Though five-star luxury may not be the first thing that springs to mind when one thinks of Bhutan, ‘The Happiest Place on Earth’ does offer a selection of stunning hotels, strategically placed around the country so that every corner has somewhere that offers a sophistication and elegance of accommodation to match any other country in this region.
Gangtey Lodge, Gangte Valley
Nestled away in the heart of the beautiful Gangte Valley near the centre of Bhutan, the Gangtey Lodge offers the ideal luxury abode from which to explore the stunning surroundings. With the interior exclusively designed by award-winning designer Mary Lou Thomson and with only 12 guest rooms, the lodge offers an intimacy that is difficult to match and really allows you to unwind and soak in the scenery at your own pace.
Located in the heart of the Punakha Valley, Dhensa offers 24 luxurious suites which are light and open, keeping an elegant simplicity which highlights the beautiful nature that surrounds the hotel. It’s little wonder that Dhensa literally means ‘Heavenly Abode’ in Bhutanese, something that’s brought to life in their magnificent spa which contains its own hand-blended Bhutanese oils. Revive your senses and restore your spirit in this magical place after a long day discovering the surrounding hills.
Take your pick from one of the 16 lavish private guest lodges of this magnificent hotel, located close enough to the capital’s main sights and shopping centres, yet remaining a secluded retreat. With beautiful rooms, contemporary Bhutanese architecture and breath-taking views of the eastern Himalayas peaks, the Amankora Thimpu has something for everyone. Why not experience waking early to watch the sun rise over the valley as you meander through the rice fields? It’s one of those experiences that you don’t forget.
Tom Marchant is Co-founder of Black Tomato.
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Read article : Where to Stay in Antwerp: The Best Hotels and Neighborhoods
To help you out with the decision where to stay in Antwerp, we’ve put together a list of neigbourhoods and the best hotels in the city.
Antwerp is often left out when planning a trip to Belgium. Touristy cities like Brussels or Bruges easily obscure trendy towns of Antwerp or recently re-discovered Ghent.
However, from what we’ve experienced in Antwerp, it’s a vibrant, extraordinarily creative city full of history, so you’re doing yourself a favor by staying here longer, and exploring it for more than a day away from Brussels.
This is one of the best neighborhoods to stay in Antwerp if your goal is to catch up with sightseeing. The old town is full of museums, lively squares, and a number of cafes, restaurants, and beautifully renovated bed & breakfasts in historical houses.
The area is very walkable, and you can easily access the riverbank. It’s also safe and quiet at night.
We stayed in this family-run boutique hotel for three nights, only a minute walk from the main square Grote Markt.
The luxurious interior with elegant decoration made us feel comfortable, as well as the immense space in the bedroom and bathroom. Hot tub, solid wooden writing table and sofa were also part of the room. Our room faced a small courtyard and a garden, so it was absolutely quiet during the whole day.
The breakfast is served in the dining room furnished with antique plates and furniture. If you’re looking for some insider tips on the city, ask the owners. They are extremely helpful, and knowledgeable, since Carl has worked at one of Antwerp’s museums. Check the latest price.
Luxury > Hotel ‘T Sandt Spotless, spacious rooms with an incredibly homey touch. The suites and rooms are bright thanks to big windows. Excellent location near the Grote Markt, good breakfast included. Check the latest price.
Mid-range > Aplace Antwerp City Flats & Suites Very tastefully decorated rooms and apartments in vintage style with modern elements. Apartments also feature a fully equipped kitchen. Pets allowed. Check the latest price.
Budget > Kathedraallogies Drie Koningen Unusual and affordable bed & breakfast in the historical center of Antwerp. You can choose from rooms with shared or private bathrooms. The property is a renovated building from the 16th century. Check the latest price.
Het Zuid is well connected to the city center and train station by public transport. We stayed here for a few nights and loved it here for its laid back vibes and a running path along the river.
