Hotels Above Par

Hotels Above Par Digital & print magazine featuring above-par boutique hotels. Vetted by editors from NYT, Vogue & more. Founded by Brandon Berkson with 450K+ insiders.

Conceptualized by boutique hotel pundit and enthusiast, Brandon Berkson, Hotels Above Par is an expert-curated guide with under-two-minute articles designed for the hip traveler who is short on time. The guide has garnered a strong community of hotel and travel lovers, who use it for a variety of reasons, including as a source of inspiration for future trips, as well as a place to celebrate and support hotels. Since its inception in April 2020, at the beginning of the pandemic, Berkson has significantly grown the guide’s following. Its success has seen content expand past hotels to restaurants, destinations, and other travel-related topics. Every story encompasses Berkson’s vision: A look into the coolest, unique, trendy, and boutique-oriented hotels and experiences across the world, which can be read in less time than it takes to brush your teeth. With Hotels Above Par’s rapid growth, Berkson has selected top-line, travel-expert journalists to write articles, each one bringing a new perspective and form of punditry to the guide. When asked about what’s to come, Berkson will tell you, “this is just the beginning.”

So, with that, we invite you to come explore the world’s hottest and unique hotels, destinations, restaurants, and travel experiences with us.

As the landscape shifts into amber and rust, autumn demands more than a routine weekend getaway—it calls for spaces that...
09/20/2026

As the landscape shifts into amber and rust, autumn demands more than a routine weekend getaway—it calls for spaces that treat the changing season as fine art.

From the minimalist, glass-framed pavilions floating in the Catskill forest at Piaule , to the windswept lakeside quiet and contemporary edge of Drake Devonshire , to the moody, design-forward alpine sanctuary of AWOL Stowe , we have gathered eight properties where architectural restraint meets peak foliage.

Comment “FALL” for more curated looks of hotels our editors love.

Your doomscroll ends here.When was the last time you were completely off the grid? In her latest HAP Weekly feature, Sta...
09/18/2026

Your doomscroll ends here.

When was the last time you were completely off the grid? In her latest HAP Weekly feature, Stacey Leasca explores boutique stays around the world where the ultimate luxury isn’t high-speed Wi-Fi—it’s zero bars.

From candlelit stargazing in Jordan’s Dana Biosphere Reserve to river cruises through Borneo with no notifications in sight, these properties are intentionally built to swap screen time for presence.

Comment “OFFLINE” to read the full HAP Weekly feature.

ÖÖD Hekla Horizon was built to hide in plain sight.Situated on Iceland’s remote South Coast, this collection of seven mi...
09/17/2026

ÖÖD Hekla Horizon was built to hide in plain sight.
Situated on Iceland’s remote South Coast, this collection of seven mirrored houses is designed to disappear into the surrounding lava fields, mountains, and views of Mount Hekla.
The reflective glass exteriors put nature at the center of the stay, while warm, minimalist interiors feature floor-to-ceiling windows, heated bathroom floors, and thoughtful details like digital detox boxes.

Beyond the private cabins—which offer private hot tubs or saunas in select layouts—guests have access to a 24-hour Northern Lights Lounge, shared wellness facilities, and easy proximity to nearby waterfalls, the Golden Circle, and the Secret Lagoon.

Comment “ICELAND” to read the full review.

“If your guest needs to create an account to turn off the lights, you haven’t built hospitality—you’ve built homework,” ...
09/15/2026

“If your guest needs to create an account to turn off the lights, you haven’t built hospitality—you’ve built homework,” says HAP Editor-In-Chief Brandon Berkson

We keep checking into hotels that feel like software with beds. Tablet check-in. QR code menus. An app that controls the blinds, which means the blinds now require a login. Every one of these was sold to an owner as an upgrade. Every one of them made the stay worse.

Comment “HAP” to read the full feature on Brandon’s personal substack, Hotel Espresso.

There’s far more to Barcelona than just ticking off Gaudí sights—the city is packed with intimate tapas spots, rooftop s...
09/14/2026

There’s far more to Barcelona than just ticking off Gaudí sights—the city is packed with intimate tapas spots, rooftop sanctuaries, and vibrant local haunts waiting to be discovered.

Inside our latest Boutique Book, you’ll find hand-picked Barcelona favorites by Jessica Benavides Canepa | Lifestyle Journalist —from rooftop cocktail havens to tapas joints and neighborhood secrets most tourists walk right past (plus an interactive map to guide your way).

Comment “BARCELONA” and we’ll send you the link to the article. Subscribe through Jessica’s code and 15% goes straight to her. Plus, when you use it, you’ll get a discount.

Also in the library: Lisbon, London, New York, Mexico City & São Paulo.

According to the CDC, nearly a third of U.S. adults average less than seven hours of sleep a night, with only half wakin...
09/13/2026

According to the CDC, nearly a third of U.S. adults average less than seven hours of sleep a night, with only half waking up well-rested. In response, boutique properties around the world are stepping up with turn-down services that go far beyond a tiny chocolate on your pillow.

From Almanac Palais Vienna’s neuroacoustic playlists engineered from State Opera light frequencies to the private forest bridges and outdoor whirlpools at Miramonti Boutique Hotel in the Dolomites, hotels are putting rest at the center of the guest experience. At Murrieta Hot Springs in California, guests receive medical director-curated sleep trays complete with phone “sleep sacks” and 24/7 geothermal pool access, while Portrait Milano offers guided pillow fittings and Singita Lebombo Lodge in South Africa pairs candlelit turn-downs with evening yoga and guided meditation.

Comment “SLEEP” to read the full feature by Stacey Leasca

More than 500 properties in, and we still pay our own way and write our own truth. HAP Premium exists so our coverage of...
09/12/2026

More than 500 properties in, and we still pay our own way and write our own truth. HAP Premium exists so our coverage of boutique hotels—and the visionaries behind them—remains entirely honest.

Here’s an inside look at what a week of membership delivers. Scroll through to see what drops each day.

Comment “PREMIUM” and we’ll send you the link to our new website.

09/12/2026

What does your suitcase say about you as a traveler? We tapped our editor-in-chief Brandon Berkson to tell us all about what he observed after helping thousands of travelers as a bellboy. 🧳

This private archipelago getaway 20 miles off Panama’s Pacific coast just ruined the Maldives for us.Welcome to Islas Se...
09/10/2026

This private archipelago getaway 20 miles off Panama’s Pacific coast just ruined the Maldives for us.

Welcome to Islas Secas, an ultra-exclusive resort where 13 of the 14 volcanic islands in the archipelago remain completely untouched, and, per the owners, never will. Sitting inside 58 nautical square miles of protected waters in the Gulf of Chiriquí, the solar-powered property pairs natural rock exteriors and canvas-walled tented casitas with louvered wooden shutters built to catch the ocean breeze.

Here, days are spent on marine safaris guided by working conservationists to track the Big Blue Five, from humpbacks to whale sharks. Or, you could spend your time here unwinding, doing a whole lot of nothing.

Comment “PANAMA” to read the full review, written by our social media editor noahcortez.

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900 San Ysidro Ln
Santa Barbara, CA
93108-1399

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