Volume 3 Explore: The Leading Hotels of the World

Featuring a curated selection of over 80 hotels from across the LHW collection, Culture: The Leading Hotels of the World celebrates the iconic destinations where local flair, age-old rituals, and international art serve exceptional hospitality.

About the book:

Explore singular destinations with The Leading Hotels of the World in this celebration of exceptional hospitality, extraordinary cultural heritage, and unforgettable travel locales

Embark on a stunning visual journey through The Leading Hotels of the World, a collection of the world’s most exclusive independent luxury hotels, which consistently dominates prestigious awards, securing top positions in Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards and Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards.

Richly illustrated and expertly edited, this exquisite volume – the third in The Leading Hotels of the World multi-volume series – presents a robust collection of properties tailor-made for hosting awe-inspiring adventures, transformative well-being experiences, cutting-edge spa treatments, and world-class sports facilities. Explore features a bespoke selection of more than 80 exceptional hotels from LHW’s 400-plus-member collection across 80 countries, offering readers a whirlwind journey across continents, climates, and cultures. Whether stargazing into faraway galaxies at Nayara Alto Atacama in the Chilean desert, mountain biking along the 30 miles of custom-designed trails at South Africa’s Steyn City Hotel by Saxon, or bathing as the ancient Etruscans did at Terme di Saturnia in Tuscany, these LHW properties offer myriad opportunities to nurture mind, body, and soul. Distinctive activities abound, such as Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanišević’s tennis academy at D Maris Bay on Turkey’s Datça Peninsula; Gleneagles Hotel’s 850 acres of archery, falconry, golf, and more in Scotland; and the charming, Bavarian-style slopeside stay of the Sonnenalp Hotel in the Colorado ski town of Vail.

Featuring contributions from best-in-class journalists, full-page color photography, insider’s tips from local experts, and three original itineraries for excursions in Hawaii, Sicily, and Thailand, Explore offers abundant inspiration for culture-savvy travelers.

About the author:

The Leading Hotels of the World, Ltd., founded in 1928, is the premier collection of over 400 independent luxury hotels in more than 80 countries. From alpine chalets to safari camps, LHW curates unique properties for curious seekers and luxury enthusiasts, uniting them in a passion for distinctive travel experiences.

Spencer Bailey is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Slowdown, co-host of the Time Sensitive podcast, and former editor-in-chief of Surface magazine. He is the author of In Memory Of: Designing Contemporary Memorials (Phaidon, 2020) and Design: The Leading Hotels of the World (Monacelli, 2024).

Pico Iyer is an acclaimed travel writer and author who has published sixteen books, often dealing with crossing cultures. He has been a contributor for more than thirty-five years to The New York Times, The Financial Times, Harper’s Magazine, Condé Nast Traveler, and more.

Specifications:
Format: Hardback
Size: 288 × 250 mm (113/8 × 97/8 in)
Pages: 304 pp
Illustrations: 400 illustrations