Lighting can add a mood of its own and transform a place from luxury travel into what feels like another time and place. Whether it’s the middle of a modern city, or burning the lights of the Eternal City that never seems to sleep, lights can make or break a night time scene. Here are our some of our top vantage points from around the world that make for picture-perfect memories:

Views from Rome Cavalieri

The views of the Eternal City from the Rome Cavalieri are breathtaking and the blinking lights of this ancient city merge centuries of history and romance. The expansive decks are ideal for a dip in the Jacuzzi or a sundowner.

This stylish hotel is comfortably situated within walking distance of the Colosseum, the Vatican Museum, the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. It boasts a wine cellar that features in excess of 50 000 bottles of wine, to be enjoyed at a number of award winning restaurants.

A Cut Above: Intercontinental Hong Kong

Somewhat more modern but certainly as sophisticated is the Intercontinental Hong Kong in China. This hotel offers luxury accommodation and amenities. It is located on the Kowloon waterfront and offers majestic panoramic views of Victoria Harbor and Hong Kong Island.

It is also home to a number of trendy restaurants, great for cocktails and fine dining experiences.

A Palace Fit For A King: Ciragan Palace Kempinski

In a completely different league, and turning the clock back a few thousand years is the ambient and moody Ciragan Palace Kempinski in Istanbul. This luxury hotel found its way on the Conde Nast Traveler Gold List for 2011 and offers an experience fit for royalty, as it was an Ottoman Palace. This palace is on the shores of the Istanbul Strait and offers both limousine and helicopter transfers to and from the airport.

The palace’s impressive architecture is enhanced through opulent, heavyweight fabrics, manicured gardens and an imperial atmosphere all round.