Different Kind Of Escape

From Lisbon’s hidden Alfama streets to Tokyo’s creative pulse, these Design Hotels stays are made for slowing down in all the right ways. Think rooftop sunsets over Gran Canaria, vineyard silence in Baja California, barefoot ease in Grenada, and alpine stillness in Japan – each one designed for a different kind of escape, but all with one thing in common: space to breathe, switch off, and stay a little longer than planned.

 

Discover A Different Portugal

 

Hidden along a narrow street in Lisbon’s oldest neighbourhood, Memmo Alfama is an adults-only escape made for slow, sunlit days and lingering evenings. Set within a restored 19th-century building, its understated design – warm woods, soft textures, and earthy tones – mirrors the quiet charm of Alfama itself.

 

 

With just 42 rooms, it draws you in with guided neighbourhood walks, a rooftop terrace and pool overlooking terracotta rooftops and the Tagus River, and a wine bar devoted to Portugal’s rich wine-making culture.

 

For more information and reservations, call +351 (0) 210 – 495 – 660 or email: alfama@memmohotels.com.

 

Enjoy Sunny Spain

 

Set above the dunes of Playa del Inglés, Bohemia Suites & Spa is a grown-up escape where bold architecture, rich volcanic tones, and sculptural spaces frame sweeping views of the Atlantic and Maspalomas dunes.

 

 

Days unfold slowly by the pool, while evenings rise to the rooftop – where sunset cocktails and a 360° restaurant turn the horizon into the main event. A spa, striking design, and an elevated sense of calm create a world apart from the energy below, suspended between ocean, sand, and sky.

 

For more information and reservations, call +34 (0) 928 – 563 – 400 or email: info@bohemia-grancanaria.com.

 

Settle Down In Rural Mexico

 

Nestled high in Valle de Guadalupe’s rugged wine country, MIRA Earth Studios is a secluded hillside hideaway where architecture disappears into the landscape and the desert becomes the backdrop to everything.

 

 

Each studio is carved into the earth itself, opening onto vast views of vineyards, stone, and sky, with private terraces designed for slow living – firepits, Jacuzzis, and stillness built in as standard. Inside, natural materials, soft light, and tactile simplicity create a calm that feels almost elemental.

 

For more information and reservations, call +52 (0) 646 – 101 – 6084 or email: reservations@miraearthstudios.com.

 

Island Bliss In Grenada

 

Tucked into a quiet hillside overlooking Portici Bay, Laluna is a barefoot-luxury hideaway where Caribbean ease blends with Balinese calm. Sixteen cottages are scattered toward the sea, each with a private plunge pool and veranda made for unhurried mornings and long, open-air afternoons.

 

 

Natural textures, handcrafted details, and a spa inspired by Asian rituals create a sense of stillness that’s hard to leave. As the day fades, the beachside restaurant becomes the gathering point – Italian and Caribbean flavours served under a thatched roof, with sunsets that feel like part of the experience itself.

 

For more information and reservations, call +1 473 – 439 – 0001 or email: bb@laluna.com.

 

Japan’s Winter Wonderland

 

In Japan’s snow country of Minami-Uonuma, Satoyama Jujo is a quietly radical retreat set within a 150-year-old kominka. Rooms open onto misty valleys and cedar forests, while natural materials, contemporary art, and warm minimal interiors create a sense of stillness that feels deeply rooted in place.

 

 

The experience extends into its celebrated kitchen, where seasonal, foraged ingredients from the surrounding landscape shape a constantly evolving menu. Open-air onsen overlook Mount Makihata, offering a rare kind of pause – one shaped by snow, silence, and the slow rhythm of rural Japan.

 

For more information and reservations, call +81 (0) 257 – 836 – 777 or email: info@satoyama-jujo.com.

 

Tokyo’s Creative Heart

 

In the creative heart of Shibuya, Trunk Hotel Cat Street reflects a different side of Tokyo – one shaped by community, culture, and quiet urban edge rather than excess. Housed across two striking buildings wrapped in greenery and raw materials, it feels both grounded and expressive, with interiors that blend Japanese craftsmanship, upcycled elements, and rotating contemporary art.

 

 

Beyond the rooms, curated food, intimate social spaces, and its celebrated bar extend the experience into the night, while a strong link to the surrounding neighbourhood creates a constant exchange with the city outside.

 

For more information and reservations, call +81 (0) 357 – 663 – 210 or email: hello@trunk-hotel.com.

 

 

Source: Design Hotels.