Where Luxury Has Moved On
How many words have been written about luxury? Yes, these are exceptional hotels, often five-star—but forget the gold taps and formality for formality’s sake. Today’s luxury can mean space, privacy and extraordinary service, but also simplicity, authenticity and the freedom to do things your own way. Breakfast at noon, a brilliant bed, someone remembering your name without making a performance of it. These are hotels where luxury is defined by how the experience feels, not by how much marble is in the lobby.
Hotel ICON, Hong Kong, China A five-star hotel, design laboratory and hospitality school rolled into one Why DNA Hotels Loves It ● Owned by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, ICON is both a luxury hotel and a real-world laboratory for the next generation of hospitality professionals. ● Patrick Blanc’s spectacular 18-metre vertical garden brings more…
read moreShangri-La Shougang Park – Beijing, China An abandoned steelworks transformed by Lissoni & Partners into a monumental garden of glass, steel and industrial memory. Why DNA Hotels Loves It ● Lissoni & Partners preserves the enormous concrete walls, steel trusses and industrial scale of the former Shougang steelworks rather than disguising them. ● A spectacular…
read moreVik Chile – Colchagua Valley, Chile A shimmering hilltop retreat where architecture, contemporary art and one of Chile's most ambitious vineyards become inseparable. Why DNA Hotels Loves It ● Architect Marcelo Daglio's extraordinary bronzed titanium roof ripples above the hilltop like another range of mountains, creating one of Chile's most recognisable contemporary hotels. ● Every…
read moreHotel AWA – Lake Llanquihue, Chile A striking concrete retreat where architecture steps aside and lets Lake Llanquihue and Osorno Volcano take over. Why DNA Hotels Loves It ● Architect-owner Mauricio Fuentes spent a decade developing a highly personal hotel where the building itself is precisely oriented around sunlight, privacy and extraordinary views. ● The…
read moreRefugia Chiloé – Chile A modern lodge shaped by Chiloé’s palafitos, tidal landscapes and centuries-old island culture. Why DNA Hotels Loves It ● Mobil Arquitectos reinterpreted Chiloé’s traditional stilt-house architecture as a striking contemporary structure overlooking the wetlands and waters of Pullao Bay. ● All 24 rooms face the water, combining expansive views with lenga…
read morePalace Elisabeth Hvar Heritage Hotel | Croatia Where Imperial History Meets Adriatic Glamour Why DNA Hotels Loves It ● Hvar’s most historic luxury hotel, occupying a landmark palace overlooking the island’s famous harbour. ● A beautifully executed blend of Venetian heritage, Austro-Hungarian grandeur, and contemporary elegance. ● One of the most enviable terraces in the…
read moreThe Balé Nusa Dua | Bali, Indonesia Where Zen Minimalism Meets Island Luxury Why DNA Hotels Loves It ● One of Bali’s original design-led luxury retreats, proving that simplicity can be more powerful than excess. ● Private pool pavilions that combine Japanese-inspired minimalism with tropical Balinese serenity. ● An adults-only sanctuary designed entirely around privacy,…
read moreNirjhara | Tabanan, Bali | Indonesia A Sustainable Jungle Retreat Where Contemporary Design Blends Seamlessly with Bali's Natural Landscape Why DNA Hotels Loves It ● A beautifully designed boutique retreat where contemporary architecture disappears into rice terraces, rainforest, and waterfalls. ● Sustainable villas built with reclaimed timber, natural stone, bamboo, and traditional Balinese craftsmanship. ●…
read moreDesa Potato Head Bali | Seminyak, Indonesia Where Creativity, Sustainability, and Balinese Culture Converge Why DNA Hotels Loves It ● One of the most ambitious hospitality projects in Asia, designed by OMA and rooted in a powerful sustainability mission. ● A creative village where hotel, art space, recording studio, beach club, and cultural hub exist…
read moreDexamenes Seaside Hotel | Kourata, Peloponnese | Greece Where Industrial Heritage Meets the Ionian Sea Why DNA Hotels Loves It ● One of Europe’s most remarkable adaptive reuse projects, transforming a 1920s wine factory into a minimalist beachfront retreat. ● Raw concrete architecture softened by Mediterranean light, sea air, and extraordinary attention to detail. ●…
read moreMandraki Beach Resort | Hydra, Greece A Historic Naval Stronghold Reimagined as Hydra's Contemporary Beach Retreat Why DNA Hotels Loves It ● A sensitive transformation of a 19th-century naval fortification into one of Hydra's most distinctive design hotels. ● The only hotel on Hydra's only sandy beach, combining contemporary architecture with an extraordinary waterfront setting.…
read moreThe Rebello Hotel & Spa, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal Industrial Heritage Reimagined on the Banks of the Douro Why DNA Hotels Loves It ● A former nineteenth-century warehouse and factory complex transformed into one of Porto's most distinctive design hotels. ● Bold interiors celebrating Porto's industrial heritage through contemporary art, reclaimed materials, and collectible…
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