The Knickerbocker — New York, USA

The energy of New York’s Times Square might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but the plush calmness within The Knickerbocker belies the chaos that awaits outside. For that, plaudits go to local firm Gabellini Sheppard, whose clean and precise interiors, smartly act as a restorative backdrop to the hotel’s storied legacy and theatrical Beaux-Arts architecture. Built in 1906 by American businessman John Jacob Astor IV, the 16-storey hotel quickly became a hotspot for the city’s elite, hosting legendary shindigs for the likes of business magnet John Rockefeller, author F Scott Fitzgerald and actress Mary Pickford. Today, The Knickerbocker has been reinstated to its former glamour, along with a few contemporary additions, including a slinky rooftop bar called St Cloud (named after the original hotel built on the site), a Michelin-starred restaurant by chef Charlie Palmer and cosy lobby coffee shop called Jake’s. Guest rooms meanwhile, take advantage of the building’s original 12ft ceilings and 6ft windows, which perfectly frame the sparkle of the city outside.