1. THE HOTEL CHELSEA, New York City, New York, USA
There was never any question that the legendary Hotel Chelsea would eventually face a significant update; it’s good for the Chelsea – and for New York – that it fell to Sean MacPherson, Richard Born, and Ira Drukier to do it. Their other hotels around town help usher the romance of old New York into the modern era in a way that’s nostalgic but also authentic. And, in the Chelsea in particular, there’s much to be nostalgic about.
2. CUYAMA BUCKHORN, New Cuyama, California, USA
The Cuyama Buckhorn isn’t just any old motel – this mid-century desert classic was designed by the architect George Vernon Russell, who was responsible for a number of Los Angeles landmarks. It took a thorough restoration, but today’s Buckhorn features 21 guestrooms in a hybrid cowboy-Modernist style.
3. ROOMS HOTEL KOKHTA, Bakuriani, Georgia
Rooms Hotel Kokhta is just as impressive as its sisters in Tbilisi and Kazbegi, and adds ski-in/ski-out access to the spectacular Lesser Caucasus mountains. The design is a heady brew of hypermodern elements, Soviet kitsch, and ancient Georgia, and the atmosphere is exactly what you expect from a boutique hotel.
4. A HOTEL MYKONOS, Mykonos, Greece
Set in the hills above Mykonos’ port and Old Town, A Hotel is a private enclave in what can be a busy destination. If there’s one common thread that elevates the hotel over other boutique-sized Greek Island escapes, it’s the sense of tastefulness that pervades its rooms, suites and common spaces.
5. HOY PARIS - YOGA HOTEL, Paris, France
HOY Paris - Yoga Hotel is the fusion of the twin passions of Charlotte Gomez de Orozco, and features a vegan restaurant, a Japanese florist, interior design that follows Feng Shui principles, and a wellness centre that goes beyond massage and beauty treatments into the realm of meditation and holistic gynecology.