Live it like you belong
Gone are the days when being central was everything; we’re in the era of the neighbourhood, where you can experience a city like a local, writes Chris Leadbeater
There is plenty to be said for travels along the beaten track — certainly when it comes to city breaks. Stick to the very heart of your chosen destination for a long weekend, and you will be dealing with major monuments and known quantities. In Paris, that might mean the 7th arrondissement, in the very shadow of the Eiffel Tower. In Barcelona, it might be El Raval, where Gaudi’s Palau Guell casts elegant eyes towards the busy thoroughfare of La Rambla. In Rome, it might be Trevi, where the fountain of the same name can be your plaything. Check into a hotel here, and you have everything you need for your time away.
Except, perhaps, surprises. And a sense of discovery. And, maybe, the buzz of chatter that you find in a neighbourhood restaurant — where locals gather on a Friday night, and refuel over brunch and hangovers on a Saturday lunchtime. The problem with known quantities is that you know what you are getting; the trouble with the beaten track is that, for all its familiarity, it can usually be beaten — by somewhere cooler, sharper, a little out of the way.
Can you boost your city break by thinking — and staying — beyond the obvious? Absolutely. Although time tends to be short, it can pay to home in on a less-acknowledged district that’s gained traction with locals — where every corner isn’t a crowd scene, and the cafes aren’t just catering (sloppily) to the tourist dollar/euro/ krona. Find a hotel here — a side-street boutique affair; a hidden treasure with a rooftop bar — and you can have a best of both worlds: All the significant sights and A-list attractions you could wish for, within a few metro stops, but also calm mornings, lengthy breakfasts, and that quietly thrilling feeling that comes with seeing a city as it sees itself — hair down and shoes off.
Where exactly? Destination experts and writers pick their favourite not-entirely-central, often up-and-coming parts of some of Europe’s best-loved cities — and, in each case, a fabulous hotel in the midst of it, from which to watch this particular version of the world go by.
From Dublin to Dubrovnik, and Madrid to Marseille, via Berlin and Barcelona, these are the relative backwaters where your break can come with a local accent.
BARCELONA
The neighbourhood: Poblenou
Barcelona’s former industrial barrio, Poblenou, still has a utilitarian look to it, but its factories have long since been converted into loft apartments and its garages into cocktail bars. Set apart from the Old City, it has escaped the worst ravages of tourism and appeals to a young mix of Catalans and foreigners, who set up their design agencies, tech companies and homes here. A stone’s throw from the beach, Poblenou is home to the world-class Primavera Sound festival in May, along with several art and design museums. Its beating heart is Razzmatazz, a legendary fixture on the nightclub and live music scene.
The hotel: The Hoxton
Poblenou is Barcelona’s East End in more ways than one, so it’s the perfect setting for the achingly hip but determinedly relaxed Hoxton, the group’s fourth hotel outside the UK. The terracotta floors and lichen-green paintwork and headboards make a refreshing change from the beige blandness of so many Barcelona hotels, and the two restaurants
— one serving pizza by the slice, one serving tacos — set the unpretentious tone. The best spot is the rooftop, where oversized plants and shaded daybeds surround a colourfully tiled pool. — Sally Davies
DUBLIN
The neighbourhood: Capel St
On the north bank of the River Liffey, in its Georgian heyday, this was one of the city’s grandest streets, but the ensuing centuries were not kind. Newly pedestrianised in 2022, it’s now enjoying its status as one of Dublin’s coolest thoroughfares and is a microcosm of Ireland’s ever-evolving multicultural makeup. This area is still one of the capital’s authentic, largely ungentrified working-class neighbourhoods, drawing a creative crowd attracted to its rougharound-the-edges charm and diverse social scene. Hipster cafes rub up against traditional hardware stores and grocery shops, as well as night-time hotspots such as the alcohol-free Virgin Mary Bar and the glamorous LGBT+ Pantibar.
The hotel: Zanzibar Locke
Carved out of a Georgian terrace, Zanzibar Locke overlooks the lazy flow of the River Liffey. This was the first of design-led disruptor Locke’s properties to open outside the UK, with its winning formula that fuses home comforts (kitchens and laundry facilities) with the perks of a hotel, such as coworking spaces, a gym and the Baraza restaurant and bar run by local restaurateurs Nolaclan. Its 160 rooms, showing off gently industrial interiors with exposed brick walls and wooden floors are softened by pastel hues and simple Scandinavian-style furniture and range from dinky Studios to Duplex suites with river views. — Aoife O’riordain
ROME
The neighbourhood: Monti
Historic Rome doesn’t fuss much about fleeting fashions, but the city’s buzz does slowly shift as neighbourhoods pass in and out of grace. Historic Monti, once Rome’s seedy red-light district, is now home to funky independent boutiques, vintage shops and the city’s top aperitivo scene. It’s set just above the Colosseum, far enough to avoid the hordes, small enough to explore in heels and retains a delightful mix of old-school stodge and trendy verve that is uniquely Roma. Spend a few hours treasure hunting for artisan fashion and homewares, lay claim to a sidewalk table in Piazza della Madonna dei Monti to sip your spritz while people-watching, and end your day over pasta and wine at the ivy-draped Ai Tre Scalini.
