The Lowdown: The Wilder is a cozy boutique hotel in a classic Georgian-era redbrick that has elegance and charm. It is also on a beautifully peaceful, tree-lined street that feels almost suburban but is yet just a short walk from Dublin city center. Rooms: There are just 42 rooms and suites in total, all of which are comfortable and stylish, though their entry-level rooms are not spacious by any means. They all are though beautifully presented, and display plenty of historic character. Period fixtures abound, including some lovely old fireplaces, alongside more contemporary art pieces and luxury hotel mod-cons. Check out all your room options, and check prices here at Booking.com. Food, Drink & Facilities: Their fine breakfasts are served in the Garden Room, which also if the weather allows, has outdoor seating in the garden. A la carte options include the full Irish, buttermilk pancakes, and a range of egg dishes, alongside a buffet of fresh homemade breads, muffins, granola, juices, yogurts, and fresh fruits. They also serve small dishes throughout the day (until 10pm) at The Wilder – sandwiches, soups and charcuterie plates, plus a range of drinks in the Gin & Tea Rooms. Only guests have access to these spaces so the atmosphere is generally familiar and warm. Not surprisingly due to its size, the hotel doesn’t have much in the way of facilities – no gym or spa for example, though they do have on-site parking. Reception is open 24 hours and the staff are helpful and friendly. Location: The Wilder is on Adelaide Road, near the Grand Canal and about a ten-minute, pleasant, walk to Grafton Street, or a couple of minutes on the LUAS tram system which has a stop nearby. Two of Dublin’s nicest parks, Iveagh Gardens and St Stephen’s Green, are also nearby, as are the many lively bars of Camden Street and Harcourt Street. Some Guest Reviews: “Liked · Absolutely fantastic staff at the place from the folks working the front desk to the bar. Cian, Rocio, Becca and co, we had a great and fun time. Amenities provided were on point, rooms were clean and divine. There was wifi everywhere READ MORE

The Lowdown: In the vibrant South Congress neighborhood of Austin, Texas, Hotel Saint Cecilia is a luxury boutique hotel very much in tune with the city’s bohemian side. Its eclectic decor, vintage furnishings, and laid-back vibe make it a favorite among passing creatives, artists, and musicians. It occupies a beautifully renovated 1880s Victorian mansion, and with it having a mere 14 guest rooms, the atmosphere is personable and intimate. Rooms: Hotel Saint Cecilia’s guest rooms are distinctively, beautifully, decorated and you can expect antique rugs, Victorian and other vintage furniture, and original artwork.  All also feature high ceilings, hardwood floors, and floor-to-ceiling windows. There are five suites, three studios, and six cozy poolside bungalows. The studios feature private balconies with views of the hotel gardens, while the bungalows have private porches amidst the greenery. The suites are the most spacious, featuring separate living areas, oversized soaking tubs, and wood-burning fireplaces. Prices & Availability: Enter your dates and check prices at Booking.com here. Hotel Saint Cecilia welcomes dogs of any size for an additional fee of $25 per pet, per night. Treats, bowls, and toys are provided. Food and Facilities: Hotel Saint Cecilia’s restaurant and bar, the Lounge, offers a Mediterranean-inspired menu of small plates along with creative cocktails in a stylish, relaxed atmosphere. It has a cozy indoor seating area, an outdoor patio overlooking the hotel’s pool, and a poolside bar. The menu showcases locally sourced ingredients, offering fresh, authentic flavors that seem to be consistently popular with guests. The bar offers an extensive selection of wines, spirits, and craft beers, as well as a rotating cocktail menu. The hotel also provides a hearty daily breakfast including eggs how you like them, some great fresh pastries, and a selection of coffees and juices. The small outdoor pool is the hub of the property when the weather’s warm. It is surrounded by lush greenery, poolside lounges and cabanas. Hotel Saint Cecilia has a small but well-equipped fitness center.  It also offers complimentary bicycles for guests to explore the city. Art lovers will appreciate the hotel’s collection of contemporary art displayed throughout the common areas, adding to the hotel’s overall boho-chic ambiance, READ MORE

