Of civilisation: the hotels of the decade

universally loved, but few could deny its cultural footprint. What The Pig did for genteel, middle-class weekend-breakers, Nick Jones did for the citydwelling fashion set when he took his successful private members’ club concept and transplanted it into the Cotswolds. Critics take aim at its sanitised pastiche of rural life, but a social media-friendly aesthetic and celebritystudded guest list (the Beckhams, Camerons and the Duchess of Sussex, who reportedly had her hen party here) have woven it into the fabric of modern popular culture.

Rooms from £350 (0160 869 1000; telegraph.co.uk/ tt-soho-farmhouse)

IL SERENO, LAKE COMO

Among the ornate 19thcentury palazzos that line the shores of Lake Como, Il Sereno was always going to stand out. Milan-based designer Patricia Urquiola alighted on a clean, almost austere style for the 30-suite hotel, shifting all focus on to the sweeping panorama of placid lake and the encircling sweep of mountains. Small things done well have attracted visitors from around the world, from the relaxed Michelin-starred waterfront restaurant to the exemplary levels of service, epitomised by the small fleet of Riva boats ready to whisk guests away at a moment’s notice.

Rooms from £640 (00 39 031 5477 800; telegraph. co.uk/tt-il-sereno)

DEPLAR FARM, ICELAND

Iceland’s decade started with a bang (literally) when the Eyjafjallajokull volcano erupted in 2010. A year later, Game of Thrones also exploded on to the scene, introducing millions worldwide to the country’s starkly beautiful landscape. This curious combination of events spurred a tourism boom that, in turn, laid the groundwork for a spate of stunning openings. The pinnacle was reached with Deplar Farm, an adventure retreat in a remote northern valley with a mission to introduce guests to the “real Iceland”, whether through heli-skiing excursions, salmon fishing trips or platters of traditional island fare in the restaurant.

Rooms from £2,030 (00 354 415 4900; telegraph. co.uk/tt-deplar-farm)

SHIPWRECK LODGE, NAMIBIA

Namibia was another of the decade’s “discoveries”. Plenty of luxurious safari camps opened in response to an influx of travellers, but none stood out more than Shipwreck Lodge.

Far from the famous red dunes of Sossusvlei, the Skeleton Coast was – and still is – one of the world’s last true wildernesses, a bleak expanse where lions, elephants and rhinos wander amid the hulks of wrecked ships, hammered ashore by Atlantic storms. These remains inspired the design of this singular camp, a stylistically motley collection of 10 makeshiftlooking huts on the absolute edge of civilisation.

Rooms from £1,090 (00 264 61 228 104; telegraph. co.uk/tt-shipwreck-lodge)

SIX SENSES, BHUTAN

A game-changer for travel? We have yet to see whether Six Senses’ innovative Bhutan venture will prove successful, but it certainly presents a fascinating prospect. Rather than open the one hotel, the group has launched a succession of four lodges around the tiny Himalayan kingdom, with a fifth to open next year. The idea is for guests to complete the circuit, moving from one lodge to the next and experiencing different landscapes, including the vertiginous forests and ornate temples surrounding the capital Thimphu, the terraced paddy fields of Punhaka, and the wildlife-rich wetlands of Gangtey.

Rooms from £1,114 (00 975 2 350 773; telegraph. co.uk/tt-six-sensesbhutan)