Haute hotels

Evason Hideaway & Six Senses, Ninh van Bay, Vietnam. Photo / Supplied

A new book Design Destinations: Worldwide (Peribo, $95) out in August, showcases the very coolest locations on the globe. From Beirut to Bali, Istanbul to New York it is your ticket to the hotels, shops, spas, bars and restaurants that are at the forefront of design and cutting-edge architecture.

Here's our pick of the best hotels to check out and check into.

Evason Hideaway & Six Senses
Ninh van Bay, Vietnam

Situated on a peninsula which can only be reached by boat, the resort hides among verdant flora, spectacular rock formations and a white-sand beach. The buildings are constructed in a mix of modern and traditional Vietnamese architecture. The resort's 53 villas stand on the beach or are tucked into the hills, giving the guests that real Robinson Crusoe feeling.

Hotel Marques de Riscal
Elciego, Spain

The Marques de Riscal was designed by the architect Frank O. Gehry and is hailed as one of the most avant-garde and innovative hotels in the world.

The structure's titanium facade glows in the distance like the wine for which this region is known: red and pink like the grapes which grow here, gold like the netting encasing a Rioja bottle and silver like its label.

The complex is devoted to viniculture, the hotel remarkable both on the inside and outside for its flowing simple lines and iconographic design.

La Purificadora
Puebla, Mexico

Located in the historic centre of Puebla, this stunning hotel started life as a factory in the 19th century, used for water sanitation and for ice production. This tradition of clarity and purity is as evident in La Purificadora as ever. The exclusively black and white decoration is elegantly combined with original material and the 26 rooms offer long-ranging views.

Mystique
Santorini, Greece

The Hotel Mystique is located on the Greek island of Santorini, atop the famous cliffs of Oia. With its stunning location, the hotel offers breathtaking views of the sea, the volcano and the Aegean caldera.

Eighteen suites and villas enchant with their subdued elegance, created out of wood, native stone varieties and glass - a look enhanced by inlaid designs and classical fabrics.

Soneva Gili Resort
North Male Atoll, Maldives

Soneva Gili, with its imaginative water bungalows, is one of North Male Atoll's romantic islands. This paradise is situated in the centre of an enormous lagoon and surrounded by a coral reef. With an eye to personal privacy, the architects have managed to combine comfort, extravagance, creativity and environmentally conscious architecture in one singular concept.