In case you prefer cooking your own food and are hoping for some privacy, The Soul would be the best place to stay in Het Zuid. Modern studio with vintage interior offers an equipped kitchenette with a dining corner and comfy sofa, (which we found great after walking the city all day).
The apartment is located right in the heart of the south district, surrounded by many cafes and restaurants. By the way, you can grab a coffee, breakfast or lunch at the atmospheric Soul Cafe. In case you decide to cook, there is a big grocery shop within 5 minutes walking.
Our studio was clean, with a separated bedroom, bright seating area with a dining table and kitchenware, and a private bathroom. The place is also run by welcoming and easygoing owners. Check the latest price.
Luxury > The Glorious Inn In case you’re wishing for some extraordinary place to stay in Antwerp, check it out here. Thematically decorated rooms, classy furniture, and a very quiet location.
We stayed here only a night, but enjoyed the funky atmosphere of the room with a Sleeping Beauty theme. We won’t spoil the surprise, but the room was full of secret hints related to the fairy tale. You better come and check for yourself.
It featured a large and very comfy bed, a tea table with plenty of herbal choices. The highlight of the room was a bathroom with an enormous bathtub, candles, and high-quality toiletries.
Spoil yourself, and if you come during the week, make sure to have dinner in their restaurant downstairs. Check the latest price.
Mid-range > Maison Emile Stylish, modern, and clean rooms with a rich healthy breakfast. It features double and single bedrooms. Check the latest price.
Budget > Le Sud Very affordable and clean budget option with different types of rooms with shared or private bathrooms. Check the latest price.
The area near the Central Station is the oldest diamond center in Europe, and rumour has it they were playing around with diamonds long before the first traders in Hong Kong or New York.
Stay around on Friday or Saturday, and you’ll see the Jewish community walking to and from the synagogues here. Currently, more than 80% of the Jews in Antwerp are involved in the diamond trade.
There are more than 1500 companies involved in selling, cutting, and polishing diamonds in the city, and you can check out some of them on Pelkinstraat Street near the railway station, or in the boutique shops on the Appelmansstraat, Lange Herentalsestraat and Vestingstraat streets.
Always ask for the GIA (Gemological Institute of America) grading report when buying a gem. Read more about the history of Jews in Antwerp.
Located right in the center of the Diamond district, a couple of minutes walking from the Central Station. Luxurious 4-star hotel with an indoor pool, spacious rooms with writing desk. Suites available. Check the latest price.
Luxury > Park Inn by Radisson Antwerpen Spacious and super clean rooms, some of them with a great view. The hotel features a gym, and you can use sauna and swimming pool at the Health Club that is 100 m away. Check the latest price.
Mid-range > Queen A Antwerp Incredibly cosy rooms and common area, decorated with a great taste and sense for interior details. Very kind staff and excellent breakfast! Check the latest price.
Budget > Eden Hotel Simply decorated in pastel colors, and for a very reasonable price considering the proximity to the main railway station. Free tea/coffee station available. Check the latest price.
Rough and poor area in the past that has become a shopping area with lots of cafes now. Popular for its vintage vibes, great proximity to the centre and best Antwerp attractions. Safe and lively Southern neighbourhood in Antwerp.
Wonderful holiday home for family or groups of friends. It features three double beds, a seating area, washing machine, and a small kitchen. It’s centrally located, with many cafes and restaurants around. Check the latest price.
Luxury > Maison Nationale City Flats & Suites Ultra clean, beautiful, bright, and spacious rooms designed in black & white minimalistic style. Possibility to prepare your own food with the kitchenware. Check the latest price.
Mid-range > Kaai11 City Flats & Rooms A luxurious option for a mid-range budget. Situated near the Schelde River, most of the rooms have awesome views. Modern & elegant interior. Some suites come with a fully equipped kitchen. Check the latest price.
Budget > Antwerp Cental Youth Hostel Very cool place in a great location. Simple and clean with twin, quadruple, or dormitory rooms, all with private bathrooms. Buffet breakfast included. Check the latest price.
