If we're talking "city hotels", then I would have to nominate our stay at the Hotel Bela Vista in Macau. Having said that, other than being in a city, the Bela Vista was anything but a "city hotel". A historic Portuguese-style colonial mansion built on a hill, the hotel had only 8 rooms, all suites with its own decor and stylings, and overlooked "old" and "new" Macau as well had a stunning view of the bay. We were privileged enough to be able to book the Bela Vista Suite, which had an impossibly long corner balcony that overlooked the terrace restaurant below as well providing as a wonderful view of the ocean. With high ceilings and beautiful European furnishings and décor in a yellow shade in the bedroom/living room that made us feel transported into another time, the cavernous tiled bathroom oozing with English colonial grandeur and a wonderful white free standing tub was definitely the most spacious bathroom we had ever stayed in. The hotel also had this wonderful staircase that led up to our suite, and the restaurant served a delicious mix of Portuguese/Macanese specialties. It was truly a special, special luxury hotel.

Sadly, the Hotel Bela Vista is no more, having been claimed by the Portuguese government as the home of its consul-general when Macau was handed back to China in 1999.