By Ondine Cohane

updated 12:37 p.m. ET Sept. 26, 2008

Stay in enough business-oriented joints or W wannabes, and it's easy to forget that the hotel experience can be transcendent. When you're tired, off-kilter in a new city, or just need to get your head right, a great hotel will help you rediscover your balance. A great hotel will help you feel human again, special, and sublimely taken care of. And any traveler worth her salt has a list in her back pocket: dream hotels that should not be missed in this lifetime. Here's ours. Some belong here for their classic designs, Jeeves-worthy service, and sense of history and glamour; others can't be beaten for their stellar location. All will probably merit discussion, arguments, and booking far, far ahead.

For a complete slideshow of Hotels to Stay in Before You Die, click here.

1. Hotel Cipriani, Venice

Venice virgins can be forgiven for thinking that the city's best hotel should be close to San Marco or on the Grand Canal. Not so. Insiders know that you want to look over to the main island while avoiding the hordes of tourists, who can be more plentiful than the pigeons. There's nothing quite like waking up in the Hotel Cipriani, which is celebrating its 50th birthday this year. That location, for starters. It's on Giudecca Island facing San Marco, amid a sea of quiet streets, sprawling gardens, and that giant saltwater pool (hotel lore says it was planned in feet but the designer built it in meters, thus tripling its size). The full glory of Venice is suddenly yours—you can actually imagine being here when the city was a world power of its own.

Be aware that rooms vary in size and have a certain faded look, so ask for dimensions and try to snag a lagoon view. (Management tends to favor repeat guests, but persevere.) Avoid the new annex altogether, which has small rooms and a less glamorous feel. Even better—though it costs a mint—choose a room in the Vendramin, a restored waterfront palazzo that comes with a fleet of private butlers. It's no wonder Clooney often makes the Cipriani his bachelor pad when in town for the film festival.

Hotel Cipriani
Tel: 39 041 240 8028
Doubles from $1,260; lagoon-view doubles from $1,580

2. Post Ranch Inn, Big Sur, California

Malibu and San Diego are lovely to look at, but Big Sur's Post Ranch Inn long ago won our vote for the most spectacular position in all of California. This prime place is on the cliffs of Big Sur (and we mean on the cliffs), looking down at the crashing waters of the Pacific—birds would be lucky to have such views from their nests. For most visitors to Big Sur, the only choice is to stop at the lookout points along Highway 1 and dream about sticking around. Guests at the Post Ranch get to linger, especially with the exquisite new rooms that were unveiled in spring 2008, with private cantilevered terraces, customized sound systems, and outdoor hot tubs. In addition to the cliffside perch, amenities include three perfectly landscaped pools, wood-burning fireplaces, yoga classes, and guided nature walks. And there's no need to feel guilty about your footprint in these truly great outdoors: The resort is green, with a drought-resistant landscaping plan, living-sod roofs covered with wildflowers and grass, and biodegradable cleaning products. For the best view in the place, book one of the five "Ocean Houses," wrapped with floor-to-ceiling windows, that sit about a hundred feet from the dramatically beautiful rock coast. If you were going to stay in only one hotel in all of California to, you know, "find yourself," we'd recommend you find yourself here.

Post Ranch Inn
Tel: 800 527 2200 (toll-free)
Tel: 831 667 2200
Doubles from $550

3. Singita, Sabi Sand Reserve, South Africa

Most of us dream of the ultimate, romantic safari. But Africa's a fair trek away, and a safari is rarely cheap. So for this once-in-a-lifetime venture, forgo four-by-four traffic jams and mosquito-infested tents for a private tracker and the kind of sumptuous accommodations that would have made Hemingway envious. That's what you'll find at Singita, in South Africa's Sabi Sand Reserve. Its 30 rooms have plunge pools and outdoor showers to cool you off after a day in the African sun; individual guides make sure you'll see the Big Five while taking care of your creature comforts (think hot-water bottles on cool morning drives and surprise barbecues in the bush); and the faultless service includes private butlers and spa personnel. Gourmands can expect customized menus and a fabulous wine collection with Stellenbosch reds served at cellar temperatures. Of course, the animals are the main draw. Part of what makes Singita so compelling is the diversity of species scampering about—leopards, lions, elephants, hippos, giraffes—some of which you might spy from your own room. And while there's a price to pay for such luxury, most people only do it once, so we won't quibble.

