Hanoi, Vietnam

Chic and superbly situated at the heart of Hanoi’s historic quarter, this luxury boutique property offers the perfect first landfall if you’ve just arrived in Vietnam, and an ideal springboard for exploring the city. Its rooms are styled in a soothing palette of slate greys and soft, chalky whites, with touches of avocado green and duck-egg blues and greens. Floor-to-ceiling windows make the most of the light, opening on to balconies furnished with tables and chairs where you can relax while gazing across the surrounding rooftop to Hoan Kiem Lake in the distance.

The Cloud Nine restaurant and rooftop Sky Bar have even more expansive panoramas and are particularly alluring after dark. For families and honeymooners, we recommend the hotel’s funky, split-level duplexes or more spacious and flexible suites. There’s a lovely spa on site, but no pool.