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
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, including on my upcoming trip to Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.
Last updated: January 13, 2025