June is a great month to travel. The weather across most of the Northern Hemisphere is lovely, shoulder season pricing still exists in a handful of places, and if you're the type who plans a trip around where you're going to sleep (which, if you're reading this, you probably are) the design hotel landscape has tons of options to choose from worldwide. We're talking about Pritzker Prize-winning timber retreats in the Japanese mountains, brutalist all-suite sanctuaries in the Baja desert, former watermills on a beach in the Azores, and Ken Fulk-designed Laurel Canyon fever dreams in the middle of Sonoma wine country. Below, nine of the best design hotels worth booking this June.
Ellery Beach House
Lidingö, Stockholm, Sweden
Best for: Design lovers who want their beach club with a side of serious interior vision
Located on the island of Lidingö within the Stockholm archipelago, Ellery Beach House sits less than 20 minutes from the Swedish capital—and feels entirely worlds away. The design crosses Miami and Florida aesthetics with the best elements of Scandinavia: pastel colors, contrasting elements, wooden textures, and bold color pops that are, as the designers put it, deliberately "non-Scandinavian." It’s undoubtedly one of the hottest places to stay in Stockholm—cabanas by the water, crackling fires, pools, and DJ sets that flow into the wee hours of the night. June is peak season here, which means the beach club is in full swing and the archipelago is at its most stunning. Take the ferry from Stockholm Central and you're there in no time. From $273 per night
Kymaia
Puerto Escondido, Mexico
Best for: Architecture obsessives and anyone who wants their sustainability story to run deeper than a recycling bin
Twelve miles south of Puerto Escondido, on a stretch of Oaxaca's untamed Pacific coast, Kymaia rises from dunes and hibiscus fields—its architecture and interiors drawing on three conceptual axes: pre-Hispanic ceremonial vestiges, the flora of the Oaxacan Pacific, and solar iconography. The 22 suites are constructed from pigmented concrete blocks in a warm sand tone, modeled after pre-Hispanic pyramids and designed by Mexican studios Productora and The Book of Wa to blend seamlessly into the coastal landscape. Wellness here runs deep—spa treatments, one-on-one training sessions, and ancestral Mayan rituals designed to restore balance—and the restaurant sources ingredients directly from the on-site regenerative farm. Fly into Puerto Escondido (PXM) and arrange a transfer; it's about 30 minutes from the airport. From $260 per night
Paradero Todos Santos
Todos Santos, Baja California Sur, Mexico
Best for: Adults-only escapes and anyone who wants brutalist architecture with a side of desert wellness
An hour up the west coast of Baja California from Cabo San Lucas, Paradero Todos Santos is a luxurious all-suite boutique hotel in a highly disciplined brutalist style—raw concrete exteriors that blend into the desert, counterpointed by the soft luxury of rooms with terraces, outdoor hammocks, open-air soaking tubs, and spa-like bathrooms. There's no room service, no TVs, and no digital distractions—instead, guests are encouraged to connect with the nature around them through stargazing, nature walks, and excursions to see rare butterflies. The on-site restaurant Tenoch blends contemporary Mexican cuisine with Japanese precision and holds a Michelin recognition. Fly into Los Cabos (SJD) and arrange a 90-minute transfer north. From $500 per night
La Maison Bleue
El Gouna, Egypt
Best for: Travelers who want to feel like they've stumbled into someone's exquisitely curated private home
Conceived by designer Amr Khalil, La Maison Bleue is a 13-suite escape where Minoan murals, Catalan-style mosaics, Syrian arches, and Venetian tiling live comfortably under one roof—a pastel-blue façade that fades into the desert sky, with velvet drapes, frescoed walls, and collector-worthy antiques inside. Originally built as a dock and guest house for a developer to host his loved ones and encourage creativity, the property has gathered history over the years—unique furniture pieces, painted wall murals by local artists, parquet floors, marble stairways, and lofty ceilings. A Relais & Châteaux member, it’s also got a private beach, a hammam, and a French chef sourcing from an on-site hydroponic greenhouse. Fly into Hurghada (HRG); El Gouna is about 21 miles away. June sits just before Egypt's peak summer heat, making it one of the better months to visit. From $450 per night
Moinho da Areia
São Miguel, Azores, Portugal
Best for: Slow travelers and design enthusiasts who want somewhere genuinely off the beaten path
