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The lovely Ooidonk castle, once the home to the Earl of Horne, is one of the finest in the country and is still inhabited by the owner. The castle was involved in numerous conflicts between cities during the 14th and 15 century and saw its fair share of religious wars during the 16th century. In 1595 the medieval castle was rebuilt and given its current looks thanks to Maarten della Faille. The outer view, the towers especially, crow-step gables and many chimneys evoke the images of Loire castles such as Chambord. The castle was brought into the modern age in 1870 without removing the original renaissance style and was opened to the public from 1958 on. The castles interior is filled with precious furniture, silver, paintings and family portraits. The successive owners and the current earl Juan t’ Kint de Roodenbeke, have always achieved to maintain the rural panoramic view of the grounds. The gardens are exquisite and worth a visit. Unfortunately we could only see the outside and the gardens due to the fact that the family was in the castle having a reunion. I will however be going back next month to see the interior.

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.

Trafalgar Square dominates the landscape at Charring Cross. It was made to commemorate the Battle of Trafalgar. At the centre is Nelson’s column, which includes a statue of Horatio Nelson, the vice admiral who commanded the British Fleet at Trafalgar. It is flanked by 4 majestic lions. Around the corner, the historic National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery occupy pride of place. They house masterpieces by famed artists including Leonardo Da Vinci, Claude Monet, and J.M.W. Turner. The area around the galleries is full of tourists and locals unwinding after a long day. It is crowded during the day but it is absolutely magical at night once the crowds disperse-perfect for a walk after dinner.

Every January, Tempe, Arizona, serves as the finish line for the thousands upon thousands of runners participating in the Arizona Rock’n’Roll marathon and half-marathon. And so, the question: “Where to eat after the race?” Mill Avenue is the main drag in this college-student-oriented downtown. (ASU’s campus is just a few blocks away.) Drinking-centric chain restaurants dominate, but if you want to find locally-sourced ingredients in a posh interior, check out La Bocca Urban Pizzeria and Wine Bar. Known throughout the Phoenix area for their sangria, they serve a mean plank of bruschetta—a great way to nosh while waiting for wood-fired pizzas to arrive. Perhaps not the clinically “perfect” runners’ recovery meal, but it worked for us! (The particular bruschetta in this photo: roasted baby beets with goat cheese and honey; smoked prosciutto with mascarpone, fig, and truffle oil...) And thank you thank you to fellow AFAR-posters who answered my query that led my friends and me to crash and refuel at this place yesterday afternoon! We DID shower beforehand; the interior is comfy-chic, with a lovely reproduction of a Renaissance portrait gazing out from behind the bar.

New Delhi’s original power hotel, The Imperial opened in 1936 and played host to celebrities and historic figures: It was here, rather than at Connaught Place that Pandit Nehru, Mahatama Gandhi, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, and Lord Mountbatten met to discuss the partition of India and creation of Pakistan. Though renovation has lent a bit of a corporate vibe to the high-ceilinged hallways, the hotel still oozes nostalgia at every turn. A vast museum-worthy collection on display throughout public and private spaces includes life-size oil portraits of princely rulers, statuary, tapestries, old photographs, and British and Indian military and polo regalia. Rooms come in Victorian, Indian heritage, and Art Deco motifs, with marble floors, sumptuous velvet furnishings, and antique rugs. The centerpiece of the palm-studded lawn is a huge, beautifully tiled swimming pool where red-uniformed staff deliver ice-cold drinks to sunbathers in the stultifying heat, but if you prefer a moodier venue for your cocktails, the property has a library-like bar with wood-panelled walls as well as four atmospheric restaurants serving every kind of cuisine. And don’t miss the afternoon tea, enjoyed in the light-filled atrium.

An ivy-covered, 17th-century mansion near the beautiful Place de Vosges is now the site of an intimate, five-star hotel. A favorite of sophisticated travelers who value privacy over hype, Le Pavillon de la Reine (named “Reine” in homage of a stay by Queen Anne of Austria) features striking interiors that blend original architectural details and aristocratic portraits with bright colors and contemporary furnishings. The 56 rooms and suites are similarly posh, with touches like patterned wallpaper and textiles, antique chandeliers, marble mantles, and flower-filled window boxes, plus luxe Codge bath products.

