From the editors of Condé Nast Traveler:

This stylish town house in the Palermo Soho is owned by Francis Ford Coppola, who spent two years in the terra-cotta-painted house before opening it as a tastefully rustic and homey property, with patinaed brick floors, indigenous Peruvian tapestries, and floor lamps fashioned from willow. Guests can splurge on the whole house or choose either the two-bedroom wing with a pergola and a scent-laden herb garden or the main building's 1,400-square-foot four-bedroom upper floor. Both sections overlook the courtyard garden, where the silence is broken only by the song of mockingbirds. The service is ultra-discreet: A manager, concierge, and sommelier are on hand, but they're usually out of sight (cell phone at the ready) unless required. Breakfast, prepared by a local pâtissier, is delivered daily, and for dinner, guests can dine locally or do as Coppola did—feast on an Argentine-style barbecue.—2009 Hot List

When to go: Year-round, although the garden is lushest in spring (September to November).

Which room to book: The upper floor's largest bedroom, for its king-size bed and courtyard balcony