Commune by the Great Wall
Yanqing County

Most hotels in China are standard-issue high-rises set in charmless new downtowns. But the Commune by the Great Wall has introduced an entirely new vernacular. This decidedly capitalist commune is composed of nine villas designed by some of Asia's greatest architects, all within view of an especially magnificent stretch of the Great Wall. Originally intended as a condominium complex, the leafy compound was instead transformed into a most unlikely hotel—one that's popular with foreigners and image-conscious companies such as Missoni, Porsche, and Shiseido. The spectacular views alone are worth the price. Accommodations range from Kengo Kuma's popular Bamboo Wall, with its gorgeous teahouse surrounded by water, to the Split House of Yung-ho Chang, China's most important architect, suspended over a stream at the bottom of a tiny gorge. Although each villa has its own designer kitchen, there is also a restaurant with both Western and Chinese chefs.

When to go: September through mid-October, when Beijing enjoys mild and sunny weather.

Which room to book: That depends entirely on your budget, tastes, and the size of your party; all villas have at least four bedrooms (villas, $850-$1,250; wheelchair-accessible).

Contact:
86-10-8118-1888; www.commune.com.cn

This year's Hot List—our biggest ever—is literally all over the map: 42 countries (from Antigua to Uruguay) on six continents (sorry, Antarctica). Prices range from the sublime ($57 a night) to the ridiculous ($2,675). And hotel size runs the gamut from the truly petite (just one suite) to the strapping (1,310 rooms). As usual, we provide the tools to glean the most from your stay, from when to go and which room to book to an at-a-glance guide to the amenities on offer. Is there a pampering spa? A breathtaking beach? Round-the-clock room service?

Only one thing is certain: With 100 hotels, there's something for absolutely everyone:

United States

Montage Resort & Spa, Laguna Beach,
California
Ledson Hotel, Sonoma, California
Four Seasons Hotel, Miami, Florida
The Raleigh, Miami Beach, Florida
Le Meridien, Minneapolis, Minnesota
The Alluvian, Greenwood, Mississippi
The Hotel, Las Vegas
Wentworth by the Sea, New Castle, New Hampshire
Inn of the Five Graces, Santa Fe, New Mexico
El Monte Sagrado, Taos, New Mexico
Mandarin Oriental, New York City
The Maritime, New York City
Inn at Price Tower, Bartlesville, Oklahoma
Hotel Icon, Houston, Texas
The Magnolia, Houston, Texas
Hotel Valencia Riverwalk, San Antonio, Texas
Watermark Hotel and Spa, San Antonio, Texas
Four Seasons Resort, Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Australia

Moog Hotel, Sydney

Austria

Le Meridien, Vienna
Palais Coburg, Vienna

Bahamas

Four Seasons Resort Great Exuma, Emerald Bay

Brazil

Fasano Hotel,São Paulo

Canada

Hôtel Le Germain, Toronto

Caribbean

Carlisle Bay, Carlisle Bay, Antigua
Sofitel Nicolas de Ovando, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Chile

Ritz-Carlton, Santiago

China

Commune by the Great Wall, Yanqing County

Costa Rica

Four Seasons Resort at Peninsula Papagayo

Czech Republic

Aria Hotel, Prague

Denmark

Hotel Skt. Petri, Copenhagen

England

Barnsley House, Barnsley
Hotel Felix, Cambridge
The Grove, Chandler's Cross
Malmaison, London
Number Sixteen, London
Whatley Manor, Malmesbury
Hart's Hotel, Nottingham

Estonia

Three Sisters Hotel, Tallinn

France

Domaine des Andéols, Apt
L'Hermitage Gantois, Lille
Hi Hôtel, Nice
Palais de la Méditerranée, Nice
Hôtel Le A, Paris
Plaza Paris Vendome, Paris
Villa Marie, Ramatuelle

French Polynesia

Bora Bora Nui Resort & Spa

Germany

Ku'Damm 101, Berlin
Ritz-Carlton, Berlin
25 Hours, Hamburg

Greece

Hotel Grande Bretagne, Athens

Iceland

Hotel Budir, Budir
101 Hotel, Reykjavík

India

Park Hyatt, Goa
Aman-i-Khás, Rajasthan

Indonesia

Kayumanis, Bali
The Mansion, Bali

Italy

Continentale, Florence
Una Hotel Vittoria, Florence
Villa La Vedetta, Florence
Park Hyatt, Milan
3 Rooms, Milan
Methis Hotel, Padua
Il Palazzetto, Rome
Residenza Napoleone, Rome
Vigilius Mountain Resort, South Tyrol
San Clemente Palace, Venice

Japan

Grand Hyatt, Tokyo

Jordan

Four Seasons Hotel, Amman

Latvia

Hotel Bergs, Riga

Maldives

Cocoa Island, Cocoa Island

Mexico

One&Only Palmilla, Los Cabos
W, Mexico City

Morocco

Les Jardins de la Koutoubia, Marrakech

Mozambique

Quilálea, Quilálea Island

New Zealand

Otahuna Lodge, Tai Tapu
Delamore Lodge, Waiheke Island
Glass House, Waiheke Island

Poland

Hotel Rialto, Warsaw

Portugal

Hotel Olissippo Castelo, Lisbon

Saudi Arabia

Four Seasons Hotel at Kingdom Centre, Riyadh

Scotland

Glasshouse, Edinburgh

Seychelles

North Island, North Island

South Africa

Kwandwe Ecca Lodge, Eastern Cape
The Outpost, Kruger National Park
Singita Lebombo/Singita Sweni, Kruger National Park

Spain

Gran Hotel La Florida, Barcelona
Hotel Omm, Barcelona
Convent de la Missió, Palma de Mallorca

Switzerland

La Réserve, Geneva
Greulich Hotel, Zurich

Thailand

Metropolitan, Bangkok
Costa Lanta, Koh Lanta
The Racha, Koh Racha
JW Marriott Phuket Resort and Spa, Phuket

United Arab Emirates

Mina A'Salam, Dubai
Residence & Spa at One&Only Royal Mirage, Dubai
Chedi Muscat, Oman

Uruguay

Cipriani Punta del Este Resort, La Barra

Worldwide

Queen Mary 2