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On a tree-studded peninsula between Monaco and Nice, this whitewashed luxury boutique hotel features 28 rooms and suites with a serenely chic vibe (think crisp white linens and richly patterned textiles, contemporary art and modern streamlined furnishings). A third of the units reside in the hotel’s main building, a mansion that dates back to 1889 but was fully restored and updated in 2003, and three additional rooms designed to resemble ship cabins are built into a wall with direct views onto the sea; the rest of the accommodations are housed in a quiet Italianate structure and a separate edifice at the edge of the property. Cap Estel’s Michelin-starred restaurant highlights seasonal ingredients, many of which are sourced from the on-site gardens. Guests who come to disconnect from the jet-set scene can relax in the hammam or waterside sauna, or with a massage and dip in the saltwater pool, though many guests would just as soon head straight into the azure waves of the Mediterranean, accessed through the hotel’s private beach.

Commissioned and built by Icelandic wrestler Johannes Josefsson in the 1920s, Hotel Borg was one of Iceland’s first high-end hotels. Almost a century on—and despite a thoroughly modern refurbishment—it still exudes an atmosphere of old-world sophistication, with impeccably mannered staff and stately Art Deco touches such as globe lamps and brass-and-wood railings. The rooms combine comfortable leather chairs, polished parquet floors, and vintage photos of Reykjavik with modern conveniences such as Philippe Stark fittings in the marble bathrooms and Samsung smart TVs in the suites and superior rooms. The location is unbeatable: right next to the Icelandic parliament on pretty Austurvöllur Square, with ample opportunities to explore the city’s culture or world-famous nightlife.

It can be a delicate balancing act, offering the luxury that adults expect of a five-star property while keeping kids entertained and happy. But Le Bonne Entente, sited on a former 120-acre estate about seven miles southwest of Old Québec, hits all of the sweet spots that families look for. Nearly a third of its 160 rooms are suites, making them great choices for families who want a little extra room or privacy. On the grounds, surrounded by well-tended gardens, the seasonal swimming pool is a popular hangout on warm summer days (the hot tub is open year-round). In a lovely court beyond the pool, several unique triple-hammock structures are a perfect place to retreat for some outdoor peace and quiet. Guests have exclusive use of La Tempête Golf Club, as well as a Fun Club for kids up to age 18, providing a home theater, video games, and even a special rest area with beds so parents can sneak away to enjoy a late dinner at MC Lounge, the hotel’s cozy steakhouse.

Puerto Vallarta, on Mexico’s Pacific coast, no longer lacks small, design-driven hotels. Located in the city’s Old Town, Amapa has 55 guest rooms that display Mexican weavings by fiber artist Mariella Motilla and hammocks handmade in the Yucatán peninsula. From $200. This appeared in the May/June 2018 issue.

After 80 some odd years as one of Houston’s most lauded and refined hotels, the historic Warwick Hotel went from Bach to rock, when new owners gave it a slick makeover and renamed it Hotel ZaZa in 2007. A bold beacon in the Museum District, the dimly lit hotel is a virtual playground for adults, with daring decor, baroque details, and an outdoor pool with private piazza-themed cabanas. While it maintains much of its original 1920s architectural elegance and details, including Baccarat chandeliers, the interior walls are splashed with modern art and iconic editorial-photo shots of beloved celebs.

Many rooms and event spaces are themed, including the space-inspired “Houston, We Have a Problem” Suite and the Conspiracy Room, which nods to Prohibition. A recent refresh includes newly renovated 11^th-floor meeting rooms, new mattresses, new carpet, spa and fitness center upgrades (including treatment room tweaks and the addition of innovative infrared saunas), and new in-room flat-screen TVs. Bottom line: even an overnight stay feels like a true escape.

The first true boutique hotel on L.A.’s east side, the Hotel Covell fits into its trendy Los Feliz neighborhood so well that it feels like it should have been there for years. Created by a veteran of the Los Angeles bar and restaurant scene, the nine-room hotel takes its inspiration from a fictional character’s life: George Covell, an imaginary writer, started out in Oklahoma in the 1930s and ’40s before dividing his time between New York and Paris, where his daughter Isabel grew up. Each distinctively (and painstakingly) decorated suite is based on a place George or Isabel lived, from a rustic-chic Oklahoma house to a 1970s Parisian apartment.

Open since 2001, the hotel pays homage to Houston’s rich roots in the oil industry with black granite lobby floors and a vast collection of Texas wildcatter images by famed photographer Arthur Meyerson. A wildcatter is a nickname for a person who does exploratory drilling, and the hotel’s name is a variation on an oil “derrick” drilling rig.

Streamlined and modern, the property underwent a multimillion-dollar renovation after Destination Hotels acquired it in 2012. Guest rooms have a neutral palette with bold accent colors, graphic textiles, and contemporary furnishings including platform beds and banquette seating. Expansive windows with city views are standard. The business center is open 24 hours, and the pet-friendly property has a “Wag Lounge” for guest dogs.

Hotel Victor, located along buzzing Ocean Drive in South Beach originated in the 1930s as one of the original art deco Gregorian style buildings that drape the streets of Miami Beach. This year, the hotel went through a full renovation, upgrading all guestrooms and public spaces. “Every piece of furniture was designed specifically for this hotel,” says Claudia Marulanda, director of sales/marketing. The color palate transitioned from dark purples, reds and blacks to softer shades of violet, ivory and cream. The expansive lobby space uses soft woods and chrome furnishings. While lounging in one of the new cabanas in the recently-renovated pool deck, enjoy sweeping views of the sandy beaches and candy colored buildings along Ocean Drive. Head out onto the streets on rentable bikes that are available through the concierge. Within the next few months, Hotel Victor will expand its lobby space and debut Sushi Mi Casa restaurant and renovations to Bice Italian restaurant. The independent owners also required ownership of the iconic Versace Mansion, which will be the new home for special meetings and events for hotel guests.

Situated at the base of the Park City slopes, this Autograph Collection Hotel (part of Marriott International) exudes an old-world ski-resort vibe, with a grand lobby featuring soaring ceilings, exposed-wood beams, and a stone fireplace surrounded by leather club chairs. The same rustic elegance extends to the 100 suites, each of which comes with its own fireplace, jetted tub, and private balcony or patio for enjoying a glass of wine alongside views of the Wasatch Mountains or 18-hole Park City Golf Course. Start the day with some laps at the outdoor heated pool or hit the slopes, then experience après-ski bliss in the 10,000-square-foot spa, which includes herbal-infused steam rooms, a dry cedar sauna, and recovery treatments like a therapeutic mineral soak and reflexology foot massage. There are also two on-site restaurants—Ruth’s Chris Steak House and the more casual Bandannas Bar & Grill, where you can pair quinoa burgers with local brews.

A trailblazer of the boutique hotel scene, Hotel ZaZa has become a Texas-grown mini-chain over the last decade, with two properties in Houston and one in Austin. But this Uptown outpost remains a true original. The Mediterranean-inspired main building houses the bulk of the 168 accommodations, which include well-sized rooms with generous seating areas, plush king beds and, in some, private balconies. The real ZaZa flair, however, is reflected in the higher categories: 19 Concept Suites are done up in styles like “Bohemia,” “West Indies,” “Opium,” and “Shag-a-Delic;” upgrade further to a super-sized Magnificent Seven Suite (in themes like “Leonardo,” “Crouching Tiger,” and “Rock Star”), or one of the 12 one- and two-bedroom Bungalows, which are set in a 1930s-era former home away from the main hotel and feature individual touches like a vintage 1960s VW Bug tailgate, a 1940s TV fitted into a wooden cabinet, and furniture and artwork handpicked from around Texas. Guests of all rooms have access to free champagne and snacks in the lobby, the ZaSpa wellness retreat and gym, the lively Dragonfly restaurant, and the cabana-ringed pool, which turns into a party scene with DJs spinning after 10 p.m. Another ZaZa signature is the “Magic Carpet Ride,” the hotel’s version of a complimentary house car, which ferries you within five miles of the property in a decommissioned highway patrol car or a Cadillac hearse.

