1. DEXAMENES - Amaliada, Greece
Once a winery, this beachside plot in the western Peloponnese has found its true calling; its weathered, century-old concrete forms converted into the stunning, industrial-chic Dexamenes. The winemaking machinery has been removed, and the concrete storage tanks have been converted into guestrooms.
2. HOTEL TERRESTRE - Puerto Escondido, Mexico
Puerto Escondido has never seen anything like Hotel Terrestre. Neither has anywhere else. Set between the mountains and the sea on the verdant coast just to the west of town, it’s a dramatic structure – a spaceship made of humble, locally sourced brick and concrete. It comes as no surprise that it’s Grupo Habita that’s behind it.
3. URBAN COWBOY - CATSKILLS - Big Indian, New York, USA
The first thing that strikes you about Urban Cowboy Catskills is that the rustic vibe – rather than being replaced with hard-edged minimalism or Scandinavian modernism – has been left intact, or even heightened. Why go to the trouble of leaving the city if the city just follows you around?
4. 360 HOTEL & SPA - Selfoss, Iceland
The concept is a simple one, and is all the more powerful for it: 360° Boutique Hotel is named for the panoramic view made possible by its hilltop setting and its wraparound glass-walled construction. From here, fifteen minutes past the town of Selfoss, the view takes in mile after mile of wild southern Icelandic countryside.
5. RIO CELESTE HIDEAWAY - Bijagua, Costa Rica
Rio Celeste Hideaway is set on the outskirts of the Tenorio Volcano National Park, in a setting that offers access to wild excursions like rafting, horse riding and trips to Lake Arenal. The site is a nature reserve, one dedicated to tapirs – the charmingly nosy pig-like mammals – and is just as ecologically sensitive as you’d expect.
