The Most Aesthetic Hotels in the World According to Local Photographers

The Most Aesthetic Hotels

A great hotel is easy to find. A hotel that makes you want to call a photographer and stay an extra day. That’s something else.

We asked our local photographers, the ones who know every good light source and hidden corner in their cities, to name the one hotel they’d most want to shoot in. Not the most famous, not the most expensive. The most photogenic. The results are a shortlist of places where architecture, setting, and light all conspire to make something genuinely extraordinary.

Since 2013, Flytographer has connected travellers with trusted local photographers in 350+ destinations worldwide. We’ve captured over six million memories for 100,000+ travellers who wanted more than a phone snap. These are the hotels our photographers keep coming back to.

In this guide:

1. Paris: Shangri-La Paris
2. Honolulu: Royal Hawaiian Hotel
3. New York City: The Beekman
4. Venice: Hotel Danieli
5. Kyoto: Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto
6. Marrakesh: Amanjena Resort
7. Cancun: Valentin Imperial Riviera Maya
8. Santorini: Honeymoon Petra Villas
9. Lake Como: The Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni
10. London: Raffles London at The OWO

Photo: Leo in Paris for Flytographer. Zach and partner capture memories at Trocadéro in Paris, just a stone’s throw away from the Shangri-La Hotel.

1. Paris | Shangri-La Paris

“It has an incredible rooftop and one of the most spectacular views of the Eiffel Tower. The interiors are very luxurious and refined, and it is absolutely perfect for private ceremonies. In a way, it feels even more refined and intimate than the Ritz.” – Flytographer Leo in Paris

Before it was a hotel, it was a palace. The Shangri-La Paris was built in the 1890s as the private residence of Prince Roland Bonaparte, great-nephew of Napoleon, and the provenance shows in every detail: silk-threaded wallpaper, crystal chandeliers, white marble fireplaces, a grand spiral staircase in forged steel and brass. Half the guest rooms face the Eiffel Tower directly, and the top-floor La Suite Shangri-La commands a wraparound terrace with views stretching all the way to Sacré-Cœur.

For couples marking a milestone: a surprise proposal, a honeymoon, an anniversary worth remembering. Very little competes.

Photo courtesy of Shangri-La Paris.

2. Honolulu | Royal Hawaiian Hotel

“Right in the heart of Waikiki and just steps from the ocean, the Royal Hawaiian is one of those places that feels almost too pretty to be real. Think iconic views of Diamond Head, a lush tropical feel, and every detail dressed in the most perfect shade of pink, right down to the pancakes!” – Flytographer Natalie

Nearly a century old and not remotely tired. The Royal Hawaiian has been turning heads since 1927, when Warren and Wetmore, the architects behind Grand Central Terminal, designed it in a Spanish-Moorish style: cupolas, dramatic archways, pink turrets that practically glow at golden hour. The famous salmon-pink exterior has launched a thousand photo shoots, and the interior keeps pace with fuchsia headboards in the Historic Wing and a legendary Mai Tai Bar where the original Hawaiian mai tai was born in 1953.

Add Diamond Head in the background, tropical gardens across the grounds, and the Pacific stretching beyond the beach umbrellas. Your photographer will not want to leave. 🌺

Photo: Natalie in San Clemente for Flytographer (photos taken in Honolulu). Megan and partner capture memories at the Royal Hawaiian on a couples trip to Oahu.

3. New York City | The Beekman

“This hotel has such a unique interior, honestly, unlike any hotel I’ve seen before. Even though the lighting can be a bit challenging, the textures and design details make every corner visually striking and a beautiful setting for elopement or engagement photos.” – Flytographer Sehee in New York City

The Beekman has a story worth knowing. Originally built in the 1880s as a commercial tower called Temple Court, the building sat abandoned for decades before reopening as a boutique hotel in 2016. The centrepiece is a nine-story Victorian atrium with a pyramidal skylight, cast-iron railings adorned with dragons and sunbursts, and encaustic tile floors in deep reds and golds. Designer Martin Brudnizki layered in aged-oak flooring, olive-green leather, and jewel-toned velvets throughout.

