For 31 years the editors of Condé Nast Traveler have been compiling this annual compendium of hotels and cruises we’ve discovered, or fallen in love with all over again. We highlight them not only for their beauty, comfort, or impeccable service, but also because we’ve developed deeply emotional relationships with them: These are the hotels and cruises we recommend to our friends, that we tell stories about later. And this year, for the first time, we’re telling those same stories in video form, too. Below are the best hotels and resorts in the world, according to our editors.
Africa and the Middle East
Ellerman House — Cape Town, South Africa
Built for the shipping magnate Sir John Ellerman in 1906, this is one of the most splendid Edwardian mansions on one of Cape Town’s most beautiful coastal sites, with prime views of the boulder-strewn swimming coves below and of sunsets. In the exclusive Bantry Bay area, Ellerman House has 11 rooms, two suites, two villas, and one-and-a-half-acre hillside gardens, all verdant lawns, waving palm trees, and aromatic Cape fynbos beds. The staff members treat everyone like a houseguest by pressing clothes, running bubble-baths, delivering antique silver pots of just-picked mint for tea, and advising on the perfect wine. Each individually decorated sea- or mountain-facing bedroom features art belonging to the house’s owner, Paul Harris. He has one of South Africa’s finest private collections, including 19th-century landscapes by Thomas Bowler and contemporary portraits by Gerard Sekoto, which decorates the house and its adjoining gallery. The service within its airy, light-filled spa, its amply stocked cellar, and its sunny restaurant is personalized; chefs happily whip up individual favorites, like rich Cape Malay curries and fresh lobster salads, as well as treats that are set out daily in a help-yourself pantry. For families, two more-contemporary villas enable children to splash about in their own pool without disturbing those indulging in a formal English tea on the shaded verandas or lazing on a pool lounger while watching seagulls wheel above the Atlantic. This feels like a gracious grande dame of a hotel—a clubby space that encourages you to slow down and be spoiled. —Lisa Grainger
Singita Ebony Lodge — Sabi Sand, South Africa
If there’s a brand that embodies the safari gold standard, it’s Singita, which runs 19 lodges and camps across South Africa, Zimbabwe, Tanzania and Rwanda. Ebony Lodge, overlooking the Sand River in a private concession in the leopard-rich Sabi Sands Game Reserve, was the one that started it all, back in 1993. But in some ways Singita’s other lodges (we adore the nature-modernist Sweni lodge) had overtaken its traditional aesthetic—until a richly textured redesign led by Cape Town designers Cécile and Boyd was unveiled in spring 2024. The new Ebony Lodge—with the indoor-outdoor stepped central area that descends toward the river, and the glass and canvas that has replaced walls in the 12 richly textured suites—is more flowing, more immersed in nature. Singita’s game drives are always next-level, and for us, private sightings, like of a tree-bound leopard chillingly devouring an impala, were followed by blissful moments by our private plunge pool watching elephants loll in the riverbed. The new Ebony is smarter than ever but, happily, remains a classic. —Toby Skinner
Kasbah Tamadot — Asni, Morocco
All kasbahs are a kind of oasis of calm behind fortified walls, and Kasbah Tamadot is one of the very finest in Morocco. Its name means “soft breeze” in the local Berber language, evoking the reprieve it offers in the shadow of the Atlas Mountains. First built over a century ago as a home for a local governor, it became part of the Virgin Limited Edition Collection of lodges and resorts in 2005. Now reopening after substantial damage from the 2023 earthquake, Tamadot is a lavish yet quirky Amazigh castle with exquisite carved doors and intimate courtyards, secret passageways, and terraces of reflecting pools strewn with rose petals. It is furnished with the extraordinary collections of the previous owner, a Venetian antiquarian named Luciano Tempo, which were included when Richard Branson purchased the place. Huge bronze and wooden chests that might have carried Barbarossa’s loot stand in corners. In rambling gardens, pathways meander beneath trellises of jasmine while espaliered apple trees frame the cabanas around the swimming pool. In addition to atmospheric rooms in the old kasbah, new accommodations offer a step-up in luxury with 10 glamorous Berber tents in the gardens and six luxurious riads, which offer three-bedroom suites and private pools. —Stanley Stewart
andBeyond Mnemba Island — Zanzibar, Tanzania
The East African coast has some of the most unspoiled beaches on earth yet very few private-island resorts. Which is, in part, why AndBeyond’s Mnemba, a tiny blob of white sand almost two miles off the touristy hot spot of Zanzibar, has been adored for so long. Opened in 1997 and rebuilt in 2024 by the esteemed Fox Browne team, with architect Jack Alexander, the diminutive 12-banda resort is lovelier than ever. Designed to mimic the curves of a nautilus shell, and to bring nature indoors, the rooms are curvaceous, wood-and-reed-clad Robinson Crusoe–esque spaces in which sea air (and an occasional bird, crab, or bat) can waft in and where shower views are of shady forest and chirruping seabirds. It’s a place loved by both seclusionists and socialites. Those wanting privacy can stay put 24/7 and ask a butler to pop by with a basket of sushi or a cooling coconut. Others might slip on a silk caftan and stroll barefoot along the blinding white sand to the bar for a Dawa lime cocktail or a glass of fine South African wine, then a romantic lamplit dinner on the beach—lobster ravioli, perhaps, or rare Kenyan beef followed by a chocolate tart or mango sorbet. For design lovers, a boutique is stocked with colorful local jewelry, clothing, and crafts; for the active, a gang of smiley chaps is on hand who can help you explore the clear, turquoise waters on catamarans, kayaks, or paddleboards; or dive the area’s famous reefs. At the island’s new spa, yoga lessons are offered on a cool, breezy beach deck, and world-class Healing Earth–scented massages administered by the island’s talented, intuitive therapists. Huge numbers of guests are repeat visitors—from America, France, Switzerland, the UK. As one glam couple, on their eighth stay, explained: “We’ve explored the world and haven’t found anything to compare. So we just keep coming back. Yes, it’s a big treat. But there’s nothing like Mnemba.” —Lisa Grainger
Jack’s Camp — Botswana
Imagine a land so vast it could swallow the sky, so bone-dry for parts of the year that the cracks in the earth form an intricate network of veins that stretch for miles. It’s from this landscape of Botswana’s Makgadikgadi salt pans that Jack’s Camp, an anachronistic concoction filled with the all-out splendor of a 1940s camp, emerges, mirage-like. Founder Ralph Bousfield, a cultish figure in the safari world, opened Jack’s Camp in the ’90s in honor of his father, Jack, and it’s their combined vision that drives the camp’s personality with its colonial style and archaeological treasures in glass cases. Here romance exists in spades: Each of the nine canvas tents come with campaign desks and hand-carved beds and, on the outside, broad wood decks, swings, and plunge pools. You’ll be tempted to stay put, but just out the door are wide-open spaces filled with wildebeests, hyenas, and meerkats that are waiting to be explored in a 4×4, on a quad bike, or on horseback. At the end of long days, guests and guides gather at a 36-seater table to clink glasses and test their taste buds with pilipili-hoho, a Jack’s Camp mainstay of African chilies soaked in gin. But the real standout meal here is the decadent afternoon tea, served upon fraying rugs in a Persian tent. It’s exactly what you need to shore up your spirit and head out into the still afternoon heat for more desert adventures. —Arati Menon
Matetsi Victoria Falls — Zimbabwe
This lodge, set along a nine-mile stretch of the Zambezi and staffed almost entirely by Zimbabweans, is one of the best in southern Africa. All of the 18 suites and four-bedroomed villas face “the Great River,” in which hippo snort and crocodiles float. Within walls the hue and texture of elephant skin, graphic local art hangs amid midcentury-style nature-inspired furnishings, and you’ll find tubs as well as indoor and outdoor showers. Fridges have fabulous South African wines and edible treats to nibble while lounging beside the plunge pool. In the elegant open-sided main living space, delicious meals are served in the shade of giant trees or on shaded candlelit terraces. Alternatively, picnics can be packed for day trips—to go on game walks, kayaking excursions, visits to crocodile farms, bungee jumps, gorge swings, guided tours of Victoria Falls—or just enjoyed out in the wild, in the company of healthy herds of buffalo and elephant, big prides of lions, and varied bird life. Not many lodges offer such a diversity of activities, in such style and in such a wild, UNESCO-protected destination. Which makes this place pure gold. —Lisa Grainger
Six Senses Zighy Bay — Oman
