Hotels

The hotels and stays we would book ourselves, across every destination, each with what it does well and where it falls short.

398 stays

$$$$$Daniel Zaas · Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

Kenya-Tanzania Safari Route · luxury · Kichwa Tembo concession, Masai Mara, Kenya

&Beyond Bateleur Camp, Masai Mara

Private-concession exclusivity leased from Maasai landlords

The concession location is a drive from the reserve’s core crossing points in migration season

$$$$$Harvey Barrison from Massapequa, NY, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Zanzibar · unique · Mnemba Island (private, off the northeast coast)

&Beyond Mnemba Island

A private 1.5km island shared with only a handful of other guests

Very expensive and often requires a minimum-stay commitment

$$$$$ผู้สร้างสรรค์ผลงาน/ส่งข้อมูลเก็บในคลังข้อมูลเสรีวิกิมีเดียคอมมอนส์ - เทวประภาส มากคล้าย · CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Chiang Mai · boutique · Wat Ket, east bank of the Ping River

137 Pillars House

Built around a restored 19th-century teak homestead that served as the northern headquarters of the Borneo Company, with a small museum of the teak-trade era on site

A 15 to 20 minute walk or short ride from the Old City temples

$$$$$Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

10 Days in Thailand · boutique · Chiang Mai (near the Ping River)

137 Pillars House Chiang Mai

A restored 1889 teak house with spacious suites

Small property that books out

$$$$Superchilum · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Madrid · boutique · Malasana / Gran Via

7 Islas Hotel

Family-run boutique property with two decades of history

Street noise in a busy nightlife-adjacent area

$$Elias Politis ( http://www.auhopu.com/ ) · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Athens · value · Monastiraki Square

A for Athens

Rooftop bar with an Acropolis and Monastiraki Square view at a fraction of the luxury price

Monastiraki Square is noisy and busy at street level, day and night

$$$$$CT Cooper · Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

Dubai · luxury · Downtown Dubai

Address Downtown

Direct views over the Burj Khalifa and Dubai Fountain

Premium priced for the location

$$$$$JosephAssisFernandes · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Goa · boutique · Nerul, Dolphin Bay (North Goa)

Ahilya by the Sea

Nine rooms across three villas above a quiet corner of the Mandovi estuary, run in the same house-party register as its sister property Ahilya Fort in Maheshwar

Estuary frontage, not surf: the swimming beach is a drive away

$$$$CT Cooper · Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

Dubai · boutique · Old Dubai (Bur Dubai, along the Creek)

Al Seef Heritage Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton

Traditional wind-tower "bayt" architecture on Dubai Creek

No standalone pool, gym or spa (uses a sister property with a shuttle)

$$$$$Ank Kumar · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Great Barrier Reef & Cairns · resort · Palm Cove

Alamanda Palm Cove by Lancemore

The only Palm Cove property with absolute beach frontage

Limited walkable dining options beyond the village strip

$$$$User:Davenbelle aka User:Moby Dick aka Jack Merridew · Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

10 Days in Bali · boutique · Central Ubud

Alaya Resort Ubud

Walking distance to the Monkey Forest and Ubud Palace

On a busy central street with traffic

$$$$Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Ubud · boutique · Central Ubud

Alaya Resort Ubud

Walking distance to the Monkey Forest and Ubud Palace

On a busy central street with traffic

$$$$Nicolas Chadeville · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Sicily · boutique · Syracuse (Ortigia)

Algilà Ortigia Charme Hotel

Steps from the sea in Ortigia’s historic center

No sandy beach on site

$$$$$Diliff · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

California Coast Road Trip: Highway 1, San Francisco to Los Angeles · resort · Big Sur

Alila Ventana Big Sur

A 160-acre forest and sea setting with two pools and Japanese hot baths

Very high price point

$$$$Jorge Franganillo from Barcelona, Spain · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Lisbon · boutique · Baixa / Chiado

AlmaLusa Baixa/Chiado

Sits right on Praca do Municipio, minutes from the river and Alfama

No pool or spa

$$$$Fry72, Karel Frydrýšek · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Paphos, Cyprus · design · Kato Paphos seafront

Almyra

Gardens on the seafront a short walk from the harbour, the fort and the mosaics

The beach in front is a small municipal one rather than a resort sand bay

$$$Mahmoudalrawi derivative work: MagentaGreen · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Rajasthan Golden Triangle · boutique · Old City, Jaipur

Alsisar Haveli, Jaipur

A genuine 1892 family mansion converted to a hotel

Much smaller and simpler than the palace tier

$$$$$leonardo samrani from rosario, argentina · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Argentina: Buenos Aires and Mendoza Wine Country · luxury · Recoleta, Buenos Aires

Alvear Palace Hotel

A 1932 Recoleta landmark and the city’s most famous grand hotel

The formal style is not for minimalists

$$$$$Ville Miettinen from Helsinki, Finland · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Tokyo · luxury · Otemachi

Aman Tokyo

Vast, minimalist lobby and rooms inspired by ryokan design

Among the most expensive rooms in Tokyo

$$$$$This Photo was taken by Wolfgang Moroder. Feel free to use my photos, but please mention me as the author and send me a message. This image is not in the public domain. Please respect the copyright protection. It may only be used according to the rules mentioned here. This specifically excludes use in social media, if applicable terms of the licenses listed here not appropriate. Please do not upload an updated image here without consultation with the Author. The author would like to make corrections only at his own source. This ensures that the changes are preserved.Please if you think that any changes should be required, please inform the author.Otherwise you can upload a new image with a new name. Please use one of the templates derivative or extract. · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Venice · luxury · Palazzo Papadopoli, San Polo, on the Grand Canal

Aman Venice

Occupies Palazzo Papadopoli, a 16th-century palace on the Grand Canal with Tiepolo ceiling paintings in the piano nobile rooms

24 rooms and suites, so dates are effectively fixed a season ahead

$$$$$Bernard Gagnon · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Sri Lanka Round Trip · luxury · Galle Fort

Amangalla

The oldest part of the building dates to 1684, inside the UNESCO-listed Galle Fort walls

No beach directly on site

$$$$Ruta Badina · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Koh Samui · resort · Bophut Beach

Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Resort

Steps from Fisherman’s Village and its night market

Bophut beach is quieter and shallow at low tide

$$$$Thomas Hirsch / User:Ravn · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

10 Days in Vietnam · resort · Thu Bon riverside, Hoi An

Anantara Hoi An Resort

Riverfront under a kilometre from the Ancient Town

Low-lying riverside, exposed in the wet season

$$$$Steffen Schmitz (more photos) · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Hoi An · resort · Thu Bon riverside

Anantara Hoi An Resort

Riverfront on the Thu Bon under a kilometre from the Ancient Town

Riverside setting is low-lying and exposed in the wet season

$$$$$Fry72, Karel Frydrýšek · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Paphos, Cyprus · luxury · Neo Chorio, near Latchi

Anassa

A Cypriot-village-styled hillside above its own beach on Chrysochou bay, with the Akamas as the view

About an hour from Paphos town, its sites and its airport

$$$PotatoWitch · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Abu Dhabi · unique · Capital Gate tower, near ADNEC, between downtown and the mosque

Andaz Capital Gate

Occupies the top floors of Capital Gate, certified by Guinness World Records as the world's furthest-leaning man-made tower at eighteen degrees, four times the lean of Pisa: the splayed-glass window geometry inside is unlike any other hotel room in the city

The location is convention-centre land: nothing walkable, everything by taxi

$$$$Image taken by Daniel Schwen · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

San Francisco and Napa Valley · design · Downtown Napa (West End)

Andaz Napa

Steps from 20-plus tasting rooms and the Wine Train

The concept-boutique feel can read corporate rather than wine-country

$$$$$Bernard Gagnon · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Greece in 10 Days: Athens, Mykonos & Santorini · luxury · Oia, Santorini

Andronis Boutique Hotel

24 recently renovated suites and villas perched on the Oia caldera cliff

Adults-only, so it does not work for a family leg of the trip

$$$$Eteocles at Greek Wikipedia · Attribution via Wikimedia Commons

Cyclades Island Hopping: How to Plan the Route · design · Karavostasis, Folegandros

Anemi Hotel

A few minutes from Karavostasis port with a complimentary transfer, which on a small island matters

At the port rather than in the clifftop Chora, which is the reason most people come

$$$$nennnn · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

El Nido, Palawan · boutique · Nacpan Beach

ANGKLA Beach Club & Boutique Resort

Directly on Nacpan’s four-kilometre sweep, with the beach club’s pool and bar as the daytime centre of gravity

45 minutes from town over a partly rough road, so boat-tour mornings start early

$$$$$Robert Gadomski, Poland · Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

Corfu · resort · Benitses (southeast of Corfu Town)

Angsana Corfu Resort & Spa

Dramatic hillside setting and infinity pools

Steep, terraced layout means lots of steps and shuttles

$$$$Fry72, Karel Frydrýšek · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Paphos, Cyprus · villa · Kouklia, on the ridge above Petra tou Romiou

Aphrodite Hills Resort

A hotel plus a whole estate of villas and apartments on a ridge with long views down the coast

A self-contained resort estate rather than anywhere with local life

$$$$Rolf Müller (User:Rolfmueller) · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Hanoi · boutique · Hoan Kiem, facing the lake on Hang Trong

Apricot Hotel

A working gallery as much as a hotel: more than 600 original works by Vietnamese painters through the lobby, corridors and rooms, with the room categories named Sketch, Canvas, Gallery, Masterpiece and Studio

The neo-classical styling is heavy and dates itself quickly in photographs; the art is better than the furniture

$$$Rhododendrites · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Costa Rica: Arenal, Monteverde & Manuel Antonio · unique · Arenal Volcano National Park boundary, west of La Fortuna

Arenal Observatory Lodge & Trails

Describes itself as the only lodge within the national park, on a 352-hectare private reserve with 11 km of its own trails

16 km from La Fortuna on a road that turns to gravel at the end

$$$$$Rhododendrites · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Costa Rica: Arenal, Monteverde & Manuel Antonio · luxury · Playitas, Manuel Antonio

Arenas del Mar

One of the few luxury hotels in Manuel Antonio with direct beach access, on 11 acres (about 4.5 hectares) of reserve between Playitas and Espadilla

The site is steep; golf carts shuttle guests up and down

$$$$$Benh LIEU SONG (Flickr) · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Cappadocia · luxury · Uçhisar

Argos in Cappadocia

Built into and around a 2,000-year-old monastery and ancient village over 14 years of restoration

Spread across nine mansions, meaning walking between rooms and facilities

$$$$Godot13 · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Budapest · boutique · District V, beside St Stephen's Basilica

Aria Hotel Budapest

A music-themed boutique built around a covered garden courtyard one street from the Basilica, with wings themed to classical, opera, jazz and contemporary music and a music director curating the piano lounge

The theme is committed: musical motifs run from carpets to room names, which charms most and cloys for some

$$$$Dim Leventis · CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Santorini · boutique · Fira

Aria Suites & Villas

Caldera-view courtyard pool right in the heart of Fira

Fira is busier and less picturesque street-to-street than Oia or Imerovigli

$$$Fry72, Karel Frydrýšek · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Paphos, Cyprus · value · Geroskipou seafront, Paphos

Athena Royal Beach Hotel

A four-star deluxe adult-focused hotel on the seafront, part of the family-run Constantinou Bros group

Adults-only, so it is out for family trips

$$$$$Elias Politis ( http://www.auhopu.com/ ) · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Athens · design · Koukaki, beside the Acropolis Museum

AthensWas Hotel

Directly on the pedestrian street beside the Acropolis Museum

Premium pricing for the location and design

$$$$$CT Cooper · Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

Dubai · resort · Palm Jumeirah

Atlantis, The Palm

Aquaventure Waterpark and The Lost Chambers Aquarium on-site

Very large and can feel crowded at peak times

$$$$$Image taken by Daniel Schwen · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

San Francisco and Napa Valley · luxury · Rutherford, Napa Valley

Auberge du Soleil

A 33-acre hillside estate with panoramic vineyard views

Requires a car for everything

$$$$$Jorge Franganillo from Barcelona, Spain · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Lisbon · luxury · Bairro Alto / Chiado

Bairro Alto Hotel

Rooftop terrace with a panoramic river and old-town view

Street and nightlife noise on lower floors in Bairro Alto

$$$$Hush Neo · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Australia East Coast Road Trip: Sydney to Cairns · boutique · Soldiers Point, Port Stephens

Bannisters Port Stephens

A 1960s motel turned boutique hotel with a bay-facing pool and free on-site parking

The motel bones show: some rooms are small and a studio category has no balcony

$$$$$Ruta Badina · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Koh Samui · luxury · Lamai

Banyan Tree Samui

All-pool-villa resort on a private bay

Steep hillside layout means lots of buggy rides

$$$$$Dronepicr · CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Algarve · boutique · Praia da Rocha, Portimao

Bela Vista Hotel & Spa

A 1918 clifftop mansion, the Palacete, at the heart of a 38-room Relais & Chateaux property, with original stained glass and azulejo panels

Praia da Rocha around it is a high-rise resort strip, so the refinement ends at the property line

$$$$$Glen MacLarty · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Amalfi Coast · luxury · Ravello

Belmond Hotel Caruso

Set in an 11th-century former palace with dramatic clifftop gardens

No direct beach access; the sea is a drive or bus ride below

$$$$$Thomas Quine · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Peru: Cusco & Machu Picchu · luxury · Cusco historic center

Belmond Hotel Monasterio

A restored 17th-century seminary on Inca foundations two blocks from the Plaza de Armas

Very high price

$$$$$Thomas Quine · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Peru: Cusco & Machu Picchu · luxury · Machu Picchu citadel gate

Belmond Sanctuary Lodge

The only hotel at the entrance to the Machu Picchu citadel

Among the most expensive hotels in South America

$$$$$sailko · CC BY 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons

Mykonos · design · Megali Ammos, near Mykonos Town

Bill & Coo Suites and Lounge

Sea-view suites with a sea-facing infinity pool and Sunset Lounge Bar

Small, intimate property that books out fast in high season

$$$$Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Ubud · boutique · Jalan Bisma, central Ubud

Bisma Eight

Contemporary design in a jungle-edge setting

Compact grounds rather than a sprawling resort

$$$$$Mitchell Henderson · Pexels

New Zealand South Island Road Trip: The 10-Day Loop · luxury · Glenorchy

Blanket Bay

A lodge on Lake Wakatipu at the foot of the Humboldt Mountains near Glenorchy

Top-of-market lodge pricing

$$$$$Olaf Tausch · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Crete · luxury · Elounda (Agios Nikolaos area)

Blue Palace, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa

Bungalows, suites and villas looking out toward Spinalonga island, many with private pools

Among the most expensive properties on the island

$$$$This Photo was taken by Wolfgang Moroder. Feel free to use my photos, but please mention me as the author and send me a message. This image is not in the public domain. Please respect the copyright protection. It may only be used according to the rules mentioned here. This specifically excludes use in social media, if applicable terms of the licenses listed here not appropriate. Please do not upload an updated image here without consultation with the Author. The author would like to make corrections only at his own source. This ensures that the changes are preserved.Please if you think that any changes should be required, please inform the author.Otherwise you can upload a new image with a new name. Please use one of the templates derivative or extract. · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Venice · boutique · Dorsoduro, beside Santa Maria della Salute

Ca Maria Adele

A 16th-century palazzo on a canal beside the Salute church, with a handful of themed rooms

A historic palazzo with stairs between floors, so confirm lift access and room layout when booking

$$$$nennnn · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

El Nido, Palawan · boutique · Caalan Beach, ten minutes’ walk from town

Cadlao Resort & Restaurant

Quiet Caalan beachfront looking straight at Cadlao Island, close enough to walk into town along the shore

The walk into town is dark and uneven at night; most guests ride

$$$$$Dim Leventis · CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Santorini · luxury · Oia

Canaves Oia Suites

46 suites and villas with some of the best-known caldera views in Oia

Very expensive, especially caldera-view categories

$$$$$Nils H. · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Mallorca · unique · Cala Blava, Bay of Palma

Cap Rocat

A 19th-century military fortress converted into a hotel, carved into the cliffs of the Bay of Palma

Isolated: a car or transfers needed for everything

$$$$Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Phuket · resort · Cape Panwa (southeast peninsula)

Cape Panwa Hotel

A historic property on a quiet peninsula

Southeast location is far from the west-coast beaches and nightlife

$$$$$Bernard Gagnon · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Sri Lanka Round Trip · resort · Weligama, near Galle

Cape Weligama

Cliff-top setting about 40 metres above the Indian Ocean, roughly 30 minutes from Galle

Not walkable to Galle Fort, a car or tuk-tuk is needed

$$$$$Rolf Müller (User:Rolfmueller) · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Hanoi · design · French Quarter, a few minutes from the Opera House

Capella Hanoi

47 rooms and suites, each individually designed by Bill Bensley around the theme of a 1920s opera house, with rooms staged as the dressing rooms and studios of invented performers

The maximalist design is the point and it is relentless; travelers who want calm neutral rooms will find it exhausting

$$Benh LIEU SONG (Flickr) · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Cappadocia · value · Göreme

Cappadocia Cave Suites

Real cave rooms at a fraction of Uçhisar’s luxury rates

Simpler finishes than the region’s design-led properties

$$$$$Patrice Semeria · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

French Riviera (Cote d'Azur) · luxury · Cannes, La Croisette

Carlton Cannes, a Regent Hotel

On La Croisette since 1911

Prices spike sharply during the Cannes Film Festival in mid-May

$$Thomas Quine · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Peru: Cusco & Machu Picchu · value · San Blas, Cusco

Casa Andina Standard Cusco San Blas

A Peruvian chain built around a colonial stone patio

Basic amenities with no spa or pool

$$$$$Glen MacLarty · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Amalfi Coast · design · Praiano

Casa Angelina

An all-white, minimalist design rare on this coast of majolica tile and pastel facades

Seasonal, open only April through October

$$$$.M. Kuchling https://www.flickr.com/photos/44165698@N00/ · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Rhodes · boutique · Kolymbia

Casa Cook Rhodes

Bohemian low-rise design with swim-up rooms and shared or private pools

The beach is a walk or shuttle away rather than on site

$$$$Flickr user "The Dilly Lama" · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Langkawi · boutique · Pantai Cenang (north end)

Casa del Mar

A small Mediterranean-styled boutique directly on the quieter north end of Cenang beach

Small rooms and grounds by resort standards; this is an intimate property

$$Sergey Pesterev · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Morocco: Marrakech, Sahara & Chefchaouen · boutique · Chefchaouen old medina

Casa Hassan

One of Morocco’s first riad guesthouses, open since 1987

No pool

$$$$Dronepicr · CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Algarve · boutique · Lagos old town

Casa Mae

A small design hotel across three buildings and a garden at the top of Lagos's old town, with its own restaurant, pool and kitchen garden

Not on a beach: the coves are a walk or a short drive

$$$$$Jeses · CC BY-SA 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons

Mexico City · luxury · Polanco, on Luis G. Urbina facing Parque Lincoln

Casa Polanco

A 1940s neocolonial mansion facing Parque Lincoln, restored into a 19-room boutique with a modernist wing: marble bathrooms, a filled library, and the feel of staying in a collector's house rather than a hotel

Among the most expensive addresses in the city, and its manicured corner of Polanco is the least street-food-flavored base in this guide

$$$$catlin.wolfard · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Fiji · resort · Mamanuca Islands

Castaway Island, Fiji

Family-friendly thatched bures on a private Mamanuca island

Whole-island resort so limited dining variety

$$$$$lo.tangelini from Soliera / Modena, Italia · CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Tuscany · luxury · Montalcino, Val d’Orcia

Castello di Velona Resort, Thermal Spa & Winery

An 11th-century fortress overlooking the Val d’Orcia

Expensive

$$$.M. Kuchling https://www.flickr.com/photos/44165698@N00/ · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Rhodes · value · Rhodes Old Town

Cava d’Oro

A small family-run hotel in a centuries-old stone building by the eastern walls

Simple rooms with the quirks of a very old building

$$$$$leonardo samrani from rosario, argentina · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Argentina: Buenos Aires and Mendoza Wine Country · romantic · Alto Agrelo, Luján de Cuyo

Cavas Wine Lodge

Private villas set in a working Malbec estate with Andes views

Isolated by design: every outing needs a driver

$$PotatoWitch · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Abu Dhabi · value · Yas Island, on the hotel strip near Yas Mall

Centro Yas Island

Rotana's select-service brand done properly: compact modern rooms, a pool, and a location on the Yas hotel strip with the free Yas Express shuttle to the theme parks and beach

Rooms are small and the breakfast operation gets slammed in park season: eat early

$$$$$Bernard Gagnon · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Sri Lanka Round Trip · unique · Bogawantalawa Valley, hill country

