The 18 Hotels We Loved Checking Into Most This Year

Toward the end of every year, “best of” hotel roundups start to fill travelers’ feeds: glossy slideshows of overwater villas, safari tents, and city grand dames, all competing for your attention and vacation days in the year to come. These have their place, but they can also feel abstract, compiled from awards, sponsors, and press releases more than the messy reality of actual travel.

This list is different. Rather than the “best” hotels, it’s a snapshot of where Matador Network’s editorial team, past and present, actually stayed in 2025. It’s far from every hotel, just the ones that held up over busy schedules, red-eye arrivals, work calls from odd time zones, and family meltdowns in the lobby.

You’ll see the range in our preferences immediately. There’s Club Med Tignes in the French Alps, where twice-daily ski lessons and lift tickets are folded into the rate. On Lake Atitlán, Hotel Casa Palopó pairs volcanic views with the type of seclusion that comes from having just 15 rooms. In Oslo, Hotel Bristol is the type of place that will make you forget all about jet lag and the midnight sun — despite a 4 AM wake-up call.

And then there are the very human reasons these places stand out: a basement jazz club in Madrid where reflection is par for the course, safari guides who remember both your favorite drink and your favorite animals, and a Venice bartender who will walk you through the city’s iconic beverages.

These are the hotels we’re still talking about long after checkout.

We hope you love the hotels we recommend! Just so you know, Matador may collect a small commission from the links on this page if you decide to book a stay.

At 6,890 feet above sea level, Club Med Tignes is an all-inclusive resort in the French Alps with direct ski-in, ski-out access to the Tignes–Val d’Isère domain and more than 180 miles of linked slopes. During my stay, it drew a mix of families, couples, and groups of friends, giving it the feel of a compact resort town under one roof. Accommodations, meals and drinks, childcare, entertainment, wellness facilities, twice-daily group ski or snowboard lessons, lift tickets, and airport transfers are bundled into the rate. Rooms are divided into superior, deluxe, and exclusive collection categories, with generous bathrooms, deep soaking tubs, and heated towel rails for the end of the ski day.

Dining is where the all-inclusive aspect really shines, from breakfast pancakes and waffles to regional cheeses, charcuterie, raclette, grilled meats, risotto, and stews. Taken together, the package positions Club Med Tignes as a clear, cost-effective way into a European ski holiday without sacrificing comfort. — Katie Gavin

I try not to write that a hotel is “in the heart” of anything, but Sina Centurion Palace makes it difficult. The five-star property sits directly on Venice’s Grand Canal in Dorsoduro, one of the city’s quieter historic quarters and in the city’s art triangle. From the private wooden dock, water taxis ferry guests to Saint Mark’s or out to Murano and Burano. On foot, it’s a short walk to the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Punta della Dogana, the Salute, and traditional wine bars known for their cicchetti.

The hotel occupies Palazzo Genovese, a Venetian Gothic residence from 1892, redeveloped in 2009 by architect Guido Ciompi for the Italian-owned Sina Hotels group. Inside, unapologetically bold interiors — Campari-red velvet, aubergine leather, gold-tiled bathrooms — play against the neo-Gothic exterior. Suites overlooking the canal offer some of the city’s most cinematic views, framed by enormous arched windows that turn passing vaporettos and gondolas into a moving fresco.

Downstairs, Antinoo’s Lounge is the social center. If bartender Luca is on duty, he’ll walk you through his cocktails, from the St-Germain–laced Venetian Sunset to a refined Milano-Torino 1958. Next door, Antinoo’s restaurant, led by Puglia-born chef Giancarlo Bellino, leans into seafood and seasonal produce: turbot, red shrimp, and sea bass ravioli, followed by rum-soaked babà or an exceptionally light tiramisù. — KG

Populus Seattle, in Pioneer Square, treats sustainability as its central brief rather than a marketing line. In the lobby, Douglas fir beams, reclaimed wood, exposed brick, and warm lighting create a calm and memorable entry — one of the standouts among the two dozen hotels I stayed in this year. Most rooms are less than 300 square feet, but they’re well-designed for urban stays: a proper work desk and window reading nook, a minibar in the closet, high-thread-count organic cotton sheets, and books on Pacific Northwest flora and fauna. Bathrooms have walk-in rain showers and refillable Aesop products, keeping amenities close to zero-waste.

