This original timber and sandstone fisherman’s cottage on the waters edge of beautiful Mackerel Beach in Pittwater, has been lovingly restored into a secluded beach and bush hideaway and couple’s retreat. Although just an hour from the city and a mile from Palm Beach, once there, you will feel a million miles away. No roads, no cars and no shops. Here we are surrounded by the bush, the sea and the sky, and overlook Great Mackerel Beach, Pittwater, Palm Beach, Broken Bay and beyond. Inside the cottage is beautifully decorated with lots of natural materials, cozy sitting nooks and vintage decor. You can sit on in front of the window overlooking the ocean or have a cozy night in front of the fireplace. Welcome to The Little Black Shack. Come in and make yourself at home. You can also book it here!!!! See also : https://house-diaries.com/captains-rest-a-waterfront-heritage-cabin-on-tasmanias-west-coast/

Les Deux Gares is the first hotel to be worked on by the interior designer Luke Edward Hall. . Hotelier Adrien Gloaguen, founder of hospitality group Touriste, found his next project when he stumbled across an abandoned railway station hotel with fabulous bones in a narrow alley. As Gloaguen surveyed the space, still decorated with floral wallpaper from the past, he was immediately transported to French New Wave films from the ’60s and post-wave ’70s —and he knew just the interior designer to call, Luke Edward Hall. The wild child of English design has combined English chic with French soul using bright colours and Art Deco furniture. The joyful rooms feature bold colors and whimsical designs from a mash-up of different eras and endless artistic references. The interior design tells a story throughout the hotel of an eccentric Parisian whose art and furniture collection reflects various travels to different eras.  For booking inquiries, head…

A very nice apartment, very tastefully decorated by designer and photographer Diana Iskander. It is located 5 minutes walk from the port from which you can take a shuttle bus that leads to Valletta. It has an unforgettable atmosphere that will make your stay cozy and calm. From the balcony there is beautiful view to the Valletta. You can book this apartment on Airbnb here!!! See also :https://house-diaries.com/diagon-alley-farmhouse-in-san-lawrenz-gozo-malta/

Part of a traditional farmstead that dates back to 1842, TypeO Loft is an intimate retreat that provides the perfect escape from the fast-pace of urban living. Designed by Magnus Wittbjer and Micha van Dinther of TypeO studio, the one-room bed and breakfast is located in a separate area of the stone farmstead and offers complete privacy. The area, in a remote part of Skane in southern Sweden, introduces guests to a bucolic landscape with rolling hills and traditional dwellings visible in the distance. While designed to provide an ideal getaway for couples, this private retreat perfectly represents a new age in hospitality. You can book a stay here!!!! Photography : Mike Karlsson Lundgren . . See also : https://house-diaries.com/esperinos-guest-house-a-personal-approach-to-short-staying-in-athens-greece/

The new project by Athens based, self-taught artist-designer Stamos Michael, – under the title hybrid design rental -, introduces a tactile and personal approach to short-staying in the city of Athens, one that revisits lapsing notions of inhabitation of the old neighborhood, with a contemporary, informed gaze that disrupts the normative expectations of standard design form. It was an abandoned family home before its owners invited the designer to turn it into a one-bedroom rental property; you can book it nightly like an Airbnb, but it’s not exactly on Airbnb. From November to April, it’s used as an exhibition and program space for Grace, the agency and arts organization run by Michael and three of his fellow Athens creatives. Filled with designer furnishings and local contemporary art, it’s almost like a gallery you can (sometimes) pay to sleep in. Simple and graceful classic exterior here is decorated with an unusual light blue shade with olive shutters – an…

La Bionda is a great 8 room boutique hotel located in the centre of Begur, Spain for travellers seeking something special, unusual and inspiring. The 17thth century building has been restored down to the last detail by Quintana Partners Studio. The house has been renovated preserving the original architecture and focusing on sustainability to ensure minimal impact on the environment. The design of the house tells the story of a woman who, in the 1930s, housed influential women of the time in this home : intellectuals, writers, actresses, singers, artists, sportswomen, women from all over the world who held a prominent position in the early 20thth century. There are 8 rooms decorated in a style that combines textures and colours, creating a different atmosphere in each room. Each room is unique and tells the story of one of those influential women from the early 20thth century who stayed at La Bionda.…

