National Geographic Traveller (UK)
COMEBACK KID
Check into these former landmarks, given a brand-new lease of life as dazzling hotels that honour their heritage
Six Senses Fort Barwara, India
It took almost 10 years to create this rambling hotel in Rajasthan, but that’s a drop in the ocean when you consider the building itself is a 700-year-old former royal fort, 60 miles south of Jaipur. Ancient domes and temples now form awe-inspiring common areas in the 48-suite property: the ayurvedic spa, for example, is set within the original women’s palace, and intimate yoga sessions are hosted atop the fort’s soaring sandstone ramparts. Roses bloom among vegetables in the hotel’s bijou garden, and there are two pools to cool off in. The action continues outside the soaring fortress walls; the Six Senses team are returning the hotel’s surroundings to their original glory by rewilding forests to the east and restoring a nearby sacred lake to its former beauty. From INR 63,168 (£650), B&B. sixsenses.com
RUNNERS-UP
ROSEWOOD SÃO PAULO
Much of this property is housed in a restored former maternity hospital, the birthplace of more than 500,000 Brazilians. Rosewood’s revitalisation of this much-loved building is the centrepiece of Cidade Matarazzo, a spread of early-20th-century buildings that have been transformed into upmarket shops and homes. The Rosewood is packed with stunning works of art, handsome cocktail bar Rabo di Galo evokes the atmosphere of a 1930s jazz club, and the rooftop infinity pool is the place to while away the sultry São Paulo days. From BRL2,800 (£450). rosewoodhotels.com
MATILD PALACE, A LUXURY COLLECTION HOTEL, BUDAPEST
Things don’t get more lavish than this landmark hotel — a former royal residence that blends baroque and art nouveau interiors with modern accents. Matild Café & Cabaret evokes the grandeur of early 20th-century coffeehouses, while Hungarian haute cuisine comes courtesy of Wolfgang
Puck at Spago. Don’t miss The Duchess secret library and rooftop garden, which was inspired by rumours Archduchess Maria-Klotild requested a hidden rooftop bar for the original 1884 design. From €450 (£380), B&B. marriott.com