Years of traveling to hotels all over the world have us convinced that what makes a property standout are the details you hadn't anticipated before booking. Like that impossibly fresh orange juice that you had to have every morning from the breakfast menu, only to return home desperate for something local that compared. Or the way a hotel bath tub can be so inviting, you blow off an entire afternoon of exploring just to soak a little longer. The more we travel, the more of these memories we store in our minds, like mental souvenirs we can tap into whenever we need a quick little world to escape to. Not surprisingly, we've been tapping into these moments a lot lately. And when we can get back out here, odds are these are the first hotels we will be checking into.
Permission to Stay in the Tub (or Hammam) All Day
The Curtain, London
A few years ago on a solo trip around the U.K., I stayed at The Curtain in London's Shoreditch neighborhood. I had been running myself ragged trying to fit everything I could possibly think of into the trip and was worn out. So—as solo trips always allow—I took a day off from my vacation. I ran (a few) baths in the enormous freestanding tub in the middle of my room, moved the arm of the wall-mounted TV so I could see it from the tub, and watched back-to-back episodes of The Great British Bake Off and Four in a Bed. All I want right now is a mental vacation from everything going on right now and imagining that moment, with prune-y fingertips in the tub watching mindless British reality TV, is doing just that. —Meredith Carey, associate editor
Ciragan Palace, Istanbul
I'm a novice hammam user, so freely admit I have little to compare this to, but the Ciragan Palace—already a fairly indulgent stay by general hotel standards—graciously fit me into their hammam the morning before I left to fly back home. It's spacious and quiet, and the entire experience was so relaxing. I didn't know my skin could still get that soft. They clearly know what they're doing, too, because I was entirely rested for the flight back to New York and barely registered the jet lag upon return. There's magic in that hammam. —Corina Quinn, director, city guides
Those Views that Could Ruin You For All Others
Zemi Beach House, Anguilla
I don’t typically crave warm weather and beaches (I’m more of a winter gal), but being quarantined for the past few weeks has made me want sunshine more than ever. I spent a few days at Anguilla’s Zemi Beach House this past January, where I had my own private plunge pool and direct access to Shoal Bay East—does anything sound more magical right now? Luckily I still have mental images of those ocean views from my bedroom. —Caitlin Morton, contributing editor
Katikies, Santorini
My mom had been talking my whole life about wanting to plan a family trip to Greece (where her parents are from), and when we finally got there, for part of the trip we spent a few days in Santorini at Katikies. I have plenty of good things to say about this hotel, but it is so photogenic, it is impossible not to rave about. As you can see on their Instagram, every corner is insanely pretty, from the sweeping Oia and Caldera views and the turquoise infinity and mini suite pools contrasting against the cobalt blue sea, to the cascading tourist-free white steps that are perfect for posing on. —Alex Erdekian, assistant editor
Times Square Edition, New York City
When I stayed at the Times Square Edition I was floored by the view from the totally open balcony. I, like everyone, am not fond of Times Square, but seeing it all moving from 30 floors up was so cool. And honestly, I thought an open balcony with views like that, that high up, in a place that dense, was something that no one would put in an American hotel anymore for safety reasons. Every other time I've been that high up even the windows are locked. —Noah Kaufmann, editor, city guides
Hotel Astoria, St. Petersburg
I've rarely been as jetlagged as when I landed in Russia a couple summers ago, but I still dream of the gorgeous room at the Hotel Astoria I got to oversleep in. Every time I woke up from a nap I couldn't resist, I'd pull open the thick curtains, look out the window, and see St. Isaac's Cathedral right outside, and the buzzing square full of life below us. We even saw a wedding party pass through one day. —Megan Spurrell, associate editor
The Cocktail Hour to Fly For
Somalisa, Zimbabwe
I am unsure any safari sundowner is more magical than at Somalisa inside Hwange park in Zimbabwe. Sitting on a lounge chair sipping a G+T, I watched at least 40 elephants come right up for a drink of their own at the watering hole on camp. The herd was so close I could hear their grunting, and their trunks rub against each other as they hosed up the water. It was completely mesmerizing. —Erin Florio, travel news director
Le Pavillon de la Reine, Paris
Walking through the entrance to Le Pavillon de la Reine on the Place des Vosges and into its secluded, ivy-covered courtyard is pure Parisian magic. It feels like you’ve been let in on a secret, one that’s best experienced with a glass of crisp white wine in the sunshine. Last time I was there I saw Julie Delpy. What's more Parisian than that? —Lale Arikoglu, senior lifestyle editor
When The Snacks Are Better Than the Meal
Round Hill Hotel and Villas, Jamaica
At Round Hill Hotel and Villas in Jamaica, there were incredible buffet spreads at the restaurant and epic breakfasts. But my favorite meal there was the simple Red Stripe and Jamaican patty we had at lunch one day, while sitting on the beach. The cold beer paired so well with the fried, salty patty—a portable meal easy to eat in your bathing suit. It epitomized a simple Jamaican beach day, and it's stayed with me all these years later. —Stephanie Wu, articles director
Ignacia Guest House, Mexico City
Ignacia Guest House is my favorite stay in Mexico City, a city I'm missing with an ache these days. And what I love most is the mezcal and fried chapulines (grasshoppers; a common snack) served every afternoon. I love coming back to sit among the towering cacti in the courtyard with a cool, smoky drink in hand, stealing tips from the other guests. —M.S.
