For some, escape means roughing it in nature--climbing a mountain, trekking with a backpack. Ypma's idea of escape is more sophisticated. The best escape locations, he writes, "amplify the attractions of their setting" and enable us to recognise "man's ability to enhance the beauty of a beautiful place." It's no surprise, then, that the hotels Ypma chooses don't have the conventional feel of a Hilton or Sheraton; many are family-run and all are unique. At Amandari, on Bali, guests don't get a room, they get a house positioned along walkways that echo the arrangement of a traditional Balinese village. At the Ice Hotel in Sweden, glasses and beds are literally made out of ice. It's important to the author that the hotels he describes have been constructed with ecological sensitivity: most, like the log cabins of Dunton Hot Springs in Colorado, are built from local materials and their food and design reflect local culture.

The hotels are listed in alphabetical order by country. Addresses, telephone and fax numbers, and room rates (in local currencies) are provided. Despite their relatively small sizes, France, Great Britain, and Italy get the most attention; combined they have 13 hotels to North America's five, South America's two and Australia's one. Ympa's luscious, detailed photographs accompany equally descriptive text that's rich in cultural detail and literary reference (Carey on Australia, Chatwin on Chile). The author has a habit of mentioning the stars, actors, media and entertainment types who have vacationed at each hotel. This may grate some nerves but it also points to a shift in travel patterns; as travel becomes less exclusive, it's not only the stars who get the chance to combine luxury with environmental awareness in their choice of escape destinations. --Tamsin Todd

This book does not disappoint. The selection of hotels is as diverse as ever and the pictures are stunning. My only observation along with all the other books in the series is that this should not be used as a travel guide or a brochure replacement. It is a great coffee table book.


Just what I have been looking for!!!!   January 6, 2001
 3 out of 5 found this review helpful

This is one of those information(and could also be a beautiful coffee table book) books that you will just keep forever. Wondering when the publisher will do a Hip spa resort book...hoping and waiting!!!


The ONLY guide for the traveller with a taste for the exotic   April 27, 2000
 2 out of 4 found this review helpful

Like his other publications, Ypma has exhibited his sexy sense of style in Hip Hotels Escape. Pages loaded with colour and light, each Hotel beckons the reader at every turn.Wake up to Hip Escapes! Encore!


THE PERFECT REFERENCE FOR TRAVEL AND DESIGN   March 1, 2000
 7 out of 7 found this review helpful

Throw away those dated Fodors and Lonely Planet that mention a small cute hotel by the beach and you discover a hut near a parking lot, simply because the writer never actually bother to check it out!. Here the answer is in photography. Fantastic, I have checked already a few places, including La Posta Vecchia in Rome (a real true Palazzo) and Gazelle D'Or in Morocco (a true oasis)... frankly just one word: fantastic book, great recommendations and top ideas for your interior! Bravo Ypma


The perfect escape!   February 6, 2000
 2 out of 3 found this review helpful

An incredible symphony of colours and illustrations, and a great help to plan my next holidays away from the boring Hilton! The top recommendations for hideaways after the urban hotels of Hip Hotels City.