Foodie movie fans will be descending on Spain’s Michelin-studded San Sebastián ’s later this month for its annual film festival . Where will they stay? At film-star-themed Astoria7 on the city’s shores, of course… Style Film-star fabulous Setting Foodie-friendly San Sebastián Why this week? The sun is still shining over in Spain , plus you never need an excuse for a bar crawl that involves a fresh plate of pintxos at every pitstop.... 

If you’re kicking yourself for not organising a bank holiday hideaway, seek solace in planning a future escape (three days of picnics and park life are looking unlikely – as usual – with storm clouds on the horizon). We’d like to point you in the direction of the delightful Derwent House , in colourful Cape Town . Not only will a stay here be wallet-friendly, with the hotel’s great-value rates (and member offer – see…  Read More →

Every now and again, a hotel comes along into our collection with a wondrous name. Past favourites have included Huvafen Fushi , Alila Villas Hadahaa (we just like saying them), and now [adopt rolling-credits boomy voice], allow us to introduce, from a galaxy far, far away, the Domes of Elounda in Crete … Style Perfectly rounded resort Setting Edge of Elounda Why this week? Last-minute summer sun awaits on the scorched sands of Crete, and... 

We’re prematurely making like swallows this week and migrating south to Australia ’s Royal Mail Hotel in the Grampians , in search of spectacular skies and taste sensations… Style Country pub gone gourmet Setting Panoramic peaks Why this week? This week, and every week up until the end of September for that matter, Smith members can stay for three nights over the weekend and only pay for two. The catch? You’ve got to have... 

This week, our prize-scooping hotel is a decadent den in a rather smart corner of the city that never sleeps. Numerous 24-hour options aside, we reckon you’ll be hankering after a nap if your bed happens to be at The Surrey in New York … Style Beaux Arts beauty Setting Upscale Upper East Side Why this week? The kind folk over in New York are offering all Smith members 30 per cent off stays until early September, so hit the city this month... 

While our love for hotels knows no bounds, our feelings about getting from A to (boutique) B are slightly less rosy. When flying is involved, the prospect of lengthy waits, over-zealous security personnel and sinister-looking plane food can slightly dampen the hopes of even the most optimistic traveller. So, as everyone else jets off to far-flung locations, we’re skipping the fuss and making the most of the gorgeous weather right here in the... 

We’re setting our sights stateside this week as we lay our affections on Stonehurst Place , a bright spark of a B&B in Atlanta , that would have been right up Scarlett O’Hara’s street a few years back… Style Southern B&B belle Setting Princely Piedmont Park Why this week? Until September, a weekend at this 19th-century artwork-filled inn comes with one night free ; Smith members can stay Friday and Saturday, and not pay... 

There are times when less just simply isn’t more. Bored by minimalism and modernity, we’re hankering after the kind of extravagance that would make a maharajah blush. We’re talking grand beds with marshmallow-plump bedspreads and squashy silk cushions, lofty ceilings with ornate frescoes, walls bedecked with paintings of stirring scenes and haughty miens and bathrooms so seductive, you’ll be tempted to forsake dry land for a lifetime... 

May merged into June, June slipped into July; suddenly summer’s upon us, and all we can think about is sunshine and siestas. Our great escape looms unplanned, somewhere on the September horizon perhaps, but in the meantime, we’re craving a restorative mini-break. A boutique Berkshire bolthole with a spa, pool and golf course will more than do, so we’re bestowing stately Stoke Park with our highly prized Hotel-of-the-week crown… Why this... 

In honour of the newest tome on the Smith bookshelf of fame (our France guidebook , which hit shops yesterday), we’re keeping our French flavour this week with a trip to Cap Estel , a peninsula-perched hedonist’s playground on the Côte d’Azur … Style Glamorous Med mansion Setting Lushly landscaped Eze clifftop Why this week? Firstly, because it’s one of the 31 hand-picked hotels in our sparkly new French collection, and thus one of... 

Forget the iPad, the iPhone 4G and the box set of Glee, the one product worthy of aisle-fighting and overnight queuing hails from Smith HQ and it’s set to put some ‘Ooh la la’ into your lives. (Biased, us?) Our new guidebook uncovers the most ravishing, romantic and regal boutique boltholes ever to grace French soil, and will be hitting the shelves on 1 July (we don’t …  Read More →

With grey skies looming over Smith HQ, our British-summertime thoughts have turned to log fires and four-posters, floor-to-ceiling tapestries and fleur-de-lys cushions; and by that point they’ve turned south and ever so slightly west towards the portcullis-ed palace of pleasures that is Amberley Castle in West Sussex… Style Moated mediaeval retreat Setting Scenic Sussex Why this week? This week sees Verdi’s Macbeth revived at Glyndebourne... 

The football teams of the globe may be battling it out over in South Africa , but the hotel world needs no such contest. There’s only one trophy worth winning: the Smith Hotel of the Week (only they don’t get a trophy, not even a dodgy medal – just week-long digital reverence)… Style Eco-glam minimalism Setting Crashing waves, cliff-top views Why this week? Ocean-based luxury is…  Read More →

This week, we’re yearning for coffee, coconuts, culture and cowboys – colour-rich Colima in vibrant Mexico should satisfy our cravings. While we’re there – admiring the rainforests, volcanoes and subtropical jungle – we’ll bed down in Hacienda de San Antonio , our latest hotel-of-the-week hero. Style Exclusive organic enclave Setting Volcanic valleys of Colima Why this week? Smith members can stay for five nights, and only... 

We’re turning our sights to the noble city of Florence this week and one of the original Mr & Mrs Smith’s all-time favourite hotels – JK Place Firenze , where the interior design is almost as good as the second-to-no-one concierge… Style Private perfection Setting Perched on the piazza Why this week? For this week and right up until the end of the year, Smith stays come at a special price: a whole 25 per cent off (but not between...