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See the bright lights from these 7 big-city hotels

Immerse yourself in culture, history and nightlife

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The views of Toronto are exquisite from 1 Hotel Toronto’s rooftop pool

(Image credit: 1 Hotel Toronto)

Catherine Garcia, The Week US

25 June 2025

Contributions from

Scott Hocker, The Week US

A sunny beach getaway, quiet lakeside escape and camping off the beaten path are all great ways to spend the summer. Sometimes, though, you crave all the action and want to be surrounded by things to do, places to go and people to see. When that urban urge strikes, head into the hustle and stay at one of these big-city hotels.

Andaz Mexico City Condesa

Andaz Mexico City Condesa is a few steps from restaurants, bars and boutiques
(Image credit: iStock.com / ArletteLopez)
This colorful hotel in Mexico City’s “hip” La Condesa neighborhood retains many of the building’s original touches, including mosaic murals and “eye-catching” tile floors, alongside new installations like Andaz’s “signature pink escalators,” Travel and Leisure said. The rooms are “sleek and modern,” and the heated rooftop pool boasts “one of the best views of the city and the mountains.” Still, the hotel’s “biggest strength” might be its location within walking distance of “countless” restaurants, “trendy” boutiques and art galleries and “bustling” bars.
Gansevoort Meatpacking, New York City

Easygoing sophistication is evident in the details
(Image credit: Courtesy of The Gansevoort)
Neighborhoods change. It’s an inevitability of any city — but especially the behemoths. The smartest and best hotels know to shift alongside those metamorphoses. The Gansevoort in New York City’s Meatpacking District began its life in 2004, when popular culture bestowed the area with “‘Sex and the City’-anointed ‘it’ neighborhood status,” said Condé Nast Traveler. In the ensuing decades, the Meatpacking District shifted into a high-end shopping hub, with an Apple flagship and endless boutiques.

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Beginning in 2021 and finished for the hotel’s twentieth anniversary in 2024, the Gansevoort debuted a complete overhaul “gutted down to the studs” and the 186 rooms given new life with “blue and grey ombré wallpaper” and “subway-tiled bathrooms,” plus Lululemon full-length exercise mirror panels. Feast on lively French-inspired dishes at the hotel’s anchor restaurant, Le Coin. The patio is the place to be when the weather cooperates.

Hotel Adlon Kempinski, Berlin

The Brandenburg Gate is one of many historical sites near Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin
(Image credit: Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin)
A “Berlin institution,” Hotel Adlon Kempinski is “arguably” the best five-star property in the city, said Condé Nast Traveler. Its “light-filled” signature suites offer “iconic” views of the Brandenburg Gate, along with “total soundproofing” for a good night’s sleep. The Adlon is in the “nerve-center” of Berlin and within walking distance of museums, monuments and parks. Or you can opt for borrowing a bicycle or reserving the hotel’s limo service to get around.
L7 Chicago by Lotte

Cozy up in your room at L7 Chicago By Lotte and enjoy the view
(Image credit: L7 Chicago by Lotte)

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L7 Chicago By Lotte, right by the Magnificent Mile, caters to the “creative class,” said Afar. The bold space is filled with curated works from local artists, and guests that book the Artist’s Suite offer receive tickets to the Art Institute of Chicago and a signed limited edition print by artist David Heo, among other perks. Rooms and suites come equipped with luxuries like Frette linens, but there is also a “subtle industrial aesthetic that feels just right in this busy part of town.”
Malmaison Edinburgh City

Malmaison Edinburgh City offers a fun, modern take on hospitality
(Image credit: Malmaison Edinburgh City)
The vibrant Malmaison Edinburgh City is in the heart of St. Andrew Square, where the capital’s “shopping, social life and sightseeing intersection,” The Telegraph said. It is easy to get to and from the boutique property — the tram and bus stops and Waverley train station are all within a five-minute walk — and once inside you instantly feel welcome, thanks to the “jolly staff” ready to answer questions and point you in the direction you seek. Rooms are spacious and comfortable, featuring “entertaining, eye-slapping examples of graphic art.”
The Middle House, Shanghai

The historic French Concession area is close to The Middle House
(Image credit: Patrick Donovan / Getty Images)
In the heart of Shanghai’s Jing’an District is The Middle House, a “hushed private space that’s upped the city’s design game,” Condé Nast Traveler said. Windows stretching from the floor to ceiling “make even the smallest rooms feel larger,” and guests appreciate the “gorgeous works of photography.” For a slice of history, the famed French Concession is a few minutes away, offering a “glimpse at what’s left of Shanghai’s legendary libertine epoch of the 1920s and 1930s.”
1 Hotel Toronto

1 Hotel Toronto brings the outside in with greenery and reclaimed wood furnishings
(Image credit: Brandon Barre / 1 Hotel Toronto)
With its “cutting-edge sustainability measures” and “ultra-stylish interiors,” 1 Hotel Toronto is perfect for travelers seeking an elevated eco-friendly stay, said the Michelin Guide. Stepping inside, you feel at one with nature. The furniture is made of local and reclaimed timber and driftwood, and the “surprisingly sunny” rooms are “warmed by plenty of organic textures and living houseplants.” 1 Hotel Toronto is in the King West neighborhood, once an industrial part of town that today is home to flourishing bars, restaurants and nightclubs.

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and “The Book of Jezebel,” among others. She’s a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
With contributions from

Scott Hocker, The Week US

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