Bitesized guide: Stylish hotels

A great location is the key to any getaway, but combine that with top notch accommodation, and you’re sure to have an unforgettable holiday. Cast your eye over these stylish slumbers, which triumphed in this year’s European Hotel Design Awards.

Best Spa Interior: Copperhill Mountain Lodge, Sweden

Located in the picturesque Swedish resort of Åre, Copperhill Mountain Lodge spa will relax your mind and body. The combination of modern spa technology and wood lodge style architecture has helped to create a unique atmosphere that complements the hotel's alpine location. Within the spa, animal skin accents with hardwood panelling exude warmth; combine these compelling design elements with extensive services like the alpine classic massage and facial, and it is clear why the Copperhill Mountain Lodge is on top.

Best Conversion: Andel's Hotel Łódź, Poland

Converted from an old textile mill, Andel's Hotel Łódź in Poland strikes a balance between historic functionality and modern simplicity. High ceilings and tall windows from the original mill offer a sense of space and light, while the former red brickwork façade oozes character. Meanwhile, the use of modern colours, strong geometric shapes and cutting-edge design, such as a rooftop pool, have ensured that the hotel is sophisticated and inviting. Thanks to its central location, the 4-star property is ideal for a trendy city getaway.

Best Rooms: Aurelio Hotel, Austria

Like the Copperhill Mountain Lodge, the Aurelio Hotel uses its stunning mountain location in the ski resort of Lech for inspiration. The luxury ski and spa chalet offers stylish Asian wooden furniture, paired with French and African natural fabrics, traditional fireplaces, and neutral colours to provide guests with understated but elegant surroundings. With each of the 19 individually designed rooms offering breathtaking mountain views, you'll have plenty of reasons to hit the slopes each morning. A luxury bolthole for the discerning skier.

Best Restaurant: Story Hotel, Sweden

Stockholm's newest addition, the Story Hotel, scooped the top dining award for its "edgy and daring" restaurant. The dining room incorporates a quirky mix of old with new; austere walls and industrial windows contrast with velvet seating and avant-garde decorations. Claiming to offer unpretentious, retro, modern surroundings, the clash of designs makes for an intimate yet playful atmosphere. Keeping with this theme, the eclectic menu offers a wide range of delicacies from lobster and shrimps with watermelon to tartar of Wagyu beef. The wine list is equally impressive.

Best Hotel: Boundary, London

From its quaint exterior to its calming yet innovative interiors, this UK hotel deserves its spot as hotel of the year. Applauded for the "witty application of design themed rooms", this intimate property in Shoreditch offers 17 rooms and suites with quirky décor created by legendary designers or inspired by design movements. Less than a year old, this former Victorian warehouse also features a bakery and food store. Of its three restaurant bars, the rooftop watering hole and dining space is a huge magnet, with comfy sofa seats arranged around an open fireplace, and spectacular wrap-around views of the city. Close to home yet far from ordinary, the Boundary offers a stylish UK escape for people who like to stand out from the crowd.

11 November 2009