Best Hotels of 2012

With hundreds of hotels opening this year, there are more options than ever for jetsetters – and it made it harder than ever to narrow down the list. We even had to leave out the “coolest” hotel of the year: the Ice Hotel Romania, back after a few years’ break. These five new hotels offer travelers an innovative take on old-fashioned luxury. They all have something unique (resident hippos, Incan carvings, underwater nightclubs, pop-up rooms), but provide the cost-effective service that guarantees they should be on the top of anyone’s must-visit list. -- By Kelly O’Mara