Four Seasons Hotel Kuwait at Burj Alshaya

A 43-foot illuminated spiral staircase greets you before you've found the check-in desk, which sets the tone for this Forbes Five Star, Michelin Key hotel on Al Soor Street. Yabu Pushelberg handled the interiors, so the luxury feels considered rather than loud, with oak herringbone floors, hand-cut crystal, and a bronze Marc Quinn sculpture doing the talking. The spa is elaborate, the rooftop buzzes, and the pool cabanas are air-conditioned, because Kuwait.