A stellar view is hard to beat, but designer details and curated art collections will catch the attention of even the most discerning eye.
Whether your aesthetic leans contemporary cool or more smart and minimalistic, these stylish boutique hotels around the globe bring your design dreams to life.
You couldn’t ask for a more fashion-forward address in West Hollywood’s Design District. Imagined by L.A.-based designer Gulla Jónsdóttir, the 105-room hotel is a vision in monochrome with earthy hues, leather walls, white oak floors and bronze details.
The list of collaborators reads like a who’s who of SoCal’s design community: furniture from Mass Beverly, rugs by H.D. Buttercup and floral arrangements from Eric Buterbaugh. The pool and alfresco bar boast a collaborative graffiti installation by North Hollywood designer Guerin Swing and street artist Retna that contrasts nicely against elegant outdoor pieces from high-end international brands such as Roda, Kettal and Roberti Rattan.
If the space feels cozy, that’s because it’s meant to — Jónsdóttir’s vision was for the hotel to emulate a Hollywood Hills home.
The Edwin Hotel, Autograph Collection
From the quirky, half-moon shaped chairs in the stately lobby to the record players and vinyl collections in every room, no detail is overlooked at this Chattanooga, Tennessee, property.
Art plays a central role at this boutique beauty, where nearly 200 pieces from 70 artists span its 90 rooms. Take a self-guided tour by scanning the QR code found next to each work.
But the paintings and sculptures aren’t the only head turners at this hilltop hotel. Go up to speakeasy-inspired bar Whiskey Thief for colorful cocktails in brass and leather surrounds under retro-chic Edison lights.
Unique by name and design, this Forbes Travel Guide Recommended Sao Paulo property strikes a bold first impression with its ship-inspired exterior. The half-moon-shaped building rises dramatically above a glass-enclosed lobby, where a large Campana Brothers-designed royal blue sofa invites you to unwind.
The design hotel checks its nautical theme at the door, though; instead, it opts for sleek-meets-sumptuous interiors. Modern black-and-white rooms feature wood-paneled walls and a rooftop pool offers plush daybeds for soaking up skyline views.
Don’t miss a drink at The Wall. This eye-catching bar gets its name from the stunning 60-foot display that houses its incredible array of spirits.
“Eclectic” might be the best way to describe this Four-Star Santa Fe stay, where each of the 25 rooms is adorned with décor and furnishings collected by owners Ira and Sylvia Seret’s global travels.
Only here will you find Persian and Afghan rugs alongside Tibetan furniture and carved wooden doors from India in a traditional, Southwestern-style adobe room. Even with all of the varying international touches, it all feels harmonious. Intricate mosaics and hand-carved wooden doors in every bathroom add a homey touch, as do the luscious deep-soaking tubs.
Upper East Side elegance gets an injection of trend-setting style at this Four-Star beaux-arts beauty. The 1926 building’s contemporary interiors evoke the feel of a historic Manhattan townhouse.
Antique architecture is modernized with chic black-and-white photography (look out for the oversized tapestry of supermodel Kate Moss by Chuck Close), hand-painted armoires and a crisp palette of gray and cream.
Soak up the fashionable hotel’s unique aesthetic from Bar Pleiades. The space is reminiscent of a classic Chanel clutch with sleek geometric lines, white accents and a seductive art-deco vibe.
Portrait Roma — Lungarno Collection
Around every corner at this Five-Star Rome retreat is another sophisticated space that would make a design lover swoon.
The 14-room hotel takes its design cues from 20th-century Italian fashion icon Salvatore Ferragamo with artisanal details like hand-stitched leather, handcrafted cabinetry and vintage-style record players in each accommodation.
Additional nods to the famed shoemaker’s legacy include copies of his original sketches and photos of 1950s Rome lining the walls, and a coveted location on Via dei Condotti, the Eternal City’s most famous shopping destination.
Only You Boutique Hotel Madrid
It may be housed in a 19th-century mansion, but this modern Madrid hotel is anything but old-fashioned. Set in the city’s vibrant Cheuca district, the one-of-a-kind property tucks Instagram-worthy surprises around every corner, including the bookcase-lined elevator, a hall covered with stacked white steamer trunks and the eye-catching live wall on the terrace.
But the city-center hotel doesn’t neglect its history. Grand arched windows, chesterfield sofas in the lobby and rooms lined with historic maps of the Spanish capital announce the dreamy stay’s pride in its past.
Perched between Pottinger Street’s famed stone stairway and Central’s towering skyscrapers, this Forbes Travel Guide Recommended Hong Kong hideaway is a stylish blend of heritage and modernity.
Paying homage to the region’s roots, the boutique hotel is adorned with Chinese-inspired touches like hand-painted silk wallpaper, latticed windowpanes and cherry blossom motifs. A fun palette of pinks, grays and silvers keeps things contemporary, as do gleaming white marble bathrooms.
Bookworms and design devotees will find common ground at this Forbes Travel Guide Recommended Taipei escape.
Imagined by Pritzker-winning architect Tyo Ito, the curved 18-story property is filled to the brim with literary touches, from the photogenic Lobby Lounge’s 5,000-volume collection (and plenty of midcentury-modern-inspired seating) to the retro-themed Library Suite that looks straight from the pages of a chic 1970s homewares catalog.
For the more visually inclined, every floor of the hotel features works by local photographers depicting life in Taiwan from the 1940s to the 1970s.
Occupying a former 19th-century private school, The Lalit has graduated to a beautiful British boutique hotel. A strong Indian flair (a nod to its New Delhi-based parent company) permeates the Forbes Travel Guide Recommended property in the form of gold tapestries, colorful accents and sculptures honoring Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of prosperity.
However, the London hotel doesn’t forget its scholarly roots. Original neo-baroque architectural elements remain, adding a sophisticated touch to the 70-room treasure. Check out the vaulted ceilings in the Great Hall, the herringbone wood floors in The Teacher’s Room lounge and regal stone fireplaces throughout.
Amid the bustle of Japan’s capital, this historic Tokyo hotel is a hidden gem. The 90-year-old property is a living museum housing thousands of intricate paintings, lacquer pieces and ornate woodwork from the early Showa era.
But the pièce de résistance is the magazine-cover-worthy Japanese garden adorned with waterfalls, koi ponds, wooden bridges and stone seats shaded by red parasols.
Don’t miss a meal at Chinese eatery Shunyuki. Reserve one of the private dining rooms to marvel at the ornate interiors and the table’s lacquerware rotating stand inlaid with shimmering mother-of-pearl.
