Raffles Paris, France’s Le Royal Monceau

A short distance from the Arc de Triomphe, on a limestone road in the 8th arrondissement, are the red glass lanterns and Art Deco-style awning at the entrance to Le Royal Monceau – Raffles Paris. Smaller, cozier areas like as the wood-paneled concierge, an art-focused bookstore, three dining options, a 99-seat movie theater, and a smoking lounge can be found within the lobby. Directly next door is Art District, a hotel-run gallery of modern art. The property seems like a neighborhood hangout because of the visible influx of people on the ground level, including friends hosting a baby shower over breakfast and shoppers enjoying coffee in Le Bar Long. Pierre Bremond and André Junot established Le Royal Monceau in 1928, and Raffles took over the property’s administration in 2008. It reopened as Le Royal Monceau Raffles Paris in October 2010 after an interior renovation led by Phillippe Starck. From the tiny “artist rooms” to the spacious presidential suites, all 149 guestrooms and suites are furnished with Starck’s vibrant flair: Acoustic guitars stand upright in corners, ready to be strung, writing tables designed by Philippe Hurel with illustrated maps of Paris on top, and chandeliers made of murano glass dangle above mid-century modern leather couches. With mirrors and stainless steel on every side, the bathrooms are stunning. Memorably, it feels like taking a bath inside a disco ball. The hotel features two destination restaurants: Matsuhisa Paris, a Peruvian-Japanese restaurant run by chef Nobu Matsuhisa (his only outpost in France), and Il Carpaccio, a Michelin-starred Italian restaurant opened in partnership with the three-Michelin-starred restaurant, Da Vittorio, based in Brusaporto, Italy (don’t miss Da Vittorio’s signature dish, which is served at Il Carpaccio: paccheri with three types of tomatoes and Parmesan). The hotel also features a café open seven days a week, Le Bar Long (club sandwiches; thick hot chocolate served in its own special pot). The Matsuhisa Paris location is converted into La Cuisine, a restaurant that offers a Parisian buffet breakfast, exclusively in the mornings. This is a humorous, modern alternative to the numerous conventional Parisian hotels, offering high-wattage contemporary glamor and a hefty collection of artwork (works by Lucien Hervé, Harry Gruyaert, and Thierry Dreyfus are available for viewing on-site). starting at £825. Rodgers, Jo

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Pfotenhauer Gundolf/Margherita Palazzo

The Margherita Palace in Bernalda, Italy

In 2012, the fifth hotel in the dynamic portfolio of Family Coppola Hideaways was Palazzo Margherita, which is small but elegant and has enormous plans to present Basilicata in an unassuming manner. Agostino Coppola, the grandfather of Francis Ford Coppola, grew up in this sleepy village, which he called Bernalda Bella. Francis, who was in his twenties, came to visit, and his granddaughter remembered his tales. He acted when it was put on the market in 2004. After six years of development, Palazzo Margherita is obviously a passion project. It is interwoven with the family’s history, mythology, and loves, and seems more like a home than a commodity. The Palazzo became a hotel the next year when Sofia Coppola married her French musician fiancé Thomas Mars in 2011 beneath the Heritage Garden gazebo. The two main suites, designed by French designer Jacques Grange, include handmade furnishings and freshly painted murals on vaulted ceilings. Some feature sylvan paintings, checkerboard flooring, and suntrap balconies; others have functional fireplaces. The cuisine is regional and traditional, prepared by local chefs using organic ingredients. Try the zucchini frittata with fig salad and the zesty marmalades for breakfast. The pasta al branzino, the grilled porchetta, the hyacinth bulb sides, and the dried pepperoni and breadcrumb pasta are some of the highlights for later. A true, family-friendly version of southern Italy, untainted by mass tourism and seen through Francis Ford Coppola’s storytelling eyes, may be found here. starting at £420. Bell, Lydia

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Resort & Spa by Benjamin-Zibner/Severin

Germany’s Severin’s Resort & Spa in Sylt

The nicest part of Severin’s is its orchard, which is full with ancient apple trees and table settings for meals. Guests are invited to unwind and take in the white and pink blooms in the spring, as well as the shade that the trees and parasols provide in the summer, while lounging on traditional Strandkorb wicker seats and chaise longues. The trees seem to be covered in sugar as the temperatures drop in the winter. Indeed, even during the colder months, there are plenty of reasons to go to Germany’s northernmost islands. Severin’s spa is another, with a swimming pool with a fireplace, hammam, and saunas. The room is filled with warm light and tasteful neutral colors. After a lengthy stroll on the beach, there is nowhere on Sylt more tranquil. With 23 studios and apartments and five homes and villas totaling 4,300 square feet, Severin’s is an excellent option if you want complete seclusion. Spaciousness, not just excess, is the key. The resort’s two-story thatch roof mixes in well with Keitum, a quaint town on the Wadden Sea’s edge. starting at £367. Braatz, Dennis

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The Connaught

London, United Kingdom’s The Connaught

In Mayfair Village, the Connaught winds around Carlos Place, but there’s more than simply the location that makes it one of London’s most upscale hotels. Since its founding as the Prince of Saxe-Coburg Hotel in 1815, it has undergone renovations, added a wing, an Aman spa, and a ballroom in the style of the 1930s, all without sacrificing its unique character. In the welcome hall, where the atmosphere crackles with a perpetual feeling of event, a gilded wood staircase snakes upward. A Barbara Hepworth print here, a Graham Sutherland landscape there—the private art collection is stunning. Everyone receives the renowned down-to-earth service despite the opulence. Guy Oliver’s rooms and suites offer flair and a gentle landing by combining creature comforts with tradition. Bed heads are hand-embroidered, while minibars are disguised as chinoiserie cupboards. The newest are the grey-green or storm-cloud-blue Coburg Suites, which were refurbished in 2024 and include painted paneling, delft-encrusted chimneypieces, and thick draped draperies. Megawatt alternatives include the rooftop David Collins Studio-designed apartment, The Apartment; the light-filled private townhouse, The Mews; and the King’s Lodge, which was modeled after Kabul’s Peacock Palace from the 19th century. The main attractions of a visit are the flagship restaurants of Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Hélène Darroze, but the greatest fun is found in the watering holes.n. You may ruin a bon vivant’s business transaction at The Cobur if you start an affair in the Connaught Bar, with its festive martini cart and candles.g. Additionally, the Red Room is a contemporary bar that charges an after- or pre-party fee for those who want to recline quietly.This iconic grande dame, which is a member of the Maybourne Group, is still completely relevant today.t. Starting at £855 an