Arizona Biltmore
Phoenix, United States · Waldorf Astoria
Phoenix's grande dame still trades on 1929 glamour, and after the Waldorf Astoria polish it mostly earns it.
The Collection
City
Skyline suites, concierge access and the best tables in town.
Dylan Hotel New York
New York City, United States
Proof Midtown need not mean shoebox rooms: a Beaux-Arts boutique with real space a block from Grand Central, at a sane price.
Mandarin Oriental, Guangzhou
Guangzhou, China · Mandarin Oriental
A polished Tianhe tower with a Michelin-starred Cantonese kitchen and high-floor river views, plugged straight into the malls and the metro.
Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas
Las Vegas, United States · Four Seasons
The best answer in the city for people who want Vegas on their own terms: silent floors, a private pool and no casino between you and bed.
Radisson Lackawanna Station
Scranton, United States · Radisson
Worth booking for the building alone: a French Renaissance railway station of 1908 whose stained-glass concourse is now the finest hotel lobby in Scranton.
Radisson Blu Aqua
Chicago, United States · Radisson
Sleep inside a Chicago architectural landmark for four-star money, a ten-minute walk from Millennium Park.
Joinery Hotel Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, United States · Hilton
A characterful Curio conversion in the middle of Downtown Pittsburgh, strong on design and service, honest about being a compact city hotel rather than a resort.
Radisson Blu Scandinavia
Gothenburg, Sweden · Radisson
Not glamorous, but the smartest base in Gothenburg: the station is over the road and everything else is a ten-minute walk.
Fairmont Ambassador Seoul
Seoul, South Korea · Fairmont
Seoul's slickest new-build five-star: Han River views, polished service and Yeouido calm, provided you forgive the financial district after dark.
Radisson Blu Toronto Downtown
Toronto, Canada · Radisson
A modest hotel with an immodest position on the water; in summer the rooftop pool deck settles the argument.
Fairmont Makkah
Makkah, Saudi Arabia · Fairmont
No hotel on earth puts you closer to the Kaaba, and everything else here is competent support for that single fact.
Mandarin Oriental, Jakarta
Jakarta, Indonesia · Mandarin Oriental
Refined, central city luxury overlooking the Bundaran HI, strong on dining and service in the middle of Jakarta.
Radisson Blu Hotel Milan
Milan, Italy · Radisson
Quiet Villapizzone comfort with a proper pool and sauna, for travellers who value calm and value over a Duomo doorstep.
theWit Chicago
Chicago, United States · Hilton
A sharply styled Loop base whose rooftop bar and walkable Theatre District setting outshine its compact rooms.
Radisson Blu Edwardian Vanderbilt
London, United Kingdom · Radisson
Location does the heavy lifting here, and in South Kensington that is no small thing.
Radisson Blu Seaside
Helsinki, Finland · Radisson
Waterfront calm, proper Finnish saunas and honest rates, ten tram minutes from central Helsinki.
Fairmont Nile City
Cairo, Egypt · Fairmont
Cairo's best rooftop pool happens to have a very good hotel attached.
Fairmont Waterfront
Vancouver, Canada · Fairmont
The greenest serious hotel on Vancouver's waterfront, with harbour views and a rooftop apiary that actually feeds the kitchen.
Fairmont Bab Al Bahr
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates · Fairmont
Book it for the mosque view across the creek; the private beach, the Gold lounge and Marco Pierre White's grill are what keep you there.
Hilton London Kensington
London, United Kingdom · Hilton
Not luxurious, but a well-priced 601-room base between Holland Park's lawns and Portobello Road's stalls.
Hotel Bagués
Barcelona, Spain
A jewel-box conversion that puts you dead centre on La Rambla without making you live its chaos.
Fairmont Chicago
Chicago, United States · Fairmont
Choose it for the park-side address and lake views, not for intimacy; this is big-box Fairmont done properly.
The Duniway Portland
Portland, United States · Hilton
A capable downtown Hilton by Pioneer Courthouse Square, lifted well above corporate default by Jackrabbit's kitchen.
Radisson Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids, United States · Radisson
River views at motorway-hotel prices; a fair trade if you accept the five-minute drive into Beer City proper.