As we approach Six Senses Zighy Bay, tarmac gives way to rock-peppered dust tracks lined with sidr trees, beneath which roaming mountain goats shelter from the harsh midday sun. We wind through the mountains until the horseshoe of Oman’s Zighy Bay comes into sight below. Before the resort opened in 2008, this stretch of sand lay all but untouched, a secret kept for the local families from tiny Zighy village, tucked into the far corner of the bay, and the fishermen who sailed these waters. The resort’s 82 charmingly rustic villas, built with thick stone walls and topped with roofs made from tightly strung palm fronds, are designed to mimic the homes in a traditional Omani village. Sustainability is at the core of what Six Senses Zighy Bay is about, and the infrastructure is truly impressive—from the onsite desalination plant to the nearby farm that provides fresh produce, cheese, and milk. Don’t miss a trip on one of the resort’s three private boats to explore the surrounding coves. It’s the best way to truly understand the remoteness of Zighy Bay and take in the dramatic landscapes. Don’t be surprised if you spot a pod of dolphins (when the season is right) or, in our case, a group of friendly eagle rays. —Sophie Prideaux
Jumeirah Burj Al Arab — Dubai, United Arab Emirates
The iconic image of the sail-inspired structure, which stands alone on its own purpose-built island just off Dubai’s Jumeirah Beach, can be found in souvenir shops, on postcards, and in the camera roll of just about any traveler who visits the city. Together with the Burj Khalifa and Palm Jumeirah, it is a symbol of Dubai’s unending ambition. This year Jumeirah’s flagship hotel is celebrating 25 years since opening its opulent doors. If quiet luxury is the current in-vogue hotel trend, Jumeirah Burj Al Arab is the antithesis of that. Each of the 198 suites is a duplex, and guests are greeted with a sweeping staircase and gold accents. Full-size toiletries are from Hermès (and include eaux de parfum for him and her). There are eight on-site restaurants, including the gold-laden Gilt Sky Bar. The Talise Spa, meanwhile, with its indoor pool flanked by colorful mosaic pillars, remains a destination within itself—the jewel in this hotel’s crown. —Sophie Prideaux
Asia
Gangtey Lodge — Bhutan
At Gangtey Lodge travel-weary guests are greeted with a welcome song so powerful it reduced our party to tears, a hot towel, sweet tea by the fire, and a five-minute massage. “We wanted to create something for the backpackers that now want a little more luxury,” says Khin Omar Win, who co-owns the lodge with husband Brett Melzer. Luxury here comes in the form of personalized meals but also silence, space, and a sense of being cocooned by the sweet-natured staff who anticipate your every need. —Anna Prendergast
Taj Falaknuma Palace — Hyderabad, India
With its dreamy frescoes, Corinthian columns, and Ostler chandeliers, Hyderabad’s storied Taj Falaknuma Palace had been a beloved residence of the ruling nizam—one of whom was famously depicted on a 1937 Time magazine cover as the “Richest Man in the World”—before falling into disrepair for decades. The hilltop aerie has been a fixture of my annual vacations in Hyderabad, from a childhood visit when it was still shuttered and shrouded in cobwebs to countless intimate dinner parties, afternoon teas, qawwali concerts on the gardens at sunset, and a memorable 75th-birthday celebration for my father last winter—complete with a flute serenade of “Happy Birthday” at breakfast under the stained-glass dome of the Gol Bungalow terrace. For the special way it brings Hyderabad’s rich history and traditions to life at every corner, Falaknuma will always have my heart. —Sarah Khan
The Dwarika’s Hotel — Kathmandu, Nepal
Ian Schrager may have made lobby socializing a thing when he sparked the boutique-hotel revolution back in the mid-80s, but at Dwarika’s it’s all about the courtyard. Soundtracked by birdsong, it feels like being inside a secret walled garden—a bubble of tranquility from the cacophony of Kathmandu. The hotel is both a marvel of conservation and a monument to historic Newari architecture because it was gradually assembled from eaves, windows, and pillars rescued by Dwarika Das Shrestha. Now grandson René is continuing the project, as CEO of Dwarika’s Group of Hotels and Resorts. But the property more than a museum piece with yoga lessons on the rooftop, a swimming pool surrounded by sculpted serpents, and some of the best momo dumplings in Nepal; this is an immersive, deeply atmospheric microcosm of the Kathmandu Valley. —Rick Jordan
Aman Kyoto
Serene. Timeless. Escapist. And deliciously crowd-free. Nature and its subtlest micro-shifts are the main protagonists at Aman Kyoto. The hotel is set against tumbling mountainside forests in a quiet northeastern corner of the ancient capital. At its heart lies an otherworldly “secret garden” that wavers between wild and cultured. Mindfulness is nonnegotiable while navigating the moss-covered stone pathways or relaxing within the peaceful minimalism of the 24 suites. Housed in clean-lined black timber pavilions designed by Kerry Hill, the accommodations feature tatami floors, hinoki bathtubs, ceramic abstractions, and haiku-inspiring views through walls of windows. Luxury lies in the property’s simplicity: Instead of a swimming pool, picture a small boulder-strewn onsen alongside spa treatments imbued with a sense of the sacred and the intuitive omotenashi warmth of the staff. Food is treated with no less reverence, from meticulous kaiseki craftsmanship at Taka-an to contemporary land-to-table cuisine in the Living Pavilion. All in all? The perfect place to recover from Kyoto temple fatigue—and reconnect with the present moment. —Danielle Demetriou
Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok
Some hotels lose their luster after a while. Others, like the Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok, only get better with age. This Southeast Asian hidey-hole has been around since 1876 but doesn’t feel mired in the past. Frequent spruce-ups have kept it looking tip-top, while an ever-evolving lineup of a dozen or so restaurants (including the new Kinu by chef Takagi Kazuo and classic Thai restaurant Baan Phraya) keep a finger on the pulse of Bangkok’s dining scene. And then there’s the spa, with CBD-oil-infused massages, ice baths, and rubdowns using herbs from northeast Thailand’s Isan region, that still sits in a league of its own. They just don’t make them like this anymore. From $650.
Narendra Bhawan Bikaner — India
This hotel is much like a cabinet of curiosities and so the vibe is eclectic, hedonistic, and easy-going. Lazy breakfasts lead into lazier lunches and dinners that end when you retire. In between, you could go carpet shopping and visit local attractions, trusting that your G&Ts will be waiting upon your return. You could also view the city as you lounge by the hotel’s rooftop pool and get yourself a massage during which Bach Flower remedies are used. However you play it, you’ll probably leave humming that Edith Piaf number “Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien.” You’ll find the lyrics painted across the red piano in the foyer. —Prasad Ramamurthy
The Ritz-Carlton, Nikko — Japan
A hotel for all seasons, the Ritz-Carlton Nikko occupies a prime spot on the skirts of Mount Nantai inside a UNESCO World Heritage site resplendent with ancient temples. The first luxury hotel in this part of the country, just a two-hour train ride from Tokyo, stays true to its bucolic surroundings: In the oblong glass-fronted lobby, there’s a harmonious interplay of light and space and cozy fabrics. The Library and Lakehouse restaurant are warmed by flickering fireplaces; the spa features unique-to-Nikko artworks, including exquisite floral Nikko-bori wood carvings. Subtly textured cedarwood rooms induce a sense of calm with silently sliding doors, fretwork inspired by local Tochigi latticework, puffy white (Western-style) beds, granite onsen, and balconies where you can wrap yourself in a cashmere blanket, sip green sencha, and watch cormorants and Black Kites flit around the lake. —Lee Cobaj
Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi — Vietnam
A dazzling destination that flashes back beautifully to a bygone age, Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi has been a fixture in the heart of the Vietnamese capital since 1901. Behind its classical white façade, two buildings—the original and recently renovated Heritage Wing and the neoclassical Opera Wing, named for its proximity to the Hanoi Opera House—envelop a serene courtyard garden and sparkling pool flanked by a bar. The historic suites, named after famous former guests, including Charlie Chaplin and novelist Graham Greene, exude a sense of old-world grandeur, while its peaceful French Quarter locale makes it a no-brainer when planning a trip to Hanoi. —Keri Bridgwater
Suján Jawai — Rajasthan, India
At Suján Jawai, even the sleepiest of heads will find it hard to resist rising early and hopping into an open-top jeep to bounce over ancient granite rocks in search of Rajasthan’s wild leopards. Rewilding efforts have helped to protect a rare balance here, where humans and animals live in harmony and mutual respect without conflict. The camp has sleek, uncluttered tents and a pool for cooling post-safari dips. Hearty, healthy food is made with ingredients from local farms and the camp’s kitchen gardens, and tales of the day’s leopard sightings are recounted over G&Ts by the campfire. Hearing the low rumbling call of a leopard reverberating off the rocks in the darkness, you’ll realize there are fewer more magical settings than this. —Nicola Chilton
The Leela Palace Jaipur — India
