Nest Hotel, Incheon, South Korea

Among the reeds of Yeongjongdo Island, off the west coast of Incheon – a South Korean city not far from the bright lights of Seoul – Nest Hotel was created as a hideaway for travellers en route to far-flung destinations. Designed by studio JOH & Company, the cubist-modernist structure owes its name to a startling stacked design, which forms a nest-like façade. Inside, public spaces are clad in exposed concrete with waffle ceilings, while the 370 similarly understated rooms and suites are outfitted in Japanese cypress and raw stone. Floor-to-ceiling windows in the restaurant frame sweeping views of the Yellow Sea, and a library-cum-lounge offers a 1,000-strong collection of tomes on art and design to complement its bespoke cocktail selection.