Ceylon Tea Trails

Five restored colonial tea-planter bungalows on working tea estates

Three to four hours’ drive from Colombo airport, well off the direct Kandy to Ella route

$$$$Jeses · CC BY-SA 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons

Mexico City · design · Centro Historico, on Republica de Guatemala directly behind the Metropolitan Cathedral

Circulo Mexicano

A 19th-century merchant building turned 25-room hotel by Grupo Habita, with Ambrosi Etchegaray's Shaker-inspired rooms wrapped around a light-well courtyard: the most convincing argument for basing in the Centro

The Centro empties at night: dinner options within a short walk thin out after 9pm and the good evening neighborhoods are a ride away

$$$Paulo Barcellos Jr. · CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

New York City · design · Bowery / Lower East Side

citizenM New York Bowery

20th-floor cloudM rooftop bar with skyline views

Small rooms with limited storage

$$$$$User:Ggia · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Istanbul · luxury · Beşiktaş (Bosphorus shore)

Çırağan Palace Kempinski Istanbul

The only former Ottoman imperial palace operating as a hotel on the Bosphorus

Away from the Old City sights, needs a taxi, tram or ferry connection

$$$$Hans A. Rosbach · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Kerala Backwaters · boutique · Kumarakom, on a canal off Vembanad, reached by boat

Coconut Lagoon, CGH Earth

The property is only reachable by boat from the jetty, which starts the stay properly and keeps road noise out entirely

Heritage buildings mean smaller windows, older bathrooms and more insects than a new-build resort; that is the trade

$$$$$User:Davenbelle aka User:Moby Dick aka Jack Merridew · Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

10 Days in Bali · luxury · Sanggingan, Ubud

COMO Uma Ubud

Private-pool villas over the valley

Premium rates

$$$$$Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Ubud · luxury · Sanggingan

COMO Uma Ubud

Private-pool villas over the valley

Premium rates

$$$$Jeses · CC BY-SA 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons

Mexico City · design · Condesa, on Avenida Veracruz facing Parque Espana

Condesa DF

The 1928 triangular apartment building on Parque Espana that launched the neighborhood's hotel scene, with India Mahdavi interiors: wraparound balconies over the trees are the rooms to ask for

Rooms are compact and the scene cuts both ways: the roof and patio carry sound into nearby floors on weekend nights

$$$$$The TerraMar Project · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Bora Bora · luxury · Motu To'opua (southwest)

Conrad Bora Bora Nui

Reopened 1 May 2026 after a winter renovation that refreshed villas and added larger sunset-facing overwater bungalows

No Otemanu-from-bed view; the mountain sits behind you

$$$$$fotografia di Rosanna C. · CC BY 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons

Sardinia · resort · Chia (Domus de Maria), south coast

Conrad Chia Laguna Sardinia

107 rooms and suites in the Chia Laguna resort behind the Chia dunes and lagoon

The beach is a shuttle ride away, not on the doorstep

$$$$$Martin Falbisoner · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Maldives Overwater Villas · luxury · Alif Dhaal Atoll (South Ari)

Conrad Maldives Rangali Island

Home to Ithaa, the world’s first undersea restaurant, five metres below the surface

Ithaa is small (14 seats) and books out well in advance

$$$$$Alpsdake · CC0 via Wikimedia Commons

Two Weeks in Japan · luxury · Nakanoshima, Osaka

Conrad Osaka

Occupies floors 33 to 40 of a Nakanoshima tower with river and city views

A taxi or several train changes from Dotonbori’s food streets

$$$Hush Neo · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Australia East Coast Road Trip: Sydney to Cairns · resort · Airlie Beach

Coral Sea Marina Resort

On the headland above Coral Sea Marina, where the Ocean Rafting boats leave

The walk back from town is steep

$$$$$Paulo Barcellos Jr. · CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

New York City · boutique · SoHo

Crosby Street Hotel

86 individually designed rooms by Kit Kemp

Expensive for the room size

$$$$Hush Neo · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Australia East Coast Road Trip: Sydney to Cairns · resort · Cairns Esplanade

Crystalbrook Riley

Steps from the free Esplanade Lagoon, ten minutes from the airport and the reef terminal

Rooms are on the small side for the price

$$Sergey Pesterev · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Morocco: Marrakech, Sahara & Chefchaouen · boutique · Chefchaouen old medina (near Bab Souk)

Dar Chefchaouen

A preserved building over 250 years old in the heart of the medina

Website does not confirm a pool or spa

$$Robert Gadomski, Poland · Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

Corfu · value · Northwest coast

Dogma Boutique Studios (northwest)

Good value near the northwest coves

Simple, not luxurious

$$$$$Robert Gadomski, Poland · Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

Corfu · luxury · Moraitika / near Corfu Town

Domes Miramare, a Luxury Collection Resort

Adults-oriented, quiet, polished service

Expensive

$$$$$Olaf Tausch · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Crete · boutique · Chania Old Town, on the Venetian Harbour

Domus Renier

A restored Venetian noble residence directly on the Old Harbour

No pool

$$$$$Wikimedia Commons · Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

Queenstown · luxury · Queenstown Town Centre (lakefront)

Eichardt’s Private Hotel

A Queenstown institution operating on the same lakefront site since 1861

Very small property, books out early

$$$$$Maros M r a z (Maros) · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Two Weeks in New Zealand · luxury · Queenstown

Eichardt’s Private Hotel

A historic lakefront hotel in central Queenstown

Among the most expensive rooms in the country

$$$$$Diliff · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

California Coast Road Trip: Highway 1, San Francisco to Los Angeles · luxury · Santa Barbara

El Encanto, A Belmond Hotel

A 1918 property on seven acres of gardens

Luxury pricing

$$$$$Sergey Pesterev · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Morocco: Marrakech, Sahara & Chefchaouen · luxury · Marrakech Medina (Bab El Ksour)

El Fenn

41 individually styled rooms around an extensive contemporary African art collection

Among the most expensive riads in the medina

$$$$$Elias Politis ( http://www.auhopu.com/ ) · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Athens · luxury · Syntagma / Plaka border

Electra Metropolis Athens

Rooftop pool and restaurant with panoramic Acropolis views

A big hotel rather than an intimate one; can feel corporate for a couples trip

$$$$$Dietmar Rabich · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Cape Town & the Winelands · luxury · Bantry Bay (Atlantic Seaboard)

Ellerman House

Edwardian mansion with an extensive private art and wine collection

Expensive and formal for travelers who want a casual stay

$$$$CEphoto, Uwe Aranas · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Kuala Lumpur · design · Chinatown, in the 1930 Lee Rubber Building on Jalan Tun H.S. Lee

Else Kuala Lumpur

A 49-room conversion of the Lee Rubber Building, the 1930 art-deco block that was once the tallest in the city, with the adaptive reuse led by Studio Bikin keeping the concrete bones and cutting light wells through the floors

The immediate blocks are loud, commercial Chinatown, and street-facing rooms hear the market winding down late

$$$$$Fry72, Karel Frydrýšek · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Paphos, Cyprus · resort · Beside the Tombs of the Kings

Elysium

A five-star beachfront resort with the UNESCO necropolis as its immediate neighbour, roughly 500 metres away

Byzantine-revival decor that will not suit everyone

$$$$$Hush Neo · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Australia East Coast Road Trip: Sydney to Cairns · resort · Hastings Street, Noosa Heads

Elysium Noosa Resort, MGallery

The former Sofitel, refitted and rebranded in December 2025, on Hastings Street with Main Beach and the national park walk at the door

Luxury pricing, higher again in school holidays

$$$$$PotatoWitch · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Abu Dhabi · luxury · Al Ras Al Akhdar, west end of the Corniche

Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental

A genuine landmark: 394 rooms and suites under gold-leafed domes in gardens running down to a 1.3-kilometre private beach, next door to Qasr Al Watan

The scale is palatial rather than intimate: corridors run to hundreds of metres and the walk to breakfast is real

$$$Superchilum · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Madrid · apartment · Malasana

Eric Vokel Madrid Suites

Restored townhouse with multi-bedroom apartments

No full hotel services (front desk hours are limited)

$$$$$Stan Shebs · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Los Cabos · luxury · Punta Ballena (Tourist Corridor)

Esperanza, Auberge Resorts Collection

Set on the bluffs of Punta Ballena over two private coves

Premium pricing even by Los Cabos standards

$$Rolf Müller (User:Rolfmueller) · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Hanoi · value · Old Quarter, on Ta Hien

Essence Hanoi Hotel & Spa

A 30-room family-run hotel with a spa, an included breakfast and a level of attentiveness that reads as three categories above the price

Ta Hien is the beer corner and the noise runs late into the night, especially at weekends: this is the trade for the location and it is not negotiable

$$$$$Harvey Barrison from Massapequa, NY, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Zanzibar · resort · Nungwi

Essque Zalu Zanzibar

Distinctive makuti thatched-roof architecture on the northern tip

Expensive relative to the wider Nungwi area

$$$$$Image taken by Daniel Schwen · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

San Francisco and Napa Valley · luxury · Nob Hill, San Francisco

Fairmont San Francisco

A 1907 Beaux-Arts landmark with grand public spaces

On a steep hill, a real climb on foot

$$$Daniel Zaas · Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

Kenya-Tanzania Safari Route · value · Talek River, Masai Mara, Kenya

Fig Tree Camp, Masai Mara

Unrestricted reserve access despite a value price

A larger property, so less exclusivity and more of a group feel

$$$$$Colourpicture Publishers, Inc. · Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

Miami · resort · Mid-Beach

Fontainebleau Miami Beach

1954 Morris Lapidus architecture

Enormous scale means it can feel impersonal and crowded

$$$$$Godot13 · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Budapest · luxury · District V, facing the Chain Bridge on Szechenyi Istvan square

Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace

The 1906 Gresham Palace itself, one of Europe's great Art Nouveau buildings, restored down to its peacock gates and mosaic floors: sleeping here is sleeping inside the city's best facade

The most expensive rooms in Hungary, and river-view categories carry a steep premium over courtyard-facing ones

$$$$$User:Ggia · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Istanbul · luxury · Sultanahmet

Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet

Two blocks from Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and Topkapı Palace

Expensive relative to the neighborhood

$$$$$CEphoto, Uwe Aranas · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Kuala Lumpur · luxury · KLCC, beside the Petronas Towers and KLCC Park

Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur

The best position in KLCC: next door to the towers and overlooking KLCC Park, so the classic KL view, towers plus green, is the window view from the upper floors

A tall corporate tower rather than a place with local character; you could be in several cities from the inside

$$$$$Superchilum · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Madrid · luxury · Centro Canalejas (near Puerta del Sol)

Four Seasons Hotel Madrid

Occupies seven historic buildings just off Puerta del Sol

Very busy tourist streets right outside

$$$$$Jeses · CC BY-SA 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons

Mexico City · luxury · On Paseo de la Reforma at the edge of Chapultepec park

Four Seasons Hotel Mexico City

Built hacienda-style around a planted central courtyard, so the whole hotel turns its back on eight lanes of Reforma and faces its own garden: breakfast outside faces planting instead of traffic

International-luxury character rather than a Mexico City one: the courtyard could be in several countries

$$$$$Jorge Franganillo from Barcelona, Spain · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Lisbon · luxury · Marques de Pombal / Eduardo VII Park

Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon

Ten storeys above Eduardo VII Park with sweeping city views

A 15 to 20 minute walk or taxi from Alfama and the old town

$$$$$Arturbraun · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Seoul · luxury · Gwanghwamun / Jongno

Four Seasons Hotel Seoul

A 29-story tower designed with references to Korean palace architecture

Expensive relative to Seoul’s midrange hotels

$$$$$Diliff · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Sydney · luxury · The Rocks / CBD

Four Seasons Hotel Sydney

Sweeping Harbour Bridge and CBD views from upper floors

A big, business-hotel feel rather than boutique

$$$$$User:Davenbelle aka User:Moby Dick aka Jack Merridew · Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

10 Days in Bali · luxury · Sayan, near Ubud

Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan

Rice-bowl entry bridge over the Ayung River valley

Very expensive

$$$$$Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Ubud · luxury · Sayan

Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan

The rice-bowl bridge and the Ayung River valley setting

Very expensive

$$$$$The TerraMar Project · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Bora Bora · luxury · Motu Tehotu (northeast)

Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora

About 100 overwater bungalows plus beachfront villas on a private motu, with one of the island's most photographed sightlines back to Otemanu

Top-of-market rates, and meals and transfers priced to match

Chiang Mai · resort · Mae Rim valley, about 30 minutes north of the city

Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai

Pavilions and pool villas set around working rice terraces with resident water buffalo, one of the most photographed resort settings in Asia

Every restaurant and temple in town is a 30-minute transfer away, so it works as a resort stay with city excursions rather than a city base

$$$$$Ruta Badina · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Koh Samui · luxury · Laem Yai Bay (northwest)

Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui

Hillside private-pool villas with sweeping bay views

Very expensive

$$$$$Flickr user "The Dilly Lama" · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Langkawi · resort · Tanjung Rhu (northeast)

Four Seasons Resort Langkawi

About 90 pavilions and villas along the Tanjung Rhu sand, styled with Moorish and Malay flourishes by designer Bill Bensley

Isolated from the island's restaurant life; count on resort dining most nights

$$$$$Martin Falbisoner · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Maldives Overwater Villas · luxury · Baa Atoll

Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru

103 villas across a jungle-covered island inside the Baa Atoll Biosphere Reserve

A 35-minute seaplane transfer adds real cost and daylight-hours scheduling

$$$$$Nils H. · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Mallorca · resort · Formentor peninsula

Four Seasons Resort Mallorca at Formentor

The storied 1929 Hotel Formentor, reopened in August 2024 after a full restoration

Remote: a winding 20-minute drive from Port de Pollença

$$$$$kevinmcgill from Den Bosch, Netherlands · CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Maui and Oahu: Planning the Two-Island Hawaii Trip · luxury · Wailea, Maui

Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea

The benchmark resort on Wailea Beach, with some of the largest standard rooms on the island at around 600 square feet plus lanai

Among the highest rates in Hawaiʻi, before the roughly 18 percent lodging taxes

$$$$$Steffen Schmitz (more photos) · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Hoi An · luxury · Ha My Beach (north of Hoi An)

Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai, Hoi An

All-villa beachfront resort with three-tier infinity pools

Among the most expensive stays in the region

$$$$$Daniel Zaas · Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

Kenya-Tanzania Safari Route · resort · Central Serengeti (Seronera), Tanzania

Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti

Full luxury-brand infrastructure rare in so remote a setting, with spa, dining and a waterhole pool

A large, resort-like property that trades bush intimacy for polish

$$Colourpicture Publishers, Inc. · Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

Miami · design · Mid-Beach

Freehand Miami

Design-forward property with the Broken Shaker courtyard bar

Mixes hostel-style dorms with private rooms, so common areas can be noisy and party-oriented

$$Olaf Tausch · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Crete · family · Agia Galini (south coast)

Galini Tropika

Family-run, seventeen suites directly on the beach beside a small river

No caldera-style views or Venetian architecture; simple, low-key property

$This Photo was taken by Wolfgang Moroder. Feel free to use my photos, but please mention me as the author and send me a message. This image is not in the public domain. Please respect the copyright protection. It may only be used according to the rules mentioned here. This specifically excludes use in social media, if applicable terms of the licenses listed here not appropriate. Please do not upload an updated image here without consultation with the Author. The author would like to make corrections only at his own source. This ensures that the changes are preserved.Please if you think that any changes should be required, please inform the author.Otherwise you can upload a new image with a new name. Please use one of the templates derivative or extract. · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Venice · value · Fondamenta Zitelle, Giudecca

Generator Venice

Dorm beds and private rooms in a converted warehouse facing San Marco across the water

Giudecca means the vaporetto for every trip, and the late-night timetable thins out

$$$$$.M. Kuchling https://www.flickr.com/photos/44165698@N00/ · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Rhodes · resort · Gennadi, south coast

Gennadi Grand Resort

A five-star spread of pools and gardens behind a long, uncrowded south-coast beach

Remote from Rhodes Town: about an hour’s drive to the Old Town

$$$$User:Ggia · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Istanbul · boutique · Galata

Georges Hotel Galata

A restored 1882 building with a rooftop restaurant and Bosphorus views

No pool

$$$$$Martin Falbisoner · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Maldives Overwater Villas · luxury · North Male Atoll

Gili Lankanfushi

45 overwater villas and residences, all on stilts over the lagoon

No beach; every villa is overwater, which will not suit guests who want sand underfoot

$$$$$Harvey Barrison from Massapequa, NY, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Zanzibar · resort · Kendwa

Gold Zanzibar Beach House & Spa

On Kendwa’s tideless white-sand beach

Limited independent dining nearby, most meals are on-site

$$$$$Alpsdake · CC0 via Wikimedia Commons

Two Weeks in Japan · luxury · Gora, Hakone

Gora Kadan

Built on the grounds of a former Imperial family villa

Expensive relative to Hakone’s midrange ryokans

$$$$Daniel Zaas · Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

Kenya-Tanzania Safari Route · unique · Musiara Marsh, Masai Mara, Kenya

Governors’ Camp, Masai Mara

A prime unfenced site on the Mara River with year-round resident wildlife

Being unfenced on a game path means animals wander through, a real safety-briefing matter

$$$$$Dim Leventis · CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Santorini · luxury · Imerovigli

Grace Hotel Santorini, Auberge Resorts Collection

One of the largest infinity pools on the caldera rim

Only around 20 rooms, so it books out fast

$$$$$Stan Shebs · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Los Cabos · resort · Tourist Corridor (Cabo San Lucas side)

Grand Velas Los Cabos

The benchmark for luxury all-inclusive in Los Cabos: suites, spa and a two-Michelin-key level of dining included

The beach in front is often flagged unsafe for swimming; pools are the default

$$ผู้สร้างสรรค์ผลงาน/ส่งข้อมูลเก็บในคลังข้อมูลเสรีวิกิมีเดียคอมมอนส์ - เทวประภาส มากคล้าย · CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Chiang Mai · value · Old City, near Chang Phueak (North) Gate

Green Tiger House

A friendly guesthouse-scale hotel with a small pool and rooftop lounge, minutes from the North Gate night food market

Rooms are simple and the pool is compact; this is comfort, not luxury

$$$$$CT Cooper · Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

Dubai · luxury · Dubai Marina

Grosvenor House, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Dubai

Twin towers directly on the Marina promenade

No direct beach access from the hotel itself

$$$$$kevinmcgill from Den Bosch, Netherlands · CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Maui and Oahu: Planning the Two-Island Hawaii Trip · luxury · Waikīkī, Oʻahu

Halekulani

A century-old Waikīkī institution on the beach at Kalia Road, serene where its neighbors are loud

Formal and quiet by design; travelers wanting a party scene should look elsewhere

$$Colourpicture Publishers, Inc. · Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

Miami · value · Brickell / Downtown

Hampton Inn & Suites Miami/Brickell-Downtown

Reliable midrange standard close to Metromover and Metrorail

No beach nearby, with Miami Beach a 20 minute drive away

$$$$Bernard Gagnon · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Sri Lanka Round Trip · design · Dambulla, cultural triangle

Heritance Kandalama

A landmark building by architect Geoffrey Bawa set into 211 acres of forest

A drive from central Dambulla and Sigiriya itself, so a car is needed

$$$$Elias Politis ( http://www.auhopu.com/ ) · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Athens · boutique · Koukaki / Plaka border, near the Acropolis

Herodion Hotel

Rooftop garden terrace with an unobstructed Acropolis view

Rooms are comfortable rather than design-forward

$$$$Jongleur100 · Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

Turkish Riviera (Bodrum to Antalya) · resort · Kalemya Bay, Fethiye

Hillside Beach Club

Its own pine-ringed bay just outside Fethiye, with 330 rooms oriented toward the water

A resort bubble: Fethiye town needs a shuttle or taxi ride

$$$Steffen Schmitz (more photos) · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Hoi An · value · Cam Chau (near the Ancient Town)

Hoi An Ancient House Resort & Spa

Traditional Hoi An style architecture

Simpler than the luxury resorts

$$$$leonardo samrani from rosario, argentina · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Argentina: Buenos Aires and Mendoza Wine Country · boutique · Palermo Hollywood, Buenos Aires

Home Hotel

A pioneering Palermo Hollywood boutique with a garden and pool

Rooms are boutique-sized rather than grand

$$Simon_sees from Australia · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Seminyak · value · Double Six / south Seminyak

Horison Seminyak Hotel

Good value a short walk from Double Six Beach

Simple, not luxurious

$$$$$Paul Vlaar · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Kyoto · unique · Arashiyama

