In 2015 I stayed at 80 hotels. But only the ten properties stood out. Nobody paid me to write about these hotels. I did not factor in budget, style or geographic variety to create the list. These are my straight-up favorite hotels (and one rental) of 2015 that offered a truly excellent stay. The properties range from $120 per night to $667 per night. Below them are 17 honorable mentions which were also great stays. And below that is the entire list of 80 hotels I stayed at arranged in chronological order of when I stayed at them.
My Ten Best
1.Hiiragiya, Kyoto, Japan
This is best property I’ve stayed at, ever. Kyoto’s 28-room, sixth generation family owned ryokan dates back to 1818 and is everything a hotel should be and so very much more. The attention to detail is painfully correct. The sublimely perfect breakfast and elaborate kaiseki dinner are served on handcrafted Kiyomizu ceramics and elegant lacquerware. It’s served to you in your tatami mat floored room by fluent English speaking staff member, a rarity in Japan. No two rooms here are alike. Features include folding screens made of painted gold leaf or handmade paper, lacquered bathrooms, reed ceilings, antique writing boxes inlaid with mother-of-pearl, hand-carved transoms, papered shoji windows and sliding fusuma doors. The courtyard adjacent to my room had a private garden where I watched warblers gently eating berries form a shrub. But what really struck me during my two-night stay in April was the ryokan’s ability to relax a fussy, ADD traveler like me. After one-hour in my room, I was instantly subdued. Hiirigiya is right in the middle of the city, but I felt miles away from it. That’s an art form not easily pulled off but I wish more properties would follow suit. Rooms from $275
2. Hoanib Camp, Wilderness Safari, Namibia
Wilderness Safaris is not just the leader of conservation-based safaris in Africa, but one of the most environmentally friendly hospitality companies in the world. Perhaps, the most. Their portfolio of stylish camps range from basic to luxurious but all have a bona fide emphasis on conservation, like their Desert Rhino Camp which is run in close partnership with the Save The Rhino Trust. In 2014, they opened the Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp which I’d also argue is Africa’s best tented luxury camp. It’s located near the Skeleton Coast in the Namib Desert and shares a facility with dedicated researchers studying desert-adapted elephant and lion. This is research guests are encouraged to partake in, bringing citizen science to a whole new level. During my four nights stay in September I saw both lions and elephants, and also shaggy brown hyenas, cheetah, giraffe, and a staggering variety of plant life like quiver trees, elephant trunks succulents, and Namib Hoodia flowers and birdlife like colorful bee eaters and lilac breasted rollers. But it’s Hoanib’s three dimensional guides—the best in Africa—which push this camp over the top and help guests understand the full picture of African conservation. I learned more about wildlife than I did on the six previous safaris combined. Wilderness is a model both for safari camps and other hospitality brands, and I hope other hospitality brands follow suit. Rooms from $430
Traditionally, the rugged neighbor of the United Arab Emirates has been a place to go to escape luxury, not discover it. But the Sultanate has recently experienced a sandstorm of upgrades especially in the cool, windswept Jebal Akhdar (Green Mountain) region—long inaccessible due to a lack of roads. Here, the new cliff-perched, LEED-certified Alila sits atop Oman’s remote and rusty 2,000-meter high Saiq plateau, where the wind seems to speak poetry and the mountains record it in their cavernous valleys and lofty peaks. Guests are taken on half-day hikes to those same peaks and valleys to find wadis, bright cactus flowers, Egyptian vultures, and