All around the world, bold new lodgings are luring discerning travelers in search of beauty, glamour, and the unexpected. These 22 destinations—the winners of AD’s 2025 Great Design Hotel Awards—reward the journey.

Ace Hotel & Swim Club

Athens

Ace Hotel Athens.

Set in a Brutalist building, this Aegean newcomer harks back to the 1970s heyday of the Athens Riviera, with interiors by the French studio Ciguë that put a fresh twist on Greek beach chic. Think a front desk hewn from Dionysos marble and sconces in the shape of harpies.

Avantgarde Refined Caves of Cappadocia

Türkiye

Avantgarde Refined Caves of Cappadocia.

 Courtesy of Avantgarde Refined

In the land of cave dwellings, this cliffside sanctuary raises the luxury bar with accommodations by Studio Efe Aydar. Sinuous light fixtures, modeled after the topography, shine in shipshape rooms that, though modern, feel quintessentially of the place.

Banyan Tree Veya, Valle de Guadalupe

Mexico

Photo: Fernando Marroquin

Following the path of the sun, architect Michel Rojkind integrated this 16-acre wellness complex (complete with a flower-shape winery and a temazcal) into the terrain. Interiors by Smarq Arquitectura and a spa by Grupo UBK further evoke the landscape.

Capella Taipei

Taiwan

Capella Taipei.

 Courtesy of Capella Taipei

André Fu has designed a world unto itself, spanning five restaurants, a three-level bar, an ultra-indulgent spa, and more. Hushed colors, soft curves, and refined woodwork realize his vision of a modern mansion.

Cheval Blanc Seychelles

Seychelles

Cheval Blanc Seychelles.

 Photo: Romain Réglade

Architectural designer Jean-Michel Gathy conceived this far-flung, all-villa getaway as a love letter to both the island vernacular and the spectacular scenery. Natural textures, airy volumes, and clean lines make for a bliss-inducing, indoor/outdoor vibe.

Collegio Alla Querce, Auberge Resorts Collection

Florence

Collegio alla Querce.Courtesy of Collegio alla Querce, Auberge Resorts Collection

When creating its first Italian hotel, Auberge Resorts Collection took its cues from the site: an erstwhile school, dating back some 250 years, with its own chapel, library, and theater. Historic bones, refreshed in a muted vernal palette, offer a serene backdrop to contemporary riffs on la dolce vita.

Gundari

Folegandros, Greece

Gundari.

 Photo: Martha Vosdou

Tucked on 80 acres, this Cycladic getaway eschews blue-and-white tropes in favor of a modern design by the Athens-based studio Block722. Rugged, elegant, understated—the clifftop suites and villas all thoughtfully defer to the extraordinary surroundings.

Hotel Humano

Puerto Escondido, Mexico

Hotel Humano.Hotel Humano © Rafael Funciono / ©Edmund Sumner

Kick off your shoes at this surfer’s paradise, a cluster of brawny yet breezy buildings by architect Jorge Hernández de la Garza, with interiors by Plantea Estudio. Latticed façades, lush plants, and humble materials (concrete, tile, brick) heighten the beachy vibes.

Hotel Saint Augustine

Houston

Hotel Saint Augustine.

 Photo: Nicole Frazen

The hitmakers at Bunkhouse enlisted Lake Flato architects and Post Company to collaborate on this alluring urban retreat, whose residential-style interiors allude to nearby landmarks like the Menil Collection and Rothko Chapel.

Maison Heler

Metz, France

Maison Heler.

 Photo: Julius Hirtzberger/Maison Heler

Philippe Starck based this hotel on a fictional character whose house (a fanciful spin on 19th-century Lorraine architecture) crowns an eight-story building. Guests are invited to enter his mind as they explore eclectic interiors brimming with literary ephemera and surrealistic touches.

Mandarin Oriental Qianmen

Beijing

Mandarin Oriental Qianmen, Beijing

 Courtesy of Mandarin Oriental Qianmen, Beijing

Steps from the Forbidden City, this urban wonder occupies a group of restored hutong dwellings, transporting visitors back to a bygone era of local tradition. Each of the 42 courtyard guesthouses—revived by Cheng Chung Design—has a unique layout, their rooms complementing woodwork with stone carvings of auspicious motifs.

