The Smiths’ Hotel Collections
Long available in the UK, The Smiths' Hotel Collections—the couple-oriented guides to the best European getaway spots—arrived stateside last month. Two slick volumes, one focusing on the British Isles and the other covering the rest of Europe, are unstuffy, first-person observations of the best hotels in Europe written by a team of taste-makers (including, most notably, fashion designer Stella McCartney) who travel anonymously in pairs. Each hand-picked lodging option is geared toward the weekend getaway and describes the location's atmosphere (both inside and in the surrounding area), dishes "need to know" tips about rooms, services, rates, and other info, and offers assorted discounts and perks that are redeemable with an included membership card. Naturally, the choices tend toward the more design-oriented, boutique hotels and the lush images printed on matte stock and dynamic layouts follow suit.
UK & Ireland edition $30 from Amazon.
