Five High-Design Hotels Worth Making the Trip
Every year, the world over, hundreds of hotels will audition for a place on the map, on a mission to be unforgettable. We’ve hand-picked five promising hotels around the globe that are on their way to a leading role.
Five High-Design Hotels Worth Making the Trip
Premier Suite at Osborn House, Bundanoon, Australia
Osborn House — Bundanoon, Australia
Price (for this class of hotel): Not expensive globally, somewhat expensive locally.
Good for: People who would normally stay in an Airbnb, people who traveled with their grandparents as a kid, people who eat unidentified wild berries off the bush, people who use the word “nestled” regularly.
Avoid if: You have anything other than a flip phone, you can’t write in cursive, you need dressing on salad, you have well-behaved children.
For those who crave the quintessential and demand the almost primitive, this genteel escape in the southern Australian highlands can barely be referred to as a hotel. In a more accurate sense, it’s a sprawling collection of rooms, spaces, and hypothetical planes and axises; loosely supporting the concepts of “indoor” and “outdoor”. Bucolic, overgrown, and unkempt for aesthetic reasons, Osborn House is hospitality’s response to the slow food movement. Here, time moves at a glacial pace and a butterfly landing on a windowsill could be the highlight of any given day.
Indeed, Osborn House is defined by the experiences that surround it, both in the immediate vicinity or a short walk or bike ride away. While quaint market towns await your perusal and the celebrated Morton National Park is within a whisper’s reach, remaining on campus will still be a rewarding choice. Tennis matches on the green or an escape to the on-site spa are options, as well as indulging in a in-situ painting session amid the gardens (as Osborn House’s first artist-in-residence Jai Vasicek did).
If peckish, join Executive Chef Segundo Farrell for a one-of-a-kind fire feast, an authentically South American meal powered by the flames the house asado (outdoor barbeques). Two other restaurants will satisfy your other culinary demands and an intimate cocktail bar is a great place to indulge at any hour.
Bathroom at Osborn House, Bundanoon, Australia
Rooms are few, but all are uniquely designed by Linda Boronkay and Alan McMahon. Consider a timber-lined cabin with plush beds, vintage rugs, and fireplaces for a guaranteed sense of coziness. Outdoor soaking tubs with stunning views offer some freeing whimsy. Other rooms and suites are situated in tree-high aeries, in lush gardens, or inside the house; each with a distinct personality and bespoke furnishings. Every room features a minibar and room service in the event you need nothing but reclusive leisure.
Book it at https://osbornhouse.com.au/
Lobby of The Ritz-Carlton, Amman
The Ritz-Carlton, Amman — Amman, Jordan
Price (for this class of hotel): Somewhat expensive globally, very expensive locally.
Good for: People who travel with staff (personal doctors, nannies, and/or drivers), people who stay anywhere for a minimum of a month, people with Marriott Bonvoy status.
Avoid if: You do yoga, you wear a lot of Celine, “reading” is a hobby of yours.
Jordanian hospitality is accented by its mix of casual approachability and discreet thoughtfulness. Whether it’s an offering of tea or an invitation to dinner, The Ritz-Carlton lets this local approach lead one of its newest properties in the growing city of Amman. Located at Amman’s socially important and geographically convenient Fifth Circle, the Ritz-Carlton is an architecturally imposing force with two separate buildings influenced by the Italian Palazzo style. Featuring a dramatic glass roof, archways, balconies and setbacks, the building is a detailed addition to this corner of the Amman skyline.
Inside, it is a lavish affair with public space dripping in crystals and classical Arabian motifs. There is a wire-thin line between tawdry and decadent, and the Ritz-Carlton Amman walks it well, keeping things plush rather than stifling.
Bathroom at The Ritz-Carlton, Amman
Rooms are spacious and muted in tone, but well-appointed with grand bathrooms, dressing rooms, and plenty of occasional seating. For flooring, The Ritz-Carlton Amman eschews typical plush carpet for woods, marble and tile, offering a more organic finish to this class of hotel. Nonetheless, radiant floor heating in the bathroom keeps things cosy. Many rooms feature terraces to take in the forever views of Amman’s many hills. Plenty of mirrors and chandeliers toy with the brilliant Jordanian sunlight. Sunsets are particularly remarkable, with the blocky, tonal skyline of Amman taking on the hue of orange, red, and yellow in a uniform manner. It’s a phenomenon that never gets old.
Rooms are large, starting at a substantial 650 square feet for a Deluxe room before ballooning to over 4,400 square feet for the Presidential Suite which features two bedrooms and a kitchenette with a separate service entrance.
