The Pure Hotel

The staff wear head-to-toe white, which either reads as aspirational or vaguely clinical depending on your mood. This design hotel in Frankfurt's banking district is built around a single-minded commitment to white marble, white leather, and white lacquer, courtesy of local architect Oana Rosen. Guest rooms soften things with parquet floors and touches of black, and the bathrooms are genuinely generous. A minimalist cocktail bar handles drinks; the neighborhood handles everything else.

One honor, in evidence: