Hotels
From an estate in France’s Loire Valley to a palazzo in Rome to suites in Bangkok and Aspen.
Set in manicured gardens among ancient oaks and lindens, Hotel Château du Grand-Lucé (17 guest rooms) gracefully marries traditional with modern tastes. Ancestral portraits hang next to abstract oils in the 18th-century estate in France’s Loire Valley. Chinoiserie-covered walls coordinate with minimalist Roche Bobois sofas. It’s the second property in private investor Marcy Holthus’ new Pilot Hotels group, following the darling Washington School House in Park City, Utah. From $720; chateaugrandluce.com
Palazzo Daniele in Gagliano del Capo in Puglia (on the heel of Italy’s boot) dates to the 19th century and still has original ceiling frescoes and mosaic floors but also comfortable beds and modern plumbing. From $480; palazzodaniele.com
Like most traditional ryokans, the guest rooms at Hoshinoya Guguan in Taiwan have outdoor hot-springs baths. Contemporary décor includes big windows framing mountain landscapes straight out of Chinese ink paintings. Flower-lined pathways meander through the Water Garden and bamboo forest. From $440; hoshinoya.com
Taj Aravali Resort & Spa, Udaipur just opened on the slopes of India’s craggy Aravalli Range. Stay in palatial guest rooms or swank, single-pole desert tents inspired by Rajasthan’s nomadic culture. From $190; tajhotels.com
An 18th-century palazzo with a dreamy courtyard and a Spanish Steps address, Rome’s Hotel de la Ville opens with 104 lofty guest rooms and suites, as well as six bars and restaurants overseen by Michelin-starred chef Fulvio Pierangelini. Feast on small plates (think Italian dim sum) during the day and enjoy theatrical cocktails while a DJ spins after dark. From $586; roccofortehotels.com
Design references at Rosewood Bangkok include the pressed hands of the traditional Thai greeting. The 30-story hotel is furnished with an intriguing mix of ornate and modern pieces. The Sky Pool Studio and penthouses offer panoramic city views from private plunge pools. From $306; rosewoodhotels.com
Mandarin Oriental, Lago di Como (formerly the CastaDiva Resort) opens following extensive renovations. Impeccably designed guest rooms are spread among nine separate villas, all with romantic lake views. A glass pavilion houses the restaurant, with an outdoor terrace for lakefront dining. Find the heated pool and pool deck on a floating platform in the lake. From $513; mandarinoriental.com
The former New Orleans City Hall Annex has been reimagined as the posh, 67-room Maison De La Luz hotel. Find macaroons and truffles left as turndown treats, massive marble-tiled baths, and Bar Marilou through a secret bookcase door. From $389; maisondelaluz.com
The slope-side W Aspen debuts 88 design-oriented guest rooms, three suites, and 11 residences with scene-stealing views of Aspen Mountain. Enjoy the rooftop patio bar with a pool, hot tubs, fire pits, and a vast dance floor. From $279; w-hotels.marriott.com
The Under-20 Crowd
A Room at the Beach (from $560; iwantaroomatthebeach.com), the former Bridgehampton home of Alexis Stewart (Martha Stewart’s daughter), operates as a boutique hotel that’s a mashup between a riad in Marrakech and an Irish country house.
The 12-suite, sea-facing hotel Istoria (from $450, including breakfast; istoriahotel.gr) sits adjacent Santorini’s volcanic black sands of Perivolos Beach.
Tiny, design-forward hotels are trending. Cape Town’s Labotessa (from $335; labotessa.com) operates just seven contemporary suites behind a stately 17th-century façade in historic Church Square with views of Table Mountain.
Lisbon’s nine-suite, townhouse-style hotel Casa Fortunato (from $475; casafortunato.com) pairs high design with warm hospitality.