Silver domes, hand-painted art on the walls, suites with courtyards and plunge pools, marble fountains, and intricately carved statues of pachyderms play their part in the overall scheme of this palace hotel. Spread across eight acres, the 200-key property is nestled in the foothills of the lush Aravalli hills with rooms, restaurants, and villas laid out in a beautifully planned amalgam of indoor and outdoor spaces. The terrace, with its domes and chhatris (named after the famous Hawa Mahal in Jaipur’s old city), is perfect for private meals under the stars. What makes The Leela stand out in a city of palace hotels is its integration with Jaipur by way of its art and culture and a curation of experiences including private access for guests to Jaigarh Fort and the City Palace as well as its glamorous soirees like the Writer’s Ball during the Jaipur Literature Festival and the much-feted Leela Maharaja Sawai Man Singh Polo Cup during the season. —Diya Kohli
The Peninsula Hong Kong
The Peninsula Hong Kong is one of those very special hotels whose name causes former guests to go a bit misty-eyed at its mere mention. Since opening on the Kowloon waterfront in 1928, The Pen (as it is affectionately known) has been beloved by both visitors and the people of Hong Kong. And it’s still the place to be—ot just for the sense of history, but because it is simply fabulous. Pull into the driveway in one of the hotel’s 14 Rolls-Royce Phantoms. Take your pick from nine superb bars and restaurants. Have a Margy’s Monte-Carlo facial at the spa, then retire to calming dark veneer and champagne-toned rooms with dazzling harbor views and be attended to by some of the most thoughtful staff in the business. Hong Kong and The Peninsula: It’s impossible to imagine one without the other. —Lee Cobaj
Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi
A ring of a gong and an army of smiles signals your arrival at the Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi. Reef villas are cathedral-vast and designed with smooth marble floors, taupe sofas, a minibar stocked with ready-made cocktails, and an outdoor space with a pool large enough for laps at dusk when fruit bats swoop overhead. The culinary choices are staggering and may well offer the most diverse choice in the Maldives. For wellness seekers, the spa excels in its roster of visiting practitioners likeChinese acupuncturists and tarot card readers. Children are in Technicolor heaven here, for here is a sand-dusted, turquoise playground paradise for all generations. —Jemima Sissons
Bvlgari Resort Bali — Indonesia
Although Bali isn’t short on sprawling, sumptuous resorts, not everywhere has its own open landing space or butlers who can arrange a spiritual cleansing with a local priest under a magnificent statue of Ganesh. The Bvlgari Resort Bali isn’t just any hotel, however. The resort faces a vast expanse of Indian Ocean, with all 59 pool villas sharing the same glorious sea views. Ranging from spacious one-bedrooms with outdoor living rooms to gargantuan five-bedroom mansions with multiple swimming pools, all are sultry cocoons with oversized beds and either showpiece black basalt bathrooms or mosaic marble bathtubs. At night, guests dress up for tasting menus at Il Ristorante by Luca Fantin: tagliolini with Kintamani vanilla butter and caviar, wild snapper with potato spaghetti, Bedugul raspberry crème brûlée. Other sweet spots include the crag-top infinity pool and the beautiful spa, the perfect spot to lie back and count your many blessings. —Lee Cobaj
Capella Bangkok — Thailand
The Thai capital has no shortage of swanky beds to book, but it’s only once in a blue moon that a hotel with such star power as the Capella Bangkok comes around. Opened in 2020 on a garden-clad estate along the Chao Phraya River, this low-rise pile of blonde woods and creamy marble entered the scene with such Bangkok firsts as travertine Jacuzzi tubs on suites’ balconies and villas pitched up right on the waterfront. Côte, the hotel’s Mediterranean-tinged fine dining spot by Argentine chef Mauro Colagreco, earned a Michelin star within a year after opening, while those in the know flock to the boudoir-like Stella Bar after dark to sip on drinks inspired by some of Bangkok’s most storied districts. —Chris Schalkx
The Oberoi Amarvilas, Agra — India
Two years ago, my wife and I arrived in Agra on a rainy weekend, and the Amarvilas was closed for a refurb. The hotel we stayed at promised a view of the Taj Mahal; from one particular corner of the roof, up a staircase, you could get a slight glimpse of the dome—if the skies were clear. This time, though, the property was open, and when I walked into the lobby of the renovated Amarvilas, I was unprepared and stunned. Beyond the atrium, rising above a lush green treeline, was the beauty. I spent the next two days doing just what the designers of this grand property intended: gaze at the Taj. Standing less than 2,000 feet from the Taj Mahal, the Amarvilas has the best and most exclusive view of the mausoleum. The architects maximized this by giving each of the 95 rooms and seven suites an unhindered view. The suites take it up a few notches—the daybeds, the shower, and the tub all look over the marbled wonder. What’s more sensuous than a soak on a moonlit night with a view of the Taj? —Salil Deshpande
Trisara — Phuket, Thailand
Slapdash developments have made it increasingly difficult to find Phuket’s postcard fantasy, but even two decades after opening, Trisara still feels blissfully cut off from the fray. Strewn throughout a jungle-cloaked cape in the island’s quiet northwest, its villas offer wide-screen sea views and heaps of privacy, while down at the private beach, regulars (many of them of A-list caliber) laze along the 147-foot-long saltwater pool. The resort is also home to Phuket’s most ambitious restaurant, Pru, where Dutch chef Jimmy Ophorst earned Thailand’s first Michelin Green Star for its zero-waste tasting menus made with homegrown and locally sourced ingredients such as black crab from Phang Nga and caviar from Hua Hin. —Chris Schalkx
Bullo River Station — Northern Territory, Australia
In the middle of red-dirt nowhere, on 400,000 acres in the Northern Territory, Bullo River Station is a snapshot of Australia’s hard yakka life: a sepia-toned outback fantasy where guests, dressed in boots and wide-brim hats, swoop in on helicopters. Dating back to 1959, this deeply rooted homestead has changed hands a few times but is now in its latest incarnation, having joined the stable of Luxury Lodges of Australia. Australian interior stylist Sibella Court has distilled her well-known bush-tucker style in the sandstone space and its 12 bedrooms. Smart and rugged, the accommodations feature oodles of handmade touches: forged hardware by local blacksmiths, towel holders braided by whip makers, and artwork by Indigenous artists. Simple cast-iron beds with nubby linens keep things simple. Days are spent getting dusty by visiting waterholes, angling for barramundi, and saying hello to the 2,000 or so floppy-eared Brahman cows. Up above, kookaburras and cockatoos flock, and beady-eyed crocodiles float through the muddy rivers. Ancient aboriginal rock art depicting a land before time is etched into rugged red cliffs and ridge lines. The landscape of waterfalls, craggy escarpments, and gushing rivers swallows you whole. But it’s the communal dinners that provide a peek into everyday outback life. The station staff, from the stockmen and station managers to the guides, pile plates with farm-fresh steaks, just-made salads, and homemade sausages, while fast-flowing ice-cold beers and salty plum gin cocktails fuel the rowdy conversation. —Chloe Sachdev
Lizard Island Resort — Queensland, Australia
Located 200 kilometers north of Cairns, secluded on 1,000 hectares of tawny bush, and ringed by sugar-white beaches, Lizard Island is no hard sell. It’s one of the few luxury resorts in Australia with the bragging rights to being located directly on the Great Barrier Reef. An easy 10-minute snorkel from shore will reveal the alternate, neon-tinged universe of the fringing reef. Silvery slivers of fish reflect the bright Queensland light, and slo-mo turtles glide above gardens of giant purple clams and coral that’s shaped like uncooked spaghetti. There is as much to do underwater—diving, fishing, swimming—as above. Unfussy white-weatherboard villas, with still-wet swimsuits dripping upon timber decks, dot the island. Inside, the rooms are bright and airy and boast high ceilings. Some have with wide-frame views out onto the lapping blue sea, while others are wrapped in a garden that vibrates with scuttling critters. Out of sight, on its own jagged outcrop of granite rocks, is The House, a brutalist concrete and copper three-bedroom private villa, which is surrounded by lonely swaths of white-sand beach. But beyond the island’s obvious charms, it’s the Lizard Island Research Station—headed by a husband and wife duo—that really sets this place apart. Opened in 1973, the station is one of the world’s leading reef-research facilities on a luxury resort, which guests can tour (even though it’s not part of the resort)—and they do, quizzing the marine scientists and even rolling up their sleeves to take part in hands-on citizen science initiatives across the endangered reef. It’s an insight into Australia’s changing relationship with tourism and proves that a remote paradise can be both beauty and brains. —Chloe Sachdev
The Brando — French Polynesia
Marlon Brando first came across the 18-isle atoll of Tetiaroa while scouting locations for his 1962 movie Mutiny on the Bounty. Now, more than 60 years later, the late actor’s beloved island hideaway is maintained by his family as a singularly unique resort, where stays feel like they’re once-in-a-lifetime. The wild South Pacific feel is intact, with just 35 luxe thatch-roof villas scattered across the main island—each has a private plunge pool and access to the sea. As you hike past ancient open-air temples or snorkel among schools of colorful fish, you’ll be able to appreciate wildlife conservation efforts so remarkable that researchers regularly fly in to study. —Megan Spurrell
Europe and the United Kingdom
Le Royal Monceau, Raffles Paris — France
On a limestone avenue in the 8th arrondissement, a stone’s throw from the Arc de Triomphe, the red glass lanterns and Art Deco–style awning at the entrance of Le Royal Monceau – Raffles Paris catch your eyes. Inside, the lobby leads to smaller, cozier spaces like the wood-paneled concierge and an art-focused bookshop, three restaurants, a 99-seat cinema, and a smoking lounge. A contemporary art gallery run by the hotel, Art District, has its own entrance next door. There’s a noticeable churn of locals on the round floor—shoppers having coffee in Le Bar Long, friends holding a baby shower over brunch—which makes the property feel like a neighborhood hangout. Le Royal Monceau was founded in 1928 by Pierre Bremond and André Junot, and Raffles assumed the management of the property in 2008. After overhauling the interiors with Phillippe Starck at the helm, it reopened as Le Royal Monceau Raffles Paris in October 2010. The 149 bedrooms and suites, from the smallest “artist rooms” to the apartment-like presidential suites, are appointed with Starck’s energetic panache: Murano-glass chandeliers hang over midcentury-modern leather sofas, writing desks made by Philippe Hurel have illustrated maps of Paris on their top, and acoustic guitars stand upright in corners, ready to be strummed. The bathrooms are jaw-droppers, decked with mirrors and stainless steel on all sides. It feels, memorably, like you are having a bath inside of a disco ball. In addition to a morning-to-night, seven-days-a-week café, Le Bar Long (club sandwiches; thick hot chocolate served in its own special pot), this Paris hotel has two destination restaurants: Matsuhisa Paris, a Peruvian-Japanese restaurant run by chef Nobu Matsuhisa (his only outpost in France), and Il Carpaccio, a Michelin-starred Italian restaurant opened in partnership with the three-Michelin-starred restaurant, Da Vittorio, based in Brusaporto, Italy (do not miss Da Vittorio’s signature dish, which is served at Il Carpaccio: paccheri with three types of tomatoes and Parmesan). In the mornings only, the Matsuhisa Paris space becomes a restaurant called La Cuisine, which serves a Parisian buffet breakfast. For high-wattage contemporary glamour and a meaty collection of artwork (pieces by Lucien Hervé, Harry Gruyaert, and Thierry Dreyfus are on site for perusing), this is a playful, modern alternative to the many traditional Parisian hotels. —Jo Rodgers
Palazzo Margherita — Bernalda, Italy
Simple yet refined, tiny but with big intentions to showcase Basilicata in an unpretentious way, Palazzo Margherita became the fifth hotel in the Family Coppola Hideaways’ dynamic portfolio in 2012. Francis Ford Coppola’s grandfather Agostino Coppola spent his childhood in this quiet town, which he referred to as Bernalda Bella. His stories stuck in his grandchild’s mind, and Francis visited in his 20s. When it came on the market in 2004, he took action. Palazzo Margherita is clearly a passion project, six years in the making. It feels like a home, not a product, entwined with the history, mythology, and affections of the family. Sofia Coppola married her French musician beau Thomas Mars under the Heritage Garden gazebo in 2011, and the Palazzo opened as a hotel the following year. The two main suites (by French designer Jacques Grange) have new, hand-painted frescoes on vaulted ceilings and handcrafted furniture. Some have working fireplaces; others checkerboard floors, suntrap balconies, and sylvan murals. The food is traditional and regional, made with local organic products and by local chefs. For breakfast, try the tangy marmalades and the zucchini frittata with a fig salad. For later, some standouts are the dried pepperoni and breadcrumb pasta, the pasta al branzino, the hyacinth bulb sides, and the grilled porchetta. This is the place to imbibe a genuine, familial version of southern Italy, unsullied by mass tourism and through the storyteller eyes of Francis Ford Coppola. —Lydia Bell
Severin’s Resort & Spa, Sylt — Germany
The best thing about Severin’s is its orchard, filled with lots of old apple trees and, among them, tables that are set for meals. Traditional Strandkorb wicker chairs and chaise longues invite guests to relax and admire the white and pink blossoms in the spring and enjoy the shade that the trees and parasols provide in the summer. In the winter, when the temperatures drop, the trees look like they are frosted with sugar. Yes, there are many reasons to visit the northernmost of Germany’s islands even in the cold season. Another one of them is Severin’s spa, with its saunas, hammam, and swimming pool complete with a fireplace. The interior in pleasant neutral colors is bathed in warm light. You won’t find anywhere on Sylt more relaxing after a long walk on the beach. If you are looking for absolute privacy, Severin’s is a perfect choice with 23 studios and apartments as well as five houses and villas measuring up to 4,300 square feet. The emphasis is on spaciousness, not mere excess. The two-story thatchroof resort blends in harmoniously with the charming village of Keitum on the edge of the Wadden Sea. —Dennis Braatz
The Connaught — London
The Connaught curves around Carlos Place in Mayfair Village, but it’s not just the address that makes this one of the smartest hotels in London. It started life in 1815 as the Prince of Saxe-Coburg Hotel, and since then has had facelifts as well as the additions of a wing, an Aman spa, and a 1930s-style ballroom—all without losing its original spirit. A gilded mahogany staircase twists heavenward in the reception area, where the energy crackles with a permanent sense of occasion. The private art collection bedazzles: a Graham Sutherland landscape here, a Barbara Hepworth lithograph there. Despite the grandeur, everyone is treated with trademark down-to-earth service. Blending heritage and creature comforts, rooms and suites by Guy Oliver promise style and a soft landing. Minibars are disguised as chinoiserie cabinets; bed heads are hand-embroidered. The 2024-renovated gray-green or storm-cloud-blue Coburg Suites, with painted paneling, delft-encrusted chimneypieces, and heavy draped curtains, are the newest. Megawatt options include The Apartment, designed by David Collins Studio, on the rooftop; The Mews, a light-filled private townhouse; and the King’s Lodge, inspired by Kabul’s 19th-century Peacock Palace. The Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Hélène Darroze flagship restaurants are the focus of a stay, but the watering holes are the most fun. If you start an affair at the Connaught Bar, with its jolly martini trolley and candlelight, you can cut a bon vivant’s business deal at The Coburg. And, for quiet loungers, the Red Room is a modern bar that has an after- or preparty feel. Part of the Maybourne Group, this landmark grande dame still feels utterly relevant. —Lydia Bell
Fairmont Vier Jahreszeiten Hamburg — Germany
I grew up on a farm in a small village near Hamburg, and the Fairmont Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten, which sits on the Binnenalster Inner Alster Lake, long had a mythical aura for me. The cream of society in this northern German city—indeed, from all over the world— were known to dine and sleep at the hotel. I finally checked in for the first time last year. From the moment I stepped through the door, the service was of the highest standard, always courteous and sincere. The food and drinks are superb (its Jahreszeiten Bar also boasts that it’s the smallest in Hamburg), and you’ll soon notice that, from the Grill to Restaurant Haerlin, most diners are locals. Many of them don’t get to experience that an overnight stay is also wonderfully satisfying. A few fifth-floor rooms overlooking the Binnenalster have such generous balconies that you can sunbathe comfortably in the summer. Though I have now seen it up close, the Vier Jahreszeiten still remains mythical for me. Only now, I get to be a small part of the life of this legend from time to time. —Dennis Braatz
Hotel Adlon Kempinski — Berlin
Today there’s that sense that Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin—having withstood the vicissitudes of a tumultuous century—is armor-plated, unassailable as the bullet-proofed floor-to-ceiling windows of the presidential suites. Under the Kempinski aegis since the 1990s, it bottles that sense of timelessness and offers a feeling of security and tradition as something that is as precious as it is soothing. The past is present here, exuding patrician-style grandeur and elegance: the Art Deco floor gauges in the elevators, an old-fashioned bicycle that the bellboys use, the panels of walnut wood in the Michelin-starred Lorenz Adlon Esszimmer restaurant, acres of marble for a grand staircase, and gold flakes even on the lobby lounge’s currywurst. Old-school perfectionism calls for the three types of caviar and Champagne at breakfast, as well as butler-ironed newspapers brought to the table. It all contributes to that illusion that you are in a cocoon, away from the travails of the world. —Catherine Fairweather
Adare Manor — Ireland
