Author picks coolest hotel rooms to stay

By Pauline Askin

SYDNEY (Reuters Life!) - From rooms decked out with a soundstage to concierges who can arrange impromptu tango lessons, trend spotter and author Bill Tikos has roamed the globe to find hotels that offer a unique, and luxurious, experience.

Tikos' book, "The World's Coolest Hotel Rooms", features more than 50 rooms ranging from those that fulfill rock star fantasies to others that elevate the meaning of luxury with sumptuous day beds in lush, secluded gardens with private pools.

"We're not just looking for a bed any more we want an experience. Hotels are really catering for an experience rather than just an overnight stay," said Tikos, who writes a weekly syndicated column and runs website www.thecoolhunter.net.

"I guess it needs to have that wow factor the moment you walk in," said the Australian author told Reuters. "I think it's the aesthetics, the way the room is configured and the design element to it, and obviously the technology part of it."

Tikos believes the growing ranks of wealthy and well-heeled business travelers, as well as celebrities, have in the past five years helped drive demand for smaller, boutique establishments and all the luxury amenities that go with it.

"They're coming for the experience, not just an overnight stay especially the business people, they know exactly what area they want to go into, where they want to go," he said.

One of the hotels featured in Tikos' glossy book is the Riva Lofss in Tuscany, with its apartment-size, three-storey rooms that also have a kitchen.

The hotel only had about 30 rooms, with views across the river, and provided bikes to cycle to town about 20 minutes away.