In this portfolio of genre-defying luxury hotels and resorts from South Africa to St. Barths, we salute passion projects, many of which have quickly become icons, shining examples of what is possible to achieve in hospitality. Be prepared to dissolve into desire for hours on end, each a dazzling destination within a destination. Flawlessly discreet staff, exceptional service, breathtaking settings and equally astounding architecture are traits they have in common — though each is utterly unique; qualities that transcend current events…
Hotel Marqués de Riscal / Spain
If a Pink Floyd song could shapeshift into a hotel, meet me at Marqués de Riscal. In the heart of Spain’s Rioja Alavesa, this titanium-wrapped Frank Gehry-designed fantasy channels the seismic scale of a giant pink, gold and silver mushroom. By night, a more seductive shape emerges — a flamenco dancer’s whirling skirt. Welcome to a vino haven where wine weaves through everything from vinotherapy to temptation by Tempranillo. Some rooms boast views of the medieval town of Elciego, and the hotel is the centerpiece of a 100,000-square-metre complex known as “The City of Wine,” conceived to bridge the gap between the 19th and 21st centuries. Wine and wellness pilgrims alike are drawn here to experience SPA Vinothérapie Caudalie Marqués de Riscal, an utterly hedonistic concept in an unparalleled setting.