City escapes perfect for autumn

After the languor of a summer spent holed up in some divine beachside paradise or other, the arrival of autumn offers a welcome jolt to the system, as the seductive appeal of dressing up returns and you prepare to hit the streets, hair bouncing from those resumed blow-dry appointments, and feel the immediacy of an urban buzz. For now is the time to appreciate city life in all its glory.

New York

Nowhere is the allure of ‘fall’ more potent than in New York. Sited in the heart of Tribeca, the cobblestoned former neighbourhood of JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy (and today home to Beyoncé and Jay-Z), Warren Street Hotel – the third New York property by Firmdale Hotels – is the embodiment of hotelier Kit Kemp’s trademark whimsical sensibility. Yes, the area might feel electric, but this hotel is a deeply mellow place with a proper grown-up slickness, where all the individually designed rooms (69 in total) are fabulous – loft-style on steroids, in keeping with their Downtown location. Locals and guests flock to the restaurant, an eclectic mélange of rich interiors where the menu is a paean to autumnal comfort food: chicken schnitzel and arugula salad, or corn risotto with Cotija cheese. But nothing compares to the ambience of the roof terrace, with its storybook views across glittering Manhattan.

London

Across the Atlantic, Maybourne has many seductive attractions in its London portfolio, but the cocooning nature of its latest offering is among the most reassuring. Arguably the best night’s sleep in London is to be had in one of The Emory’s 61 suites, their generous size and expansive views across Hyde Park the work of a flotilla of interiors stalwarts including André Fu, Patricia Urquiola, Champalimaud Design and Pierre-Yves Rochon. Downstairs, there’s a subterranean spa/wellness club, Surrenne, a no-expense-spared holistic (and medi) wonderland with doctors on hand for biohacking, alongside Stella McCartney facials and massages that range from Ayurvedic to a memorable Scalp and Body Spa Ritual, as well as London’s first Tracy Anderson studio, whose dance/ cardio classes have garnered quite the cult following. So too has Jean-George Vongerichten’s three-in-one abc kitchens, bringing his trio of New York outlets to London for the first time. Still, the crowning glory has to be Bar 33, where you can see the whole of London’s Peter Pan skyline come to life as you sip an icy vodka Martini. And what could possibly outshine that view? Arriving by helicopter as part of The Emory’s collaboration with Flexjet for guests, perhaps?

Antwerp

Antwerp remains the ultimate pilgrimage destination for the fashion crowd, but a great hotel scene has never prevailed, until Botanic Sanctuary opened its doors in 2021. You might not imagine a gourmand awakening in a 786-year-old monastery, but there is more to this Antwerp hot spot and horticultural landmark than meets the eye. First off, it houses three separate Michelin-starred restaurants, including the two-star Hertog Jan for an interesting take on an omakasestyle menu with Flemish fare and herbs picked from its own on-site garden, and a more low-key bistro for elevated moulesfrites. You will also truly appreciate the magic of massage here, with the most extensive menu conceivable, including the detox option, which is profoundly calming – especially with the vast array of herbal oils from the hotel’s own botanical gardens. But the wonders of this cavernous hotel don’t end there. The suites are taupe boudoirs with fabulous beds that you’ll never want to leave, although the Spa Suite comes with its own sauna, which may succeed in luring you out.

Rome

The Eternal City always delivers, but there is something particularly enchanting about the golden glow it casts in September. Whatever the season, when in Rome you want to stay somewhere unrivalled in the momentous stakes, somewhere that positively radiates glamour. One word: Bvlgari. Of course, the house is synonymous with Rome, where its founder, Sotirio Bulgari, opened his eponymous maison 140 years ago – and as the group’s second Italian hotel, sitting in a prime position on Piazza Augusto Imperatore, overlooking the Ara Pacis and the Mausoleum of Augustus, Bvlgari Hotel Roma has become the most gilded place to stay. With its museum-worthy décor (the landmark Rationalist building was designed by architect Vittorio Ballio Morpurgo), the hotel is also an entertainment destination in itself, the tone set by the soaring lobby and a rooftop restaurant and pool where those views can best be enjoyed with a Negroni Sbagliato.

Nice

And when you want to feel a touch of summer in autumn, Nice remains an unparalleled option on the Côte d’Azur, especially with the recent opening of Hôtel du Couvent, TRAVEL hotelier Valéry Grégo’s sought-after holistic hideaway, which commands a huge swathe of the Old Town and draws a glamorously arty crowd for extremely good reasons. Never mind the infinity pool carved into the terraced gardens (artfully landscaped by Tom Stuart-Smith); nor the chic take on monastic interiors, with antique busts and urns, and colossal clouds of sweet peas or sunflower arrangements from a local florist; nor the enchantment of having an on-site herbalist, Gregory, who can prescribe tonics and teas. Grégo’s keenest interest in restoring this former convent is in the preservation of the innate peace and simplicity of an historic haven, so as well as the power of herbs, menus are devised around the seasonal produce from the garden and the hotel’s farm. You can slink down to the restored Roman baths to relish an incredibly effective relaxing massage with rosemary oil. Then savour the short-but-sweet menu of perfectly executed classics, such as grilled tuna steak with a ratatouille, or enjoy natural wines at Grégo’s bistro next door, where they serve the world’s best lightly battered sage leaves, freshly picked from the herb garden. The cumulative effect makes for an extraordinarily magical urban experience.