New York, NY, November 1, 2024 — In a dynamic, forward-looking move, The Leading Hotels of the World (LHW) has tapped the renowned writer, editor, and cultural commentator Spencer Bailey to be the editor-in-chief of a visionary new five-volume book series celebrating the global luxury hospitality collection. To be published by the Phaidon imprint Monacelli, these expertly crafted, carefully curated books will both reenvision LHW as it nears its 100th anniversary in 2028 and embody the very definition of luxury travel in the 21st century.

Bailey, who is the co-founder of New York–based media company The Slowdown and the host of the award-winning Time Sensitive podcast, was previously the editor-in-chief of the design magazine Surface from 2013 to 2018, and he views this project as an extension of all of this work. “With this role,” he says, “I’m diving deep into the world of luxury hospitality. Naturally, the subject of design makes for a perfect starting point for this book series. Most people know The Leading Hotels of the World for its sense of Old World European élan, and there are indeed dozens of hotels in the collection that exemplify such grandeur. What surprised me most in putting this book together, though, was the incredible breadth and expansive depth of LHW’s collection when examined through a design lens.”

The inaugural volume, set to debut this December, will introduce readers to more than 70 of LHW’s most impeccably appointed properties worldwide, from three hotels designed by the Pritzker Prize–winning architect Norman Foster (Capella Singapore, the Kulm Hotel St. Moritz, and The Dolder Grand in Zurich); to three more by the cult Malaysia-based designer Jean-Michel Gathy (The Chedi Andermatt in Switzerland, The Chedi Muscat in Oman, and The Setai, Miami Beach); to yet another by a Pritzker winner, Eduardo Souto de Moura (Bairro Alto Hotel in Lisbon); to two penthouse suites by the legendary Belgian interiors maestro and antiques dealer Axel Vervoordt (Bayerischer Hof in Munich and The Greenwich Hotel in New York). Each showcased property isn’t just as an exquisite place to stay, but a hub of architectural innovation and cultural immersion.

Packaged in a luxurious, patterned cover and designed by the award-winning firm Pentagram, Design: The Leading Hotels of the World offers compelling evidence of how central and essential design is to a hotel’s very essence. The book opens with a foreword by Pulitzer Prize-winning architecture critic Paul Goldberger, situating the significance of design within a hotel’s aesthetic character, and also includes an introduction by Bailey. Organized geographically, hotels receive multi-page spreads replete with stunning images, delving into the hotel’s architectural splendor, interior design, and location. Accompanying texts provide insight into how each hotel evokes a tactile, thoughtfully crafted experience. Five properties—Ambiente A Landscape Hotel in Sedona, Arizona; Botanic Sanctuary Antwerp; La Réserve Paris; Portrait Milano; and The Okura Tokyo—get feature-length treatments. Interviews pairing Eleven Madison Park’s Daniel Humm with fashion designer Gabriela Hearst, as well as architect Michel Rojkind with fashion designer Carla Fernández, are also included in the book.

Future volumes will explore themes including culture, well-being, and gastronomy. Through Bailey’s visionary editorial direction and careful eye, and with contributions from dozens of writers and photographers around the world, this exquisitely arranged series promises to redefine and reshape what a travel book can be. As gorgeous and breathtaking as the very hotels featured, each of the books in this series will astound and inspire for years to come.

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About Spencer Bailey
Spencer Bailey is the co-founder of the New York–based media company The Slowdown and host of the Time Sensitive podcast. He is also the editor-at-large of book publisher Phaidon. A writer, editor, and journalist, he has written at length about architecture, art, culture, and design, and contributed to publications such as Town & Country, The New York Times Magazine, Bloomberg Businessweek, and Fortune. From 2013 to 2018, Bailey was the editor-in-chief of Surface magazine. He is the author of several books—including In Memory Of: Designing Contemporary Memorials (Phaidon), which was a Financial Times “best book of 2020” and a Literary Hub “favorite book of the year”—and serves as co-chair of the board of trustees of the Noguchi Museum in Long Island City, New York. In 2023 and 2024, he was named to the Wallpaper USA 300 and USA 400 lists, respectively, as a curator “preserving and promoting creative culture.”

About The Leading Hotels of the World, Ltd. (LHW)
In 1928, 38 independent hoteliers came together to create LHW which now comprises more than 400 hotels in over 80 countries, making it the largest collection of independent luxury hotels. Since its inception, the Company has carefully curated a selection of distinctive hotels, resorts, inns, chalets, villas, and safari camps, from the snow-capped Alps of Europe to the African veldt, to share them with adventurous souls who seek the remarkably uncommon. The LHW community is made of exceptional individuals, united by a passion for the surprising discoveries and details that come with every travel experience. LHW hoteliers are artisans of hospitality whose expertise, commitment to excellence and individual flair allows them to create story-worthy moments for their guests. It is these authentic, individualized moments, combined with the warm high-touch service these hoteliers and their team provide, that keeps discerning travelers returning again and again. LHW’s collection covers the globe and promises a broad range of destinations and unique experiences, enhanced by LHW’s tiered guest loyalty program, Leaders Club. From converted former palaces and countryside retreats run by the same families for generations, to gleaming skyscrapers in dynamic urban centers, serene private island escapes, glamorous tented camps—and beyond —travelers are invited to explore, find inspiration, and experience unforgettable travel moments.

Media Contact:

Jane Ivana Hong
JIH Public Relations
jane@jihpr.com