Hoshinoya Kyoto

Reached only by a private boat up the Katsura River, a genuine arrival experience

Set apart from downtown Kyoto, adding travel time to most sights

$$$$$Alpsdake · CC0 via Wikimedia Commons

Two Weeks in Japan · luxury · Arashiyama, Kyoto

Hoshinoya Kyoto

Reached by a short boat ride up the Oi River

Boat-only arrival means less flexibility with luggage and timing

$$$$$Ville Miettinen from Helsinki, Finland · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Tokyo · unique · Otemachi

Hoshinoya Tokyo

Every floor is a private ryokan wing with a shared tatami lounge

Shoes-off, low-furniture rooms are not for everyone

$$$$Nils H. · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Mallorca · boutique · Cas Català (Calvià), west of Palma

Hospes Maricel & Spa

A 1940s seafront palace directly on the water, 15 minutes from Palma’s old town

On the busy coast road; ask for a sea-facing room

$$$steve p2008 · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Ibiza · value · Cap Negret, north of Sant Antoni

Hostal La Torre

A clifftop hostal above Cap Negret with one of the island’s most famous sunset terraces

Hostal-level comforts, not resort ones

$$This Photo was taken by Wolfgang Moroder. Feel free to use my photos, but please mention me as the author and send me a message. This image is not in the public domain. Please respect the copyright protection. It may only be used according to the rules mentioned here. This specifically excludes use in social media, if applicable terms of the licenses listed here not appropriate. Please do not upload an updated image here without consultation with the Author. The author would like to make corrections only at his own source. This ensures that the changes are preserved.Please if you think that any changes should be required, please inform the author.Otherwise you can upload a new image with a new name. Please use one of the templates derivative or extract. · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Venice · value · Santa Croce, near San Stae

Hotel Al Ponte Mocenigo

A family-run three-star in a 16th-century palazzo with its own walled courtyard on a side canal

No lift, and roughly ten rooms, so it books out months ahead in season

$$$$Diliff · CC BY-SA 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons

Rome · design · Via Nazionale, near Termini

Hotel Artemide

Ambrosia rooftop restaurant and bar with skyline views

Via Nazionale is a busy traffic corridor, not a quiet lane

$$$$Rhododendrites · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Costa Rica: Arenal, Monteverde & Manuel Antonio · boutique · Cerro Plano, Monteverde

Hotel Belmar

Family-owned for 40 years, with its own brewery (Cervecería Belmar) and a farm-to-table restaurant

A steep uphill from the road; not for anyone unsteady on their feet

$$$Glen MacLarty · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Amalfi Coast · value · Ravello

Hotel Bonadies

A 13th-century former convent turned family-run four-star hotel, run by the same family for over 140 years

Simpler rooms than Ravello’s luxury properties

$$$Nils H. · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Mallorca · value · Palma (old town)

Hotel Born

A 16th-century palace of the Marquès de Ferrandell steps from Passeig del Born

No pool or spa

$$$$$lo.tangelini from Soliera / Modena, Italia · CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Tuscany · boutique · Florence historic center

Hotel Brunelleschi

Built around a Byzantine-era tower predating Florence itself

Expensive for the room size

$$$$$fotografia di Rosanna C. · CC BY 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons

Sardinia · luxury · Costa Smeralda (Cala di Volpe bay)

Hotel Cala di Volpe, a Luxury Collection Hotel

The 1960s Jacques Couëlle original, restyled and reopened for the 2026 season on 16 April

July and August rates sit at the top of the Italian resort market

$$$$$Elemaki · CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Barcelona · luxury · Gràcia / Passeig de Gràcia

Hotel Casa Fuster

A 1908 modernist building by Lluís Domènech i Montaner

Expensive

Venice · luxury · Giudecca

Hotel Cipriani, A Belmond Hotel

An Olympic-length outdoor pool and private gardens, both extraordinary on this lagoon

Every trip into the city is a boat ride, which sounds romantic and is occasionally just slow

$$Elemaki · CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Barcelona · value · Eixample

Hotel Constanza

Walkable to Casa Batlló, Plaça Catalunya and the Gothic Quarter

Compact rooms typical of the price tier

$$$$$Diliff · CC BY-SA 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons

Rome · luxury · Piazza del Popolo / Centro Storico

Hotel de Russie

A tiered Secret Garden courtyard unlike anywhere else in central Rome

Very expensive, especially in peak months

$$$$$Patrice Semeria · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

French Riviera (Cote d'Azur) · luxury · Cap d’Antibes

Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc

A nine-hectare private park at the tip of Cap d’Antibes, open since 1870

Among the most expensive hotels in Europe, out of reach for most budgets

$$Shuichi Aizawa · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Paris · value · Latin Quarter

Hôtel du Levant

Four generations of the same family running it

Simple rooms, not design-forward

$$$$Shuichi Aizawa · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Paris · boutique · Le Marais

Hôtel du Petit Moulin

Christian Lacroix-designed interiors, each room different

Small rooms typical of historic Marais buildings

$$$$Stan Shebs · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Los Cabos · boutique · Puerto Los Cabos (San José del Cabo)

Hotel El Ganzo

An arts hotel with resident musicians, an underground recording studio and rotating murals

Removed from both town centers; you will taxi or drive everywhere

$$$Shuichi Aizawa · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Paris · boutique · Le Marais

Hôtel Emile

Contemporary design at a fair price for the location

Compact rooms

$$$Alpsdake · CC0 via Wikimedia Commons

Two Weeks in Japan · value · Kabukicho, Shinjuku, Tokyo

Hotel Gracery Shinjuku

A five-minute walk from Shinjuku Station’s east exit

Kabukicho at night is loud outside the hotel

$$Eteocles at Greek Wikipedia · Attribution via Wikimedia Commons

Cyclades Island Hopping: How to Plan the Route · value · Grotta, Naxos Chora

Hotel Grotta

Family-run, on the slope above Naxos Chora with direct views to the sea, the sunset and the Portara

Simple, older-style rooms rather than a design property

$$$The TerraMar Project · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Bora Bora · value · Matira (main island)

Hotel Maitai Polynesia

The island's established midrange option: garden and ocean-view rooms across the road plus a small set of overwater bungalows far below flagship rates

Three-star polish: simpler rooms, dated corners, no resort machine

$$$$$Elemaki · CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Barcelona · luxury · Gothic Quarter

Hotel Neri Relais & Châteaux

A converted 12th-century palace on a quiet Gothic Quarter square

Small property, books out early

$$$$$Shuichi Aizawa · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Paris · unique · Montmartre

Hôtel Particulier Montmartre

Just five suites, each designed by a different artist

Very few rooms, books out early

$$$Godot13 · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Budapest · boutique · District V south, on Kiralyi Pal utca near the Great Market Hall

Hotel Rum Budapest

A compact independent boutique in a converted apartment block on a quiet downtown side street, minimal rooms, local art, and a rooftop restaurant-bar with Basilica-to-castle views

Small operation: no spa, no gym, minimal lobby, and the rooftop bar means some evening noise on top floors

$$$$Shuichi Aizawa · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Paris · boutique · Saint-Germain-des-Prés / Rue du Bac

Hôtel Saint Germain

17th-century mansion on the elegant Rue du Bac

Some rooms face the street rather than the courtyard

$$$Jeses · CC BY-SA 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons

Mexico City · boutique · Condesa, on Calle Iztaccihuatl by Parque Mexico

Hotel San Fernando

A 1940s apartment building by Parque Mexico converted by Texas's Bunkhouse group into 19 warm, unfussy rooms: the rare stylish option that undercuts the design-hotel tier

No rooftop, pool or spa: the pitch is location and warmth, not amenities

$$$$$Glen MacLarty · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Amalfi Coast · luxury · Amalfi town

Hotel Santa Caterina

Family-run by the Gambardella family since 1880

A 10 to 15 minute walk from the center of Amalfi town itself

$$$$Thomas Quine · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Peru: Cusco & Machu Picchu · boutique · Urubamba, Sacred Valley

Hotel Sol y Luna

Individual stone casita bungalows set in gardens

Outside walking distance of Urubamba town center

$$Diliff · CC BY-SA 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons

Rome · value · Trastevere

Hotel Trastevere

Genuinely inside Trastevere, steps from the restaurant streets

Basic rooms, no spa or restaurant

$$$$$kevinmcgill from Den Bosch, Netherlands · CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Maui and Oahu: Planning the Two-Island Hawaii Trip · romantic · Wailea hillside, Maui

Hotel Wailea, Relais & Chateaux

Hawaiʻi’s only adults-only all-suite luxury hotel: 72 suites on 15 garden acres, 300 feet above the coast with a three-island view

Not on the beach: the shore is a shuttle or short drive below

$$$$Image taken by Daniel Schwen · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

San Francisco and Napa Valley · boutique · Union Square, San Francisco

Hotel Zeppelin

Playful, design-forward rooms two blocks from Union Square

Small rooms typical of pre-war San Francisco buildings

$$$$$Maros M r a z (Maros) · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Two Weeks in New Zealand · luxury · Taupō (central North Island)

Huka Lodge

A luxury lodge on the Waikato River above Huka Falls

Very expensive

$$$$Jeses · CC BY-SA 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons

Mexico City · boutique · Roma Norte, on Calle Jalapa

Ignacia Guest House

A restored circa-1913 Roma mansion with a handful of color-themed rooms arranged around a courtyard garden, named for the housekeeper who kept the house for decades and run more like a private house than a hotel

Very few rooms, so dates sell out far ahead and pricing sits above what the word guesthouse suggests

Venice · design · Zattere, Dorsoduro

Il Palazzo Experimental

32 rooms and suites in a palazzo on the Zattere, with interiors by Dorothee Meilichzon

The smallest rooms start around 12 square metres, which is tight by any standard

$$$$The TerraMar Project · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Bora Bora · resort · Matira Point (main island)

InterContinental Bora Bora Le Moana Resort

Overwater and beach bungalows on Matira Point, on the main island: you can walk out of the resort to the public beach, snack bars and the loop road

Bungalows and grounds are more classic than cutting-edge

$$$$Rolf Müller (User:Rolfmueller) · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Hanoi · resort · Tay Ho, on West Lake

InterContinental Hanoi Westlake

Built partly on the water: a main building on the shore plus island pavilions reached by walkways, holding rooms that sit directly above West Lake

Fifteen to twenty-five minutes from the Old Quarter and the sights, and Hanoi traffic makes that number unreliable in the evening rush

$$$$Mahmoudalrawi derivative work: MagentaGreen · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Rajasthan Golden Triangle · resort · Fatehabad Road, Agra

