The Best Resorts in the World: 2022 Readers’ Choice Awards
The 2023 Readers’ Choice Awards survey is now open for voting! Head here to cast your ballot for your all-time favorite hotels, cruises, resorts, islands, and more.
Now in its 35th year, our annual Reader’s Choice Awards continues to capture the travel experiences our readers love best, from hotels and airlines to cruises and islands. Plus: Odes to the properties that keep you coming back, meditations on beloved cities, and more.
The numbers prove what we already knew: Enthusiasm for travel has never been higher, as demonstrated by the nearly quarter of a million of you who filled out this year’s survey. This year’s list is a testament to the staying power of perennial favorites, through thick and thin—with some newcomers to consider. Here are the best resorts in the world, as voted by Traveler readers.
View the Reader's Choice Award winners for best hotels in the world here.
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The Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa Avonhotel50. The Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa Avon, Vail Valley — Colorado, U.S.
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Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022This LEED Silver–certified resort, finished in stone and glass, gets high marks for its tasteful design and unbeatable location near the lifts, which allows guests to take the Riverfront Express Gondola to the base of Beaver Creek Mountain. The views are spectacular from the studio suites and condominiums, all of which have high ceilings, large windows, and warm colors. At Spa Anjali, you can wrap yourself in robes and towels made from organic bamboo and muslin after your treatment and then relax in the heated saltwater lap pool or the three infinity hot tubs.
Rosewood Castiglion del Boscohotel49. Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco — Montalcino, Italy
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022This hotel is the sprawling Tuscan estate you've always dreamed of staying in. The property is spread over 5,000 acres but manages to feel intimate with just 23 stylishly decorated suites and 11 villas. The place is full of local delights, including the on-site Brunello di Montalcino winery, an 18-hole golf course, a cooking school and on-site garden, a spa with La Prairie treatments, and an infinity pool. Oh, and you can organize truffle-hunting excursions and helicopter transfers, naturally.
Courtesy Nita Lake Lodgehotel48. Nita Lake Lodge — Whistler, B.C., Canada
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022Comfort is paramount at this lakeside property in British Columbia's fun-loving mountain resort town: double-soaker tubs, basalt-rock fireplaces, and heated floors offer an intimate counterpoint to the town's sportier side. The lodge is a short jaunt from the Creekside lifts and offers free shuttles and ski storage lockers at the base of Whistler Mountain; come summertime, you'll have your pick of complimentary cruiser bikes, paddleboards, canoes, and kayaks. The spa makes use of the surroundings with rooftop hot tubs overlooking the mountains. When it comes time for meals, the Lakeside Restaurant serves modern alpine cuisine, while the Cure Lounge & Patio is the place to go for a chorizo-topped Caesar (this is Canada, after all), a barrel-aged old fashioned, or a local spin on a gin fizz made with spruce tip syrup.
Courtesy Gleneagleshotel47. Gleneagles — Auchterarder, Scotland, U.K.
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022Set on 850 acres of Perthshire’s Ochil Hills, this grand sporting hotel is the perfect place for a fresh-air escape. As well as being home to three championship golf courses, it’s the launch pad for an invigorating range of country pursuits, from horseback riding to hiking, fly fishing to archery—all with the benefit of expert guides. Then there’s the hotel itself: grandiose, elegant, and reminiscent of its early heyday in the Roaring Twenties when it opened. The rooms, of which there are 205 and 28 suites, are magnificent—think heavy drapes, large windows with expansive views, free-standing tubs, and beds fit for a king. Take time to enjoy the giant spa and choose from eight bars and restaurants, including the Century Bar, which has a choice of more than 100 single malts on its menu, and the Art Deco Strathearn restaurant. And don’t worry if the Scottish weather takes a turn—Gleneagles offers complimentary Barbour jackets and wellies to guests.
Courtesy Aranwa Hotelshotel46. Aranwa Paracas Resort & Spa — Peru
Readers' Choice Awards 2020, 2021, 2022This elegant resort sits on Peru's Paracas Bay, an underrated and peaceful stretch of coast whose peninsula looks out on the South Pacific. Spaces are modern and expansive—a restaurant and bevy of bars onsite keep one well-fed, meaning all time spent in the surrounding area can be dedicated to the exploration of nature. Visitors in particular sing the praises of the spa, where you get to know the attentive staff and find yourself coming back for more every day of your stay. Good service is not limited to that area of the property, however; the entire resort boasts some seriously heavenly hospitality.
Courtesy Tutka Bay Lodgehotel45. Tutka Bay Lodge — Homer, Alaska, U.S.
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2020, 2022At this lodge on the tip of the Kenai Peninsula, luxury and wilderness work in tandem. Guests spend their days fishing for halibut, kayaking in the bay, hiking on glaciers, or lazing about the property. It's also helmed by Kirsten Dixon, a celebrated locavore chef, so meals focus on ingredients that can be fished, hunted, gathered, or grown within the state (though the wine list is decidedly not local). The property is only accessible by a small boat from Homer or a seaplane from Anchorage, but it's well worth the trek.
Courtesy Airelles Courchevel, Les Airelleshotel44. Airelles Courchevel, Les Airelles — France
Readers' Choice Awards 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022Set in a pine forest in France’s toniest ski resort, this 48-room hideaway fully embraces its winter-wonderland theme with a design scheme inspired by a 19th-century Austro-Hungarian castle. The folk murals, stained glass, and crackling fireplaces may evoke a scene out of the Brothers Grimm, but don’t be fooled by the fairy-tale surroundings—this place is all about over-the-top luxury. That means an Hermès-designed horse-drawn carriage, a Rolls-Royce Cullinan car service, helicopter transfers to the airport, and a ski lounge brimming with gear by Bernard Orcel.
Courtesy La Cantera Resort & Spa/Photo by Sammy Todd Dyesshotel43. La Cantera Resort & Spa — San Antonio, Texas, U.S.
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022Built atop one of the highest points in San Antonio, the resort boasts views that truly can't be beat, which is why we recommend booking a room with a balcony. In addition to an adults-only floor and luxe villas perfect for large groups, guests will delight in the exclusive spa treatments and memorable dining options—from a concept dedicated entirely to charcuterie boards to a juicery that offers mood-enhancing Lotus Wei elixirs. The star, however, is Signature, a restaurant that is a feast for the senses, serving up seafood and wild game in an old-world setting.
Courtesy Capella Ubud Balihotel42. Capella Ubud Bali — Indonesia
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022It’s not like Bali needed another hotel, especially around the island’s teeming spiritual hub of Ubud. But the notoriously inventive Bill Bensley envisioned something wholly divergent for this 10-acre patch of jungle north of the city on the Wos River: a fanciful take on a tented camp pitched by early-19th-century spice traders. This is hotel as theater. On arrival, visitors receive a survival kit (sunscreen, insect repellent, a map), plus a carved walking stick to help pick their way over the suspension bridges leading to 22 black canvas tents with saltwater plunge pools. Bensley’s light-footprint approach (not a single tree was felled) means the camp blends seamlessly into its backdrop, the tent walls porous to the hooting birds of the jungle. It’s ideal for those looking to approach Bali in a more conscious way—staying here is like returning to the island’s former wild self.
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Victor Eliashotel41. Conrad Tulum Riviera Maya — Mexico
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Hot List 2022 Readers' Choice Awards 2022The most distinctive part of Hilton’s luxury debut on Mexico’s Riviera Maya is its chameleon-like approach to hospitality. Yes, with its 349 rooms, acres of pools, 11 restaurants, and kids’ and teens’ clubs, the Conrad is the type of resort whose (large bronze) gates a traveler would be content to pass through only twice: right before check-in and right after checkout. Spiritually, though, it aligns more closely with the smaller-scale properties 30 minutes north in Tulum that seek to connect guests with the surrounding destination. Honoring the Mayan cultures that have occupied this stretch of Caribbean coast for centuries, a traditional sacbe, or “white road”—the name of the ancient roadways Mayans created to travel by moonlight—cuts through the jungled grounds. In the lobby, a soaring art installation takes a cue from Mayan macramé. And at the cenote-inspired spa, a traditional four-hands massage is second only to a jalapeño margarita in the open-air bar as a way to immediately shed any lingering real-life stress remaining after a dip in the sea.
Courtesy El Nido Resortshotel40. El Nido Resorts - Pangulasian Island — Philippines
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Gold List 2018 Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022The most luxurious of El Nido Resorts' four Palawan archipelago properties comprises 42 villas laid out along a white-sand cove facing the emerald Bacuit Bay on the South China Sea. An hour-and-a-quarter-long charter flight southwest from Manila brings you to a one-runway airport where you're welcomed by a group of singing ladies. Your luxurious hideaway (a quick boat trip from the airport) is a launchpad to the island biosphere gloriously featured in The Bourne Legacy. With scuba courses and access to plentiful dive sites, as well as boat tours of mangroves and secret lagoons, you could spend all your time exploring, but the resort makes it equally tempting to stay put. There is a reef for snorkeling, a fleet of kayaks for guests' use, and a seemingly endless choice of lounging options.
Courtesy Sofitelhotel39. Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua Beach Resort — Indonesia
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2022Bali’s only five-star beachfront ballroom is not the only reason that Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua Beach Resort has guests singing praises and coming back for more. The serene escape on a stunning stretch of seaside property has three restaurants, two bars, a vast spa, and an indoor-outdoor kids club to ensure that parents can truly enjoy everything on offer. Guaranteed access to the pristine beach is, of course, a plus, as is the service—in the unlikely event that you find yourself wanting for something while on the premises, everything you need is only a phone call to the front desk away.
Courtesy COMO Hotels and Resortshotel38. COMO Bhutan
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2021, 2022The Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan is home to two magical destination retreats by COMO, each of which offers its own unique pleasures. In the Paro Valley, the intimate COMO Uma Paro melds Bhutanese craftsmanship with signature COMO amenities—especially those centered around wellness. You're in a prime location for hiking and exploring the natural wonders around you, not to mention trekking to visit nearby Buddhist temples. About a three-hour drive away, the 11-room COMO Uma Punakha sits at the farthest edge of the Punakha Valley, offering guests views of terraced rice fields, the temple of Khamsum Yuley Namgay, and snowcapped Himalayan peaks. The restaurant Bukhari, so named for the traditional Bhutanese fireplace, might be the best place to savor these vistas. Park yourself on the outdoor terrace, preferably by a smoking, standing fireplace, for a seasonally driven dinner made with local organic ingredients—red rice, hand-ground buckwheat flour, apple cider vinegar, and hand-molded farm cheese.
