For the culturally curious traveller with a passion for discovery, this beautifully curated volume uncovers over 80 iconic hotels where art, heritage, and tradition converge. With striking original photography, thoughtful essays, and personal stories from hoteliers, artists, and cultural pioneers, this edition invites readers on an inspiring journey through the soul of each destination. Encased in a rich burgundy linen cover, the book explores how these storied properties preserve local customs while reimagining them for the modern guest. From historic palazzos steeped in centuries-old rituals to contemporary retreats celebrating indigenous craftsmanship, each hotel is a gateway to immersive cultural experiences—where every stay becomes a deeper connection to place, people, and purpose.

"Culture shares with nature a gift for constantly evolving, without losing what makes it distinctive.” Pico Iyer, Novelist and Foreword Author.

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Culture: The Leading Hotels of the World (Phaidon Monacelli) is the second volume in a multi-part coffee table book series, created in collaboration with Slowdown Media, and following the series' first edition Design: The Leading Hotels of the World. 

Additional information can be found in the press kit, complete with e-galley, press release and book images.

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Included in the book is a selection of Pro Tips from the world's most respected cultural commentators including Simon Critchley, Stephen Fry, Maria Brito and Bill Bensley. See some of our favourites below:

Copenhagen

“Copenhagen's The Apartment (Overgaden Neden Vandet 33) was the first boutique to resemble a furnished home and is still the best. Owner Tina Seidenfaden Busck only carries things that she would choose to live with herself. This and her singular, worldly-yet-Scandinavian aesthetic manifests as an elegant, and often playful, mix of mostly handmade objects, tapestries, textiles, and furniture that spans a range from antique Venetian glass, French rattan, American quilts, African folk art, and Danish porcelain to Gustavian dressers and vintage Märta Måås-Fjetterström tapestries.” — Deborah Needleman, writer, editor, and craftsperson

Athens

“I love Athens and think of it as my second home. If there is one place I would beg you to visit, it is Eleusis (Perikleous 10, Elefsina). The home of mysteries, Eleusis is the most sacred site in Athens and the ancient district of Attica. This is the night kitchen of democracy. You can follow the path there where the ancient Mystae walked after fasting and danced after drinking an intoxicating cup of kykeon. Be sure to visit the Telesterion, where the Holy of Holies was performed each year. Eleusis is also a place that was ravaged by industrial development in the early twentieth century, and where the location of the battle of Salamis—in which the Athenians resisted and defeated the mighty Persians— can be seen. On the nightside, there are lots of wonderful bars to visit in Athens, but make time for the Galaxy Bar (Stadiou 10). It is sheer time travel back to the sixties, and they make a martini that any New York bar would kill for (for less than half the price).” — Simon Critchley, philosopher

Mykonos

“The Archaeological Museum of Mykonos (Chora Mykonos) holds an extensive collection of Cycladic and Aegean pottery, jewellery, and sculptures dating back to the seventh century B.C. But a visit to this museum isn't complete without also making the thirty-minute trip by ferry to the uninhabited sacred island of Delos, immortalized in Homer's Odyssey. There's no other place in the world that has a natural, insular archaeological site of this size and importance.” — Maria Brito, curator and art advisor

Gstaad

“A marvel that highlights Switzerland's natural diversity and the region's dedication to Alpine preservation, the Rohr Nature Reserve in Lauenen conserves a valuable pre-Alpine flat moor and provides a habitat for marsh birds and amphibians. The century-old tradition of autumn mowing and stacking known as Tristen continues to this day, contributing to the region's biodiversity. After hiking or cross-country skiing in this pristine wilderness, when a formal dinner in one of Gstaad's fine establishments feels like too much, visit the 16Art-BarRestaurant (Mittelgässli 16) in Saanen. Inside an old cowbell foundry, brothers Nik and Simon Buch offer authentic Swiss hospitality together with refined dishes and an extensive collection of Swiss wines.” — Karl-Fritz Scheufele, co-president, Chopard

London

“Look in on the Handel Hendrix House (25 Brook Street), just a step away from the Brown's Hotel, an elegant London townhouse in the heart of Mayfair that has the distinction of having been home of the composer George Frideric Handel, who wrote his Messiah there. And who should live in the same house a couple of hundred years later but Jimi Hendrix?! What could better symbolise London's unique synthesis of the traditional and the modern!” — Stephen Fry, actor, writer, and broadcaster

Tokyo

“Many chefs in Japan dedicate decades, if not their entire lives, to perfecting— and to only serving—a specific dish. Just a four-minute walk from The Okura Tokyo, Kaisendon Tsujihan Nihonbashi (3-1-15 Nihonbashi) is an affordable lunch spot known for its kaisendon (seafood over rice). To avoid the long lines, get there early before the doors open or go in the late afternoon. You'll be presented with a sashimi mountain of tuna, uni, and salmon roe, along with cucumber and scallion over fluffy rice. Remember to leave some rice in the bowl and request some seabream broth to be ladled over top to further enjoy it as a warm bowl of ochazuke. “Not far away, Yakitori Miyagawa (3-5-1 Nihonbashikayaba-cho) started as a chicken wholesaler back in the 1940s, but has long been known for its chicken yakitori, which is showcased at night, when reservations are necessary. Skewers of sweet potato and seasonal vegetables are offered, but it's the shiroi karaage—fried chicken that has a shatteringly crisp, white exterior—that's a must. Be sure to sample the wide range of sake on the menu, as well.” — Andy Baraghani, chef and food writer