THESE DAYS I SPEND about a third of the year in hotels, traveling extensively for business and pleasure. Aside from my preference for two firm pillows, a real human being at check-in, and a classic negroni on the house cocktail list, I have some thoughts about what it means to be a truly great hotel in 2020. They’ve helped guide our picks for this year’s Stay List, AFAR’s annual celebration of the best new hotels around the world.

In the last decade, I’ve watched as hotels in major cities have focused on taking down the barriers between the community and the traveler. While the modus operandi at a resort was once to keep guests within the confines of its walls, today, hotels encourage guests to explore the local area and culture, while also inviting residents in to enjoy their restaurants and bars.

Hotels have also recognized that home-sharing services are here to stay and are taking cues from what they do well. In the past few years, I’ve felt a move away from staid and snobby hospitality, as the best hotels embrace a laid-back and inclusive attitude toward all guests.

Another development: Hotels are at last working toward becoming more environmentally sustainable, in everything from reducing restaurant food waste to eliminating single-use plastic. For more on the trends reshaping the hotel industry, visit afar.com/hospitality.

This, our third annual issue devoted to hospitality, celebrates ways cultures around the world make people feel welcome. On page 124, a train ride through Canada’s Maritimes shows writer Colleen Kinder the kindness for which Canadians are known. The Stay List, on page 49, showcases extraordinary hotels that offer a deep sense of place and make all travelers feel at home. In the new age of hospitality, the world is a warm and welcoming place. Let’s raise a glass to that.

Travel well, ■