Courtesy Le Barthélemy Hotel & Spahotel37. Le Barthélemy Hotel & Spa — St. Barts
$$$ | Hot List 2017 Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022A relatively new addition to St. Barts' luxury hotel scene, Le Barthélemy is a sophisticated winner that keeps with the island's low-rise sensibility. Set between a lagoon and Grand Cul-de-Sac beach along the island's northeastern shore, the hotel is an education in understated elegance. Rooms are spare and enormous, with lots of wood and one or two pops of bright color—some even have small, rectangular plunge pools for mini-laps. The food at Amis St. Barth is unabashedly modern French, with attention paid to proper portions in the tropics: in other words, not too much. Water sports enthusiasts have an expanse of calm shallow waters for kayaking, kite-surfing, and snorkeling—a flotilla of a dozen sea turtles that survived the storms of 2017 remain in residence and are easily visible.
hotel36. Elewana Kilindi Zanzibar — Tanzania
Readers' Choice Awards 2020, 2022Not since the last sultan’s palace has there been anything so stylish on this fabled east African isle. The designers have created a landscape of whitewashed domes and arches that seem to mushroom up organically from the forested folds of Zanzibar’s north shore. Kilindi is generous with space: Fifteen pavilions are set on 52 lush acres with 1,640 feet of beachfront. Each hideaway is a maze of split levels and staircases latticed by a waterfall and two plunge pools. The breezy rooms are cooled by the trade winds (instead of air-conditioning), and the decor is uncluttered: handwoven baskets, a few seashells, and the odd cotton kikoy throw. By night, the scene softens with storm lanterns lit by hotel staff, who also patrol the premises. The hitch is the beach, which is used primarily by local fishermen and thus can be pungent. Better to laze by the T-shaped infinity pool and watch the dhows sail out while sipping top-notch cocktails from a bar that’s easily one of the best on the Swahili coast.
Courtesy Amanhotel35. Amankila — Bali, Indonesia
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2021, 2022Wend your way to Bali’s less-explored and truly rural east coast; just after the almost-hidden sign for Amankila has nudged you to turn off the road, the dramatic, watery horizon comes into view. With greenery stretching for miles below and the island of Nusa Penida in the distance, this is the paradise travelers dream of—a world away from traffic-clogged, built-up Seminyak and Nusa Dua. Staggered on a hillside frothing with frangipani and bougainvillea are 34 standalone alang-alang-roofed villa suites. Even the entry-level Garden Suites are a cut above, but for a truly unforgettable experience, the Kilasari Suite, named after Amankila’s main temple, has a lovely sea-view infinity pool. There’s no dazzling you with hi-tech frippery; rather, here the luxury is a feeling that comes from having your own villa and private terrace. Rooms have sophisticated furniture with inlaid coconut and shell, and the ensuite bathrooms are nearly as large as the sleeping quarters. Order a mangosteen martini to toast your unmistakably Balinese setting—and your good fortune to be staying at an Aman. Then, in the open-air restaurant, feast on just-caught seafood, suckling pig, satay skewers, and sambals. One of the original Aman resorts, its name means “peaceful hill,” and it remains as charming as ever.
Courtesy Starwood Hotels & Resorts/Photo by Ralf Tootenhotel34. The St. Regis Bali Resort — Indonesia
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022Occupying a prime tranche of sea coast in the resort enclave of Nusa Dua, the St. Regis brings Fifth Avenue smarts to the tropics without losing a scintilla of the island’s languorous magic. Spacious lagoon villas offer a choice of garden privacy, a private gate to the beach, or hop-in access to the meandering lagoon pool. There’s no end of things to do here—an athletic club, frequent cultural events, and an exquisite spa. The resort also abounds in private nooks: A magnificent formal garden dotted with thatched pavilions occupies an expanse of nearly two acres between the main building and the golf course. The beachside Kayuputi restaurant is easily one of the island’s best, offering extravagances like wagyu beef carpaccio and Sturia caviar.
Courtesy Twin Farmshotel33. Twin Farms — Barnard, Vermont, U.S.
$$$ | Gold List 2018 Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022Twin Farms, an 18th-century Southern Vermont farmhouse that once belonged to Nobel Prize–winning writer Sinclair Lewis, is the perfect spot to get away from the city and relax amid maple and pine trees. Our readers laud the first-rate service at this rural retreat. One of only a handful of Relais & Chateaux properties in New England, the food here is superb, with chef Nathan Rich putting together a highly seasonal menu drawn from Vermont produce, meats, and dairy. Beyond the dining room, there’s a guide readily available for walks through the surrounding woods, an on-call chauffeur for local outings, and even someone to bring you milk and cookies at any hour.
Renee Kempshotel32. Airelles Val d'Isère, Mademoiselle — France
Readers' Choice Awards 2022Ski out of Airelles Val d’lsere first thing on a brisk and bright morning, and ski right back in toward the day’s close—a rare and incredibly expedient luxury for the area. Once onsite, warm up and reenergize in the brand new restaurant, LOULOU—you can even get your Force Majeure on by dining on their vast terrace, although it’s much more likely that your meal will be spent peacefully soaking in the views and sipping on warm beverages. Need to take the afternoon off the slopes? Take a dip in the indoor pool and make a visit to the sauna.
