The Best New City Hotels of 2025

100 Princes Street, Edinburgh

Edinburgh’s newest hideout, 100 Princes Street, is set in the former Scottish headquarters of the Royal Over-Seas League, an international members’ club founded in 1910. While the foyer’s ornamented ceiling and the first-floor staircase are original, the rest of the 30-room property has been renovated to fanciful perfection by the family-owned Red Carnation Hotel Collection. The design is also unmistakably Scottish: Do Not Disturb signs take the form of the sporrans that men wear with kilts, and signature suites are named for the country’s famed explorers, such as Isobel Wylie Hutchison, an intrepid 20th-century botanist and filmmaker. Also on theme is the menu, with haggis for breakfast and crumbly shortbread served with afternoon tea. Then there’s the whisky: nearly 170 single malts are housed in Ghillie’s Pantry, an intimate tasting room with an intriguing collection of rare bottles. Accessible hotel. Doubles from $550. —Nicole Trilivas

Ace Hotel & Swim Club Athens, Greece

Stepping out of the taxi in Glyfada, a seaside town on the Athens Riviera, and laying eyes on the Ace Hotel & Swim Club Athens, I felt an immediate burst of energy. This 120-room outpost from the ever-cool Ace brand retains a vintage seaside resort aesthetic, while still embracing a refreshingly modern Greek sensibility. Interiors blend tactile minimalism with local artistry: Rooms have custom sconces by Panos Profitis, plus textiles by Greek-Egyptian designer Salma Barakat. Some suites even come with record players and guitars—a signature Ace touch. Naturally, the pool is the social hub—this is one of only two Ace “Swim Club” properties where DJs spin nightly, and a rooftop restaurant and bar serving contemporary Greek fare will open soon. Until then, Sebastian, the hotel’s bistro, delivers a Paris-meets-Athens menu, featuring standout dishes like the Salad Sebastian, a vibrant mix of beluga lentils, lardons, and baby potatoes. And, being just 20 minutes from Athens’ city center, the hotel is perfectly positioned for both lazy beach days and quick jaunts to the Acropolis. Accessible hotel. Doubles from $326. —Laura Ratliff

Alexander Hotel, Mexico City

Leisure travelers don’t often visit Mexico City’s cosmopolitan business capital, but the brand-new Alexander Hotel offers a glimpse into the handsome Lomas de Chapultepec neighborhood. The 26-room boutique spans three levels of the striking Torre Virreyes, a jutting showpiece of the skyline with views stretching into the Bosque de Chapultepec, the region’s largest urban park, once home of Aztec and Habsburg emperors. Inside, the sleek design feels more aligned to the guest in tailored Brioni than the linen sets popular in the more bohemian parts of town. The room’s lounge chairs and benches are custom Poltrona Frau leather, the same material you’d find inside a Ferrari, and imported black ebony from Africa and white marble from Brazil line the walls and floors. At Caviar Bar, the hotel restaurant and focal point of the glass-paneled lobby, a selection of Petrossian caviars are worked into pastas and heaped onto chips from behind a bivalve-shaped counter. An Alexander Martini is the drink to order, served with Belvedere 10 and a Kumamoto oyster topped with Baeri caviar. It’s all about decadence here. Accessible hotel. Doubles from $527. —David Shortell

Brach Madrid

Before I arrived in Madrid, I picked out a few sites and restaurants I wanted to explore on my solo trip. As it turns out, I should’ve skipped all that planning because I never wanted to leave Brach Madrid. The hotel opened in January, joining an impressive portfolio that includes Paris’s Cour des Vosges and Nolinski hotels as well as Nolinski Venezia. Philippe Starck reimagined a stunning 1922 building along Madrid's iconic Gran Vía, creating a 57-room stay, including several suites with private balconies. The hotel is filled with a warm, honey glow thanks to its dark-wood detailing, caramel leather furnishings, marble accents, and terra-cotta flooring with specks of silver, gold, and rose stones. This supremely cool styling makes its way up the walls, with bespoke artwork and books curated by local authors, and even reaches the lighting, with oversized golden seahorse lamps I was particularly taken with. There’s just one reason to leave your room: to visit the spa, La Capsule. It offers bodywork and massages alongside some high-tech magic, including red-light therapy masks you can check out for the night to use in the comfort of your room. Accessible hotel. Doubles from $525. —Stacey Leasca

