Handpicked Stays & Hotel Reviews
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Personally vetted accommodations and tours from years of slow, mostly solo travel across Europe and Asia.
Why these recommendations?
Trying to pick a base for your next trip and getting nowhere with booking sites full of places nobody has actually slept in?
I’ve spent the last eight years living overseas and traveling out from wherever we happened to be stationed. Some trips solo, some with my husband, plenty with my dog in the back seat. Every stay on this page is one I booked and paid for myself. No press trips, no comped nights, no places I heard were good from someone else.
This is the short list. It’s organized by country, each entry says who it’s actually right for, and it tells you what I remember about the place years later. If you want the full breakdown for a specific region, those live in the destination guides.
Looking for tours and experiences instead? Those live on their own page now: Tours and Experiences I’d Book Again
Jump to a country
Reviews on the Blog
Hotels I absolutely loved lately, that I felt needed a full-on review (non-paid or non-hosted). I just wanted the world to know more about these stays
Memmo Baleeira Hotel Review: A Relaxing Stay in Sagres, Portugal
Ütia de Börz Review: Is this Hotel in the Dolomites Worth It?
What to expect during an overnight stay at Rifugio Lagazuoi
Italy
Catania, Sicily
Il Gattopardo
Best for: solo travelers who want to walk out the door and already be somewhere
Stayed: August 2024
Right in the city center, close to the sights and to the pickup points for most day tours. If you’re doing Etna or a cooking class and don’t want to cross town at 7 am, this is the location you want.
Val Gardena, Dolomites
B&B Villa Angelino
Best for: hikers and first-timers in Val Gardena
Stayed: July 2024
Warm, family-run, with the Dolomites right outside. I’ve got a whole page on stays I loved in the Dolomites organized by area if you want the full picture for that region.
Ostuni, Puglia
Villa Leo
Best for: dog owners and beach trips
Stayed: September 2024
Dog friendly and near the beach. One of my favorite places we’ve stayed in southern Italy.
Austria
Vienna
Forest hut in the countryside outside Vienna
Best for: dog owners, quiet weekends, trail access
Stayed: August 2024
Dog friendly, big yard, genuinely quiet. Trails run right around the house, which is the part that sold me.
Innsbruck
Studlerhof
Best for: winter trips, dog owners, anyone who wants space
Stayed: November 2023
About 20 minutes out from Innsbruck. The apartment is spacious, and it’s dog friendly, but the views over the surrounding valley in winter are the actual reason to book it.
Germany
Feriendorf Fuchsberg, Schirgiswalde, Saxony
Best for: dog owners, hikers, families
Stayed: July 2019
Dog friendly, and a solid base if you want to get out on the trails and see that corner of Saxony.
Vietnam
Homestay Hang Tre, Hanoi
Best for: families, Old Quarter location
Stayed: September 2023
A lovely apartment in the Old Quarter and an easy pick if you’re traveling as a family.
Thailand
Anahata Resort, Lipa Noi, Koh Samui
Best for: quiet, beachfront, slowing all the way down
Stayed: July 2024
If you’re after peace and quiet on Koh Samui, this is it. We had a villa right on the sand with direct beach access, and the food at their bar was better than it needed to be.
This one deserves its own post. I keep meaning to write it.
Indonesia
Arma Museum and Resort, Ubud, Bali
Best for: anyone who cares where their money goes
Stayed: December 22/January 2023
One of my favorite hotels anywhere, full stop. The owner is dedicated to keeping Balinese culture alive and has work from local artists throughout the property. You can watch them working.
He invited us to a New Year’s Eve ceremony where we watched traditional Balinese dancers and a fire show. Stay here if you want your booking to support that.
Read more about these places
The full guides behind the short list.