and dining to rival Michelin-starred restaurants. It was actually the first property
built on Dubai’s renowned palm-shaped archipelago and owns its place with pride.
From afar it has a very Disney-castle look and once you walk through the doors the
fairy tale feel continues. Vast public spaces with grand pillars, elegant restaurants
that feel like they’re from a cruise ship of yore, intricately
tiled bedrooms with
freestanding baths; the list of sumptuous details could go on. Visitors will find
themselves in a mini-city where they can access the next-door waterpark, go to the
spa or wander through the Aquarium. Hotels don’t get much more famous in the
world than this.
Both the highest and one of the most famous hotels in the world, Hong
Kong’s Ritz-Carlton has been located on the 102
nd
to 118
th
storeys of the
International Commerce Centre since 2011. As you’d
expect from such a tall
vantage point, the views over the buzzing city are spectacular and every room
gives you a panoramic picture of Victoria Harbour. It’s so stunning that you could
easily sit in your comfortable-as-a-cloud bed all day watching the world below.
If you do venture out of your room (but the actual city seems too much), then
you’ll find incredible dining options right there. Seriously, how often do you have
to choose between One-Michelin star (Italian) or Two-Michelin star (Cantonese)?
There’s a swimming pool (also with amazing views) to work off all that food; or
you could head to the highest bar in the world for cocktails instead!
From the sleek and modern hotels to the grandly historic, this elegant five-star
hotel in Vienna’s first district is worth visiting only for its stories and its speciality
Sachertorte – even if you can’t stretch to the cost of a room! Opened by the Sacher
confectioner family in the late 19
th
century, Hotel Sacher has had eccentric owners,
risked bankruptcy and appeared in
The Third Man
after Graham Greene was a bar
regular – and these are only a few of the tales associated with its long history.
Nowadays it’s a decadent oasis of
calm in Vienna with vast rooms, sumptuous
décor and antiques lining the hallways. None of that modern minimalism here;
velvet, brocade and gilding are the order of the day. This doesn’t mean it’s fusty,
though: all modern conveniences are in place and the service is second to none.