Courtesy The Chedi Club Tanah Gajahhotel31. Tanah Gajah, a Resort by Hadiprana — Bali, Indonesia
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2020, 2022It’s hard to believe the sprawling resort is only a 10-minute drive from increasingly tourist-clogged Ubud—once you’re there, it’s as though you’re in private a country estate miles from civilization. The hotel sits near the 9th-century Goa Gajah, or Elephant Cave; as a tribute to this sacred temple, elephant statues line the winding driveway to the open reception area. The resort occupies what was once the family home of Hendra Hadiprana, a serious art collector and one of Indonesia’s preeminent architects. The resort boasts clear influences from its past life, starting with elaborate sculptures in the lobby. A big pond and a long, green-tiled pool (neatly flanked by a phalanx of sun loungers and parasols) nod to Balinese water palaces. The thatched open-air dining pavilion, which overlooks the paddy fields where the menu's rice is harvested, works for low-key lunches and special-occasion dinners alike. The resort's interpretation of Indonesian Rijsttafel, nine rice dishes with spicy sambals, is particularly great. We also loved lounging on triangular cushions and picnicking at the edge of the property's dazzling green-grass field.
Courtesy Vik Retreatshotel30. Estancia Vik José Ignacio — Uruguay
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022Drive just 40 minutes northeast of Punta Del Este’s sunny beaches and swank resorts, and you’ll hit this Uruguayan sanctuary: a 12-suite Spanish colonial spread dropped into 4,000 wind-whipped acres of rugged countryside, just a mile from the coast. More than half of the white-walled estancia’s footprint is taken up by interior pockets of outdoor space—gardens, courtyards, walkways. The rest holds its other charms, like individually designed rooms, courtesy of Uruguayan artists: The master suite Vik, for example, is wrapped in rich, dark woods, while the Trujillo suite’s bed is anointed by a massive nude painting. Make a plan to test out the massive indoor barbecue surrounded by tin walls—a nod to the galpons, or sheds, used by gauchos, and hosed in graffiti for one of the hotel’s many art-driven kicks.
Courtesy Four Seasons Resort Langkawihotel29. Four Seasons Resort Langkawi — Malaysia
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022When the Four Seasons opened their tropical resort in Langkawi in 2006, most of their clients had not even heard of the 99-island archipelago off Malaysia; the 91-room property right on the shores of the Andaman Sea is a testament to the luxury group’s ability to open in both well known destinations and to gamble on the barely discovered. Set out like a traditional Malay village, albeit one with far grander accommodations, the design borrows generously from the surrounding Indian, Balinese and Middle Eastern cultures. While palatial beachfront villas come with their own spa rooms and private plunge pools, even the pavilion rooms feel like mini-fiefdoms. Other highlights include the infinity lap pool with its cabanas framed by stone walls (high enough to block out the couples on either side), Moroccan tents set up beachside for private dinners, the excellent, mostly Balinese-trained, staff, and bathrooms you’ll want to transport home. Though its tempting to stay resort-side, take the time for a boat trip through the mangroves of Kilim River and the pristine, uninhabited outlying islands. As you drift along you’ll realize that opening in this idyll was really no gamble at all.
Courtesy Four Seasons Resort Palm Beachhotel28. Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach — Florida, U.S.
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022Two oceanfront pools, an expansive beach, and a restaurant and bar built up in collaboration with Michelin-starred chef Mauro Colagreco—these are the pillars of the Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach. While it’s no daunting task to beautify the Florida island’s landscape (Mother Nature has handled that herself), this resort takes that perfection and compounds it with stunning design and an overarching aura of enchantment. Pool service is on point, as are the activities on offer for when lounging in the sun feels a little too intense. Water and beach sports, cooking classes, biking, and more: the six-acre spread has it all.
Courtesy Shangri-La Hotels and Resortshotel27. Shangri-La Boracay — Philippines
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2021, 2022Overlooking a sheltered bay on Boracay's northern coastline, this 30-acre property debuted in 2009, and it's been a crowdpleaser ever since. The main building is an open pavilion with a pitched roof and an exterior of local coral stone. Public areas create a sense of place with ten-foot-high tribal drums, carved wooden sculptures, and Filipino art. Room interiors showcase handwoven textiles, sconces made of local capiz shells, and oars framed as art—though any artwork will have to compete with the incredible sunsets outside. The spoils of the ocean are the focus at the cliffside Sirena restaurant, where the absolutely over-the-top seafood tower comes piled with Palawan lobster, tiger prawns, lapu lapu fillet, red snapper, scallops, octopus, and clams.
hotel26. Viceroy Snowmass — Colorado, U.S.
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022Snowmass is the most expansive of Aspen Snowman's four mountains, with the most lift-served vertical feet of terrain in the United States, and the Viceroy is the most luxe stay on these slopes. In early 2018, Viceroy Snowmass debuted extensive enhancements to the hotel’s main public areas, including a new restaurant, TORO Kitchen & Lounge, from acclaimed chef-restaurateur, Richard Sandoval; a new lobby with a coffee and pastry shop called Café V; a state-of-the-art fitness center; and a new yoga studio. In addition, the resort recently introduced an entirely new ski-in/ski-out bar and renovations to the pool area, adding almost 400 square feet of outdoor space, three new soaking tubs, and a new water feature.