ITC Mughal, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa

Large Mughal-garden-style grounds that won the Aga Khan Award for Architecture

A modern building in Mughal style, not an original historic property

$$$Someformofhuman · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Singapore · value · Tanglin / Orchard

JEN Singapore Tanglin by Shangri-La

Directly connected to Tanglin Mall and near Orchard Boulevard MRT

A 15 to 20 minute MRT ride from Marina Bay and Chinatown

$$$$$Bernard Gagnon · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Sri Lanka Round Trip · boutique · Sigiriya

Jetwing Vil Uyana

Standalone dwellings set across five constructed wetland ecosystems

Among the pricier stays in the cultural triangle

$$$pakku · CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Hokkaido · value · Central Sapporo, above Sapporo Station

JR Tower Hotel Nikko Sapporo

Sits directly above Sapporo Station, which cuts down on transfers with luggage

Business-hotel character rather than a boutique feel

$$Dim Leventis · CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Santorini · value · Kamari (southeast coast)

Kamari Beach Hotel

Directly on Kamari’s black-sand beach

No caldera or sunset view

$$$$Simon_sees from Australia · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Seminyak · boutique · Petitenget (Desa Potato Head)

Katamama

Handcrafted design in millions of hand-pressed bricks

Compact urban-beach setting rather than a resort

$$$$$Dim Leventis · CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Santorini · luxury · Oia

Katikies Santorini, Pelagos House

Suspended right on the Oia cliff face with sweeping caldera views

Among the most expensive properties on the island

$$$$$Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Phuket · design · Kamala (hillside)

Keemala

Striking themed pool villas set in rainforest above Kamala

Hillside terrain means a lot of buggy shuttling

$$$Benh LIEU SONG (Flickr) · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Cappadocia · boutique · Göreme

Kelebek Special Cave Hotel & Spa

Some rooms carved as early as the 8th century, alongside more standard cave-style rooms

Uneven room quality across an older, larger property

$$$$Colourpicture Publishers, Inc. · Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

Miami · boutique · South Beach

Kimpton Angler’s Hotel South Beach

Boutique Art Deco property with a courtyard pool

Small footprint with limited amenities versus the big resorts

$$$$Godot13 · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Budapest · design · Bem Jozsef square, on the Buda bank north of Castle Hill

Kimpton BEM Budapest

A 127-room conversion of a 19th-century mansion on Bem square, opened in July 2024 with interiors by Marcel Wanders that fold Hungarian folklore into the boldest design statement on the Buda bank

You are one bridge from the action every evening: easy by tram until midnight, a taxi after

$$$Hush Neo · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Australia East Coast Road Trip: Sydney to Cairns · unique · West coast of K'gari (Fraser Island)

Kingfisher Bay Resort

The island's largest resort, with its own 50-minute passenger ferry from River Heads, so the rental can be left in secure parking on the mainland

Eco-lodge rooms are dated and summer reviews complain about the heat

$$$$$.M. Kuchling https://www.flickr.com/photos/44165698@N00/ · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Rhodes · unique · Rhodes Old Town

Kokkini Porta Rossa

Six suites in a restored medieval house at the Red Gate of the walled city

Only six suites, so it books out far ahead

$$$$$Hans A. Rosbach · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Kerala Backwaters · luxury · Kumarakom, on the eastern shore of Vembanad

Kumarakom Lake Resort

Built as a village of relocated and rebuilt heritage Kerala houses along its own canal, so the grounds read as architecture rather than resort blocks

Priced at the top of the region and it knows it; the villa categories with private pools carry a very steep premium

$$$$$lo.tangelini from Soliera / Modena, Italia · CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Tuscany · boutique · San Gimignano

La Collegiata

A 16th-century former Capuchin convent with a panoramic pool

A short drive outside the walled town, not inside it

$$$$Patrice Semeria · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

French Riviera (Cote d'Azur) · unique · Saint-Paul-de-Vence

La Colombe d’Or

A small inn whose walls and terraces are hung with original works, informally collected from 20th-century artist guests

Rooms are simpler than the art-world reputation might suggest

$$$$Diliff · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

California Coast Road Trip: Highway 1, San Francisco to Los Angeles · boutique · Carmel-by-the-Sea

La Playa Hotel

A historic property recently renovated

Mid-to-high pricing for what is a boutique inn rather than a resort

$$$$$Nils H. · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Mallorca · luxury · Deià

La Residencia, A Belmond Hotel

Two historic manor houses in olive and citrus gardens on the edge of Deià

Among the most expensive stays on the island

$$$$Steffen Schmitz (more photos) · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Hoi An · boutique · Rice fields near the Thu Bon

La Siesta Hoi An Resort & Spa

Set among rice fields yet close to town

You need the shuttle or a taxi into the Ancient Town

$$$Rolf Müller (User:Rolfmueller) · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Hanoi · boutique · Old Quarter, on Hang Be two minutes from the lake

La Siesta Premium Hang Be

50 rooms and suites in a well-run Vietnamese boutique group, contemporary rather than themed, with French balconies on everything above the entry category

Hang Be is a busy market street and the lower floors get the morning trade noise

$$$$$nennnn · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

El Nido, Palawan · unique · Lagen Island, Bacuit Bay

Lagen, El Nido

Set against a forested limestone amphitheatre on Lagen Island, with rooms over the water and along the cove

The forest setting means less open beach than Pangulasian

$$$$Dietmar Rabich · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Cape Town & the Winelands · resort · Stellenbosch

Lanzerac Wine Estate

A working wine estate dating to the 17th century, with rooms among the vines

A car (or driver) is needed to reach central Stellenbosch and other estates

$$$Olaf Tausch · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Crete · boutique · Heraklion, on the Venetian port

Lato Boutique Hotel

Fifty-four rooms, most looking over the Venetian port and the Koules fortress

No beach access; this is a city hotel, not a resort

$$$$$Patrice Semeria · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

French Riviera (Cote d'Azur) · luxury · Nice, Promenade des Anglais

Le Negresco

A Nice institution since 1913, right on the Promenade des Anglais

Traditional decor will not suit travelers wanting minimalist or modern design

$$$$Dietmar Rabich · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Cape Town & the Winelands · boutique · Franschhoek village

Le Quartier Français

A 25-room boutique hotel in the centre of Franschhoek village

No large grounds or estate views, unlike outlying Winelands properties

$$$$$Glen MacLarty · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Amalfi Coast · luxury · Positano

Le Sirenuse

A former private villa (opened as a hotel in 1951) with the classic Positano cliffside view

Among the most expensive hotels on the coast

$$$$$catlin.wolfard · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Fiji · luxury · Malolo Island, Mamanucas

Likuliku Lagoon Resort

Fiji’s overwater-bungalow pioneer and adults-only

Overwater bures are scarce and book out far ahead

$$$$$.M. Kuchling https://www.flickr.com/photos/44165698@N00/ · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Rhodes · luxury · Vlycha, near Lindos

Lindos Blu Luxury Hotel & Suites

Adults-only terraces stepped into the hillside above Vlycha Bay

Adults-only excludes family trips

$$$$$Bernard Gagnon · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Greece in 10 Days: Athens, Mykonos & Santorini · luxury · Little Venice, Mykonos Town

Little Venice Suites

Steps from the windmills and Little Venice’s cafe-lined waterfront

No pool on site; guests use the beach and beach clubs instead

$$$$Arturbraun · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Seoul · luxury · Myeongdong

Lotte Hotel Seoul

Directly connected to Lotte Department Store and Myeongdong’s shopping streets

Myeongdong’s crowds start right outside the door

$$$$$Martin Falbisoner · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Maldives Overwater Villas · luxury · South Ari Atoll

LUX* South Ari Atoll

The only resort-based Whale Shark Research Programme in the Maldives, with a database of over 400 identified sharks

Larger guest count than boutique private islands means a busier beach and restaurants

$$$$Sergey Pesterev · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Morocco: Marrakech, Sahara & Chefchaouen · unique · Erg Chebbi dunes, near Merzouga

Luxury Camp Merzouga

Deluxe tents with en-suite toilet and shower, unusual for a desert camp

Remote: a long drive from Marrakech even with a stop en route

$$$$$Rhododendrites · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Costa Rica: Arenal, Monteverde & Manuel Antonio · romantic · Manuel Antonio hill, Punta Quepos side

Makanda by the Sea

Adults-only, 33 suites and villas on a hillside above the Pacific

The private beach is small, rocky at high tide and a steep ride down

$$$$$Jongleur100 · Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

Turkish Riviera (Bodrum to Antalya) · luxury · Paradise Bay (Cennet Koyu), Göltürkbükü, Bodrum peninsula

Mandarin Oriental Bodrum

A 60-hectare hillside estate descending to two private beaches on Paradise Bay

Rates in high summer are among the highest in Turkey

$$$$CEphoto, Uwe Aranas · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Kuala Lumpur · luxury · KLCC, adjoining the Petronas Towers

Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur

The original tower-side luxury address, open since 1998 and repeatedly refreshed, standing shoulder to shoulder with the Petronas Towers

A big convention-scale hotel that can feel busy and processional at peak times

$$$$$Superchilum · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Madrid · luxury · Paseo del Prado (Art Triangle)

Mandarin Oriental Ritz, Madrid

Sits between the Prado and Retiro Park in the Art Triangle

A 15 to 20 minute walk from the Malasana/Chueca nightlife district

$$$$$Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

10 Days in Thailand · luxury · Bangkok riverside (Chao Phraya)

Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok

Historic riverside property with over a century of guests

Expensive relative to Bangkok norms

$$$$$Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Bangkok · luxury · Riverside (Chao Phraya)

Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok

Historic riverside property with over a century of guests

Expensive relative to Bangkok norms

$$Ank Kumar · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Great Barrier Reef & Cairns · value · Cairns Esplanade

Mantra Trilogy Cairns

Directly on the Cairns Esplanade near the Lagoon pool and reef terminal

Simple, not luxurious

$$$$Hans A. Rosbach · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Kerala Backwaters · resort · Mararikulam, on the coast 15km north of Alappuzha

Marari Beach, CGH Earth

Thatched fishing-village-style cottages spread through about thirty acres of palm garden behind an unusually empty beach

Deliberately low-tech: expect insects, no television in some categories and a village pace that some travelers read as boredom

$$$nennnn · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

El Nido, Palawan · boutique · Maremegmeg (Las Cabanas) Beach

Maremegmeg Beach Club

On Maremegmeg (Las Cabanas) beach, the closest genuinely swimmable sunset beach to town, about ten minutes by tricycle

