Sofitel Paris Le Faubourg, Photo Credit: Sofitel Paris Le Faubourg
Elevated hotel design does much more than just look nice — it’s an inspiring invitation to completely embrace the art of travel, soaking in every detail and relishing being surrounded by beauty.
Here are seven stylish hotels that have aroused our wanderlust.
Sofitel Paris Le Faubourg
Steps from the luxury boutiques lining Rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré, among the most fashionable streets in the world, this Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star Paris hotel is all about glamour.
A recent facelift from local designer Didier Gomez means that the historic 18th-century mansion is in prime form. Larger-than-life black-and-white fashion and beauty photos command attention in the rooms, of which many still boast elaborate moldings and prototypical French architectural details.
The suites are designed to look like Parisian apartments and they certainly succeed — book the Collection Suite for dramatic black moldings, a striking marble bathroom and covetable Hermès bath products.
The Temple House’s Tivano, Photo Credit: Swire Properties Hotel Management Limited
The Temple House
Old and new mingle seductively at this fashionable hotel in Chengdu, China. Opened in 2015, The Temple House mixes traditional Chinese aesthetics (dramatic wood lattices, bamboo accents) and gorgeous modern design elements (black stone bathrooms, bleached wood floors) with aplomb.
Rooms are dramatic with a black-, white- and neutral-toned color scheme, while the restaurants exude warmth with brass details and retro furnishings. Don’t miss the killer green tufted leather banquets in Italian restaurant Tivano.
The Modern Honolulu, Photo Credit: The Modern Honolulu
The Modern Honolulu
There’s no mistaking your Waikiki Beach locale when you walk into this Four-Star hotel — Herbie Fletcher’s colorful surfboard installation located behind the curved reception desk is a stunner.
Most of the Oahu property’s spaces, especially the rooms, are white-on-white-on-white. The result is a stunningly modern design that feels somehow both perfectly urban and beachy, thanks to lauded designers George Yabu and Glenn Pushelberg.
JW Marriott Hotel Macau, Photo Credit: Marriott International Inc
JW Marriott Hotel Macau
If style equals opulence, then this Cotai Strip hotel within the Galaxy Macau complex is among the most swanky stays in Asia. The lobby alone is worthy of a runway, with its huge vaulted ceilings, majestic winding staircase, enormous two-story glittering chandelier and gold accents everywhere you turn.
While it all sounds over the top — and maybe it is — we assure you that things are tastefully done. Muted neutral tones keep everything grounded, especially in the taupe and gray rooms.
L’hotel élan, Photo Credit: L’hotel élan
L’hotel élan
Located in the Kowloon district of Hong Kong, the Forbes Travel Guide Recommended hotel is a study in contemporary minimalistic design. You’ll find original art pieces throughout the property (even in the guest rooms) that include paintings, photography and sculptures.
Accommodations are sleek with a minimal Japanese aesthetic — expect stone and wood floors, contemporary blond and walnut wood tones and crisp white bed linens.
Bvlgari Hotel, London, Photo Credit: Bvlgari Hotels & Resorts
Bvlgari Hotel, London
With a famous Italian design house behind this Four-Star spot in fashionable Knightsbridge, it’s no surprise that the luxury London hotel offers nothing but elegance at every turn.
Elegant, contemporary rooms sport damask silk curtains by Enzo degli Angiuoni, carpeting by Altai and furnishings from the Flexform Collection of Antonio Citterio (he also designed the new-build hotel). Woven throughout the gray and white spaces are hints of Bulgari’s signature silver, a nod to the founder’s roots as a Roman silversmith.
The Surrey, Photo Credit: Denihan Hospitality Group
The Surrey
If you’ve always wanted a posh pied-à-terre on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, then you’ll love the stylish and timeless look of this Four-Star New York City address. Interior architect Lauren Rottet gave the 1926 beaux-arts building a fresh makeover and dressed it in chic grays, blacks and whites.
The hotel also carries an impressive modern art collection, which includes an oversized tapestry of supermodel Kate Moss’ by Chuck Close and a graffiti-emblazoned dresser from design duo Jimmie Karlsson and Martin Nihlman.
The boutique hotel retains its residential feel (it was meant to resemble an inherited townhouse) with luxury linens (Sferra bedding), Pratesi robes and antique-inspired decorative accents like velvet-embroidered pillows and hand-painted armoires.
