As we approach the end of the year, we’re looking back and reflecting on all of your helpful insights to find the top-rated hotels & rentals of 2024. From one-night city breaks to dreamy summer getaways, we’ve read every bit of feedback, counted all your scores, and pulled together the top 10 winners.
This is far from just another annual exercise – it’s essential for so many reasons. It gives us the chance to highlight all your wonderful comments, and trumpet the hotels that went above and beyond for their i-escape guests. But it’s also an opportunity to learn from the less enthusiastic feedback – helping our hotel partners improve their offerings and ensuring that our portfolio remains the best of the best.
So thank you for all your feedback this year. We appreciate every review received – and we hope you are appreciating your £25 Review Rewards, too. Without further ado, here are your 2024 winners.
1 Lake Garda Boutique Apartments, Italy
It’s always heartening to see a new i-escape partner win in their first year, and all the more impressive when it’s self-catering. Or, in the case of Lake Garda Boutique Apartments, “self-catering plus”. The “five star hospitality from Francesca and her team” includes “spotless” midweek cleaning, “baskets of fresh bread and croissants each morning”, and “arranging for fresh tortellini so we could eat in”. There’s a “lovely swimming pool with beautiful views over the lake, superb gardens to relax in, and a lovely quiet location” with “mountains on one side and the lake on the other” for secluded dips. “An amazing week – we would go back again in a heartbeat!”
2 L’Escale du Ciel, Provence, France
What can I say about L’Escale du Ciel that our guests haven’t already said so eloquently? This “peaceful paradise away from the bustle of everyday life” is “the antidote to mass market”. “The views are stunning, and the garden and pool areas are beautifully landscaped and styled”. “Judith is an incredible host, kind and generous, and with a great eye for detail and quality”. She “has done a wonderful job of creating a luxury stay, while keeping it homely and unfussy”. “The village has good restaurants if you don’t want to drive to dinner, and there are great galleries nearby”. “We have travelled quite a bit and this is right up there for quality, style, friendliness and value for money”. Exactement.
3 The Bath Arms, Somerset, UK
The perfect British weekend escape nowadays needs not just “super friendly staff, great food and atmosphere, comfy rooms” but also a “brilliant vibe” and “unbelievable value for money”. The Bath Arms ticks all those boxes, and more. It’s “very welcoming to children” and “a perfect dog-friendly getaway”. There’s “beautiful local countryside” for walks, it’s “fantastically located for a visit to Longleat”, the “Bramley Spa on site was a joy” and “the pub itself was a really nice place to hang out”. And, hardest of all to pull off, “the vibe is brilliant: sincere yet thoughtful in all its tiny details”.
4 Almaria Ex Libris, Lisbon, Portugal
There’s been a buzz about Lisbon for a few years now, and these literary-themed apartments are “a great discovery”. Like other winners here, you get “your own space while still benefitting from daily cleaning, fresh pastries delivered each morning”, and a “friendly concierge on-site for recommendations and taxi-booking”. This makes it all “incredible value”. Inside, they’re “light and airy, with a huge bathroom, a great sitting-room/kitchen with all the basics” and – that rarity – “a sofabed as comfortable as the actual bed”. Location-wise, “Barrio Alto is round the corner and Cais do Sodre down the road”; you’re “close to great restaurants, shops and sites”.
5 Convento, Olhao, Portugal
If winning is hard, staying at the top is even harder. So huge congrats to Convento for acing it three years in a row. The magic formula? It’s small (9 bedrooms), subradar (not on the big booking sites) and very special. Expect “wonderfully zen, calming spaces”, “spot-on service” and “amazing breakfasts”. Spend lazy days “wandering the maze of Olhão’s narrow alleys and markets”, taking the “ferry to the incredible expanse of sandy beach on Culatra island”, or chilling on the “heavenly” roof terrace. “We absolutely loved everything about this little gem of a B&B: the atmosphere, the staff, the decor, the food and the ambiance”. I think that covers it.