The Manner

New York City

The Manner.

 Photo: Chris Mottalini

Go big or go home—that was the mandate for Hannes Peer when devising this new high-end concept from Standard International. Working with Verena Haller, the brand’s chief design officer, he transformed a SoHo building into an oasis of glamour, with glass-and-steel chandeliers, lacquered headboards, and hat tips to Gio Ponti and Carlo Mollino.

Nekajui, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve

Guanacaste, Costa Rica

Nekajui, Ritz Carlton Reserve.Courtesy of Ritz-Carlton

On Peninsula Papagayo, this newcomer juxtaposes luxe lodgings in styles both hacienda-inspired and contemporary. (10 Design and Gensler oversaw the architecture while BAMO handled the interiors.) Joining the mix are tree-top tents by glamping pioneer Luxury Frontiers. Choose your own adventure.

Orient Express La Minerva

Rome

Orient Express La Minerva.

 Photo: Alexandre Tabaste

Tasked with designing the first Orient Express hotel, AD100 maestro Hugo Toro updated this 17th-century property with Art Deco homages, bespoke furnishings, and loving nods to the Eternal City. A statue of Minerva, goddess of wisdom, presides over the lobby.

Palazzo Talìa

Rome

Palazzo Talìa.

 Photo: Giulio Ghirardi

Studiolucaguadagnino, the interior-design brainchild of the Oscar-nominated director, sets the mood at this 16th-century edifice, formerly a local college. Common spaces reveal his cinematic touch, whether in the case of the custom Nigel Peake carpet that swirls up the staircase or the verdant handmade tile now crowning the spa’s historic dome.

Populus

Denver

Populus Denver.

 Photo: Yoshihiro Makino

Eye-catching and energy-efficient, this 13-story tower by Studio Gang takes inspiration from Colorado’s native Aspen trees, with concrete panels the color of bark, columns reminiscent of trunks, and fenestration that invokes the dark markings left by shed branches. Interiors by Wildman Chalmers Design and Fowler Architecture and Design continue the biophilic narrative.

Raffles Sentosa

Singapore

Raffles Sentosa Island.Courtesy of Raffles Hotels & Resorts

Away from the city’s hustle and bustle, Raffles has expanded its local footprint with this island wellness resort, designed by Yabu Pushelberg. Finely appointed villas—each with its own pool—settle into the lush hilltop, overlooking the South China Sea. The spa is a treasure all its own.

Ran Baas, The Palace

Punjab, India

Ran Baas, The Palace.

 Photo: Avesh Gaur

Following an extensive restoration by architect Abha Narain Lambah, this centuries-old royal guesthouse has emerged as India’s most talked-about heritage hotel. A carved-sandstone naqqar khana gateway ushers guests into the sprawling complex, a mix of Mughal, Rajput, and colonial styles.

Rosewood Mandarina

Nayarit, Mexico

Rosewood Mandarina.

 Photo courtesy of Rosewood Mandarina

The Six Bells Countryside Inn

Rosendale, New York

The Six Bells Countryside Inn.Photo: Kate Jordan

The banal minimalism of everyday Pinterest boards has no place at this 1850s boarding house, newly reimagined by Audrey Gelman in collaboration with design firm GrecoDeco as an extension to her Six Bells retail concept. Here, edges err on the side of ruffled, patterns tend toward the whimsical, and Tyrolean touches abound in 11 rooms and suites, not to mention the cozy tavern

Stockholm Stadshotell

Stockholm Stadshotell.Photo: Christoph Kallweit / Courtesy Stockholm Stadshotell

Wilderness Bisate Reserve

Rwanda

Bisate Reserve.

 Photo: Felix Photography / Bisate Reserve

Devised by Nicholas Plewman Architects and interior designer Câline Williams-Wynn, this intimate camp (just four villas, all with daring thatched roofs) offers a one-of-a-kind base for exploring Volcanoes National Park. From $4,578; wildernessdestinations.com/africa/rwanda/volcanoes-national-park/bisate-reserve