Cape Grace, A Fairmont Managed Hotel, Cape Town

The rebirth of a grande dame is always controversial—how much of the heritage will remain after a hotel emerges from a top-to-bottom, no-expenses-spared renovation and rebrand? I studied Cape Grace’s characteristic, ochre-colored façade and sloped, Parisian-style mansard roofs from various points in Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront before stepping inside and seeing the transformation myself. Sitting unassumingly on a private quay straddling the yacht marina and bustling V&A Waterfront, the 112-room property is surprisingly calm, an urban retreat within walking distance of the city’s key cultural and historic sites, like the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art and Robben Island ferry gateway. Midcentury modern-style furniture accented by geometric-patterned rugs, South African artisan-crafted ceramics, and original contemporary artworks by Cape Town artists has replaced the old English decor, antiques, and dreary color palette. Rooms—particularly the duo of waterfront penthouse suites complete with Jacuzzis overlooking Table Mountain—are sophisticated while still feeling lived in. They practically beg to be an entertaining space—which I embraced with the help of a few friends who joined me for wine on my expansive terrace. Despite the area’s heavy tourist foot traffic, Cape Grace’s ground-floor Library Lounge and subterranean Bascule Bar, which sports 400-plus types of whiskey, draw a crowd of well-heeled locals. The tasting menu at Heirloom Restaurant, meanwhile, capitalizes on the Cape’s bounty of local, seasonal products with pared-down plates spotlighting one or two star ingredients, like Jerusalem artichokes from the Winelands and South Coast rock lobster from Cape Town. Accessible hotel. Doubles from $950. —Lane Nieset

Corinthia Grand Hotel Astoria Brussels

At the Corinthia Grand Hotel Astoria Brussels, I was served breakfast beneath glittering chandeliers and ornate cornices in a ballroom once known for hosting classical concerts. I took afternoon tea under a 12-meter-high stained-glass roof painstakingly recreated from photos of the original. After shuttering for 17 years, this legendary address in the heart of the Belgian capital is back and its new owner, Corinthia Hotels, has paid careful respect to its rich history, down to the soothing egg-white and sage-green heritage color scheme in the light-filled lobby, Palm Court. Yet the Maltese-owned luxury hotel group has been careful to layer new with old. An entire subterranean floor dedicated to wellness has been carved out to create the largest spa area of any hotel in the city, while the 126 rooms and suites have a classic contemporary feel, with bespoke Belgian artwork hanging on the wall. In fact, the property is a poster for the best of Belgium today. Helming the restaurants are two of the country’s hottest culinary names: David Martin, whose 10-course degustation menu at Palais Royal surprises with reimagined classics and extravagant desserts, and Christophe Hardiquest, whose laid-back Le Petit Bon Bon plates Belgian bistro favorites. There’s also Coutume, the street-facing boutique stocking the handcrafted local wares you’d probably only uncover if your stylish best friend lived here. Insider recommendations in Brussels are key and the concierge team can point you to the hidden cocktail spots, the neighborhoods where chic Parisians come to buy antiques, the art galleries where you should linger, and, of course, the best waffle joints in town. Not only does the opening herald a level of luxury the city’s hotel scene had been missing, but hopes are high that it also signals a tourism revival for this underrated European capital. Accessible hotel. Doubles from $745. —Chrissie McClatchie

Delano Dubai

The new Delano Dubai brings a Miami-meets-Middle East mood to the city’s Bluewaters Island, which is accessible from Dubai via a driving or pedestrian bridge. Squeezed between the shimmering sea and Ain Dubai, the world’s largest Ferris wheel, the new outpost echoes the original Delano Miami Beach with the same floaty gauze curtains and apple-a-day amenity in the rooms. But there’s plenty here that’s new, too. The Delano’s 251 sleek rooms are filled with light, washed in shades of oatmeal and rose gold, some with their own gardens and pools. There’s a touch of “Alice in Wonderland” in some areas, like Blue Door, where a checkerboard path winds to a picturesque lawn where guests can dig into Turkish mezze platters. There’s an elegant beach club where a good-looking crowd sips Ruinart rosé and nibbles caviar-topped mozzarella sticks poolside; the gorgeous Maison Revka restaurant, serving French- and Slavic-inspired dishes; and La Cantine Beach, a private beach with wicker chairs and an adults-only pool shaded by baby-blue parasols. Late at night, the action moves to the louche Rose Bar where a dazzling mirrored corridor leads to the restrooms, bouncing your reflection back from every surface. Accessible hotel. Doubles from $544. —Nicola Chilton

The Eve Hotel Sydney

This five-story, 102-room hotel is built on the site of colonial Sydney’s 19th-century gardens and honors its roots with a plethora of greenery found on the balconies, rooftop, courtyard, and a living wall that faces the sunset. Rooms start at a sizable 290 square feet and feature Australian palettes of eucalyptus and ochre, their warm tones enhancing the luxury of leathers, velvets, terrazzo, and timber. Generously stocked personal bars showcase homegrown heroes, including house spirits by Archie Rose Distilling Co. in nearby Rosebery, caramels from cultured-butter kings Pepe Saya, and craft beers brewed down the road. From street level, The Eve beckons with gleaming portals of pomegranate-red zellige tiles that led me into unexpected situations. I climbed the statement staircase to find a boldly furnished reception where blinding-blue Gervasoni Nuvola seats and footstools meet pink mohair armchairs. On the rooftop, a sparkling pool awaits, shaded by palms and cabanas, with chill-out tunes playing over and under the water. Neighboring Lottie is the rooftop Mexican restaurant and mezcal joint, a pink travertine playground where the open kitchen and bar dole out handmade tortillas, tamales, and tequila-based cocktails. Streetside Bar Julius is a jewel-toned space serving caviar for breakfast and all-day Bloody Marys. Its art collection, including a 17th-century Belgian portrait in a gilded frame, is fabulous. The Eve anchors the new Wunderlich Lane precinct, which, with its emphasis on art, design, and gastronomy—including sublime modern Greek at Olympus Dining and Southeast Asian plates at Island Radio—has transformed Sydney's Redfern neighborhood. Accessible hotel. Doubles from $350. —Kendall Hill

Four Seasons Hotel Osaka, Japan

When the Four Seasons Hotel Osaka opened in the historic Dojima district of Japan’s third-largest city, it mirrored Osaka’s blend of contemporary architecture and rich history. The property has public and private ofuros (traditional Japanese baths) and a rooftop bar on the 37th floor with impeccable views and great drinks. But its most unique feature is the “Gensui” floor, where each of the 21 ryokan-style rooms is in the design of traditional Japanese inns dating back to the eighth century (think tatami floors, sliding doors, and low-to-the-ground dining tables, all without sacrificing modern conveniences). The entire 36th floor is dedicated to the spa, which has city views from each treatment room. The restaurants are so good that guests don’t have to leave the hotel—no small feat in such an iconic food city. Farine, the grab-and-go bakery, had locals and guests snagging treats like sweet and savory stuffed brioches, while the hotel's flagship restaurant, Jiang Nan Chun, specializes in traditional Cantonese fare. I enjoyed the impeccably curated breakfast buffet every morning, but still reminisce over the crevettes à la nage (poached tiger prawns wrapped in zucchini and served in lobster oil with kabosu fruit dressing) at Jardin, a French-inspired all-day bistro. Accessible hotel. Doubles from $850. —Susmita Baral

Hotel d'Inghilterra, Rome

When you arrive at Hotel d’Inghilterra, follow my lead: grab one of the few bar seats at the tiny Café Romano Lounge and order an impeccable martini. A noble residence in the 16th century for guests of the nearby Palazzo Torlonia, this hideaway steps from Piazza di Spagna, at the base of the Spanish steps, and posh shopping street via Condotti, became a hotel in 1845—hosting Elizabeth Taylor and Gregory Peck in its heyday. The 80-room hotel, now part of  Starhotels, has recently reopened after a meticulous restoration; The historic façade and lobbies have been returned to their splendor, the rooms have been improved by the contributions of Italian master artisans (textiles are from the Venetian house Rubelli). From my Balcony Suite, I had a terrific view over Roman rooftops and cupolas. At the restaurant by chef Angrea Sangiuliano, who’s a whiz at glorifying the materia prima of the surrounding region, I found the Spaghettone with pannocchie di mare, zest of lemon from Terracina, a coastal village near Naples, and oil perfumed with garlic and chili, to be irresistible. Accessible hotel. Doubles from $1,079. —Federico De Cesare Viola

