Hotels Above Par Founder & Editor-in-Chief Brandon Berkson shares his two cents about the top boutique hotels to visit in 2025—and we can’t wait to tell you who made the list. From Morocco to Mexico, read on for his recommendations.
Boca de Agua (Bacalar, Mexico)
This stay is right on the banks of the Bacalar lagoon, which stuns with its turquoise waters. Rooms perch on stilts, giving a nod to the undisturbed natural beauty that surrounds them. The local residents? Just a few spider monkeys and iguanas hanging out in the trees, like it’s no big deal. Nearby Mayan ruins show off the area’s ancient history.
Lost Lindenberg (Pekutatan, Indonesia)
Bali’s west coast brims with jungle-filled acres and long black lava-sand beaches. In the resident town of Pekutatan is Lost Lindenberg: an eight-room boutique hotel smack on an unhurried sandy strand. The stay’s blueprint features treehouse-like towers that connect via elevated walkways. The Balinese-style spa is due to rejuvenate.
Drawing House (Paris, France)
A 143-key art-themed hotel near Montparnasse—a controversial skyscraper in the center of the city—is Drawing House. Rooms are equipped with murals and small-framed artwork by French artists.
The Francis House (Calistoga, CA)
A 7-key, chateau-esque Napa Valley stay that you’d never guess was abandoned for half a century, Francis House is bedecked in a French-Country style. Light spills into guestrooms, accented by chandeliers, brass luggage racks, vintage mirrors, and Chantilly lace curtains.
César Lanzarote (Lanzarote, Spain)
Many claim Lanzarote’s landscape mirrors the moon, and it’s not hard to see why—charcoal volcanic rock blankets its rolling hills. César Lanzarote is where to spend the night when here. This intimate 20-room retreat is cocooned by vineyards, with a chic white-and-green palette that flows from the exterior façade to the hand-crafted furniture lining hallways. The hotel’s curvaceous outdoor pool makes for a great swim during summertime sunsets.
The Pergola (Cascais, Portugal)
The Pergola, a 15-room boutique hotel in seaside Cascais (call it Lisbon’s equivalent to the Hamptons?) has a heartwarming backstory: in 1925, a local businessman bought two chalets for his daughters, later turning one into the town’s first hotel. Many original features remain—expect stone floors, hand-painted tiles, and an iron staircase. The rooms combine vintage charm with modern flair, boasting high ceilings, parquet floors, and bold Portuguese patterns.
23 Hotel Medellin (Medellin, Colombia)
El Poblado is the place to be in Medellín right now, and 23 Hotel Medellín nails it with its retro-modern design—think porthole windows and jungle terraces. Inside, the rooms are sleek yet surprisingly cozy, and those porthole windows pair perfectly with the soaking tubs.
Maison Brummell Majorelle (Marrakech, Morocco)
Tucked in Marrakech’s Majorelle neighborhood (Yves Saint Laurent’s former pad was around here), Maison Brummell is a stylish eight-room boutique hotel that blends traditional Moroccan architecture with sleek modernism, featuring smooth stone floors, tadelakt walls, and custom furnishings. Rooms come with private gardens or decks, offering a tranquil escape framed by greenery, while communal spaces include a pool, sun-filled terraces, and a marble hammam with a plunge pool.
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