UrbanSleeps
Exceptional stays in the heart of the city
From Renaissance opulence to timeless glamour, we’ve selected the world’s most inspired urban sleeps.
Reviewed by
Jacqui Agate, Oliver Berry, Nicola Brady, Gareth Clark, Laura Field, Lyn Hughes, George Kipouros, James March, Chris Moss, Tebogo Pin-Pin and Qin Xie
Singapore
Raffles Singapore
Few hotels in the world possess the storied legacy of Raffles Singapore. Opened in 1887, this grand colonial icon has stood as a beacon of Singaporean hospitality, witnessing the transformation of Singapore from a British trading post to a dynamic global city.
Suites from around £650 p/n
Named after Sir Stamford Raffles, the founder of modern Singapore, the hotel has hosted some of history’s most illustrious figures, from literary giants such as Rudyard Kipling and Somerset Maugham to celebrities like Elizabeth Taylor, who is celebrated in a namesake suite. The hotel’s Neoclassical facade, colonnaded verandas and lush tropical courtyards evoke an era of old-world glamour. Every suite – there are no standard rooms at Raffles – exudes classic charm, featuring teakwood floors, vintage furnishings and elegant four-poster beds. The legendary Long Bar, birthplace of the Singapore Sling, remains a pilgrimage site for cocktail enthusiasts, where the tradition of throwing peanut shells on the floor still endures.
Beyond its history, Raffles embraces its Singaporean identity with subtle Peranakan influences in its decor and its culinary offerings. The Tiffin Room continues its long-standing tradition of serving outstanding North Indian cuisine, while the Raffles butlers, a signature feature of the hotel, provide impeccable service, ensuring every guest experiences the same elegance that past literary legends and aristocrats have enjoyed. Not just a tourist attraction, this is a hotel that still sets the standard for quality of service and caters for its guests above all.
•••
Florence, Italy
Four Seasons Hotel Firenze
A masterpiece of Renaissance opulence, a stay at this Four Seasons in Florence is an immersive journey into the city’s Renaissance past.
Suites from around £960 p/n
Housed in the 15th-century Palazzo della Gherardesca and a former convent, the hotel seamlessly blends Italy’s Renaissance with contemporary flair. Frescoed ceilings, original tapestries and museum-quality artwork adorn its lavish interiors, making every corridor feel like a museum gallery. Beyond the palatial setting, the hotel’s 4.5-hectare private garden – the largest in Florence – provides a serene escape from the city’s bustling streets.
The hotel’s prime location gives easy access to Florence’s treasures, from the nearby Uffizi Gallery to the Duomo, while exclusive experiences like private art tours or truffle hunting in the Tuscan countryside add an extra layer of authenticity. This is not just a stay; it is an invitation to live Florence’s history in absolute splendour.
•••
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Alvear Palace Hotel
A masterpiece of Belle Époque architecture, the Alvear Palace has been Buenos Aires’ most prestigious address since 1932. Nestled in the heart of Recoleta, one of the city’s most refined neighbourhoods, the hotel exudes Parisian grandeur infused with Argentinian warmth.
Rooms from around £280 p/n
Inspired by the opulent mansions of Europe’s elite, the Alvear’s interiors are adorned with gilded mouldings, crystal chandeliers, Louis XV and XVI furnishings and polished marble floors, evoking the aristocratic splendour of the city’s golden age. Beyond its stunning aesthetics, the hotel is also a cultural landmark, embodying Buenos Aires’ rich history and sophisticated social scene. It has hosted royalty, diplomats and Hollywood legends, making it a living museum of Argentine high society. The hotel’s afternoon tea at L’Orangerie is a time-honoured tradition, served in a sunlit conservatory reminiscent of Versailles.
Stepping into the Alvear Palace is like stepping back into the era of timeless glamour, where old-world charm meets the pulsating energy of Buenos Aires. It is as much a symbol of Argentina’s historical and cosmopolitan elegance as it is a hotel.
•••
Athens, Greece
Hotel Grande Bretagne
For over 150 years, Hotel Grande Bretagne has stood as the epitome of Athenian hospitality, witnessing Greece’s pivotal moments from its corner on Syntagma Square. First opened in 1874, this Neoclassical landmark has hosted royalty, dignitaries and luminaries such as Winston Churchill and Aristotle Onassis.
Rooms from around £850 p/n
Its marble-clad interiors, gilded chandeliers and antique furnishings exude old-world sophistication while seamlessly incorporating modern refinements. What truly sets Hotel Grande Bretagne apart is its direct connection to Athens’ past and present. Guests can admire uninterrupted views of the Acropolis from the Roof Garden Restaurant, where traditional Greek dishes are reimagined with contemporary flair. The hotel’s Wine Library features rare vintages from Greek vineyards, while the GB Spa, one of the finest in Europe, offers rejuvenating treatments inspired by ancient Greek wellness traditions.
