Centara Korat

The rooftop pool floats above Korat with a sky garden and bar attached, which sets the tone for this contemporary city hotel connected directly to a shopping mall. Rooms run sand and terracotta with geometric wood panels and city views. A restaurant covers both Thai and Japanese ground, with a nod to local Korat cooking, and a poolside bar handles the slower hours. It works equally well for a conference trip and a weekend away.

One honor, in evidence: