The Bar/Lounge at Faena Hotel Buenos Aires

"Which room to book: Those ending in 02—corner suites with waterfront and city views Amenities: Bar/lounge, Gym, Pool, Spa, 24-hour Room Service, Wheelchair-accessible View the entire Hot List of the travel world's most noteworthy debuts in 2005 ›"

"Cocooned within a turn-of-the-20th century grain warehouse that lay derelict before French designer Philippe Starck got his hands on it, this landmark property, with its long, red-carpeted corridors, Miami Vice-style pool bar and molecular-cuisine restaurant – the walls of which are hung with "unicorn" heads – is a feast for the senses"

"Next door in the Library Lounge you never know who might show up: Coldplay and local rock legend Charly Garcia once held an impromptu jam session around the piano, playing Beatles songs until the wee hours"

"The dramatic color palette of reds, blacks and whites defines the property’s style, and there's a vibe to match: Beautiful people are everywhere — by the intimate pool, doing business deals in the Library Lounge, eating in the cantina-style El Mercado restaurant"

"Buenos Aires’ hotel for the in-crowd, this former grain-storage building has been given a serious Philippe Starck makeover and now has a belle époque jazz bar, a café stuffed with kitsch antiques, a floor-to-ceiling white restaurant with unicorn heads on the walls, an oriental spa and, of course, swish rooms"

"Intended to be more than just a hotel, as the 'Universe' part of the name might suggest, Faena also includes a bistro, a Library bar, an outdoor pool bar, a slick cabaret theatre and a spa, all open to the public"

"Chill with Coldplay poolside, hit a hopping party at the cabaret, catch Alfio Basile hitting on the help in the lounge over expensive, perfect empanadas, talk you way up to the massive owner's suite, and find yourself on a yacht in Punta del Este in the morning"

"The spa specializes in holistic treatments performed in a handsome space that includes a hammam, a sauna, a beauty lounge and a fitness center"

"Traipse through the plush main hallway, lined with two top-notch restaurants, a sultry bar-lounge, a basement cabaret and – outside – a slick swimming pool"

"The property has become something of a social center and playground for the wealthy, attracting locals to the funky cabaret with nightly tango performances, now almost legendary, or to the antique book–lined lounge and 1920s throwback decor"