Running on empty? Then it’s time to experience some of Europe’s most beautiful sights and luscious hotels while you ramp up your heart rate, release some endorphins and feel the rush of fresh air in your hair. Read more »

“Snap, crackle and pop”. No, that’s not your breakfast cereal, but the ghostly sounds from Europe’s old torture chambers, dungeons and other macabre locations. Sure, it’s enough to chill the spine and curdle the blood, but once you see the hotels we’ve chosen, the only pain you’ll experience is if the boss won’t let you go on holiday. 

Giggle and gasp at The Grim Reaper, rats and the darkest of dark ages of the Amsterdam Dungeon, complete with the Labyrinth of the Lost mirror maze and rollercoaster ride Drop Ride to Doom. Between the action, gory sights and spine-chilling screams, learn some facts about Holland’s horrid past from live actors in interactive experiences. Walk those jelly legs back to the Grand Amsterdam hotel where the medieval theme continues at this 1400AD ex-convent. You’ll rest easy though in your delightful room, the Turkish bath or enjoying a traditional afternoon tea overlooking a canal.

Strapping suspected traitors to the racks may be sooo 11th century, but the all knowing ravens will always remain at the Tower of London. Now you can see where historical figures were chained in this fortress since 1066 and be led by a Beefeater who will regale you with Tower tales of torture. Adjust your eyes from darkness to the brilliance of the gleaming Crown Jewels - one of the largest and most precious collections of Royal bling in history. A mere stone’s throw away is the Hilton London Tower Bridge hotel, where guest rooms are comfortable and pampering with movies on demand and video games.

Bubbling toil and trouble is stirring in the Black and White Magic Evening tour of Turin, Italy where you’ll see ancient burial sites, scary stone monsters at sunset and all that is dark and sinister of BC-founded Turin. With a chill in your spine and a glance behind your shoulder, you’ll be glad to return to the Diplomatic Hotel with its elegant furnishings and modern comforts to help you sleep soundly. Wake up to a magnificent breakfast buffet, including both sweet and savoury treats to please all cultures and palates.

Off with their heads! Over a two-hour tour you’ll learn the gruesome details of the French Revolution with visits to the sites of the beheadings of over 1000 people, including Marie Antoinette. Walk the ground that was the ghastly Bastille prison and listen as your guide recounts the Reign of Terror. Be glad to be intact whilst stretching out on the luxurious bedding of the Paris Marriott Rive Gauche—just think of the catacombs nearby, filled with bones of centuries past and inspiration for horror tales since.

Once upon a time there was a world of horse-drawn carriages, fine furnishings and the sipping of tea on silk cushions, beyond the hustle and bustle of the 21st century. Wouldn’t it be grand to lounge about with some marmalade toast on a four poster bed in a castle, stroll around the cobble-stoned streets of an ancient city, or dine in an echoe-y sanctuary? Toss on a top hat and frock up for some old-time European hotels.

Prince and Princess pretence is possible in Belgium’s medieval city of Bruges, where the royal treatment awaits you at Hotel Heritage, complete with fine French and Italian fabric décor. The unique 14th century cellar is no longer full of dungeons, but a Turkish steam bath located inside the torture chamber of the 21st century - a gym. The hotel even offers a package to fully experience the days of old, with a horse drawn carriage ride, a canal ride and a stroll arm-in-arm through the park near the Lake of Love – enough to work up an appetite for a 4-course gastronomic feast at the on site restaurant.

En garde! Shine up your armour for a stay at Clontarf Hotel Castle in Dublin, a medieval-themed hotel built around a centuries-old castle. Every room is like a Robin Hood flashback, including dark timber and heavy curtains, and yet modern with new furniture and 28 inch LCD screen TVs. Walk within the thick castle walls towards the Knights Bar for an ale.

Get thee to a nunnery! Shakespeare’s Ophelia would have loved that idea if she were staying at Hotel Jules Cesar, in Arles of the Provence region, France. Formerly a 17th century convent, the hotel is an indulgently updated sanctuary in the heart of the old town, which still has Roman relics scattered about the narrow medieval streets. Take a vow of relaxation and take a dip in the heated pool set within lavender gardens, then later enjoy a true Provincial meal within the cloistered galleries at Restaurant Lou Marques.

