24 Great Places to Stay to Write a Novel

They say there is a novel in all of us. So whether you are writing a novel, or reading one, our Gurus have done the research for you and unearthed some of the best places to do both. The criteria they used are simple. First, you need access to decent sustenance. Second, you are going to need peace and quiet. It’s not going to work to wind up at a place where screaming kids or rocking nightlife trample on your creativity. Third, you need to be inspired — which means a location of outstanding natural beauty: in a tropical paradise, up a mountain, by a lake, in a rainforest.

We have included hotels and hideaways in all budgets. True, most writers don’t have much ready cash to splash, nor are they necessarily looking for a place to check in for two months to get their novel written. However, every writer craves a bolt hole for a week or two to finish their book or give it that final polish — and if you’re reading a novel rather than writing one, our selection of great places to stay will work for you too.

Below, we have split our discoveries into Fantasy, Thriller, Literary, Murder Mystery, and Romance. We have excluded those themed hotels that market themselves as literary hotels, with book-filled rooms named after famous writers. Yes, you can write a novel without leaving your hotel room (after all, it was Oscar Wilde who famously remarked in L'hotel in Paris "This wallpaper and I are fighting a duel to the death. Either it goes or I do.”) but here we are looking for something more inspiring.

For Fantasy

All of our suggestions for writing fantasy adventures are in the New World. Coincidence? We doubt it.

• The Swag in North Carolina in the US is in the heart of the Smokey Mountains, a log-cabin style luxury retreat of just 14 rooms with sweeping vistas and views. For inspiration, soak away in a hot tub on your balcony and imagine the kingdoms of old who held sway over the misty landscape before you.
• You will be similarly inspired at the Jicaro Island Ecolodge, in Nicaragua, though instead of mountains, you have views over water from your casita, one of just nine. It’s on an island of its own nestled amongst 365 other small and mysterious volcanic islands on Lake Nicaragua. A tranquil hideaway with a great spa and a floating yoga deck.
• Lapa Rios in Costa Rica is another secluded eco-lodge where your imagination can run riot, surrounded on three sides by rainforest with views of the Pacific to the front and a white sand beach a short walk away. Thatched cabins have open walls to bring you close to nature, with large terraces for writing. The food is exceptional.

• Further south, off the coast of Panama, is the remote island paradise of Islas Secas. There are just four guest villas, each built from natural materials, with wooden louvred slats and sliding panels which open onto wide terraces overlooking the sea and the jungle.
• La Selva Jungle Lodge in Ecuador is the sort of place you would head for if civilisation collapsed. It’s in the heart of the rainforest (think Heart of Darkness) on the edge of a lagoon, hidden from the river. Teeming with wildlife, you won’t find it hard to get totally in the zone in this amazing place. There are hot tubs and a spa.
• For an Argentinian version of the rainforest experience, with the feel of a civilisation that is a distant memory, check out the funky Yacutinga Lodge. Secluded cabins have an organic feel with earthy hues, uneven lines and natural materials. The resident chef makes imaginative dishes with local organic produce, they are almost self-sufficient. A Robinson Crusoe-like experience with a touch of reassuring luxury.

For Thrillers

For some reason we felt drawn to luxury hideaways in pampering locations when we thought of the kind of environment a thriller writer thrives on.

• If James Bond didn’t stay at the Hermitage Plantation Inn on Nevis Island in the Caribbean, he ought to have done. It’s an iconic collection of 15 rooms and cottages and a manor house on a stunning plantation. Each room has a verandah, and there are hidden away places in the lush gardens for writing your novel — and watching the guests, which will stimulate plenty of ideas and probably a load more characters…
• Ellerman House in Cape Town is a classic. Just being here at the bottom of the world is thrilling. It’s a 13-bedroom Edwardian mansion house overlooking the dramatic Bantry Bay. You’ll want to feature the fine dining and impressive art collection somewhere in your international thriller - perhaps Mossad agents wind up here on the trail of an international money launderer. The impeccable staff are super discreet.
• You might need to be a successful thriller writer to come to Fiji’s Vomo Island, or else have just sold your investment bank to become an author. But if you can get here, you’re bound to be inspired at this 103-acre resort on a private island in the South Pacific. It offers cool, contemporary design & top-notch facilities, including plenty of sport to maintain your energy levels. Yes, they have kids, but there’s an adults-only beach club, spa & gourmet dining - and besides, there’s plenty of space to find a peaceful spot to write.

Literary

In contrast to the hotels above, as befits the impoverished literary novelist, our selections below are all great value!

• Have you got a new Far Pavillions inside you? If you are looking somewhere to write an epic, hole up in Jilling Terraces in the foothills of the Himalayas for a few weeks - or months, if they’ll have you. Close to the border of Nepal, in India near the border with Nepal, this unique Indian hideaway of just two rooms will keep you dreaming and creating. Peaceful and homely, with shared private spaces, it offers real a sense of community and tranquillity, with no distractions.
• For an alternative retreat with a similar vibe, check out The Retreat, a charming 19th century colonial bungalow nearby at Bhimtal. It’s a top drawer homestay on a tea plantation that has hardly changed in 50 years, with wonderful walks to help you unlock those plot conundrums. The food is sublime.

