Best New Hotels 2007: Palacio Duhau Park Hyatt, Buenos Aires, Argentina

In the fashionable Recoleta district of Buenos Aires, Palacio Duhau is actually two hotels in one. The first is a former Belle Epoque mansion arrayed with travertine marble, Bordeaux leather and Baccarat chandeliers. The second is a modern tower decked out in a neutral colour scheme, contemporary furniture and black and white photography, all set amongst verdant gardens. Of the 165 rooms and 38 suites, we are most partial to those in the palacio building, with Persian carpets, silk curtains and dark wooden panelling. Some have expansive balconies with swoon-worthy views. Bathed in natural light and embellished with silver-hued boiserie, the Piano Nobile salons are perhaps the most enchanting spaces in the hotel. Don’t miss the hotel’s own art gallery.

Doubles from about $500, www.buenosaires.park.hyatt.com.