Populus is an adaptive reuse project in the historic 1907 Westland Building, and runs on renewable electricity with a rooftop solar array that contributes to the grid. The restaurant, Salt Harvest, buys from regenerative farms, fisheries, and ranches across the Pacific Northwest. More than 300 works by about 35 regional artists line corridors and public spaces. The location rewards car-free travelers: there is no dedicated parking, and restaurants, coffee bars, and cultural venues are within walking distance or a short transit ride. — Tim Wenger

The Beatrice is a polished stay in downtown Providence, pairing heritage architecture with walkable city access. The hotel follows an adaptive reuse playbook, housed in the former National Exchange Bank, built in 1845. The bank’s original exterior wall can be seen from the atrium lobby, a reminder you’re in a repurposed landmark. Guestrooms are compact but well designed: zero-waste toiletries, thoughtful storage, and a mattress-pillow setup that works for side- and stomach-sleepers (and those of us, like me, who often spend the night in a restless state somewhere in between). Even the toilet stands out thanks to its heated seat and adjustable bidet.

One of the strongest cases for a stay at The Beatrice is location. Across from the Kennedy Plaza transportation hub, it’s a short walk to the riverwalk, the campuses of Brown University and the Rhode Island School of Design, and a dense cluster of theaters, restaurants, and bars. The on-site restaurant and rooftop lounge, under the Bellini brand, serve classic Italian dishes and a cocktail list built around the namesake Bellini, making it easy to stay in without feeling like you’ve settled. — TW

I found myself reflecting on, and appreciating, middle age on a Tuesday night at the Recoletos Jazz Club in the basement of AC Hotel Recoletos, in the Madrid neighborhood of the same name. As I sat listening to a local quintet power through a set of New Orleans jazz classics, tapas and Spanish wine on the table, I thought how different this was than the punk rock shows of my teens and twenties. While the ethos of that subculture still courses through my veins, I’m just fine with landing at a place like this.

The hotel sits just off Retiro Park and within walking distance of more tapas bars than I could try as a traveler passing through. My room was compact, quiet, and functional, with a small balcony looking onto Habsburg-era streets and nineteenth-century civic buildings. Staff were quick with restaurant suggestions and clear walking directions. The shower’s water temperature almost instantly reached my preferred skin-scalding temperature — a perk many hotels struggle immensely to match. If the Spanish capital were a maze (as many may argue it is), Recoletos is the cheese wedge hiding in the middle of it. The AC Hotel here is a welcoming basecamp to learn its twists and turns. — TW

I’m a pretty outdoorsy person, and tend to get overwhelmed in non-stop crowds. That said, it’s fun to switch things up once in a while, and on a recent trip to Las Vegas, I was stoked to try some top-rated restaurants and catch a Cirque du Soleil show. I wasn’t thrilled by the thought of being woken up at 3 AM by loud revelers and bachelor parties – which is why I adored Nobu Hotel Caesar’s Palace. This hotel within Caesar’s Palace, accessed via private elevators with a lobby several stories above the casino floor, provides a sense of quiet you won’t find elsewhere on the Strip. It’s particularly enjoyable stepping into the lively Caesar’s lobby then getting whisked away in an elevator to the Japanese-inspired hotel. That exclusivity is far more affordable than I expected, as well, with the large rooms starting well below $200 per night. Guests perks like a free cocktail hour each afternoon and complimentary coffee in the lobby add to the draw — a rarity, I learned, as many luxury hotels in Vegas charge for quality in-room coffee. — Suzie Dundas

I arrived in downtown Oslo deeply tired after traveling from Vancouver, Canada, then taken a train from the airport to the city center. The combination of midnight sun and jetlag made it impossible for my brain to know what time it was, and I wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed and sleep as long as I could before my 4 AM wake-up call to fly farther north to Svalbard.