Courtesy Vik Retreatshotel25. Bahia Vik José Ignacio — Uruguay
$$ | Hot List 2015 Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022Want to book a room with a view? Start at one of the 11 unique stand-alone bungalows at Bahia Vik—with two or three bedrooms each and filled with site-specific art—or one of 10 suites in the central building. With views of the sand dunes of Uruguay’s eastern coast, the resort offers a library, a game room (with ping pong), a spa, and a gym, all thanks to art-collecting and wine-making power couple Alex and Carrie Vik. Sister property, Playa, directly next door was designed by Uruguayan architect Carlos Ott, and the beach property contrasts startlingly with José Ignacio’s modest, whitewashed cottages: Six light-filled two- and three-bedroom casitas, walled in glass and roofed with sea grasses, surround a titanium-and-glass main building. There you’ll find an additional four suites, a Zaha Hadid–designed molded acrylic bench, and a wall of pulsating light from artist James Turrell in a dining area overlooking the beach.
hotel24. InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort — Vietnam
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022Though just 30 minutes from the Da Nang airport, InterContinental’s flagship Vietnam property feels much farther away from the “real world.” Scattered amongst the lush hills of the Son Tra Peninsula nature reserve and down to the sandy shores of the East Sea, the resort—which opened in 2012—has become one of the top picks in the country for relaxing getaways. While families tend to rule here, it's also a hit with couples and groups of friends, particularly those interested in cuisine and wellness. Adults can have their fun around the grown-ups-only infinity pool (there’s a garden pool for all ages), at daily activities like tai chi classes, and at the award-winning Harnn Heritage Spa, where the treatments range from holistic therapies to luxe mani-pedis created by French pedicurist Bastien Gonzalez. From the ocean- or mountain-view rooms and suites to the penthouses and the multi-bedroom villas, it's the perfect pick for some beachside R&R while in Vietnam.
Courtesy Minor Hotelshotel23. Qasr al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara — Liwa Desert, U.A.E.
$$ | Gold List 2022 Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022Deep within Abu Dhabi’s remote Empty Quarter, Qasr Al Sarab materializes from the sands like a fever dream. The fortlike compound, with its crenellated walls, faux watchtowers, and horseshoe arches, emerges at the end of a slick ribbon of tarmac that snakes through dunes the color of Earl Grey tea. Date palms shade its formidable perimeter, while small canals modeled on ancient Arabian falaj irrigation systems carry cooling water between courtyards. Inside, the details give just enough of a sense of place—Moroccan-style lanterns and intricate mashrabiya screens, and even the odd Bedouin artifact, such as a dagger or a brass coffeepot—which feels purposeful rather than hokey. Sienna-walled guest rooms are kitted out with wooden chests and plush-patterned rugs that offer tactile warmth in a desolate place. But the most intriguing aspect is that activity and idleness are in equal supply here. You can just as easily spend a day hopping over the dunes on a fat bike or lingering on the premises, perhaps being immersed in a sound bath. Every trip ends with a climb along the dunes, where you might catch some of the most mesmerizing sunsets of your life—the ocean-like sands constantly shifting as the winds carve waves into their surface; impermanent but, just for a moment, perfectly wrought.
hotel22. Cape Weligama — Sri Lanka
$$ | Hot List 2015 Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022The team behind Ceylon Tea Trails has opened its latest Relais & Chateaux resort on a 12-acre headland above Sri Lanka’s palm-lined southern coast. Between the on-site dive center and the infinity pool overlooking the Indian Ocean, it offers plenty of outdoor diversions. But you’ll also want to spend time in its 39 terracotta-roofed, butler-serviced villas, designed by Thai architect Lek Bunnag within stonewalled wattas, or gardens.
hotel21. Four Seasons Resort and Residences Vail — Colorado, U.S.
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022The Four Seasons Resort Vail was built to impress, a towering structure of peaked roofs, floor-to-ceiling windows, and balconies that face the snowy slopes of Vail Mountain. Check-in at the elegant wood-paneled lobby, then head to the adjacent Remedy Bar for a cocktail in front of a massive modern fireplace. One of the best parts of the Four Seasons's 121 rooms and 24 suites is the size—the smallest rooms are just under 600 square feet. This gives you plenty of space to spread out (ski jackets included!), and the standard mountain view rooms come decked out in a neutral alpine color palette with down duvets, gas fireplaces, leather headboards, and hickory trim. Most open up to a smallish balcony, just big enough for a book and coffee. For a splurge, upgrade to the more recently renovated deluxe mountain-view one-bedroom suites. These units offer over 1,000 square feet, a limestone bathroom and touches like a Nespresso machine, Bose Bluetooth speakers, and L'Occitane Amande bath products.
Courtesy Grootbos Private Nature Reservehotel20. Grootbos Private Nature Reserve — South Africa
$$$ | Gold List 2022 Readers' Choice Awards 2021, 2022For a long time, lodges in South Africa tended to be geared toward the Big Five. Grootbos, on the fynbos slopes near Walker Bay, south of Cape Town, is different. This 6,177-acre private reserve is about treasuring the smaller, finer things. With 889 plant species, seven of which are newly discovered, it is first and foremost a rare botanical treasure trove, in which owner Michael Lutzeyer has employed some of the Cape’s leading botanists and entomologists. The lodges are glassy and contemporary, but there’s a constant call outdoors—from the outside showers to tracking elusive aardvark and Cape leopard, or having lantern-lit dinners in a 1,000-year-old milkwood forest, all fairy-tale tangles. You can ride horses across the sands, past ancient sea caves; go on flower safaris, tree-planting expeditions, and whale-watching flights to see the calving Southern right whales that migrate inshore between July and December. Most of the food on the carbon-negative reserve is grown on site, and nothing comes from more than 30 miles away, with many of the staff graduates of the in-house hospitality academy. But the main takeaway of Grootbos is that just stopping and looking—at the interconnectedness and mad beauty of life—is the most mesmerizing thing of all.
