Perched on a high mountain slope, the verandas of Jaskółka Dom i Spa face an expanse of pine forests and snowcapped peaks. This landmark inn opened in 1894 and served a variety of purposes over the years, before undergoing extensive renovations and reopening as a luxury boutique accommodation.

Some other Swiss Alpine towns seem to exist solely for the pleasure of the wealthy and glamorous, but Adelboden is less about opulence and more about the classic pleasures of a mountain town. It’s fitting, then, that the Brecon, Adelboden’s top luxury hotel, is as substantial as it is stylish.

The second hotel to open on St. Barth is back after a thorough renovation, and is barely recognizable. Le Tropical Hotel St. Barth aims for nothing less than to bring the spirit of the French Riviera to the Caribbean, and it’s perhaps more Saint-Tropez than Cannes, set back a few steps from the beach in a lush garden setting.

Located in the village of La Mongie, Hotel La Voie Lactée is directly across from the ski lift and the cable car to the Pic du Midi observatory, offering staggering views of the mountains from the airy ground-level lounge, restaurant, bar, and all of its guest rooms — some of which include private balconies overlooking the ski slopes.

Standing at shoreside on the Bay of Cascais, Villa Cascais is a repurposed 19th-century dwelling whose tasteful accommodations celebrate the luxury of years past while urging guests to indulge in the present. Old-world details have been thoughtfully preserved, but the new look is decidedly modern.

It takes something special to stand out among Phuket’s crop of luxury boutique hotels. Part of what sets Noku Phuket quite literally apart from the competition is its inland setting — it gives up direct beach access for a unique elevated infinity pool, as well as a number of private pools attached to the larger units.

Harbor Court Hotel is the rare San Francisco hotel that evokes the the colorful, slightly gritty history of the Embarcadero. This stately Spanish Colonial Revival-style structure was built in 1926; today the landmark is a stylish boutique hotel, but a range of details are reminders of its past, both inside and out.

For a destination that attracts so many outdoor adventurers, Peru was late to the luxury camping trend. But Puqio, the first tented camp in the country, doesn’t disappoint — in fact, when it opened, this stylish safari-style hotel quickly became one of the most buzzed-about places to stay in the Colca Valley.

The new generation of Caribbean resorts has learned the lessons of the boutique-hotel age; the best of them are more intimate and more full of character. This is true of Lovango Resort — it’s unpretentiously stylish, tastefully luxe, perfectly laid-back, and showcases a wild side of the Caribbean that’s increasingly hard to find.

In a medieval hilltop village, a collection of old houses has been turned into Monteverdi Tuscany. Here, ancient cobblestoned streets lead between guest rooms, a stone-walled swimming pool, gardens, a spa, a library, a bar, galleries, a culinary academy, and a 14th-century church used as a concert venue.

Manhattan’s iconic Battery Maritime Building, a 1906 Beaux-Arts ferry terminal, is the venue for Casa Cipriani, a members’ club and luxury boutique hotel by the legendary Italian restaurateurs and hoteliers. Inside is probably the purest dose of contemporary Italian luxury design available this side of Milan.

What began as a coaching inn in 1786 is now a beautiful little boutique hotel called Auberge du Bon Laboureur. It combines the personable atmosphere of a private residence with the style and service of a professional lodging, and the location, in Chenonceaux, a lovely Loire Valley village, is splendid.

In 1925, a local businessman purchased a pair of side-by-side chalets a short stroll from the beach in the fishing village of Cascais, then renovated them and gifted them to his two daughters. They remained in the family until the 1980s, when one of the chalets was turned into the town’s very first hotel, now called the Pergola.

Litchfield was home to the country’s first law school, and its old county courthouse is now a stylish hotel, the Abner. Like all hotels from the Salt group, it’s small-scale and design-focused. The landmark building contains just twenty guest rooms and a handful of common spaces that lean into the law and order theme.

This 18th-century Dutch Colonial mansion, set on a park-like estate with a private lake, was once the country home of a wealthy family. Now it’s Hasbrouck House, a luxury boutique hotel with elegant guest quarters in the old carriage house and stables, a chic farm-to-table restaurant in the main house, and a swimming pool.

Le Domaine des Prés Verts & Spa started out with a single treehouse-style suite overlooking the hills of Burgundy. In a little over a decade, this unusual luxury hotel has expanded to include an eclectic collection of lodgings across four locations in wine country, all focused on relaxation and harmony with nature.

On a picturesque road that leads past apple orchards and cider mills, ARTIEM Asturias is a sophisticated escape that overlooks the Asturian countryside. The hotel has a state-of-the-art spa and wellness retreat, and the design, with its clean lines and plentiful wood and glass, is both modern and classic.

The designers of V Villas opted for space and exclusivity. Instead of squeezing in as many rooms as possible at the hotel’s remote hilltop location overlooking Phuket’s Ao Yon Bay, they built just nineteen villas, all with dazzling views, private infinity pools, and personal butler service around the clock.

San Miguel de Allende is the perfect setting for an unassuming, historically inclined boutique like Hacienda El Santuario. In a Spanish colonial residence from the 16th century, the hotel has been effectively yet subtly modernized, while retaining the intimate, personalized feel of a Mexican bed & breakfast.

Boca de Agua fully immerses you in the Yucatán, plopping you right on the banks of the Bacalar lagoon and its outrageously clear turquoise waters. Rooms come treehouse style, lifted on stilts to minimize their footprint while also affording sweeping vistas of the jungle — and, if you’re lucky, a spider monkey.

Halfway from Turin to the Ligurian Sea, on a hillside in Piedmont’s Langhe wine country, Il Boscareto Resort & Spa sets out a vision of food- and wine-focused hospitality that’s on a level with anything in Italy. In contrast to the weathered old villas of Tuscany, however, Il Boscareto is proudly contemporary in style.

Not only is Hôtel Balzac set on the Rue Balzac, but it’s built on the site of Honoré de Balzac’s final place of residence. It’s been a hotel for a while, but was reborn in 2024 under the guidance of hotelier Olivier Bertrand, whose Saint James Paris is a local institution. The Balzac seems destined for just as lofty a reputation.

The Balearic Islands are plentifully endowed with rocky cliffs, pristine beaches, evergreen forests, and rugged mountains, but only a singular occurrence of natural hot springs. Fontsanta Thermal Spa & Wellness is the closest hotel — so close that its spa is built around the springs’ mineral-rich thermal waters.

When it opened in 2020, Caerula Mar Club was the first new hotel on the Bahamian island of South Andros in decades. And there’s no question that the property is stylish — clean lines, earthy hues, bright white umbrellas around a sparking aquamarine pool with sweeping views of the Caribbean.

Grand Hotel Belvedere’s name suggests a classic grand hotel from over a century ago, and that’s what it was before it was acquired — and thoroughly renewed — by France’s Beamier hospitality group. No mere restoration, their reimagining of the Belvedere leaves it as modern as any luxury hotel in Switzerland.

A pair of New Yorkers set out for Alentejo in search of their dream home. After they found it on a forested hillside near the beach, they didn’t keep it all to themselves. This is Quinta Camarena, a sustainability-focused boutique hotel that doubles as a laid-back retreat for surfers and yoga enthusiasts.

Once the private vacation home of a prominent Greek family, Nelya Suites is an island escape that’s both luxurious and down-to-earth. Offering some of the best panoramic views in the area, the hotel feels deliciously hidden away on Santorini’s caldera cliffs, yet it’s surprisingly easy to access.

Orange was originally called Richland, and its newest boutique hotel borrows both a name and stylistic inspiration from the town’s past. The Richland occupies a beautifully restored residence in Old Towne that includes a two-story wooden house, freestanding cottage, and stylish bar and lounge, all set amid olive trees.

Highfield, a country house in the scenic Yorkshire Wolds, has long been imbued with a romantic atmosphere. The original owner, who oversaw its construction in 1864, dedicated this country house to his wife; another husband-and-wife duo restored and reopened it in 2022 as a luxury boutique hotel.

Located in Cuenca’s UNESCO-protected historic center, Hotel Cruz del Vado offers a glimpse of the city’s past grandeur. The opulent French-inspired façade is made entirely of locally mined pink marble, the windows feature colorful stained glass, and the wrought-iron balconies encircle an elegant interior courtyard.

The touristy side of Venice is long forgotten once you enter Violino d’Oro, a family-owned and -operated boutique hotel not far from Piazza San Marco. The family in question is a tasteful one, for sure; the atmosphere here is glamorous and eclectic, and feels almost residential in its pervasive sense of calm.

Domaine Les Oliviers de Palombaggia serves as a refreshing antidote to the contemporary hotels that have opened on Corsica in recent years. Instead of conventional rooms, the hotel has stone cottages inspired by the island’s traditional architecture. And it’s not just family-run, it’s family-built.

Crossing Manzoni occupies two floors of the neoclassical palazzo that was once home to the writer Alessandro Manzoni; inside are a mere six units, each one stylistically distinct from the others, each one decked out in classic designer furniture, unique modern artworks, and subtly luxe comforts.

“Guesthouse” slightly understates the scale, but it captures the concept: Kinn Guesthouse looks and feels like a design-forward boutique hotel, but with a slightly low-key, all-suite residential vibe. This means a self-guided check-in with no traditional front desk, and a set of fully stocked kitchens for guest use.

Before Beyoncé shot a music video on the main square, the town of Trancoso was a place to get away from it all. These days, you’ll have to go further afield to avoid the crowds — a few miles down the coast, for instance, to Fasano Trancoso, tucked between tropical forest and a quiet stretch of Itapororoca Beach.

Cappadocia is famous for its ancient cave dwellings, some of which have been turned into hotels. The striking Tafoni Houses Cave Hotel is one of the best. The name refers to the bird nests that form at the tops of the region’s naturally occurring rock pillars, and the hotel takes inspiration from the concept.

Many travelers visit Otavalo on day trips from Quito, but staying overnight has its benefits, from exploring the nearby crater lakes and waterfalls to the indigenous craft traditions at the town’s famous market. There are some lovely lodges in the surrounding area, but the stylish Hotel Otavalo is the finest option in town.

La Borde en Solgone is an elegant 18th-century estate that’s been in the same family for generations. Now a hotel, its current custodians have wisely left the best features alone: French and English gardens, a private lake, a working farm, and the stone castle’s original hand-painted murals and grand fireplaces.

There’s nothing else in Ireland quite like Ballyfin Demesne. This spectacularly well-preserved Regency house sits on 614 acres of parklands and woodlands. The interiors are a contemporary-classic evolution of the house’s original style, an opulent fantasy to rival any country-house hotel you could name.

Lombok and the nearby Gili Islands are full of luxury resorts. On the big island, many of the best ones, including Seven Secrets by Hanging Gardens, are located on the idyllic northwest coastline. This resort stands on a white-sand beach, lined with coconut palms and facing a dazzling expanse of clear turquoise water.

In a bucolic landscape of farmhouses, Villa Flor stands out. This Art Nouveau villa was built at the turn of the century and remained a family residence until 2009 when it was renovated and turned into a chic guesthouse. The owner is a former gallerist, and it shows in the public spaces and seven uniquely decorated suites.

Nagoya’s 1954-vintage television tower is a local landmark, and now that it’s been decommissioned, it’s something else as well: the Tower Hotel Nagoya is built entirely in and around the tower’s structure. We mean “around” literally — the iron support beams cut diagonally through the walls, floors, and ceilings.

On the cliffs overlooking the Bay of Biscay, a palace has been transformed into Palacio Arriluce Hotel. The aristocratic interiors have been carefully restored, the croquet lawn is perfectly manicured, the quaint library is stocked with rare books, and the spa pays homage to the neighborhood’s history as a wellness retreat.

Secluded Muravandhoo Island is home to JOALI Maldives, billed as the archipelago’s first art-immersive resort — and indeed, it’s art and design that separate this hotel from its rivals. One-of-a-kind artworks and interactive exhibits are everywhere, and an artist-in-residence runs creative workshops.

Picturesque alpine villages line the road from Bergamo to the ski resorts of the Bergamo Alps. Thanks to its medieval monuments and jazz festival, Clusone is arguably the most notable of them, and Collina Luxury Relais is easily the region’s most extravagant hotel, and a worthwhile destination in all four seasons.

Guanajuato was once the world’s largest silver extraction site, and Nueve 25 Hotel Boutique is one of only a few luxury hotels in its UNESCO-honored city center. The historic building has high beamed ceilings and exposed stone walls, and its courtyard-style lobby is elegant and airy with old-world details.

An “albergo diffuso” is an Italian hospitality form that takes not a single building but an entire village as its raw material. In the case of Torre Del Nera Albergo Diffuso Spa, the village in question is the staggeringly picturesque Scheggino, a triangle-shaped hamlet built around a medieval fortress in Umbria.

Turning a prison into a luxury hotel is no small task. It helps that Offenburg’s old penal institution, which comprises a pair of mid-19th century brick buildings, was somewhat aesthetically pleasing — and it’s essential, too, that Hotel Liberty’s designers were interested in preserving some of the prison’s character.

A lucky few hotels are located on Chicago’s Riverwalk, a scenic promenade that runs along the Chicago River. The Royal Sonesta is one of them. Perched high over the riverbanks, right where the waterway bends around the Magnificent Mile, this luxury hotel offers sensational views and spacious modern rooms.

Fairmont La Marina Rabat Salé is part of a luxe marina complex on the banks of the Bouregreg River, slightly removed from Rabat’s old medina. It’s a sizable modern retreat with the sleek, spacious interiors you’d expect from a Fairmont hotel, but there’s a distinct Moorish aesthetic in the mix.

Quinta de Silvalde is one of the most stylish places to stay in the historic town of Santo Tirso. And like Santo Tirso itself, known for its colorful gardens and antique mansions, this boutique hotel is heavy on peaceful greenery and historic charm — experienced through old stone houses or even a few ultra-modern villas.

The idea of a zoo hotel is something of a novelty. It’s especially noteworthy when the zoo in question is considered one of the best in the world. The Wildlife Retreat at Taronga is located inside Taronga Zoo Sydney, where you can wake up to a kangaroo hopping by or a koala clinging to a tree outside your window.

In the alpine village of Courchevel 1850, beside the Bellecôte ski slopes, an elegant old family chalet was turned into Lys Martagon, a luxurious ski-in, ski-out lodge featuring an opulent spa and a notable art collection. With just seven suites and a maximum capacity of twenty, the hotel is nothing if not intimate.

There’s a certain variety of black pine that only grows high up in the Andorran Pyrenees. The Blackpine Hotel is crafted almost entirely out of it. Its rooms are sleek and sculptural, as if they’ve been carved out of solid blocks of wood, then gently sanded down to reveal supple surfaces along walls, ceilings, and floors.

Visitors to Denver are no doubt familiar with the downtown-adjacent districts, but there’s another secondary city center a few minutes’ drive to the south and east. Cherry Creek North, surrounded by upscale residential neighborhoods, is home to some fine shopping and nightlife, and to the glamorous Halcyon Hotel.

For a view you could do a lot worse than Es Vedrà, the offshore rock formation that’s a dramatic Ibizan icon. It’s visible from the rooftop terrace at Petunia Ibiza, an adults-only boutique hotel in a hillside village on the island’s west coast. It’s also visible from many of the hotel’s bohemian-rustic rooms and suites.

Louise de la Vallière was the official mistress of King Louis XIV, and he spared no expense when furnishing her holiday residence in the Loire Valley. The estate recently underwent extensive renovations to restore the château and gardens to the grandeur of the grand siècle, reopening as Château Louise de La Valliere.

The Presidio is unique: a bit of near-wild coastline within San Francisco city limits. And what was once a utilitarian red-brick Army barracks is now the Lodge at the Presidio, a beautiful contemporary boutique-style hotel with unmatched views of the city skyline, the wooded hillside, or the Golden Gate Bridge itself.

