As its name suggests, photo opportunities of Mount Everest are two-a-penny here. In fact, the hotel boasts that you can see the world's highest mountain from every room – impressive until you find out there are actually only 12. Built in 1971, the hotel is a mix of the modern and traditional with Tibetan stone inscriptions intermingled with bright, geometric designs. Those who can't face the trek from Lukla village, can travel up to the hotel via a direct helicopter flight.

From £140/night
hoteleverestview.com

 

Photo: Hotel Everest View

3100 Kulmhotel Gornergrat is about as near as you can get to a castle in the clouds. At over 10,000 feet above sea level, the hotel (which also doubles as an observatory) is located at an altitude more usually frequented by mountaineers, scientists and even pilots. Its neighbour is a slow-moving glacier and from its Sun Terrace, you can the count 29 "four-thousanders" over a Pinot Grigio or hot chocolate.

From £234/night
gornergrat-kulm.ch

 

Photo: 3100 Kulmhotel Gornergrat

The beauty of this hotel is its location adjacent to the famous Inca ruins. You can relax with a coca-leaf tea (the Peruvian cure for altitude sickness) in the hotel's magnficent gardens, as you gaze up at the ancient citadel long after the day-trippers have departed. If you really want to relax, enjoy an al fresco massage facing Huayna Picchu or take inspiration from the stars – the hotel can arrange for an astrologer to give you an Incan interpretation of the constellations.

From £744/night
www.belmond.com

 

Photo: Belmond Sanctuary Lodge

With 72 floors and 1,600 guest rooms, this is officially the tallest hotel building in the world. An executive suite will set you back over £6,000 a night but even in the rooms on the lower floors, the views across the city are fantastic, thanks to the vast floor-to-ceiling windows. If you do ever get bored of gazing out over the cityscape, there are nine restaurants, five bars, a rooftop pool and a spa to while away the hours in.

From £210/night
www.marriott.co.uk

 

Photo: JW Marriott Marquis Hotel

Tayka Hotel del Desierto is built from volcanic rock, which protects it from desert winds, but also means the rustic exterior is completely at one with this unique environment. Considering you're at an altitude of over 15,000 feet, things are pretty luxurious – solar energy is used for heating and hot water, and guests can enjoy far-reaching views of the Siloli Desert as they munch on local and international delicacies in the hotel’s restaurant.

From £80/night
taykahoteles.com

 

Photo: Tayka Hotel del Desierto

You have to get a cable car across the Ötztal Alps to get to Glacier Hotel Grawand but it's well worth the effort. The sunsets are spectacular this high up and at night there's absolute silence. What's more, there's no messing around with lift passes in the morning – guests can get onto the 35 kilometres of slopes right from the front door. No wonder it's a favourite among skiing atheletes and professionals.

From £135/night
www.grawand.com

 

Photo: Glacier Hotel Grawand

Atacama is blessed with amazing views of the Chilean desert by day and the clearest view of the stars by night (it has its own observatory). While the hotel also boasts a spa and gourmet kitchen, it would be a crime to come here and not explore the surrounding area. You can do this on one of the hotel's 20 trained horses or on foot via one of their guided "explorations", which take in places as diverse as the Puritama Hot Springs and the Atacama Salt Flat.

From £600/night
www.explora.com

 

Photo: Atacama Hotel

Peace and quiet are plentiful up here, over 9,000 feet above sea level in the Himalayas. Apart from the nearby Gangtey village, the only other inhabitants are the flock of 300 endangered black-neck cranes who make this valley their home for the winter. The Amankora Gangtey lodge has just eight suites, which have views of the 16th-century Gangtey Goemba Monastery and the valley below.

From £825/night
www.aman.com

 

Photo: Amankora Gangtey

Imagine waking up, drawing the curtains and looking out over hundreds of miles of uninterrupted Colorado desert? That's exactly what you get at Far View Lodge, which offers a unique opportunity to really get away from it all. There's no mobile phone signal and none of the rooms have a TV. Not that you'll notice – the wildlife and flora of the Mesa Verda National Park is all around as soon as you step out the front door.

From £98/night
www.visitmesaverde.com

 

Photo: Far View Lodge

Purchell Mountain Lodge is less a trip, more an adventure. And that adventure starts before you even arrive – perched on the side of Bald Mountain, the lodge is only accessible via a 15-minute helicopter ride. It's not really surprising that the lodge has its own artist-in-residence, the Purchell Mountains are stunning and guests are at liberty to explore them on foot, ski or snowshoe. When night falls, things get a little less rustic and guests can enjoy a gourmet meal, cedar wood burning sauna or quiet moment in the lodge's library.

From £1,230 for three nights
purcellmountainlodge.com

 

Photo: Purchell Mountain Lodge

Situated at an altitide of 12,073 feet above sea level, you'll appreciate the complementary oxygen masks that come with every room of this luxury hotel. You really are on top of the world here so take some time out for contemplation in the hotel's Meditation Garden or join in their popular morning yoga sessions, taught by a Tibetan teacher.

From £105/night
www.starwoodhotels.com

 

Photo: St Regis Lhasa

At the Ritz Carlton Hong Kong, you can take in a traditional English afternoon tea 420 metres up in the air or sip on a martini while the sun sets over the city. For serious pampering though, head for the spa with its floor-to-ceiling windows and enjoy a lava shell body treatment as you watch the rest of Hong Kong rushing home from work.

From £290/night
www.ritzcarlton.com

 

Photo: The Ritz Carlton, Hong Kong