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Europe is buzzing about a trio of classic hotels. ENGLAND On the misty river Bovey in southwest England, Bovey Castle (Dartmoor National Park, North Bovey; 44-1647/445-016; www.boveycastle.com; doubles from $270) looks half a millennium old except for the actual completion date—1907—etched over the arched entryway. Crenellated and colonnaded, the Jacobean mansion suffered decades of neglect before Peter de Savary (former owner of Skibo Castle) invested $25 million, renovating its65 oak-trimmed rooms and adding a Clarins spa. ITALY At Villa La Terrazza (38-40 Villa Luigi de Maio; 617/247-4112; www.villaterrazza.it; doubles from $160, minimum one week) in Sorrento, the horizon arcs over Vesuvius and Capri from the azure-tiled terrace. The great-great-grandson of the original owner has revived the century-old suites by adding vintage stained-glass windows and trompe l'oeil frescoes of seascapes and vineyards. FRANCE Nice's Palais de la Méditerranée (15 Promenade des Anglais; 33-4/92-14-77-00; www.lepalaisdelamediterranee.com; doubles from $350) reigned over the glittering seaside Promenade des Anglais from 1929 to 1978, during which time Josephine Baker and Maurice Chevalier performed in the hotel's theater. The 188-room property, which had been gutted, leaving only the Art Deco façade, recently reopened. Glamorous touches such as marble columns and plush gaming halls stay true to the Palais's past, while modern amenities—heated outdoor pool, hammam—take it into the future.
—Eve Kahn and Amy Farley
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