Hotel Hana, Paris

East playfully meets West at Hotel Hana in Paris’s second arrondissement. This boutique beauty occupies a Haussmann building at the edge of the city’s vibrant Little Tokyo. Inside, a Japanese-inspired bolthole brimming with colorful details and textures. My Prestige Room—one of 26—was a cocoon clad in iroko wood and woven straw, tastefully accented with cherry blossom-embroidered cushions, lacquered red cabinetry, and a sakura-shaped travertine table that was topped with matcha and black sesame madeleines when I arrived. A spacious bathroom fetchingly outfitted in rust-red and cream checkerboard marble came stocked with Diptyque toiletries. I particularly enjoyed the mornings bathed in golden light, which I spent lingering on my room’s balcony overlooking the bustling street markets below. The East-West theme continues downstairs in the hotel’s cozy, street-level restaurant, Hanabi, which serves Japanese-inflected French fare like Camembert tempura with aonori seaweed and yuzu jam and hōjicha tiramisu. Breakfast options range from buttery viennoiserie to ochazuke rice soup, while the bar offers innovative cocktails, like a sansho-pepper martini made with Japanese gin. Post-prandial relaxation awaits in a reiki or reflexology treatment at Hana Spa, or an invigorating counter-current pool, which you can book by the hour for complete privacy. Major sights like the Louvre, the Palais Garnier, and Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré are a 10- to 15-minute stroll away, but right at your doorstep lies buzzy Rue Sainte-Anne, where neon-lit karaoke joints, udon bars, and matcha cafes offer a myriad of ways to cap off your night before retreating to the tactile comforts of your room. Accessible hotel. Doubles from $431. —Shamilee Vellu

Janu Tokyo

Aman’s new spin-off brand, Janu, seeks to maintain a high level of design and service at a lower price point than its ultra-luxe sibling. At Janu Tokyo, the 122 rooms and suites are serene and spacious; most have private balconies (mine came with a view of Tokyo Tower). The eight restaurants lure both guests and locals, but the biggest draw is the 43,000-square-foot wellness center, which includes an 82-foot indoor lap pool and a heated lounge pool; hydrotherapy and thermal areas with a cold plunge, Japanese baths, and steam rooms; and an impressive gym with five movement studios. Centrally located, Janu is a calm and contemporary base from which to explore the city. Doubles from $1,068. —Rebekah Peppler

Le Grand Hôtel Cayré, Paris

At lunch at Le Grand Hôtel Cayré, just beyond the Left Bank’s tourist fray, you’ll find tables of coworkers from the high-end design stores in Saint-Germain-des-Prés easing into the genuinely delicious food at the hotel’s all-day brasserie, Annette. Do they know the restaurant was named for Annette Kolb, the Franco-German writer who checked into the art deco hotel in 1944 and lived there for almost 20 years? It’s safe to say they’re too busy marveling over phenomenal oeufs en meurette and other expertly updated classics. The sourcing behind several of the desserts shows just how well situated this hotel is for the gastro-tourist, from the cheeses delivered by the legendary Maison Barthélémy around the corner to the dark chocolate from chocolatier Nicolas Berger that goes into a footed silver bowl of rich chocolate mousse, and the locally famous éclair from Hugo & Victor pâtisserie two blocks away. I polished off all three, along with a pot of Mariage Frères tea, before the locals had returned to work. In the hotel’s 123 rooms, sensuous textures and sinuous lines reflect the modernized art deco decor. And on the seventh floor, French curator Gilbert Kann, who put together the decorative arts furniture selection for Le Bon Marché nearby, has furnished a room and suite that can be joined into an apartment in which every antique, custom, and one-of-a-kind piece is available to ship home. If only I could have shipped home the chocolate mousse. Accessible hotel. Doubles from $331. —Christine Muhlke

