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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF LA CUCINA ITALIANA AND CONDÉ NAST TRAVELLER ITALY
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I love returning often to certain hotels where I know I will feel well taken care of and safe from the moment I arrive until check-out. Places where they remember things about you, where they prepare breakfast in a way you didn’t even know was possible — so delicious that they place the cappuccino right in front of you the moment you sit down and you desperately need it, exactly the way I like it. Places where they notice you without ever making you feel overwhelmed.
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And then there are those incredibly comfortable beds and that rare ability to adjust the air conditioning perfectly, so you never feel like a sole fish trapped in a freezer. These are places where you can breathe in soul, where you feel you are somewhere even better than home, where hospitality is pure, genuine, and even a little spontaneous.
For me, this is what the Triple Crown represents: the ultimate expression of everything.
CNT Triple Crown winners have appeared on all three of our most prestigious lists at least once over the past 30 years—our annual Hot List, for the best new hotels, Gold List, for the editors favourites, and Readers’ Choice, the best as chosen by our audience.
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Maddalena's Triple Crown Picks
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The Avino sisters, the owners, are charming, cheerful, and elegant. Their palace, dating back to the 12th century in the delightful town of Ravello, is a true sanctuary overlooking the Amalfi Coast, with a magnificent view of the Gulf of Salerno. I love enjoying an aperitivo there and simply breathing in the beauty of the place, just as much as I love the experience at Rossellinis restaurant. A must-see is the Pink Closet boutique, where the girls curate a collection of wonderful objects and clothes by unknown yet incredibly edgy designers.
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The Grande Bretagne is the great historic hotel of Athens, a place where you can truly feel the weight of history. Winston Churchill stayed here when the hotel served as the headquarters of the British authorities, and its location on Syntagma Square—the agora of the Greek capital, where everything happens—makes it even more special. The service is impeccable, like the grand hotels of another era, the same of Monsieur Escoffier and Monsieur Ritz. The comfort is classic and reassuring, and the food offering is delightful. And then, of course, a Martini on the terrace overlooking the Acropolis becomes an unforgettable moment—a true Triple Crown experience.
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Even for us Italians, it's rare to experience the true feeling of an authentic Apulian village the way you do at Borgo Egnazia. There's a simplicity here that makes everything feel genuine, yet effortlessly elegant. The little piazza evokes a traditional market filled with beautiful, sun-kissed ingredients. The small, minimalist houses are furnished with simple things that are somehow irresistibly beautiful. The food is a tribute to authentic Italian home cooking—the kind that's shared around family tables. The spa is a poetic experience, where you're surrounded by local music and immersed in what can only be described as the science of happiness. Because yes, this is a place that truly makes you happy. Then you look out over the countryside, with its centuries-old olive trees, and you realize that paradise exists here on earth too.
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All listings featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. If you book something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
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