Las Cabanas is popular at sunset, so the beach is shared with day visitors until dusk

$$$$$Someformofhuman · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Singapore · resort · Marina Bay

Marina Bay Sands

The rooftop infinity pool and SkyPark observation deck

The rooftop pool is for hotel guests only and often crowded even so

$$$Nicolas Chadeville · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Sicily · resort · Val di Noto (Hyblaean countryside, near Noto)

Masseria degli Ulivi

A restored rural estate among olive and carob groves

A car is required to reach Noto, Modica or Ragusa from here

$$$$$Godot13 · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Budapest · luxury · District V, on the Pest foot of Elisabeth Bridge

Matild Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel

The 1902 Matild Palace, one of a pair of listed palaces guarding the Pest end of Elisabeth Bridge, reopened in 2021 after a full restoration: frescoed cafe, sweeping staircase, crowned corner dome

The Elisabeth Bridge traffic knot at the door is the least romantic junction on the Pest riverfront; ask high and courtyard-side for quiet

$$$$$Jongleur100 · Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

Turkish Riviera (Bodrum to Antalya) · family · Kiriş, Kemer

Maxx Royal Kemer Resort

The benchmark for luxury all-inclusive on the Kemer coast, a Leading Hotels of the World member

All-inclusive format means little reason to leave, and outside dining is a taxi ride away

$$$$Jorge Franganillo from Barcelona, Spain · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Lisbon · boutique · Alfama

Memmo Alfama

Small rooftop pool with one of the best river views in the city

Steep, cobbled approach makes luggage difficult

$$$$Mitchell Henderson · Pexels

New Zealand South Island Road Trip: The 10-Day Loop · unique · Milford Sound

Milford Sound Lodge

The only accommodation at Milford Sound, on the Cleddau River minutes from the foreshore

Remote: no fuel, no shops, no cell coverage to speak of

$$$$$Eteocles at Greek Wikipedia · Attribution via Wikimedia Commons

Cyclades Island Hopping: How to Plan the Route · resort · Agkali, north-east coast, Milos

Milos Cove

42 suites and villas, most with private pools, on a private cove beach

Isolated: a car is essential for Plaka, Sarakiniko and the boat departures at Adamas

$$$Paul Vlaar · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Kyoto · boutique · Sanjo, downtown

Mitsui Garden Hotel Kyoto Sanjo

Guest-only public and private baths, unusual for a mid-range hotel

Standard rooms are compact

$$$$steve p2008 · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Ibiza · boutique · Vara de Rey, Ibiza Town

Montesol Experimental

The island’s first hotel, a 1933 neo-colonial landmark on Vara de Rey, reimagined by the Experimental Group

No pool, beach or grounds: this is a city hotel

$$$$Rhododendrites · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Costa Rica: Arenal, Monteverde & Manuel Antonio · boutique · Santa Elena, Monteverde

Monteverde Lodge & Gardens

31 rooms in designed gardens with a private forest patch on site

Older rooms are plain for the rate

$$$Harvey Barrison from Massapequa, NY, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Zanzibar · value · Paje

Mr. Kahawa (Kite Centre Zanzibar)

Attached to an established IKO kitesurf school operating on Paje beach since 2006

Swimming is tide-dependent, the lagoon empties out at low tide

$$$$$Benh LIEU SONG (Flickr) · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Cappadocia · luxury · Uçhisar

Museum Hotel Cappadocia

Turkey’s only Relais & Châteaux member, built around a private collection of Anatolian antiques

Among the most expensive properties in the region

$$$$$sailko · CC BY 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons

Mykonos · resort · Platis Gialos (south coast)

Myconian Ambassador Relais & Châteaux

Sits directly above Platis Gialos beach with a three-minute walk to the sand

5km from Mykonos Town, so a taxi, bus or car is needed most evenings

$$$$Image taken by Daniel Schwen · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

San Francisco and Napa Valley · boutique · Downtown Napa

Napa River Inn

Rooms in historic riverfront mill buildings

Room character varies a lot across three separate buildings

$$$$$Eteocles at Greek Wikipedia · Attribution via Wikimedia Commons

Cyclades Island Hopping: How to Plan the Route · villa · Stelida, above Agios Prokopios, Naxos

Naxian Collection

Villas and suites in Cycladic style with private or semi-private pools, set in gardens on the Stelida headland

You need a car for Chora and the mountain villages

$$$$$Rhododendrites · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Costa Rica: Arenal, Monteverde & Manuel Antonio · luxury · Volcano road, Arenal

Nayara Springs

Adults-only villas, each with a plunge pool fed by the volcanic springs

Among the most expensive rooms in the country

$$$pakku · CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Hokkaido · resort · Furano

New Furano Prince Hotel

Directly connected to the Furano ski zone with ski-in, ski-out access

Resort-style scale rather than boutique character

$$$$Bernard Gagnon · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Greece in 10 Days: Athens, Mykonos & Santorini · design · Between Syntagma and Plaka

New Hotel, Athens

A Design Hotels property by Fernando and Humberto Campana, built with salvaged materials from the former Olympic Palace Hotel

Design-forward interiors will not suit travelers who want a classic neoclassical feel

$$$$Daniel Zaas · Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

Kenya-Tanzania Safari Route · resort · Ngorongoro Crater rim, Tanzania

Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge

Dramatic rim-edge architecture with uninterrupted crater views

Rim altitude means cold nights, so pack layers

$$$$$steve p2008 · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Ibiza · resort · Talamanca Bay

Nobu Hotel Ibiza Bay

152 rooms and suites directly on Talamanca’s calm bay, a short hop from Ibiza Town

The bay is sheltered and urban-facing rather than wild

$$Ville Miettinen from Helsinki, Finland · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Tokyo · value · Ueno

Nohga Hotel Ueno Tokyo

Rooms feature work from local artisans, not generic hotel decor

Ueno is a longer ride from Shibuya/Shinjuku nightlife

$$$Wikimedia Commons · Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

Queenstown · value · Queenstown Town Centre (lakefront)

Novotel Queenstown Lakeside

Lakefront position near the gondola base station at a lower price than the luxury hotels

Standard chain-hotel rooms rather than distinctive design

$$sailko · CC BY 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons

Mykonos · value · Ornos

Ornos Blue Hotel

About 200 metres from Ornos beach

Ornos beach itself is unremarkable next to Psarou or Elia

$$$$kevinmcgill from Den Bosch, Netherlands · CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Maui and Oahu: Planning the Two-Island Hawaii Trip · resort · Kāʻanapali Beach, Maui

OUTRIGGER Kāʻanapali Beach Resort

Long billed as Hawaiʻi’s most Hawaiian hotel, with full-time cultural advisors and complimentary daily cultural programs

A 1960s-era property, updated but simpler than its five-star neighbors

$$$$Hush Neo · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Australia East Coast Road Trip: Sydney to Cairns · boutique · Woolloomooloo, Sydney

Ovolo Woolloomooloo

Inside the heritage Finger Wharf, a walk from the Royal Botanic Garden and the Opera House

Valet parking is about AUD 95 a night, so collect the car the morning you leave

$$$$Diliff · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Sydney · boutique · Woolloomooloo

Ovolo Woolloomooloo

Set in a heritage-listed wharf with marina views

A 15 to 20 minute walk (much of it uphill) to the CBD centre

$$$$$leonardo samrani from rosario, argentina · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Argentina: Buenos Aires and Mendoza Wine Country · luxury · Recoleta, Buenos Aires

Palacio Duhau - Park Hyatt Buenos Aires

A restored 1930s palace plus a modern wing joined by terraced gardens

Split palace-versus-tower layout means room character varies

$$$$fotografia di Rosanna C. · CC BY 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons

Sardinia · design · Cagliari (city centre)

Palazzo Doglio

A Leading Hotels of the World palazzo in central Cagliari with a courtyard and its own theatre

No beach or pool of its own

$$$$Nicolas Chadeville · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Sicily · boutique · Palermo (historic center)

Palazzo Natoli

A restored 1795 mansion near the Cathedral and Quattro Canti

No pool

$$$$lo.tangelini from Soliera / Modena, Italia · CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Tuscany · boutique · Siena, inside the city walls

Palazzo Ravizza

A 19th-century palazzo with a private garden inside Siena’s walls

No pool

$$$$$nennnn · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

El Nido, Palawan · luxury · Pangulasian Island, Bacuit Bay

Pangulasian, El Nido

42 villas along a 750-metre west-facing shoreline of Bacuit Bay, the flagship of the El Nido Resorts group

Rates sit far above everything on the mainland, before the boat transfer

$$$$$Thomas Hirsch / User:Ravn · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

10 Days in Vietnam · unique · Halong Bay

Paradise Elegance Cruise

Overnight cruise with private-balcony cabins among the karsts

One or two nights only, so it is a segment not a base

$$$$$Eteocles at Greek Wikipedia · Attribution via Wikimedia Commons

Cyclades Island Hopping: How to Plan the Route · design · Between Naoussa and Kolympithres, Paros

Parilio, a Member of Design Hotels

A Design Hotels member of 46 suites and villas, built in colored concrete, terracotta and local marble

A drive rather than a walk from Naoussa harbour

$$$$$PotatoWitch · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Abu Dhabi · resort · Saadiyat Beach, ten minutes from the museums

Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel and Villas

Directly on the nine-kilometre Saadiyat beach, the best natural sand in the emirate, with dune boardwalks and hawksbill turtle nesting season signposted in spring

Isolated by design: dinner outside the hotel means the Mamsha strip or a taxi to town

$$$$$CEphoto, Uwe Aranas · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Kuala Lumpur · luxury · Merdeka 118 tower, above Chinatown and Stadium Merdeka

Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur

Occupies the upper floors of Merdeka 118, the second-tallest building in the world at 678.9 metres, with rooms starting at level 75: on a clear day the view runs from the Klang Valley rim to the Strait of Malacca

The precinct around the tower is still finishing: expect construction hoarding, and the observation deck and full mall experience arriving in stages through 2026

$$$$leonardo samrani from rosario, argentina · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Argentina: Buenos Aires and Mendoza Wine Country · luxury · Plaza Independencia, Mendoza City

Park Hyatt Mendoza

Behind the restored 19th-century Plaza Hotel facade right on Plaza Independencia

A city hotel: no vineyard views

$$$$$Thomas Hirsch / User:Ravn · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