You don’t have to be a guest at El Fenn’s hotel to relish the eclectic surroundings of its gallery and boutique—all ruby red tadelakt around a gleaming silver bar, with a chest-high fireplace and a trompe l’oeil of strutting pink flamingos. As spaces go, it’s a work of art in and of itself. Put it on your list for lunch, dinner, or drinks so that you can also delight in the frequently changing exhibits of contemporary Moroccan and international artworks. Recent highlights featured a showcase of the best of Essaouira art naïf painters and the late, great photographer Leila Alaoui’s moving portraits entitled simply The Moroccans. Peruse the boutique for a carefully curated selection of made-in-Morocco housewares, fashion, and gift items by local designers and artisans before heading upstairs for a long, lazy lunch of market-fresh salads and grilled meat and fish served family style on the rooftop. If it’s too cold for dining alfresco, grab a perfectly crafted negroni from the bar and snag a spot by the fire for an intimate tête-à-tête.

Sometimes called “Milan‘s Sistine Chapel” because of its profusely--and beautifully-- decorated walls and ceilings, San Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore is well worth a visit. The Renaissance paintings commissioned by the Sforza family (the primary sponsors of Leonardo da Vinci), adorn the walls of a cloistered convent founded for noble ladies in the early 16th century. Built on an ancient Roman site, the church was built and decorated in stages over several centuries, every interior wall covered in luminous colors befitting the pomp of Lombard aristocratic taste. In particular, frescoes by Bernardino Luini, student of da Vinci, blend the sacred and the profane, using members of the court as models for portraits of saints. Most of the numerous religious and secular works of the Milanese painter have been lost, so San Maurizio is the best place to see his works. To get the most out of a visit to this little gem of art history, go with a knowledgeable guide. My husband and I toured historical Milan with Ludovic Goudin of Walks of Italy, who offer a variety of tours in Milan. San Maurizio was just one of the fascinating places we visited!.

You can only drink two martinis at the hotel bar at Dukes Hotel in Mayfair. The bartenders won’t serve you any more—that’s how potent they are. This is the place to come in London if you secretly wish you were a member of a gentlemen’s club, and if you want a martini made with all the fanfare—the drinks trolley brought to your table, the bottle, straight from the freezer, shaken as you sit and watch. There are cheaper places to drink, that’s for sure, but do they have green leather armchairs and white-jacketed bartenders and portraits of distinguished 19th-century gentlemen looking at you approvingly from the walls? There’s also a cognac and cigar garden.

What kind of hotel might attract such diverse guests as Pablo Picasso and Elizabeth Taylor, Mata Hari and FDR, Queen Victoria and Jay-Z, Tchaikovsky and the Olsen Twins? The answer is Le Meurice. Opened in 1815 as one of the world’s first five-star hotels, this icon near the Tuileries Garden has long appealed to both the posh and creative sets; its ties to the art world are particularly strong, having hosted Picasso’s wedding dinner and served as Salvador Dalí’s Parisian pied-á-terre for over 30 years.

For recent renovations of the public spaces, interiors guru Philippe Starck and his designer daughter, Ara Starck, took inspiration from Dalí for some of the more playful touches (like the quirky portraits of 18th-century personalities painted on the backs of leather seats). In the 118 rooms and 42 suites, designer Charles Jouffre maintained a French classical style, with traditional and antique furnishings, rich fabrics, Garnier Thiebaut linens, deep-soaking tubs, and—in higher-category rooms like the Pompadour Suite—oak floors and fireplaces.

Conveniently located near the subway, museums, and upscale boutiques and galleries of Toronto’s swish Yorkville neighborhood, the Park Hyatt Toronto originally opened in 1929. Seventy years later, a south tower was added to the hotel, with the art deco–influenced lobby space linking the two. The spacious rooms have a soothing palette of pale peach, dusky pink, beige, and gold. The Annona restaurant has a similarly rich color scheme, boldly decked out in shades of plum and gold, with plush banquettes and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Yorkville. The 18th floor offers sweeping views over Queens Park and the CN Tower, but the main attraction may be the Roof Lounge’s bartender, Joe Gomes: He’s been shaking up cocktails here for the past 50 years, so guests can order a martini from a man who knows how to make them just right. A host of other extras, including complimentary town car service within a five-kilometer radius, free Wi-Fi, and even a kosher kitchen, add to the hotel’s charms.