Roberto's at The Ritz-Carlton, Amman
In Amman, hotels play an outsized role in social life, where locals and visitors alike can mingle or conduct business. Hotels are places escape into luxury, even if for a few hours. For this reason, special attention is paid to the restaurants, bars, and lounges around the property, always on the mission to be “the place”. Roberto’s, situated on the 20th floor and serving Italian fare is already a reservation that requires patience to secure. The lush Sarab is an outdoor lounge that puts a luxurious spin on the culturally-treasured tradition of shisha. Enjoy a vegetarian forward concept at Soleil, or step into The Founder's Lounge, a woody bar in the spirit of a discreet private club.
Learn more and reserve a room at Ritz-Carlton.
Penthouse Garden at the Bulgari Hotel Paris, Paris, France
Bvlgari Hôtel Paris — Paris, France
Price (for this class of hotel): Expensive globally, average locally.
Good for: People who need a playground for their emotions, people visiting Paris for the first time, people who like foam incorporated into food.
Avoid if: You are tall, you buy airplane tickets at the airport, you’re actually French, or you need to be productive.
In Paris, there is very little space for logic. Emotional responses drive decisions. Being caught in the rain can be a cinematic moment of actualization or a sartorial disaster. A walk along the Seine can be exceptionally romantic or fully contaminated by other tourists and sellers. The mission, always, is to carve out a corner of Paris for yourself where you can be your most emotionally intense. So, how is it that an Italian brand produced the right concoction for a bat-shit crazy experience in this French city? Taste isn’t necessarily the priority here, but instead, aggressive luxury.
Architecturally speaking, designers Antonio Citterio and Patricia Viel have confirmed we’re now in a post-Haussmann Paris. The building riffs on the traditions, but is informed by Italian modernism, with tall, deep-set windows and glass Juliette balconies. Fortunately, The designers did not ignore the urban situation of this hotel, which is in the increasingly modern yet thoroughly luxurious 8th arrondissement of Paris. Staring down the delicate twin penthouses of the Four Seasons Hotel George V, Bulgari Hotel has a subdued and discreet façade, with careful setbacks taking place toward the top. As your eye climbs the building, it becomes totally encased in glass and metal; rare in Paris.
Step inside, and you’re responsible for nothing but your emotions and urges. Moody lighting and dark materials move toward sex and opulence. With an intentionally flat team structure, all staff members are in communication with each other, ensuring nothing is forgotten. Personalities emerge and human touches come to life while your privacy remains top concern.
Room at Bulgari Hotel Paris, Paris, France
Eventually, you’ll reach one of the 76 rooms or suites. While standard rooms are already enormous by Parisian standards (at least 500 square feet), Bulgari’s now-iconic Bulgari Suites are simply unmatched in the City of Light. Even smallest Bulgari Suite comes in at a staggering 1,500 square feet and features a private hammam, kitchen, dining room, and dressing room. Rooms feature textures of velvet and cotton, and tones of purple and wood, along with branded amenities and EDA Milano blankets.
Bulgari Penthouse at the Bulgari Hotel Paris, Paris, France
The largest expression is the Bulgari Penthouse with its nearly 11,000 square feet of space across two stories. Along with the features of a well-appointed Parisian apartment, the penthouse features a turned staircase, soaring ceilings and acres of windows commanding arresting views in every direction. The crowning achievement (and perhaps the most difficult to conceptualize mentally) is the private penthouse garden of almost 3,000 square feet. Forget a few potted plants and a table and chairs. This terrace is a botanical wonderland featuring real grass, growing oaks, flowering magnolias and philadelphus, along with red currant bushes, apple trees and pear trees. A private Garden of Eden.
Learn more and reserve a room at Bvlgari Hôtels.
Living room of a Corner Suite at Aman New York, New York, USA
Aman New York — New York, USA
Price (for this class of hotel): Very expensive globally, very expensive locally.
Good for: People who don’t handle their own money, people that handle their own money (and don’t let anyone else touch it), people who dress in neutrals, people that aerate their wine.
Avoid if: You’re a businessperson, you have children, you have ever used a computer, or you eat pizza.
New Yorker Azealia Banks said it best: “I'm everywhere you can't go, I’m everywhere you wish you could.”
Few places have taken this sentiment to heart more than the Aman New York, one of the most highly anticipated hotel openings in the world. The Aman New York is strategic addition to the growing portfolio of the ultra-private, ultra-pricey Aman brand of hotels, with rooms starting at $3,000 per night and access to some levels of the hotel not even available to the average guest. But rather than choosing to copying its signature Asian-inspired approach and pasting onto a building in New York City, the brand has been careful to identify meaningful touchstones across cultures. For Aman New York, the “culture” in question has an obsession with exclusivity in a city where money can get you anything, and patience is in short supply.
