10 of the Best Urban Hotels

Hotel SP34, Copenhagen, Denmark Part of the Brøchner Hotels chain, Hotel SP34 is located in the heart of the bohemian Latin Quarter on a street lined with design stores, bike shops and cafes. The name is an abbreviation of the address in Sankt Peders Straede, making it easy to remember for visitors and locals alike. Formerly known as the hotel Fox, the building has been refurbished by Danish architect and designer Morten Hedegaard, who sourced plenty of mid-century and Danish furniture to give it a warm Scandi vibe. Opening Date: April 2014; Rates: From DKK 1,200 Address: 34 Sankt Peders Straede; tel: 45.3313 3000; www.brochner-hotels.dk

Villa Rosa Kempinski, Nairobi, Kenya The rapidly expanding Kempinski group has recently opened the doors of its second Kenyan property, this time in a prime city centre location in Nairobi. Architects Symbion, one of East Africa's biggest firms, are behind the imposing pink edifice, while international design consultancy DWP oversaw the interiors. Opening date: December 2013; Rates: From $298 Address: Chiromo Road; tel: 254.20 360 3000; www.kempinski.com

Ace Hotel Downtown Los Angeles, US The Ace Hotel is housed in what was formerly the United Artists building, built in 1927 by architect Howard C Crane. Atelier Ace and local outfit Commune Design stripped the interior down to its minimalist core to reveal poured concrete ceilings and columns that enhance the colourful rooms featuring Isamu Noguchi lamps and Pendleton blankets. The structure also contains the opulent Artists Theatre, which the hotel has preserved for use as an event space. Opening Date: January 2014; Rates: From $379 929 South Broadway; tel: 1.213 623 3233; www.acehotel.com

The Ludlow, New York, US The Ludlow is another hotel in the hospitality portfolio of Sean MacPherson and BD Hotels (see the Marlton Hotel next), though it's their first in the city's Lower East Side. Once a derelict building abandoned in the 1980s by its original developers after the financial crash, MacPherson saw potential in its solid red brick façade and factory casement windows and rescued it, transforming it with steel and glass doors, marble mosaic floors and a grand limestone fireplace in the lobby. The ground floor entrance leads straight through to a rear courtyard, a rare amenity in Manhattan. Opening Date: June 2014; Rates: From $295 Address: 180 Ludlow Street; tel: 1.212 432 1818; www.ludlowhotel.com

Vault Karaköy, Istanbul, Turkey The Vault Karaköy, part of Istanbul's House Hotel group, is housed in a Neo-Renaissance building that was once a bank and has recently undergone restoration by architect Han Tümertekin. Fireplaces, ceramic tiles and the original 1863 marble staircase remain, there are commissioned pieces from local artists all over the hotel, and the lobby features a grand piano and vintage objects. Opening Date: March 2014; Rates: From €140 5 Bankalar Caddesi; tel: 90.212 244 6434; www.thehousehotel.com

American Trade Hotel, Panama City, Panama Located in the heart of the historical Casco Viejo quarter, the American Trade Hotel takes its name from the building it occupies. Built in 1917 and designed by Leonardo Villanueva Meyer, the four-storey neoclassical building once housed the American Trade Developing Company but is now run by Atelier Ace, the creative arm of the Ace Hotel Group, along with repeat design collaborators Commune Design. Opening date: January 2014; Rates: From $250 Address: Herrera Casco Viejo Square; tel: 507.211 2000; www.acehotel.com

Rosewood, London, UK The former headquarters of the Pearl Assurance Company, the Rosewood is housed in a 1914 Belle Epoque building that has been restored to its former glory to reveal the original grand Pavonazzo marble staircase. The interiors, by New York-based Tony Chi Associates, bring together his signature style, combing richer materials such as lacquer, textured wood veneers and prismatic mirrors. Opening date: October 2013; Rates: From £300 Address: 252 High Holborn; tel: 44.20 7781 8888; www.rosewoodhotels.com

JK Place, Rome, Italy Housed in what was once Rome's school of architecture, JK place Roma - the third property from hotelier Ori Kafri following ones in Capri and Florecne - is once again designed by architect Michele Bönan. Minutes from the city's best shops and sights, the hotel's elegant bedrooms feature mid-century furniture, sculptures and marble with bold splashes of colour. Opening date: September 2013; Rates: From €600 Address: 30 Via di Monte d'Oro; tel: 39.06 98 26 34; www.jkroma.com

Le Meridien, Zhengzhou, China Shanghai-based design firm Neri & Hu transformed a partially built concrete shell into a 25-storer steel and glass structure made of irregular boxes that cantilever haphazardly. Inside, soaring heights and open views are centred around a four-storey atrium, which combines sandstone and walnut with recessed, green-tinted windows that link to other public spaces. Opening date: October 2013; Rates: From CNY 555 Address: 1188 Zhangzhou Avenue; tel: 86.371 5599 8888; www.starwoodhotels.com/lemeridien

The Temple Hotel, Beijing, China Tucked away in the tightly packed streets surrounding the Forbidden City, The Temple Hotel's evocative past as a Qing dynasty temple is in stark contrast with the contemporary architecture and renovation that was recently recognised with a UNESCO award for cultural heritage conservation. Original wood and tiles were used throughout the restoration, and a contemporary lighting element was introduced by Ingo Maurer. Opening Date: November 2013; Rates: From CNY 2,133 Address: 23 Shatan North Street; tel: 86.10 8401 5680; www.thetemplehotel.com