Few country escapes can beat this 19th-century neo-Gothic castle in Ireland’s County Limerick. First built for the Second Earl of Dunraven on an 842-acre estate, it features stained-glass windows, gold-leaf ceilings, and towering fireplaces, all restored to their original glory. The signature suite’s classic-contemporary bedroom and bathroom overlook the boundless sprawl of gardens and the Ryder Cup golf course. Guests can lord it in horse-and-buggy rides, go on clay-shooting and archery sessions, take padel tennis classes, eat Michelin-star suppers at the Oak Room, and afterward descend to the Tack Room cellar-lounge to sample its rare Irish whiskey collection. Rural breaks have never felt so ennobling. —Noo Saro-Wiwa
Canaves Ena — Santorini, Greece
The Chaidemenos family caves were formed in the 17th century by a volcanic eruption, and they were turned into wine cellars in the 1980s. In 1985, Ioannis Chaidemenos and his wife, Anna, began to have other ideas. From there, Canaves Ena was born, and, 40 years on, in 2024, a dramatic renovation was unveiled. A Cycladic path now winds around 18 blistering white suites, a mirror-shiny pool, and an excellent Greek restaurant. It’s bijou and pin-drop quiet, all Santorinian marble and pale woods, with flashes of pink bougainvillea flowers creeping up stucco walls. Most rooms have glassy infinity pools or bubbling jacuzzis—and, from every angle, utterly glorious views over the glittering caldera below. —Charley Ward
Cap Rocat — Mallorca, Spain
This, in my opinion, is the jewel of Marugal, the Spanish hotel collection. It’s enormous in size—taking up 74 acres over a mile of protected coastline—but exclusive thanks to its mere 30 rooms and suites. The intimacy here is absolute; nothing stands between you and the immense sea. As a whole, the property is a celebration of its environment: The Sea Club, situated on the edge of Caló de la Reina, is a restaurant that serves rice dishes, a fish of the day, grilled meats, and vegetables. La Fortaleza, the hotel’s haute cuisine proposal, sings an ode to Mallorcan gastronomy in a magical space. And the hotel boutique includes its own collection of Mediterranean-inspired garments in linen and cashmere as well as a carefully selected range of handicrafts, candles, and cosmetics. But if you need total seclusion, the spa is dug 39 feet underground and capable of transmitting peace few places in the world can. Be warned: The saltwater pool will make you forget everything else outside Cap Rocat. There are so many details at this hotel that you won’t see them all the first time. And that’s why you’ll come back. —David Moralejo
Ett Hem — Stockholm, Sweden
Since taking over two neighboring townhouses in 2022, the world’s most intimate luxury hotel, in my opinion, has grown up without sacrificing its philosophy of making guests feel truly at home. With the expansion, owner Jeanette Mix’s vision now feels complete. A former parking lot has been transformed into a lush English garden that connects the buildings. An eat-in kitchen serves top-class tasting menus. Plus there’s an in-house sourdough bakery, a wood paneled gym, and more social spaces packed with modern art and Scandinavian design classics. The upgraded Ett Hem is not just a great starting point for experiencing Stockholm. It’s a destination in its own right. —Viola Gad
Four Seasons Hotel Firenze — Florence
Housed in a pair of historic properties slathered in Renaissance sculptural friezes and Baroque frescoes, the Four Seasons would probably be open for guided tours today if it were not a hotel. But this 115-room grande dame, located a short walk from the Duomo in Florence’s quiet University district, wears its opulence lightly. The 11-acre landscaped park, whose current design dates back to the 19th century, separates the main Palazzo della Gherardesca building from the hotel’s Palazzo del Nero annex and is a leafy joy. An autumn 2024 makeover of Palazzo del Nero has raised the 36-room outlier from Cinderella to sassy princess, thanks also to Bar Berni, its cool new vermouth bar, and Onde seafood restaurant. —Lee Marshall
Gran Hotel Inglés — Madrid
One of the city’s icons and a pioneer in luxury hospitality when it opened in 1886, the Gran Hotel Inglés was the first hotel in Madrid to have a restaurant and electric lighting, as well as telephones and toilets with running water on each of its floors, an extravagance for the time. Its 48 rooms and suites, designed with a nod to the Art Deco style, have bathtubs that were flown in from Canada and are custom-made for each room, as well as showers; the beds, meanwhile, come with 500-thread-count Egyptian cotton sheets and an extensive pillow menu. In addition to its signature cocktail and gastronomic offerings at Lobbyto, which serves Madrid cuisine with an avant-garde twist (don’t miss the cocido madrileño!), the hotel has a brunch show with live music, an English tea service, and swing and rock-and-roll nights for the more lively. Le Max Club, the hotel’s spa, includes a high-tech gym, spa cabins set up in collaboration with French brand Sisley (its botanical treatment menu is a delight, I promise), and a jacuzzi. —Clara Laguna
Gstaad Palace — Switzerland
Glamour is built into the Gstaad Palace’s DNA: Liz Taylor and Richard Burton were regulars, and Michael Jackson wanted to buy it. But for all that, this hotel is more about quiet elegance than the flash-your-cash glitz on show in St. Moritz. For more than a century, Europe’s aristocracy has made a beeline for the palace, which towers over the impossibly pretty village where the likes of Prada and Louis Vuitton have quaint chalet shops. With its turrets backed by the majestic mountain scenery, it looks like something conjured up by Disney. The real magic, though, is inside. Since the 1930s, the Scherz family, which owns the hotel, has created less a grand institution and more a relaxed second home in the mountains, albeit one with a dress code. Generations of the same family visit year after year, greeting the staff like long-lost friends and congregating in the capacious lobby bar after time on the slopes or by the pool. Bedrooms have the feel of a Swiss chalet about them, with nothing too startling to detract from the Alpine panoramas. In the restaurant, often visited by English singer Robbie Williams, chef Franz Faeh’s food is served with theatrical flair. You don’t even have to open your menu before ordering—it’s that kind of place. It’s the kind of place, too, where you can imagine a guest turning up with 150 suitcases, demanding liters of Evian water to wash with, or insisting their cat be fed 50 grams of caviar a day. This is a hotel where the extraordinary feels like an everyday affair. —Jane Knight
Hotel Castello di Reschio — Lisciano Niccone, Italy
Reschio, an estate in Umbria not far from Perugia, comprises 3,700 quite outrageously beautiful acres of rolling hills, olive groves, vineyards, forest, farm buildings and, looming darkly over it all, a curtain-walled 11th-century castle. The most radical of the many changes Castello di Reschio has undergone in its long history is the most recent: its transformation from a place designed to keep people out to one redesigned to welcome them in. After a thousand or so years as a fortress, the castle opened, in 2021, as a 36-room hotel. The success of its reinvention has to do entirely with its owner-proprietors, Count Benedikt Bolza, an architect and designer, and his wife, Donna Nencia Corsini, an artist and environmentalist. The hotel is a lucid expression in three dimensions—in wood and stone and bronze, in silk and velvet and linen, in wildflowers and works of art and kooky knickknacks—of the couple’s shared enthusiasms, their style, their outlook on life. Castello di Reschio works brilliantly as a hotel and does all the things that a top hotel must do. (Is there a chicer palm-court bar, a more astonishing spa, or a lovelier swimming pool in rural Italy? Or anywhere?) More than that, the castle hotel is just one part of the much larger Reschio story, the point of entry into what has often—predictably, though not without reason—been characterized as a modern-day fairy tale. —Steve King
Hotel Grande Bretagne — Athens
Celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2024, the GB (as locals fondly call it) is almost as much of an Athenian landmark as the Parthenon. The 5th-century-BC monument itself floats like a mirage just beyond the hotel’s lofty rooftop bar and restaurant, which overlooks the Parliament piazza where statuesque Evzones, members of the Presidential Guard, strut their stuff. If the location feels “only in Athens,” the interiors have all the glitzy trappings of a grand European hotel: gleaming marble inlay floors, flamboyant flower arrangements, giant gilded mirrors. Liveried doormen usher you through the revolving doors into what feels like a parallel universe, where the hubbub of downtown Athens gives way to the tinkling piano in the stained-glass-ceilinged winter garden, where afternoon tea is served by slinky waitresses who glide between the fluted columns. The lesser-known draw is not the fine dining or even the secret seventh-floor swimming pool but the subterranean spa. A profoundly therapeutic massage and plumping 111 Skin facial with one of the brilliantly intuitive therapists will leave you feeling at least 150 years younger. —Rachel Howard
Hotel Santa Caterina — Amalfi, Italy
I vividly recall my first visit twelve years ago to Hotel Santa Caterina: dips in the sea and in the saltwater pool at the edge of the cliff, accessed by the most beautiful lift in the world. We had fresh mozzarella for breakfast, lemonade, and all the sfogliatelle we could eat. I was enamored with the ceramic floors, the breeze swaying the vaporous curtains, the ever-smiling staff serving delicious fresh pasta and fish. In short, I fell in love. On a recent return visit to Portofino, I saw how the hotel has grown. Two new villas have popped up, hidden among the terraced gardens that dot the cliffs. The hotel is now a sort of albergo diffuso, with an increased number of rooms and ever more privacy for guests who want it. Everything else remains perfect. The pool is still as salty and relaxing, the curtains dance the same waltz with the breeze, the floors still sparkle. Santa Caterina is—and always will be—a dream. —David Moralejo
Kalesma Mykonos — Greece
Since the 1960s, Mykonos has been known for a very singular brand of hedonism. One that revolves around dance-until-sunrise parties fueled by cocktails and thumping DJ beats. Kalesma is a pulse-slowing alternative that taps into the zeitgeist with yoga sessions, mocktails, a cold plunge, and views so spectacular that even device-addicted guests abandon their screens. Perched on a bougainvillea-draped hilltop overlooking Ornos Bay, this discreet retreat has no shortage of pleasures, from a sensational farm-to-fire restaurant to a dazzling new spa. Twenty-five one-bedroom suites and villas all have plunge pools as well as sunrise and sunset views. They’ve become so in demand the owners are adding 19 for next season. —Jen Murphy
La Posta Vecchia Hotel — Ladispoli, Italy
In an era when more and more international brands are staking their claim on the generic sale of la dolce vita, Pellicano hotel’s La Posta Vecchia has always offered its own authentic universe. The imposing Renaissance palace with Italianate gardens is only a 30-minute train ride from Rome’s Trastevere. Reinforced only by the echo of waves and footsteps on stairs, a silence reigns in its 21 grand rooms and suites that have the feel of a friend’s private castle. The former customs house for the Papal States was built in 1640 as a hunting lodge by the five-pope-strong Orsini family, once owners of the adjacent castle. In 1960, American oil tycoon Paul Getty purchased the place. He also hired art historian Federico Zeri to furnish his home with papal velvets and ecclesiastical antiques like church prie-dieux and sacristy furniture. Marble busts, regal beds, and thronelike chairs speak to Getty’s deep respect for history—a respect shared by the Sciò family, who bought and preserved the place first as a home in the 1980s. Last year saw painstaking renovations of both the Roman mosaics and the exterior, and this year there’s been the addition of a gym and a new focus on ancient Roman recipes. What’s more, next year the hotel will unveil a second private beach. Meanwhile, tastemaker Marie-Louise Sciò’s spry touches can be seen in the chalice vases by Ettore Sotsass, bathroom products sold on Issimo, the Frette sheets collaboration, and the Villeroy & Boch crockery on which breakfast is served on the glorious sea-facing terrace dotted with umbrellas the hue of Italian custard. La Posta Vecchia is also a gateway to the lesser known Lazio Alto region with its Etruscan necropolises far from the crowds. —Stephanie Rafanelli
Le Bristol Paris
In a city that inspires millions, what makes a hotel stand out? For me it’s a property that will transport me into a new world, to live out a fantasy of a different life in a different location—a “main character moment”, as the TikTok generation might say. Le Bristol sets the scene for a stay that’s a world away from daily monotony and embraces what most hope and dream a trip to Paris will be: grand, storied, and luxurious, with Michelin-starred restaurants, top-class service, and a courtyard garden so peaceful you’ll forget you’re in one of the world’s busiest cities. Next year Le Bristol will celebrate its 100th anniversary with parties, but there’s no doubt its Parisian allure is timeless. —Abigail Malbon
Les Roches Rouges — Saint-Raphaël, France
When Les Roches Rouges opened back in 2017, on a sleepy stretch of the French Riviera in Saint-Raphaël, it succeeded where so many have failed. It’s an instant classic without being stuffy and zhuzh-y without trying too hard. Attracting a steady stream of well-dressed guests looking to disconnect from the high jinks of the Côte d’Azur scene, this bright-white 1950s modernist building is tickled by the raw blue ripples of the ocean. The interiors are perfectly balanced with polished concrete floors, white walls, and simple but striking furniture and art—a chunky chair here, a vintage lamp there—compiled by the hotel’s creative partners of antiques dealers, painters, and sculptors. The large stone-paved terrace contains a bar, a restaurant, and a sun deck, and is dotted with canvas butterfly chairs, tables, and plenty of neatly lined white sun beds. Many guests spend the days flitting between the lap pool and the spectacular 30-meter saltwater pool carved out of the rocks, while some meander over to a ladder that goes directly into the sea for paddleboarding. A steady stream of waiters in white polos deliver pale pink rosé and cocktails spiked with lavender and thyme. By evening, swimsuits are replaced with slinky dresses as guests dine in either of two restaurants: the book-ahead Michelin-starred Récif, which has a tasting menu, or La Plage, a more relaxed spot with perfectly plated Provençal dishes. As the bright-hot days trickle into soft-focus nights, it’s hard to imagine a lovelier spot. —Chloe Sachdev
Lime Wood — Lyndhurst, United Kingdom
This country house hotel in the heart of the New Forest National Park is a byword for holistic excellence, utilizing its surroundings to put nature, relaxation, and nourishment front and center. The 33 keys include 16 rooms in the main house, a gorgeous lakeside cabin, and woodland-chic forest cottages, while the award-winning Herb House spa offers bespoke Ayurvedic treatments, a hydropool overlooking the forest, and a log-lined sauna. At its destination restaurant, Hartnett Holder & Co, chefs Angela Hartnett and Luke Holder oversee an Italian-inspired menu. But the real star of the show is the New Forest, the venue for bike rides and guided forages among trees, heathland, and wild horses. This is the definition of well-being. —Noo Saro-Wiwa
Marbella Club — Spain
In the 1950s, Prince Alfonso von Hohenlohe acquired a small fishing village nestled between the sea and the mountains and decided to transform it into an estate. Since it opened in 1954, the Marbella Club has become a sanctuary for aristocrats, actors, musicians, artists, heads of state, athletes, and celebrities seeking something more than just a vacation destination. Over the years the Marbella Club has managed to keep its original spirit alive as it has gracefully expanded to become one of the most iconic luxury resorts in the Mediterranean. Today it boasts 115 rooms and suites as well as 15 villas, where traditional Andalusian architecture blends with splendid gardens and pathways leading to the sea. Two heated outdoor pools, a beach club, a Thalasso wellness center, a golf course, 10 tennis courts, an equestrian center, a kids club, and eight dining concepts complete this paradise, located just five minutes from Marbella’s old town and Puerto Banús. —María Casbas
Splendido, a Belmond Hotel — Portofino, Italy
It takes a hotel of a particularly high caliber to salve the sting of a lifelong travel dream’s finale. For me, that sting was the gutting experience of disembarking from the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express in Portofino, Italy, this past summer. But my goodness, does Splendido offer such reprieve. This princely albergo on the Ligurian coast was built as a Benedictine monastery and is now adorned with pink azaleas on almost every balcony from which guests can take in postcard views of Portofino Bay, glimmering and viridian. The landscape looks just as it did in the 1960s, when the likes of Elizabeth Taylor and Ava Gardner first checked in to this seaside hideaway. But the hotel has been updated since then; for the 2025 season, Splendido will reopen with the main building completely renovated, after a multi-year floor-by-floor update led by designer Martin Brudnizki, whose signature maximalism takes on a gentler, subtler play—more perfume than syrup—by using lavenders, celadons, and Alice blues to paint the interiors with a pleasingly soft handsomeness. Outside, the redone saltwater pool shimmers with new tiles color-matched to the sea, and the open-air restaurant La Terazza is as perfect a spot as ever, serving trofie al pesto and spritzes on its perch high on the hill. All told, Splendido’s sensibility is elegantly understated, allowing its people and environment to shine. The staff is composed of charismatic good-time ragazzi, and nature seeps so easily into the rooms that sunrise and birdsong became my morning alarms. To catch the local scene, walk 15 minutes downhill to Portofino’s piazzetta (or take the hotel’s complimentary shuttle), where nonnos invite any and all challengers to a game of backgammon. I did one evening and felt yet again the sting of loss. Then I hiked up the hill to Splendido, my beloved balm, with its windows aglow after sundown and music floating through its gardens. It’s not Olympus, but it’s close enough. —Matt Ortile
The Fife Arms — Braemar, United Kingdom
Reasons to love the Fife Arms? Yes, the 16,000-odd works of art—including a pair of Picassos, Richard Jackson’s neon chandelier, a taxidermy haggis, and watercolors by Queen Victoria and King Charles III. Add in the fact that no one in Braemar seems to have a bad word to say about the Swiss art dealers Ivan and Manuela Wirth, relative outsiders when they took over this tired Victorian coaching inn in Cairngorms National Park. But the real joy of the Fife Arms is that it’s great fun: You’ll find everyone here, from out-of-towners to locals with their dogs—not to mention a team of wry, wise-cracking staff ready to make an event out of everything from whisky tastings at Bertie’s Bar to bracing wild-river swims followed by horse box sauna sessions. —Toby Skinner
Mexico, Central, and South America
Tierra Patagonia — Chile
Tinged red at dawn, the granite towers of Torres del Paine are a blazing centerpiece in Chile’s premier national park. But no view compares with the scene greeting guests from their bed at this exquisitely crafted lodge. Barely visible along the skyline, the lakeside building sinks comfortably into the landscape, giving all rooms a vista onto the soaring peaks. Light pours through walls of glass to illuminate a panoramic restaurant and spa with an indoor infinity pool, perfect spots to watch clouds dance across big skies. Far from the crowd-clogged trails, the coolly unassuming property invites endless possibilities at the bottom of the world. —Sarah Marshall
Hacienda AltaGracia, Auberge Resorts Collection — Costa Rica
Upon my landing at Hacienda AltaGracia’s airstrip, my compa, or personal butler, is waiting with a sea-bean necklace and a refreshing drink—the first hint at the exceptional attention I would receive throughout. The 180-acre jungle resort has 50 casitas featuring a safari-meets-boho design accented by locally made pottery and patterned textiles. Outside is where the real beauty is, though: stunning jungle views, a private plunge pool, and a swinging daybed. Strolling the property, I spot colorful birds, frogs, and, one night, an armadillo. I sign up for a tree climb, which brings me to the top of the rainforest canopy for endless views. But mainly I just want to sip coffee at the excellent Mercado café and spend time at the excellent 20,000-square-foot spa. —Devorah Lev-Tov
Caiman, Pantanal — Miranda, Brazil
More than 35 years ago, when conservationist and entrepreneur Roberto Klabin transformed part of his family’s farm into a high-end lodge, the Pantanal was widely dismissed for being full of flies—but that’s no longer the case. Things are changing in the world’s largest tropical wetland. By habituating jaguars to the sound of vehicle engines, NGO Onçafari has increased sightings of the threatened predators on the property. Go on a game drive, shadow conservation teams, and horse-ride through gallery forests in the (largely) fence-free grounds, while experiencing life on a working cattle ranch. South America’s answer to the Okavango Delta without any of the hype or the crowds. —Sarah Marshall
Turtle Inn — Placencia, Belize
Turtle Inn, much like Blancaneaux Lodge, its older sibling in the Belizean jungle, bears the cinematic imprint of owner Francis Ford Coppola. From the tropical exuberance of its entryway and its thatch-roof cottages with hand-carved doors and Japanese baths to the garden pizzeria with its twinkling lights, this is one part Gilligan’s Island, one part barefoot-chic Bali beach club. You wouldn’t be blamed for not wanting to leave this idyllic refuge, but Turtle Inn’s location makes it the perfect jumping off point for riverine adventures and treks into jaguar territory. You’ll always be glad to return, though, to its pools, beachside bar, and lobster feasts best enjoyed with toes in the sand. But perhaps there is no luxury greater than the warmhearted service extended by staff who treat you just as they would the Coppolas—like returning family. —Arati Menon
Chable Yúcatan — Chocholá, Mexico
Because it’s located in the jungle between the colonial city of Mérida and the Maya site of Uxmal, Chablé Yucatán has two distinct personalities, making it unique among luxury resorts in Mexico. The buildings that form the historic two-centuries-old hacienda now house common areas and the gourmet Ixi’im restaurant, and guests sleep in 38 contemporary glass boxes masterfully situated throughout the lush grounds so that each feels remarkably private—your views are of the jungle foliage, not your neighbor. Each casita has its own pool, but there’s also a larger common one for when you’re feeling social. The resort is home to countless iguanas and diminutive Yucatecan deer, and an astounding variety of birdlife. You’ll feel like you have escaped to a unique Eden, only with gracious service. —John Newton
Mashpi Lodge — Pichincha, Ecuador
This glass-walled building is a bubble of understated luxury in Ecuador’s Chocó-Andean Cloud Forest, the densest spot of biodiversity on Earth. Your own personal guide will take you on hikes through the forest to find butterflies the size of your hand and hummingbirds that will feed from your fingers. In your downtime you can wallow in hot tubs that look over the valley or listen to the sounds of the forest from your room, which has floor-to-ceiling windows that make you feel as if you’re in a tree house. Mashpi leads the world in inspirational conservation, leaving you full of passion and wonder. —Ash Bhardwaj
One&Only Mandarina — Riviera Nayarit, Mexico
Just when you think all beach resorts are made alike, One&Only Mandarina begs to differ. Nestled in the lush hills of Mexico’s Riviera Nayarit—where jaguars skulk in the shadows, colorful birds fly overhead, and the gentle sound of the Pacific urges bone-deep relaxation—One & Only makes it easy to find the big red reset button you’ve been looking for. There’s a traditional temazcal sweat lodge experience at the spa, surfing on a private beach, and even a restaurant that has an Enrique Olvera–designed menu that would draw major crowds in a big city: Carao. Ultimately, though, it’s forgetting about the outside world that is the draw—and promise—of spending a few days here. —Megan Spurrell
United States, Canada, and the Caribbean
The Ritz-Carlton New York, Nomad
When the Ritz-Carlton flung open the doors of its new Manhattan flagship at West 28th Street and Broadway two years ago, the classic brand was making a bit of a daring declaration as to its direction. Moody and modish, the property is a far cry from the (splendidly) prim and proper Central Park location some 30 blocks north. There’s glass everywhere, for one thing, with the 50-story sleek slice of skyscraper designed in part to make the most of that killer location’s downtown views and light. The sun-soaked interiors are dramatic and textured—concierge desks in the grayscale lobby are made of almost zebra-print granite. A leafy, book-lined bar just off it leads to the excellent Spanish-Japanese fusion restaurant The Bazaar from José Andrés upstairs with its plush upholstery, coffee-and-plum palette, and scenery-chewing jamón Ibéerico centerpiece (Andrés’s group also designed the complimentary menu in the very worth-it club level). Rooftop bar Nubeluz is a jewel-toned wonderland of wallpaper; highlights include the pleated emerald fabric of the elevator vestibule and the feathered Schumacher number that hugs each booth. Wrapped from floor to ceiling in blond wood, my suite on the 36th floor, with its deep, deep sofa of chocolatey crushed velvet, offers grand views of Manhattan; I could even see all the way down to the World Trade Center. All of this style would matter little, however, were the service anything less than superlative. It absolutely is. Despite bookings being full to the brim most nights, there’s no indication that the staff have eyes for anybody but you from check-in to checkout. —Charlie Hobbs
Zero George — Charleston, South Carolina
To the naked eye, the five beautifully restored 1804 residences and carriage homes at the corner of George Street and East Bay constitute just another pretty block in Charleston: warm brick, statuesque façades, breezy column-studded verandas, and flickering lanterns. But veteran hospitality duo Dean Porter Andrews and Lynn Easton knew better when they selected this spot to launch their bespoke brand of Lowcountry luxury in 2013. The hotel’s magic lies in the exclusivity and privacy of its interior: a hidden labyrinth of meticulously manicured gardens, crushed oystershell pathways, and calming fountains connecting five distinct historic dwellings into a retreat guests love to call their home in the Holy City. —Allston McCrady
Colony Palm Beach — Florida
Stepping inside the Colony Hotel is like entering a scene from a storybook or a Wes Anderson film, a whimsical balance of the vintage and in vogue. Within its pink stucco walls, reality transforms into the glamorous yet laid-back Palm Beach of days gone by. Since Andrew and Sarah Wetenhall purchased the hotel in 2016, the guest rooms and villas have undergone a multiyear restoration, reviving the landmark institution while still maintaining its iconic tropical eclecticism. Located right between the beach and the shops of Worth Avenue, it’s the perfect home base for exploring the island—if you can ever pull yourself away from its fanciful charms. —Hannah Towey
San Ysidro Ranch — Santa Barbara, California
It might seem like a miss to go to Santa Barbara and not stay close to the shore, but the moment you make the turn inland onto San Ysidro Road, you realize that being here isn’t about visiting Santa Barbara; it’s about visiting the ranch. Just 38 cottages, each with their own unique layout, decor, and view, are spread out over 550 acres, but rather than being scattered, they form a ring within the property. At the resort’s center is a collection of gardens as well as a rectangular- pool that overlooks the canyon. Some of the curated finds you’ll see throughout are museum-quality art, antiques sourced from billionaire owner Ty Warner’s world travels, and handmade wallpapers (even on the ceilings of the showers). But San Ysidro Ranch isn’t your typical hotel—as its history of having legendary guests like Jacqueline and John F. Kennedy, who honeymooned here, or John Huston, who finished writing the screenplay for The African Queen on the property, can attest. And the ranch continues its legacy as a celebrity refuge, as modern-day A-listers use this tucked-away spot to truly hide out and escape—which is what you should do too. —Samantha Brooks
