Glass-walled lobbies opened on to historic cityscapes that allowed guests an anxiety-free feeling of participation in a foreign world.

ECONOMIST: Ideology of hotels

In its report, the OECD said Australians felt "a strong sense of community and high levels of civic participation, " with 94% of people feeling like they knew someone to rely on should they need help.

CNN: Survey: Australia the 'lucky country' for a better life