Fashionistas with wanderlust always enjoy finding luxurious destinations where they can show off their stylish wardrobes abroad. There’s just something delightful about dressing to the nines when far away from home, matching whatever high-end setting you find yourself in and making an impression on people you’ll likely never see again. And while it may be a little too much to to travel specifically in search of places to flaunt your fashion, it never hurts to keep them in mind! So with that said, here are our five picks (in no particular order) for some of the best places in the world to show off the best of your wardrobe.
The Peak Bar – Tokyo, Japan
We’ll start off with a choice that may soon be on everyone’s mind, as the world turns its attention to Tokyo for the 2020 Summer Olympics. The city is preparing to host a wave of tourists, and lists of the best hotels for those tourists tend to include the Park Hyatt – a beloved, perfect venue that is already somewhat famous internationally for having appeared in the film Lost In Translation.
Those who do stay at the Park Hyatt, either for the Olympics or otherwise, will also get the chance to enjoy the Peak Bar and accompanying lounge, which is our specific recommendation as a place to dress your best. Located on the 41st floor of the hotel, it’s one of the most luxurious bars in Japan, and really all of East Asia. It overlooks one of the world’s truly incredible cities, offers beautiful interior décor, and serves up one-of-a-kind cocktails. It also happens to have a dress code, such that anything remotely casual is frowned upon (or may not be allowed). That is to say you’ll be in good company if you take the opportunity to really show off a favorite outfit.
Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée – Paris, France
There isn’t a definitive “best” restaurant in the world (even if there are always new rankings and lists coming out). But Alain Ducasse at the Hotel Plaza Athénée certainly belongs in the conversation.
Hotel Plaza Athénée is a beloved five-star hotel in Paris, just north of the Seine and not far from the Arc de Triomphe. It’s the sort of place one dreams of staying in, and the in-house restaurant from legendary chef Alain Ducasse is accordingly a bucket list sort of restaurant. The décor is chic and sophisticated with solid oak tables, white leather seats, and extravagant crystal chandeliers overhead. The gourmet menu includes French preparations, some international influence, and a blur of mouth-watering ingredients. Dining there is a dream-like experience, and will only feel right if you approach the occasion with the most elegant and stylish outfit you can muster.
SkyCity Auckland – Auckland, New Zealand
SkyCity in Auckland is a fascinating venue in that at its core, it’s a physical casino complex in a country increasingly dominated by online gaming alternatives. Various online pokie casino sites have gained significant popularity in recent years, providing gamers with all of the casino content they may once have enjoyed in person, now on casino and mobile screens. They can play animated slot reels every bit as engaging as the in-person games – and if they want to, they can do it for free.
The reason this is significant is that SkyCity’s endurance is essentially an endorsement for its opulence and atmosphere. There is still an active casino in the complex, but there are also gorgeous lobbies and lounges, elegant, high-end restaurants, and tremendous views out over the city. It’s a place where you can enjoy a full luxury experience, from the first sip of a cocktail in the Orbit 360 dining room at the top of the Sky Tower, to the moment you step into an ornate on-site hotel room to spend the night. Flaunting your fashion along the way is perfectly natural – and delightful.
The Icebar at The Ice Hotel – Jukkasjärvi, Sweden
The “Ice Bar” concept is actually something that has taken off internationally. You may be familiar with the general idea: The temperature is kept cold, the bar is made of or heavily decorated in ice, you’re offered a heavy coat and gloves or mittens upon entry, and you can sip a cocktail out of – you guessed it – a glass made of ice. It is unmistakably a gimmick, but one that’s almost inexplicably enjoyable.
Nowhere is this concept more authentic, though, than at The Ice Hotel in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden, where the bar isn’t the only igloo-like attraction. The Icebar at this hotel looks and feels like some sort of lounge in a fantasy palace. It’s still a lighthearted concept, but one that calls for high fashion in a different way than the other suggestions above. At this spot, you can have a little bit of fun with your cold-weather wardrobe. From your coziest, most beautiful boots to that leopard print faux fur coat you’re always looking for opportunities to wear, you can pull off a high-fashion look at Icebar like you can’t in many other places in the world.
