Vancouverscape, a Vancouver based blog covering travel, tech, and lifestyle

What makes a hotel a top stay? Comfortable bedding? Excellent insulation between rooms? A sense of calm whenever you return to the room after a busy day of exploring or meetings? We’ve had a variety of hotels and resort stays to choose from for our top 10 list and looked for the best overall stay based on the above as well as proximity to local attractions or scenic escapes, decent dining options, friendly and helpful staff, and a room with enough space to spread out without feeling cramped.

[Fitzwilliam Hotel, Belfast]

Here are 10 hotels that we selected, including a hotel favoured by one of our travel contributors, Rachel Cavanaugh. We wish all of our Vancouverscape readers a joyous, festive, and healthy 2026 and a big thank you for continuing to visit, read, and comment on our travel, tech, and lifestyle content.

JW Marriott Dongdaemun Seoul

Offering imposing views of 14th-century Dongdaemun Gate, a fabulous location near Dongdaemun Design Plaza and local transit, plus stunning rooms, a gorgeous dining venue for buffet dining, and friendly staff, the JW Marriott Dongdaemun is the complete package, deep sleeps included.

Fitzwilliam Hotel Belfast

You can’t get more centrally located than the Fitzwilliam. Just a couple of streets away from City Hall, the Linen Library, a pedestrian shopping street, plus restaurants and cafés, the Fitzwilliam Hotel Belfast shines with its energy efficiency, beautifully-designed rooms, cozy seating, a full black-and-white-tiled bathroom, and a wonderful breakfast buffet.

The ground floor bar is also an attractive space for crafted cocktails, and while I didn’t experience the afternoon tea, it would make a perfect pairing with a concert or opera performance to follow at the Grand Opera House just a couple of doors down.

The Pierre New York, a Taj Hotel

Everything about The Pierre New York equates to a classy luxury hotel: period architecture, gorgeous lobby, boutiques, and rooms, plus its proximity to Central Park. I enjoyed a few nights here and luxuriated in a room facing Central Park from the 39th floor.

Windows open just a bit for fresh air from way up high, and the bed is super comfortable. Waking up to those views was a dream come true. Luxury furnishings match the room decor, and I loved returning here every afternoon to relax and to plan my next Big Apple adventure.

Likuliku Lagoon Resort, Fiji

Ever feel like just getting away from it all, being greeted by singing staff, and unwinding in luxury? Likuliku Lagoon Resort, an adults-only paradise on Malolo Island, was the first in Fiji to offer overwater bures.

With stunning accommodations (we stayed in both a luxury beachfront bure with private plunge pool and an overwater bure with only a ladder separating us from incredible reefs), three beautifully-prepared meals (breakfast is buffet style; all meals included with each stay), and the warm and welcoming staff, we were fighting tears when we had to leave for the main island of Vitu Levu, as we began to wind down our 18 days in Fiji.

Yes, 18 days. Because once you’ve arrived from a nonstop 12-hour flight, you’ll want to stay in this corner of the world for as long as possible!

RYSE, Autograph Collection, Seoul

This beautiful property in the heart of Seoul’s Hongdae shopping district is a beauty! From the moment you step foot inside the lobby to the gorgeous, comfortable, and spacious oasis that is your room, RYSE, Autograph Collection Seoul aims to please foodies, art enthusiasts, and culture lovers alike.

CHARR, a Korean/Western fusion restaurant, is a great spot for people-watching, amazing buffets throughout the day, while 15th floor Side Note Club offers Hongdae-inspired cocktail creations for a truly local experience to cap full days of shopping and sightseeing.

Dome Hotel, Riga

This timeless luxury property dates to the 17th century, and contains some of the building’s original elements — frescoes, a wooden staircase, doors, windows, even glass vessel fragments dating to the start of the 13th century! Rooms are modern and elegantly furnished, with a featured architectural mural on one of the walls, to bring the UNESCO World Heritage Old City quarter inside. Some rooms, including mine, offer a gorgeous view of the dome!

A stay here will truly provide a taste of Old Town Riga; just a short walk away, and you’re in the heart of the Old Quarter, with its enchanting cobblestoned streets, local dining, and bar life. Add to this a very comfortable mattress and bedding, a lovely breakfast buffet, and helpful staff, and you’re set for the perfect Riga, Latvia stay.

Hilton Frankfurt City Centre

Catering to business trips, families, couples and singles alike, the Hilton Frankfurt City Centre is well-positioned with a 10-minute walk to the old quarter as well as a pedestrian shopping area, and metro access. The entire property was renovated a handful of years back, into a “MAINhattan” style, as the Main River passes through the German capital surrounded by skyscrapers, reminiscent of its urban US counterpart.

Everything here, from the artwork to the bedding is of high quality. Fitness fans will appreciate guest access to a lower level health and fitness club, including the hotel’s 25-metre pool (the largest hotel swimming pool in the country) with beautiful park views to add visual enjoyment to your laps.

Elephant Rock Hotel, Portrush, Northern Ireland

This sweet Victorian hotel with its pink and dark-grey exterior faces the sea, so on less windy days, you can walk along the shore, hugging the Northern Irish Coastal Causeway. Oceanview rooms at Elephant Rock Hotel feature modern, colourful furnishings. All 18 rooms are individually designed too.

The lobby restaurant and bar is equally stunning, with an illuminated bar, and black-and-white diamond patterned flooring. Get a good breakfast in before heading to nearby Bushmills, the world’s oldest licensed distillery with daily tours.

Courtyard by Marriott Namdaemun

This Marriott property was opened in 2016, on the site of a former police station and has a friendly vibe, a beautiful lobby and lounge, a ground floor café for sweets, coffee, and tea, plus an advantageous location close to the Myeong-dong shopping district.

I loved it for its proximity to Korea’s treasured 14th century Sungnyemun Gate (part of a collection of eight gates), the way in which the 400 rooms are centred around an atrium reaching up from the fifth through 27th floors, plus the room itself.

As with the RYSE, Autograph Collection, rooms include a refillable purified water station, cozy comfortable bedding and mattresses, and lots of space to store your clothes. MoMo Café is your stop for a sumptuous array of Korean and Western breakfast goods, including Gimbap and ramen, all made to order.

[Red Atelier Set, 22 Namdaemun Bakery]

The hotel’s shining star is 22 Namdaemun Bakery high up on the 22nd floor, with gorgeous pastries, afternoon tea sets, and great coffee, with amazing views of city landmarks (North Seoul Tower, Sungnyemun Gate, and others). Make sure to read our feature as you’ll get to see how easily connected the Courtyard by Marriott Namdaemun is to major tourist attractions.

Ritz-Carlton, Portland

This final entry rounds out our list, and from what we read of contributor Rachel Cavanaugh’s feature, the Ritz-Carlton Portland looks to be a major player on the Portland, Oregon luxury hotel scene. Its sleek structure, coupled with artistic elements and nature-forward guest rooms will add a luxurious element to any Portland visit.