The 2007 Hot List

Recently received our May issue of the U.K.'s Conde Nast Traveller with the 2007 Hot List of new hotels all over the world. There are also separate ones for restaurants - Hot List Tables, for spas - Hot List Spas and for top bars - Hot List Nights.

Four new hotels caught my attention - two in Buenos Aires, one in Cordoba and another in Paris. These four are not part of large hotel chains and are more boutique B&B's than full-service hotels.

In Buenos Aires there were two new entries: Casas Concierge in Barrio Palermo which is within walking distance to two of the city's must-visit museums, the malba and the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (National Fine Arts Museum). It is also in the city's best quartier neighboring embassies and large homes. Then there is the 4-room Costa Petit Hotel in hip and happening Palermo Soho.

In Paris, there is the newly-opened Hotel Amour in South Pigalle owned by three well-known club owners. The name is a cheeky take on the "short-term" hotels that used to line the 9th arrondissement's seedy red light district which have recently been cleaned up and has it's own share of retro bars, cafes and boutiques.

In nearby Cordoba, the Hospes Palacio de Bailio was featured. I've been raving about HOSPES hotels ever since we stayed at one in Seville. This hotel company has taken over several stately homes and palaces all over Spain and transformed them into chic boutique hotels. There are other hotels in Alicante, Mallorca, Valencia, Granada and Jerez and opening soon in Madrid and in the Catalan Pyrenees. HOSPES also owns and runs the Hotel Lancaster in Paris.