15 Hotels High on Nostalgia

Take a trip to an Old-World upcountry homestead from 1919 in the bucolic hamlet of Amenia, New York. Troutbeck is a reactivated country estate with neatly manicured garden paths sprawled throughout and interiors featuring oak paneling, wood-burning limestone fireplaces, and hand-hewn beams. From around the same time, Satoyama Jujo delivers an authentic old-fashioned Japanese experience within its 150-year-old walls where cedar wood and tatami grass flooring privide a glimpse into the Niigata region’s architectural heritage, while its restaurant offers unique tastes only found here.

Nostalgia is derived from the Greek words “nostos” and “algos”, which roughly translate to homecoming pain.

Over in Cologne, The Qvest is an ode to neo-Gothicism and midcentury design. Think cross-vault ceilings, original stucco, and Gothic windows juxtaposed with iconic furniture by Eames, Panton, Jacobsen, and more. In France’s renowned Burgundy region, Château de la Resle is an ivy-wrapped 17th-century manor house whose original architectural features provide the perfect foil to a museum-worthy collection of contemporary art. The château sits on the edge of an 800-hectare hunting forest and is close to Roman-era wine villages. 

Delightfully retro

In the heart of the Georgian capital’s charming Old Town, The House Hotel Old Tbilisi is located in a historical building once on the verge of demolition. The hotel presents the city’s classic architectural look, defined by beautiful wooden balconies, old woodwork, and inviting terraces. In London’s East End, Town Hall Hotel is a beautifully restored period property that has been transformed into a hybrid of contemporary and Edwardian design. 

Tucked away in a 17th-century palazzo, G-Rough blends Baroque grandeur and a rough-yet-refined vibe to create a poetic mix of contemporary nostalgic luxury. Moving on to the 19th-century in the tropics of Veracruz, Mexico, Maison Couturier offers you the best of Mexican and French traditions combined in an agricultural estate built by French immigrants. In Portugal, erected from the remains of a house dating from 1338, Torre de Palma Wine Hotel maintains architectural allegiance to the region, adding quirky details to the interiors to give it a distinctive look. For a quintessentially modern British vibe look no further than the Firmdale Hotels whose charming London and New York properties will wow you with their bold mix of colors and prints, and a delightful penchant for detail. Lastly, startle your senses in Provence amid sublime furniture and art at Domaine des Andéols. Each of the hotel’s 19 villas has its own unique character, such as Maison Amoureux, where Eero Koivisto’s bright-red Avalon sofa comes alive against gray concrete walls.