6 Riad L’Orangeraie, Marrakech, Morocco
Hats off to Riad L’Orangeraie, another multi-repeat winner. This “oasis in the madness of Marrakech scores top marks on all counts”. To back up this claim, I’ll leave it to a loyal client who has holidayed with us over 50 times. “Wow! What a gorgeous, special place. Beautiful rooms, charming courtyards, pretty pool and a fabulous rooftop terrace. Cyril and his team were so warm and welcoming, and really took time to chat and give advice. Dinner on the roof terrace was perfect – a truly magical setting and delicious salads and tagine. Honestly, we did not want to leave, and I am already planning another trip”.
7 El Sol, Monteverde, Costa Rica
On “the sunny side of Monteverde but near enough the cloud forest”, these “gorgeous cabins” of El Sol are set in “a unique, tranquil environment of amazing views and butterflies all around”. It’s even “more stunning than the photos convey”. “So much detail and love has gone into the experience and accommodation”, with “captivating views” from the pool, and “delicious dinners bought to the door”. Families recommend “El Tigre (incredible hike and waterfalls), Selvatura (zip lining and canopy walk), and the Dan Juan coffee, sugar cane and chocolate tour”. Almost everyone calls it “one of our Costa Rica highlights” – including our consultant Leah, who is just back from a “magical stay” there.
8 Demeter Cave House, Santorini, Greece
Another previous winner, romantic Demeter Cave House remains “a rare find and not to be missed”. In perennially popular Santorini. its location “in the traditional hill village of Pyrgos is excellent” – much less crowded than Fira and Oia – “with great views and easy access to local tavernas and cafes”. “The bed is super comfortable, the bathroom is amazing, and the (optional) breakfast is delicious”. “Every last little detail, from the subtle lighting to the position of power points, has been carefully thought through”. And “in terms of service 5 out of 5 is not enough – at least an 8, as Andrew is a host with the most!”
9 Hotel Ibrahim Pasha, Istanbul, Turkey
It’s great to see Turkey on the map again, and this 24-room Hotel Ibrahim Pasha is the “perfect base” for exploring its capital. It has a “fantastic location, right next to the hippodrome and the Blue Mosque, but just a little removed from the crowds”. The “roof terrace is a must-visit, offering breathtaking views, especially at sunset”; and “staff were incredibly friendly and helpful, providing great maps” and “excellent restaurant recommendations”. Overall, “an absolute gem”, whose “photographs are a true reflection of its beauty”.
10 StayCatalina, Palma de Mallorca, Spain
Mallorca recently took the brave step to limit tourist numbers, cancel new hotel licences and increase visitor taxes, but that hasn’t stopped StayCatalina Boutique Apartments from getting straight 10s. The “spotlessly clean, and well appointed” apartments have “everything you need for a self-catering stay”; “the beds are so comfortable and there’s an amazing shower!”. Lucky guests in the penthouse “particularly enjoyed sitting on the sunny roof terrace”. “The neighbourhood of Santa Catalina is “authentic”, with “a wonderful covered market around the corner”, and “lots of little restaurants and bars with delicious modern tapas”. Perfect for “a lovely, relaxing few days in Palma”
Runners-up
1 Elies Hotel, Peloponnese, Greece
2 La Maison Papillons, Provence, France
3 La Dama del Porto, Italian Lakes & Verona, Italy
4 Agroturismo Son Ametler, Soller & Mountains, Spain
5 Kefalonia Boutique Villas, Kefalonia, Greece
6 Zante Beach Villas, Zakynthos, Greece
7 Villa Jacaranda, Southern Beaches, India
8 Cortijo Boutique Siete Calas, Almeria, Spain
9 Casa Taos, Marrakech, Morocco
10 Relais Casamassima, Umbria & Le Marche, Italy
How we chose our winners: scores are based on ratings from verified i-escape guests submitted during 2024. These may differ slightly from the scores shown on our hotel reviews’ feedback section, which draw from the previous two years, and are constantly updating.
