The Maldives is saturated with high-end resorts, so what makes OZEN LIFE MAADHOO stand out from the crowd? Comprising 94 luxurious overwater villas and one exclusive residence (pictured), this hotel elevates all-inclusive packages to a whole new level, throwing in everything from snorkelling sessions to spa treatments.
Of the multitude of restaurants available to guests, M6m really is a destination in its own right. Positioned 20 feet (6m) below the surface of the turquoise Maldivian water – 'M6m' actually stands for 'Minus 6 metres' – if you take your eyes off the delicious food you'll see a whole marine world swimming about outside. Elsewhere in the resort, you can indulge in twilight lagoon swims, Champagne breakfasts and even a private screening of your favourite film.
Lying just off the equator on Kenya’s Laikipia Plateau, the 57,000-acre Loisaba Conservancy wildlife region falls under some of the clearest night skies in Africa. Why watch them from a window when you could be directly beneath them? The Loisaba Star Beds are just as magical as they sound: handcrafted four-poster beds on wheels that can be rolled out from your thatched cottage onto raised wooden platforms outside, offering lucky travellers front-row viewing for unrivalled sunsets and stargazing. There’s a reason they call this "the biggest bedroom in the world".
The Star Beds accommodation also includes an infinity pool and a communal area, featuring a dining room, lounge and terrace where breakfast can be laid out for you. When you’re not looking up, be sure to look out, as the site’s location among a kopje (cluster) of rocks overlooking the Kiboko Dam makes it prime wildlife-watching territory. The area is known to be home to a resident family of hippos, with meandering game also stopping off to water themselves. A team of traditional Samburu and Laikipiak Maasai warriors are your hosts for the duration.
Being in the Midtown neighbourhood of Music City itself, the Graduate Nashville is a short hop away from the city's many music joints and honky tonk bars. Pictures of the legendary Dolly Parton adorn the walls here, with even the rooftop restaurant White Limozeen named after her 29th studio album. A self-proclaimed 'funky, floral jewel box', the hotel is peppered with ditzy patterns, neon lights and candy-striped wallpaper.
Fun is the name of the game at the Graduate Nashville. There’s Cross-Eyed Critters, a karaoke bar with wacky animatronic back-up musicians and a late-night taco trailer, plus themed cocktails set against the city skyline on the roof. If you’re looking to visit the seasonal pink-tastic Governor’s Pool, be sure to make a reservation to avoid disappointment, even if you’re staying overnight.
With a century of history embedded in La Mamounia's famous palatial pillars and gleaming floors, Marrakech's 1923-built five-star hotel is a timeless beauty, yet always of the moment. Combining Arabic, Art Deco and Andalusian influences, the exquisite design at La Mamounia is one of the many reasons its appeal has endured through the ages. Today's traveller will find a host of world-class amenities here, including a multi-award-winning spa, four restaurants, tea rooms and an outdoor pool.
Former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill was one of the hotel's biggest fans, often retreating here for the winter and now lending his name to the bar he once frequented, as well as a magnificent suite. In addition to the decadent rooms and suites offered at La Mamounia, guests can stay in one of three private riads (houses with their very own pool courtyards), tucked away in the gardens.
Take a look at these stunning hotel lobbies around the world
Lion Sands covers part of an area believed to be one of the African continent’s last true wildernesses, where Kruger National Park meets the private Sabi Sand Game Reserve. The family who own this retreat are masters of luxury safari with ancestral links to the land and, as you'd expect, the lodge accommodation is everything dreams are made of. Think private plunge pools on the edge of the bush, stylish interiors and free-standing tubs. If you want to really get away from it all, book one of the treehouses, where nature envelops you and the outside world is a distant memory.
A visit to Lion Sands is certainly a trip of a lifetime. The game reserve spans over 30,000 acres of wildlife-rich habitat, where the Big Five (elephant, lion, leopard, rhino and buffalo) can be seen – if they want to be – along with hundreds of other animals. Guests can also join Lion Sands’ Community Tours, supporting some of the local people by visiting development projects and having experiences rooted in culture and conservation.