Het Eilandje means “Little Island,” and currently the area is boasting with loads of cafes, and some of the most distinct museums in Antwerp: MAS, which is a highlight of the Het Eilandje, and Red Line Star – a museum dedicated to the emigration waves that brought millions of European overseas, and the iconic Port House of Zaha Hadid.
It’s a cool area to chill out, enjoy an afternoon coffee, and make your artistic soul happy.
Original modern room with minimalistic décor. Clean and spacious rooms feature a shower or a bath. Very good breakfast included. Check the latest price.
Luxury > B&B Suites@FEEK This is something quite different. High ceilings, futuristic white design with a jacuzzi in the room. Great breakfast! Check the latest price.
Mid-range > Best Western Hotel Docklands Modern rooms of a 3-star hotel, some of them with harbour views and a balcony. Very friendly staff. Some rates include delicious breakfast. Check the latest price.
Budget The area doesn’t really offer budget options, but you can find a budget accommodation not far from Eilandje.
Condo Gardens Antwerp Simple, clean studios with a kitchen, great location for a very reasonable price. Check the latest price.
The area doesn’t have the best reputation, but only because of its multicultural nature, as it’s a home to 90 different nationalities.
On the other hand, if you’re looking for a bit of an “underground,” creative area with music festivals, quirky bars, and a Moroccan & Turkish minority, which means great food, head to the Borgerhout.
Very stylish and comfortable B&B. You can stay either in an apartment for 2-4 people with kitchenware, or in a double room. Located in a beautiful old mansion from 1907. Minimalistic design with soothing feeling.
Luxury There aren’t any top luxury hotels in the area, although the B&B mentioned above can be considered a high-end choice of accommodation in Borgerhout.
Mid-range > B&B Antwerp Large, impeccable rooms with lots of sunlight, very tastefully decorated. The quadruple room also features a seating area and facilities like a coffee machine, fridge, and microwave. Check the latest price.
Budget > Kif Kef City Apt. Incredibly charming apartment with minimalistic design. Fully equipped kitchen, sun terrace and bike rentals (for an extra charge) available. Check the latest price.
Located in the east of Antwerp, famous mostly for its huge green area: the Rieverenhof Park. It’s the area of townhouses, and it’s not popular among tourists as it lacks Antwerp’s cultural vibes. However, it’s a good option if you feel like staying out of the city center.
There’s great cycling infrastructure. For the best Antwerp attractions you’ll need to take a tram or a bike to the city center. Or… go local and visit some of the Deurne’s cultural events.
Elegant & artsy rooms, some of them with a seating area. The place has a lovely garden, and delicious breakfast included. Very pleasant hosts. Check the latest price.
Mid-range > Luxury Suites Arendshof Modern & simple design, located in a quiet area. The suites are in a two-floor house with a living room and a jacuzzi. Breakfast for an extra fee available. Check the latest price.
Residential, trendy, silent and … the pricey area of Antwerp with convenient public transport. It’s popular for its art nouveau architecture. Over 170 houses in the neighborhood have the status of protected monuments, and most of them were built in 1900’s.
Zurenborg is a bit off the beaten path, as it lacks the typical tourist attractions, but is easily accessed by a short tram ride from the centre. Very worth a visit even if you don’t book a hotel here.
Apart from exploring the special architecture, you can stop by for a coffee, a lunch, or have a pint in one of plenty of Zurenborg’s cafes, restaurants, and bars.
Wonderfully minimalistic rooms with white & red décor. Super clean. Breakfast for an extra fee available, and you can prepare your meals also in the common kitchen. Close to the restaurants.
Luxury There are no luxury options in the area.
Mid-range > Amaaj Simple, neat rooms with private bathrooms and a bathtub. Great relaxing area. Check the latest price.
Budget > Alias Youth Hostel A fantastic choice for budget travelers. Clean, simple, with dormitories or double bedrooms with shared or private bathrooms. Tram stops nearby. Check the latest price.
