The Best Luxury Hotels

The Oriental, Bangkok (Bangkok, Thailand): The original address in Thailand, the Oriental has seen modernization detract from its charms of yesterday, but there's still ambience all around.

JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa (Phuket, Thailand): One of the most relaxing resorts in Thailand, the JW Marriott is set on a secluded 17km (11-mile) stretch of white-sand beach far from the debaucherous din of Patong. An ideal getaway.

Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai (Chiang Mai, Thailand): Set in the hills of the Mae Rim Valley north of Chiang Mai, luxurious Lanna-style pavilions overlook working terraced rice paddies. Each suite has its own sala from which to admire the grounds and surrounding hills.

La Résidence Phou Vao (Luang Prabang, Laos): Lording it over the town in boutique luxury, the gardens and large suites of the Phou Vao (formerly the Pansea) are comfort, and the atmosphere is done to a T. This is typical of other Orient Express properties in the region.

Settha Palace Hotel (Vientiane, Laos): Once the address of note for visitors to the French colony, the Settha Palace only recently returned from obscurity and is now one of the finest hotels in the region. It's a nice marriage of colonial elegance and modern comfort.

Sofitel Metropole Hanoi (Hanoi, Vietnam): The history of the Metropole, one of the country's premier grande dames, tells the history of the last tumultuous century in Vietnam. If the walls could only talk. Though everything is luxurious and comfortable and you're in a prime downtown location, you'll certainly feel like you've walked into old Indochina.

Evason Hideaway at Ana Mandara (Nha Trang, Vietnam): Earth-toned private villas are secreted away in a secluded cove near Nha Trang that can only be reached by boat. Set into the forested beach or rocky coast, and each with a private pool, the Hideaway's villas portend good things for Vietnam's luxury getaways. Nothing else in the country comes close. Yet.

Sofitel Dalat Palace (Dalat, Vietnam): It's real old-world opulence in the king's former castle in Vietnam's central highlands. Private spaces are decorated in a cool colonial baroque style, while service is, in short, kingly.

Amansara (Siem Reap, Cambodia): If there's one place to splurge on a jaunt through Southeast Asia, this is the one. Built around former King Sihanouk's private guesthouse, the Amansara is flawless in detail and service, making it a perfect base of operations for exploring the temples of Angkor.

Raffles Hotel (Singapore): For old-world opulence, Raffles is second to none. This is a pure fantasy of the days when tigers still lurked around the perimeters.

Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore (Singapore): What sets this hotel apart from other city properties is its sprawling grounds. The Shang is a meticulously landscaped tropical oasis, with lush garden views from every angle. Three individual wings give you a choice of accommodations styles: urban contemporary, natural resort, and Asian opulence.

Hilton Kuala Lumpur (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia): The coolest of the cool stay at the new Hilton. The rooms feel like suites, decorated in slickety slick contempo style with the latest entertainment and IT built in -- even in the bathrooms.

Four Seasons Resort Langkawi (Langkawi, Malaysia): Raising the bar, this resort is an exotic Moorish paradise on the most gorgeous beach in Malaysia. Rooms and public areas drip with the ambience of the Arabian Nights. Three words: To. Die. For.

Four Seasons Resort at Jimbaran Bay (Jimbaran, Bali): With its individual bungalows and plunge pools overlooking the blue sea and its famous Four Seasons pampering, this is one of the great hotels in the world.

Amandari (Ubud, Bali): The Amandari offers another sybaritic Bali experience, with individual bungalows overlooking a deep-green gorge. If you can afford it (or the Four Seasons Resort at Jimbaran Bay), do it. Even if you can't, do it.

Chedi Club at Tanah Gajah (Ubud, Bali): The private villas offer plunge pools, indoor and outdoor Bose speaker systems, huge outdoor bathtubs, butlers that cater to your every demand, and plenty of complimentary services that make other hotels seem stingy.