That changed when I stepped into Hotel Bristol, a 100-year-old luxury hotel. It’s decked out in a vintage, Grand Hotel style, with coffered wood ceilings, neo-Rococo furniture, and a cozy pub that feels equally appropriate for staying up late with friends or typing away all day on a laptop. The view from my room was a historic alley with flower boxes on windows, and just a few steps from that was the whole of downtown Oslo, walkable as could be from the hotel lobby. Rather than immediately hitting the hay as I’d planned, I ended up taking a stroll around the hotel’s historic exterior and surrounding streets. This was my first visit to Oslo, and Hotel Bristol’s historic character and luxe comfort made it a much more fun place to stay for my first visit than, say, a modern chain hotel. — SD

There are private beach hotels, and then there’s Lizard Island Resort. This luxury hotel on an otherwise private island is on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, accessed via private plane from Cairns. The only other development on the island, which has no less than 24 powdery white-sand beaches abutting a turquoise lagoon teeming with marine life, is a coral research outpost. David Attenborough has filmed multiple nature documentary segments on the island.

The hotel is as luxurious as it gets, with massive bungalows opening to the beach (many with private pools), a custom scuba diving and fishing yacht, and an all-inclusive culinary program with meals served in the open-air beachfront restaurant – unless you’d prefer your meal as a picnic on a private beach or set up under market lights on your patio.

I spent mornings diving at iconic sites like Cod Hole, only a few minutes away by boat, and afternoons snorkeling off the various hike-in beaches. Guests can choose from a daily schedule of activities like guided island hikes and cocktail classes, all led by some of the friendliest staff in Australia. One of my favorite evenings on Lizard Island was spent with the scuba diving boat crew at the casual Marlin Bar. It’s the only restaurant on the island open to the public, and since 1975 it’s been the spot to moor your sailboat and enjoy a cheap beer as the sun sets over the Great Barrier Reef. — SD

Soroi Luxury Migration Camp sits deep in Maasai Mara National Park, famous for the annual wildebeest migration. But as I laid in the cozy bed of my glass-fronted suite facing Kenya’s Olare Orok River, it was the peaceful sound of snorting hippos that lulled me to sleep each night.

It was clear after one night why this luxury camp stands out in a region crowded with tented lodges. Every tent is positioned for privacy, opening to a large deck so you can sit outside in the early morning and watch the sunrise (and aforementioned hippos) without seeing another guest. The decks are raised, making it safe to stay outside even when animals are only a few feet away. (Fun fact: hippos can’t jump.)

While I’m not much of a morning person, early call times were worth it on game drive days. The fantastically personable and knowledgeable guides seem to have a sixth sense for knowing where to linger in the bush, when to pull out piping-hot coffee, and how to find the perfect angle for viewing elusive species. You can even hire a professional photographer in a separate car to take photos of you and your group in Maasai Mara National Park. At camp, managers and staff remembered not just everyone’s name by the first night, but their favorite animals and favorite drinks, too. The extremely talented culinary team hails from around the world and whipped up some of the best Indian food I’ve ever had, and the 5:30 AM wake up calls served with coffee and pastries was something I surely missed when I got back to the real world.

All Soroi Lodges throughout Kenya are extremely high-end, but there was something special about this one that felt different from your standard five-star safari lodge. It may be that the Mara has a reputation for being a crowded Disney version of a game drive: safe, dependable, and going way too over-the-top on the safari theme. The Luxury Migration Camp is anything but, offering a polished and service-forward stay while still ensuring guests feel connected to the wild. — SD

El Palace Barcelona is to hotels what a first-class Emirates seat is to air travel, or what Noma is to gastronomy: the creme de la creme. The 1919 property was designed by César Ritz and, while it isn’t part of the Ritz-Carlton group, it shares many of the brand’s hallmarks: swanky decor, high-end service, excellent food-and-beverage options, and a great location. Gaudi’s Casa Batlló, the Arc de Triomf, Plaça de Catalunya, and the city’s cathedral are only a few minutes’ walk from the Beaux-Arts facade. That said, the hotel itself has an atmosphere that makes the property feel like a destination rather than a place to lay your head.

The lobby has an abundance of marble, grand staircases, and fresh flowers. In the adjoining Hall, you can sit for an afternoon tea that’s likely on par with what you’d get in Buckingham Palace. Every suite in the hotel has the potential to leave you speechless, but the César Ritz suite takes the cake. The room is filled with antiques, but if you move the Louis XVI-style furniture around a little, there’s enough room for you and 15 friends to practice your cartwheels. Rooftop Garden, one of the several dining venues on site, completes this near-perfect picture by offering guests the chance to swim laps while enjoying views of La Sagrada Família. — Morgane Croissant

The mantra “life is full of compromises” seemingly doesn’t apply to Palazzo Cordusio. This small luxury property is located in a 19th-century building complete with a dome and a golden mosaic on its facade. Inside are three dining venues, an underground spa that you can book for private use at no cost, and a decor that will soothe even the most restless travelers. But its biggest asset is the unbeatable location – and the killer views that go with it.

