Flip through this book and take a trip through 72 of the world's most enchanting, welcoming, and unforgettable hotels. Some are sleek and minimal, others charmingly plush and traditionally luxurious; whether you prefer a secluded rural retreat or the pulsing centre of the urban experience, you'll find a room—or suite—to your taste. However, what all these establishments share is personality, atmosphere, sophistication and a great location.

Similarly, though their rooms range from modest to extravagant, all of them represent excellent value, no matter which end of the price scale, from two to five star hotels. The eclectic mix includes the romantic hotel Spielweg in Germany's Black Forest, where everyone should spend Christmas once in their life; the secret jewel Ksar Char-Bagh in Marrakech; the Al Mamlouka in the middle of Damascus, and the most exquisite Spa hotel in Jordan, the Evason Ma’In Hot Springs. Other highlights are the Shigar Fort Residence, a 400-year-old palace saved and restored by the Aga Khan Foundation in Northern Pakistan; a sensitively restored 1930's colonial guest house, the Boddhi Tree Del Gusto in Phnom Penh, for less than 40 dollars a night; or the outstanding Corbusier-style beach villas in Kep, Cambodia, called Knai Bang Chatt resort. To get away from it all, there's Richard Gere's Bedford Post in upstate New York, or the Golden Rock Estate on the Caribbean island of Nevis, owned by American artist Brice Marden. Finally, nobody who has stayed there will ever forget the stunning Remota, surrounded by the mountains, lakes and glaciers of Chilean Patagonia.

Editor:
Angelika Taschen studied art history and German literature in Heidelberg, gaining her doctorate in 1986. Working for TASCHEN from 1987 to 2010, she has published numerous titles on art, architecture, photography, design, travel, and lifestyle.

Texts by:
Christiane Reiter is a freelance author based in Hamburg. She studied journalism at the University of Eichsta"tt and worked as a travel editor for Ringier Publishing in Munich and Zurich. She then established the travel section of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung.