La Particulière

Caen, France

La Particulière is a boutique hotel in the true sense of the word: just eight guest rooms, eclectic design, and an intimate bar for a cozy cocktail hour. Each room has been given its own personality with a mish-mash of prints and colors — all within easy walking of some of Caen’s main attractions.

Prospect Berkshires

Egremont, MA, USA

Prospect Lake may be the star of the show in this quiet corner of North Egremont, but Prospect Berkshires more than measures up, from the hand-built, Scandinavian-style cabins and restored wetlands to the Cliff House, with its suspended porch and knockout views of the Taconic Range.

The Hotel Britomart

Auckland, New Zealand

Eco-hotels may be most at home in the countryside, but the future of urban hotels is green as well. The Hotel Britomart, on the Auckland waterfront, shows the way: its handmade bricks and salvaged wood aren’t just sustainable but radiate organic warmth, and the interior style may be understated, but it never feels austere.

Tarabel Lisbon

Lisbon, Portugal

The boom in Portuguese tourism hasn’t just meant an increase in the number of lodgings, but a flowering of diversity as well. At the small but luxurious end of things we find Tarabel Lisbon, a 19th-century house in the upscale Lapa district, with a mere nine bedrooms and views that are worth the price of admission.

B&B Itadaki

Shizuoka City, Japan

Everything about a stay at the one-room B&B Itadaki is extraordinary, from the isolated natural setting on the fringes of Shizuoka City, to the carefully prepared breakfast, to the modern-rustic architecture and design, to the creature comforts, which include a hot tub with a view of the forested hillsides.

Asher Adams

Salt Lake City, UT, USA

You almost feel transported back to the Golden Age of Travel when you step inside Asher Adams. Housed inside what was formerly Salt Lake City’s train depot, the hotel is continuing the building’s legacy as a hub for travelers, but this time is encouraging them to stay a while before rushing off to catch the next train.

Amina Wind Resort

La Ventana, Mexico

As the name implies, Ámina Wind Resort's secluded beachfront location in Baja California happens to be a perfect spot for breeze-fueled pursuits like windfoiling and kite surfing (among many other sea-based activities). Here, being “off the grid” is a selling point, as is the relaxed, upscale adventure vibe.