Longfellow Hotel, Portland, Maine

Portland, Maine, has hit its stride as a travel destination in recent years, and the ensuing wave of hotel openings run the gamut from quirky apartment-style stays to big-name chains. But none check all the boxes quite like Longfellow, which opened this spring in the picturesque West End, far—but not too far, particularly with a fleet of bicycles and a complimentary chauffeur on offer—from the throngs of tourists crowding the Old Port. The 48-room property is the city’s first truly luxurious mid-size boutique stay, thanks in part to the hand of hotel-design heavyweight Post Company. The sweeping lobby lounge, with its soaring windows, geometric brass chandeliers, and gilt-framed oil paintings, is an elegant marriage of classic and contemporary. During my stay, it was abuzz with guests and locals, particularly in the evenings, when it transformed into Five of Clubs, a bar serving eclectic small plates such as chicharrones with avocado mousse and zucchini bread with a sweet-tart yuzu curd. Wellness is a touchstone, starting in the rooms themselves, which are outfitted with luxe beds from Mattress Concierge and Loftie clocks for a gentle, sound bath-induced slumber. Downstairs, the compact Astraea spa punches above its weight, with massages, facials, guided breathwork, and private Nordic sauna suites. (My personal Astraea highlight: a session in a Mind-Sync Harmonic Wellness Lounger, a zero-gravity chair that syncs full-body rhythmic massage with binaural beats to bring unsuspecting guests to heretofore unknown planes of relaxation.) This being a city hotel, you’d be remiss not to explore Portland, and several gems lie just outside your doorstep: Wayside Tavern and Tandem Bakery are steps away, or wander slightly farther afield to mainstays like Green Hand Bookshop, Smalls, and Zu Bakery for a true local’s look at this vibrant little city by the sea. Accessible hotel. Doubles from $499. —Lila Harron Battis

Maison Barrière Vendôme, Paris

Paris is studded with secret gardens—one of my new favorites is the jewel-sized patio at the heart of Maison Barrière Vendôme, the city’s second hotel opening from the renowned Barrière Group, which also owns Fouquet’s on the Champs-Élysées. Tucked just a block away from the Tuileries Garden in a private mansion, this romantic hotel opened in early 2025 on the chic Rue du Mont-Thabor, behind sliding glass doors and a simple gold plaque. The 26-room property eschews the pomp and circumstance of its stately neighbors, whose grand marble lobbies are bustling places to see and be seen; here, it’s rather like entering into an enchanted forest, where thick green drapes hush the street sounds and a whimsical mirrored installation abuts the central staircase.

Femininity and French craftsmanship are on prominent display, with bespoke headboards made from Pierre Frey fabrics in every room, as well as murals from Atelier de Ricou, bird-like Lalique sconces, and restored wooden beams on the ceilings. In my suite, an homage to beloved French actress and activist Simone Signoret, the windows—dressed in sumptuous ochre-hued curtains from Declercq, which also supplies Versailles—looked out over classic Haussmann apartments, with Sacré-Cœur like a mirage in the distance. It was quite the backdrop for a gluttonous room service breakfast (croissants, butter sculptures, fresh OJ—you name it), which is served all day. The hotel’s bar and restaurant, Frida, is similarly inspired—a striking steel-and-glass structure seemingly plucked straight from the Centre Pompidou and set in an emerald-tiled oasis that’s meant to honor the colorful home of Frida Kahlo. Here, you’ll find a small, fashionable crowd sipping jalapeño-infused margaritas and quietly gossiping over sea bass ceviche and mini al pastor tacos after shopping in neighboring Place Vendôme. Doubles from $662. —Sophie Dodd

