Updated: 13/06/2012 08:17 | By Nick Bruno, contributor, MSN Travel
In pictures: breathtaking hotels of the year

Commended: Aloft, London, UK

Commended: Aloft, London, UK (© Aloft_Jestico + Whiles)
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  • Water-bound beauties, leaning towers and shiny urban gems (© WAN)
  • Shortlist: Hilton Pattaya, Chonburi, Thailand (© Hilton Pattaya_T.R.O.P: terrains+open space)
  • Commended: Aloft, London, UK (© Aloft_Jestico + Whiles)
  • Longlist: Jumeirah at Etihad Towers, Abu Dhabi (© Jumeirah at Etihad Towers_DBI Design)
  • Shortlist: Dream Downtown Hotel, New York, US (© Dream Downtown Hotel_Handel Architects)
  • Longlist: The Friend House, Dnepropertrovsk, Ukraine (© The Friend House_Ryntovt Design)
  • Longlist: Bella Sky, Copenhagen, Denmark (© Bella Sky_3XN)
  • Longlist: The Mercer, Hong Kong, China (© The Mercer_Barrie Ho Architecture Interiors Ltd)
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Complex site restrictions made designing a facilities-packed hotel for London's largest exhibition centre - ExCel - a rather tricky task. A serpentine layout slithered around the obstacles gives hotel guests easy access via two concourses; plus there are water features, a sculptural oak-clad spiral and life-giving natural daylight.

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15Comments
Atif Bugatti
13/06/2012 14:41
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It would have been nice to see where these hotels are in the world to visit them would you agree
john clarke (j Clarke)
13/06/2012 11:38
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How can you have the best views from Hotels if you don't include the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore?
Steve Lewis (T5HGL)
13/06/2012 10:17
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Sorry you have it wrong these Etihad towers are not in Dubai but Abu Dhabi I know I live there and been in the 67th floor bar for drinks - get it right MSN for god's sake
Lizzie Collinson (Anynameyou choose)
13/06/2012 12:51
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Jeez. what a load of ****e.  Give me a nice little clean bed and breakfast looking out onto green fields, that'll do me.  Not these flipping ugly results of some architect on speed!  Anyway, my other half - who's been everywhere in the world - says that MSN has the names of the places wrong in some instances!
thomas marshall (exwelshwarrior)
13/06/2012 10:19
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this hilton in Pattaya is a real eye sore,It looks way out of place on top of a shopping mall.So whoever put this hotel on the list needs his eyes tested very quickly!!
Barry Christie
13/06/2012 10:55
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Correction its not in Dubai its in Abu DhabI !
Steve Lewis (T5HGL)
13/06/2012 10:23
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What about the bay sands hotel Singapore????
Jawad keshtgar
13/06/2012 10:45
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Since when has the Persian Gulf been known as the Arabian Gulf? Get it right MSN!
linda holmes
13/06/2012 11:13
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they got the places wrong because map on i pad have been changed . there about as much use as a sat-nav .can't anyone read an Atlas any more or a road map ?
Robert Greenwood
13/06/2012 15:26
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Breathtaking hotels? The one in new york looks like a giant cheese grater....
Jane Jouraida
13/06/2012 13:48
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computer graphic picture, not even finished building them yet!
hassan rezvani
13/06/2012 17:57
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Is Persian Gulf Not Arabian Gulf.
joy keane (joy28)
13/06/2012 18:05
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i believe the Persian gulf is also controversially referred to as Arabian gulf
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