An elegantly curated mix of first class hospitality, technological advancement, and travel heritage, in this episode of Hotel Designs‘ ‘5 of the best of…’ series, Meghan Taylor takes a look at a few of the most impressive hotels roving the globe…
As American philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “it’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey.” But what does that mean for the high-end hotel, a destination whose incredible offerings are designed to allow guests to pause the trajectory that is life, at least for a bit, and do so exceedingly successfully.
Well, here we are taking a look at some of the hotels who have taken Emerson’s quote to the extreme, to combine both the destination and the journey and curate a five-star stay that hosts all the modern amenities of a luxury hotel, but with the marvel of everchanging scenery too.
By Train: Britannic Explorer, Belmond
Image credit: Belmond
A unique project for London-based design studio Albion Nord, Belmond’s Britannic Explorer is the first luxury sleeper train to hit the tracks in England and Wales — leaving its first station in July 2025. A homage to British train travel history, this slow-travel sleeper has the charm of vintage hospitality, all tied up in a bow of modern luxury.
Passengers can enjoy the sights of rural England from the Britannic Explorer’s Observation Car, where plush seating invites restfulness, or spend a day in the ocean-inspired Wellness Suite with on-board spa facilities. The Britannic’s fine dining experience has been curated by visionary Chef Simon Rogan, which guests can enjoy from one of two dining cars. When evening draws in, escape to your sleeper car — or a uniquely decorated Grand Suite — to dream your way further into your journey.
Hotel Everland
Image credit: Sabina Lang, Daniel Baumann, Marc-Olivier Wahler and Marc Sanchez
Although not a mode of transport, and therefore questionably roving, we think you’ll agree that Hotel Everland has done its fair share of travelling across the globe and therefore deserves a spot on this list…
Representing the subjective dream of a hotel, Hotel Everland is a one-room mobile hotel conceived by artist duo Sabina Lang and Daniel Baumann. Not quite like the other entries on this list, Everland has lived atop the Palais de Tokyo in Paris in recent years, however it was first installed on a lake in Yverdon for the Everland exhibition, in the context of the 2002 Swiss Expo. The mobile pod was then moved to Burgdorf where it lived on Lang and Baumann’s factory roof. From 2006 until 2007 however, the hotel lived up to its name on the roof-deck of the Museum of Contemporary Art Leipzig, Germany, where it became bookable for one-night only stays.
During a short-break at the Everland, guests were encouraged to steal the gold-embroidered bath towels, enjoy the fully stocked mini-bar and a morning breakfast delivery, and use the extensive record collection which the hotel-pod housed.
By Sea: Into the Arctic, COMO Journeys
Image credit: COMO Hotels & Resorts
A new addition to COMO Hotels and Resorts, the 11-day COMO Journey ‘Into the Arctic’, operating in collaboration with the expert guidance of Natural World Safaris, takes guests on an expedition across the remote northern Svalbard Archipelago to experience once-in-a-lifetime encounters with snow-covered islands and arctic animals — all aboard a former Norwegian weather ship turned luxury cruise vessel.
Now home to eight light-filled guest suites, each featuring large portholes, en-suite bathrooms, and panoramic views across the scenic fjords, plus traditional COMO cuisine and wellness experiences, you could think of the M/S Polarfront as a high-end floating hotel, further equipped with a sauna and hot tub for the ultimate rejuvenating guest experience, with a side serving of extreme adventure.
By Air: Oceansky Cruises
Image credit: Oceansky Cruises
Founded on a desire to explore the most remote corners of the globe in a highly sustainable fashion, while delivering incredible levels of comfort and luxury to fliers, OceanSky Cruises is taking the legacy of airships into the modern era and beyond with its North Pole Expedition and Safari Capricorn Voyage.
Sitting at 320-feet in length and 164-feet wide, OceanSky’s Airlander 10 is passenger air-travel on an unseen-scale, something the guest cabins hugely benefits from. Designed for up to two guests, the private Horizon cabin measures 10-metres squared and has deep angled windows throughout for a fully immersive travel experience; a full en-suite bathroom and wardrobe, as well as a private viewing platform where fliers can also dine. Social dining and drinking spaces are also available on-board, with cocktails served by white-gloved waiters and meals curated by former Danish royal chef Jesper Vollmer.
By Sea: Queen Anne, Cunard
Image credit: Cunard
The final entry onto this list, the Queen Anne cruise ship, is also the largest. The 249th ship to sail under Cunard’s leadership is a momentous 322-metres in length and weighs in at 113,000 tons, providing ample space for its 3,000 guests.
Designed by naval architect Martin Francis (also the Louvre Pyramid engineer), built by expert shipbuilders Fincantieri, and with interiors by an elite collaborative team of designers from David Collins Studio, Sybille de Margerie, and Richmond International — under Adam Tihany’s creative direction, the Queen Anne is an award-winning 14-deck ‘roving hotel’, and an outstanding example of the most opulent hospitality experiences available.
Aside from its 15 restaurants, top deck open-air entertainment space — The Pavilion — with a pool and several jacuzzis, the stylish Commodore Club bar and lounge area, and the stateroom guest suites, the Queen Anne is also somewhat of an art gallery, boasting the largest art collection at sea with more than 4,300 pieces from more than 300 artists, curated by Double Decker.
Main image credit: Belmond/Albion Nord
