Visiting Europe this summer? Trendy lifestyle hotels aren’t just for the one percent. We’ve done some of the work for you by finding modern accommodations near our favorite spots in a few of the cities we cover – and they won’t break the bank. From free Wi-Fi to rooftop bars, to balconies with a city view, here’s where to stay in style this summer in Europe.
Stockholm: Scandic Malmen
Photo by Scandic Malmen
Stockholm’s trendy SoFo art district is home to Scandic Malmen, a hotel with free Wi-Fi, ensuite bathrooms and designer toiletries. Free breakfast is served daily – plus there’s a cocktail bar, lobby bar with live music and bicycle rentals. The hotel is just a 1 minute’s walk from Medborgarplatsen metro station. After a day of exploring the Old Town and attractions like the Skansen Museum, freshen up at the hotel and cross the street to Debaser Medis Ballroom. Natalia Urbanska, a spotter in Stockholm, recommends the venue for its three floors of restaurants, bars, clubs, concerts and live music.
London: The RE London Shoreditch
Photo by RE London Shoreditch
Don’t stay with throngs of tourists in London’s West End. Head to the trendy corner of East London where the red brick RE London Shoreditch offers modern rooms with free Wi-Fi and ensure bathrooms with power showers. Breakfast is served daily in the on-site British restaurant. East London nightlife isn’t far, either. Mother Kelly’s – an industrial bar and patio located under railway arches – is a 10 minute’s walk from the hotel. The spot specializes in 19 regularly changing ales, with a wine and cocktails menu too. London spotter Matt Bramford says not to miss the variety of international bottled beers to take away.
Pension Homeland: Amsterdam
Photo by Pension Homeland
Near enough to the city center but set off on Amsterdam’s historical harbor, Pension Homeland is a 31-room hotel with an atmospheric bar and a restaurant with its own brewery. Main attractions like the National Maritime Museum and NEMO are located within a few minute’s walk, but be sure to take in the local spots. Gerben van der Zwaard, a spotter in Amsterdam, recommends Frank’s Smoke House. The small shop serves up all kinds of fish, shellfish and crustacean, as well as meat and poultry, smoked to perfection. Gerben’s favorite? The mussels, hands-down.
Istanbul: Dedeman Istanbul
Photo by Dedeman Instanbul
Stay just 4 km from Dolmabahçe Palace and 9 km from the renowned Hagia Sophia at Dedeman Istanbul. The modern tower offers rooms with free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs and minibars. The high-end restaurant offers 24/7 room service, while other amenities include a chic rooftop bar, indoor pool, juice bar, gym and spa. Nearby Ortaköy is a popular neighborhood recommended by travel guides, but spotter Emre Kamar says to wander the side streets for a more local experience. Lunch at Bizce Kuru is recommend for its traditional slow-cooked beans and rice dish with cacik – a diluted, seasoned yogurt.
Barcelona: Hotel Market
Photo by Hotel Market Barcelona
Located in Barcelona’s Eixample district, Hotel Market is within walking distance from the Picasso Museum and the Sagrada Familia – Antoni Gaudi’s famous unfinished church. Just a 5 minute’s walk from the Sant Antoni metro station, the hotel offers free Wi-Fi, modern rooms and a breakfast buffet at the on-site Catalan restaurant. Nearby, Cines Renoir, one of the few cinemas in the city that shows films in their original language, is recommended by Barcelona spotter Ilse de Ridder – not only for its film showings, but also the adjacent El Laurel bar that serves the best empanadas in the city.
Rome: Hotel Villa Glori
Photo by Hotel Villa Glori Rome
Just a short walk from the Stadio Flamino, Hotel Villa Glori with its stately facade, is situated near major attractions in the city center of Rome, but set just north of the hustle and bustle. Rooms offer free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs and minibars, while public areas include a bar and lounge. Art lovers will enjoy the hotel’s proximity to the contemporary MAXXI art museum, recommended by Rome spotter Ivan Marra. Designed by the late Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid, the museum houses some of the best exhibits in Europe.
Athens: Hotel Adonis
Photo by Hotel Adonis Athens
It’s hard to go wrong at the Hotel Adonis, set in the historic Plaka neighborhood on the slopes of the Acropolis in Athens. Rooms offer free Wi-Fi, while some offer balconies with a view. A daily breakfast is served on the outdoor terrace of the rooftop bar, with views looking out over the city. Nearby Kimoila Art Cafe is a spot as local as our recommendations come. Owned by the family of Athens spotter Nikos Palavitsinis, it serves everything from speciality coffee to food all day long, to Greek wine, beer and cocktails until 02:00 daily – not to mention sweets made by Nikos’ mother. The spot also supports local Greek artists, with regular exhibitions from jewelry to paintings to photography, so stop by any time.
Didn’t see anything you like? Visit our friends at Booking.com for the best rates on the widest range of hotel and non-hotel accommodations across the continent.
Related posts:
Yes, you can book your hotel with us!
Top 75 local favorite Europe summer 2015 bars
Introducing our new hotel booking partner: Splendia!