Mandarin Oriental Mayfair, London

Does London need two Mandarin Orientals? The new Mandarin Oriental Mayfair, on Hanover Square, makes a compelling case for a second outpost, set in a light-filled building that alternates red bricks with steel beams. While the Knightsbridge flagship leans traditional (think Edwardian architecture; British-influenced cuisine from hometown star Heston Blumenthal), the new hotel, by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, feels like a modern, eight-story British townhouse, with 50 guest rooms, 77 apartments, and a subterranean spa with an 82-foot-long pool. The lobby concierge and check-in desks are welcoming, slightly demure spaces that make way for the real heartbeat of the hotel: the impressive, triple-story space anchored by a spiral staircase fashioned from green Ming marble. At his namesake London restaurant, Korean-American chef Akira Back turns out crowd-pleasers (tuna pizza; Wagyu bulgogi tacos; creamy rock shrimp) long into the night. Still hungry? Turn a corner, and you can be one of the lucky 14 to score a seat at the counter of his more formal Korean spot, Dosa, which just earned a Michelin star. Upstairs in my suite, I felt entirely removed, cocooned even, from the action; picture hand-painted de Gournay wallpaper, marble bathrooms, and great desks for the work-from-anywhere crowd. And after a day or two of settling in, more fun details started to reveal themselves: a gold rubber ducky in the tub; a tasteful, mounted fan designed by the fashion team at Vivienne Westwood, just inside the main entrance; even cult-favorite Seed to Skin facial products, stocked in the spa. In a city destination that now seems to have everything under the sun, I find it’s the little things that count. Accessible hotel. Doubles from $1,079. —Jacqui Gifford

The Manner, New York

Detailed black-and-white marble flooring, dark wooden accents, and a nearly 12-foot-tall sculpture greeted me at The Manner, a Standard International spin-off that just opened in SoHo. It spans 13 floors, complete with The Rooftop—a bar serving light bites that will open only to hotel guests in May, with city views and all. The second floor is a gathering space, centered around a colossal floor-to-ceiling fireplace with plush couches and chairs sprawled along the surrounding walls; underneath a retro chandelier is a communal dining table, with pastries and coffee in the morning and serve-yourself beverages come happy hour. The vibe shifts in the adjacent, discreetly hidden Sloane’s, a cocktail bar and lounge where martinis and chicken nuggets go hand in hand. And then there are the 97 guest rooms, which have walls that are either mirrored or painted vibrant shades of red, yellow, or blue; no TVs or art are on display. My suite had not one but two decks overlooking the always-buzzing Thompson Street below and speakers built into the headboard, which I synced to and cranked the ‘70s music while I got ready for dinner. Accessible hotel. Doubles from $799. —Jess Feldman

Palazzo Talìa, Rome

Rome has no shortage of splendidly renovated palazzo hotels, but most have a museum-like air and reverently showcase their antique splendors. Not so the Palazzo Talìa, which artfully blends its over-the-top Renaissance grandeur—it started life in the 1500s as the mansion of a papal secretary, then became one of the city's most aristocratic schools—with stylish contemporary design flourishes created by the studio of Luca Guadagnino, the director of hit films such as “Challengers” and “Call Me by Your Name.” The result is, naturally, cinematic. The public halls all have soaring ceilings covered with original 16th-century frescos and are lined with stately marble busts of ancient Roman emperors and military heroes. But the hotel's 21st-century touches include furnishings in bright, uplifting colors and cheerful patterned carpets, the railings on the staircase are sheathed in sensual leather, and the courtyard has been turned into a lovely forest of potted plants, making it the ideal place for both breakfast and an aperitivo. The rooms ricochet with Roman sunshine, thanks to enormous arched windows, and are outfitted with minimalist four-poster beds and (in the suites) voluptuously large baths. There are sumptuous lounges for guests to unwind in the cavernous Aula Magna, or Great Hall. But the palazzo's aesthetic centerpiece is Bar della Musa, which is lined with polished silver tiles that shimmer like the scales of a mythic beast. Of course, the cocktails are named after the Muses, including the gin-based Erato (“she who provokes desire”), the Clio martini (“she who can make famous”), and the mezcal-based Melpomene (“she who sings tragedy”)—all of which can be savored with an array of oysters, caviar, or cacio e pepe potato chips. Finally, the hotel's location is hard to beat: The Fontana di Trevi is only two blocks from the front door. Doubles from $745. —Tony Perrottet