• On a far-flung island in the middle of the Aegean, sat among saint-white clifftops, pine forests, vineyards and olive groves that fade into the sea, the Armonia Rooms in the Sporades has echoes of Homer and is the perfect writers retreat. Light and airy rooms with minimalist decor, private balconies and panoramic views of the island leave plenty of headspace for creating your next masterpiece.
• On the other side of the world, Estancia Nibepo Aike in southern Argentina offers wide skies and open landscape in a spectacular setting in the Torres del Paine. You can’t help but be inspired to write here, with bracing expeditions to glaciers on horse back in your downtime. If you don’t come back with a beautiful piece of writing, you’re in the wrong profession.
• Last in this section, spinning around the world once more lands you in New Zealand and the sublime Matuka Lodge. It’s just 4 rooms in a modern lodge perfectly designed to fit seamlessly into the beautiful landscape. You will find utter tranquillity here, surrounded by sheep and birdlife and the Southern Alps in the distance, with decks to write on, overlooking the lake.

Murder Mystery

The vibe needed to craft clever plot twists and mystery murder scenarios is well matched with castles, country houses and grand manors around the world. To be honest, you could pick any number of them. Here are four to set your creative juices flowing.

• It’s hard to feel spooky in the California sunshine, but the Chateau du Sureau, a grand country house with just nine rooms, creaky antique furniture, and roaring fires in winter, offers plenty of scope for the fertile imagination. Set in manicured gardens with plenty of hidden nooks and crannies for bodies to be found, it boasts an outdoor pool (drowned?) and Yosemite views to die for. Seriously though, you will be pampered while you write, with fine dining, an excellent wine list, a spa, and a library to cure writer’s block.
• The even more intimate Fauhope Country House in Scotland dates from the Arts and Crafts period, the heyday of the British murder mystery. This rural 5* B&B has sweeping views across the Eildon Hills, country-chic interiors and eclectic art to boot. You fully expect to meet Colonel Mustard in the elegant drawing room, and the live in owners have plenty of stories to tell.
• Manoir Hovey in Canada is a larger hotel, but like the two above it’s in a magical location, with fabulous views over Lac Massawippi in acres of maiicured grounds. For exercise between writing sessions, go kayaking or ice fishing. Choose a suite with a balcony overlooking the lake for the best set up, and in the evening, gather in front of the Carriage House fireplace with your fellow guests before dinner, a ready made audience for your plot twists, or inspiration for characters - take your pick.
• Last, we would be remiss if we did not mention the extraordinary Omni Grove Park in North Carolina. Unlike the others on this list, it’s a massive place, surrounded by forests and golf (plenty of ideas there), and boasts Scott Fitzgerald as a former writing guest. Still, you can see why he was inspired. It’s like something out of the Shining, a Disney-esque grand dame with acres of corridors to get lost in. Drinks before dinner are taken on the terrace overlooking the valley below. Fabulous, if slightly spooky.

For Romance

Finally, for romance, we’ve chosen dreamy - places of sunshine, yearning and lazy days, where, as a writer, you’re bound to want to return with your lover. But for now it has to be all imagined. Whether steamy or closed door, you’re sure to find your romantic muse lurking in one of these in these wonderful places.

• Island View Villa is a family-run property within walking distance of Chrysi Ammoudia Beach. Comfortable rooms with balconies have stunning sea views and look over the villa's lush gardens. Breakfast can be enjoyed outdoors, along with snacks and drinks. You will find plenty of couples looking to escape it all here, though they might be surprised if they knew what you were up to…
• For the cosy winter version, snuggle up in the romantic Au Coeur des Neiges, a lovely collection of chalets and rooms. Cosy wooden interiors have fireplaces and fur throws, and there’s an excellent spa and restaurant - and even a chef on request if you’re on a roll and don’t want to leave your room.
• For a different experience you might like to consider Tensing Pen in Jamaica. This laid back hotel on a cliffside offers muslin-draped four poster beds, outdoor showers, a yoga space and spa treatments, all to the gentle rhythm of reggae. Secluded, relaxed and a great place to write at your own pace, if you don’t fall in love with your protagonist here, at least you will have fallen in love with Tensing Pen.

• Further south, in Brazil, your imagination will run riot at the lovely Butterfly House in Bahia state. This isolated paradise is virtually unreachable by land and offers five huts, three suites, a palm-surrounded pool, bamboo deck areas, yoga classes and the seemingly endless Praia de Saquaíra beach. Take evening drinks on the moonlit verandah and feel SO romantic.
• Bali is perhaps one of the most romantic locations in the world. For example the exquisite Bambu Indah, with its seven lovingly restored antique tribal houses with large verandahs and open-air bathrooms. As dusk draws near, listen to a concert of frogs and crickets surrounded by the pulsing glow of fireflies, and wake to the sound of cocks crowing, the smell of dew-covered grass and the sight of ducks waddling through the lush paddy fields. A perfect writers retreat.
• Last, if you want ideas of how to spend that large advance, you can do worse than check in to the utterly dreamy Calala Island resort in Nicaragua. It’s a 5* luxury private island resort, with thatched roofed suites and sliding doors directly onto your own beach terrace. You won’t ever want to get your novel finished after you’ve checked in here. Paradise found.

 

Written by James Dunford Wood

posted Monday, 6th March 2023