Four European city breaks to book now

Classic Amsterdam, all gleaming

It’s not new (the original opened 125 years ago), but it’s definitely had a recent rebirth: the Hotel de L’Europe in AmsterdamOwned by the Heineken family, it has just come off an extensive makeover that puts it back at the top of the city’s hotel scene (it’s always had one of the best locations in the center of the city’s action, right next to the Golden Triangle and an easy walk to Museumplein and the Rijks Museum, which is located a little further). The 97 rooms and suites, including a stunning six-room penthouse, showcase a rather un-Dutch mix of luxurious textiles and details alongside impressive architectural details (those beams…) and original contemporary art.

Eight of the suites, each unique and furnished with antiques spanning the 18th to 20th centuries, are located in ‘t Huys, a converted former bank adjacent to the hotel (including spaces designed by fine jewelry designers and meisje-over the city Bibi van der Veldenand the Dutch design duo Nicemakers). ‘T Huys is also home to Mendo, the flagship store of the illustrious art publisher, as well as a spa and an Italian restaurant, Trattoria Graziella. Then there’s the newly glamorous Freddy’s Bar, the place where Alfred Heineken himself used to go (for a pint, we guess) back in the day. deleurope.comfrom €799

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Palace living in the heart of Rome

The ultimate Roman retreat has just come online, courtesy of Hotel Vilòn. We were already big fans of its first-class design, service, cuisine, and amenities at prices still a notch or two below the naked theft that goes on in the rest of the Eternal City’s hospitality sphere, not to mention its sweet, Super central location in a building adjacent to the Borghese Palace. Palazzo Vilòn, the four-room private apartment inaugurated last week by the hotel, which is actually in the famous Palazzo, with access to its beautiful gardens for guests, is a real eye-catcher.

This is as much due to the talents of Milan-based designer Giampiero Panepinto as it is to the illustrious built environment. Amid all the amazing floors, frescoes, and listed 16th and 17th-century architectural details, he favors sleek contemporary furniture design and interior landscaping vignettes (recessed windows softened by huge potted palm trees among its elegant signatures). In addition to three bedrooms plus a master suite that might just be our new favorite in the whole city, there’s a grand entry foyer, two living rooms, a spectacular mirrored dining room, a sauna and gym, and a private cinema. Plus two private entrances. Clearly such a brilliant redoubt doesn’t come cheap, but if you’re planning a one-of-a-kind celebration for your nearest and dearest, this is a place to do it. palazzovilon.comfrom €25,000

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Escape to Porto (minimalist)

Lisbon It’s still everyone’s favorite city break destination in Europe (which, as the height of peak season approaches, with its tuk-tuk gridlock, may seem more like a curse than a compliment). Porto, smaller, equally beautiful, if different, offers an alternative that may seem less hectic. Casa da Companhia has just opened here, in the heart of the city and in the building that once housed the headquarters of the Real Companhia Velha port wine producers.

The 40 rooms are pared down to the extreme: white on beige on biscuit, with tons of natural light pouring in through tall original windows or Crittall-style half-walls that overlook interior gardens. The understated palette, which doesn’t always work, works brilliantly here, creating a haven of calm amidst streets filled with exuberant color (tile fans, this is your city of the Stendhal moment). There’s a gym and spa worthy of a much larger hotel, and a restaurant across the street that specializes in pan-Mediterranean dishes. casadacompanhia.comfrom €196

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The atmosphere of the Mitteleuropa members’ club in Krakow

For a European city less saturated with all the good old world sentiments, consider Krakow (consider Poland in general; a lot of travel tastemakers seem to be doing it these days). Forgive Stradom House for giving itself the ugly nickname of a “lifestyle destination,” which belies what appears to be a very attractive offering: a 125-room hotel in a 14th-century monastery, whose clean, comfortable rooms They start at less than €200 a night.

It’s complemented by two restaurants, a bar and an extensive wellness centre, complete with a 20-metre indoor pool, infrared sauna and sound room, and treatments created by London-based Alexandra Soveral (whose approach to all-organic facials and with intensive massages to love). There’s a members’ club component, which may well mean an interesting mix of local sponsors setting a great tone. stradomhouse.comfrom €170