Raffles Al Areen Palace Bahrain

The tiny kingdom of Bahrain, in the Persian Gulf, has long been overshadowed by glitzier neighbors such as Qatar and Dubai. But in recent years, Bahrain has quietly begun making its case: A slew of new developments, including the 2.2-mile Pearling Path UNESCO walking trail and the 35,000-square-foot Time Out Market food hub, are luring travelers beyond the famed Formula One racing circuit. And while the hospitality scene has been steadily growing, few properties have turned as many heads as the Raffles Al Areen Palace. Set in the desert-cloaked south, some 45 minutes from the airport, the resort feels like an Arabesque fever dream: behind a colossal wooden gate guarded by doormen in thawb livery, with Carrara marble-covered hallways, indoor gardens dripping in greenery, and contemporary art pieces by Bahraini artists. The 78 palatial villas are scattered around palm-lined gardens, each with a private courtyard, a Jacuzzi, and a heated swimming pool. Inside, each villa houses a trio of snug lounge areas, and a bedroom adjoined by an indoor-outdoor bathroom clad in creamy marble. Raffles’ legendary butlers elevate each stay with thoughtful, anything-is-possible service. They welcomed me with Arabic coffee and garden-grown dates, offered to arrange in-villa spa treatments and reservations at the resort's Mediterranean restaurant, and ensured that even the smallest details—like drawing a bath infused with Jordanian olive soap—felt magical. Doubles from $902. —Chris Schalkx

Raffles Jaipur, India

If you’ve ever dreamed of living like a maharani, Raffles Jaipur is the place to turn fantasy into reality. Styled like a zenana—the part of an Indian Muslim home reserved for women—the brand’s second hotel in India is a gilded retreat brimming with locally crafted detail. The 50 rooms are outfitted with bone-inlay furniture, Mughal miniature paintings, lotus-shaped marble sinks, and canopied beds with views of the cloud-draped Aravalli Hills. Equally indulgent are the hotel’s restaurants, which include plant-based North Indian cuisine at Arkaa and Mediterranean dishes at the rooftop Sehara. Also a must: the aromatic Jaipur Sling—a twist on the classic Singapore Sling, invented at Raffles’ flagship in 1915—spiked with chandrahas, an herbal liqueur. Doubles from $870. —Shamilee Vellu

Regent Shanghai on the Bund

From my suite at Regent Shanghai on the Bund, along the Huangpu River, I would open the doors to my balcony and see hazy, giant silhouettes on sunny mornings and neon skyscrapers in the evening hours. The hotel’s appeal goes beyond its (rather perfect) location, though. Every repeat stroll through the halls revealed a new artful detail, many by Shanghainese creatives, like the foyer’s lacquered painting of magnolias. There are 135 elegant rooms and suites, dressed in creams and desaturated greens, with shutter-lined windows and closets that nod to the neighborhood’s colonial influence. Most rooms have panoramas along the Bund, and stand-alone bathtubs next to floor-to-ceiling windows give the phrase “soaking up the views” a new twist. As a Shanghai newbie, the Regent Experience agents were heaven-sent, sharing tourist advice and whisking me via house car to the pier for an evening river cruise. It was hard to leave the premises, however, with Regent’s dining outlets: Save for the lobby’s chic pastry lounge, all of the restaurants come with showstopping riverfront views of the Bund. My gourmet Cantonese dinner at Jin Lin was remarkable on its own, the vista a sweet bonus. Instead of standing among the hordes along the promenade, I enjoyed a similar view from a booth at Condé Boutique where I indulged in lemongrass-marinated pork neck and a cocktail. Accessible hotel. Doubles from $485. —Travis Levius

Royal Mansour Casablanca, Morocco

For all the Old Hollywood sparkle that Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman bestowed on Morocco’s most populous city, Casablanca remains something of a second-tier destination for many American visitors. Other than the beautiful oceanside Hassan II Mosque, one of the world’s largest, the city has few must-sees. Enter the Royal Mansour Casablanca, a stunning 149-room property that’s as much an urban resort as it is the key to discovering this underappreciated city. Owned by King Mohammed VI, it has all the modern luxuries one could possibly want, including spacious rooms with marble baths, multiple restaurants, a full-service spa, and a rooftop terrace. Entry-level rooms are fabulously appointed, but those with limitless budgets should book one of the “exceptional suites,” which have private entrances, butler service, private hammams, fitness studios, and screening rooms. Doubles from $657. —Paul Brady