Make a trip to the southern neighbourhood and visit Middelheim Open Air Sculpture Museum
Hopefully this ultimate guide on where to stay in Antwerp helped you to decide which hotel to book, and what attractions you can see in each neighbourhood.
Have a blast in this incredibly vibrant city, and in case we missed any district you’d recommend staying in or cool things to do in Antwerp we haven’t included here, please, leave a comment below.
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Read article : Burke Williams Day Spa in the Heart of San Francisco • We Blog The World
I love the concept of day spas, especially when you want an luxury escape for a few hours, where pampering is the order of the day. When we travel, we often review spas as part of our hotel stay, which is different than purposely making the time for yourself either on your home turf or when you are on the road and wish to indulge in a wellness experience. After all, isn’t your body worth it?
Meet Burke Williams,anurban day spa which has been around since 1984 and has quite a few locations in California. They drew most of their influence from some of the top European day spas. I had an opportunity to get a couple of treatments at their facility based in the heart of San Francisco, which is easily accessible for San Franciscans and travelers alike.
Above, is my favorite part of the spa – their massive hot tub. There’s nothing like a large hot tub and rarely do you find them, even at 5 star hotel spas. The lights were dimmed, which only added to the tranquility.
Nearby is a cold steam room which I saw a woman enter while I was in the hot tub and not leave for ten minutes. Brrr – I didn’t have the courage to try it although I’m certainly aware of the health benefits of cold water immersion and alternating from hot water to cold water dips. We reviewed Refuge in Carmel last summer that focuses onThermal Cycle which is hot and cold water process mixed with relaxation in between.
Exposure to cold water and ice baths, also known as“cryotherapy,” is a popular technique among amateur and professional athletes as well. At Burke Williams, they also have a very large hot steam room as well and unlike so many steam rooms I’ve tried over the years, it’s actually hot. On-site, they also offer a hot dry sauna, which I relaxed in for around 15 minutes before my treatments — you never want to go into a dry sauna after having a facial.
They have two tubs in the spa set in a private room where you can take a therapeutic bath. There are many restorative benefits of hydrotherapy and worth doing whenever you have a chance. Here, traditional spa baths are available only in conjunction with another spa service.
Microsilk Baths are available for booking without another service, however, they recommend doing one in conjunction with a massage or facial.
I tried one of their Wetroom Treatments which are simply divine. While I’ve had body scrubs and wraps before, I’ve never had a salt scrub, which is so renewing for the skin. They talk about your natural glow unfolding from one of these treatments, which couldn’t be truer from how it feels and how your skin looks afterwards. Anthony described my arms as having a “glow” to them and “more radiant.”
Purposefully designed shower heads envelop your body in cascading streams of water, after which you are scrubbed down with sea salt to remove dead surface skin cells — they refer to it as the Salt Glo, although if you have sensitive skin, you can opt for the sugar exfoliation process instead.
After the salt is removed, they wash you down (front and back) and then apply oil to leave your body feeling ever so soft. I absolutely loved this experience and would recommend adding to another service you’re doing that day. Obviously if you get a facial, do the wetroom treatment first.
I absolutely loved this very targeted and customized facial designed to repair damage caused by extrinsic aging. They cleanse your face before applying a Vitamin C peel, their first major step of the treatment.
The 30% Vitamin C infuses the skin with protective anti-oxidants that neutralize free-radical damage and help reverse DNA damage. Key Ingredients for wellness geeks, include Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Ascorbic Acid, Bromelain and Papain. This peel is also added to your hands and covered with warm mitts.
Then, they spray the first enhancement: Age-Defy, which is naturally fragranced with apricot milk and is formulated with potent peptides to repair and actively firm the skin to help reduce fine lines and wrinkles. There’s Chlorella in this spray, which is a micro green algae anti-oxidant rich in protiens and amino acids, Antarticine; a peptide with ability to regenerate and protect skin by retaining moisture and water, heal wounds, increase collagen and elastin production, as well as boost hydration.