The Guinness Book of World Records officially designated Hotel Puntagrande in El Hierro, Spain as the world’s smallest hotel in 1984. But what’s especially notable about this “hotelito” isn’t its small size, but its spectacular location on a piece of lava rock jutting out into the Atlantic Ocean.

Iniala Beach House is bigger than a house, but not by much — this high-design luxury boutique hotel is made up of a three-bedroom villa, penthouse, six suites, and a handful of pool residences. Eleven different designers each created a unique style for this pocket-sized property, and the result is memorable.

While only about an hour from Cabo, Kimpton Mas Olas feels like it’s in the middle of nowhere. Wedged between the desert and the sea, this boutique resort sits on a large waterfront property on Baja’s coastline, its beautifully landscaped gardens stretching out toward sand dunes and mountains.

The Guinness Book of World Records officially designated Hotel Puntagrande in El Hierro, Spain as the world’s smallest hotel in 1984. But what’s especially notable about this “hotelito” isn’t its small size, but its spectacular location on a piece of lava rock jutting out into the Atlantic Ocean.

New Orleans might just have more character than any other city in the States. Not every hotel in town lives up to the city’s legendary reputation, but the Henrietta has personality to spare. It’s a new build, and strikingly modern, at least from the outside — but it’s packed with references to classic NOLA architecture.

Art-themed hotels are more rare in Paris than you’d expect, but the Drawing Society is out to change that. The organizers of an art fair and an exhibition space are now hoteliers as well, and Drawing House, in a corner of Montparnasse well known for its artistic heritage, is among the fruits of their labor.

According to the owners, Natura Hill is in the middle of nowhere. In reality, it’s just over an hour’s drive from the Budapest airport, but the off-the-beaten-path location, with its elevated perch overlooking the impossibly scenic Danube Bend, is a major part of its appeal, as is the hotel’s cottage-like architecture.

Francesco Mansi chose Hotel Miramalfi’s cliffside location in the 1950s; instead of opening his hotel in the pretty seaside village, he opted for a property with vistas of Amalfi and the Tyrrhenian Sea. And though the place has been renovated and refreshed several times in the years since, it’s still run by Mansi and his family.

The Lafayette Hotel hosted the likes of Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner during its mid-century heyday. And after stints as an office building, radio station, and movie set — a memorable scene from Top Gun was filmed here — it’s experiencing its second golden age as an urban resort steeped in retro glamour.

What began as a simple guesthouse for hikers is now this: a modern alpine lodge with luxurious rooms, a notable fine art collection, and the largest hammam of any hotel in Italy. Garberhof has come a long way in recent years, but despite significant renovations, this family-run hotel still offers warmth and coziness.

Córdoba’s old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a few of its historic buildings now function as hotels. But there’s only one “monument hotel” officially designated by the government: La Ermita Suites. The charming boutique hotel is tucked away behind the cheerful façade of an 18th-century chapel.

Greenhills Country House Hotel has everything you’d wish for on an escape to the English countryside: a quiet rural setting, historic architecture, afternoon tea in the gardens. Near Jersey’s northern beaches, it’s positioned on the Green Lanes, an idyllic network of country roads connecting the island’s farms and forests.

A 40-minute boat ride away from Cartagena, on scenic Isla Barú, Sofitel Barú Calablanca Beach Resort is the region’s first LEED-certified property. This stylish modern resort is set on a quiet cove, complete with three restaurants, seven bars, a state-of-the-art spa, four infinity pools, food trucks, and a private beach.

Perched on a cliffside overlooking the Salerno Gulf, the Monastero Santa Rosa Hotel & Spa offers 20 very private suites in a former 17th-century monastery, as well as plenty of room to roam, with four levels of gardens to explore, a cliffside infinity pool, and a sunset terrace with wide-ranging views of the Amalfi Coast.

Hôtel Cabane has a unique layout that sets it apart from more traditional hotels in Montparnasse. This elegant ivory building looks like others on the block, but the property features a lush interior garden with a bungalow-like cabane built from local wood. It’s hardly rustic — rather, it’s the most luxurious room available.