Singita Private Game Reserve
Tel: 27 21 683 3424
$1,120 per person per night, including meals, alcohol, and daily safari excursions

4. Hôtel Plaza Athénée, Paris

It seems as if good hotels were invented just for the sake of Paris. The French capital lays claim to some of the most glamorous palace hotels in the world—the George V, the Ritz, and the Crillon, among others—with an easy élan that few other cities can emulate. But often these old-world properties can veer toward the fusty, which is why the Plaza Athénée finds its way onto this must-stay list.

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Renovations a few years back reinvented the stalwart as the freshest property in the city, while still preserving its terrific sense of place and style. Trust us: You never forget that you are in Paris. We love the hip glass bar designed by Patrick Jouin, the unofficial office for fashion week insiders; the over-the-top Alain Ducasse outpost, with its gorgeous "exploded" crystal chandeliers; and the secret garden of La Cour Jardin, which is perfect for a quiet drink or tea on sunny spring days. Add in the great location on the Avenue Montaigne, close to some of the city's best shopping and the Champs Elysées, and the large rooms divided into classic and Deco decor (all come with sumptuous marble bathrooms). If possible, book a suite with a view of the Eiffel Tower—these include 868 (which also has a view from the bathroom), 878, and 888. Even the most jaded travelers are made a little giddy by that backdrop when they open the drapes in the morning.

Hôtel Plaza Athénée
Tel: 33 1 53 67 66 65
Doubles from $940

5. Explora En Patagonia, Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

Courtesy of Explora The Hotel Salto Chico sits in the shadow of Chile's jagged, snowcapped Torres del Paines mountains in Torres del Paine National Park. Not a single other structure mars the view, and you feel as if you have the wilderness all to yourself.

We have a soft spot for great hotels plunked down in a spectacular, isolated natural region—especially when it manages not to sully the natural beauty of the place. While the United States has its standouts (Wyoming's Amangani springs to mind), the best example of this is the Explora resort in the wilds of Patagonia. It's certainly not easy to get to (a four-hour flight from Santiago and then a five-and-a-half-hour journey by auto), but, hey, the end-of-the-world ambience is precisely the point. The property sits in the shadow of the jagged, snowcapped Torres del Paines mountains. Not a single other structure mars the view, and you feel as if you have the wilderness all to yourself. The emphasis here, not surprisingly, is on the great outdoors, with daily glacier hikes, horseback rides, and, for the brave-hearted, swims in the ice-cold lake (sybarites will prefer the heated indoor pool and outdoor hot tubs). Rooms themselves are large and contain furniture made by local artisans; all rooms have mountain views. Trust us, though: You won't be spending much time in them.

Explora en Patagonia
Tel: 866 750 6699 (toll-free)
Tel: 562 206 6060
$1,240 per person per night, including meals, alcohol, and excursions

6. Chateau Marmont, Hollywood, California

In Los Angeles, a town whose raison d'être is the manufacture of hipness, the idiosyncratic Chateau Marmont remains the epitome of cool. From its hillside perch in Hollywood, it oozes the same understated glamour that has drawn generation after generation of hopeful ingénues to this town. Throughout its venerable history—built in 1927, it was modeled on the Château d'Amboise in the Loire Valley—it has served as a home away from home, crash pad, liaison spot, and even final scene for a legion of Hollywood legends. Vivian Leigh nursed a Laurence Olivier–broken heart here; Jim Belushi had a fatal drug overdose in a garden bungalow; and Lindsay Lohan rode out her DWI furor on the grounds.

Nonetheless, even more mortal guests are made to feel at home—which is why you should visit, too (okay, that and the star sightings). In fact, it's a distinct lack of flashiness that most distinguishes the Marmont from its L.A. competitors. Rooms come with stove tops and refrigerators that seem plucked out of the 1950s, and the slightly rickety plumbing system might not appeal to the flat-screen-in-the-bathroom set. Splurge on Room 64, the two-bedroom penthouse with a grand piano and huge terrace overlooking the city, or one of the Bauhaus-style bungalows with their own gardens. For those star sightings, try the terrace restaurant, which is reserved for hotel guests and visiting stars, the Ping-Pong table (where Kirsten Dunst has been seen wielding a racket), and the small elevator that can bypass the lobby from the underground garage.

Chateau Marmont
Tel: 323 656 1010
Doubles from $370

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