Matthias Birkholz and Stephanie Hundertmark are lawyers, art collectors and owners of two for-rent holiday homes by the Baltic Sea. Their two timber houses in the dunes – aptly named Haus Pine and Haus Sand – accommodate six to eight guests each and are artfully furnished.
newhaus.de

Rustic getaways don’t come much finer than Troutbeck, a charming 250-year-old stone-clad property two hours upstate of New York. Once a home, it then became an inn that was frequented by the likes of Mark Twain and Ernest Hemingway. Recently refurbished by interior designer Alexandra Champalimaud, the 36-room space retains its original character, while the bedrooms are light-filled and comfortable with enough mod-cons to stop it getting too rustic. Don’t forget to explore the pristine swimming pool, lounge in a hammock and visit the 1916 walled garden on the vast lot.
troutbeck.com

The medieval estate of Wanås in southern Sweden has long attracted art lovers thanks to its sculpture park featuring A-list artists. Now two 18th-century buildings have been converted into a hotel with 11 guestrooms and an organic farm, making it possible to enjoy a leisurely stay to see art, dine and wander in the rural expanse.
wanasrh.se

Set atop the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (which is housed in a former grain silo), The Silo claims a magnificent view of Cape Town’s Table Mountain and waterfront. The façade, designed by London-based Heatherwick Studio, is all pillowed-glass windows and raw cement pillars, and sits in delightful contrast to the hotel’s colourful patterned interior.
theroyalportfolio.com/the-silo/overview

Of Austria’s eight provinces, Tyrol is the one most outsiders might recognise. The region is a storybook landscape of soaring peaks (more than 500 exceed altitudes of 3,000 metres), mountain meadows and spectacular skiing, dotted by picturesque villages that look like they’re of another era. And many are: the old-fashioned charm of centuries-old timber houses and grazing cows lure 40 million visitors a year. But parts of Tyrol are also remarkably cutting-edge – as evidenced in, say, Innsbruck’s art and architecture scenes, where a stunning ski jump by the late Zaha Hadid looms over a city centre that combines savvy urbanism with a reverence to tradition.

Hotel Kitzhof
A mix of contemporary and classic finishes in three restaurants – and a well-stocked vinothek.
hotel-kitzhof.com

Wirtshaus zum Rehkitz
A 17th-century mountainside farmhouse combines blond-wood country charm with seemly Austrian fodder. Sample the best Kaiserschmarrn (a pancakey Austrian dessert) in the region.
rehkitz.at

Frauenschuh
This family-owned firm creates ski jackets mixing hi-tech materials with more traditional ones such as Loden wool.
frauenschuh.com

Hotel Tannenhof
Find excellent spa facilities and scrumptious food at this elegant stopover built in the 1920s.
hoteltannenhof.net

Bergschloessl
A small castle with easy access to the slopes.
bergschloessl.at

Alber Sport and Fashion
Rent your ski boots and gear from this shop, which first opened as a cobbler in the 1940s.
sport-alber.com

Restaurant Simon Taxacher
Tucked into the elegant Rosengarten hotel, this smart restaurant serves innovative but unfussy tasting menus and regional wine pairings in a muted dining room.
rosengarten-taxacher.com

Grand Hotel Europa Founded in 1869, this historic 108-suite hotel is located steps away from ski slopes, the Imperial Palace and the city’s landmark Goldenes Dachl (golden roof).
grandhoteleuropa.at

Soulkitchen
This popular venue (now in Linz too) goes beyond excellent stone-oven pizza: it’s also an event space for beer-tastings and more.
soulkitchen.world

Dantendorfer
Expect an eclectic mix of English and Italian togs at this branch of Roy Dantendorfer’s Austrian fashion empire.
dantendorfer.at