In the past, not that many hotels planted their roots in Miami's North Beach, where private homes, condos, and low-rise buildings have kept the neighborhood's residential vibe. As someone accustomed to buzzy South Beach, North Beach felt like the unaffected counterpart, quieter and far less commercialized, with the beach steps away. So, as I arrived in Maison Felix, it was like stepping into a tucked-away gem.
London hosts plenty of the world's mightiest global hotel chains. Don't get us wrong, many of those are supremely fancy hotels - but all too often they're a tad generic. Perfect if you want to stay somewhere familiar, but not-so-great if you're looking for a bit of character and identity for your London stay. Fortunately, the capital also has plenty of boutique hotels that are just as luxurious as those aforementioned chains but far less predictable.
That wouldn't be entirely fair, but there's no escaping the fact that chef Jason Atherton's ground-floor Berners Tavern is the palpitating heart of the hotel. The lobby cocktail bar, oak-panelled, reservation-only Punch Room and nightclub Basement only increase the pulse-rate. Once upon a time this was five lovely 1835 townhouses, which were combined in 1910 to create the Berners Hotel.
1 Hotels is a decade-old luxury hotel brand centered on sustainability. This isn't just another hotel - it's a place for travelers who care about where they stay, how they stay, and the impact they leave behind.
In Bangkok's Siam Square, ASWA inserts the Vela be Siam hotel that reflects and refracts the layered character of the neighborhood. The structure takes cues from traditional Thai domestic architecture and reinvents them through a vibrant material and vocabulary.
On arrival, guests are greeted by artist Isvald Klingels' "Ghost Forest" installation, which incorporates fallen tree stumps, snags, logs, and branches, alongside old-growth Red Cedars and a unique 16-foot-tall spiraling Yew tree. This site-specific "living landscape" reflects both the area’s historical timber industry and a notion of cyclical renewal, emphasizing how nature is restored in urban spaces.
The Waldorf Astoria Osaka embodies luxury, with a 'go big or go home' mentality, showcased through its grand architecture and service, making every stay a celebration.
