Hotels to stay in before you die
7. Park Hyatt, Tokyo
Although it's part of a global chain and served as a backdrop for a major Hollywood film ("Lost in Translation" was shot here), the Park Hyatt Tokyo is a remarkable exhibit of superior service in Asia. From the moment you are whisked away from the chaos of supermodern Tokyo up to the 41st-floor lobby, you enter a carefully pampered private bubble that you may never want to leave. The service here is so exemplary that hotel school students should be sent on field trips to see how it's done right: Bellmen and bartenders remember your name even if you are not a visiting celebrity (and there are many) and execute every request immediately and effortlessly. We love the large rooms that look out onto Mount Fuji and the pulsing city skyline (it's like watching a video game with the sound turned off), as well as the glassed-in 45th-floor swimming pool. At the very top, you can relive Bill Murray's languorous scenes at the New York Bar (pictured), where disconsolate moguls and jet-lagged visiting actors sip Johnny Walker Blue while waiting for their offices to wake up stateside.
Park Hyatt Tokyo
Tel: 81 3 5322 1234
Doubles from $632
8. Le Sirenuse, Positano, Italy
In a time when some of Italy's most famous hotels are being gobbled up by international conglomerates and slick management companies, the small and family-owned Le Sirenuse holds its head high on the Amalfi Coast as a bastion of glamour, luxury, and independent personality. After all, you want Italy, not the corporate approximation of it. Most nights, owners Franco Sersale and son Antonio can be found chatting with guests at the bar or in the restaurant. The family touch is everywhere, from the antiques in the living rooms to the carefully restored private boat, ideal for jaunts to Capri.
Those touches keep this legendary place feeling like the getaway of a well-connected Italian friend instead of a mere hotel. And then there is the location: The 18th-century palazzo sits above the colorful town of Positano, a charming tangle of pastel buildings and church domes leading to the shimmer of the sea below. Two caveats: You must must must get a room with a view of the Mediterranean (the higher the floor, the better) or it's just not worth the money, and don't book a trip in vastly overcrowded August. Consider instead April and May, when the weather is sunny but cool and the tourist troupes haven't arrived for the summer circus. Now that's Italy.
Le Sirenuse
Tel: 39 089 875 066
Doubles from $508; sea-view doubles from $915
9. Four Seasons, New York City
Of all the must-do cities in the world, New York is especially blessed with superb and stylish hotels in phenomenal locations, including the Mandarin Oriental on Columbus Circle, the Mercer in Soho, and the Carlyle on the Upper East Side. But in this city of giants, the Four Seasons tops them all for its ability to channel the sense of vigor and privilege that pervades Manhattan. The West 57th Street address is sublime: You're surrounded by the corridors of world power, as well as the designer emporiums that line Madison and Fifth avenues. The concierge is legendary for fielding last-minute requests (just try getting into Per Se at the last minute on your own), and a huge and efficient database keeps repeat guests' fancies on file. And with the arrival of L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon a couple of years ago (if you haven't tried his mashed potatoes, you haven't lived), the property draws foodies who usually keep south of 14th Street.
Four Seasons New York
Tel: 800 819 5053 (toll-free)
Tel: 212 758 5700
Doubles from $995
10. Banyan Tree Maldives Madivaru, the Maldives
Each of us should one day fulfill the fantasy of the desert island (preferably without Tattoo yelling about planes). Consider the Banyan Tree Maldives Madivaru your own tropical idyll in the Indian Ocean. With only six units and up to 18 guests at a time, the four-acre private island of Madivaru becomes your personal playground. Luxury camping is a big travel trend right now, and this Banyan Tree proves that tents don't necessarily equal roughing it—you get queen-size beds, plunge pools, deep-soak bath tubs, outdoor showers, and teak decks. Each villa comes with a personal butler, and you can have massages and facials in your own room. But the highlight of the place is the natural beauty of the coral atoll, with white sand beaches and turquoise, crystal-clear water that's home to turtles, dolphins, and parrot fish. Sunset cruises, deep-sea fishing, scuba diving, and snorkeling safaris are among the ways to discover the marine neighborhood. And while the resort has a restaurant, to really get the (five-star) Robinson Crusoe experience, take your meals on your private veranda or on a deserted beach nearby. It will make you wish you could stay an island castaway forever.
Banyan Tree Maldives Madivaru
Tel: 960 666 0760
Villas from $3,900, including meals and excursions
11. Oberoi Udaivilas, Udaipur, India
So your friends say they're not sure about going to India? If they could only get a load of you now, overlooking the gorgeous Lake Pichola from your perch in a magnificent palace fit for a maharaja. In fact, some of the world's best hotels are packed into the country, especially around the northern desert region of Rajasthan. Our pick: Oberoi Udaivilas. Built in 2002, it feels like it's been on the lake for centuries, especially with its series of turrets and fountains that could be plucked out of the Mewar period. The design is equal parts sublime and decadent, with gold-leaf domes, exquisite chandeliers, and gorgeous Indian textiles. The grounds are enormous—30 acres—and include an animal sanctuary with peacocks that parade through the gardens. Ask for a Premier Lake View room with a private patio overlooking the water and steps that lead right into a semiprivate pool (five suites come with completely private ones). Not to be missed: a sunset boat trip around the lake followed by a private dinner on a floating dock—it'll make you the star in your own Bollywood flick.
Oberoi Udaivilas
Tel: 91 294 243 3300
Doubles from $745
12. Claridge's, London
Boom! London is back, the new global capital of, well, capital—bristling with energy, confidence, and cash. The problem with big cities like London is it's easy to feel that energy is passing you by. Without connections, you just might find yourself crammed into a tiny hotel room and eating pub grub. No worries whatsoever when you place yourself in the hands of the staff at Claridge's. No hotel better exemplifies this new injection of British cool. At the center of Mayfair, a storied residential neighborhood recently reinvented with a spate of fashionable boutiques and restaurants, the Art Deco gem maintains old-school traditions like afternoon tea, uniformed elevator attendants, and discreet service. But it also injects an exhilarating dose of modern style: a Champagne bar so hip that Kate Moss hosted her 30th there, 21 new suites designed by the Queen's nephew David Linley, and Gordon Ramsay's flagship (and still best) restaurant. Other draws: one of the best dry martinis in the city at the Fumoir bar, and Thomas Keatley, the concierge, who has been taking care of high-maintenance requests for 30 years. London is rocking, and you will be, too.
Claridge's
Tel: 44 207 629 8860
Tel: 866 599 6991 (toll-free)
Doubles from $1,080
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