The world’s eight ultimate luxury hotels for your bucket list

Forget glittering chandeliers, high-thread count linens, dining rooms decked out in gold leaf. What lifts a hotel into the top tier of luxury is the way it makes you feel. These properties all have their own style but each one creates a lasting impression (but you’ll need to say “to hell with the cost of living” if you want to stay in one).

Hotel Plaza Athénée, Paris, France

Attention to detail is why guests keep returning to the 100-year-old Hotel Plaza Athenee Paris.

It has the most famous hotel facade in Paris, but the thing that strikes you most when you pull up outside the Hotel Plaza Athénée is not those distinctive red awnings. No, it’s the fact that the doorman who opens your car door will greet you by name – even if this is your first stay. That attention to detail is the reason that guests who can afford to stay anywhere they like keep returning to this 100-year-old hotel.

Choose between the art deco rooms and the classic interiors (we prefer the timeless elegance of the latter), but a coffee in the elegant La Galerie is essential. The hotel also rejoices in one of Paris’ best, and most beautiful, dining rooms, Jean Imbert au Plaza Athénée. If you can’t afford the multi-course dinner, breakfast is served in the same resplendent room.
Rooms from about $3000 a night. See dorchestercollection.com

Shinta Mani Wild, Cambodia

Cambodia is better known for its ancient temples than its forests, but Shinta Mani Wild is helping to change that. Everything about this sumptuous tented camp is over-the-top, from the arrival experience – guests are encouraged to take the zip line over the tree tops – to the uber-luxe riverside tents, each one equipped with a hand-carved bed, a complimentary bar (trust us – there is nothing mini about it), and an expansive deck complete with roll-lipped tub. Creator Bill Bensley conceived this as a conservation project and the forest-based activities include not just hikes and orchid walks but the chance to accompany rangers on their anti-poaching patrols. And if that’s not enough to win you over, daily spa treatments are included in the tariff.
Rooms from about $4200 a night. See shintamani.com/wild/

The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel, New York, USA

Jackie Kennedy. Michael Jackson. Princess Diana. George Clooney. Celebrities have been flocking to The Carlyle for decades and this Upper East Side Stalwart remains as alluring as ever. The location, two blocks from Central Park, is excellent, but it’s the old-school service (where else will you find elevator operators wearing white gloves?) that really sets the mood. The hotel is anything but stuffy – it is home to one of New York’s best cabarets, Café Carlyle, where the likes of Alan Cumming take to the stage. Another highlight: the legendary Bemelmans Bar, which has a Mad Men-style ambience and gorgeous murals by Ludwig Bemelman, the creator of the Madeline children’s books.
Rooms from about $1600 a night. See rosewoodhotels.com

Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur, India

Wherever you go in India you will end up tripping over ornate palace hotels but if romance is on the menu, the Taj Lake Palace is top of the list. Floating in Lake Pichola the palace, built almost 300 years ago for the local Maharana, has 360-degree views and a sense of splendid isolation, yet a boat trip of just a few minutes puts you right in the heart of the historic city. The rooms are sumptuous (opt for one of the heritage suites if your wallet is up to the task) and four restaurants give guests a choice of Indian, Asian, Italian and western cuisine. For a night to remember, ask to have a private table set up in one of the palace’s picturesque corners.
Rooms from about $660 a night. See tajhotels.com

JK Place Roma, Italy

Credit: Christos Drazos

Five-star hotels aren’t always about opulent lobbies and buzzing rooftop bars. Sometimes you want something that feels more low-key without dialling down the luxe. J.K. Place Roma fits the bill. Arriving here feels like arriving at the home of a fabulously wealthy friend. Check-in is conducted over coffee (or champagne, if you prefer) in the inviting lounge; a hidden lift takes you up to your room where the décor is lush yet restrained. The location, in a quiet side street within walking distance of both the Spanish Steps and Piazza Navona, is convenient; the friendly service goes over and above.
Rooms from about $1500 per night. See jkroma.com

Aman Tokyo, Japan

Having perfected the art of the tropical resort, Aman chose Tokyo as the location for its first urban retreat, creating the perfect hideaway in the buzzing Japanese capital. Located on the top six levels of a skyscraper, architect Kerry Hill used traditional Japanese design to turn designed Aman Tokyo into a haven of serenity. The oversized rooms feature materials including stone, wood and washi paper, while the top floor spa – complete with a pool with a view – allows you to discover a deeper level of relaxation. The restaurants are superb – book ahead to dine at Musashi, where eight diners take a seat at a hinoki wood counter to enjoy carefully-crafted sushi.
Rooms from about $3000 a night. See aman.com

Four Seasons Desroches Island, Seychelles

Credit: Four Seasons Desroches Island

With 14km of white sand beaches and some of the most sweeping sunsets anywhere on the planet, Desroches Island is the tropical island of your dreams. The only resort on the island, Four Seasons Resort Seychelles at Desroches Island is designed to let you drink in your surrounds. Chill out in your sprawling villa, pay a visit to the resident population of the indigenous giant Aldabra tortoises, or enjoy the sensational diving or snorkelling. Sunset drinks on the rooftop followed by an al fresco dinner is the best way to end the day. During the nesting season, your dinner may be interrupted by a staffer inviting you to watch turtles coming ashore to lay their eggs.
Rooms from about $3400 a night. See fourseasons.com

Ham Yard Hotel, London, UK

Credit: Simon Brown

London’s grand hotels do a nice line in old-school splendour but if you prefer something a little less predictable, Soho’s Ham Yard Hotel offers a more contemporary take on luxury. The village-style set-up of this Firmdale Hotels flagship gives guests a lot to discover, from a cinema and multiple restaurants to a bowling alley, as well as some delightful guests-only areas. Best of all are Kit Kemp’s dazzling interiors. An inspired jumble of colours and textures, there is something to catch your eye no matter where you look, from fabric wallpapers to distressed wood cabinets to an extraordinary array of artworks.
Rooms from about $1000 per night. See firmdalehotels.com