Hotels – David Enzel

Memorable Places

February 22, 2026January 13, 2026

Over the years I’ve stayed in many hotels. Most of them blur together. A few, however, have never left me.

This is not a list of the “best” or the most luxurious places in the world. It’s something more personal. These are properties — including one cruise line — that stayed with me long after I checked out. Places that, for one reason or another, made me feel unusually well cared for, at ease, or quietly happy to be exactly where I was.

I have stayed at every place on this list. None of this is theoretical.

The list is in no particular order and will continue to evolve over time. If a place belongs here for you, feel free to leave a suggestion in the comments.

Ballynahinch Castle Hotel & Estate — Connemara, Ireland

A former castle set deep in the Irish countryside, surrounded by rivers, fields, and misty hills. It feels less like a hotel and more like being a guest on a private estate where time has slowed down. Wikipedia – Property Website

The Thousand Kyoto — Kyoto, Japan

Modern, calm, and beautifully restrained. A hotel that understands that luxury can be quiet, light, and space rather than ornament. Property Website

Four Seasons Hotel Seattle — Seattle, Washington

Not a resort, not a palace — just an impeccably run urban hotel that made me feel at home in the middle of Seattle. Property Website

The Peninsula Hong Kong — Hong Kong

Old-world elegance without being stuffy. You feel the history the moment you walk in, and yet it never feels frozen in time. Property Website

Silversea Cruises

Not a hotel, but it belongs here. More than any other cruise line I’ve experienced, Silversea understands privacy, pacing, and the feeling of being a guest rather than a passenger. Website

Four Seasons Hotel Toronto — Toronto, Canada

Polished, welcoming, and quietly luxurious. A hotel that gets the balance between professionalism and warmth exactly right. I had the pleasure of staying in the flagship Four Seasons Hotel in Toronto at 21 Avenue Road in Yorkville — now long gone and replaced by a modern, elegant property. I still remember arriving after a long, delayed flight. The woman who checked me in said she wanted to come out from behind the desk and shake my hand. Even years later, that simple gesture stays with me: a moment of genuine human welcome. Property Website

Four Seasons Hotel Singapore — Singapore

Service here was first-class and gracious in a way that never felt theatrical. I arrived early after a long flight and was quietly accommodated without hesitation. When I entered my room, breakfast was waiting.

The fitness center is beautiful and thoughtfully designed. Housekeeping was immaculate. But what stayed with me most was something harder to quantify — the sense of being cared for without being hovered over.

Over the years I have learned that true luxury is not extravagance. It is ease. At the Four Seasons Singapore, everything felt composed, attentive, and calm. I left feeling restored rather than merely housed.

Property Website

What all of these places share is not a star ratings or a price points, but a feeling. Each of them made me feel temporarily rooted — not like I was passing through, but like I belonged there for a while. That matters more to me than novelty or spectacle. The places that stay with me are the ones that give me a sense of calm, dignity, and quiet pleasure, long after I’ve gone home.

I hope to add to this list as I travel.

^{Last updated: February 22, 2025}

Farewell to the Hotel Harrington, Washington’s Longest-Running Hotel

August 18, 2025May 6, 2024

The Hotel Harrington, once known as “Washington’s Tourist Hotel,” closed its doors on December 12, 2023, after more than 109 years of continuous operation.

Opened on March 1, 1914—when Woodrow Wilson was President and the world stood on the edge of war—the Harrington quickly became a fixture in downtown Washington. Located just steps from the White House and the National Mall, it earned the distinction of being the city’s longest-operating hotel and, for generations, a true Washington institution.

I walked past it countless times but never stepped inside. Now, that chance is gone.

Below is a circa-1932 postcard of E Street NW, looking west at 11th Street. On the right, the Thrift Shop at 1011 E Street is doing brisk Depression-era business; on the left stands the Hotel Harrington. A distinguished bank building once occupied the northwest corner, but it too has vanished.

Thrift Shop 1011 E St NW (c. 1932) — Grainy, circa-1932 postcard of E Street NW facing west at 11th Street. The Thrift Shop, at 1011 E St NW, is on the right, doing brisk Depression-era business. Harrington Hotel on the left. Note the distinguished bank building, long gone, on the northwest corner of 11th and E. (Source: Streets of Washington on Flickr)

The following photo of the Hotel Harrington is from the archives of the Library of Congress:

See also, The Washington Post.

Four Seasons: Best Hotel in Washington

August 12, 2025December 12, 2023

U.S. News Travel has recognized the Four Seasons Washington, DC as one of the best hotels in Washington, DC in its 2023 evaluation of hotels that offer high-quality amenities and exceptional experiences.

I’ve been to this hotel many times over the years and can attest to the gracious staff, great food and lovely decor.

The Four Seasons is the only hotel in Washington to be awarded Five Stars by Forbes, and Five Diamonds by AAA.