The Big Six: Gothic hotels

Kruisherenhotel, Maastricht

Combining high design with late-medieval architecture, this 15th-century former monastic cloister features a vast gothic church with a mezzanine dining area, glass lift, stained-glass windows and side-chapel lounges, plus a bar with an above-ground wine "cellar". The state-of-the-art interior, designed by Henk Vos, includes light installations by Ingo Maurer and select pieces by Le Corbusier, Rietveld and Marc Newson.

Kruisherenhotel Maastricht, Kruisherengang 19-23, Maastricht, The Netherlands (00 31 43 329 20 20; chateauhotels.nl ). Doubles start at €355, room only.

Gothic hotels, The Night Hotel New York City

The Night Hotel is a dark and brooding bolt-hole which lurks just off neon-lit Times Square. It is a collaboration between hotelier Vikram Chatwal and designer Mark Zeff. The sleek monochrome décor inside feels very Gotham City, with sumptuous inky fabrics, an Old English font motif, black leather sofas and "chariot" beds complete with cape-like headboards. The 1,600 square foot penthouse suite has outdoor terraces and panoramic views of the city.

The Night Hotel, 132 West 45th St, New York, US (001 212 835 9600; nighthotelny.com ). Doubles start at $282 (£188), including breakfast.

Chateau Marmont, Los Angeles

A medieval-style folly that towers over Hollywood's Sunset Strip, the Marmont has been a celebrity haven for decades. Built in 1927 as a replica of the Château d'Amboise in France's Loire Valley, it boasts neo-Gothic features such as a timber-beamed salon with pointed-arch windows, and a vaulted portico with frescoed ceiling. Andre Balazs breathed new life into the place in the 1990s, adding 1940s vintage furnishings – and an attic gym. This is LA, after all.

Chateau Marmont, 8221 Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood, California, US (001 323 656 1010; chateaumarmont.com ). Doubles start at $450 (£300), room only.

Radisson Royal Hotel, Moscow

Built in the 1950s, this Soviet-era behemoth, formerly The Ukraina, is a fine example of Stalinist gothic architecture and is one of Stalin's seven skyscrapers known as the "Seven Sisters". A refurbishment has provided even greater grandeur.

Radisson Royal Hotel, Kutuzovsky Prospect 2/1, Moscow, Russia (007 495 221 5555; radisson-hotels.ru/royal-moscow ). Doubles start at 10,178 roubles (£218), room only.

The Witchery by the Castle, Edinburgh

This 16th-century former merchant's house is gothic opulence on a grand scale. The restaurant has oak-panelled walls hung with tapestries, and its eight suites are decorated with red-and-gold brocade and trompe l'oeil drapery.

The Witchery by the Castle, 352 Castlehill, The Royal Mile, Edinburgh (0131 225 5613; thewitchery.com ). Doubles start at £295, room only.

Neri Hotel, Barcelona

Housed in an 18th-century palace near the cathedral, the Neri is a cool fusion of ancient and modern. Original features such as ornate ironwork and 12th-century arches sit alongside contemporary art and cutting-edge fittings. The restaurant is known for its medieval-inspired dishes, and the roof terrace overlooks the Gothic Quarter.

Neri Hotel, Carrer Sant Sever 5, Barcelona, Spain (00 34 933 040 655; hotelneri.com ). Doubles start at €197, room only.