For its third location in the US, Aman had a unique challenge as it sought to bring absolute serenity to one of the noisiest, chaotic and dynamic cities in the world. Early on, it became clear that Aman would need to undertake the total renovation of a legacy building in New York City to accommodate the strict demands of comfort and silence that Aman guests expect. Fortunately, The Crown Building came to be a suitable venue for this effort, with its rock-solid construction and intentional location at the corner of 57th Street and 5th Avenue. The neoclassical landmark from 1921 was designed by Warren and Wetmore (the pair responsible for Grand Central Station) and renovated by Jean-Michel Gathy.
For many, the Aman Spa is why they choose Aman hotels. Set over three floors, guests can enjoy a sixty-foot-long pool, ten treatment rooms, fitness facilities, plus two Spa Houses providing guests with an all-encompassing spa journey that includes a double treatment room, sauna and steam rooms complemented by hot and cold plunge pools, and an outdoor terrace with cabana, daybed, and fireplace (there are more than 200 in the building).
Bathroom in a Suite at Aman New York, USA
Eighty-three suites offer accommodations in a luxurious, highly functional format. Dipped in a color scheme confined to what you might find in a damp plain, soothing in-room tones and careful lighting calm the eyes after observing the brilliant visual variety of NYC. Unique to the hotel are movable panels that allow guests to arrange the room to their taste, whether they want airy openness or exacting privacy. Every room features a functional fireplace as well as cavernous bathrooms with soaking tubs, steam showers, and cool-to-the-touch vanities. Suites are remarkably adaptable, allowing for them to go from one to three bedrooms as needed. Unlike most of the hotels in this list, the Aman New York has no “best room” or premier choice. They’re all expensive, they’re all extraordinary, and each one is ideal for different personalities.
Learn more and reserve a room at Aman.
Entry of the Hotel La Compañia, located in the Casco Antiguo neighborhood of Panama City, Panama
Hotel La Compañia — Panama City, Panama
Price (for this class of hotel): Somewhat expensive globally, somewhat expensive locally.
Good for: People who have several lawyers, people who love history, people with small pets.
Avoid if: You do yoga, you wear a lot of Celine, one of your hobbies is reading.
There are few things more lavish than a bathroom with a window. Some of the great hotels have them, like the LondonHouse in Chicago, the Park Hyatt in Paris, and now, the Hotel La Compañia in Panama City. Thoughtfully renovated with luxury in mind (with special touches like a balconied bathroom), Hotel La Compañia is right for those wishing to exchange the glassy modernity of Panama City for a much more historic affair. Once abandoned, this 88-room luxury hotel dates back to the 17th century and it’s been restored and reimagined as a living museum.
Bathroom in the Hotel La Compañia, Panama City, Panama
Here, three different eras of Panama history come to life in three distinct wings of hotel. Renovated respectfully to the height of contemporary luxury, you can choose either a beautifully curated room in the French Colonial wing, built by Jesuit priests in 1739, or select a casita in the the Spanish Colonial wing, dating back to 1688. These rooms feature grand windows balconies and walls of stone and brick, with the Spanish wing featuring dark woods and a slightly more rustic atmosphere. Go fully luxe with Beaux-Arts room in the American wing, made from the shell of a building dating from 1905.
Often regarded a merely a transit point, Hotel La Compañia makes a strong case to take pause in Panama, even if you never venture out of the hotel. Jutting out into the waters and commanding regal views of the dense Panama City skyline, the Hotel La Compañia is located in one of the most exciting parts of the city, Casco Antiguo, surrounded by well-preserved architecture, world-renowned archaeological sites, ambitious eateries and bars, and the vast business haven a short trip away. Having exposure to so many cultures over so many years, Panamanian hospitality and style is one-of-a-kind, mixing the uniquely Central and South American with the ambitiously international.
El Santuario, inside the the Hotel La Compañia, Panama City, Panama
Inside the hotel, five restaurants and two bars draw on the same historical inspiration that define the rooms. El Santuario is a restuarant situated a the stone Spanish church interior which serves Asian, Indian, and Spanish dishes. American Bazaar is a wood-paneled bar done in the spirit of the department store that stood in its place over one hundred years ago. Finally, a rooftop pool and bar offer an ideal vantage point of the neighborhood.
Learn more and reserve a room at World of Hyatt.
