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Lazing lakeside on the shores of these gently lapping natural pools, surrounded by mountain-swept vistas and lush meadows, is no ordinary countryside holiday escape. These sunshine gilded chillax spots of natural cool look as good in autumnal russet red as they do in the summer's vivid verdant green - a retreat fit for some serious you-time.
These boutique hotel abodes range from the ultra-luxe glam to designer, hand-crafted style dens, to spots where farm-to-table is as natural as going for a morning dip and where you can paddleboard as easily as treat yourself to the spa - this is lakeside living made easy.
Browse our Lakeside Edit awash in cerulean blues, cloud-like whites and tonal watercolour greens, each a countryside canvas of freshwater cool – no salt added. This is all about H₂O - yes please, with possibly some gin, bubbles and a wedge of lime on the side.
Lose yourself in the wild beauty of Oeschinensee—where glacial waters shimmer, cliffs rise like giants, and the Swiss Alps whisper secrets only the boldest travellers will hear.
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Creativity, nature, heart, design, deep comfort and food fuse at this house hotel and restaurant on the other side of Amsterdam, along the wild shores of Durgerdam, 20 minutes from downtown.
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Como’s crafted outsider – a modernist lakeside escape stitched into the land, made for lovers of design, detail and chilled luxury with a bold architectural soul.
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A groovy icon from the seventies, Seehotel Ambach, presides over the shores of Lake Caldaro in Italy’s South Tyrol with its perfectly formed, curvaceous marshmallowy walls of laid-back glamour and a canvas of tangerine, vert and oxide red, which drape mid-century furniture pieces.
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Historic private-hire castle on the shoreline of Loch Ness restored by British architect Ptolemy Dean, landscape designer Tom Stuart-Smith and interiors by Charlotte Freemantle and Will Fisher of antique emporium Jamb.
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With the feel of a hip in-the-know club for lido-lovers, Aqva Boutique Hotel’s modular alabaster white building is fronted by a turquoise pool surrounded by sleek decking. Like a pointing finger, a private pier juts out onto the lake - perfect for those celeb moments.
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Once the home of devout Sisters, its aged cloistral heritage has been recast following an exacting narrative of preservation, reframing the monastic aesthetics for the modern nomad without corrupting the patina of austere beauty and timeworn touchpoints.
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Das Wanda hits like a design tonic: vineyards, mountain heat, taupe calm. Heritage meets cool modern grit, stitched with South Tyrolean soul and a taste for slow, stylish rebellion.
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Concrete, glass, rusted steel – architecture meets agriturismo in this ultra-stylish retreat near Lake Garda. Low-slung, counter-sunken, and framed by vines, it’s minimalist luxury with an infinity pool that steals the scene.
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Steps away from Lake Constance, this shoreside hideaway fuses historical elegance with modern, purist architecture and conscious design, cradled in nature, wildflowers and centuries-old pine trees.
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Ditch the noise. Chase altitude. High above Kandersteg, Chalet Arva is a raw, fuss-free alpine escape where wild nature rules, simplicity thrives, and adventure meets tranquility. Let the mountains pull you in.
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A cultured Alpine refuge where design, art and nature converge beside Lake Schwarzsee. A poetic hideaway curated by the Witzmann brothers under the Tyrolean peaks, quietly spirited and deeply rooted.
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Perched above Lake Walen, Hasenberg Lodge is a reawakened 1970s chalet by architects Michelle Corrodi and Roger Zogg — a soulful private-hire retreat where design, light and Alpine poise converge.
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A two-star Michelin gem, this quirky 19th-century cottage lures food lovers worldwide with bold flavours, creative flair, and an unforgettable culinary journey worth every mile.
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Get the insider news and lowdown on what we've been up to, where we've been, and who we've met along the way. Be the first to discover new places and get the scoop on our favourites.