CHECKING IN CHAMBRES EN VILLE
Our favourite hotel stays.
1 PROPER HOTEL
Last fall, one of the city’s oldest buildings reopened its restored flatiron doors as a hotel in Mid-Market, a developing area that’s home to tech giants Twitter and Uber. NUMBER OF ROOMS 131. WHAT WE LOVED Getting toasty by the firepits with a Soul City cocktail (Aperol, cava, whisky and lavender) at Charmaine’s, the only rooftop bar with a 360-degree view of downtown. It’s open to the public, but guests skip the line thanks to a private elevator. ROOM PERKS Use the hotel’s app on your in-room tablet to reserve a Shinola bike and explore the sea-level Embarcadero neighbourhood or – if you’re feeling brave – conquer SF’s hills.
2 SOUTH CONGRESS HOTEL AUSTIN
Though it’s just over two years old, this buzzy spot feels homey thanks to plaid easy chairs and bookshelves that divide the lobby into cozy nooks. Once you’ve unpacked, hit the rooftop pool for a dip and a view of SoCo hot spots like renowned music venue the Continental. NUMBER OF ROOMS 83. WHAT WE LOVED Mingling with locals at Café No Sé before heading to 12-seat omakase restaurant Otoko. Snag tickets online for chef/punk musician Yoshi Okai’s sushi-meets-kaiseki tasting menu. ROOM TO BOOK The four-bunk dorm stocked with Texas’ own Whittington jerky and Shiner beer is great for groups in town for Pride Week in August.
3 LE MOUNT STEPHEN MONTRÉAL
A recent reno of the property bridged Victorian and post-millennial Montreal by adding 11 whitemarble-clad storeys and 90 teched-out rooms to the Mount Stephen Club in the Golden Square Mile, just a short walk from McGill University. WHAT WE LOVED Exploring the glitteringly restored 1880s residence: 22-carat gold light fixtures and 300-year-old Italian stained glass help make it one of Canada’s most jaw-dropping heritage mansions. ORDER Bar George’s Surly Old Uncle (a grapefruitinfused Pimm’s Cup) and whelks on toast. Onyx and reams of Ceylon satinwood panelling have diners marvelling at the room instead of scrolling through Instagram.
4 NOBU HOTEL SHOREDITCH LONDON / LONDRES
Opened in 2017, the U.K.’s first Nobu property mixes the brand’s Japanese roots and the industrial past of Shoreditch by adorning concrete walls with patterns based on the sumi-e ink technique. NUMBER OF ROOMS 148. WHAT WE LOVED The room service. Dining on flaky Alaskan cod glazed with a sake, mirin and white miso sauce while wearing a silk yukata robe was a first. GET PHYSICAL at Studio Lagree with a Megaformer class (Meghan Markle swears by it) on a machine that works endurance, balance and cardio. Afterwards, book the spa’s signature Nagomi ritual that soothes muscles with a herbal balm – you’re going to need it.