From England and Ireland to Australia and New Zealand, these cliff-hugging hotels combine killer views with luxurious living. Whether they’re set on sheer sea cliffs or perched high on rocky river-edge escarpments, they have made nature the star attraction. As always, check local travel restrictions and individual hotel websites before visiting.
With the wild waters of the northern Pacific Ocean in front and giant evergreen forests everywhere else, spectacular doesn’t begin to cover the Wickaninnish Inn’s setting. The small luxury inn sits on craggy cliffs above Chesterman Beach in a remote spot on the west coast of Vancouver Island. Each room at the Wick, as it’s known, has a giant soaking tub, fireplace, and balcony to ogle ocean views during the day and gaze at the stars at night. Winter storm watching from the comfort of the cosy inn has become one of its signature experiences.
Perched on the rugged cliffs of the Chamberlain River, this remote homestead in northwest Australia exudes understated luxury. As well the main house, El Questro has freestanding suites right at the edge of a sheer escarpment above Chamberlain Gorge. The Cliffside Retreats' verandas all have free-standing baths, where you can wallow as you soak in views of the extraordinary Kimberley wilderness. Guests spend their days hiking and driving around the 700,000-acre El Questro Wilderness Park. Away from the exclusive homestead retreat, which sleeps just 20, there are more affordable options, including camping pitches and tented cabins at the Emma Gorge Resort, which sit beneath the fiery red cliffs of the Cockburn Ranges.
Surrounded by Oman’s dramatic Al Hajar mountains, without any evidence of modern civilisation in sight, Alila Jabal Akhdar is a magical, timeless place. It’s situated right on the edge of a wadi (valley) in the highest mountain range of the Arabian Peninsula. Guests can explore the age-old landscape on guided hiking and cave exploring trips, including scaling Jabal Akhdar – the Green Mountain – on the country’s highest via ferrata (iron way). Back at base, Arabic-inspired dinners, a spa and rooms or luxury villas with private pools await. The stargazing here is extraordinary.
A striking boutique-hotel-meets-private-pad, Cliff Edge by the Sea sits on an outcrop above Veronica Channel in New Zealand’s Bay of Islands. It’s breathtakingly beautiful. Thankfully, there’ll be no squabbling over rooms as all four guest bedrooms and the one-bedroom apartment are stunners. The multi-level cedar-clad pole structure was designed with the views in mind. Large decks wrap around all of the hotel's levels and the restaurant has floor-to-ceiling windows so guests can gaze at the bay as they dine.
Cascading down a rugged cliff on Mexico’s Pacific Coast, Cala de Mar Ixtapa is a tucked away haven of luxury with a truly spectacular setting. The Sierra Madre Mountains lie behind, the Pacific in front and lush tropical forest to either side of it. It's so steep that a funicular takes guests to and from many of its 59 suites, which all have heated plunge pools on terraces overlooking the rocky outcrops and ocean. Right down by the water at the bottom of the cliff, is the resort's restaurant which serves sparkling fresh seafood to the sound of the waves hitting the rocks.
A glamorous 5-star perch set 1,000 feet (335m) up on a breathtaking volcano ridgeline above the Caribbean Sea, Ladera certainly has the wow factor. It is the only resort within St Lucia’s UNESCO World Heritage Piton Mountains, the island’s landmark twin emerald peaks. Each of the small-scale resort’s 37 rooms and suites are individual in design but they all have private plunge pools, some with swings and cascading waterfalls, and open walls to maximise views of the sea and the forest-cloaked mountains. It was once part of Rabot Estate, one of the Caribbean’s oldest cocoa plantations.
Backed by maritime pines and cypresses on its cliff-side perch, Villa Dubrovnik has dreamy views across the shimmering Adriatic Sea towards the islet of Lokrum and Croatia's handsome medieval walled city. Its 56 rooms and suites all have floor-to-ceiling windows, opening onto sea-view terraces. It’s hard to resist the lure of the water so don’t: make your way down to the hotel’s private “beach”. This secluded rocky outcrop has bathing platforms where you can sunbathe on loungers, order drinks or slip into the bay’s clear waters from the steps.
Love this? Follow our Facebook page for more travel inspiration
Embrace an edge-of-the-world feeling cosseted in luxury at this exclusive adults-only hideaway on California’s State Route 1. Backed by the St Lucia mountains, this upmarket inn occupies a top spot on the cliffs of the scenic Big Sur coastline, just south of Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge. Its 39 guest rooms and two private houses all come with wood-burning stoves, some with outdoor hot tubs too, so when the weather whips up, guests can stay cosy and watch the crashing waters of the Pacific or the forested mountains. It also has an acclaimed restaurant and spa.