Created by siblings Inês and João, Moinho da Areia was originally built as a watermill in 1867 and has been thoughtfully transformed into a boutique guesthouse with five unique suites perched directly on Monte Verde Beach. The interiors incorporate two of the building's historic millstones, exclusive art pieces curated by local artist Joana Subtil, and handcrafted décor made in collaboration with local artisans—every detail chosen to reflect the Azorean heritage. You fall asleep to the sound of waves and wake up to an à la carte breakfast made with local ingredients, served on a terrace overlooking the Atlantic. Fly into João Paulo II Airport (PDL) in Ponta Delgada; the property is about 22 kilometers away. June is one of the best months to visit the Azores—warm, green, and well before the August crowds. From $323 per night
Dar Rhizlane
Marrakech, Morocco
Best for: Couples and design travelers who want the soul of a riad with more space and fewer crowds
Set back from a tree-lined street in the Hivernage district, Dar Rhizlane reveals itself majestically behind a century-old garden and an imposing ornate wrought-iron gate—designed in a palatial style imbued with history and elegance, reflecting the spirit of Marrakech's bourgeois villas. The 20 rooms share space with intimate lounges, a fireplace-equipped library bar, and a verandah overlooking the gardens and fountains—each named after exotic scents like Musk, Sandalwood, and Jasmine, with handpicked furnishings, traditional tilework, and ornate bathrooms. A short taxi ride from the medina and a short walk from Menara Gardens—close enough to everything, removed enough to feel like a genuine escape. Note: June in Marrakech runs quite hot, so plan outdoor activities for early morning and evenings. From $244 per night
Torel Quinta da Vacaria
Douro Valley, Portugal
Best for: Wine lovers who want world-class design to match their world-class terroir
Tucked among some of the oldest vineyards in one of the world's most historic wine regions, Torel Quinta da Vacaria is unexpectedly modern—architect Luís Miguel Oliveira and Studio Astolfi gave the interiors a thorough facelift, with sleek, silent rooms featuring pale wood flooring, midcentury modern décor, and private balconies or terraces, many with open-air tubs. Interior designer Joana Astolfi used a color palette inspired by the region itself—the dusty green of the vineyards, the deep blue of the river, and the dark red of the wines. The estate dates to 1616 and holds the only Michelin-starred restaurant in the Douro Valley. Fly into Porto (OPO) and drive about an hour and a half east—the scenery on the way is half the trip. From $799 per night
The Cottages at Little Saint
Healdsburg, Sonoma County, California
Best for: Design obsessives and wine country devotees who want maximalism done right
Designer Ken Fulk channeled the free-spirited energy of late-1960s Laurel Canyon as he reimagined four standalone cottages behind Healdsburg's celebrated plant-based restaurant and music venue Little Saint. With just four cottages—Gimme Shelter, Court, Spark, and Deja Vu—each nodding to music legends like The Rolling Stones and layering playful references with richly textured interiors: pomegranate-studded wallpaper, hand-painted checkerboard hardwood floors, patchwork furniture, and trompe l'oeil murals by Bay Area artist Rafael Arana. In-room record players stocked with curated vinyl, a heated outdoor pool, and the Little Saint restaurant steps away. June in Sonoma is about as good as it gets—warm days, cool evenings, and the vineyards at their greenest. Fly into Santa Rosa (STS) or San Francisco (SFO) and drive north. From $500 per night
Shishi-Iwa House
Karuizawa, Nagano, Japan
Best for: Anyone who wants their hotel to function as a genuine work of art
There is a short list of hotels in the world that are worth visiting for the building alone. Shishi-Iwa House is on it. A collection of boutique retreats in the mountain resort town of Karuizawa, designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architects—Shigeru Ban designed the first two properties, while Ryue Nishizawa of SANAA designed the third—each nestled in woodland with views of the area's famous mountains, rivers, and small villages. A calm retreat of shaded courtyards, enclosed gardens, and vast rooms, with a gently undulating roof almost hidden by the surrounding forest of maples, cherry blossoms, and evergreens. June is ideal—Karuizawa is famous for its mild summers while the rest of Japan swelters, and the forest is at its most lush. Take the Hokuriku Shinkansen from Tokyo Station; it's about an hour. Michelin awarded it one Key in 2024. From $355 per night