The views here are hard to beat: the floor-to-ceiling windows in Norway’s Manshausen Sea Cabins create the perfect frame for the sea and mountain scenery surrounding you. On the small Manshausen island (just 14 acres), you’re never far from the water’s edge and won't feel closer to it than in one of these seven minimalist cabins. You won’t find a television here, either...
When you can bear to leave the sanctuary of the cabin, there’s plenty to do outside. Wellness-seekers will love the hot tub and sauna, nature buffs can take a guided sea eagle safari and history enthusiasts should head for the coastal museum in nearby Nordskot. More adventurous souls can also opt for a paddle in a kayak or a hike in the mountains.
Discover the world’s most beautiful and remote mountain cabins
Perched on a private peninsula in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef, the House at Lizard Island feels about as exclusive as it gets. Spread over three storeys and offering the same number of bedrooms, it makes an idyllic retreat for family groups or friends looking to reconnect with one another. A stay at the House is tailored uniquely to you, with bespoke menus and itineraries moulded around each guest’s individual preferences. Now that’s service!
Tropical hideaway Petit St Vincent is all about understated luxury. With just 22 private cottages sleeping up to 56 people, you’re unlikely to bump into many other holidaymakers outside of mealtimes, despite the compact size of the 115-acre Caribbean island.
The landscape blends palm-rimmed pristine beaches with verdant hills and miles of weather-worn coastline, meaning activities range from diving and sailing to long walks, sunbathing and watersports. The resort also offers island-hopping day trips around the Grenadines where you can golf on one island and then tuck into lobster lunch on the next. Or, you can switch off from it all in the spa. Planning a big celebration? The island is also available for exclusive rental.
Canada’s Hotel de Glace may be only a 30-minute drive from Quebec City, but it feels like another planet. The only hotel in North America entirely made of ice and snow, it opens annually between January and March and changes themes every year. Made up of several interconnected chambers, including a grand hall that would befit Queen Elsa herself, a wedding chapel and an ice slide, this isn't your average igloo.
Bali is the poster child for laid-back living, wellness and tropical retreats. At COMO Uma Canggu, you can expect exactly that – along with a side order of surf. Located on Bali's south coast, the resort's beach benefits from some of the best waves in the region, making it a popular choice for surfers of all ages and skill levels. But if that doesn't sound like you, rest assured there's still plenty going on. To experience a taste of Balinese culture, guests are invited to visit a nearby sea temple, or to participate in a traditional purification ceremony.
COMO Uma Canggu has 52 guestrooms and suites, the most sought-after being the Lagoon Pool Residences and the Penthouses, which look out over the main pool and the Indian Ocean respectively. The resort is also proudly family-friendly, with a designated play space where kids can come to burn off some energy while their parents indulge in a touch of Pilates or a massage treatment.
Aman's properties promise intimate, immersive design and otherworldly surroundings, and Amangiri in Utah is no exception. Here, the brutalist geometry of the resort's structure both blends and contrasts with the red-rock landscapes around it. Whether you are looking to become one with the scenery, or are using the hotel as a once-in-a-lifetime base for exploring nearby national parks (such as Bryce Canyon), you'll surely surrender to the silent splendour of this Wild West outpost.
The accommodation at Amangiri includes a number of suites and villas, as well as luxe tented pavilions at the sister site, Camp Sarika (just a short walk away). All aim to create a seamless extension of the tranquillity of the Utah desert, demonstrated through a neutral colour palette and wraparound canyon views. When guests have had their fill of hiking, e-biking, horseback riding and rock climbing in the local area, they can wash away the dust and soothe their sore muscles in the spa.
Check out the best classic motels for your next US road trip
The Amazon Field Station is just one of the accommodation options in the Peruvian jungle offered by nature travel specialists Inkaterra. Located within the Tambopata National Reserve, this adults-only camp is geared towards eco-conscious travellers and anyone wanting to fully immerse themselves in nature. Staying in a cabana, guests will enjoy a peaceful night’s sleep in their mosquito-netted bed with cotton sheets, drifting off to the soundtrack of the rainforest.
