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Often overlooked but just as integral as well-designed guest rooms, these hotel baths offer a wow factor all their own

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Whimsical, wild, and wacky are but a few words that most aptly describe Bill Bensley’s unique design aesthetic and the exceptional hotels born from it. Credited with upping the ante on Southeast Asia’s hospitality design, he is one of the most intriguing artists in the field today. For the past 27 years, he and his husband’s Bangkok home, Baan Botanica, has been the canvas for his next five-star hotel, restaurant, garden, or spa. “Our house is constantly under renovation and I’m constantly experimenting with new things,” says Bensley. “If we screw up at home, that’s fine, but if we screw up with our clients and with our hotels, that’s no good.”

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In many ways, architecture is a balancing act. The best buildings retain many of the qualities within collectivism (prioritizing the group over any one person) while also maintaining a degree of individualism. This is not a simple feat, which is why we often walk past so many structures without ever taking the time to notice them. But when it does happen—when a building causes us to pause and ponder—it allows us to see ordinary objects in a completely new way. To be sure, the U.S. is a country filled with stunning architecture. And this fact is not restricted to coast, region, or state. Indeed, each state has its own claim in possessing stunningly beautiful architecture, buildings that further add to the ever-changing tapestry that is American culture. So much so, that we at AD decided to break down each state in the U.S. to determine which building stands out among all the rest. At its core, architecture moves past its function as merely a building and turns into a landmark once it's made a distinct presence on a city's identity. We believe these structures do just that.

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Truly spectacular design leaves an impression, and swimming pools are no different. No matter the climate, any luxury hotel worth its salt has one—after all, it’s hard to say whether it’s more awe-inspiring to be submerged beside a sand-trimmed sea or surrounded by snowy peaks. And, increasingly, as originality becomes more valued, properties are getting ever more creative with them. It’s not simply enough to have a serviceable lap pool or plunger for cooling off—the bar is high and is getting higher. The distinction between a pretty pool and a gorgeous one oftentimes comes down to the environment around it. These standouts, from cities as diverse as Cape Town, Las Vegas, and Hong Kong, to islands spanning Bali, Japan, and Santorini, and inland locales such as the Swiss Alps and Patagonia, marry their surroundings with unique shapes and amenities for results that are stunning.

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From the Ritz Carlton in Kazakhstan to the Fairmont in California, these hotel lobbies are the first space patrons see upon arrival, and they do not disappoint

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