Enhancing condensation heat transfer performance in applications including power generation, thermal management of high-performance electronics, water purification, distillation, natural gas processing, and air conditioning can be achieved with heat transfer devices. Condensation heat transfer can be enhanced via a hierarchical structure attached on a condenser surface. This novel hierarchical structure is composed of a thin, highly permeable, thermally conductive porous wick and a highly porous, robust, intrinsically hydrophobic membrane bonded or attached on top of the wick.