As boutique and luxury hotel specialists, Mr & Mrs Smith offers the best hand-picked boutique and luxury hotels for romantic escapes. When I discovered Mr & Mrs Smith in 2007, I couldn’t help but ask myself: “Why didn’t I think of this?! Such a brilliant idea!” Later the same year I had the opportunity to stay at three of their member hotels in London. In 2008, I blogged about Le Couvent d’Hérépian, a newly opened member hotel in the Toulouse countryside. In early 2009, I had the pleasure of sharing an interview with co-founder and CTO Tamara Heber-Percy, who offered appreciated insight into the world of the company. In mid 2009, thanks to a giveaway by Jen Laceda of Folie à Deux, I won a copy of the original Mr & Mrs Smith guide to hotels in the UK and Ireland. And in 2010, much to my delight, I received review copies of two new hotel guides in Smith’s series of stunning books, Australia/New Zealand and France, courtesy of Mr & Mrs Smith.
Australia/New Zealand by the Melbourne team covers the sexiest stays down under, 33 in total, from a gourmet getaway in sassy Sydney to a coastal hideaway on New Zealand’s South Island.
Cleverly organized, the guide categorizes hotels after rates, size and style, followed by regional guides with engaging intros, recommended reads, local specialities, what’s worth getting out of bed for along with splendid shopping tips and diaries of events.
Apart from personal accounts from local tastemakers, the exceptional reviews include style and setting statements, “Need to know” (rooms, rates, check-out, facilities etc), “In the know” (favorite rooms, hotel bar and restaurant, room service, dress code) as well as suggestions on local eating and drinking. In other words, everything you need to know to make the most out of a stay. Since the hotels were reviewed anonymously with no special treatment, you know what to expect and will likely not experience any unwelcome surprises.
Among the different places, all excellently portrayed, Lord Howe Island’s beach house Capella Lodge and The Louise, a hillside vineyard retreat in Barossa Valley, especially triggered my desire for luxurious hotel breaks.
At the end, exclusive extras for BlackSmith members, such as chocolates and a bottle of local bubbly, a one-hour massage treatment, or a round of golf, plus useful numbers and website adresses, provide more incentive to book that next trip.
Mr & Mrs Smith’s guide to France brings the wow-factor up a notch with the mindblowingly beautiful Château de Saint Paterne by the Loire and equally sincere reviews of 30 other carefully selected properties, from Paris to Provence, as well as new insider destination guides and amusing sections on how to eat cheese, taste wine, look Parisian, and be a flâneur.
Gorgeous photography and compelling descriptions capture the essence of every place and a colorful layout (every region and review has a distinct look) make it a joy to read. How about a luxury guesthouse close to Grasse, a beach hotel along Côte d’Azur, a castle in the countryside of Poitou-Charentes, or a mountain chalet near Chamonix?
As usual, writers offer does and donts with tips on arts, culture, activities, beaches and day trips. Bios of the hand-picked reviewers and Mr & Mrs Smith’s team wrap up the guide. A plus for the handy ‘on track’-piece on train travel throughout the country.
Every Smith guide includes a free BlackSmith membership card, giving access to special offers and members-only privileges.
If you’re a style-conscious traveler who values attention to detail and a hotel that can be a destination in itself, I bet you would love any guide in Smith’s coffee-table collection. They can be purchased at Smith Travel & Hotel Guide Books.