If you’re in the city for an elopement or engagement session, this is the backdrop that will make Manhattan feel genuinely surprising. Pair it with a walk through Lower Manhattan for a true city getaway.

Photo courtesy of The Beekman, a Thompson Hotel by Hyatt.

4. Venice | Hotel Danieli

“The Danieli Hotel is a magical place: an intense dream of elegance and beauty in the breathtaking setting of Venice. Photographing here is like immersing yourself in that dream and creating images suspended between reality and magic.” – Flytographer Marta in Venice

Marta is not exaggerating. The oldest wing of Hotel Danieli, Palazzo Dandolo, dates to the 14th century and was built by one of Venice’s most powerful families. Inside, a four-story open atrium rises beneath a stained-glass cupola, with pink marble columns, Moorish arches, and a golden staircase draped in doge-red carpet. Murano glass chandeliers, hand-painted ceiling frescoes, and damask fabrics at every turn. Dickens, Byron, Proust, and Coco Chanel have all stayed here.

Worth noting: a major renovation is currently underway, and the hotel will reopen in August 2026 as Danieli, A Four Seasons Hotel, Venice, with the beloved atrium and golden staircase preserved. For families and couples visiting Italy, this remains one of the most visually extraordinary settings in the world.

Photos courtesy of Marta in Venice. Photos taken at the Danieli Hotel in Venice.

5. Kyoto | Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto

“Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto is incredibly photogenic because it blends modern luxury with a serene Japanese garden setting. In November, the vibrant maple leaves create a breathtaking backdrop that feels both elegant and timeless.” – Flytographers Coo and Yurika in Kyoto

Coo and Yurika shoot here in autumn, and their images say everything. The Four Seasons Hotel in Kyoto was built around the Shakusui-en Pond Garden, an approximately 800-year-old landscape once belonging to the legendary samurai Taira no Shigemori. Ancient stone bridges, moss-covered islands, and a restored waterfall. In November, the maple canopy turns the whole property into something close to surreal. Inside, polished hardwood floors, hand-painted fusuma screens, and floor-to-ceiling windows frame the garden like a living painting. 🍂

Autumn is the obvious season. But this hotel rewards a visit to any of the four.

Photo: Coo & Yurika in Kyoto for Flytographer. Katy and family capture memories at the Four Seasons Hotel in Kyoto with a family photoshoot.

6. Marrakesh | Amanjena Resort

Tucked among ancient olive groves just outside the medina, Amanjena arrives as a quiet surprise. Designed by architect Ed Tuttle, the resort rises from the red earth in the same soft rose-pink as the city itself, with traditional packed-earth walls finished in lustrous tadelakt. The layout radiates outward from a central ornamental pool, with pavilions connected by Moorish colonnades, zellige tile walkways, and lush garden courtyards. Inside: hand-carved cedar doors, green marble bathtubs beneath vaulted ceilings.

The most compelling moments for photos are the reflective basin at dusk, the ornate Caidal tent set for candlelit dinners, and the olive groves with the Atlas Mountains dissolving into the distance. For design-minded travellers, this is one of the most visually considered properties in North Africa.

Photo: Ilyass in Marrakesh for Flytographer. Caroline and partner capture memories at Amanjena Resort in Marrakesh with a couple’s photoshoot.

7. Cancun | Valentin Imperial Riviera Maya

“Valentin Imperial Riviera Maya is vibrant yet romantic, with grand Spanish-inspired architecture, tropical gardens, and golden-hour glow that lend every photograph a sense of drama and warmth.” – Flytographer Claudia in Cancun

The Valentin Imperial Riviera Maya is an adults-only resort on Mexico’s Playa del Secreto that channels the architecture of a Yucatán colonial hacienda: vivid colours, ornate tilework, archways at every turn. The property sits surrounded by tropical gardens and a natural mangrove lagoon, an upscale setting that feels far removed from the typical all-inclusive. One of the largest pools in the Riviera Maya faces the Caribbean beachfront, which delivers exactly the kind of golden-hour drama Claudia describes.

