Tcherassi Hotel & Spa

Colombian designer Silvia Tcherassi converted a Spanish-colonial mansion in the Old City of this walled colonial hot spot into a cool, white-on-white urban escape. The place pops with funky decorative accents (“chandeliers” of interlocking plastic rings; tasseled bedspreads) reminiscent of the texture-intensive accessories from her collections, and inspiration is eclectic and international: the seven rooms and suites are named after fabrics, reflecting Tcherassi’s background in fashion; the 30 spa treatments are based in South American traditions, from the Colombian Coffee Wrap to the warm bamboo massage; and the cuisine at Vera, the in-house restaurant, is haute Italian. Like Tcherassi’s detailed handiwork, service at the hotel is subtle and impeccable.