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When it comes to matters of taste, fashion designers tend to be more discerning than most. This is why, when someone in fashion recommends an under-the-radar, family-owned hotel on a craggy Italian isle (see Roger Vivier creative director Gherardo Felloni’s pick), you know it’s worth the trek. For this group, it’s all in the details, whether it’s the striped cabana cushions at Villa Feltrinelli (“perfection” in the eyes of Carolina Herrera creative director Wes Gordon) or the cinematic nature, per Thebe Magugu, of Cape Town’s Mount Nelson, a Belmond Hotel. (“I feel like a character playing a role whenever I stay,” he says.)
In celebration of peak out-of-office season, here, 18 fashion designers share their very favorite hotels around the world.
Hotel Esencia
Esencia is an absolute dream—my boyfriend and I have spent some of the most beautiful and romantic days there. From the rooms to the food to the beach, everything is perfection. —Ludovic de Saint Sernin
Post Ranch Inn
I was recently brought to the Post Ranch Inn as a surprise and it was possibly one of the most magical places I have ever been. Mornings spent hiking the redwood trails, warm afternoons spent poolside amidst the the fog of high elevation clouds. Dinners watching the sunset over the oceans to the song of night owls. Pure bliss. The very best place to unplug. —Aurora James
Passalacqua
The minute I step out of the car at Passalacqua, I literally feel myself slip into a different energetic frequency. Everything is better, bouncier, brighter, and more beautiful. It’s so hard to get the mix right at a high-end hotel these days. Most people don’t understand that a truly luxury experience means one-of-a-kind and grand but still small enough that it feels home-y, cozy, and personal. Passalacqua is a blend of the very best of Italy—the beauty, the food, the craftsmanship, the joy, the thousand sensations, which is all down to Valentina and her family. I think she really had a vision of the non-stuffy, non-traditional Como hotel. I mean, who else would have approached a brand like La DoubleJ—wild, a little wacky, with prints that honk very loudly—to work with her on designing the pool area, bar, and glasshouse lounge at the foot of her grand villa? —J.J. Martin
Passalacqua in Lake Como, for me, encapsulates the spirit of what I define as the art of a well-dressed life. An effortless elegance permeates the villa—from the architecture, interiors, and color palette to the gardens and mesmerizing view beyond. From the moment I visited, I was captivated—and the hotel even inspired my latest vacation capsule, Emilia Wickstead x Passalacqua. —Emilia Wickstead
Mount Nelson, A Belmond Hotel
Of course, my favorite hotel is the Belmond Mount Nelson in Cape Town. I do some work with them but also can’t bear to stay anywhere else because of its cinematic appearance. It quite literally looks like the type of hotel you would come across in a Wes Anderson film, and as someone who appreciates camp and pomp, I feel like a character playing a role whenever I stay there. The gardens are whimsical, the service is precise, and the staff and teams are the loveliest people you will ever meet. It all culminates in one not wanting to leave. It’s called the Mount Nelson Hotel but many refer to it as “The Pink Lady” or “The Nellie.” —Thebe Magugu
Hotel Il Pellicano
My favorite hotel is Il Pellicano in Porto Ercole. What I love the most about it is the feeling of being out of time in a kind of floating place. True escapism. —Margherita Maccapani Missoni.
Nemacolin
My absolute favorite hotel in the world is Nemacolin—a really magical spot in the Laurel Highlands outside of Pittsburgh. The spa can only be described as life-changing, and the scenery is like something out of a storybook—they get the best of all seasons. The owner, Maggie Hardy, has such an extraordinary vision for the property and has brought Wiederhoeft on board for projects like redesigning the staff uniforms and costuming a massive immersive holiday village last year. It’s so inspiring to see the multidisciplinary approach to hospitality—the team is always outdoing themselves. —Jackson Wiederhoeft
GoldenEye
GoldenEye in Jamaica. We go twice a year. It is all about a feeling. There is nothing like sitting in the lagoon at the end of the day, to us. —Catherine Holstein
Blackberry Farm
Blackberry Farm is such a special place for me. It’s beautiful and cozy, and everyone is so wonderful. I have fond personal and family memories there. Each time I visit, I leave with such a feeling of warmth and connection. —Brandon Maxwell
The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel
One of my favorite hotels in the world is The Carlyle, I love it! I imagine it’s a glimpse of what New York might have been like a long time ago… it’s almost like stepping back in time. The last time I stayed there I had a room that was more like an apartment. I could have moved in. Also they have the best (dirty vodka) martini in Bemelmans Bar. —Erdem Moralıoğlu
Kamalaya
Tucked away on a stretch of secluded white sand beach on the southern coast of Koh Samui, Kamalaya is so much more than a spa hotel; their wellness programs are utterly comprehensive and, dare I say it, life-changing. You choose from a wide range of treatment programs that last a minimum of five days, most with an ayurvedic influence, but you can focus on anything from mental health and meditation to specific health issues, gut cleanses, and general fitness and diet. The practitioners are some of the best I have experienced anywhere in the world and really make a difference. The food is health focused but this does not come at the expense of flavour, everything is utterly delicious. The setting is calming and simplistic, nothing is over the top or in your face, there is no ego at Kamalaya, it is the ultimate in quiet, confident luxury. A place I will return to again and again for complete rest and rejuvenation. - Rejina Pyo
Villa Feltrinelli
La Réserve
It would be a tie between Villa Feltrinelli on Lake Garda in Italy and Hotel La Réserve in Paris. Both have the magical ability to transport you to another world upon entering. The pool at La Réserve is my favorite way to exercise after a busy Parisian day, and the cabana-striped cushions on the steps of Villa F. are perfection. —Wes Gordon
Pardini’s Hermitage
There are so many hotels I love—Hotel Locarno in Rome, the Palace in Montecatini Terme, Il Pellicano in Tuscany—but if I had to pick only one, it would be the Pardini’s Hermitage on the island of Giglio. In this family hotel surrounded by cypresses and the shimmering Mediterranean sea, time stands still. I really enjoy this unique atmosphere where shadowy luscious gardens provide a peaceful haven from the summer’s scorching heat. —Gherardo Felloni
Amansara
As traveling is basically a hobby of mine, I have a lot of favorite hotels, including the grand dames: Ritz Paris, Claridge’s, and the Hotel Bel-Air. But probably my favorite of all is Amansara in Siem Reap. It’s an extraordinary modernist structure that was once the king’s guest house. Every detail is absolutely perfect, from the 1960s Mercedes to the floral carved soaps in the shower. It is the perfect combination of extraordinary aesthetics, uber luxury, vand perfect service that is super rare in today’s hotel industry. —Adam Lippes
Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc
My favorite hotel is the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc. It’s the most magical property and holds some of my favorite memories—I was married there almost exactly 10 years ago! My favorite part of the property is the diving board into the sea. It’s the most stunning view, and nothing can beat how freeing it feels to dive from it. —Nell Diamond
Montage Deer Valley
I love visiting Montage Deer Valley, especially in the winter season. The ski-in/ski-out access makes it so easy to enjoy the slopes, and there’s also an amazing bowling alley on site where we love to make family memories. —Jonathan Simkhai
Samena
This place is owned by my friend Olivier, the founder of Jogging Marseille, and I’m obsessed with it. Whenever you enter, you feel transported out of time, finding yourself in the most romantic setting. It’s a one-bedroom retreat with no services, situated right next to the sea. It’s like stepping into the most private and authentic sanctuary simultaneously. —Charlotte Chesnais
Hoshinoya Fuji
The magnificent view of Mount Fuji is breathtaking, and the exceptional quality of this renowned Japanese hotel chain makes this place the best for me. It offers an unparalleled experience, combining natural beauty with outstanding service. Staying here provides a feeling of being out of time. —Charlotte Chesnais
Le Meurice
My favorite hotel in Paris is Le Meurice, because of Bar 228’s timeless decor and because of the sweetest and passionate team of bartenders. I’ve been coming to Le Meurice for over 20 years—at first, when I was a student, excited by this luxurious place, and later because I moved to Rue Saint-Roch, which is close to the Hotel. I’ve started to do all my press meetings there as a kind of office. With Pascal, one of the head managers of the bar, I always have a nice word with and fun conversation—he remembers what you like and want. The decor of the bar never really changed except for the flowers and a few furniture elements. For me, it is one of the chicest and comfortable bars in the center of Paris to chill in between meetings or for quiet moments—and I love the timeless and cozy historical decor of paintings by Lavaley under a blue cloudy painted sky. —Alexis Mabille
La Colombe d’Or
Still one of my favorite hotels. I love its history and connection to art and feel that you are not visiting a hotel but instead your dear relative in Provence. Apart from the wonderful stories behind the art pieces that are owned by the hotel, there is also an abundance of art treasures in the area, including Picasso’s War and Peace Chapel. Crudités on their menu is a must, and the Calder mobile by the pool is just unforgettable. —Roksanda Ilinčić
