My favourite hotels in the world

Hi friends, and welcome to another bonus edition of the Food + Travel Edit, for paying subscribers only as a token of appreciation for your support. Today, I’m counting down the hotels that are destinations in themselves, my favourite places to stay over more than 20 years of travel. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have.

I’m not a traveller that gets obsessed with hotels. For the most part they’re just places to sleep to me. As long as they’re clean and comfortable and the wifi works, I’m pretty satisfied.

Still, there are some hotels out there that go far beyond the simple assignment of giving you somewhere to sleep. These places have become travel highlights for me, destinations in themselves, hotels I would gladly revisit again and again and call that an experience.

Most, admittedly, are quite expensive. But these are special stays, treat-yourself experiences – and not every fancy hotel is worth the money. But these, to me, absolutely are.

If you’re going to treat yourself to somewhere special, these are the hotels I would be aiming for.

Palace Hotel Tokyo
There’s a maple tree that sits outside a window in the foyer of the Palace Hotel Tokyo that is just about the most perfect tree imaginable. It has been shaped by experienced hands over many years, coaxed into a form that’s like poetry, gnarled branches and delicate foliage. That tree serves many purposes, but for me it’s a sign that says very clearly: you’re home. Welcome.
The Palace is a beautiful hotel. There’s original art everywhere, in the public spaces, in the rooms. There are spacious rooms with balconies overlooking the Imperial Gardens. There’s Royal Bar, which serves some of the city’s best cocktails. And the set Japanese breakfasts, eaten on the terrace next to the Imperial Palace moat, is the highlight of any stay in Tokyo.
Price: around $930 a night
Book it: en.palacehoteltokyo.com