Set beside Green Park in a quiet cul de sac in the heart of Mayfair, this traditional townhouse is perhaps one of the most quiet and peaceful of urban hotels. Turn-of-the-century gas lamps at the entrance set the sedate Victorian tone. Inside this mini-grand, interiors are restful and unostentatious, making it perfect for romantic (and secret) assignations, especially in the conservatory and rose-scented central courtyard with its small fountain. The covert sense of suppressed sinfulness continues to the moody paneled bar, which draws Londoners along with hotel guests for its excellent dry martini cocktail and list of rare cognacs.
Current rate: 165£ or $323.70
To walk a few steps from Piazza San Marco, pick up a telephone and summon a gleaming teak boat to ferry you across the lagoon, away from the crowds, and back to your hotel standing on its own island is an exquisite experience. In a city that is awash with luxury, the Cipriani sets itself apart thanks to its location, its commitment to old-school indulgence and its illustrious history. Since it opened in 1958, when la dolce vita was at its most dolce, it has been one of the world's great hotels, and it's lost none of its luster over the years, imbuing the summer months (it's open only April to October) with opulence and luxury.
Current rate: 1,700€ or $2,238.99
One step inside the marble lobby, with its 17th-century tapestries, Savonnerie carpets and spectacular flower arrangements, and it's clear that despite being popular with fashionistas, this is not the hotel for fans of cutting-edge minimalism. But traditionalists will feel right at home in this restored 1928 property in the heart of the Golden Triangle. It's truly the place to have Paris at your feet, with private terraces that command views of the Eiffel Tower and the dazzling lights of the city. But of course that experience doesn't come without a price tag -- you'll only find it in the highest rooms of this very high-end hotel.
Current rate: 730€ or $961.70
In terms of location and star power, nothing competes with the Adlon in Berlin. Constructed in 1907 to be the most opulent hotel in world, the Adlon is where Greta Garbo famously wanted to be alone, and where Michael Jackson performed his baby- dangling stunt. The original property miraculously survived the Second World War, only to fall into disrepair and eventual demolishment in the mid-'80s. But in 1997 the new Adlon opened in all its old-world glory, just steps away from the Brandenburg Gate.
Current rate: 460€ or $606
To experience the natural beauty of the British Isles without making a trip to remote Scotland, pay a visit to this superb hotel in Dartmoor National Park. Rolling moorlands surround this spectacular Edwardian mock-Tudor mansion on a hilltop. Built in 1906, it evolved into one of the grandest country estates in Britain during the '20s and '30s before being neglected. Brought back to life in 2004, it's a place that today is especially recommended for golfers (the course was designed in the '20s to rival Gleneagle and Turnberry) and hikers. But with the '20s' heyday cued by a collection of vintage cars parked out front, it's also ideal for anyone who loves old-fashioned elegance à la the Orient Express.
Current rate: 395£ or $775.15
Helsinki's grande dame hotel stands on the North Esplanade in the heart of town, a perfect location for when you want to pop out to nearby fashionable Finnish stores. Arriving in the circular lobby, you know that this is a hotel that takes a traditional approach: efficient desk staff, monumental flower displays, lots of dark wood and antique prints on the walls. In the rest of the city, Soviet-influenced buildings jostle against modern architecture, while the Kämp retains a more graceful, old-fashioned European vibe. Guests come for the luxurious rooms, great service and the cachet of name-dropping that you're at the Kämp, the city’s most elegant property.
Current rate: 169 € or $222.56
Set among four beautifully restored Georgian townhouses (including the one where the Duke of Wellington was born), the Merrion's strength is not just its incredible location, right across from the National Gallery and a few minutes' walk from St. Stephen's Green, but also its sense of history. The 18th-century buildings are a living museum for this period in the city's history, with their arch-topped Venetian windows, Roman columns and sweeping staircases (although the property only opened for guests in 1997). Not surprisingly, the Merrion veers toward the overly formal, especially in the stately sitting rooms, but touches like fireside afternoon teas create a cozier feel.
Current rate: 515€ or $678.47
Ranging from sleek Art Deco to elegant neoclassical, each room is unique. Still, no amount of silk festooning or braid can compensate for the disappointment of some rooms in the classic category, which are small and stuck in the back of the hotel or look out on the street at the lower level. Upgrade at least to the deluxe category and you get the luxury of space and sybaritic bathrooms. The Penthouse in particular stands out for its ornamental garden terrace, its friezes, trompe l'oeil details and Venetian antiques. Or book one of the four rooms in the hotel's new property, the charming Palazzetto on the Spanish Steps; it has all the atmosphere of a boutique hotel (with a martini bar on its rooftop) but with all the services of the Hassler.
Current Rate: 580€ or $764.03
Imperial, indeed. Set among the 19th-century buildings of Vienna's Ring Boulevard, this deliriously grand European edifice -- an 1863 palace converted into a hotel just 10 years later -- is awash in marble, wood paneling and silk, bas-reliefs and frescoes, and literally dripping crystal chandeliers. The public rooms seem to echo with the footsteps of bygone dignitaries, symphony conductors and temperamental opera stars. You can still see them climbing the grand staircase, which rises to a marble nude framed by Ionic columns, over which hangs an oil portrait of a nobleman -- all carefully calibrated to make your jaw drop.
Current rate: 365€ or $480.82
One of Europe's grand hotels, the Alfonso XIII was commissioned by the Spanish king for which it's named, and when it opened in 1928 was intended to put all others to shame. It did a good job. The imposing edifice includes towers and Renaissance arched windows, but it's the hotel's interior that's captivating, with its mudejar (Spanish-Moorish architecture) details. The colonnaded courtyard's inlaid marble floors, intricate tile designs and fountain are extraordinary. To stay here -- and the hotel is convenient to Seville's sights -- is to live the Andalusian fantasy you've come to view.
Current rate: 533.93€ or $703.09