Welcome to Beyond Ordinary Guides, where we curate gorgeous imagery, locally cherished spots, and accessible stories. We hope you enjoy!
All in Lodging Review
Tucked along a narrow street in easy walking distance to a number of yummy restaurants and picturesque vistas, The Lisboans is the ultimate self-catering apartment. Each room is decorated in warm modern design and features a small kitchen, living room, and separate bed and bath. We loved peeking out our little balcony onto the quiet street below.
Don Bonito Hotel is a modern minimalist’s paradise. This 9 room boutique hotel is located on quiet Avenida Palmar on the north shore of Sayulita, just a 5-minute walk to the center of town. If you’re looking for a chill, gorgeous, and safe place to call home while in Sayulita this one of a kind petite hotel coupled with the sweet service and care from all the Don Bonito staff is the place to be.
A fresh design haven located within the ancient city walls of Lagos, Portugal, Casa Mãe is the ultimate boutique hotel. Earthy, bright, well appointed rooms; an organic sourced restaurant; and a curated gift shop full of chic Portuguese goods all make Casa Mãe a worthy place to rest your head.
Tucked in the countryside between Lisbon and the Algarve, Herdade da Matinha is a 20 room oasis of calm, bringing simplicity back to the forefront of experience. Perfect for hikers or book lovers, Herdade da Matinha is located amongst miles of hiking trails and will entertain the most avid of trekkers, while their numerous communal living rooms and reading nooks (all with beautiful views) will have you curling up with a good book and truly unwinding on vacation.
Understated elegance on a 200 year old Alentejo estate, we give São Lourenço do Barrocal 5/5 stars on all fronts. This is a place where design, landscape, hospitality, and sunshine come together to create a blissful vacation haven. A pleasing experience in every way, a stay at São Lourenço do Barrocal will spoil all your future hotel stays and have you debating if you ever need to return to the life you took a vacation from.
Where to stay in Tucson? Tucked in the desert foothills of Tucson, Hacienda del Sol Guest Ranch is a wonderfully preserved Old West resort with plush beds and private patios looking out onto desert vistas. We loved roaming the meticulously maintained grounds, wandering from one charming adobe courtyard to another, on the lookout for road runners and hummingbirds. For a full throwback to what this place was like for Hollywood stars in the 40s, book the Hepburn-Tracy suite, which is the casita that Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy shacked up in on more than one occasion. A stay here is great for those looking for a classic Western experience, with all the modern amenities.
Located right in the heart of downtown Carmel, Hotel Carmel is a recently renovated hotel that offers comfortable beds, plush robes, a continental bagel bar breakfast (with local strawberry cream cheese), and Nespresso machines in room. We loved hanging out in the stylishly decorated lobby, and relaxing with a glass of local pinot noir (from the daily happy hour) in the hot tub. A fire pit surrounded by Adirondack chairs makes for the perfect post dinner hang out location, or if you prefer something more secluded, head to your private balcony. Hotel Carmel is a wonderful home base for a weekend.
Let us save you some time for your next trip to Phoenix, Tempe, or Scottsdale. We’ve looked through all the Airbnb’s and picked out the ones with true style, the best amenities, and the highest ratings. No matter if you’re traveling with your family, or alone, we’ve included options for however your posse looks. Hello sunshine!
At the intersection of hipster and mainstream is a refurbished 1929 Art Deco stunner. Located at amidst the collision of two neighborhoods, Bucktown and Wicker Park, this former office building has transformed with the times into a contemporary hotel equipped with all the necessities of the changing area.
A slight detour from the crowded tourist town of Flam lies the small town of Aurland, and the most charming boutique hotel, 29|2 Aurland.
Katy Nastro heads to the Halcyon House, a former surf motel turned blue-and-white-perfectly-patterned boutique hotel in New South Wales, and struggles to leave. Her full lodging review now up on the site!