When the Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia moved out to the Comcast tower, the hotel was transformed into The Logan, a contemporary and city-centric hotel. Guestrooms decorated with unique local artwork have marble bathrooms, Bluetooth connections, and large windows that look out onto Swann Fountain and Logan Square. A variety of suites can suit travelers of various needs, with bunkbed rooms for families, and flexible layouts with Murphy beds for entertainers. The Philadelphia-inspired decor is echoed throughout the hotel, from the lobby chandelier with images of 300 notable residents like Joe Frazier, to the abstract portraits of Grace Kelly outside the elevators. Wrought-iron sculptures lead the way into Urban Farmer steakhouse restaurant, which melds modern industrial and rustic farmhouse design. The Commons lounge serves classic cocktails dating from 1830 to present day, with seating spilling out onto the terrace of the hotel courtyard, as well as inside by the double-sided fireplace for cooler months. In summer, the Assembly Rooftop lounge is the place to enjoy views of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway with a Pennsylvania-brewed beer or house-created shot. The spa has a heated saline pool, a couples’ suite, and a dedicated manicure-and-pedicure area.

Why we love it: An art-filled property that could only exist in Boise

The Highlights:
- Themed guest rooms that look great on Instagram
- An award-winning Italian restaurant
- An impressive art collection that lends a local feel

The Review:
Some upscale hotels feel impersonal, but not the 110-room Inn at 500 Capitol, which approaches interior design with refreshing whimsy. Its 57 themed rooms highlight various hobbies and interests, from the “Flicks Room” with movie star portraits and velvet ropes, to the “Best Friend Room” with dog sculptures and wildlife art. Even the “Standard” rooms are anything but, thanks to gas fireplaces, private balconies, and daybeds built beneath picture windows overlooking the Boise skyline. Hotel staff restock each room’s complimentary snack bar as it’s depleted, and more goodies await in the lobby, including complimentary beer and wine.

Making the inn even more desirable is Richard’s, the on-site restaurant run by Boise icon and James Beard–nominated chef Richard Langston that serves masterful renditions of classic Italian pastas and meats paired with Idaho-grown produce. The hotel also doubles as an art gallery (owner Brian Obie is an avid collector and painter in his own right), with a rotating array of works on loan from the Boise Art Museum, plus permanent pieces by Boise artist JanyRae Seda in the lobby. The kaleidoscopic chandelier that hangs above the entryway and the colorful sconces that fill the hotel are the work of another local artist, Filip Vogelpohl, while the stand of sculpted trees outside—a collaboration between Boise artists Ken McCall, Mark Baltes, and Leslie Dixon—turns the hotel’s doorstep into a city landmark.

Fans of the Montage brand’s Laguna Beach and Beverly Hills flagships will love this mountain version, a ski-in, ski-out hotel wedged into the head of Empire Canyon. The sprawling, Craftsman-style manor debuted in 2010, solidifying Deer Valley’s standing as one of North America’s most luxurious ski resorts. Service shines, starting with the “Mountain Host,” who greets guests in the majestic lobby rotunda. Up the grand staircase, the full-service Vista Lounge acts as a communal living room, with vaulted ceilings, exposed wood beams, floor-to-ceiling windows, and leather furnishings gathered around limestone fireplaces. To further entertain guests, there’s also a museum-quality collection of Western art, including Carl Runguis panoramas, John James Audubon prints, and Frederic Remington portraits.

The hotel’s X-shaped footprint means nearly every room has small deck with mountain or valley views. Averaging around 600 square feet, large guestrooms are airy and inviting with lofted ceilings and soothing natural hues. Remote-controlled gas fireplaces are the centerpiece of each room, though the bath suite with heated limestone floors, marble vanity, rain shower, and soaking tub could occupy your entire evening.

Shanghai’s arts and crafts enclave, Tianzifang, is a labyrinth of narrow lanes bursting with diminutive shops, restaurants, and bars. Most of the shops here are located inside shikumen, stone gatehouses dating to the early 1930s. Gear up for your shopping spree with a coffee alfresco at Kommune before checking out Xingmu Handicraft’s gorgeous handmade leather notebooks or Shanghai Code’s vintage Chinese glasses and watches. Pick up delicate stationery at Dongxi Workshop, Shanghai‘s very first boutique, and head to Sky Music Box for—you guessed it—music boxes from all over the world.