The Lowdown: The highly respected Firmdale hotel company’s first non U.K. venture was the 11 floor, 86-room Crosby Street Hotel. Smack bang in the middle of SoHo, Manhattan but on a surprisingly quiet street, the location is very hard to beat. It has a cozy, homely feel throughout, though artistic flair abounds – most of the common areas and their individually designed rooms display a dazzling array of bold colors, quirky patterns and interesting art. The industrial style floor to ceiling windows allow for impressive views, particularly from the upper floors (they cost more though), and allow daylight flood the space. Unusually for a high end Manhattan hotel there is no signature restaurant here, but you have the happening Crosby Bar & Terrace which has a broad menu, very well received by guests, and excellent cocktails. Among its other amenities are a private garden, a guest only drawing room, several event and meeting rooms, a well equipped fitness center and a state-of-the-art 99 seat screening room. Rooms: Their 86 rooms and suites are all individually decorated and, as you can see in the photos, are a riot of color in places. They are also enormously comfortable and spacious. The mid to upper range suites are more like mini apartments than hotel rooms with very inviting lounge areas and fireplaces. Check your room options out here at Booking.com. The marble and granite bathrooms all display a nice sense of old world opulence. They all come with twin pedestal sinks, RikRak toiletries and, in the upper range suites, elegant bathtubs. Other amenities include work desks, minibars, safes, large cable TVs, Tivoli radios, air conditioning and black out curtains/blinds. The enormous windows replace entire walls and allow great views. The hotel has 11 floors and so naturally the higher you find yourself the better the views will be. Expect to pay more though for the upper floors. Prices & Availability: Enter your dates and check prices at Booking.com here. Food & Facilities  The Crosby doesn’t have a signature restaurant but the Crosby Bar & Terrace does serve breakfast, lunch, dinner as well as brunch and afternoon tea on the weekends. The breakfast buffet READ MORE

The Lowdown: Right in the heart of Denver’s historic LoDo district, The Oxford Hotel’s own history goes all the way back to 1891, and this classic old Denver red-brick retains a huge amount of old-time elegance. The location is prime, you are just a minute’s walk from Denver Union Station, and yards away from some of the city’s very best restaurants, cafes, shops and nightlife. Rooms: Each of The Oxford’s 80 guest rooms are uniquely decorated but all share the same old-world style and cozy ambiance. They all also have impressively comfortable beds, high-quality linens and some lovely antique furniture pieces amongst other things. The bathrooms are particularly nice and all come with baths, some of them of the romantic, free-standing, claw foot type. Room types stretch from Classic King Rooms and Premier Suites to their top-of-the-range Oxford Suite, which has a separate living room and bedroom, and some stunning views of the Rockies. Prices & Availability: Enter your dates and check prices at Expedia.com here. Food, Drink & Facilities: The Oxford Hotel is home to several excellent dining options, including the hotel’s signature restaurant, Urban Farmer. This farm-to-table steakhouse serves up locally sourced meats and vegetables in a chic setting. Guests can also enjoy craft cocktails and light bites at The Cruise Room, an Art Deco-inspired bar that dates back to the Prohibition era. The Oxford Club, Spa & Salon offers a range of services to rejuvenate mind and body. The spa features a range of treatments, including massages, facials, and body wraps, while the fitness center offers state-of-the-art equipment and various fitness classes. The hotel’s stunning ballroom, with its ornate details and soaring ceilings, is a popular choice for grand events, and the hotel’s rooftop terrace offers breathtaking views over the city. Location: The Oxford Hotel is in the heart of LoDo, just a few blocks away from Coors Field, the home of the Colorado Rockies, as well as the Denver Art Museum and the Denver Performing Arts Complex. The 16th Street Mall, a pedestrian-friendly street lined with shops, restaurants, and entertainment options, is very nearby too. Some Guest Reviews: “Charming, friendly, great location, and overall great experience. READ MORE