Located across the street from the French Laundry, Lavender consists of a quartet of smartly renovated 19th-century farmhouses set amid gardens of wild roses and hydrangeas. It’s a member of Four Sisters Inns, a group that combines the sophistication of boutique hotels with the warmth of bed-and-breakfasts.

“Natural nudity” prevails at The Well, northern Europe’s largest spa. Swimwear isn’t allowed in saunas and steam baths (neither are phones). Luckily, it’s easy to go with the flow here. The wooded setting feels pleasingly remote, and the hotel rooms are appealing in their silence, simplicity, and Scandinavian style.

Sian Ka’an Biosphere is a UNESCO World Heritage site dedicated to preserving the flora and fauna of the Yucatán coast; it’s also home to Casa Chablé, a hotel that demonstrates that the desert-island atmosphere of a true eco-resort is entirely compatible with the white-glove elegance of a modern luxury hotel.

Tucked away amid forested hills at the end of a quiet country road, Souki Lodges & Spa feels a bit like a private discovery. In fact, despite its middle-of-nowhere location outside the village of Cabrières, about an hour from Montpellier, it’s one of the most exclusive and sought-after places to stay in the region.

Cliff at Lyons is home to a collection of historic mill buildings — now housing reception, a restaurant, a bar, and more — as well as wisteria-covered manor houses and stone cottages that contain the guest rooms. Picturesque courtyards, gardens, and water features add to the scenic charm throughout the property.

In addition to tents, cabins, and staggering views, AutoCamp Zion has 72 custom-built Airstream campers, neatly lined up in rows, trailer park-style. There’s a sense of humor and a fondness for vintage Americana behind the design, but the retro campers are elegant, and just steps away from the hotel’s modern clubhouse.

Le Fucine isn’t a typical wine-country getaway — but then again, Friuli isn’t a typical wine region. Known as a producer of some of the country’s finest white wines, it’s little-visited compared to Tuscany or Piedmont, though it does have a handful of stylish new hotels — including the ultra-modern Le Fucine, in the hills of Buttrio.

It’s hard to believe that the Francis House, a château-style Napa Valley gem, sat abandoned for half a century. Once a prominent merchant’s house and later a hospital, the place was boarded up and graffiti-covered until the current owners transformed the property into an elegant boutique hotel in 2018.

Green Gables Inn is the flagship location of the Four Sisters hotel collection. It’s long been an incredibly quaint place to stay, but recent renovations have made it more inviting than ever, with interiors that are modern but cozy with rustic wood flooring, linen sofas, earth tones, and dreamy watercolor paintings of sky and sea.

Les Sources de Cheverny is a modern wine-country classic. This spectacular château and estate was transformed by its present-day owners into a luxurious and memorable small hotel where period architectural features and antique pieces blend seamlessly with modern furniture and contemporary design.

Occupying a privileged spot on one of the prettiest plazas in Marbella, La Fonda Heritage Hotel is a stunner inside and out. The hotel is housed in a trio of 16th-century buildings that have served various functions over the years — church, school, private mansion — and their original features remain rich with character.

High on a jungle hilltop, with 360-degree views of Koggala Lake and the Indian Ocean, the six rooms at Tekanda Lodge offer plenty of privacy and luxury. Once a tea and coconut plantation, some crops are still grown on the grounds, including cinnamon, which is pleasingly aromatic when it catches on the morning breeze.

Limestone Santorini is an intimate five-suite hotel in a beautifully restored cave house that dates back to 1925. Great care has been taken both inside and out to harness the laid-back charm and rejuvenating powers of one of Greece’s most famous destinations, and all suites feature dazzling vistas of the Aegean Sea.

While other Southern mansion hotels feel preserved in amber, the Hotel Bardo Savannah is a fantasy — behind the walls of this very authentic 19th-century Victorian mansion is a hotel that’s caught between two worlds: the tranquil seclusion of a resort-style hotel and the convivial bustle of a members’ club.

