Armani Hotel Dubai

Few hotels can claim an address like this one: the Armani Hotel Dubai occupies the concourse to eighth floors—plus two higher levels—of the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building on earth. Giorgio Armani oversaw the design personally when it opened in 2010, and the result is unmistakably his: curved, windowless corridors, Eramosa stone and Japanese tatami textures, a palette of greige and bronze that refuses Dubai's usual glitter.

Rooms follow the tower's sweeping geometry, with softly rounded walls, concealed technology and full-height windows over Downtown Dubai and the Dubai Fountain. The 'lifestyle manager' service model assigns each guest a single point of contact, and the hotel connects directly to the Dubai Mall, putting one of the world's largest shopping and dining complexes effectively in-house.

Armani/Ristorante leads a cluster of restaurants spanning Italian, Japanese and Indian kitchens, while the Armani/SPA offers sequenced thermal experiences in the same hushed aesthetic. This is not a resort—there is no beach and the pool is modest—but as a fashion object you can sleep inside, at the base of an architectural landmark, it has no real rival in the city.