The olive team’s best hotels of 2025
Find out where to stay in the New Year with the help of the olive team's most-loved hotel visits, from a luxury Kefalonia resort to an Austrian mountain lodge and a cosy Dorset pub with rooms
Looking for idyllic foodie destinations to book in the New Year? Want to know the hottest hotels worth visiting in 2026? Read on for the olive team's curation of the best island resorts, charming B&Bs and breathtaking mountain lodges to stay in across the world.
For more travel inspiration, check out our curation of the best UK boutique hotel for food lovers, best pubs with rooms, best hotel baths worth travelling for in the UK and the best spa hotels for food lovers.
The olive team’s best hotels of 2025
Lapland Guesthouse, Lapland
"After a three-hour drive through the frozen fir tree-lined roads of Lapland, we arrived at the Lapland Guesthouse, a settlement of snow-covered log cabins adorned with twinkling lights, like something from a fairytale. My wooden cabin was a cosy sanctuary, bathed in golden light, with huge rugs, soft blankets, a full-size Christmas tree and its own sauna! Later that evening the owner took us on a snowmobile ride to chase the Northern Lights, which weren’t expected as it was cloudy. We arrived at our spot in the middle of nowhere and built a fire to warm up some cloudberry Glogg – suddenly the clouds parted and the most vivid green light began to pulse in the sky. It was a truly magical experience." Janine Ratcliffe
Cabins from $300 per night, check availability at laplandguesthouse.com
Stay tuned for the full review, plus a deep-dive into the communities and cuisines of Lapland.
Eriro Alpine Hide, Austria
"Waking up to the sound of cowbells at mountain lodge Eriro in Austria was one of the most idyllic moments of my year, especially when one of the cows came to graze on his breakfast grass beside us as we tucked into our crisp waffles drizzled in mountain honey. Being in the midst of the breathtaking peaks before the ski lifts opened to the public was a magical experience I will never forget.” Alex Crossley
Rooms from £1,582 per night, check availability at eriro.at/de/or booking.com
Argos, Cappadocia, Turkey
"Imagine waking up in a cave, but it’s the most luxe cave you could dream of. You open the front door and step out into what feels like a CGI landscape from a certain sci-fi fantasy film franchise starring Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya. You stroll for a few yards down a sloping cobbled street – the strange, volcano-wrought expanse of Pigeon Valley yawning in front of you – until you reach another ancient cave dwelling. This one has been converted into a spa, which transports you into a surreal realm of subterranean reverie. If it weren’t for my camera roll, I’m not completely certain I’d believe this sequence of events really happened to me." Freddie Stewart
Rooms from £350 per night, check availability at argosincappadocia.com or booking.com
Potato Head, Bali
"Checking into Potato Head felt like stepping into a place where everything had intention, from refreshing cold towels and coconut water to having mosquito spray provided on arrival. From waking up to daylight pouring into the Oceanfront Studio and the sound of waves, to eating plant-based Indonesian dishes made from ingredients grown on their regenerative farm, it was unlike any hotel stay I’ve ever experienced. It was an immersion in food, sustainability and wellbeing that I will never forget – I'm even planning to have my honeymoon there!" René Lorraine
Rooms from £157 per night, check availability at seminyak.potatohead.co/sleep or booking.com
Eliamos, Kefalonia
"Visiting Kefalonia in May, before peak season on the island began, was the perfect way to kick off summer. Staying at Eliamos meant opening up the bedroom doors every morning onto a private terrace and infinity pool with endless views over the sparkling Ionian Sea. It was the ultimate week of relaxation, with those unbeatable views on offer from the open-air restaurant too, the perfect spot for ordering crisp tomato fritters (an island speciality), drinking fresh juices and planning your next swim." Lucy Roxburgh
Rooms from £536 per night, check availability at eliamos.com or booking.com
Hotel Chais Monnet & Spa, Cognac
"Staying in a former 19th-century cognac house turned five-star retreat meant that I was surrounded by reminders of the site’s historical heritage – like the hotel’s Michelin-starred restaurant, Les Foudres, which was hidden away in the cathedral-like ageing cellar lined with enormous, century-old cognac barrels." Hannah Guinness
Rooms from £326 per night, check availability at chaismonnethotel.com or booking.com
Royal Hideaway Corales Resort, Tenerife
"I think the only thing better than my first time experiencing the panoramic views of Tenerife’s volcanic peaks, rugged landscape and clear blue Atlantic Ocean at Royal Corales’ hideaway villa, was that I was enjoying them in a swim-up pool with a cocktail in hand. Truly one of the most simultaneously beautiful and tranquil hotels I have ever been to. Very White Lotus-lite (without the drama), with the hotel’s focus on wellness including earth-inspired rituals and personalised face and body treatments." Jordan Edmonds-Moore
Rooms from £343 per night, check availability at barcelo.com or booking.com
The Fleur de Lys, Dorset
"This charming village pub was the perfect place to hole up in on a chilly autumn evening. Low ceilings, a log burner and wax-dripping candles set the cosy scene, followed by a succession of comfort food winners like Westcombe rarebit croquettes and steaming hot sticky toffee pudding. Waking up the following morning to a spread of flaky pastries, turmeric shots and a bloody mary station was the cherry on top – a heavenly Sunday morning scene." Helen Salter
Rooms from £210 per night, check availability at fleurdelyscranborne.co.uk or booking.com
Hotel Gilbert, Vienna
"Hotel Gilbert felt effortlessly relaxed and cool, and being a stone’s throw from the trendy MuseumsQuartier, it makes a fantastic spot for a city break. We tucked into delicious veggie-centric small plates with Middle Eastern influences at &Flora – the restaurant within the hotel – plus the breakfast buffet was fantastic, a huge seasonal spread. I recommend making use of the bike rentals for exploring the city, and when you’re done, head to the bar for ‘wine time’, where you can enjoy a complimentary glass of wine in the evenings." Helena Busiakiewicz
Rooms from £211 per night, check availability at hotel-gilbert.at/en or booking.com
Ace Hotel, Toronto
"A memorable moment for me this year was opening the door into my tenth-storey room at Ace Hotel in Toronto to the soothing sounds of Canada's Jazz FM playing from the bedside radio. I was a little jetlagged, but the uplifting tones coupled with the warming, stylish mid-century furnishings made me breathe a sigh of relief as I gazed outside to the sun setting on downtown Toronto." Emily Marten
Rooms from £203 per night, check availability at acehotel.com or booking.com
Stay tuned for the full review, plus the hottest places to eat and drink in Toronto.
The Palm House Hotel, Cape Town
"Opening the curtains to a gorgeous view of the Cape Town mountains was a memorable moment of the year. I loved sitting out on the deck, soaking in the warm spring sunshine while drinking the finest South African wine. There was a true sense of feeling at home at this small boutique hotel, the perfect sanctuary after a busy day in the city." Rachel Gunter
Rooms from £158 per night, check availability at palmhouse.co.za or booking.com
Stay tuned for the full review, plus a chef’s picks of the best ingredients and places to eat in the Western Cape.
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