2025 Architectural Digest Great Design Hotel Award Winners

Orient Express La Minerva is a hotel on Piazza della Minerva in Rome.

Ran Baas The Palace is the Patiala choice for a celebration stay where the setting matters as much as the room. The 2025 Relais Chateaux recognition gives it a useful trust signal, but the value case is strongest if upgrading above entry level and treating the stay as part of the occasion rather than a simple overnight base.

Book Raffles Sentosa Singapore for a resort-led celebration or family stay where space, quiet, Sentosa access matter more than city convenience. The awards profile is strong, but booking pressure is real, so it works better as an early-planned special-occasion choice than a flexible last-minute Singapore base.

Rosewood Mandarina is worth shortlisting for a Puerto Vallarta-area trip when the hotel is meant to anchor the itinerary, not just provide a room. Its 2026 recognition from Conde Nast Hot List Hotels and Travel + Leisure It List Hotels gives it a clear trust signal, but it is better suited to resort-led work-and-leisure stays than fast-moving city schedules.

Book Banyan Tree Veya Valle de Guadalupe if the goal is a quiet, wine-country luxury base with potential value through preferred-partner perks. It is a stronger fit for couples and wellness-leaning explorers than for business trips or families needing confirmed amenities. Compare inclusions carefully before committing.

Book Nekajui, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve if the resort itself is the point of the Guanacaste trip. Its Michelin 2 Keys, Forbes Recommended status, Virtuoso partnership, hotel-awards recognition make it a strong luxury play, but value-seekers should compare it with Four Seasons and Andaz before committing.

Book Cheval Blanc Seychelles if Mahé is the destination and the hotel is meant to carry the trip. Its Michelin 2 Keys, Forbes Recommended status, Virtuoso partner recognition make it a lower-risk splurge than less-credentialed island resorts, but it is less practical for travelers who need easy movement around Mahé.

Hotel Humano is worth shortlisting if the goal is a design-led Puerto Escondido stay with stronger external validation than many local boutique options. The appeal is confidence: Michelin 1 Key, National Geographic Hotel Awards recognition, Design Hotels membership, a Mr & Mrs Smith Seal of Approval all point to a more vetted hotel choice.

Ace Hotel & Swim Club Palm Springs is easy to book and delivers a social, design-forward base on East Palm Canyon Drive. The pool is the main draw; loud, communal, best suited to first-timers who want atmosphere over quiet. If you need calm or concierge-level service, look elsewhere.

Bisate Lodge sits inside a forested volcanic crater at the edge of Volcanoes National Park, making it one of the strongest bases for gorilla trekking in Rwanda. The stay is structured around early-morning park access, with all-inclusive dining and villa-style accommodation. Book here if the trekking experience is your priority and you want a lodge that earns its position at the top of the Rwanda market.

Gundari in Petousis, South Aegean, offers a quiet, intimate base away from the Cycladic crowds, with easy booking availability and no waitlist pressure. Pricing and facility details are unconfirmed, so direct enquiry is essential before booking. If seclusion over amenity depth is the priority, it warrants consideration; but compare against documented alternatives first.

A strong choice for a quieter Beijing celebration or family stay, especially if Qianmen's historic setting matters more than a large business-hotel setup. The 2025 MICHELIN Guide Hotels 2 Keys and boutique-hotel awards give it real luxury credibility, but travelers who need scale, meeting convenience, or a grand-hotel rhythm should cross-shop Beijing's larger peers.

Hotel Saint Augustine is the right Houston pick for travelers who want a quieter, design-led stay near the Museum District rather than a large downtown hotel. The 2025 Michelin 1 Key and Esquire 2025 recognition make it a safer bet than many style-first openings, but fixed-date travelers should plan early.

A good fit for travelers who want a design-forward cave stay in Ürgüp and care about room character more than resort breadth. Recent recognition from TIME and Architectural Digest makes the visual case stronger, but the value decision comes down to room category: prioritize natural light, outlook, usable space over size alone.

Populus is the Denver pick for travelers who care about a newer design-led stay and can plan ahead for a hard booking. Choose a standard room for short business or event trips; consider a suite only if the room will anchor the stay. The 2025 Michelin 1 Key and major hotel-award recognition make it a credible splurge, not an automatic value play.

Collegio alla Querce is a hotel on Via delle Forbici in Florence.

Maison Heler is the Metz hotel to book when design is the reason for the stay. Its 2025 Architectural Digest Great Design Hotel Award recognition gives it a clearer occasion-ready identity than a standard city hotel, though spa and dining specifics should not be the deciding factor unless confirmed separately.

Book Wilderness Bisate Reserve if the Rwanda trip is built around Volcanoes-area access and the hotel setting matters as much as the itinerary. It is a stronger fit for leisure, retreats, incentive travel than for a conventional business trip, with 2025 Architectural Digest recognition supporting the design-led value case.

The Manner works for a design-led SoHo stay, especially if this is a repeat New York trip built around downtown restaurants, shopping, galleries. Its 2025 Esquire and MICHELIN hotel recognition give it credibility, but choose it for atmosphere and location rather than loyalty perks or resort-style scale.

Should you stay at Stockholm Stadshotell? Yes, if you want a character-led Södermalm base rather than a large corporate hotel. Michelin 1 Key recognition and recent hotel awards make it a serious choice for design-minded leisure travel, but business travellers who need chain benefits or meeting-heavy convenience may prefer a bigger central property.

Capella Taipei is the higher-confidence luxury pick in Songshan if awards recognition and a composed stay matter more than chasing value. Its Michelin 1 Key and 2026 hotel-list credentials make it easier to justify for business-leisure trips, but compare rates against established Taipei peers if loyalty benefits or location style are the deciding factors.

Palazzo Talìa is a hotel on Via del Nazareno in Rome.

Six Bells Countryside Inn is worth shortlisting for a quieter Rosendale stay, especially if the trip mixes work obligations with Hudson Valley downtime. It is less suited to travelers who need a conventional business hotel setup, but recent hotel recognition makes it a stronger choice than a simple small-town inn label suggests.