Often, the best adventures start with a question: what would happen if you followed a different thread? A story. A flavour. A sweep of colour. Three cities offer three very different kinds of treasure — the literary footsteps of a Nobel Prize winner in Mayfair, a sweet trail through Brussels, and the underground murals rewriting Munich. Our hotels are the starting points, what you discover is entirely up to you.
On a Kipling trail in London
London, like the well-thumbed paper of a treasure map, holds many stories, and sometimes the hardest part is knowing where to explore first. Start perhaps at Brown's Hotel, which has played host to authors for centuries, from Agatha Christie to Rudyard Kipling, who wrote The Jungle Book here on one of his many stays and affectionately described it as "our faithful, beloved, warm, affectionate Brown's Hotel".
From there, walk to 43 Villiers Street, where Kipling lived from 1889 to 1891 — now renamed Kipling House with a blue plaque marking the spot. Adventures are thirsty work, so pop next door to Gordon's Wine Bar, reputed to be London's oldest, and swap pirates' rum for a glass of red while the little ones run around in Embankment Gardens opposite.
The trail continues to Westminster Abbey's Poets' Corner in the south transept — a section dedicated to Britain's greatest literary figures, where inscribed stone slabs lie on the floor like a historic Walk of Fame. Kipling's ashes were interred here in 1936, next to the graves of Charles Dickens and Thomas Hardy. Under Gothic arches and medieval stonework, take a pause and remember that literature, too, is treasure.
Then return to Brown's and the Kipling Suite, with its playful monkey statue at the door, framed handwritten letter from Kipling himself, and well-stocked library — perfect for ending the day with a bedtime story.
A golden waffle hunt through Brussels
Most treasure hunters search for gold, but in Brussels there's a different kind of reward waiting — waffles. And, just 56 steps from the Grand-Place, Hotel Amigo is the perfect base for the kind of exploration that children will love.
Begin at Maison Dandoy on the aptly named Rue au Beurre. The brand was established in 1829 so they know a thing or two about both crispy Brussels waffles and caramelised Liège waffles. Walk towards Manneken Pis along Rue de l'Étuve and you'll spot Belgium's most famous young adventurer, Tintin, alongside loyal friends Captain Haddock and Snowy, captured mid-escape — the perfect marauder's inspiration.
For something a little different, try Veganwaf for handmade plant-based waffles packed with flavour and served with gluten and dairy-free diet-friendly toppings. At Woodpecker 47, try leek waffles with poached egg and smoked salmon, while Gaston pairs exceptional waffles with what many call the city's best ice cream.
Following the graffiti rebellion in Munich
Many treasure hunters are known for being rule breakers, much like the graffiti artists who started the movement in Munich. As the graffiti wave arrived from New York in the early 1980s, it was Munich that rode it, becoming a mecca for graffiti artists by the late 1990s.
From The Charles Hotel, set within the verdant Lenbachgärten quarter, explore the city's urban art scene. Visit MUCA (Museum of Urban and Contemporary Art) near Marienplatz — Germany's first museum of urban art in a former municipal substation. Discover the Werksviertel-Mitte near Ostbahnhof, where the former Pfanni factory became a paradise for urban artists and is now reimagined as a creative hub.
In the Friedensengel subway tunnel, discover a curated open-air street-art space beneath the Angel of Peace, created in 2011 when Munich legend Loomit invited international artists to create a world-class graffiti hotspot. For the full story, tear your teens away from their electronic devices and book the hotel's exclusive Art Is Everywhere guided art tour, uncovering unexpected contemporary installations that give insight into the city’s creative evolution.
Start planning your treasure hunt in London, Brussels, and Munich — three cities, three adventures, many stories waiting to be told.
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