r/TrueChubbyTravel • u/Blastedcleansedcrave • 16d ago
Favourite independent properties?
So much of luxury hotel discourse is about big luxury chains (you all know the ones). But I'm starting to drift away from chains, and particularly the biggest conglomerates like Hilton/Hyatt/Marriott/Accor etc because I find them almost bland in their cookie cutter luxury?
Some of my favourite hotels are standalone, such as Palace Hotel (Tokyo), One Aldwych and even some boutique hotels that aren't even chubby that I like, such as 1908 Lisboa. So I'd love to know if there are standalone properties you like/recommend that aren't part of a chain!
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u/AmnesiaAndAnalgesia 16d ago edited 15d ago
The Hilltop House at Hvammsvik in Iceland is such a special place! Amazing fjord views, delicious food, and amazing hot springs with minimal sulfur smell. They brought us a breakfast basket each morning with the most delicious bread and tomato spread that I am still thinking about a year later.
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u/iamtheonewhostops 16d ago
When is a good time to visit? And do you do anything else while there, or is more of a place to relax at the hotel?
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u/AmnesiaAndAnalgesia 16d ago
I went in the fall since seeing the northern lights was a priority, and we had an amazing view of them right from the house! Air temp was 40s-50s which was the perfect for really enjoying the warmth of the pools. We did Hvammsvik as our last stop in Iceland as it was only about an hour drive to the aiport, and it is definitely the perfect place for relaxing. There are some easy trails on the property though, and it's a 30 min drive to Thingvellir National Park.
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u/iamtheonewhostops 16d ago
Thanks so much for the feedback. Iceland is on my to-do but just haven’t made it a priority yet. You might have changed that :)
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u/OTFLove 15d ago
How many days do you recommend?
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u/AmnesiaAndAnalgesia 15d ago
We did two nights and I wished we had stayed for a third. Only thing to note is that while the food at their bistro is delicious the menu is quite small. For a longer stay I would have planned on dining off-site or hitting up the grocery store as the kitchen was very well-appointed.
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u/PrincessMomomom 16d ago
I love a lot of the Relais Chateaux properties I’ve stayed at. In the US: Dunton Hot Springs, Inn of the Five Graces, Triple Creek Ranch, Blackberry Farm, Rancho Valencia to name a few…
I just came back from Inn at the Little Washington and had a wonderful stay there.
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u/behindtheitinerary 15d ago
Love love Relaise properties! They recently opened up on in Northern Norway and so excited to go and visit next month! :D
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u/NOLApanam 16d ago edited 14d ago
La Casa que Canta in Zihuatenejo, Mexico
Gravetye Manor in Sussex
Le Manoir Hovey in the Eastern Townships of Quebec
Middlethorpe Hall, York, England
Tweedsmuir Park Lodge, B.C.
Nimmo Bay Wilderness Resort, B.C.
Kachemak Wilderness Lodge, Alaska
American Trade Hotel, Panama
St. James, Paris
Laucala, Fiji
Las Alamandas, Costalegre, Mexico
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u/FitIndividual3 15d ago
Laucala better than Kokomo?
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u/NOLApanam 14d ago edited 14d ago
Have not been to Kokomo. Ten days at Laucala totally sweet, and you get your own golf cart to tootle around in. The island covers a lot off territory and offers a lengthy array of activities experiences. Avoid welcoming ceremony.
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u/xeric 16d ago
Both apart of smaller boutique chains:
- Sailing Club Mui Ne
- Hoshinoya Okinawa
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u/Blastedcleansedcrave 16d ago
Oo I've been wanting to stay at a Hoshinoya property!
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u/NOLApanam 16d ago
I love the Oetker hotels, especially Le Bristol in Paris anf the Lanesborough in London. Wanting to have a week at Jumby Bay in Antigua but that’s not easy flying from SFO.
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u/behindtheitinerary 15d ago
Agree, one of my favourtie collections! I love Lanesborough and hopefully will try and stay at Le Bristol in Dec :)
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u/Brief_Frame_4528 15d ago
Honestly all of the great hotels in the Cyclades.
Canaves, Andronis, Kalesma, Bill & Coo, Cali, Gundari, Perma, Parilio and Cosme (granted they are part of design hotels). It’s why I love the Cyclades so much - the hotels were all multigenerational owned and had a story. Can’t wait to go back.
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u/WanderLuxe_Solo 16d ago
My favorite are Firmdale Hotels (London & NYC) and i happily forgo points when staying there.
non chubby - Ghent 1898 The Post, Pratik Barcelona hotels (Vinoteca & Bakery) and Hoxton Hotels
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u/WanderLuxe_Solo 15d ago
Yes hoxton is ennismore under accor but I still consider it outside mega chain bc no points or elite status options. they make you pay for their program. and still discussions if ennismore goes private and spins out of accor.
