Tewosov

17/09/2022

Legend holds that on his pilgrimage across Asia, the Buddha stopped to rest where the Mekong and Nam Khan Rivers merge, in the middle of what we now know as Luang Prabang. He prophesied that a rich and powerful metropolis would rise along these banks. Though that apex only lasted from the 14th to the 16th century, this Kingdom of a Million Elephants lived on for architect Bill Bensley, who celebrated this era at Rosewood’s low-slung riverside retreat. Minimalist it is not. Hilltop tents overflow with romantic touches—chubby camp beds, clawfoot tubs, silk and velvet accents. At riverfront villas, the rush of water somersaulting over time-smoothed boulders acts as nature’s alarm clock for an early morning meditation with monk-in-residence Sommaiy. Deep community ties mean guests take tea with Tiao Somsanith Nithakhong, a local royal turned patron of lost Lao arts, or join a procession of 800 saffron-clad novices gliding through rice fields and primary forests for a private blessing ceremony. Rosewood’s elephant figurine–festooned cocktail bar is a delightful aerie arched over the waterfall, and make sure to ask to see the secret boutique, stocked with finds like kaleidoscopic scarves woven by a cooperative of young disabled Laotians who are some of the town’s most promising artisans.

17/09/2022

Dublin’s Docklands are known as the “Silicon Docks,” with the European headquarters of Facebook, Google, and Airbnb all taking up residence here. The Marker Hotel, a sleek geometric building in the middle of Grand Canal Square, is the district’s unofficial landmark. There’s a hip vibe throughout, from the light-filled lobby to the bedrooms bursting with pops of color. The moodily lit infinity pool is the best in the city, with a eucalyptus-scented steam room. Open seasonally, the rooftop bar has killer views of the city and as far out as the Dublin mountains. Guests have guaranteed access—and you're guaranteed to make friends with the bartenders.

17/09/2022

All things cozy and Austrian meet in this legendary inn, which first welcomed guests in the 15th century and now lists Prince Charles among its loyal fans. The hotel is in the heart of the medieval old town, surrounded by shops displaying wrought-iron guild signs. You can walk to pretty much anything, including Mozart’s birthplace, just down the street. Because driving can be a hassle—pedestrian-only areas, inscrutable road signs—you’re better off taking the train from Vienna or Munich. If it wasn’t so authentic, you’d swear a set designer had orchestrated the vaulted ceilings, antique farmers’ furniture, stag heads, and staff in lederhosen and dirndls.

07/09/2022

The pretty Georgian manor house, all honeyed Bath stone, sits at the end of an avenue of sky-high beech and lime trees, surrounded by gardens like a Jane Austen film set. On the grounds there’s a personable cottage for weekending families, a world-class equestrian center, and a serious cooking school. But you don’t have to whip up your own supper. Chef Hywel Jones plates up exquisite food in his eponymous restaurant. That in itself is a reason to stay. So are the roaring fires, the paneled libraries, the canopied four-poster beds, and the moody oil paintings. A purposeful drive in recent years to make the place feel less formal has resulted in a cheery bounce in the staff's step, a raising of chatter levels to almost a hum in the evenings, and a relaxed atmosphere where you can wear your robe down to the ESPA spa and back again without feeling like a terrible slob. Eagle-eyed guests will spot the curious Greek elements dotted around—the urns in the bathroom, the Acropolis paintings in the dining room, the Hellenic motif on the plates. This country retreat feels resonant and rooted, delightfully British to the core.

07/09/2022

Opened in 1910 as the Bellevue Hotel, the downtown Beaux-Arts building has a long history of welcoming visitors to San Francisco. But when it re-opened in 2018 with a fresh redesign by Perkins + Will, a new era began. The rooms are decorated with expressive pops of color, statement walls, and a collection of furniture that seems to know no decade. Active travelers will be glad to hear that each room comes with its own yoga mat, and free bike rentals help you cruise around and explore the city with ease.

07/09/2022

This 32-room hotel may appear traditional thanks to its colonial facade, but guests know that the sleek Hotel Matilda is anything but: there’s a crazy video installation installed behind the front desk, and the hallways are lined with contemporary artwork. Once you get to your room, you’ll discover crisp white beds dressed with Egyptian cotton linens and adorned slate gray accents, and marble-clad bathrooms stocked with Malin + Goetz products. The infinity pool and the rooftop bar, though, are the true standouts.

07/09/2022

Tucked away amid the quiet, tree-lined streets of Shanghai’s former French Concession, this is much more than a luxury hotel. It’s actually a cultural preservation zone—an innovative restoration of the Xuhui District’s last remaining cluster of 1930s-era shikumen townhouses, where traders and expats dwelled in the city’s golden era. In preserving this piece of Shanghai’s cultural heritage, Capella Hotels & Resorts has created its own gateway to the city’s cosmopolitan past. Under the auspices of Jaya International Design, the complex of over 200 townhouses, connected by tiny lanes, has been transformed into an urban resort of 55 luxurious villas and 40 private residences, still linked around shared courtyards and secret gardens, and now enclosing a transformative spa and wellness center (named Auriga, for the constellation in which the Capella star sits).

03/09/2022

Colombia has been rising through the ranks in terms of destinations in the past decade—and you can always trust W Hotels to walk shoulder-to-shoulder with the hottest trends. Opened in late 2014, W Bogota is situated right in the heart of the capital city's upscale Usaquen neighborhood, putting guests next to embassies, restaurants, and boutiques. You can expect colorful, modern decor in all 168 guest rooms—especially in the Extreme Wow Suite, which includes a king-size bed with floral canopy, an avant-garde (and purple!) circular sofa, and 180-degree views of the city's skyline. Grab brunch or dinner at the Martin Kitchen before kicking back with a drink and live music at the W Lounge. Then it's back to your room to detox before repeating it all the next day.

03/09/2022

At this stately Vancouver Island hotel only three miles from downtown Victoria, it’s not uncommon to look out from your balcony or from the waterfront mineral pools and see pods of orcas swimming close to the shore. The 100-room hotel is inspired by an English manor house, complete with Tudor-influenced architectural touches and a charming pub serving halibut tempura and seafood chowder. While the property and the surrounding seaside village may evoke the old world, the Boathouse Spa is firmly rooted in the Pacific Northwest thanks to treatments that incorporate seaweed and marine clay.

03/09/2022

03/09/2022