Rosewood Mayakoba, Playa del Carmen
I daydream about the freshness of the guacamole at the Rosewood Mayakoba, a hotel that I consider one of my happy places. Have the staff bring it to you with one of their margaritas and you have a beachside meal I'd happily eat any time. —S.W.
And Then, There's the Meal...
Shutters on the Beach, Los Angeles
Every time I go to L.A., I try to have breakfast at Shutters on the Beach in Santa Monica. Right on the beach, the breeze never leaves you, and regardless of how early I get there, I always somehow leave well past noon because it’s virtually impossible to tear myself away from that ocean view. Well, that and the lemon ricotta pancakes. —L.A.
The Little Details that Linger the Longest
Rancho Valencia Resort and Spa, San Diego
I've written about it before, but it is still one of the loveliest touches, and I'm dreaming about it now in particular as I sip glass after glass of "from-concentrate" OJ: The bottles of freshly squeezed orange juice left outside your suite door at Rancho Valencia Resort and Spa about 25 miles north and inland of San Diego. —Rebecca Misner, West Coast editor
The Langham, London
I suppose all hotels of a certain persuasion now have custom scents, but for my money, you cannot beat the Langham's. I'm fairly obsessed with it. I noticed it on my first Langham experience, in London, and pick up the aroma oil (works better than the candles) anytime I visit a location. It makes my apartment feel a little fancier, and brings me back to that beautiful London stay, where I munched on pink macarons each night, and bathed in the tub in that historic building. —C.Q.
La Mamounia, Marrakech
Going out onto my balcony at La Mamounia in Marrakech around 5 a.m. to listen to the day's first Call to Prayer float out over the still-dark city. I get chills just thinking about the beauty of it. —R.M.
When the Art is Better Than at a Museum
Hotel Kinsley, Kingston, New York
The art at the hip, mid-century-meets-modern Kinsley, many pieces of which are culled from owner and developer Charlie Blaichman’s personal collection, includes Baltimore native Beth Hoeckel’s lunar-landing-on-shrooms piece above the concierge desk, and prints by Minneapolis-based artist Nick Dahlen, whose Picasso-like faces, rendered in bright primary colors, pop out along moody hallway walls, lit from above by old-school picture lights. They helped as much as any other design element in creating the feeling that I was elsewhere, taking a short vacation in some beautifully rendered alternate reality. —Betsy Blumenthal, associate editor
When it's Impossible to Name One Thing
Vilòn Luxury Hotel, Rome
If speaking honestly, I am obsessed with the Vilòn in Rome—and I have made no secret of that. It is a jewel-box of a hotel that manages to do the Roman impossible: be both timeless and modern in a way that feels envelope-pushing-levels of natural. Even if I'm not staying in one of its pretty rooms, which peep over the Borghese Gardens, I have to stop in for a gimlet at the Art Deco-esque bar, just to get a fix of the atmosphere. —E.F.
Barbuda Belle, Barbuda
It’s not just the pink sand beaches, glass-bottomed kayak rides through mangrove forests, and relaxed-luxe eco-minded accommodations that I dream about when I dream about the Barbuda Belle. It’s the perfect quiet, stretching out into the turquoise horizon. There are no planes, no cruise ships, no kite surfers, nothing at all along this exquisite stretch of sand but six bungalows on stilts and one main lodge, all reachable only by boat. The property, then only a few years old, took a terrible hit during Hurricane Irma, but it’s back and better than ever. I can’t wait to pay it another visit. —Jesse Ashlock, editor, U.S.
Lodge at Kauri Cliffs, New Zealand
You know you’ve arrived somewhere special when the helicopter touches down on the beach outside Lodge at Kauri Cliffs. It's a hospitality fusion that I would not normally think would work: laid back, breezy Kiwi with the buttoned up style and grace of the owners' southern U.S. roots. Being in the main house, with views over the glowing blue water and couches you want to nap on, is like looking at New Zealand from a country estate in Georgia. And massages at the spa, surrounded by native Kauri forest, are even more relaxing with a soundtrack of tuis and other local birds fluttering about outside. —E.F.
The People Make the Place
Datai Langkawi, Langkawi Island, Malaysia
When we stayed at the Datai Langkawi in Malaysia, we really wanted our rooms to be connecting so that we could easily walk back and forth between them. Unfortunately, they didn't have any connecting rooms left. We realized that a simple cloth separated the two balconies of our rooms, and by removing the cloth, we could create our own little suite by keeping the balcony doors unlocked and walking between rooms on the outside instead of the hallway. The staff gladly complied—going above and beyond with a simple gesture that made our stay so much more enjoyable. —S.W.
Jaya House River Park, Siem Reap
I dream of returning to Jaya House River Park in Siem Reap on an almost daily basis, for so many reasons, but above all, for the staff. I'm not exaggerating when I say that every single member of the team, the GM, the bartender, the gardeners, is a delight. So warm, so welcoming, and the kicker is, it's not at all phony or rehearsed. Their attitude is infectious, being there actually makes you a happier, more considerate person, at least for the duration of your stay – R.M.