Hotel 1898
Most hotels would be lucky to have one previous life to reference in their history. Hotel 1898 has two. Previously serving as both the Palace of the Marquess and the headquarters of The Philippines Tobacco Company, the La Rambla hotel is now home to 169 colonial-style rooms, featuring contemporary furnishings, modern amenities, and marble-fitted baths. Also featured in the large building are a colonial-style lobby bar, Restaurant H1898, which focuses on modern Mediterranean cuisine, a spa, and the seasonal Las Isabela Terrace, situated on the rooftop for terrific city views while enjoying the outdoors, cocktails, and tapas.
Hotel Urbano
Most former chain hotels become... another chain hotel, just under a different name. Hotel Urbano is different. Saved from its bland beginnings, Hotel Urbano has been transformed into a contemporary, 65-room diamond in the rough. Wach room offers a mini-fridge, a balcony or walk-out lanai, and walk-in showers. Also on site is a full-service restaurant and bar serving South Florida cuisine, with dining areas both inside and outside by the well-landscaped pool, and an impressive art collection. Situated in the Brickell neighborhood just across the causeway from Key Biscane and within a short distance to tons of shopping and dining options, it's an ideal spot for a low-key Miami getaway.
Hotel Le Germain Calgary
There are plenty of big-name hotels in downtown Calgary, but if you're looking for something a little more unique, the Hotel Le Germain Calgary is a great choice. Each of its rooms — ranging from luxurious Superior rooms all the way up to full-on Apartment Suites — features impeccable, modern design, oversized bathrooms, and first-class amenities like an in-room espresso machine and HDMI/USB hookups for the TV. Also on site is the Santé spa, a large fitness center, a comfortable lounge, and the award-winning Charcut Roast House, with literally dozens of other dining and drinking options just a short walk away.
Southern Ocean Lodge
It's not the easiest spot to get to, but it's so worth the effort. Southern Ocean Lodge sits along the edge of the sea, on a sparsely populated island that's a 30 minute plane ride from the southern coast. On site, you'll find 21 suites, lined up along the coast so each offers stunning views from its floor-to-ceiling windows and doors. Creature comforts include limestone floors, modern furnishings and bath fixtures, and a complementary room bar. An outstanding restaurant, a comfortable lounge, guided island excusions, and a serene spa round out the offerings, all of which combine to make this one of the world's premiere getaways.
Downtown
Dating back to the 17th century, Downtown isn't your normal hotel. This restored historic residence houses 17 rooms and suites that mix classic elements like the stone-forge staircase, ornate windows, and red volcanic rock walls with contemporary furniture and fixtures to give each room a unique feel. Other features include a rooftop pool and bar/lounge, and a breakfast patio that adjoins the lobby, providing a serene respite from the city outside. Oh, and the best part? For downtown Mexico City, the rates are surprisingly affordable. [via]
The Wauwinet
Most of the time when choosing a seaside hotel, you get either an over-water sunset or sunrise view — depending on which coast you're on. At the The Wauwinet, you get both. Perched on the northeast corner of Nantucket near the Coskata-Coatue Wildlife Refuge, this historic inn offers private beaches on both the Nantucket Bay and Atlantic coast, letting you get the most out of sunrise, sunset, or both. 32 rooms and four cottages are on property, as is Topper's, regarded by many as the best restaurant on the island, and the luxurious Spa by the Sea. It's not exactly a happening place, so if you're hoping for nightlife you'd best look elsewhere, but for a relaxing seaside stay, it's tough to beat.
Hotel de Nell
It might look old from the outside, but the interiors at Hotel de Nell are anything but. Designed by Jean-Michel Wilmotte, this intimate hotel offers 33 rooms and a single suite, all of which offer underfloor heating, climate control, LCD TVs, free Wi-Fi, and iPod docks, as well as contemporary furnishings that have been carefully chosen to create a welcoming atmosphere. Also on site is the Bruno Doucet-led La Régalade Conservatoire restaurant, which offers an upscale bistro experience based around a three-course, multiple-choice prix-fixe menu and fresh, seasonal, and local ingredients. The hotel also boasts a library-themed wine cellar and sleek lobby bar, but this is Paris, so odds are you'll be spending a lot of your time eating and drinking elsewhere around the city.
Amangani
Perched on the crest of a butte 7,000 feet above sea level, Amangani provides an interesting alternative to your typical beachfront summer vacation. It's located roughly 10 minutes from Jackson, giving its 40 suites — each of which offers a king-size bed, metal fireplace, and a window-side daybed for lounging — a very private feel, which is only enhanced by the spectacular views of the surrounding meadows, grazing lands, and Grand Tetons. On site, you'll find a grill and a lounge, both of which serve food, as well as a library, an art gallery, a spa and fitness center, and a large heated outdoor swimming pool with adjacent — and nearly equally-sized — whirlpool, both of which offer great mountain views.
Don CeSar Hotel
We'll forgive you for being a little skeptical of any place nicknamed the "Pink Palace", but in the case of the Don CeSar Hotel, there's really nothing to worry about. Built in 1928 and modeled after a Mediterranean-style castle, this Gulf Coast classic has been a place of respite for the well-off for decades. Completely renovated, it boasts 277 rooms — including 36 suites — many of which offer views of the Gulf or Boca Ciega Bay. Other features include the 11,000 square foot Spa Oceana, a rooftop garden, the award-winning Maritana Grille, casual dining at the Sea Porch, two lounges, an ice cream parlor, two beachfront pools, and, perhaps most importantly, seven miles of powdery white sand beaches.
Hotel Cheval
Napa and Sonoma aren't the only places in the Golden State you can count on for great winery experiences — the Central Coast is a great place to enjoy the fruits of the vine, and Hotel Cheval is an ideal place to stay while you do so. Offering an intriguing mix of rustic and modern decor, Cheval sports 16 guest rooms, many of which offer fireplaces, window seats, and outdoor patios and sundecks. Other on-site amenities include a private library with fireplace, a central courtyard with plenty of seating, and the Pony Club, a wine bar specializing in wines throughout the region. Of course, you're there to visit some of the surrounding 200 wineries in person, which is why they also offer luxury private wine tours customized to your preferred varietals.
The Rittenhouse Hotel
Ideal, historic location? Check. Modern amenities? Check. We could keep going, but the fact is there aren't many boxes The Rittenhouse Hotel can't check off. Set on historic Rittenhouse Square Park, this upscale hotel offers a range of rooms and suites, all measuring 400 square feet or more. Also on-site is the award-winning Lacroix restaurant, the Mary Cassatt Tearoom and Garden, a well-appointed bar, the Philadelphia outpost of Smith & Wollensky steakhouse, and a spa, salon, and health club, complete with an oversized indoor pool and outdoor sundeck.
Hang Nga Guesthouse
Plenty of hotels boast stunning works of art. Very few can count their buildings themselves among the art. The Hang Nga Guesthouse — colloquially known as the Crazy House — is among the latter. Created by Vietnamese architect Dang Viet Nga, this unique destination offers ten guest rooms, each themed after a different animal and with furniture that's custom crafted to match the rooms' unique shapes. With its interesting, polarizing, expressionist architecture, the house offers separate rates for those who simply want to walk around — but even though the rooms are limited in number, the nightly rates are actually quite affordable.
