LEADING BY DESIGN Elegant hotels for fashion-lovers in New York, London, Milan and Paris

The most stylish hotels in the world’s great fashion capitals

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THE BERKELEY, LONDON

The newly unveiled façade at this refined London hotel features a magnificent glass canopy designed by the renowned architects

Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners. Inside, the transformation continues with a little help from the interior designer John Heah, who has revamped the first-floor bedrooms and suites in a cool,

contemporary style. The neutral colour palette, carefully curated art pieces and materials sourced from all over the globe (including Thai silk and Swedish wood) enhance the polished aesthetic. With a subtle and chic renovation of the hotel’s Blue Bar and Collins Room – famous for its popular fashion-inspired Prêt-à-Portea – the Berkeley looks set to add to its loyal

following of modish guests. The Berkeley (www.the-berkeley.co.uk), from £490 a room a night.

BeSt HoMe AWAY FRoM HoMe FOUR SEASONS HOTEL NEW YORK DOWNTOWN

A striking addition to the world’s most famous skyline, the recently opened Four Seasons is set within one of New York City’s tallest residential towers in Lower Manhattan. Each of the 189 spacious rooms has been transformed into a peaceful sanctuary, with clean lines, brushed bronze and muted jewel tones offset by crisp white bedlinen for an atmosphere of welcome tranquillity in the city that never sleeps. You could be forgiven for never wanting to leave this urban retreat – and, with 157 Private Residences also available, you don’t have to.

Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown (www.fourseasons. com/newyorkdowntown), from about £405 a room a night.

BEST FOR PALATIAL OPULENCE

SHANGRI-LA HOTEL, PARIS

The exquisite La Suite Shangri-La apartment offers total privacy and a terrace that stretches

to 100 square metres on the top floor of a Parisian palace that was once home to Prince Roland Bonaparte. Breathtaking views of the

Eiffel Tower are rivalled only by the decor. Designed by the award-winning Pierre-Yves

Rochon, the rooms and 36 suites here blend classic French luxury with oriental flourishes. Regal tones of blue, gold and cream befit the elegance of this royal residence, while the gleaming golden lobby with its sweeping staircase gives visitors a hint of the glories that await. Shangri-La Hotel, Paris (www.shangri-la.com/

paris), from about £755 a room a night.

BEST FOR ITALIAN LUXURY

PARK HYATT MILAN

The Park Hyatt’s Milan outpost has earned a reputation for timeless glamour and, as soon as you step into the hotel’s impeccable, orchid-adorned lobby, you’ll understand why. Located in the heart of Italy’s fashion capital, the hotel mixes Venetian stucco, hardwood floors and hand-blown Murano lamps, a sophisticated scheme that continues throughout the bedrooms. The Presidential Suite provides a taste of la dolce vita, with modern artworks lining the marble walls, and Chinese silk furnishings. Meanwhile, the extravagant Jacuzzi on the Duomo Suite’s terrace is encrusted with a gold mosaic made up of 50,000 pieces, and is the perfect vantage point for surveying the splendid architecture of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II shopping mall.

Park Hyatt Milan (www.milan.park.hyatt.com), from £625 a room a night.

BEST FOR ARTISTRY

MANDARIN ORIENTAL, PARIS

Situated in the centre of the most romantic city on Earth, the Mandarin Oriental is acclaimed for its proximity to the Louvre, its excellent spa and the decadent dining opportunities provided by the chef Thierry Marx. The interiors are equally sumptuous, with bedheads, furniture and wall fabrics made by the French couture embroiderer Maison Lesage. Founded in 1924, the Lesage atelier has collaborated with legendary designers including Christian Dior, Hubert de Givenchy and Karl Lagerfeld. Today’s hotel guests can learn more about the Maison’s fascinating history by booking the So Couture by Ecole Lesage package, which includes a two-hour private lesson at the embroidery school.

Mandarin Oriental, Paris (www.mandarinoriental.com/paris), from about £840 a room a night.