Six Senses Kyoto

In the historic Higashiyama district, Six Senses Kyoto is an 81-room sanctuary—a place to unwind after a day spent visiting nearby temples. The spa is a halcyon highlight with hot and cold dipping pools, saunas, and an Alchemy Bar to craft body scrubs. Although I was tempted to remain robed, LED-masked, and with my feet up in a vibration therapy chair for the afternoon, that would have cut into my time savoring miso-marinated Tamba pork at restaurant Sekki, sipping Japanese whisky at the jewel-box Nine Tails bar, and taking a long soak in the tub overlooking our private courtyard. Once restored, I tried the hotel activities meant to connect guests with the local culture, including restorative incense rituals and painting sensu (folding fans) with natural pigments colored by food scraps at the hotel’s Earth Lab. My son loved the beautifully designed Grow With Six Senses kids' club, where he played with wooden toys, tossed boulder-shaped pillows down the slide, and learned to make origami. Accessible hotel. Doubles from $1,118. —Lindsay Cohn

Stockholm Stadshotell

There’s a stylish new address in Stockholm’s hip Södermalm district—admittedly, in a building constructed in 1875 in memory of King Oscar I. At Stockholm Stadshotell, I stayed in a breezy ground-floor chamber but loved the expansive top-floor suites with fireplaces in each living room. Black-and-white imagery by Swedish photographer Gunnar Smoliansky decorate the walls of the 34 rooms, while woodworker Klara Knutsson enlivens the elevators with scenes depicting local life. Stepping into celebrated chef Olle T Cellton’s Mediterranean-style bistro neighboring slick Salongen bar, I felt like a local at Sweden’s first Relais & Châteaux property. One evening, I spent mingling with the Swedes over a casual bite at the buzzing bistro, and the next, I floated up the spiral staircase to devour the chef’s tasting menu at restaurant Matsalen, set in a former chapel, where I sat in Dorthé Atelier’s woven chairs beside velvety banquettes. And how better to end a Swedish sojourn than with a dip in the private subterranean spa? The ice bath quickly confirmed my non-local status. Accessible hotel. Doubles from $378. —Kasia Dietz

The Surrey, A Corinthia Hotel, New York

When I dined at Casa Tua—a swank restaurant and members’ club in the sparkling Surrey hotel on the Upper East Side—it was brimming with New Yorkers looking for a good martini and a plate of hand-cut pappardelle. Originally opened in 1926, the hotel hosted stars of stage and screen, including Rosemary Clooney and Bette Davis. Following a three-year renovation by Martin Brudnizki Design Studio, it has reopened as part of Corinthia Hotels, a European brand making its North American debut. The design is elegant and richly textured: 100 rooms outfitted with Murano chandeliers; cream, gold, and terra-cotta tones; grass cloth lining the walls. My room was one of four with a hand-painted mural inside the closet, depicting one of the bridges in Central Park, just a block away. Accessible hotel. Doubles from $1,000. —Elizabeth Cantrell

The Twenty Two New York

In early 20th-century Manhattan, what was an unaccompanied, well-off woman to do if she needed to spend a night in the city, perhaps to do some shopping, or, if she were an actress, artist, or teacher, to spend a few weeks before she could find an apartment? She might have gone to the Margaret Louisa Home, a women’s hotel that ran from 1891 to 1917, where female guests were free to stay without a husband or male relative. The operation was funded by Margaret Louisa Vanderbilt Shepard (yes, those Vanderbilts) and provided a safe, social environment for a growing class of working women. 

Today, after a substantial renovation by London’s Child Studio, the building entered a new but no less fabulous era as The Twenty Two New York, a smashing 77-room hotel just off Union Square. It’s the second location for the brand, which debuted in London’s Mayfair neighborhood back in 2022; like its sibling, the New York outpost has a members-only nightclub and dining room. It also has a vibrant Middle Eastern restaurant, Cafe Zaffri, that’s open to the public. When I dined there on a Wednesday night in the middle of February, it was packed with young creatives sharing plates of fried eggplant with black sesame and toum or harissa-dusted octopus skewers, and sipping Lebanese wine. Done up in shades of dusty pinks and burgundy, or, as my room was, deep, midnight blue and soft cream, the hotel felt hushed and sexy. Doubles from $695. —Elizabeth Cantrell