Steppes Travel is made by the people who work here. Incredible holidays are made possible because of their vast travel experience and the great enthusiasm they bring to their work.
We carefully select our experts based on their knowledge, companionship and influence, ensuring that you can travel with the most knowledgeable leaders in the field.
The people who lead the way when it comes to those things which matter to us: exploration, the environment, women’s empowerment and education.
Tourism has an important role to play in preserving cultural heritage. The owners of the properties below have meticulously renovated run-down, historic buildings, maintaining their original spirit and aesthetic while creating modern and thriving boutique hotels.
Slow travel in Italy, without the crowds
Standing sentinel over the town of Ugento for over 1,000 years, the 17th-century castle turned palazzo is now home to a luxury boutique hotel restored to meet with the highest standards of sustainability. A short drive in either direction from the Castello di Ugento takes you to a fabulous coastline, Baroque villages and medieval towns. And the best bit – Puglia has only a fraction of the visitors seen by the more mainstream regions of Italy.
From £1,285 pp for 7 nights – includes 1 free night and complimentary dinner each night of your stay.
Explore the Turkish peninsula of Cesme
Located along one of Alacati’s old, cobble-stoned streets, Alavya’s rooms are found within the confines of six, historic two-storey houses. The buildings have been lovingly restored and the hotel exudes an effortless charm and style that compliments the unique heritage of the site. A few miles inland from the Aegean coast and not far from the spectacular site of Ephesus, Alavya is a great base for a combination of beach, authentic village life and cultural exploration.
From £1,225 pp for 7 nights
5-star luxury in northern Mallorca at a restored 18th-century monastery
Originally built as an Arabic farmhouse in the 12th century, Son Brull became a Jesuit monastery in the 18th century before undergoing an impressive transformation into the boutique, luxury hotel it is today. The building’s beautiful stone and atmospheric former olive mill are just a few of the traces of Son Brull’s rich heritage. Thanks to the property’s prime location in the foothills of Mallorca’s Tramuntana Mountains, the hotel not only offers peace and tranquillity it also provides the perfect base from which to visit the islands’ best beaches and most picturesque villages.
From £1,845 pp for 7 nights
17th-century palace in the old town of Korcula
Located only a stone’s throw from where Marco Polo was said to be born, the Lesic Dimitri Palace was once a 17th-century palace overlooking the Adriatic Sea. Having fallen into disrepair, the property was painstakingly restored over a period of eight years to precisely resemble its former layout and aesthetic. The hotel pays homage to Marco Polo and the Silk Road and standing in the heart of the medieval town of Korcula it is the perfect base for exploring the island’s history, vineyards and numerous coves and secluded bays.
From £1,195 pp for 7 nights
Heavenly hideaway in the Mani Peninsula
In the heart of the Peloponnese, in the village of Cita, tucked away behind an old church and up a cobbled path, is the beautiful Citta dei Nicliani. The hotel building has been sensitively converted from a 17th-century tower house into an eight-room family-run boutique hotel. With stone terraces, colourful bougainvillaea, myriad of cacti, fragrant lavender bushes and terracotta urns the atmosphere and pace couldn’t be more peaceful.
From £1,595 for a family of four for six nights. Talk to us about rates for taking exclusive use of this property for a family get together – six nights for a group of six from £4,950.
A sustainable base to explore the Golden Circle
When you simply do not have the opportunity to renovate a historic building, then the next best thing is to emulate what was built in the past. Inspired by the architecture of the Icelandic Viking farm at nearby Strong, the cabins at Torfhus Retreat are crafted from local stone, reclaimed wood and turf and the whole property is run on geothermal and hydroelectric energy. We love the quirkiness of Torfhus but behind the owner’s obvious sense of fun, is a serious desire to create a hotel that leaves only the faintest of footprints.
From £3,395 pp for a family of four staying six nights at Torfhus including car hire and a picnic lunch for every day of your stay
Get in touch, by phone on 01285 601 784 or email to start creating a trip guaranteed to leave you with stories for a lifetime.
Our knowledge and expertise set us apart. So too our curiosity. It is this that drives us to create a journey that is really bespoke to you, all the while ensuring we travel and operate sustainably.
Are you ready to discover extraordinary once again?