Arabian mountain gazelles. The resort itself is built in ophiolite rock and uses traditional Omani Design like pendulous copper incense lanterns and fort-like doorways, handmade pottery from Bahla, and aflaj water irrigation system. It terrace restaurant, Juniper serves up crunch Fatoush Salads, smoky moutabel and vegetable tajine and takes advantage of the hotel’s proximity to Oman’s Fruit Bowl where local dates, pomegranates, peaches and other fruits are grown. The spa emphasizes local ingredients too like juniper berry, frankincense and smoked damask rose water from the nearby ancient capital of Nizwa. But during my four-night stay in spring 2016, my favorite spot turned out to be the resort’s infinity pool edged up against a cliff and offering views of the remote Hajar Mountain valley below. Watch out Aman. Alila is a brand to watch! Rooms from $400
4. Villa Lo Scoglio, Fontane Bianche, Sicily, Italy
This is the only rental property on the list and it was such I had such an incredible 5-night stay in it in June, that I just had to include it. Wish Sicily, an agency specializing in Sicilian villa rentals, has the exclusive on this 1960s villa designed by its former live-in architect. It’s perched atop a promontory surrounded by sparkling turquoise seas and boasts (yes, I said boasts!) seven different verandas to watch it from, one for each day of the week. From it is a private bougainvillea and succulent lined path to the heaving turquoise Med, where you can plunge a tranquil underwater world of colorful fish and urchins (Scoglio) the namesake of the villa and harvested by local divers. The villa’s interior is a midcentury time capsule— Bright poppy Caltagirone ceramics, candy-striped sofas, and a spacious tiled kitchen lent it a certain Liz and Dick era panache. Local highlights nearby included Syracuse, the Vendicari Nature Reserve, the fascinating caves and rock formations at Cava d’Ispica and the baroque Noto, but we found ourselves wanting to go back to the villa early every day because it was so lovely and its own bit of authentic Sicily. Rooms from $150
5. Beach Village Nosoko, Ishigaki, Japan
We stayed on Ishigaki, the southernmost island in Japan’s Okinawa archipelago, for a blustery week in March 2015 and loved the tiny 4-room motel more and more every day. Set back from the ocean, but connected to it via a short path meant we could go on evening or early morning beach walks but more importantly that we could see, hear, and smell, taste and feel the ocean from our deck and stargaze and moon watch at night. The inside was basic, with a kitchenette, and washing machine, and TV. But what made the hotel stay a winner were the kind, intuitive owners, a couple from Tokyo who relocated to Ishigaki. They repeatedly went out of their way to help us enjoy our stay and offered local tips of where to eat and visit, and more importantly, they looked out for us. When it started to rain, the owner removed our clothes from the line so they wouldn’t get wet, they let us know when other guests were checking in, and they gave us a few gift bags of local brown sugar when we left. For an extra $5, guests can use their handy bbq service, which is a pre-stuffed grill with coal, ignited ahead of time and then removed when you’re done with it. Japan is full of cheap luxuries like this, but this was one of our favorites and it made our stay and an otherwise budget motel feel like a luxurious splurge. Rooms from $120
6. Palace Hotel Tokyo, Japan
