Some people travel to take in magnificent sights or learn about new cultures. Others want to be pampered. For many travelers (myself included), one of the best parts is trying new cuisine and lingering over well-cooked meals.
And some of the best meals I’ve been lucky enough to enjoy were in hotel restaurants. Some were so good, like a Panama City hotel with a restaurant housed in a former 17th-century monastery, I’d book an entire trip around the chance to eat there again.
Plus, as a hotel guest, you’ll often receive priority reservations over those just walking in. Here are five hotels where the restaurant is reason enough to book a stay.
In this article
- El Santuario at Hotel La Compañía Casco Antiguo, the Unbound Collection by Hyatt in Panama City, Panama
- Luzzi at Andaz Lisbon by Hyatt in Lisbon, Portugal
- Le Pressoir d'Argent at Intercontinental Bordeaux in Bordeaux, France
- Bazaar Meat by José Andrés at Waldorf Astoria in Washington, D.C.
- The Lānai at Hōkūpaʻa at the Westin Maui Resort and Spa in Maui, Hawaii
- The Shortcut
El Santuario at Hotel La Compañía Casco Antiguo, the Unbound Collection by Hyatt in Panama City, Panama
I’ve stayed at countless hotels but The Hotel La Compañía Casco Antiguo, the Unbound Collection by Hyatt, is by far the most interesting one yet, and its restaurants are a big part of the reason why.
The property consists of three distinct buildings: a Spanish Colonial wing constructed in 1688 as a Jesuit monastery and convent and later used as Panama’s Red Cross headquarters; a French Colonial wing built by Jesuit priests in 1739 that served as a university; and the 1904 American wing, which was originally built as a department store. There are also several on-site restaurants that reflect the influence the Spanish, French, and Americans had on Panamanian culture and cuisine.
La Compañía's most striking restaurant is El Santuario, housed in the hotel’s Spanish wing. Although the building was once left in ruins, its 17th-century stone walls, soaring arches, and stained glass windows have been meticulously restored to their original grandeur.
For lunch and dinner, Chef Jonathan Campos's Spanish-inspired menu blends Panama's culinary past with its present while using locally sourced ingredients. I loved trying El Santuario's traditional Spanish paella for dinner, but Panamanian favorites like ropa vieja are also available.
I ended my meal with a cup of La Compañía’s Geisha coffee. Geisha beans are the most expensive in the world, but because they are grown in Panama, El Santuario serves a freshly brewed mug for about the same price as a Starbucks grande.
Luzzi at Andaz Lisbon by Hyatt in Lisbon, Portugal
When visiting Lisbon, I wanted to stay in a hotel that reflects the city's rich cultural and culinary traditions. The Andaz Lisbon by Hyatt, located steps from the Tagus River and Lisbon's lively Baixa neighborhood, was the ideal choice.
The Andaz reflects Lisbon itself, with walls covered with a modern twist on the colorful tiles found throughout Portugal. The lobby also features a lounge inspired by the city's ubiquitous kiosks, where locals habitually stop for coffee, snacks, and socialization.
However, it’s Luzzi, the hotel’s restaurant on the top floor, that made me feel as if I had traveled the entire world all at once.
The hotel's signature restaurant reimagines local cuisine by blending flavors from the Iberian Peninsula with traditional dishes from countries with historic ties to Portugal. The menu includes Brazilian, Indian, African, and Asian dishes with a distinctly Lisboan twist. Think Cape Verdean-inspired seafood, Brazilian-style beef, and Indian samosas.
Luzzi's riotous decor of brightly colored, mismatched patterns draws on traditional designs from the same regions, instantly taking me on a tour through Portugal's history and global ties.
Luzzi also has views of Lisbon's famed São Jorge Castle, and an adjacent rooftop lounge is just the spot for spiced cocktails, often accompanied by a live DJ, under the stars.
Le Pressoir d'Argent at Intercontinental Bordeaux in Bordeaux, France
The Intercontinental Bordeaux is a grand hotel in the heart of the town's historic center. The landmark was created by the same architect who built the Bordeaux Opera House, and the main building was once the residence of a wealthy family, later transforming into a hotel in 1902.
Over time, the hotel has grown and now consists of several buildings rich in opulent French decor, where no two rooms are alike.
The hotel's dining appropriately honors its extravagant splendor and history. Gordon Ramsay's on-site two-Michelin-star restaurant, Le Pressoir d'Argent, reflects the famed chef's deep respect for the authenticity of the ingredients he uses to create locally inspired dishes, including black truffles and foie gras.
Watching Breton lobster à la presse being prepared in the dining room with a silver antique Christofle lobster press—one of only five in the world—really makes your reservation worthwhile.
Bazaar Meat by José Andrés at Waldorf Astoria in Washington, D.C.
Located just steps from the National Mall in Washington, D,C., the Waldorf Astoria is centrally situated for exploring the capital.
Housed in a historic Old Post Office Pavilion, it retains much of the building's original character, including a functioning bell tower visitors can tour, a nine-story atrium, and 19th-century metal trusses.
A major highlight is José Andrés's Bazaar Meat. The star chef’s menu alone is reason enough to visit, but its theatrical decor is also a draw. The multi-level restaurant is decorated with Salvador Dalí-inspired prints, plush jewel-toned seating, and an upstairs section filled with plants that feels like dining in a secret garden.
But back to the menu. This modern steakhouse centers on premium cuts and signature dishes with flavors such as Spanish jamón Ibérico, cotton candy foie gras, a caviar cone, and Wagyu carpaccio. Those with a big appetite can order “Meats from the Fire,” featuring large-format cuts of ribeye, bone-in strip, or whole suckling pig.
The cocktails are equally fun, including a freezer martini and a stamp collector sazerac.
The Lānai at Hōkūpaʻa at the Westin Maui Resort and Spa in Maui, Hawaii
With its soft white sand beaches and turquoise waters, Maui is the best destination for relaxation and tropical scenery. During a recent visit, I stayed at the Westin Maui Resort and Spa, a resort on the ocean's edge filled with palm trees and pools that rounds out stays with cultural programming such as hula, wayfinding, weaving, and other aspects of traditional and modern island life.
And while Maui is packed with scenic, well-regarded restaurants, I preferred to stay on-site at the resort and eat at The Lānai at Hōkūpaʻa.
Technically, this isn’t a traditional restaurant. It’s more like a club lounge open only to select guests who book qualifying rooms or packages. But the food alone is what makes the upgrade well worth it.
The Lānai has artisan pastries in the morning and a rotating selection of seasonal farm-to-table items for lunch and dinner, plus the option to order from other restaurants. Everything I ate was fantastic, but what I really loved was settling in with my meals, taking in beach views, looking for whales, and ordering personalized drinks from the staff mixologist, who created drinks based on my specific preferences (savory over sweet!).
The Shortcut
Gordon Ramsay and José Andrés both run restaurants inside hotels you can actually book, in Bordeaux and Washington, D.C. respectively.
Hotel guests often get first pick of reservations, and some, like The Lānai at Hōkūpaʻ, are only open to guests with qualifying rooms.
Two of these restaurants are located in buildings that were something else first, including a 1688 Jesuit monastery in Panama City.
Jamie Davis Smith was hosted at The Lānai at Hōkūpaʻa. Some expenses were covered. All opinions and recommendations in this article are her own.