Copenhagen’s grandest hotel, and one of its oldest, the d’Angleterre originally opened in 1755 as a restaurant, the brainchild of Jean Marchal and Maria Coppy, who met and fell in love while working at the royal court. The current building, on Kongens Nytorv, across from the Royal Danish Theatre, was renovated and reopened in the 1870s and has hosted royalty, foreign dignitaries, luminaries, and celebrities throughout the years. The hotel reopened in 2013 after extensive renovations, restored to its original glory and luxury, with each room decked out in elegant Danish design intended to give the feeling of a stately private residence worthy of royalty. Antiques and historic works of art like a portrait of Queen Victoria by Winterhalter demonstrate the hotel’s dedication to its heritage, while modern touches like a Warhol portrait of Queen Margrethe II and the latest modern technology in all rooms keep it contemporary and accessible.

The insistence on luxury is also apparent in the eateries: a Michelin-starred restaurant and a champagne bar are both as popular with locals as with guests

A 10-minute walk from downtown Scottsdale, the Hotel Valley Ho, its name most likely inspired by the long-ago repurposed Westward Ho (once the area’s premier hotel), has the kind of riches-to-rags-to-riches story that makes the crowd hanging around the pool on weekends not just hip but part of history. Opened in 1956, it featured a futuristic design of red-tinted concrete, stone, and glass—and a well-connected owner—that quickly made it a magnet for movie stars like Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood, who held their wedding reception here. But as the Hollywood crowd knows best, fame wanes, and the hotel eventually reached such a low point that it was nearly torn down. It was saved due to its historic significance, and after a massive renovation that preserved many original elements, it re-emerged in 2006 not only with its trendy reputation revived, but also as one of the country’s best examples of mid-century hotel architecture. (The seven-story tower block was part of the original design but not built until the renovation.) Guest rooms are bright with colors that wouldn’t be out of place on South Beach. And the pool is still the place to be.

A Greek Revival family mansion built at the turn of the 20th century, Hotel Ella owes both its name and its grandeur to its very first lady of the house, Ella Wooten. Known for her impeccable style and grand tastes, Ella was a fixture of Austin high society who hired the stone carver responsible for the Biltmore Estate to craft her house’s columns and verandas and worked with Neiman Marcus’ Stanly Marcus to redecorate the interiors in 1925.

Nowadays, Hotel Ella pays homage to her good taste with fashionably understated decor, a locally sourced restaurant, and an art collection that the original proprietress would have coveted. Works include original Ansel Adams photographs and Wooten family portraits and jewelry. The owners pride themselves on making guests feel just as pampered as Ella might have, with perks like a free town car service—even though the hotel is within walking distance of downtown—and a concierge team for whom no request is too much.

From the dusty street, the Hotel El Convento in León, Nicaragua, beckons with its stately façade and red Spanish-tiled roof. Step inside and you instantly feel at home amidst ornate period furnishings that are surely a far cry from the building’s humble beginnings as the 1639 San Francisco Convent. The elegant Restaurante El Victoriano offers an indoor-outdoor retreat centered on the hotel’s manicured, tropical courtyard—an example of the colonial hacienda style found throughout León. The restaurant is a meeting place for people from all walks of life—aged former Sandinistas who now hold positions of leadership, locals splurging on a fine meal, or foreign students from one of the city’s many Spanish language schools seeking tranquility and an excellent cup of coffee.

Part of the Dorchester Collection, this Palace-designated hotel is deeply connected to its setting on the avenue Montaigne, the historic home of haute couture in the Triangle d’Or (Golden Triangle). Just across the street, Christian Dior opened his first shop in 1946 then showed his inaugural collection at the hotel. To this day, the subterranean Dior Spa (currently under renovation before a September relaunch) celebrates the link to the designer. The 154 guest rooms and 54 suites are likewise imbued with a chic couture vibe, whether you choose the classical style or newly renovated art deco rooms, punctuated with pops of red to echo the facade’s geranium-filled window boxes.