11 Eye-Popping Architecture Hotels

On the eastern edge of Torres del Paine National Park, Tierra Patagonia is as stunning as its environment. Designed by Chilean architect Cazu Zegers, the hotel’s undulating all-wood structure blends seamlessly into the rolling pampas. So whether you’re sipping a Chilean Sauvignon Blanc at the open bar, or taking a dip in the indoor pool, you’ll have dead-on vistas of the slate-blue Lake Sarmiento and the peaks of Paine Massif in the distance.

This ultra-modern urban resort is one of the most striking structures in Singapore’s skyline (which is saying a lot). Upon first glance, Marina Bay Sands looks like something out of a sci-fi flick: Its three massive towers are linked together by a sprawling ship-shaped rooftop. Inside, you’ll find more than 2,500 hotel rooms and suites, a science museum, shopping mall, casino, and 60 (yes, six-zero) restaurants run by celeb chefs like Daniel Boulud, Mario Batali and Wolfgang Puck. The crowning glory? The 57th-floor rooftop Skypark, which features a vertigo-inducing infinity pool, a palm-tree lined observation deck, and of course, some swanky nightclubs where you can party under the stars.

Set against a dramatic backdrop of mountainous lava fields, ION Adventure Hotel is a tribute to Iceland’s rugged landscape. The Brutalist building's sharp angles echo Mount Hengill’s jagged slopes near Thingvellir National Park; inside the vibe is warm and inviting, with an understated design using driftwood, organic linens and natural materials. For the best views — plus mouthwatering nordic cuisine like fresh Arctic Char and icelandic Skyr brûlée — snag a seat at Silfra Restaurant, where Lake Thingvallavatn and the mountains are framed in floor-to-ceiling windows.

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Langham Place has been a landmark in Guangzhou since it first opened in 2013. The avant-garde façade, designed by award-winning architecture firm Aedas, dominates Pazhou Island with its sleek glass exterior. And the decor throughout its 500 guestrooms and five elegant dining areas is no less impressive, done up with marble, contemporary Chinese artwork, and a rich color palette of gold, cream and silver.

Cutting-edge design and safari lodge are two concepts that have never gone together… until now. The Singita Lebombo Lodge, in South Africa’s Kruger National Park, redefines safari style with its contemporary, open-plan suites that overlook the N’Wanetsi River. The 15 glass-walled dwellings were inspired by eagles’ nests, each having a canopied roof made of branches, so rays of sunlight can shine through. And the decor — fresh off a top-to-toe renovation by designer Boyd Ferguson — also brings the elements indoors with a mix of industrial and raw, natural materials (polished stone, rough-hewn wood, rattan, sisal and canvas) in muted tones of gray and platinum. When you’re not on a game drive to spot the Big Five, explore the retreat’s new multi-level addition, which has a library, media room, wine studio, 80-foot lap pool, rooftop terrace, outdoor fire pits and a restaurant helmed by chef Liam Tomlin from Cape Town hotspot Chefs Warehouse.

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You can find this adults-only spot not in beachy Barcelona or urban Madrid, but in the Guadalest Valley, between the Aitana and Serrella mountain ranges in southern Spain. VIVOOD Landscape Hotel’s 25 timber and black Viroc cabins by architect Daniel Mayo are all grey ceramic tiled floors, crisp white walls and wooden accents. Here, it's all about the views. The modular units are raised off the ground on stilts, so they have unobstructed vistas of the rugged landscape, and the massive infinity pool overlooks the rolling valley below.

What started as an artist in residency program, in one of the most isolated areas of the world, has transformed into one of the world's most awe-inspiring landmarks. Set above the North Atlantic Ocean’s wild surf, Fogo Island Inn, designed by Newfoundland-born architect Todd Saunders, stays true to its roots while embracing a modern aesthetic through its stark exterior. The hotel pays homage to the area’s traditional fishing culture with its architectural stilts (called shores) and whimsical interior design touches like colorful vintage quilts and custom furnishings made by local craftspeople. The resort also features an on-site gallery, a cozy library (with a fireplace and Newfoundland travel guides), a cinema, and roof deck with a wood-fired sauna and two outdoor hot tubs.

Hidden away on 600 acres of Utah wilderness, the Amangiri wins our hearts for its natural, subtle design, all ambers, yellows and pinks, that blend seamlessly with the canyons of the American Southwest. The earthy vibe extends to the interiors, with exposed wood and black steel detailing, white stone floors, and concrete walls. Don't miss a dip in the 'gram-worthy pool, which wraps around the landscape's curved dunes and arid plateaus.

The sheer scope of this 915,000-square-foot complex is enough to land the YAS Viceroy on our list. The hotel is the center of the ambitious $36 billion Yas Marina development and accompanying Formula One circuit. Sweeping steel forms and 5,800 diamond-shaped glass panels create a canopy over the property, which houses six restaurants, 500 rooms and two rooftop pools. The best part? At night, the building lights up in an array of neon colors, thanks to hundreds of LED lights.

You’ll have to travel FAR to find this remote lodge on a steep bluff in Kangaroo Island, known as the Galápagos of Australia. But it’s worth the long-haul flight to stay in one of the 21 sand-blasted limestone suites, which cascade down the slope from the main lodge. The Bond-esque rooms feature a sexy, sunken lounge, glass-walled bathroom and outdoor terrace (a prime perch to take in the sunset over the Southern Ocean).

This Swedish hotel’s series of treehouses up the design ante with their out-of-the-ordinary blueprints. Each quirky suite — ranging from a human-sized bird’s nest to a UFO-inspired dwelling to a cube camouflaged in reflective glass — was created by a different Scandinavian architect and hangs in a canopy of trees. The one thing they all have in common: the views of the Lule River valley stretching out below.