In a Sea of Sameness, This Hotel Brand Does Things Differently

Post Ranch Inn, on the jagged cliffs of Big Sur, and The Leela Palace Udaipur, on the shores of Lake Pichola in Rajasthan, India, share little in common in terms of geography, visual language, or pace of life. What connects them is the guest each is built for: Someone who values privacy, one-off experiences, and a stay shaped by its setting over the predictability of standardized luxury. That is why both earn a place in Preferred Hotels and Resorts’ prestigious Legend Collection, comprising over 120 luxury independent hotels.

Luxury hospitality has fallen into a predictable mold that's easy to recognize by near-exact hotel room layouts, design, and finishes that could be plucked from one city to the next with little change. Preferred Hotels and Resorts identifies proper...