Blackberry Farm — Walland, Tennessee
The stories are all true—the ones you’ve heard about the fleecy Italian truffle dogs, the perfect timber-frame barn imported from Pennsylvania, the well-groomed hiking trails and bridle paths that give you access to the quiet forests of the Great Smoky Mountains. The place is a bit of paradise in eastern Tennessee, full of little details that feel plucked from a storybook: the dollhouse-like white church, the covered bridge, the generous cottages with porches ideal for putting your feet up while drinking a whiskey and snacking on pimento cheese. But what really takes Blackberry to the next level is the Southern hospitality. From the servers to the adventure guides, everyone brings their passion to work every day, and by the time you leave, you’ll find you’re feeling pretty passionate too. —Jesse Ashlock
Fogo Island Inn — Newfoundland, Canada
For anyone who has bemoaned the flattening of cultures everywhere, Fogo Island offers a beacon of hope. On this remote island off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador that’s slammed by wind and waves, cod-fishing communities hold on to their distinctive settler history—and accents—despite mounting pressures. But a dwindling community, no matter how beautiful or historic, offers little financial value. Armed with this belief, local-born entrepreneur Zita Cobb dreamed up Fogo Island Inn as a community-owned hospitality business that could improve the island’s economic resilience by plugging it into a wider world. Since it flung open its doors in 2013, those utopian founding principles have lured purpose-driven luxury travelers to the 29-room inn—as have its dramatic views, daily changing menus, and wilderness excursions featuring geological hikes and forest boil-ups (a traditional meal warmed over a fire in the great outdoors). But its greatest distinction remains the islanders themselves, whose wellsprings of warmth define your stay. These boat builders, quilters, and storytellers welcome you into their sheds for singalongs and salted cod, allowing you to really understand this place—and how everything knits together. —Arati Menon
Four Seasons Resort Hualālai — Big Island, Hawaii
There are few resorts as suited to different types of travelers as this celebrated hotel on the Kona coast of the Big Island. Composed of low-slung Hawaiian-style buildings set into a series of crescents, each area has its own vibe and distinct clientele, from lively family-friendly sections to serene pockets ideal for honeymooners. Regardless of where you stay, however, you’ll be treated to postcard-perfect views of the Pacific Ocean, the property’s verdant golf course, and the sense that this place somehow exists in a permanent state of tranquility. New for this year—and not to miss—is chef Tyler Florence’s Miller & Lux steakhouse. —Juliet Izon
Mandarin Oriental, New York
As a longtime Upper West Sider, I’ve strolled through Central Park dozens of times; that didn’t make the sweeping views from the Premier Central Park View Suite any less awe-inspiring. The accommodations were just as spectacular, with a massive U-shaped couch, a fluffy king-size bed, and heavy blackout shades that close at the touch of a button. Because of its top-tier service, sumptuous amenities, and fantastic central location, the Mandarin Oriental is both an excellent special-occasion staycation for New Yorkers and a prime landing spot for out-of-towners seeking easy access to Broadway, Central and Bryant Parks, and Fifth Avenue. Guests have easy access to two Michelin-starred restaurants, Per Se and Masa; a flex even by New York standards. —Madison Flager
Post Ranch Inn — Big Sur, California
The Post Ranch Inn is nothing so much as a total immersion in the singular landscape of Big Sur, in environs defined by a sense of understated luxury. The Ranch’s 40 rooms have all been designed to both blend in with and have a light touch upon the land, and range from treehouses to clifftop suites with expansive views of the mountains to the east or, better yet, the ocean’s expanse to the west. Engage with the environment some more by exploring the property’s hiking trails, taking a tour of the chef’s garden, or signing up for a falconry lesson. —Lauren Sloss
The Woodstock Inn — Woodstock, Vermont
Grand, but not fussy. Of another era, but far from old-fashioned. The Woodstock Inn & Resort is the Goldilocks property that’s managed to evolve with the times while maintaining its quintessential New England charm. Situated across from the town green, the Federal-style mansion feels like a Norman Rockwell reverie. Inside, the cozy lobby serves as a communal living room where guests read newspapers. Outside, families toast s’mores around fire pits and play lawn games. Regular updates to the 200-plus-year-old hotel, including a glow-up of all 142 rooms and the addition of a Scandi-chic spa, ensure that loyal East Coasters keep returning for generations. —Jen Murphy
Wynn Las Vegas
When my mother and I first moved from the Philippines to the United States in 2003, we came to settle in Las Vegas. Among the entertainment capital’s flashy and over-the-top hotel offerings, my mother—and her preference for refined elegance—most often led us to the Wynn, which opened in 2005 as, in my childhood memory, the first nonthemed resort on the iconic Strip, where facsimiles of Venice, Paris, and Caesar’s Rome dominated the landscape. At the roughly 4,700-key property (which includes the original building and its sibling, the Encore, added in 2008), the theme, if I must name one, seemed to be luxury itself. To return to it now, as it gears up for its 20th anniversary in 2025, feels like a homecoming: Its casinos, high-end shops, and myriad dining and drinking outlets (29 of them, not including the three nightclubs) are better than ever, entertaining guests who’d rather indulge in high thread counts than days—or nights—of Sin City debauchery. As such, the rooms have gotten a significant upgrade in the last few years. My Tower Suite on the 40-something-th floor was tastefully designed, recently renovated in 2022, dressed in warm neutral tones, and equipped with easy-to-use tech like window shades that can open at a specified time and bring in the desert sun as I rose in the morning. The drapery, the bed, the small section of carpet in the bathroom—they all offer the body a rest after a day of taking in the sensory explosion that is the city far below. This place is in a league of its own, unbothered by the gimmicks and stunts of its peers. It is not without its light shows (this is still Vegas, after all), but sheer quality was, is, and always will be the Wynn’s calling card. —Matt Ortile
Jade Mountain — St. Lucia
Luxury can mean different things to different people. For me it’s about privacy, freedom, and an exquisite sense of space, combined with subtle hospitality that makes you feel effortlessly at home. Jade Mountain embodies this and more. Perched high on St. Lucia’s rugged cliffs, this architectural marvel, crafted from local stone and rough concrete, rises organically from the lush forest. Designed by Canadian architect Nick Troubetzkoy, Jade Mountain frames the breathtaking views of the Pitons from each of its 24 open-air residences (known as sanctuaries). The pinnacle of luxury, Galaxy Sanctuary JE1, features uninterrupted 270-degree views and a 900-square-foot infinity pool with jewel-toned tiles. Here serenity reigns supreme. —Karin Mueller
Rockhouse Hotel & Spa — Negril, Jamaica
Images of the Rockhouse’s thatch-roof stone villas and bright red ladders dropping into the sea have come to represent a certain brand of Jamaican cool. The property, currently celebrating its 50th anniversary, isn’t shy about honoring its place in pop culture history: Bob Marley and the Rolling Stones once jumped off its iconic cliffs, and reggae and dancehall ephemera line the walls. Rooms are simple but still retain an essence of the sleepy 1970s Negril that originally defined the property: Four-poster beds are draped with mosquito nets and decorated with locally sourced quilts; in the villa rooms, palm-fringed outdoor showers mean morning routines are accompanied by birdsong; and the cool, simple stone floors keep you feeling in tune with island life. Meanwhile, food here is a primer in Jamaican classics, especially at jerk spot Pushcart, where DJs take over the sound systems for regular dance parties. The Rockhouse crowd knows how to have a good time. —Lale Arikoglu
Rosewood Little Dix — Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands
There are Caribbean beach resorts, and then there is Little Dix Bay, which was completely rebuilt after being decimated by hurricanes in 2017, and this year, celebrating its 60th anniversary feels more significant than ever. It’s undoubtedly got the bells and whistles—a truly transcendent spa, one of the best rum collections in the Caribbean, enviable rooms, and so forth—but what sets Little Dix Bay apart is its staff, some of whom have worked here for over 30 years. It’s the kind of place where guests at checkout will turn to their butler and ask, “Same time next year?”. —Todd Plummer
Source:
cntraveler.com
https://www.cntraveler.com/story/gold-list-top-hotels-and-resorts-in-the-world