The Lowdown: Only open since 2018 the Angad is a bright and bold new addition to the hotel scene in St. Louis, Missouri. It has, as the name suggests, a strong emphasis on art and is a veritable showcase for local talent. Throughout the building you can admire curated sculpture pieces, paintings, video art and photographs from local artists, the majority of which are also available to buy. Color is also a strong theme at Angad with most of its 146 rooms having an exact equivalent in a different color. On the understanding that color affects mood you can choose between green for rejuvenation, yellow for curiosity, red for empowerment and blue for freedom. Its location right in the heart of St. Louis’ Grand Center Arts District is fitting and here you are within walking distance of some of the city’s best restaurants, cafes, bars, theaters and galleries. Rooms: All 146 rooms have a different single color scheme – red, blue, green and yellow. You don’t get to choose your room before booking though, only after by contacting the hotel once your get the confirmation e-mail, or at your check-in. The rooms range from entry level singles to 410 square feet rooms with two queen size beds to sleep four, 505 square feet suites which have a double bedroom, a separate lounge area and a kitchenette, and then their top-of-the-range, 1,400 square feet, Double King Suites which have two double bedrooms with king size beds, and a lounge area. Check out all the details at Booking.com here. Be prepared for some low-level shock on getting acquainted with your room for the first time: except for the floors they are almost entirely monochrome. The idea is that such an immersion in a specific color can encourage certain moods and in this case that is either red for empowerment, blue for freedom, yellow for curiosity or green for rejuvenation. Prices & Availability: Enter your dates and check prices at Booking.com here. Food & Facilities: There are two food venues onsite the most prominent being the Commonwealth Restaurant which does a fresh take on modern European cuisine with a seasonal menu and locally READ MORE

The Lowdown: Home to perhaps Denver’s coolest bar, Death & Co, The Ramble is an uber-stylish, 4-star boutique hotel in the city’s hip RiNo (River North) Arts District. The interiors are inspired by 17th-century Paris it is said. It has that old-world elegance and class but is also thoroughly hip and modern. It has an unmistakable New York vibe too. Their bar might take some of the blame. It was the highly regarded Death & Co Cocktail Bar’s first branch outside Manhattan. Rooms: The hotel’s 50 rooms vary in size, though none are really large it must be said, and the entry-level rooms are quite small. They are though lavishly dressed with antique Persian rugs, art deco chandeliers, hand-crafted furniture, quality linens and super comfortable beds. Mod cons include an iPad with a Bluetooth gramophone speaker, air-con, mini-bar, cable TV and insulated walls. Prices & Availability: Enter your dates and check prices at Expedia.com here. Food and Facilities: Death & Co’s palace-like lobby bar and restaurant, open til 1:30 am is the centerpiece at The Ramble, but they also have a nice outdoor dining space, The Garden, which closes a few hours earlier. The food and drink are superb in both, and Death & Co particularly has a strong following among fashionable locals. It is generally lively and fun. Attached to the hotel is the almost as lovely Vauxhall Theater, which hosts a great range of events – plays, film screenings, concerts etc. The Ramble also has a small, functional fitness center open around the clock. Location: The hotel is bang in the middle of Denver’s new coolest neighborhood, RiNo, with some of the city’s best bars and restaurants minutes away. Right next door in fact is Dana Rodriguez’s highly regarded Supa Mega Bien. Denver’s downtown, and of course LoDo (Lower downtown), are less than a mile away. Some Guest Reviews: “The rooms are beautifully designed – the bed extremely comfy! We had a corner room which was great! The cocktail bar is dangerously good 😊 And the neighborhood very walkable- we will be back!…..” “The Ramble Hotel is truly one of those hidden gems. From its beautiful ambiance to READ MORE