This American hotel chain has tapped into the global design zeitgeist by, somewhat counterintuitively, staying in keeping with its London roots. This meant transforming the 1970s Brutalist block that was Camden Council’s offices into one of the capital’s hippest places to stay. Inside, the mise en scène of earnest clerical endeavour – suspended ceilings, task chairs and filing cabinets – has been replaced by an eclectic meld of Memphis furniture set against a mid-century colour palette.

This East River hotel satisfies the two core requirements of modern architecture: 1) It’s sustainable and 2) It looks great on Instagram. In pursuit of the worthier of these #goals, Marvel Architects constructed a large building using 54 percent regional and recycled materials – including original wooden beams from the Domino Sugar Factory in Williamsburg – that runs entirely on wind power. The living walls in the public spaces and houseplants in every room add to the eco-friendly ethos.

Between the Champs-Élysées and the rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, design studio NOCC has created a boutique hotel inspired by the pieds-à-terre of many a chic young Parisian. Judging by the menagerie of lacquered, delicate objets scattered throughout its plush hallways, this is not a place to stumble down the stairs after one too many Suze and sodas. The hotel also invites creatives and brands to use or “interpret” the pop-up space next door in whatever way they see fit.

CHAO describes itself as a “warm and welcoming nest” in Sanlitun. In reality, with its vast, stepped lobby and echoing concrete chambers – created by local firm Citidec – it looks and feels exactly like a modern art gallery. In the rooms, guests will find custom walnut and leather furniture designed with Stellar Works in Shanghai, and the public areas include galleries and performance spaces, tourable artists’ studios, pop-up shops and a cinema.

This boutique hotel in the Prahran neighbourhood is dedicated to the Australian artist Adam Cullen, who made his art debut by chaining a decomposing pig’s head to his ankle for a fortnight. Thankfully, it’s only the boundary-pushing nature of this stunt that has been incorporated into the design. The rooms feature original artworks and prints by Cullen, which are typified by bold colours, dripping black outlines and nods to high and low culture.

The Michelberger – right by the River Spree, a stone’s throw from the gritty heart of Kreuzberg – is Berlin to its back teeth. Think worn Venetian shutters, graffiti frontages, and an orgy of exposed wood panelling. This is an “invitation to a community”, replete with sharing plates and courtyard revelry. There is even a room for visiting bands – four single beds, split on two levels, divided by some pretty incongruous netting… Welcome to Berlin.

Occupying the top 10 floors of the Shiodome Media Tower, this hotel promises a “fresh look at art, culture and life” as well as panoramic views of Tokyo. For the full experience, opt for a room on the 31st floor. Aptly named the Artist Floor, the walls of 31 rooms have been transformed by 31 artists, with dreamlike murals that give guests an introduction to traditional Japanese culture; expect cranes, geishas and sumo wrestlers above the bed.

You’d be forgiven for thinking Dubai was nothing but skyscrapers, strip malls and perfectly manicured oases, but it does have some heritage quarters. The XVA Art Hotel occupies the former home of a well-to-do merchant family in one of these, the Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood, where creek-side alleyways hide exquisite Persian architecture. Don’t leave without visiting the rustic hotel café.

The Hotel Not Hotel treats its rooms not so much as a blank canvas as a space primed for an immersive, site-specific installation. Most come from the well-trained imaginations of Collaboration O, a group of graduates from the prestigious Design Academy Eindhoven. Of all the bizarre sleeping arrangements, the Amsterdam Tram Cart – an actual converted tram cart with wooden floors and a king-size bed – ranks highly. The hotel bar is called Kevin Bacon. Why? It guarantees everyone has a good time.