Laila Ram is the co-founder of the award-winning boutique hotel and travel site, i-escape.com. Loved for its beautiful imagery, honest reviews (that list what's good and bad about each property) and cool thank you gifts for booking through the site, this hand-picked collection of boutique hotels, villas and B&Bs has become the first port of call for travellers looking for a hip hideaway.

Laila and her best friend Nikki Tinto first launched i-escape.com in 2001, with hotels they had discovered during their travels together. It has since grown to over 1,500 amazing places to stay across the world, including a unique family-friendly collection, and has a bespoke booking service. These are some of Laila's favourite places at the moment.

THE MUDHOUSE, SRI LANKA


My husband comes from Sri Lanka so it’s one of our favourite destinations, and we return to The Mudhouse time and time again. If you want an escape from the chaos of daily life, this is the place: no phones, no TVs, just a cluster of thatched open-sided huts in a secluded jungle wetland, where you can lie back in a hammock and listen to birdsong. Our children love swimming in the private lake and spotting elephants among the trees, but it’s a wonderful spot for couples too, with organic curries served under the stars, firepits outside every hut, and flickering oil lamps at night.

BOUTIQUE APARTMENTS PORTO, PORTUGAL


This collection of stylish seafront apartments is a quick tram ride from Porto’s UNESCO-listed centre and famous port lodges. They sleep 2-5 and were designed by José Carlos Cruz, one of Portugal's foremost architectural firms. I particularly like the minimalist décor (pristine white walls, Eames chairs, marble bathrooms), the colourful artwork, and the ingenious extra beds which roll into the wall when you’re not using them. Best of all, this is self-catering made easy: breakfast is delivered to your door each morning, the kitchens are very well equipped, and there are some fantastic restaurants within strolling distance.

THE PIG, HAMPSHIRE


I had a fabulous stay at this New Forest retreat, owned by the people behind luxurious country-house hotel Lime Wood. Its main focus is delicious, super-fresh food – almost everything is grown on site, foraged nearby or sourced within a 25-mile radius, and the menu changes daily according to what’s in season. But eating isn’t the only appeal: there are cosy lounges with crackling fires, a treatment room for massages, and 26 beautiful bedrooms with monsoon showers. It’s perfect for romantic getaways, but you can take the kids, too: tailored meals and extra beds are available, and they’ll love romping around the national park with its wild ponies and biking trails.

HOTEL DEL TEATRE, SPAIN


Catalonia in northern Spain is one of my top picks for good food, good wine and excellent beaches. On our last visit we stayed at Hotel del Teatre, a surprisingly sleek hotel hidden in a restored 18th-century building in the village of Regencós. It’s a favourite with Barcelona’s elite, and it’s easy to see why: there are terraces and balconies decorated with tumbling bougainvillea, pared-back interiors showcasing urban design, and a stylish restaurant in an old theatre, where movies are projected onto the wall as you dine. We spent our mornings pottering around medieval towns and our afternoons sprawled out by the pool. Bliss!

AWASI PATAGONIA, CHILE


I’m longing to visit this brand-new hotel in Chilean Patagonia, which offers the perfect combination of luxury, romance and adventure. It’s been designed to blend into the landscape, and the 12 designer cabins and top-notch restaurant all have eye-popping views of the iconic Torres del Paine massif. Each cabin has an allocated guide and 4x4, so it’s easy to get out and explore. And, after a day of hiking, glacier-walking, kayaking or horse riding, you can return to sheepskin-topped sofas, wood-burners, and moonlit soaks in your private outdoor hot tub.

THE OMNIA, SWITZERLAND


We’ve just added a portfolio of Alpine hotels to i-escape.com, and The Omnia is one of my favourites. Set at the foot of the Matterhorn in Zermatt, Switzerland, it’s a cool, contemporary take on a traditional mountain lodge, with granite walls, angular stone fireplaces and floor-to-ceiling windows that fill the rooms with light. There’s a state-of-the-art spa, an indoor/outdoor pool, an indulgent restaurant, and a terrace where you can sip hot chocolate and gaze up at snowy peaks. Even arriving is an experience: you enter a cave, get in a lift, and rise through 45m of rock to reception! The nearby skiing is excellent (some slopes are open year-round), and in summer you can go hiking, biking and wild swimming.

March 2014