After the spray, they move into the 22 point acupressure massage, which is their signature and something they do with all facials. The second peel and my favorite one comes next — the Pro Beyond Pumpkin and Enzyme Peel.
This peel is by one of the skincare lines I like a lot – Eminence. Note: it tingles quite a bit when it goes on (a rarity for me),something to consider if you have very sensitive skin.
Bromelain breaks down connecting structure that holds surface skin cells together and papain breaks down surface dead skin cells for easier removal. It also includes Niacin &Vitamin B3 which when applied topically, acts as a vasodilator to increase circulation, bringing oxygen and nutrients to the skin’s surface.
Their second spray enhancement is a stem cell one which is naturally fragranced with Olive and Coriander and is formulated with skin rejuvenating Mexican Bamboo and Japanese Knotwood to signal skin cells and put them in repair mode. These plant based stem cells stimulate our own skin cells’ natural repair process to help eliminate fine lines and wrinkles.
Believe it or not, there’s more! Unlike so many spas that do not give you the full time (especially your full 60 or 75 minutes “hands-on), they are present every step of the way.
They also massage your arms, hands and feet during the treatment before applying the final spray enhancement: Illuminating Enhancement. This one is naturally fragranced with Sicilian Orange and Honey and contains a time released form of Vitamin C that can remain active in the skin for up to a week. This active form of Vitamin C helps to inhibit melanin production while the citric activator spray instantly brighten the complexion.
Before you leave, they also apply an Eye-tox serum to reduce iron deposits under eye and improve hydrationas well as a Youth Cell Activator, a Quench Moisturizer and Protect (their SPF).
Like all top notch facials, they did extractions after plenty of steam in the middle of the treatment as well.
While they offer some of the traditional custom facials you’d find at most luxury spas, including teen and gentleman’s facials, I wanted to also mention another unique one I’d love to try at a future time. While the Four Layer Resurfacing Facial is shorter than the anti-aging one, the process includes an intense 4-layer progressive peel to leave your skin hydrated and glowing. Papaya enzymes combine with beneficial Alpha Hydroxy Acids to erase fine lines and minimize imperfections. They also do a detox masque infused with antioxidants.
You can also get your nails done in style. What’s nice is that they have over-sized chairs designed to hug your body. They offer hot cups of tea, a lavender-scented blanket for your legs, and an oatmeal pillow to support your neck.
They also offer other unique services such as body polishes, waxing and advanced eye lifts as well as “sprays” as an add-on to facials, such as stem cell and age defy sprays, which as noted above is included in the Anti-Aging facial.
Below, the vanity room.
They also have a shop on-site where you can purchase water bottles, skincare products, leather bags, gifts and more.
Below is a view from one of the windows — it’s located on the top floor of a mall, the same level as a movie theatre and nothing else. Translation: it’s very secluded and enormous. Two thumbs up!! We would definitely return.
Note: I was hosted by the spa but all opinions expressed are entirely my own.
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We stayed in this family-run boutique hotel for three nights, only a minute walk from the 
In case you prefer cooking your own food and are hoping for some privacy, The Soul would be the best place to stay in Het Zuid. Modern studio with vintage interior offers an equipped kitchenette with a dining corner and comfy sofa, (which we found great after walking the city all day).
Located right in the center of the Diamond district, a couple of minutes walking from the Central Station. Luxurious 4-star hotel with an indoor pool, spacious rooms with writing desk. Suites available. Check the latest price.
Wonderful holiday home for family or groups of friends. It features three double beds, a seating area, washing machine, and a small kitchen. It’s centrally located, with many cafes and restaurants around. Check the latest price.
Original modern room with minimalistic décor. Clean and spacious rooms feature a shower or a bath. Very good breakfast included. Check the latest price.
Elegant & artsy rooms, some of them with a seating area. The place has a lovely garden, and 
Wonderfully minimalistic rooms with white & red décor. Super clean. Breakfast for an extra fee available, and you can prepare your meals also in the common kitchen. Close to the restaurants.
