Island Hotel Stories

Matteoli hops between far-flung isles from Bali to Ibiza (and a few closer-to-home ones like Martha's Vineyard and Key West) to give readers a taste of the luxe life in this compendium of exclusive island hotels. To arrive at many of the isles, a hydroplane or puddle-jumper is required, and Matteoli is fond of dropping the names of the locations' frequent visitors, from fashion designers like Oscar de la Renta to artists like Henri Matisse. For each of the 28 entries, Matteoli (Hotel Stories: Legendary Hideaways of the World) notes the island's claim to fame (e.g., a movie was filmed there; a celebrity owns property there), a bit of its history and its premiere hotels. Despite the book's opulent feel, many of the hotels mentioned are, in fact, affordable--if you can foot the price of getting there. For example, an off-peak room at The Aegialis Hotel is only $57 a night, but it's located off the coast of Greece in the Cyclades Islands. The book is illustrated with over 150 color photos--their grainy quality is reminiscent of 1960s and '70s postcards, adding to the book's glamorous, movie star feel.