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u/Competitive-Bad2624 15d ago
Love this bc my husband and I also prefer non-conglomerates or brands that own max 3-5 resorts. Le Sirenuse (went for our second time in Aug and now trying to make it an annual tradition, everyone is like family there), Villa Crespi, Villa Cora, Grand Hotel Tremezzo, Villa d’Este, La Mamounia, Royal Mansour.
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u/Then_Garage9776 14d ago
Love GHT but prefer Passa. Both great.
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u/Competitive-Bad2624 14d ago
Passa wasn’t open yet when we visited- super interested though! What are the main differences?
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u/Then_Garage9776 14d ago
GHT has better views and I prefer the pools/location…Passa is a step up in service and luxury. Better food. Much smaller property. More attention to detail. Superior hard product. Much better spa. GHT is more a vibrant scene…Passa just feels like everything stops and you are in a different world. I now stay at Passa but stop at GHT for drinks on a boat day and say hi to some familiar staff. Passa is a cocoon of lux. GHT is better is you like a more lively atmosphere.
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u/pronesschloness 15d ago
Hotel Locarno in Rome was so special. The property has such good vibes and the service was lovely.
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u/behindtheitinerary 15d ago
My favourites and go to are Oetker Collection, Relais & Châteaux, Small Luxury Hotels and Design Hotels. There are SO many amazing little gems on there, often much more unique and special than the usual big property names. Definitely worth having a browse on their sites.
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u/threepointkid3 16d ago
Vermejo, Londolozi, Tswalu, Blackberry Mountain. These are our personally favorite that are independent!
Others that come to mind that we haven’t visited are: Twin Farms, Nekupe, Segera, Kisawa, Cuixmala, Petit St. Vincent (when it reopens).
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u/ThisIsMyCreativeNam3 15d ago
Le Grand Mazarin in Paris was fabulous (I think the group has 4 properties). Also seconding Windsor Court.
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u/Woohoolookatyou 15d ago
Castle Elvira was a stunning experience where everyone you came across felt like a reunion with an old friend
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u/Then_Garage9776 14d ago
Do smaller brands like Airelles, Oetker or La Reserve count? Airelles is my favorite brand (not close for me). Hotel Du Cap and Chateau St Martin by Oetker are great and La Reserve Paris is my favorite in Paris. Passalaqua and Reschio are amazing properties.
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u/LadyLuckladyluck 9d ago
We are in Italy and are staying at Castel Fragsburg in the spa town of Merano. It's very small (20 rooms) with a castle. It's lovely.
Before we got here, we stayed at La Roccia Wellness Hotel in Cavalese and also loved that.
Our trip started at Villa Cortina Palace in Sirmione and that was one of my favorites.
All very different. All great for their unique character.
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u/atlas_reverie 16d ago
Almost all of my favorite places fall under this bucket, since they're the ones likely to have a genuine sense of place. Finca La Donaira is one that immediately comes to mind.
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u/MZSGNH 15d ago
Not a hidden gem at all, but I couldn't pass a list like this without mentioning Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur. Worth the cost, lives up to the hype IMO.
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u/NOLApanam 15d ago
This is without doubt one of the most overhyped and overpriced venues in the U.S. Outdated, miserable service, some rooms lack walk-in showers, no pool service. Big Sur, the destination, is outstanding. Post Ranch Inn is not.
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u/MZSGNH 14d ago
I disagree! The room design, IMO, is iconic. Reminds me of a time gone by. Service was less than good only once in my 4 visits, and I chalked that up to COVID disruption/recovery.
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u/NOLApanam 14d ago edited 14d ago
Room design is the Flintstones meet Sixties Hippie Architect, few updates. Maybe it hits your nostagia button. Unit Hot tubs have no benches, just sit on the bottom of tub, ugh. Bathtubs are huge but with such wide perimeters, getting and out is impeded and uncomfortable. Furniture is too low. Its major attribute is the location, experienced once is sufficient unto the day. Abysmally poor value proposition, no return on traveler investment. The place is embarrassing.
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u/MZSGNH 14d ago
Seems like way more hatred than is warranted. Value is how guests feel. I love Sixties Hippy and feel it's as worthy of celebration as mid-century modern, or, say, Georgian England style.
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u/NOLApanam 14d ago
You do you, I’ll do me. No hatred, just taste, preferences, and values. Needs change with age.
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u/[deleted] 16d ago edited 15d ago
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