Short of finding a way to sleep in Piazza del Duomo itself, Palazzo Palazzo Cordusio is the closest you can lay your head to the famous Milan Cathedral. Several of the rooms and suites in the property have views that look directly upon the Duomo. If that view is outside your room budget, you can still take it in over an aperitivo on the terrace at Sachi, the Japanese restaurant on the fourth floor. From the hotel, it’s a few minutes on foot to Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and its luxury shops, La Scala, and the Brera district. The Starbucks Reserve Roastery Milano, housed in the former general post office, is next door — a global brand in an unexpectedly ornate Italian setting. While it might feel sacrilege to visit a Starbucks in Italy, it’s worth a quick look. — MC

Villa Agrippina Gran Meliá comes about as close as a hotel can to having everything. It’s a seven-minute walk to St. Peter’s Basilica and about 10–15 minutes to Rome’s historic center, which means you can slip out at dawn to see Vatican City with only a handful of other visitors, or wander to the Trevi Fountain and Piazza Navona late at night when the crowds thin.

The hotel stands on the site of the former home of Agrippina, mother of Emperor Nero, and an archaeological discovery during construction in the early 2000s temporarily halted work so artifacts could be documented. That history inspired the property’s name and informs much of the decor. What really sets Villa Agrippina apart, though, is the 2.4-acre grounds and large circular pool in such a dense part of the city. While most central hotels pack guests in, here you can walk through the rosemary-scented garden or sunbathe with a cappuccino without seeing more than a few other people — including clergy who clearly know a great hotel when they see one. A high-end Clarins spa and a fine-dining restaurant with Michelin ambitions only add to the appeal. — MC

If you want to feel like royalty, stay in a hotel that actually hosted them. Built in 1913 as one of Europe’s most luxurious properties (and the first hotel on the continent with a swimming pool) Palazzo Fiuggi was once the preferred escape for King Vittorio Emanuele III and his family. It later drew a steady stream of high-profile guests until its closure in the 1980s.

Its grand reopening in 2021 recast it as a full-scale wellness retreat. Walking into the lobby feels like entering an Italian museum: frescoed ceilings overhead, marble statues lining the halls, antique paintings at every turn, and an indoor water feature framed by intricate tilework.

Today, the property is organized around Fiuggi’s mineral spring and a roster of structured programs that focus on longevity, weight loss, or detox, each designed by an in-house team of doctors and specialists. Each morning, you receive a personalized schedule of treatments and meals tailored to your plan and created by a chef with Michelin-star experience.

I soaked in magnesium-rich pools, braved freezing plunge baths, and had pressure-point massages inspired by Chinese medicine. Between sessions, I lounged by the pool, spent time in the salt room, and drifted off during sound baths — a rhythm that felt both highly managed and surprisingly restorative. — Kelsey Wilking

Located on its own private Nakanoshima Island and accessible only by boat, Kumano-Bettei Nakanoshima overlooks Kii-Katsuura Bay and Oto Island. Its open-air onsens are carved into the rock along the shoreline and fed directly by the island’s natural hot springs. Stone baths and cave-like arches shape the warm pools, all facing the open bay.

When the communal baths (one for men and one for women) close for the night, you can still use your own private outdoor tub. One night, jet lag keeping me wide awake at 1 AM, I slipped into the steaming bath on my moonlit terrace and listened to slow waves in the dark. My mind finally quieted. Every room comes with loungewear and a personal kimono you’re encouraged to wear to meals, which sets an easy, informal tone throughout the stay.

