Luxury Hotels

Ramblings are an experiment. Instead of writing these myself, I riff out loud to an AI and have it write up the thoughts. The ideas are mine; the prose isn't.

Ironically, I think great hotels are one of the best deals in travel, even with how much prices seem to have climbed. Think about what a night actually pays for: a room on expensive land in the middle of a city, a building that needs constant upkeep, and a lot of people working around the clock. Spread across every night of the year, that lands at a pretty reasonable rate in most big cities, at least where there's enough competition to keep hotels honest.

The gap between a fine hotel and a great one usually isn't the price. It's the design, the service, the location and the feel of the place. The best ones end up being part of what you remember about a trip.

These are notes on places I've happened to stay, sorted into great, good and overrated. They're personal and incomplete, and plenty of people would disagree. I lean toward hotels with personality and warm service over grand ones with endless amenities.

Great

Ett Hem, Stockholm

Probably my favorite take on what a hotel can be. Ilse Crawford turned old townhouses into something that actually feels like a home. Great materials, intimate common spaces, and none of the usual luxury-hotel stuffiness.

Bulgari Hotel, Shanghai

One of the rare big-city luxury hotels with a real sense of place. The historic Chamber of Commerce building, the Suzhou Creek setting, and the views make it feel distinctly Shanghai.

Four Seasons Hangzhou at West Lake

More like a traditional Chinese garden estate than a hotel. Ponds, courtyards, willow trees, and West Lake right there. A place you actually want to spend time in.

Llao Llao, Bariloche

Hard to beat the setting. Lakes, mountains, forests, and a classic lodge built for the landscape. It doesn't try to be a trendy design hotel, which is part of the appeal.

Capella Taipei

New favorite in Taipei. Replaced Mandarin Oriental for me. Much more boutique, with André Fu's residential feel and more character than the usual big luxury hotel.

Upper House Hong Kong

My favorite in Hong Kong. The location and service both felt better to me than Rosewood's.

Storfjord Hotel, near Ålesund

Tucked into the woods above a fjord, with the Sunnmøre Alps in the distance. Quiet, timber interiors, and a landscape that does most of the work. Exactly what I want from a hotel in Norway.

Montage Kapalua Bay, Maui

A genuinely great resort. Big residence-style rooms, a beautiful setting on Kapalua Bay, and enough room to settle in instead of feeling like you're living out of a suitcase. The property changed operators in March 2026 and is now called The Resort at Kapalua Bay.

The Twenty Two New York

One of the few exciting new luxury hotels in New York. A beautiful old building near Union Square, intimate scale, and real personality. Not another glass-box hotel.

Good

Crosby Street Hotel, NYC

Great SoHo location and interiors. It could have been great, but the service didn't quite match the price when I stayed.

Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills

Excellent views and a polished, modern hotel. A solid choice, though it feels a bit more corporate than the great ones.

Palacio Duhau, Park Hyatt Buenos Aires

Grand and elegant. A good option if you want traditional luxury in Recoleta.

Mandarin Oriental, Taipei

Still a good choice, and Taipei doesn't have many. Capella now edges it out for me.

The PuXuan Hotel and Spa, Beijing

Understated, quietly luxurious, and a solid base in central Beijing. Good without trying too hard.

Upper House Chengdu

A great setting at Taikoo Li, with a restored courtyard and a modern hotel tucked behind it. Good, though I prefer the Hong Kong Upper House.

Andaz Mexico City Condesa

My pick for where to stay in CDMX. Not because of the service or the rooms, but because of the location. Condesa makes the trip.

The PuLi Hotel and Spa, Shanghai

Good, but Bulgari and Capella are significantly nicer. I'd stay here, but it wouldn't be my first choice in Shanghai.

Rosewood Beijing

A good luxury option in Beijing. Much more compelling to me than the Hong Kong Rosewood.

The Capitol Hotel Tokyu, Tokyo

Quiet, understated luxury. A dependable Tokyo hotel without feeling overdone.

Four Seasons Residence Club Aviara, Carlsbad

A place I keep coming back to for longer stays. Spacious residences and an easy pace make it especially good for a few weeks at a time.