You'll be able to enjoy wildlife-focused outings at the Field Station, including following the Inkaterra Canopy Walkway and cruising on the Madre de Dios River on an Amazonian nightwatch to spot nocturnal creatures. You can also visit Inkaterra’s sustainable bio-orchard, which preserves native crops, plus areas of reforestation. If you’ve ever dreamed of seeing the world while also having a positive impact on the destination you’re visiting, then this is the stay for you.
For a true escape from reality, there are fewer places more remote than the northern reaches of Lapland. And when Lake Inari, located in the Finnish part of the region, freezes solid in winter, it’s strong enough to support an unusual overnight stay. Guests can book a portable cabin which is towed out onto the ice, where you’re left in quiet seclusion with nothing but the frost, snow and Northern Lights surrounding you.
The Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort in Fiji encapsulates all the wonders of the South Pacific, from thatched-roof bures (straw huts) to mirror-like waters. Built on the site of a former coconut plantation, this 17-acre resort has just 25 glorious villas and bungalows, each with garden or bay views, enormous beds and even bigger bathrooms. Guests can get out into Nukubalavu, a traditional Fijian village, and take tours of markets, mangroves, pearl farms and waterfall-speckled rainforests.
You’re never more than a few steps from the beach here, but there are so many more things to get up to than just lounging in the sun. As you might imagine, the ocean is at the core of most of the guest experiences at this resort; there is even a resident marine biologist on-hand to answer all your burning questions about what lies beneath the waves.
Botanic Sanctuary Antwerp is a hotel and spa housed within a former monastic complex and apothecary’s garden. With the site dating back to 1238, the principles of community and healing that defined the setting's story have gone on to inform the hotel’s philosophy today. Guests can expect to find soothing interiors accentuated by natural materials, world-class food in the resident restaurants (sharing four Michelin stars between them) and a state-of-the-art spa.
The rooms and suites are spread out across the five original buildings that made up the monastery, featuring nods to the heritage of the property mixed with plenty of contemporary flair. Some of the rooms have their own saunas and whirlpools, as well as special filtration technology that helps rid the air of environmental toxins. The most luxurious hotel in Antwerp, it makes an indulgent base for your next European city break.
Hotel Eclat Beijing is right in the heart of the central business district of the Chinese capital, but once you’ve checked in, it’s easy to forget the frenetic buzz of city life. That’s mainly because you’re 16 floors above the urban noise at this boutique bolthole, where the rooms are designed with your every comfort in mind. The Miami Suite is the one we'd pick, with its white baby grand piano and private terrace pool.
Art lovers will particularly enjoy this self-described ‘museum hotel’, where a collection of fine pieces can be spotted in the guestrooms and the communal areas. Works by Salvador Dali, Andy Warhol, Fan Xiaoyan and Liu Ruowang can be found here, adorning walls and surfaces to ensure there’s never a dull corner. Elsewhere, guests can dine on Michelin-starred fare at Opera BOMBANA and visit the Parkview Green FangCaoDi shopping mall, located in the same striking pyramid-shaped skyscraper.
Just a hop, skip and a jump from the centre of Negril, Jamaica's superlative beachfront town, The Caves is set into a honey-coloured cliffside. Though small, it packs a vibrant punch, with brightly decorated rooms in 12 idyllic cottages, plus a private four-bedroom thatched-roof villa to accommodate guests seeking an even more homely island escape. With the sea always at your back, its call is hard to ignore, so talk to the resident watersports director and cliff-diving expert during your stay for tips on how best to enjoy your time at this coastal retreat.
Few hotels boast the unique selling point of being located in the middle of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but Forestis does. From the guestrooms to the dining area, views of the majestic Dolomites are never difficult to find here. Open year-round, but particularly spectacular in the winter snow, Forestis is a former tuberculosis sanatorium turned into a wellness haven, which incorporates ancient techniques used by the Celts to power its spa programme, using essential oils from four different Alpine trees.
Whether it’s the ski-to-door access that lures you during winter or the promise of warm summer afternoons spent in a hammock in the garden, the backdrop of the dramatic Dolomites massif doesn’t disappoint. For the sweetest of dreams, check into the Penthouse Suite, where the balcony stands eye-to-eye with the peaks, and a private pool and spruce-wood sauna await. Even the restaurant is a thing of beauty, specialising in ‘forest cuisine’ and creative flavour combinations.