Villa Castelluccio is a beautifully restored holiday home situated amid a 5-hectare olive grove in the countryside of Puglia. Architect Andrew Trotter transformed this 1920s villa into a relaxing retreat that pays homage to Italian vernacular architecture. During the renovation of the old farm in typical Apulian architecture, local materials and traditional building methods were used to preserve the historic atmosphere, while the interior was given a modern touch in neutral tones. The result is a peaceful home that is furnished with elegance, simplicity, and comfort. You can book this gorgeous retreat here!!! Photography : Salva Lopez ,  Marcelo Martinez See also :https://house-diaries.com/ana-ana-an-artistic-habitat-in-algarve-portugal/

Dimora delle Balze is a 19th-century estate that was turned into a stunning Sicilian boutique hotel after 9 years of restoration works, curated by the current owner and designers Draga Obradovic and Stefano Guidotti.  The Dimora is composed of 11 rooms of different sizes, from deluxe rooms to junior suites and family rooms with mezzanine areas and interconnecting rooms. Each room has been restored with different colours and designs, each with its own concept and a story to tell. The names chosen for the rooms refer to Sicilian works and artists, from cinema to art, from poetry to opera. The walls, the floors and the ceilings tell fascinating stories and the property is filled with an exceptional Mediterranean spirit. The owners and the creators of the hotel have envisioned a unique experience that transfers guests to another era. You can also book this dreamy hotel here!!!!! See also :https://house-diaries.com/monteverdi-hotel-a-retreat-from-the-ordinary-in-tuscany-italy/

This stylish country guesthouse offers luxury accommodation in the beautiful Franschhoek Valley on a historic wine and fruit farm. Surrounded by magnificent mountains and only a few minutes from the centre of the quaint village, Auberge Clermont offers luxurious accommodation as well as peace and seclusion for the discerning traveller. This Four Star Bed & Breakfast has six luxurious en-suite rooms, including a romantic honeymoon suite. The suites are individually decorated in the colours and moods of Provence. Delicious country breakfasts are served under the 18th-century oak trees or in the charming courtyard dining room. You can also book this stunning farmhouse here!!!! See also :https://house-diaries.com/domaine-les-martins-experience-the-authentic/

Soak up the secluded splendor of this modern farmhouse in the Cape Winelands. A new expansive view awaits at every turn—admire one side of the mountain range in the light-filled entrance hall, and take in the other from the spacious sitting room that brings the outdoors in with a full-size maple tree and sliding glass doors. Colorful textiles and eclectic art objects collected from around the world enliven the farmhouse interiors, where leafy greens and flowers fill each room. Take a dip in the outdoor 15m pool, then enjoy a meal near a wood-burning fireplace on the outdoor patio. You can book this stunning farmhouse on Airbnb here!!! https://house-diaries.com/andbeyond-sossusvlei-desert-lodge-the-ultimate-escape/

Brae Restaurant and Accommodation were conceived and designed by Six Degrees Architects, to provide a luxury, sustainable rural experience. The restaurant, completed a couple of years ago, consists of a simple, understated fitout of the old homestead. The accommodation, a new building, references the archetypal utilitarian rural shed in the landscape, folded into its terrain, while providing a handcrafted, bespoke luxury. Staggered recycled brickwork with occasional heritage tile inlays are reminiscent of ruined remnant chimneys visible in Australian paddocks. Rich Australian recycled timbers, brick, raw steel and brass are all old materials utilised in rural settings. The project purposefully plays off the materiality and self-build nature of old rural buildings, reinterpreting them into contemporary and luxurious interiors, framing views of the working landscape beyond. The view to the south, from within the suites, is framed to capture a picturesque, almost Capability Brown, experience of an Australian rural, sunlit, working landscape.…