My personal hotel hall of fame
My top 5 favorite stays plus my insider tips and perfect day itineraries for each stay
This is From the Window Seat, a series of deeply researched, design-forward dispatches for people who believe in the art of traveling well. From immersive itineraries to standout hotel reviews, each one offers everything you need to experience a place—or a property—with intention and great taste.
Some hotels are a place to sleep. Others are the reason you book the trip.
If you’re anything like me, the hotel is the destination—or at the very least, the inspiration. That’s how I planned my first-ever bucket list trip to the South of France—with a hotel that I plucked off my vision board into my reality—and this has been my trip-planning philosophy ever since.
My favorite hotels have a point of view. There’s always a strong visual identity, design that feels soulful, intentional, and editorial without trying too hard. Intimate in scale and steeped in atmosphere, they offer seclusion without isolation, inviting you to spend entire days on the property and still feel like you’ve only just scratched the surface. You feel transported emotionally. And the service? It’s warm and anticipatory. The very best of them create moments of genuine connection: places where people actually gather, meet each other, become new friends.
Below, I’m breaking down my top five perfect stays so far—those hotels that have the “I could stay forever” factor—along with:
My Personal pro tips
A perfect day itinerary
Best time to go
How I booked
What kind of trip it’s best for
A log line for the property
Across countless check-ins, these are the hotels that have stayed with me long after I returned the room key.