This iconic hotel opened in 2014 after a multimillion dollar, three-year restoration. Located in Tokyo’s busy Marunouchi district, the 290-room structure has cocoon-like balconies that allow you to lord over the moats of the Imperial Palace and the perfectly symmetrical Mt Fuji in your bathrobe and slippers. Like the other PHT in this city of 28 million, (Park Hyatt Tokyo) this grand Tokyo hotel that rises 20 some odd stories into the sky has a design culture all its own: avocado carpets, pink spring pastels, and a delicate refined touch to every single things inside. During my three nights stay in February, the breakfast—blueberry vinoisseries, salmon Benedict, and truffled eggs—was not only a highlight and one of the best in Tokyo, but a power breakfast scene unlike anything I’ve seen. Dressing up for breakfast is imperative. Rooms from $400
7. Park Hyatt Tokyo, Japan
I’ve stayed at this legendary hotel housed on the upper floors of Pritzker Prize-winning architect Kenzo Tange’s Shinjuku Park Tower three differnt times now, and never tire of it. The exterior may look stark, but a whoosh up the elevators bring you to a rarefied world unlike anywhere I’ve been. The room’s lush turquoise interiors and deep baths designed lovingly by John Morford are still my absolute favorite. But during my 3-night stay in March, I also feel in love again with the meticulously trained staff, the violet and yuzu bath salts the deeply relaxing penthouse spa, and its thermal baths, the skylight lit rooftop pool, the in-lobby art library guests must walk through to access the rooms, the backlit inroom minibars stocked with Hibiki whisky, the beef at New York Grille, the pianist at the bar, the smokers, the couples, the porters and the views of the neon canyon of Shinjuku below make this one of the world’s plushest sky-scraping properties. It’s one of my all time favorite hotels in the world, and it’s never once slipped in service during my three stays over the last five years. And I don’t expect it ever will. Such is the power of PHT. Rooms from $421
8. Otjimbondona, Windhoek, Namibia
The newly opened Otjimbondona, an hour southeast of Namibia’s capital Windhoek, is one of the country’s most stylish new retreats with four villas, each with a private plunge pool overlooking a network of walking trails snaking through the rust red Kalahari sands and camelthorn trees with swings hanging from them. The stylish new resort is owned by a local Namibian couple who know the area’s wildlife inside and out and can take guests out in impromptu safaris. I only stayed for one night in September 2015 which was not enough time to enjoy its charms, but I especially enjoyed its large bathtub, it’s plunge pools, the birdlife around the property and the sundowners during an electric orange and pink sunset at the property’s deckside lounge. Rooms from $667
9. Smyth Hotel, NYC, USA
Located in Tribeca, this dapper 100-room hotel, a member of Thompson Hotels, won me over immediately during a three-night stay in November. Gachot Studios designed the antithesis of NYC’s trendy hotels who seem to force their coolness on you (Ace, NoMad and the Standard) bringing a breath of fresh adult sophistication that made the other New York City hotels seem like a whiney teenager. Leather-lined walls, 1960’s Danish furnishings and understated, clean rooms that deliver a “less is more” feeling that you want in a hotel. Rooms from $295
New hotels directly on Lake Como are rare, so this modernist newcomer that opened in April 2015 is a welcome addition. The 21-room, six-story mini-tower is owned by a local Italian family and a member of Design Hotels. Rather than highlight Hollywood glamour like other Lake Como properties, Filario emphasizes the region’s natural appeal offering guests outdoor activities like kayaking, SUPing (both complimentary), nighttime fishing and vineyard hikes. What’s more, it’s got a private beach (another Lake Como rarity), an infinity pool, and spacious and understated rooms with balconies offering arresting views which I was lucky to experience during a September rainstorm for 1-night this past fall. Interiors were conceived by Milan-based Alessandro Agrati who used custom furniture like minimalist canopy beds and sea-green sofas made by local craftsmen in nearby Cantù, known for its Italian design and artisanship. Rooms from $350
