Europe's Top 10 Most Luxurious City Hotels from Athens to Zurich

Escape to the GB Spa for an Ouzo Oil Massage or an indulgent respite in the Thermal Suite. Then venture up to the GB Roof Garden Restaurant for champagne as the sun sets behind the Acropolis - or down to The Cellar for a tasting of its 3,000 bottles of wine from the exquiste collection of the Hotel Grande Bretagne in Athens. read more

BARCELONA: Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona

Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona has a superb address on the city's famous Passeig de Gràcia, near the Casa Batlló by Gaudi with its fabulous façade. This new luxury hotel is situated in an elegant mid-20th century building, recreated with a highly stylized contemporary interior by Spanish born designer Patricia Urquiola. read more

FLORENCE: Four Seasons Hotel Firenze

An enchanted city sanctuary in the midst of Florence, where an art-filled Renaissance palazzo and conventino frame a centuries-old private park. Relax amidst original frescoes and sculptured reliefs, graced by sunlight and airy garden vistas. Sip cappuccino under majestic trees, lounge by the open-air pool or bask in Italian spa secrets. Wonders of the Uffizi and Duomo are a stroll away. Nearby, Tuscan hill towns beckon. more info

LISBON: Lapa Palace

The Lapa Palace was built in 1870 as the private residence of the Count of Valenca. It is set on a hill overlooking the Tagus River in the stately embassy district. Nestled amidst tranquil gardens, you get a chic resort feel within a city setting. The lush, manicured gardens are complete with pond, streams, waterfall, swimming pool, century old trees and tropical flowers. It is a 5-minute cab ride to the city center, but after a hard day of sightseeing, you can return to a sun-lounger and cocktail by the pool. read more

LONDON: The Ritz London

The world's greatest hotel, as conceived by the world's greatest hotelier. For over a century The Ritz has been the benchmark by which other hotels are measured. A London landmark at 150 Piccadilly, The Ritz has been home to the great and the good, the intelligentsia, the glitterati and thousands of discerning guests since 1906. Afternoon tea in London at The Ritz is an institution in itself served in the spectacular Palm Court, the choice of several varieties of tea and a delicious menu combine to make for an unforgettable luxury experience. read more

MADRID: The Westin Palace

Commissioned by King Alfonso XIII in 1912, the newly restored Westin Palace Madrid is set near the Prado, historic monuments and some of the best tapas restaurants in town. Topped by an enormous stained glass dome, the regal building has been a center of Spanish society for almost 100 years. It boasts meeting rooms, restaurants, bars, shops, a beauty parlour and a fitness center overlooking the city. read more

PARIS: Four Seasons Hotel George V

Steps from the Champs-Elysées, with private terraces that command all Paris; 18th-century tapestries, lovingly restored; and a spirit that lives on in thoroughly reborn, highly advanced spaces, Four Seasons George V Paris redefines luxury service in the City of Light. read more

ROME: Rome Cavalieri, Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts

The first hotel in Europe to be part of the exclusive Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, the Rome Cavalieri hotel is more than just a 5–star property. It's the pre-eminent luxury hotel in Rome, with an art collection that outshines many museums, a Grand Spa that would be the envy of a prestige health resort, and standards of luxury that set it apart from other Rome hotels. Overlooking the panorama that has inspired visitors for centuries is Rome's most prestigious address – the Rome Cavalieri hotel. Though only minutes from the city's great monuments, the Rome Cavalieri has the tranquility of an oasis. Enclosed in fifteen acres of lush Mediterranean parklands, this luxury hotel in Rome is a calm retreat in the heart of the Eternal City, an elegant refuge where time slows and hearts quicken. read more

VENICE: Hotel Cipriani & Palazzo Vendramin

Venice is an extraordinary city, an island apart, a unique way of life. A glorious, theatrical experience that touches all the senses. And if Venice is a theatre, the Hotel Cipriani is the Royal Box. Four minutes by private launch from San Marco, on the tip of Giudecca Island, this iconic Orient-Express hotel commands unrivalled views of the lagoon and Doge’s Palace. Steeped in Venetian style, it is known for interiors decorated in exquisite local artefacts, classic cuisine with an innovative twist and the most fabulous swimming pool in the city. read more

ZURICH: The Dolder Grand

The Dolder Grand is the perfect environment for people who are looking for pleasure, exclusivity and relaxation: 173 luxurious rooms and suites, exquisite cuisine, a spa covering 4,000 square metres and generous banqueting and seminar facilities. Its elevated location, between the pulsating life of the city and a refreshingly natural green zone, provides a magnificent view of the city of Zurich, the lake and the Alps. read more

CNBC featured our list: https://www.cnbc.com/id/44986663?slide=1