Courtesy Oliver's Camphotel19. Oliver's Camp — Tarangire Nation, Tanzania
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2019, 2020, 2022Asilia Africa, an East Africa-focused safari company, has 23 safari camps spread out in Tanzania and Kenya. Oliver's Camp, located in Tanzania's Tarangire National Park, was one of their first, dating back to 1992. It's been a go-to on the East Africa safari circuit ever since, with 10 beautifully appointed tents and prime access to wildlife spotting. The tents all include en-suite bathrooms, as well as running water and multiple showers, so you won't be roughing it here. Oliver's Camp is known for its walking safaris—a rare chance to get out of the vehicle with a guide. Most days at Oliver's Camp include morning drives, afternoon tea, sundowners, and an evening drive, as well as plenty of down time and stargazing at night. And it's a great option for families, as children five and above are welcome.
RALF TOOTENhotel18. The Laguna, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Nusa Dua, Bali — Indonesia
Readers' Choice Awards 2022Located within the larger, incredibly exclusive Nusa Dua resort region, The Laguna, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, sits on one of Bali’s most beautiful beaches. There are 257 guest rooms and 19 suites, but the best spot might be in a Lagoon Access Room, which allows you to step from your private balcony directly into the water. There are also 11 pool villas, each of which boasts its own expansive private pool. A 24-hour butler service ensures guests need not lift a finger while onsite. As far as cuisine, there’s beachfront restaurants, wine rooms, and pan-Asian options, just to name a few.
Courtesy Six Senses Bhutanhotel17. Six Senses Bhutan
$$$ | Gold List 2023 Readers' Choice Awards 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022Six Senses is the latest of the global hotel heavyweights to land in Bhutan, and its culturally considered approach is a natural fit for a pristine kingdom that has been largely unchanged for centuries. The wellness-focused “hotel” is actually a circuit of five lodges, each with its own distinct design: Thimphu, which is set among apple orchards and pine forests close to the national capital; Paro, which is a stone’s throw from ancient monasteries; Gangtey, which offers birders an incredible perch from which to watch for rare black-necked cranes; and Bumthang, which features a peaceful design aesthetic inspired by the surrounding forests. Of all the outposts, rustic and intimate Punakha is the standout. The lush rice paddies and traditional farmhouses of the low-lying countryside inspired the Himalayan-wood living room and bar that cantilevers dramatically over the pool. There is a spa and 16 calming all-wood suites split across four pale-buttermilk buildings (plus a trio of villas), all with a bukhari stove and sliding glass doors that open onto a deck where the forest-clad mountains appear almost close enough to touch.
Courtesy Minor Hotels/Photo by Paul Thuysbaerthotel16. Anantara Sir Bani Yas Island Resorts — Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022Flamingos wade around the three-resort Anantara Sir Bani Yas Island premises in their trademark placid flamboyance, their soft pinks a sweet compliment to the crystal clear water and sandy shores on which they roam. Many of the villas available enjoy unhindered views of this scene and the skyline beyond. The pool as well sits just a few yards of pristine lawn from the sand. Activities on offer range from safaris (expect cheetahs and giraffes) and nature walks showcasing the beauty of the United Arab Emirates to archery classes and history tours. Never a dull moment, nor one too stressful or strenuous.
Courtesy Volcanoes Safarishotel15. Mount Gahinga Lodge — Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Uganda
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2022If you've ever wanted to set up camp at the base of a volcano, there's no better place than Mount Gahinga Lodge, which is located in the southwestern corner of Uganda adjacent to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. From any of the six stone bandas with papyrus roofs, you'll be able to dart out to track gorillas or rare golden monkeys, hike the volcano, or meet local Batwa pygmies, the oldest inhabitants of the Central African rainforest. Each banda is decorated in the style of the Bafumbira people, giving the lodging both a pop of color and a touch of local flavor.
Aman Resortshotel14. Aman Le Mélézin — Courchevel, France
Readers' Choice Awards 2022You can’t get any closer to the slopes than this Aman ski resort, which sits directly on the Bellecôte Piste in tony (but adventure-loving) Courchevel 1850. Rooms and suites get a touch of mountain-lodge coziness from the honey-colored oak paneling and oversized daybeds, from which you can take in views of the mountains or village; many also include outdoor red cedar hot tubs—the perfect place to soothe your muscles after a day out on the slopes. There are plenty of ways to work up a sweat beyond skiing, including snowshoeing, tobogganing, dog-sledding, and fat biking. If you’d rather get, well, above it all, Aman can set you up with a helicopter or hot air balloon ride, which is especially romantic first thing in the morning, when the snow-covered peaks are set aglow by the warm hues of the rising sun.
Courtesy Habitas Namibiahotel13. Habitas Namibia — Windhoek District, Namibia
$$$ | Hot List 2021 Readers' Choice Awards 2022On this 120,000-acre private estate, 15 tented solar-powered suites are scattered across a kopje (a small hill) that overlooks plains of camel-thorn acacias and twisted shepherd trees. Habitas, known for its community-minded retreat in Tulum, effortlessly moves guests’ focus among culture, well-being, and breathtaking natural surroundings. Head ranger Matheus Amunyela and guide Paulus Kambathi sit together in the jeep, taking turns discussing the wildlife, trees, herbs and their traditional uses. Safaris can include stories from Kambathi, a Khwe guide, and Perry Uatokuja, a Himba ranger, as well as healing experiences like a sound bath by a watering hole or yoga where a curious giraffe may wander by. You’ll also find white rhinos, hippos, and zebras; leopards and cheetahs are hard, but not impossible, to spot. The day might end with a bush braai, or cookout, and a drumming circle, or a tranquil new-moon meditation after the sun goes down.
Courtesy Volcanoes Safarishotel12. Kyambura Gorge Lodge — Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2022In a past life, Kyambura Gorge Lodge was a meager coffee store in southwestern Uganda. But today, it's been reincarnated as an ecolodge consisting of eight chalets on stilts—though they're more than just solar-paneled huts on high. After a long day of tracking chimps in Queen Elizabeth National Park, you'll welcome a luxurious shower or a massage by the pool. Then again, with majestic views of the savannah, faraway mountains, and the namesake sunken gorge, you might never want to leave the property. New walking safaris have been added to take guests into a reclaimed wetland, and conservation-minded visitors can help revitalize the fragile ecosystem by planting a seedling.
Courtesy Rosewood Phukethotel11. Rosewood Phuket — Thailand
$$$ | Gold List 2020 Hot List 2018 Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022The Thai island of Phuket has grown up from backpackers’ hangout to serious hotel destination. Relative newcomer Rosewood Phuket is leading the pack, and from the drive-up alone, you know this place is special: Lots of blond wood and imposing flagstones, with a breezy and spaced-out design. Free-standing bungalows go up and down the hillside, while pools, the spa, and bars and restaurants are scattered throughout. The set-up lets the property breathe—you never feel like you're sharing space with many others, even when the resort is full. And the Andaman Sea is visible from just about everywhere.
hotel10. Banana Island Resort Doha by Anantara — Qatar
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2020, 2021, 2022Banana Island is a crescent-shaped island, just a 20 minute private catamaran ride off the coast of Doha. Inspired by a traditional Arabian village on a deserted island, Banana Island Resort is for those wanting to temporarily escape ordinary life. With overwater villas, a spectacular lagoon, onsite wellness center, and array of other entertainment options, there’s no reason to ever leave. While each room is complemented with a private balcony overlooking either the beach, pool or sea, it’s the overwater villas that steal the show. With their own infinity pools, shaded balcony with reclined sun lounges, curved bathtubs in the middle of the spacious bathrooms, and Egyptian cotton sheets on the plush King sized beds, they’re hard to resist. This place is as much for families as it is for honeymooning couples. There is a playground for children, a kids water park, bowling alley, mini golf, and a host of water sports to get the whole family involved. The resort also offers special kids programs, including cooking classes, yoga, and beauty parties.
Courtesy Virunga Lodgehotel9. Virunga Lodge — Burera, Rwanda
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2021, 2022Virunga Lodge is a rustic hilltop retreat with ten suites, half overlooking stunning Lake Burera, the other with sweeping views of Rwanda's jagged volcanic peaks. You can't go wrong with either side, but we suggest going for one of the two deluxe options that have living rooms and fire pits. Rooms are spacious and filled with bright local fabrics. Rates include all meals and drinks, plus a daily massage—much needed after a day spent gorilla trekking, hiking, or birdwatching in the nearby Volcanoes National Park. As the day winds down, get cozy in the living room for a game of cards and a glass of South African wine, or watch the sun set from the stone terrace.
Courtesy Singitahotel7. Singita Sabi Sand — South Africa
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2020, 2022Singita Sabi Sand includes three well-appointed options that provide an elegant base from which to bask in the natural beauty of one of South Africa's most renowned game reserves. Singita’s founding property, Ebony Lodge, sits surrounded by a grove of its namesake trees, with 12 suites inspired by old explorers’ camps. Boulders Lodge, meanwhile, was named after the ancient rocks strewn along the banks of the Sand River, and the 12 glass-fronted suites have artfully pared-down interiors, featuring fossilized tree stumps and other found objects. And Castleton Lodge occupies the ancestral home of Singita founder Luke Bailes. Its Cape Dutch charm, mullioned windows, antiques, expert safari guides, and longtime family staff remain—but the wine cellar, state-of-the-art kitchen, and full gym are all new.
Courtesy Six Senses Ninh Van Bayhotel7. Six Senses Ninh Van Bay — Vietnam
Readers' Choice Awards 2021, 2022With dramatic views over Vietnam's Ninh Van Bay and open-air, thatched-roof villas where you can soak in the scenery from a bathtub, this Six Senses outpost also boasts its own endangered monkey reserve. The treasures of both the sea and the surrounding mountains are at your fingertips thanks to an array of land and water activities ranging from hikes and beach picnics to fishing experiences and sunset cruises. And it doesn't hurt that, no matter how you choose to pass the day, there's always a plunge pool, wine cave, restaurants, and spa to return to on-resort.
Wendy/Courtesy COMO Uma Cangguhotel6. COMO Uma Canggu — Bali, Indonesia
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2022This modern, steel-and-glass hotel skews more South Beach than Bali, but it offers a sanctuary from scruffy Canggu, a magnet for the global bohemian set. At the COMO Beach Club, in a haute surf-shack setting, the music’s always playing, the palms are swaying, and people are chilling in batik-cushioned banquettes and swinging white chaises. The Beach Club’s surf school, run by Tropicsurf, offers guided surf lessons for beginners to veteran shredders on Echo Beach’s famous left break. Overall the hotel’s wellness focus comes through in its delicious Balinese “clean cuisine” and its outposts of COMO Shambhala’s Spa and Glow café.
