good reason. Set in 130 acres on the edge of the New Forest, a short walk from the sea, it blends style and polish with real warmth. The latest chapter is a standout refurbishment by London studio Goddard Littlefair, which has reimagined some of the rooms, the bar, Dining Room and drawing rooms with an elegant, lived-in feel. Think parquet underfoot, velvet sofas, handmade wooden tables, soft lavender and green tartans and herringbones, and open fires glowing wherever you turn. It’s sophisticated and classic, and it suits Chewton Glen beautifully.

Lulu Townsend 24/09/2025 Lulu Townsend 24/09/2025

Thyme: A Living, Breathing Village in the Cotswolds

Thyme, a living, breathing village in the heart of the Cotswolds. A family affair this country house hotel has sustainability at its heart without compromising on luxury. The perfect combination.

Lulu Townsend 27/08/2025 Lulu Townsend 27/08/2025

Tewkesbury Park Hotel: A Stylish Cotswolds Escape

Tewkesbury Park Hotel is a modern Cotswolds hotel, great for golf, spa and delicious curries! A dog and child-friendly hotel, perfect for all of the family.

Lulu Townsend 26/08/2025 Lulu Townsend 26/08/2025

A new chapter for Hotel Gabrielli, Venice

August marks an exciting new chapter for one of Venice’s most historic hotels. The 14th-century Hotel Gabrielli, sitting proudly on the Riva degli Schiavoni just a short stroll from Piazza San Marco, has reopened its doors as a five-star member of the Starhotels Collezione. Following an extensive restoration, this Venetian palazzo now offers a rare blend of heritage, craftsmanship, and contemporary luxury, all set against the shimmering backdrop of the lagoon.

Lulu Townsend 21/07/2025 Lulu Townsend 21/07/2025

Calcot & Spa Review: Does It Live Up to the Hype?

Calcot & Spa in the Cotswolds. A luxury family-friendly hotel with spa, gardens, bar and restaurant.

Lulu Townsend 13/05/2025 Lulu Townsend 13/05/2025

Canne Bianche, a Stylish Slice of Puglia

Canne Bianche Lifestyle Hotel is a little slice of heaven just 30 minutes from Brindisi airport in Puglia. Beach location, pool, spa and lovely service, it’s hard to beat.

Lulu Townsend 11/05/2025 Lulu Townsend 11/05/2025

Greenway Hotel and Spa – A Cotswold Hideaway with Heart and Heritage

Greenway Hotel and Spa in the Cotswolds features beautiful interiors, fantastic food (the best sticky toffee pudding ever) and brilliant spa.

Lulu Townsend 04/02/2025 Lulu Townsend 04/02/2025

Six Senses Kaplankaya, Turkey

Six Senses Kaplankaya in Turkey has the most complete and expert spa offering of all of the Six Senses luxury hotels.

Lulu Townsend 03/12/2024 Lulu Townsend 03/12/2024

Whatley Manor: A Commitment to Sustainable Luxury

Lulu Townsend 08/10/2024 Lulu Townsend 08/10/2024

Lime Wood Hotel and Spa, Hampshire, UK

Lime Wood Hotel and Spa, one of the best country house hotels in the UK

Lulu Townsend 17/08/2024 Lulu Townsend 17/08/2024

Is this the perfect London hotel?

Is this the perfect London hotel...?

Lulu Townsend 05/06/2024 Lulu Townsend 05/06/2024

Longueville Manor, Jersey, Channel Islands

Longueville Manor is the best hotel in the Channel Islands. Independently owned this traditional and luxurious hotel and spa ticks all of the boxes when it comes to location, food, wine, service, gardens and spa.

Lulu Townsend 05/11/2023 Lulu Townsend 05/11/2023

The Preidlhof way, a new way of living

Preidlhof is one of the best destination spas in Europe. Come here for a bespoke programme, a menopause retreat or some downtime in the South Tyrol mountains.

Lulu Townsend 18/05/2023 Lulu Townsend 18/05/2023

In Search for the Perfect Hotel

Arguably one of the best hotels on the Amalfi Coast… and one of my favourite hotels in the world..

Lulu Townsend 04/04/2023 Lulu Townsend 04/04/2023

City Slickers

Some of the best boutique hotels in the city! A hideaway in Marrakech, a glorious bolthole in London, a cute boutique hotel in Florence, a hip hideaway in Palermo, a little hidden gem in Pimlico, a luxury spa hotel in Bath and an elegant hotel in Lisbon.