Dining runs from fresh sushi to Japanese wagyu you cook yourself on a personal stone grill, paired with the hotel’s plum wine, miso soup, and plenty of fresh vegetables. In the morning, I hiked the island’s short trail loop: a peaceful 20-minute sunrise walk surrounded by forest and ocean views. The combination of hot springs, unhurried meals, and that small ring of trail makes the island feel purpose-built for paying attention to the present. — KW

Located within Serengeti National Park, the hillside Serengeti Explorer offers close-up wildlife viewing from the moment you wake up. Set high above the grasslands, Serengeti Explorer looks out over the plains, with broad views in every direction. The lodge sits along a quieter road, so you’re not competing with dozens of safari vehicles for the same sighting. One evening, our group enjoyed sundowners completely alone while watching 11 lion cubs play outside their den. We stayed for over an hour in quiet awe as the sun disappeared behind them.

Eco-conscious and priced below many of the region’s ultra-luxury lodges, Serengeti Explorer still has memorable features. The most unique is The Den — a walk-through tunnel that leads to an underground viewing area beside a wildlife watering hole. Elephants, antelope, and even the occasional big cat stop by to drink, giving you a front-row seat without ever stepping into a jeep. — KW

In a quiet corner of Lake Atitlán in Santa Catarina Palopó, Hotel Casa Palopó offers panoramic views of the lake and its three towering volcanoes. You can see them from everywhere — your room, the pool, the restaurant, even while soaking in the hot tub. Morning cacao shots, in-room painting and meditation kits, and indigenous textiles and artwork woven into the décor create a strong sense of place.

With only 15 rooms, the property stays peaceful in a way that feels almost private. I came here with one of my best friends from university for a girls’ weekend, and it felt like we had the hotel to ourselves. We caught up over ceviche on the patio and sipped bubbly in the hot tub with no one else around. The next morning, breakfast was delivered to our room, and later we wandered into the nearby town of Santa Catarina Palopó — a colorful, art-filled village painted in blues, greens, and purples that celebrate local Maya heritage.

Hotel Casa Palopó recently received one MICHELIN Key. The experience pairs Guatemalan hospitality with a thoughtful, small-scale operation that supports local Indigenous communities, from the crafts on the walls to the people who work there. — KW

Pueblo Bonito Pacifica sits on a private shoreline framed by two cliffs in Cabo San Lucas. It’s an adults-only, all-inclusive resort geared toward guests who want slow days by the ocean and golfers chasing dramatic seaside holes. From watching whales on the horizon from my terrace to sunrise yoga on the sand, time at the spa, and pink sunsets stretching across the horizon, the pace here felt markedly softer than the reputation of other Cabo resorts.

I stayed in The Towers at Pacifica, which come with a dedicated butler, a private plunge pool, and a restaurant reserved for guests in this wing. Food across the resort was consistently strong, from casual spots to the more formal options. Guests also have access to the Quivira Golf Club, a cliffside course with sweeping views of the Pacific. Even as a non-golfer, standing on the cliffs with views of the sea felt unreal. The golfers I met all echoed the same sentiment: they’d never played anywhere like it.

Stays include access to Pueblo Bonito’s sister properties, adding more restaurants and pools to the mix. Beyond the resort, you can make a day trip to Todos Santos, a designated Pueblo Mágico with art galleries, a bohemian center, and good shopping, or take a boat ride out to see El Arco, the famous rock arch at the tip of Cabo San Lucas. — KW

Aston Kaʻanapali Shores, on West Maui’s Kaʻanapali coast, was the perfect fit for our first trip to Hawaiʻi with two kids under three. The surrounding community is still recovering after the devastating 2023 wildfires, and visitor spending is part of the island’s longer-term rebuilding plan. Built in the 1980s, this Aston property offers plenty of space: full kitchens, separate living and dining areas, and balconies that feel like second living rooms in the premium suites. Kids under 17 stay free, and advance-booked standard rooms can price in the mid-$200s per night depending on the season.

My family stayed in a two-bedroom Oceanfront Aloha Suite with a wraparound balcony. We stocked the fridge with breakfast basics from the supermarket across the street and ate breakfast on the courtyard side of the balcony, then moved to the ocean side to watch a pod of dolphins pass one afternoon.

The beach is less than a minute’s walk from the room. Two pools — one with splash features for small kids, one by the bar — sit in the middle of the property. Elsewhere, there’s a pickleball court, spa, fitness center, and cultural programming like lei-making and hula lessons; off property, day trips to the Maui Ocean Center and nearby beaches make this an advantageous home base for exploring the island. — Nickolaus Hines