Nesting in Philadelphia, a heady high-rise in NYC, blissful Santa Barbara and an Aussie idyll
If you’re heading Stateside this summer, you’re in luck, because there has never been a more diverse array of places to stay. For lap of luxury, Rosewood Miramar Beach rosewoodhotels.com in Santa Barbara, California virtually puts your toes in the Pacific, with 161 elegant rooms and suites laid out across a sprawling manor house just steps from the sand. The airy beach-house chic interior boasts original works by the likes of Slim Aarons and Norman Rockwell, and facilities include farm-to-fork dining at restaruant Malibu Farm, a spa, two pools and 19 sun-kissed beach cabanas.
Urban fun seekers, meanwhile, could do worse than pick playful Moxy Chelsea moxychelsea.com as their base for exploring New York’s Flower District. The latest from Marriott’s design-led Moxy Hotels brand, the botanically inspired 349-room hotel encompasses 35 floors, and features floor-to-ceiling glass, Italian dining and a stunning rooftop lounge with views that stretch across Manhattan.
Prefer to live like a local? When in Philadelphia, embrace the aparthotel trend and make your nest at Roost East Market myroost.com where 60 sleek apartments come with concierge service and access to bikes, a large pool and 24-hour fitness centre, plus outdoor grills, fire pits and a community vegetable garden.
It’s been a busy couple of years off the east coast of Australia, where, following the destruction wrought by 2017’s Cyclone Debbie, Daydream Island Resort daydreamisland.com has just reopened following a full redevelopment and rebrand.
Located in the Whitsundays – a lush archipelago of 74 paradisiacal islands that lie between Queensland and the Great
Barrier Reef – the island haven underwent an extensive £54m upgrade and has emerged in a blaze of sheer glory.
Comprising an expanded food and drink offering with brand-new dining options that run from pan-Asian to modern Australian cuisine, the renovation also includes 277 upgraded guestrooms and suites, decked out in chic neutral tones and natural finishes and all with garden, pool or ocean views.
With a spa for adults, watersports of every variety, a kids’ club and babysitting service, plus lush gardens and idyllic, palm-fringed white-sand coves to explore, there’s enough here to keep every family member occupied. Noteworthy is The Living Reef – a man-made coral lagoon wrapped around the resort that holds more than 100 different species of marine life, including stingrays, starfish and sea cucumbers, and which, with educational tours and an underwater observatory, reflects Daydream’s connection to the environment.