•••
Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental
A 72m-high dome etched in Islamic geometric patterns looms overhead, cherry blossoms sprout from the atrium and you can almost hear the hiss of hot soles on cool marble. When it opened 20 years ago, this new-build ‘palace’ hotel was a calling card for Abu Dhabi’s cultural ambitions, doubling as a venue for concerts and exhibitions alike.
Rooms from around £233 p/n
Since then, the city has added a Louvre and a Guggenheim and yet this is still the star, luring day visitors with its food and classical music festivals. For guests, however, there are plenty of corners to escape the sightseers, from vast gardens to a 1.3km-long private beach. The spa is one of the most decadent in a city of unrepentant pampering, there is a choice of Michelin-starred eateries, and in-house butlers hustle at the 24-hour call of the 500-plus rooms and suites.
•••
Québec City, Canada
Fairmont Le Château Frontenac
With a design lifted straight from the Loire Valley, Québec City’s Renaissance-style château hotel was built to catch the eye. Even today, sightseers still flock to its lobby – all dark wood, gilt elevators and oil paintings.
Rooms from around £179 p/n
The list of celebrities and politicians to have graced its 610 rooms is lengthy – as vast as the 550-seat ballroom that can be glimpsed on in-house tours (£11 for guests). The facilities are no less starry.
•••
Amanyangyun
In 2002, a wealthy businessman returned to his hometown in China’s Jiangxi Province to discover that a nearby village (one of many) and its ancient camphor forest were to be destroyed as part of a reservoir project.
Villas from around £738 p/n
Appalled at their loss, he made a deal with the government to save them, rescuing some 50 Qing and Ming dynasty-era buildings (of around 100,000 stones each). These were dismantled and put into storage before being transported 700km north, to the fringes of Shanghai, where they were rebuilt as a hotel amid a relocated forest of more than 1,000 camphor trees. In all, it took nearly 15 years. Run by Aman Resorts, stays here are the antithesis of ultra-modern Shanghai.
•••
Copacabana Palace
Opened in 1923, this Art Deco masterpiece was inspired by Europe’s grand seaside resorts, but it quickly became an icon of Brazilian hospitality. Over the decades, it has welcomed a dazzling roster of guests, from Marlene Dietrich and Orson Welles to Princess Diana and Mick Jagger, solidifying its place in both Hollywood lore and Rio’s cultural history.
Rooms from around £462 p/n
Perched on Copacabana Beach, the hotel’s immaculate stucco façade and grand white columns stand in contrast to the golden sands and deep-blue Atlantic beyond. Inside, it is a world of understated luxury: soaring ceilings, gleaming marble floors, crystal chandeliers and rooms decorated with a mix of Brazilian and European influences. Copacabana Palace is, perhaps above all, a social institution. It hosts the city’s most extravagant events, including the legendary Copacabana Palace Carnival Ball, where Brazilian high society and international celebrities gather in an explosion of colour, music and samba-fuelled revelry.
•••
China
Peninsula Hong Kong
Opened in 1928, the city’s oldest hotel stands as a witness to Hong Kong’s evolution. Built during the golden age of travel, it was designed as the finest hotel east of the Suez and its location near the Kowloon-Canton Railway made it a gateway to China and beyond.
Rooms from around £340 p/n
Pivotal moments in its history include when British Governor Sir Mark Young surrendered Hong Kong to Japan inside the hotel’s lobby in 1941; its use as Japanese military headquarters during the war; and the 1997 handover of Hong Kong to China.
•••
3 Nagas Luang Prabang
Nestled within a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this MGallery hotel offers a deep sense of place, blending colonial-era architecture with traditional Laotian design.
Rooms from around £100 p/n
The property, once a French governor’s residence, preserves its ornate windows, tiled roofs and wooden ceiling fans. Guests can partake in a dawn almsgiving ritual or unwind in a garden-framed pool.
•••
The Peabody
A feat of Italian Renaissance Revival design, and one of Southern USA’s finest lodgings, the Peabody has been an icon of Bluff City since 1869, when it first opened.
Rooms from around £158 p/n
Like Memphis itself, the hotel has music in its bones: it’s said this was where a young Elvis Presley signed his first RCA recording contract, and it has hosted stars ranging from Dorothy Lamour to the Andrews Sisters. The hotel’s other celebrities are the Peabody ducks: every day, they waddle the lobby’s red carpet and splash in the ornate Peabody fountain.
•••
Mandarin Oriental Bangkok
A riverside sanctuary with a literary past, the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok has been synonymous with Thai hospitality for over 140 years and is the original property of the now-global Mandarin Oriental brand.
Rooms from around £430 p/n
Overlooking the Chao Phraya River, this legendary hotel has hosted luminaries from Audrey Hepburn to Mick Jagger. Rich teakwood, silk wall coverings and traditional Thai design elements unmistakably tie this stay to the city.
•••