Pigalle has cleaned up its act in recent years, but the former red-light district is still possessed of a bohemian and quintessentially Parisian spirit. Hôtel Rochechouart, with its Art Deco façade, busy street-level brasserie, and garret-like guest rooms, embodies the neighborhood’s retro charm.

Stylish hotels have been popping up in the sleepy Yucatán town of Espita. Most notably Casona los Cedros, best known for its excellent restaurant. The main building, an old colonial villa framed by tropical foliage, was abandoned for decades before a French architect transformed it into a modern boutique hotel.

Gross Flotbek is just 15 minutes from Hamburg, and yet it feels a world apart. This was Denmark once, if you can believe it — and while the 200-year-old farmhouse complex that’s home to Landhaus Flottbek doesn’t date back quite that far, it’s nevertheless inspired by the traditions of Scandinavian hospitality.

Some ryokan are more traditional than others. Asaba has not only the tranquil atmosphere and the stunning natural setting you’d expect from a top country inn, but it’s got 350 years of unbroken history behind it as well. This is as close as you’ll get in the physical world to the abstract ideal of the ryokan.

The West Midlands village of Hampton-in-Arden is the setting for Hampton Manor, a stately Victorian-era house that once belonged to the family of Sir Robert Peel. Its exteriors remain lovingly preserved, while its interiors are a tribute to the Arts and Crafts Movement of the house’s early years.

Cars aren’t allowed on the island of Gili Air — hardly an inconvenience, as it spans less than two square miles. Part of an archipelago off the coast of Lombok, it’s a laid-back tropical getaway best explored on a bicycle, and Villa Tokay, easily one of the most luxurious places to stay, gladly provides them.

Though it’s perhaps more quiet than some of its neighbors, Hôtel La Ponche is a significant fixture on the St. Tropez hotel scene. Its small size — just 21 rooms and suites and three apartments — helps it keep its low profile, but it’s hosted everyone from Sartre and Picasso to Roger Vadim and Brigitte Bardot.

Luxury hotels line the waterfront of Lake Wörthersee, but none have a swimming pool like the one at Hotel Schloss Seefels. Accessible via a wooden dock that juts out into the turquoise lake, the pool is sometimes referred to as a bottomless bathtub — it’s enclosed only on the sides, and is heated in cooler weather.

Built in 1813 along Kavala’s Byzantine walls, staying at Imaret is something like sleeping in an Ottoman-era museum. Rooms and suites are rich with character: curving lines, chestnut floors, handmade oriental rugs, intricately tiled surfaces, copper sinks, brocade sofas, and glowing ornamental lanterns at every turn.

Rosa Malacca looks more New York than Kuala Lumpur. Somehow, the aesthetic doesn’t seem entirely out of place, given that Melaka has long been a cultural melting pot. Why not a boutique hotel reminiscent of a Brooklyn loft, built with clay bricks and recycled wood, with the beams and ductwork exposed?

There’s no question that the place itself is special. Located in Barichara, an impossibly picturesque Colombian village that feels frozen in time, Casa Yahri is a gorgeous colonial villa set amid lush greenery and tropical flowers, its sun-drenched terraces overlooking the vast Chicamocha Canyon.

Rancho Valencia Resort is a quiet retreat in a private canyon near the affluent residential community of Rancho Santa Fe. Accommodations are scattered about the grounds, hacienda-style, with one or two suites to each casita, and feature cathedral ceilings, hand-painted tiles, fireplaces, and plenty of space.

The Reserve is a luxurious hotel-within-a-hotel occupying the penthouse level of Funchal’s towering waterfront landmark, the Savoy Palace. Every room overlooks Madeira’s coastline, as does the private rooftop pool. Personal assistants are on hand around the clock to attend to guests’ every need.

On Capri’s main square there’s a cheerful, pale-yellow palazzo that was once the atelier of the German symbolist painter Karl Wilhelm Diefenbach. Today, it’s home to the Palazzo M Capri, an eight-suite boutique hotel. The rear side overlooks the Gulf of Naples, a spectacle that would move anybody to take up painting.

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