Some places look better in photos than in person. This one looks even better.

Photo: Claudia in Cancun for Flytographer. Jordan and partner capture memories at the Valentin Imperial Riviera Maya with a couple’s photoshoot on the beach.

8. Santorini | Honeymoon Petra Villas

“There is an incredible hotel in Imerovigli called Honeymoon Petra Villas. Imerovigli is located on the highest spot of Santorini’s caldera and has the most breathtaking view.” – Flytographers Stathis and Christina in Santorini

Imerovigli is quieter than Oia and higher than Fira, and Honeymoon Petra Villas sits at its peak, perched directly on the caldera cliff with unobstructed Aegean views. The hotel is split into two distinct wings: the Traditional Wing, carved into the volcanic rock in true cave-suite style, and the Petra Wing, built over 20 years by hand from Santorinian stone. Most suites come with private jacuzzis and caldera views. The infinity pool, hewn from volcanic rock and one of the largest on the caldera, faces open sea.

For the sunset Santorini is famous for, this is exactly where you want to be standing.

Photo: Stathis and Christina in Santorini for Flytographer. Allison and partner capture memories at the Honeymoon Petra Villas in Santorini wth a couples photoshoot.

9. Lake Como | Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni

“The Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni in Bellagio is an amazing hotel! I would suggest it because it’s timeless, elegant, historical, luxurious and one of the most private with amazing views. Also, this is in Bellagio, which is always my most recommended Flytographer route.” – Flytographers Mattia and Maria in Lake Como

Mattia & Maria shoot across Lake Como, and they keep coming back to Bellagio. The Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni sits at the tip of the promontory where Lake Como divides into its two southern arms, a position so perfectly scenic that the Bellagio in Las Vegas borrowed its name. The property began as a private villa in 1854, became a hotel in 1873, and has been owned by the Bucher family for three generations. The interiors are pure Belle Époque grandeur: marble staircases, frescoed ceilings, Murano glass chandeliers in the Salone Reale, and 95 rooms dressed in period furniture, linen sheets, and hand-sewn silk bedspreads. Every room is different. Many face the lake.

Outside, two gardens slope toward the water, where a lakeside pool offers what might be the most quietly spectacular swimming setting in northern Italy. Bellagio itself is the draw within the draw: cobblestone lanes, waterfront cafes, and a scale that feels personal rather than performative.

For couples and families visiting Italy’s lake country, this is the one that sets the standard.

Photo: Mattia & Maria in Lake Como for Flytographer. Tanya and partner capture memories at The Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni with a couples photoshoot.

10. London | Raffles London at The OWO

“Beautiful interior and many art deco rooms. I love photographing there. Very relaxed with photography for customers.” – Flytographer Jimmy in London

For over a century, this building was closed to the public. The Old War Office on Whitehall was where Churchill made wartime decisions, where intelligence officers plotted in corridors, and where Ian Fleming, a regular visitor, found inspiration for James Bond. In 2023, after a meticulous six-year renovation, this Edwardian Baroque landmark reopened as Raffles’ first London hotel, and the result is one of the most striking new hotels in Europe.

Designer Thierry Despont, the same mind behind the restoration of the Statue of Liberty, reimagined the interiors of Raffles London at The OWO with a contemporary take on Edwardian grandeur. The five Heritage Suites occupy the building’s most storied rooms: the Churchill Suite is all wood panelling and antique fireplaces, while the Granville Suite, named after Churchill’s favourite spy, has a golden bathtub.

For photographers, the building is endlessly rewarding. A magnificent Grand Staircase sweeps through the centre. The location, directly opposite Horse Guards on Whitehall, puts Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, and St. James’s Park within a short walk. Jimmy is right that the hotel is relaxed about photography for guests, which makes it a rare find in a city where many luxury hotels are not.

Photo: Jimmy in London for Flytographer. Nikki and family capture memories at the Raffles in London.