The hotel: Fifteen Keys
Boutique Fifteen Keys captures the timelessly cool vibe of its Monti home with chic, retroinspired interiors and a sophisticated yet laidback atmosphere. Most of the 15 rooms face the internal courtyard, so you can enjoy the area’s nightlife without it encroaching on your slumber, and the townhouse hotel’s 24-hour staff ensures easy nightcaps no matter how late you come in. The hotel revels in its fashionable location, ready with insider shopping and dining tips to point you to the latest hotspots and free vintage-style Dudebikes to get guests there. — Rebecca Winke
AMSTERDAM
The neighbourhood: Noord
A five-minute ferry-hop across the IJ, behind Centraal Station, Amsterdam North startles with its 20 storey-high A’dam Toren (a hotel, skybar, music studios and more) and the crystal-white aerodynamic zigzag of the EYE Film Museum. It’s a world away from the dinky-gable charm of the Old Town, a hot-and-hopping new quarter that has transformed former industrial terrain and dockland: the old NDSM shipyard, now a vortex of street art and party events; venues such as Pllek for good food, clubbing, and a summer beachcinema; or the floating sustainable community of De
Ceuvel, which has a great cafe.
The hotel: Sir Adam
The first seven floors of the A’dam Toren, the focal point of the quarter, are filled with the Sir Adam Hotel and its mix of 1970s retro, funkythemed lifts and a crackling clientele of creatives and musos lured by the surrounding venues and studios. Rooms have old-style turntables and vinyl to beat away the blues, and real Gibson guitars on the wall. Sir Adam shares lounge space with The Butcher Social Club, a hip bar and burger joint that rocks until late, and up on the 20th floor, Madam skybar offers magnificent views over Old Amsterdam, and shapeshifts into a club at weekends. — Rodney Bolt
LISBON
The neighbourhood: Principe Real
Principe Real has been the up-and-coming district in Lisbon for sufficiently long that it can now jettison that prefix and just be the place to go. Here faded 18th-century palaces jostle with brand-new concept stores (don’t miss the neomoorish Embaixada, which houses a raft of Portuguese brands and designers) and restaurants line the cobbled streets. Try Tapisco, an Iberian blend of Spanish tapas and Portuguese petiscos courtesy of one of the country’s best chefs, Henrique Sa Pessoa. Walk it all off in the tropically lush Botanical Gardens, marked by a row of seriously soaring palm trees.
The hotel: Mama Shelter
Mama Shelter’s affordable and playful approach to hospitality is shaking up the Lisbon hotel scene, from its Spiderman masks in the 130 bedrooms to the restaurant decorated with
Bordallo Pinheiro fish ceramics. The hotel is pulling in the locals too with its pizzas, DJ evenings and rooftop bar. For tourists, the hotel makes exploring Lisbon a breeze, arming you with a map, insider knowledge and help calling cabs if you need it — and all with a smile. — Mary Lussiana
BERLIN
The neighbourhood: Kanststrasse
The scruffy parallel sister street to upscale west Berlin shopping hotspot Ku’damm has been gradually transforming itself into a foodie destination, especially for fans of Asian cuisine. Long-established Chinese restaurants such as Good Friends and Aroma are nowadays joined by authentic Thai (Dao), lowkey Taiwanese (Lon Men’s, famed for its dim sum and noodle soups), Korean street-food (Son Kitchen). There’s fine dining too, notably at 893 Ryo¯tei, whose dapper interior and Nikkei fusion menu are hidden behind a graffiti-spattered facade. When your stomach is full, catch a musical at the historic Theatre des Westens, a jazz concert at neighbouring Quasimodo, or a photo exhibition at the prestigious Camera Work gallery.
The hotel: Wilmina
Wilmina opened in 2022 in the former Charlottenburg Women’s Prison at the western end of Kantstrasse. The half-hour stroll from its front door to Zoologischer Bahnhof will take you through elegant Savignyplatz and past all the above-mentioned places. Although you might not want to eat at the hotel’s in-house restaurant (Lovis) with so many dining options right outside, you won’t want to miss the rooftop terrace, library, bar or spa. For a tranquil contrast to the bustle of the boulevard, snag a garden room, with views over the lush courtyard greenery through windows entwined with ivy and vines. Bikes are also available to hire. — Paul Sullivan
DUBROVNIK
The neighbourhood: Gruz
Gruz port, just over 3km west of Dubrovnik’s old town, is an ideal base for trips to nearby islands — from here you have local ferries to the tiny Elafiti islets, plus fast catamarans to Mljet, Korcula and Hvar. Dubrovnik’s most upand-coming neighbourhood is also home to TUP, a former factory that now hosts concerts, a recording studio, ceramics workshops and yoga classes, while the adjoining Red History Museum offers a glimpse into Yugoslav lifestyle and design. Another treat is Gruzˇ‘s open-air market, where locals sell seasonal fruit and vegetables.