My husband was marking a milestone birthday and I wanted him to experience the best. So, when travel reviewer after experience influencer lauded The Langham Chicago as the place to stay—I had to book a room.

The Langham Chicago’s global vibe grabs you the moment you cross their threshold with a well-trained staff that hales from all corners of the world. While the Langham’s oldest hotel is in London, its flagship is in Hong Kong—certifying this hotel group has the ability to woo any guest.

The Langham Chicago is located in the heart of the city’s downtown in a building designed by Mies van der Rohe—just minutes from the Loop, Grant Park, the Magnificent Mile, Millennium Park, and Navy Pier. Floor-to-ceiling windows provide sweeping vistas of the cityscape and the bustling Chicago River.

The hotel’s décor plays on dark wood tones and rich textiles to create bright and hospitable spaces. Our favorites were the touches of soft pink throughout—from the roses at the check-in desk, to the hotel directory and desk accessories in the room. Guests can’t help but be tickled pink.

As if the décor wasn’t enough, The Langham Chicago has appointed each room with everything you might need for a luxurious stay. From the finest toiletries to a well-stocked Nespresso bar to the softest linens and the chicest furniture and fixtures, even a single overnight stay will feel like a vacation.

The Langham’s sophisticated palette carries into the kitchen. At Travelle restaurant, executive Chef Ricardo Jarquin offers a contemporary take on Seasonal American food. Innovation is evident wherever you dine in the hotel—from the craft cocktails to the sweet confections for dessert. My husband closed out his birthday with the most delicious butter cake with homemade ice cream and caramel sauce. Delicious!

It’s clear that the Langham wants to secure its position as the No. 1 hotel in Chicago, as they asked for feedback upon checkout for how to improve our stay—even following up a few days later to see if we had any additional thoughts. This hotel is pure class—representing the best Chicago has to offer.

www.langhamhotels.com

As Charleston’s only waterfront hotel in the Historic District, you get the best of the city from right here at The HarbourView Inn. Guests here are lucky enough to not only experience city and water views, but experience it all with the intimate approach of a bed-and-breakfast. The British West Indies furniture hints at that familiar island feel, the air gets heavy with the perfume of Carolina jasmine wafting by on a balmy evening, and all of Charleston sits on the other side of the front door of this luxurious boutique hotel. These are the reasons guests check in time and time again.

The Inn’s 52 rooms embody Lowcountry living, including six historic wing rooms housed in a former 1930s cotton warehouse which further add to the property’s authentic Charleston roots. History has an inescapable way of being ever-present in this town. Intertwined with what’s new and hot, the city is bubbling with au courant craft cocktail experiences, award-winning restaurants, architectural fixtures, facades, and structures that punctuate the area immediately surrounding the hotel and give visitors a strong sense of place. Even the hippest boutiques on trendy King Street are tucked into some of the city’s oldest structures. Stress not…there’s a nearby beach for the warmer months where nary a hint of those bygone days can be found. The private rooftop flanked by views of the harbor and famed Pineapple Fountain, where guests enjoy weekly live music sessions, local beer and wine sampling, and evening skyline tours hosted by a local historian, is a favorite place to await the cool dawning of a new night, just as the sun sets.

There are a lot of reasons to visit, and revisit Charleston, and many ways to fill your time. In 2018, we are making it a point to take some time out for tiny indulgences and some of our favorites are only steps away from this hotel. Make it a point to treat yourself to a Splash in the famous fountains of Waterfront Park, relax on a swing on the pier and enjoy the shade of intimate garden “rooms” in this public park. You may find yourself smiling like a kid or just relaxing in a new way. Regardless of how it manifests itself, one thing is certain, you’ll be glad you did.

harbourviewcharleston.com

Sleeping in Tribeca has always been trendy, so why stop now? As one of the cities über expensive places to live, the star sightings aren’t all that infrequent. The buzz of buildings going up and others being renovated is part of the bustling scenario that makes so many of us adore NYC. Directly in front of The Frederick hotel, which is located on the corner of Broadway and Chamber Street, is a private park being privately renovated so that the public can enjoy the great outdoors. Isn’t that quaint? We love that.

The nicely appointed rooms of the hotel would be the last thing to force you out onto the streets of New York, but we all know those streets are why most visitors come to town. The décor of the new lobby and guestrooms aims to express the building’s history through eclectic design elements from different eras, creating an artful mix of old and new. The intermingling of Mid-Century Modern and Art Nouveau creates a retro look and feel to the hotel’s entrance and newly opened bar, conveniently located just off the lobby. The curved wood-paneled walls, as you enter the hotel, won’t let you get lost. They subtly wend their way from lobby to the retrofitted Art Deco inspired bar. As many of New York City’s greatest cocktail spots tend to do, this new space transports you back in time and holds your attention there, if only for the evening.

Should you decide to linger a while longer, we recommend checking in for a few nights. The historic boutique hotel is set up so that you won’t want for much more than what’s just outside its doors. To prove my point, there’s a walking tour that highlights some of the neighborhood’s history and current stance that makes Tribeca what it is today. Although The Frederick is newly rebranded and reimagined, it holds the title of Manhattan’s longest continually running hotel, having first opened its doors in 1845. That’s such a cool bit of history, and you get to sleep here!

Offering 130 fully redesigned guestrooms and the addition of a three-story Serafina Italian restaurant, in addition to The Frederick’s unveiling of its brand-new lobby lounge and specialty cocktail bar, it appears that this hotel with a past has an even brighter future. Here’s a Swellegant tip…the hotel will soon unveil “bedtime stories” written by local New Yorkers available in all guestrooms. Check in this spring and be one of the first to read one. You can’t get closer to the best a city has to offer than curling up with a good one of these.

Sleep well…

www.frederickhotelnyc.com