The sights are grand, the views magnificent, the food delicious and the people charming—and you didn’t even need to leave the hotel. Sometimes, holidaying in your hotel can be the best thing since sliced baguette. 

Enjoy the ultra funky and innovative universe that is Hotel Kube in Paris with its fluorescent light stools, Ice Bar and digital door openings. The trendy interiors are functional too, with a gym, in-room computers and cube-themed furniture. The beds in the 41 rooms and suites are lit from beneath, creating the illusion of levitation.

Light up your life at the Nordic Light Hotel Stockholm. The in-room infrared light therapy treatments are supposed to raise mood, libido and help you recover from jet-lag. Each room has a unique combination of colours and sounds effects, so you can lounge around in your PJs feasting on room service, or venture to the bar to experience Scandinavia’s finest collection of American wines—with a sommelier available for private tastings.

Need somewhere to chill? Try Austria’s Schloss Velden A Capella Hotel chillout room, where snow flakes fall on you. Then warm up in the genuine Finnish sauna. The Austrian castle accommodation on the shore of Lake Woerth contains all the entertainment you’ll need. Each room has a marble bathroom, rainforest showerhead, and iPod docking station. And your personal assistant is there to make your stay special. If you feel like a bit of a swing, you can always try the virtual golf simulator.

The Vincent Hotel in England brings a dash of Manhattan-style chic to the North-West with uber-cool rooms, contemporary decor and cutting edge design. They also hold a firm belief that hotel rooms are designed for far more than just sleeping in - as their unique room service offerings will attest. Hmm, what to have? Scrambled eggs on toast? Ooo, how about an ‘intimacy love kit’ complete with whips and mask for cracking good time? Apparently it’s a favourite of actor Jude Law – say no more squire!

Like to visit exotic locations, eat ridiculously scruptuous food and do brilliantly exciting things like James Bond does? Now you too can cruise in a submarine, slide on ice in a jeep, and sip fine champagne with these European Bond adventures and swanky hotels. So as Q would say, “Listen up double-o seven, we’re only going to tell you this once.” 

The Canary Islands are the backdrop to a submarine sortie in the Yellow Submarine Underwater Adventure, where you’ll visit the stunning village of Puerto de Mogan for a light refreshment before undertaking your reconnisence mission of amazing sea life on a 30-40 minute dive. Return to the resort area of Puerto Santiago to enjoy the exotic grandeur of Hotel Playa La Arena, offering sea views, international shows and a bar serving plenty of shaken and stirred cocktails.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to head to Iceland and experience fire on ice during an afternoon safari in a Super Jeep to see magnificent views of Reykjavik and the dormant volcano Hengill with its amazing craters and steam vents. Complete the job, Bond style, with a ride on the Thousand Waters Route along the River Sog. Then rendezvous at the beautiful Borg Hotel for dinner and a well deserved slumber.

Bond and bubbles are a natural combination on a tour of the G.H. Mumm Champagne House Cellar, in the Champagne region of France. Slip on your tux or favourite Bond-babe frock and learn all about how this liquid heaven is produced. See the Champagne production museum, and most importantly, taste the famous Cordon Rouge. The glitz and glamour continues back at Les Relais Heritage Hotel Droizy with its seven unique apartments to choose from, and a 15th century interior.

Sweep your Bond girl or guy off their feet with an elegant evening at Charlottenburg Palace, Berlin, complete with tour and a concert by the Berlin Residence Orchestra. Socialise with the glamorous set within the grand chambers, wander through the baroque gardens, and sit down to a three-course candlelit dinner. Sleep—or not—back at the sumptuous Concorde Hotel in the centre of Berlin, then get ready for another day of excitement. Nobody does it better.

Och aye, as any true fan will tell you no other Bond can quite match it with Sean Connery.  So if you’re serious about this double-o business, you’ll need to train like a true Scotsman. There’s no better way to start than on a  Highland Lochs, Glens and Whiskey Day trip departing from Edinburgh. Your small group travels through the thick forest of Macbeth’s ‘Birnam Wood’, the Hermitage area woods and alongside the rushing River Braan with its leaping salmon, before tucking into a bonny lunch at Pitlochry and swig or three at the distillery. And after all that fresh air the Ben Doran Hotel with its views of the beautiful hillsides makes a ideal place to rest your weary head. Tip: They also do a breakfast that’s fit for a spy with a Thunderball of a hangover.