6 Stylish Hotels For A Summer Sojourn In The City

On one of Manhattan’s most famous stretches of road, The Fifth Avenue Hotel has the air of Gilded Age romance, but with a playfully chic, modern sensibility. A restored brick-and-limestone palazzo contrasts with a new glass tower, while Martin Brudnizki’s interiors are a delicious riot of color, pattern, bespoke furniture and collected curiosities throughout its 153 rooms and suites. Café Carmellini brings together Italian and French influences with classic New York boldness, while the Portrait Bar serves cocktails beside a grand fireplace and an eclectic salon wall.

Set on St. Andrew Square, Gleneagles Townhouse has all the grandeur of its Perthshire sibling, but in the heart of Edinburgh. The former bank has been reimagined as a 33-room hotel and members’ club, still boasting impressive proportions while introducing a more relaxed, contemporary atmosphere. The Spence restaurant occupies the soaring central hall beneath a glass dome, serving everything from exquisite Bloody Mary breakfasts to modern brasserie dinners and Scotland-inspired cocktails. Upstairs, Lamplighters offers views across both the medieval Old Town and the Georgian New Town, while the former bank vault now houses cryotherapy, treatment rooms and an infrared sauna.

Mere steps from the famous Via Veneto, The Rome Edition is a landmark in itself, with a vast, high-ceilinged, emerald-accented atrium drawing a truly stylish evening crowd on any given night. Its 93 rooms pair walnut, Peperino stone and Carrara marble with muted tones and Italian art, while the plant-encrusted courtyard plunges guests into a gorgeous urban oasis in the heart of the historic Rione Trevi. At Anima, chef Antonio Gentile meanders along the culinary path between Rome and Naples through seasonal tasting menus. Think Gaeta saffron spaghetti and the opulent Spaghett’Oro, finished with 23-karat gold leaf. A rooftop pool and penthouse wellness program round off the modern dolce vita.

Recently opened, Aethos London takes over the iconic tiered Brutalist building on Willow Street, once occupied by Nobu in Shoreditch. Aethos’ concept is more like a members’ lounge than a traditional hotel and, indeed, for a yearly fee you can join the Aethos Club community, with lots of global perks and experiences. The Astet Studio redesign of the 164 rooms gives them a warm, industrial feel with subtle Japanese influences. They sit alongside Aethos Café, the East Tokyo-inspired izakaya and listening bar Mitsu, as well as The Willow Room, a private members-only space. A rooftop and tech-led wellness area add further reasons to lounge around indoors.

In Milan’s elegant Brera district, a short walk from La Scala and the city’s fashion quarter, Casa Brera is a gorgeously appointed base for a design-led weekend. Patricia Urquiola has transformed a restored mid-century building with sculptural furniture, sumptuous textures and richly contemporary interiors, which feel suitably Milanese. Upstairs, the rooftop pool and panoramic terraces open across the skyline and Etereo, under executive chef Antonio Gentile, is a paragon of gastronomy. Refined, plush and perfectly placed for galleries, boutiques and aperitivo-filled evenings.

Botanically influenced boutique hotel La Fantaisie is a verdant oasis in Paris’s cool 9th arrondissement, from the blooming hidden courtyards to the fresh floral motifs found throughout its design. It is crowned by the charming Bar sur le Toit, with a flower-filled terrace that overlooks the Parisian rooftops, an exquisite setting to enjoy cocktails (the menu is also florally themed) and the privileged view. The culinary offering encompasses La Fantaisie Restaurant, a vibrant neighborhood spot with elegant white-clothed tables and a picturesque terrace, plus a more informal all-day café, where the bright, sunshine-yellow décor spills out onto Rue Cadet.