Victor Romerohotel5. Atlantis, The Palm — Dubai, U.A.E.
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022Dubai's Atlantis looks almost identical to its Bahamian sibling, which is to say: magical. The first hotel to inhabit The Palm Island, it’s situated in the best location. The massive lobby is bustling at any time of day, but take a moment to pause and admire the common space's Dale Chihuly centerpiece comprises more than 600 pieces of blown glass. The resort truly has it all: a massive waterpark, an aquarium, luxury shopping, and more restaurants than you can count on both hands. If you have a herd of kids that you want to keep entertained and happy, this is the place to go.
Courtesy COMO Hotels & Resorts/©2013 Martin Morrellhotel4. COMO Uma Ubud — Bali, Indonesia
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2022Because Bali is a tropical island, there's a misperception that it's all about beaches. Yet there’s little more dramatic than the magical tableau of Ubud's jungle scenes. At COMO Uma Ubud, coconut palms and banyan trees frame 46 rooms, suites, and villas, all designed by Koichiro Ikebuchi, offering an intimate, hyperlocal experience. At the heart of the resort is an 82-foot jade-green pool with rooms and eating areas staggered across the snug plot. Clever planning, fresh interior design, private courtyards, and infinity-edge plunge pools make the property feel modern—yet totally at home in Ubud.
Courtesy Uxua Casa Hotelhotel3. Uxua Casa Hotel & Spa — Trancoso, Brazil
$$ | Gold List 2018, 2019, 2023 Readers' Choice Awards 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022Surrounded by dense rainforest and teetering high on a ridge overlooking the powder-sand-fringed Atlantic, Uxua fits right into the post-hippie utopia of Trancoso. Working with local artisans, Dutch owner Wilbert Das (Diesel’s former creative director) has turned the hotel into a collection of rustic renovated casas, cottages, an intimate treehouse, and a tribal-inspired spa. All are cloaked by hummingbird-flecked tropical gardens and centered around a pool lined with green aventurine quartz, which, for those not up on their healing crystals, is said to be very therapeutic. Interiors are haute-boho: roomy indoor-outdoor sitting rooms and airy living spaces with dazzling-white walls and muslin-canopied beds, accented with lots of reclaimed wood, antiques, and vintage finds including brightly painted Virgin Mary statuettes. A decked path runs through mangrove forests to the beach, where there are enormous day beds for post-breakfast snoozing and a beach bar fashioned from an old fishing boat—just stay horizontal and another Caipirinha will soon find its way to you.
Courtesy Four Seasons Jumeirahhotel2. Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach — U.A.E.
Gold List 2022 Readers' Choice Awards 2022There aren’t too many places that can offer a true beach and city break—but this elegant compound on Jumeirah’s crisp white shores manages to feel like part of Dubai while also being gently removed from it. Mostly, the hotel sits on the serene side of Middle Eastern opulence, with marble, Murano chandeliers, and gold-leaf ceilings cut through with calming, earthy tones inspired by the desert and Arabian Gulf. Staff around the curving, shadow-draped lagoon pools seem ever-ready with citrus shooters and blueberry muffins, and there’s often a procession of couples heading toward the orblike sculpture by the beach, firelit as the sun goes down. The spa has treatments designed by Swiss anti-aging guru Pauline Burgener, and much of the food runs fresh—from detox salads at vegetarian Folia to yellowtail ceviche at Sea Fu. But this is still Dubai, so there’s also room for the flash of Nusr-Et, the steakhouse created by divisive Turkish showman Salt Bae. Jumeirah is the closest beach to Downtown, and the Burj Al Arab and Burj Khalifa still loom large, best viewed from the rooftop Mercury Lounge, with its Arabian archways framing the twinkling city. There's no better way to see and do Dubai.
Courtesy Adare Manorhotel1. Adare Manor — Co. Limerick, Ireland
$$ | Gold List 2020 Hot List 2018 Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022Toss a pebble in any direction across Ireland’s twenty-six counties and you’ll likely hit all manner of manor hotels. But when dashing across the island from Dublin to Limerick, the one to stop at is Adare. Trappings of heavy velvet and armor, superbly polished floors, and the satisfying crunch of a well-raked gravel drive are present. Yet this is a thoroughly modern reinvention of a country escape—draft excluders be gone, with airtight double glazing and lashings of hot water in a tub overlooking a waterfall on the River Maigue. An eye-opening afternoon of falconry, including an introduction to mesmerizing owls large and small, is fueled by an open-faced grilled-prawn sandwich and a glass of Sancerre worthy of Adare’s recent Michelin Sommelier award, served fireside in the stained-glass Gallery. This is a welcoming place without pretension—a remarkably understated lobby and check-in is pleasantly filled with a congenial mix of world travelers, in- and-outbound from Shannon’s international airport only 30 minutes away. The manor debuted a new indoor pool, two paddle tennis courts, yoga studio, and a steam room and sauna. The hotel can arrange a well-worth day trip to the Cliffs of Moher on the raging Atlantic up north, but the tip is to visit nearby Foynes Flying Boat & Maritime Museum, home to first point of entry to Europe for transatlantic flights from the U.S. in the 1940s—and the birthplace of the Irish coffee.