Honorable Mentions:
- Sofitel, Philadelphia, USA
- Four Seasons Dubai, UAE
- Rivalgo, Lago Di Iseo, Sulzano, Italy
- Four Seasons Cap Ferrat, France
- Spectator, Charleston, SC, USA
- Hotel Grimsel Hospiz, Grimselpass, Switzerland
- Novotel, Mainz, Germany
- Nira Alpina, Silvaplana, Switzerland
- Badrutt’s Palace, St. Moritz, Switzerland
- Aman, Tokyo, Japan
- Couvente de la Tourette, Lyon, France
- Shukubo Temple Lodging Sekisho-in, Koyasan, Japan
- Benesse House, Naoshima, Japan
- Hoshinoya, Ishagaki, Japan
- Hotel Inca Real, Cuenca, Ecuador
- Pines and Palms, Islamorada, Florida Keys, USA
- Termas Papallacta, Papallacta, Ecuador
The Contenders: (Hotels I stayed at in 2015)
- Nira Alpina, Switzerland
- Badrutt’s Palace, St Moritz, Switzerland
- Gstaad Palace, Gstaad, Switzerland
- Palace Hotel, Tokyo, Japan
- Vessel Inn, Sapporo, Japan
- Kimamaya, Niseko, Japan
- Park Hotel Miyabitei, Noboribetsu, Japan
- Horohoro Sanso, Date, Japan
- Green Leaf, Niseko, Japan
- Grand Hyatt, Tokyo, Japan
- Park Hyatt Tokyo, Japan
- Airbnb Apartment 1, Nakameguro, Tokyo, Japan
- Uozu Manten Hotel Ekimae, Toyama, Japan
- Okuhinda, Yakushi no yu Honjin Onsen, Takayama, Japan
- Benesse House, Naoshima, Japan
- Airbnb Apartment 2 Nakameguro, Tokyo, Japan
- Hiiragiya Ryokan, Kyoto, Japan
- Shukubo Temple Lodging Sekisho-in, Koyasan, Japan
- Apa Hotel Osaka, Japan
- Hoshinoya, Takatomi, Okinawa, Japan
- Beach Village Nosoko, Ishigaki, Japan
- Aman, Tokyo, Japan
- Aqua Dome, Tirol, Austria
- Hotel Adlers, Innsbruck, Austria
- Anantara Banana Island, Doha, Qatar
- Four Seasons, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
- Alila, Jabal Akhdar, Oman
- Four Seasons, Doha, Qatar
- Novotel, Mainz, Germany
- Hotel Am Weißen Turm, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
- Hotel Bellevue Traben-Trarbach, Germany
- Gallia Excelsior, Milano, Italy
- Rivalgo, Lago Di Iseo, Sulzano, Italy
- Villa Lo Scoglio, Fontane Bianche, Sicily, Italy
- Le Peu Gerard, Les Breuleux, Jura, Switzerland
- Hotel Cappucin, Belfort, France
- Fluela Pass Ospiz Hotel, Fluela Pass, Switzerland
- Hotel Grimsel Hospiz, Grimselpass, Switzerland
- Kameha Grand, Zurich, Switzerland
- Vertigo Hotel, Dijon, France
- Zenitude, Besançon, France
- Best Western, Besançon, France
- Hotel Au Sauvage, Fribourg, Switzerland
- Hotel Londres, Brig, Switzerland
- Kemmeriboden, Emmental, Switzerland
- Hotel Lueg in Kaltacker, Emmental, Switzerland
- Hotel Capri, Mallorca, Spain
- Couvente de la Tourette, Lyon, France
- Hotel Le Corbusier, Marseille, France
- Marguerite du Chai, Peyriac-Minervois, France
- Hotel Fregate, Collioure, France
- Hotel Les Elmes, Banyuls-Sur-Mer, France
- Four Seasons Cap Ferrat, Cap Ferrat, France
- Filario, Lezzeno, Lake Como, Italy
- Hotel Poste, Sedrun, Switzerland
- Venissa, Mazzorbo, Venice, Italy
- JW Marriott Venice, Isola delle Rose, Venice, Italy
- Villa Pam Buffetti, Montefalco, Umbria, Italy
- Castelfalfi, Tuscany, Italy
- Otjimbondona, Kalahari, Windhoek, Namibia
- Hoanib Camp Wilderness Safari, Hoanib, Namibia
- Four Seasons Johannesburg, South Africa
- Linkwasha Wilderness Safari, Linkwasha, Zimbabwe
- Smyth Hotel, New York City, United States
- Dream Hotel Downtown, New York City, United States
- Sofitel, Philadelphia, United States
- Econolodge, Staunton, Virginia, United States
- Spectator, Charleston, South Carolina, United States
- Westin, Jekyll Island, Georgia, United States
- East Winds Rental, Ponce Inlet, Florida, United States
- The Betsy, South Beach, Florida, United States
- Pines and Palms, Islamorada, Florida Keys, United States
- Americas Copacabana, Rio, Brazil
- Pousada Caramanchao, Bonito, Brazil
- Pousada Xaraes, Pantanal, Brazil
- International Hotel Bristol, Sao Paolo, Brazil
- Pappalacta Termal, Pappalacta, Ecuador
- Black Sheep Lodge, Quilotoa, Ecuador
- Hotel Zeus, Riobamba, Ecuador
- Hotel Inca Real, Cuenca, Ecuador