These are California's most beautiful small towns and cities
If you don’t have a head for heights, you’ll want to swerve this vertiginous historic hotel in Ronda, a pretty pueblo blanco (white town) built on either side of the dramatic El Tajo Gorge in Andalucía’s mountains. A 17th-century former palace, the hotel is set right on the edge of the ravine with incredible views down to the Guadalevín River. Its interiors have a slightly old-fashioned feel, but you can’t beat its location (and lovely Moorish-style hammam). The hotel is just near Ronda’s most famous landmark, the Puente Nuevo (New Bridge) which straddles the deep gorge and connects the town’s old Moorish district with its 15th-century 'new' town.
Huddled on top of craggy Bald Head Cliff, Cliff House Maine encapsulates the dream New England escape. History, ocean views, sensational seafood and chic rooms. Built on Cape Neddick in 1872, the resort has long lured travellers to Maine’s southern coast. Today the renovated hotel, which covers 70 acres, has 226 rooms and suites, all with soaring views of the Atlantic and across to Nubble Lighthouse from their private terraces. It’s also got a lovely large spa, cliffside saltwater hot tubs and fantastic food – head to the Tiller for fine dining or the Nubb’s Lobster Shack for lobster rolls and fried clams.
Built to defend the Bay of Palma, this cliff-top 19th-century fortress was the largest military fort in the Balearics. Now Cap Rocat is an exclusive and exquisite hotel, which was transformed beautifully in 2010. The sandstone citadel’s courtyards, laneways, watchtowers and battlements, which were carved into the rock, are now elegant suites (all with day beds and private terraces and some with private plunge pools), glamorous restaurants and cliff-side infinity pools. The secluded boutique hotel is backed by a 30-hectare nature reserve.
Built into a tufa cliff on the banks of the Loire River, Les Hautes Roches (the High Rocks) has 12 unique cave rooms. Once belonging to the Marmoutier Abbey and used by 17th-century monks, the network of caves was transformed from monastic cells into luxurious cave dwellings that are beautifully lit and furnished. Just in front of the cliff is a 18th-century manor house which has two more guest rooms, the restaurant and bar. With a heated riverside pool and Michelin-starred restaurant, this delightful Relais & Chateaux hotel just near Tours is a dreamy base for exploring the wine region.
Crowning the cliffs on the Pentire Headland, just next to South West Coastal Path, Lewinnick Lodge has unrivalled views of Cornwall’s north coast. Its aptly named Ocean Edge rooms come with super-sized windows and breezy contemporary decor. While the cliff-edge terrace is the place to tuck into the best of Cornish seafood or a cream tea after coastal walks, with life-affirming views across the crashing Atlantic Ocean. Keen to take to the waves? Fistral and Crantock surf beaches are just nearby.
Gaze down at the enchanting old town of Monterosso and fishing boats bobbing on the bay, as you swim in the seawater infinity pool at this cliff-hugging hotel on Italy’s gravity-defying Cinque Terre in Liguria. The historic 43-room Hotel Porto Roca is the smartest place to stay in the spectacularly located village, one of the five that make up the Cinque Terre. What's more, guests have private access to the Blue Trail, the most famous (and easiest) walking route that connects Riomaggiore to Monterosso al Mare.
Lying deep within Cappadocia’s otherworldly rock landscape, soul-stirring beauty surrounds Yunak Evleri. The 46-room luxury hotel is set within six ancient cave rooms that were painstakingly carved inside a mountainside cliff back in the 5th and 6th centuries. Connected by a labyrinthine network of passageways and curved stone steps, all the rooms have private patios or balconies opening onto the cliff face with delightful Ottoman-style décor. The rooftop restaurant, housed in a restored 19th-century Greek mansion, is the place to get a sense of the area's unique and ancient landscape.
Uninterrupted sunset views across the water are just one of the magical moments you’ll experience at this luxury Cape Town hotel built into the fynbos-clad mountainside just on the coastal road that winds between Camps Bay and Llandudno beach. As well as spectacular Atlantic Ocean vistas, guests can gaze at the majestic forms of the Twelve Apostles mountains, which form the back of Table Mountain. If you’re here between June to November, you may well spot migrating southern right whales just offshore as you sip a signature martini on the Leopard Bar terrace.
Set on a cliff rising sharply above the azure water of the Atlantic Ocean and surrounded by lush sub-tropical gardens, the Reid’s Palace's location is simply extraordinary. Constructed in Madeira’s capital Funchal by Scotsman William Reid in 1891, who made his fortune in the Madeira wine trade, the historic hotel is now owned by the luxury Belmond group. It still lures well-heeled tourists in search of warmer climes, pampering and lovely views. Elegant afternoon teas on the Reid’s open-air terrace are a must, as is going for a dip from its sea-level platform built into the rocks. It also has two heated pools – one freshwater and one seawater.
The clue to Angama Mara’s spectacular setting is in its name. If you understand Swahili, that is. Inspired by the Swahili word for “suspended in mid-air”, the owner-run safari lodge sits high above the Great Rift Valley seemingly teetering on the edge of the craggy Oloololo escarpment. It has two camps of 15 tented suites with a central lodge set across two kopje (hills). All have sleek interiors, billowing canvas sides, end-to-end glass fronts and decks overhanging the Mara. You’ll never tire of staring at this extraordinary wilderness where you’ll spot raptors circling and tiny elephants and giraffes on the sweeping plain below.
Balanced high above the Gulf of Salerno on the rugged promontory of Conca dei Marini, this once dilapidated 17th-century convent was painstakingly restored into what is now one of the Amalfi Coast’s loveliest hotels and spas. And it has some (ahem) steep competition. It has just 20 lavish rooms and suites (once home to nuns), a heavenly spa, inviting cliffside infinity pool and gorgeous terraced grounds where it’s impossible to take your eyes off the sea vistas. Add a Michelin-star restaurant into the mix and this is surely the dream Mediterranean escape?
Take a look at Europe's most historic hotels loved by the rich and famous
Fans of a cliff-side sojourn should make a beeline for Santorini, one of Greece's stunning Cyclades isles. Along with cobbled villages, sugar-cube villas and cobalt-domed churches clinging to the cliffs, a whole host of romantic resorts are carved into the volcanic isle’s steep inclines. One of these is Mystique, part of The Luxury Collection by Marriott, which tumbles down a cliff near Oia, the island’s top sunset-viewing spot. It wows with its sophisticated cave-like suites and villas and infinity pools that seem to spill over the edge into the startlingly blue waters of the caldera.
This is what the world's biggest hotel chains used to look like
Spellbinding views of the Indian Ocean are just one of the reasons you won’t want to leave this exceptional retreat on Bali’s Bukit Peninsula. Set on a clifftop in the island’s most southern point, gazing at the endless ocean vistas and dreamy sunsets are the order of the day here, whether from a one-bed suites, luxurious villa or the infinity-edge pools that hang over the limestone cliffs. If you can rouse yourself, the Ungasan offers an assortment of watersports and there are beach bonfires at sunset. Bespoke experiences can also be arranged, including trips to temples like nearby Pura Uluwatu and private surf lessons.
You’ll struggle to find better views of the Cornish coast than those at this delightful hotel on the Lizard Peninsula. Overlooking Mounts Bay and the Atlantic, the hotel first opened as a railway hotel in the Edwardian era and still lures travellers south to enjoy the sea air and ravishing cliff-top walks. Today it's a chic coastal escape with access to its own private sandy beach, Polurrian Cove, and two pools. As well as guest rooms, it has some three-bed cottages – perfect for families looking to combine self-catering with all the hotel benefits. The spa is just the spot to relax while the kids hunt for piskies or head for the sands with the kids' club.
Hidden away on the side of a cliff in Ibiza’s unspoiled northwest coast, Hacienda Na Xamena has mesmerising views across the Mediterranean with pine forests and olive groves all around. An oasis of calm (with a healthy dose of Ibiza hedonism), it was the first 5-star hotel on the White Isle and still has the wow factor. It has three pools (two outdoors and one indoor), a gorgeous spa, cinema room, games room, tennis and football courts, and bar playing blissed-out Balearic beats, so there's little reason to leave. But if you do, there are plenty of pretty coves and cool chiringuito (beach bars) nearby.
Quite literally a stone’s throw from the rolling Atlantic Ocean and golden sands of Ardmore Beach, this 5-star coastal retreat in Co Waterford combines Celtic charm with luxury. The Well by the Sea spa is a heavenly haven with its indoor infinity-edge swimming pool and floor-to-ceiling windows providing endless ocean views. While the House Restaurant has a Michelin star with a focus on incredible Irish produce. All the entertainment you need is at your window where you can watch fishermen check their lobster pots and look out for the dolphins that frolic offshore.
Feel at one with nature at Secret Bay, a seriously special eco-resort set high on the green-cloaked cliffs of northwest Dominica with sweeping sea and mountain views. Guests stay in six standalone “tree-houses”, rebuilt using local craftsmanship and sustainably sourced Guyanese hardwood after Hurricane Maria devasted the island in 2017. It's all about the outdoors here: perhaps a spot of yoga, hammock swinging or beach time. It’s positioned between two: Tibay Beach and Secret Bay Beach, which can only be accessed by swimming or kayak. The cliff-edge deck overlooks this hidden bay where guests can sip cocktails before dining at the open-sided Zing Zing restaurant. There’s no menu, instead the chefs base dishes on what ingredients are at their best that day.