10 Days in Vietnam · luxury · District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Park Hyatt Saigon

Colonial-style property beside the Opera House in District 1

Top-tier city pricing

$$$$$Diliff · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Sydney · luxury · The Rocks

Park Hyatt Sydney

Closest luxury hotel to the water, with floor-to-ceiling harbour views

Among the most expensive hotels in the city

$$$$$Alpsdake · CC0 via Wikimedia Commons

Two Weeks in Japan · luxury · Shinjuku, Tokyo

Park Hyatt Tokyo

Occupies the top floors of a Shinjuku tower with 360-degree views

Expensive

$$$$Someformofhuman · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Singapore · design · Chinatown / CBD

PARKROYAL COLLECTION Pickering

A WOHA-designed "hotel-in-a-garden" with terraced greenery through the building

A larger, design-forward property rather than an intimate boutique feel

$$$$$Bernard Gagnon · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Greece in 10 Days: Athens, Mykonos & Santorini · resort · Platys Gialos, Mykonos

Petasos Beach Resort & Spa

A private peninsula between Platys Gialos and Psarou with direct beach access

A bus, taxi or water taxi is needed to reach Mykonos Town

$$$Elemaki · CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Barcelona · boutique · Eixample

Petit Palace Eixample

Central Gran Via location, walk to Passeig de Gràcia

Chain-hotel feel rather than boutique character

$$$$steve p2008 · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Ibiza · design · Cala Carbó (southwest)

Petunia Ibiza, a Beaumier hotel

An adults-oriented hillside hotel (minimum-age policy; check when booking) in the pines above Cala Carbó, facing the Es Vedrà rock

A car is essential; the southwest corner has no useful bus service

$Paul Vlaar · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Kyoto · value · Near Kyoto Station

Piece Hostel Kyoto

Free evening events (cinema nights, cooking classes, happy hour) that make socializing easy

Shared bathrooms and showers

$$$$$Diliff · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

California Coast Road Trip: Highway 1, San Francisco to Los Angeles · luxury · Big Sur

Post Ranch Inn

Cliff-top rooms on a 98-acre private preserve

Ultra-luxury pricing, often well over 2,000 dollars a night

$$$$Dronepicr · CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Algarve · unique · Tavira old town

Pousada Convento de Tavira

36 rooms in the restored 16th-century Convento de Nossa Senhora da Graca, wrapped around a cloister in the heart of Tavira's old town

Convent architecture means some rooms are cosier and darker than resort standards

$$$$$Nicolas Chadeville · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Sicily · romantic · Salina, Aeolian Islands

Principe di Salina

14 rooms, all with sea views, on the green Aeolian island of Salina

Reachable only by ferry, plus a transfer on Salina

$$$$Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Bangkok · design · Silom

Pullman Bangkok Hotel G

A five-minute walk from Chong Nonsi BTS

Nightlife-forward area can be loud at street level

$$$$$Ank Kumar · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Great Barrier Reef & Cairns · luxury · Cairns CBD

Pullman Reef Hotel Casino

Walking distance to the Reef Fleet Terminal and the Esplanade

No beach; Cairns itself has none

$$$$Hans A. Rosbach · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Kerala Backwaters · boutique · Muhamma, on the western shore of Vembanad

Purity at Lake Vembanad

A small lakeside house from the Malabar House group, a handful of rooms and suites under one roof, so the whole place feels privately taken

Tiny by design: no gym, no kids club, no alternative restaurant, and if the house is booked by one group the atmosphere is theirs

$$$$$PotatoWitch · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Abu Dhabi · resort · Liwa desert, edge of the Empty Quarter, about 2 hours from the city

Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara

A fort-styled resort standing alone among some of the tallest dunes on earth, on the rim of the Rub al Khali, the largest sand desert in the world: the setting is the product and nothing in the region matches it

The 200-kilometre transfer is real money in a taxi or a rental commitment, and a single night means about four hours of driving for eighteen hours of desert

$$$$Wikimedia Commons · Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

Queenstown · boutique · Queenstown Town Centre

QT Queenstown

Distinctive, playful design in the QT house style

No direct lake frontage

$$$$Diliff · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Sydney · boutique · CBD (near Town Hall)

QT Sydney

Theatrical, art-deco design inside a heritage building (the former Gowings and State Theatre)

No harbour views

$$$$ผู้สร้างสรรค์ผลงาน/ส่งข้อมูลเก็บในคลังข้อมูลเสรีวิกิมีเดียคอมมอนส์ - เทวประภาส มากคล้าย · CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Chiang Mai · boutique · Old City, behind Wat Phra Singh

Rachamankha

Modeled on 15th-century Lanna monastery architecture by architect Ong-ard Satrabhandhu, with cloistered courtyards, antiques and a library that feels like a private museum

Rooms in the classic wings are atmospheric rather than large, and the aesthetic is deliberately spare

$$$$Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

10 Days in Thailand · boutique · Chiang Mai Old City

Rachamankha Chiang Mai

Quiet Lanna-and-Chinese design inside the Old City

Rooms are understated rather than lavish

$$$$$Hush Neo · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Australia East Coast Road Trip: Sydney to Cairns · luxury · Wategos Beach, Byron Bay

Raes on Wategos

Eighteen keys across a hotel and guesthouses on the calmest beach in Byron, under the lighthouse

Top-of-market pricing and minimum stays in peak periods

$$$$$Someformofhuman · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Singapore · luxury · City Hall / Beach Road

Raffles Hotel Singapore

A national monument dating to 1887, all-suite since its 1990s restoration

Among the most expensive hotels in the city

$$$Hans A. Rosbach · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Kerala Backwaters · boutique · Alappuzha, on the beach road

Raheem Residency

An 1868 seafront house restored as a recognised heritage hotel, with a courtyard pool, verandahs and a library that make the town heat disappear

A period house on a busy coastal road: rooms are characterful rather than large, and street noise is part of the deal

$$$$Arturbraun · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Seoul · boutique · Bukchon Hanok Village

Rakkojae Seoul

A genuine hanok stay with heated ondol floors and a courtyard setting

No elevator and traditional low doorways, harder for limited mobility

$$$$$Mahmoudalrawi derivative work: MagentaGreen · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Rajasthan Golden Triangle · luxury · Central Jaipur

Rambagh Palace, Jaipur

A former Maharaja’s residence and one of India’s first palace hotels

Only around 78 rooms, so it books out in peak season

Chiang Mai · design · Ping riverbank, north of the city

Raya Heritage

38 river-facing suites in a contemporary take on Lanna design, filled with hand-made work by northern Thai artisans: naturally dyed fabrics, hand-carved teak, local ceramics

The riverside location north of town means a 15 to 20 minute ride to the Old City sights

$$$Sergey Pesterev · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Morocco: Marrakech, Sahara & Chefchaouen · boutique · Marrakech Medina (Bab Taghzoute)

Riad Yasmine

Small 8-room riad with a courtyard pool

Small property with limited room types

$$$Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

10 Days in Thailand · value · Bangkok riverside, near the Old City

Riva Surya Bangkok

Riverside boutique property a short walk or boat ride from the Old City

Small property with limited facilities

$$$Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Bangkok · value · Riverside, near the Old City

Riva Surya Bangkok

Riverside boutique property a short walk or boat ride from the Old City

Small property with limited facilities

$$$$$fotografia di Rosanna C. · CC BY 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons

Sardinia · luxury · Costa Smeralda (Romazzino bay)

Romazzino, A Belmond Hotel, Costa Smeralda

Michele Busiri Vici’s whitewashed 1960s building on its own sandy beach

Seasonal, roughly late May to early October

$$$$PotatoWitch · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Abu Dhabi · design · Al Maryah Island

Rosewood Abu Dhabi

A glass tower with genuinely good contemporary interiors on the Al Maryah waterfront, connected to the Galleria, which holds the city's deepest restaurant bench

No beach: the trade of a city hotel, softened but not solved by shuttle arrangements in season

$$$$$Superchilum · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Madrid · luxury · Barrio de Salamanca

Rosewood Villa Magna

Reopened in 2021 after an extensive renovation

A taxi or metro ride from the historic center and nightlife

$$$CT Cooper · Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

Dubai · value · Downtown Dubai (Za’abeel side)

Rove Downtown

Under a 10-minute walk to Dubai Mall and near the Burj Khalifa

Smaller rooms than the luxury tier

$$$Diliff · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Sydney · value · Surry Hills, near Central Station

Rydges Sydney Central

Around 200 metres from Central Station, easy for airport trains and day trips

No harbour or beach proximity

$$$$Benh LIEU SONG (Flickr) · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Cappadocia · boutique · Ürgüp

Sacred House

A restored roughly 250-year-old mansion with an unusual underground "Inferno" spa nine meters below street level

Adults-only, not a family option

$$$$Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Bangkok · boutique · Old City (Rattanakosin)

Sala Rattanakosin

A restored riverside warehouse directly across from Wat Arun

Only 14 rooms, books out fast

$$$$$Nicolas Chadeville · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Sicily · luxury · Taormina

San Domenico Palace, Taormina, a Four Seasons Hotel

A former 14th-century convent with terraced gardens over the Ionian Sea

Among the most expensive rooms in Sicily

$$$$Jorge Franganillo from Barcelona, Spain · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Lisbon · boutique · Alfama

Santiago de Alfama

A restored historic mansion with panoramic city views

No elevator in parts of the historic building

$$$$Ruta Badina · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Koh Samui · resort · Maenam

Santiburi Koh Samui

Spacious grounds of palm gardens on the quiet north shore

Quiet Maenam location is far from nightlife

$$$$nennnn · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

El Nido, Palawan · resort · Lio Estate

Seda Lio

153 rooms on the Lio beachfront, a full-service resort on a scale nothing in town matches

20 to 30 minutes from El Nido town, so evenings out mean a tricycle ride each way

$$$$sailko · CC BY 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons

Mykonos · boutique · Mykonos Town

Semeli Hotel (Semeli Town)

Inside Mykonos Town, walking distance to Little Venice and the windmills

No beach on site

$$$$Rhododendrites · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Costa Rica: Arenal, Monteverde & Manuel Antonio · design · Santa Elena outskirts, Monteverde

Senda Monteverde

Contemporary lodge on the continental divide with its own Aguti wildlife reserve, free to guests

Smaller rooms than the price suggests

$$$$$Ank Kumar · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Great Barrier Reef & Cairns · resort · Port Douglas

Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, Port Douglas

147 hectares of tropical garden with two hectares of lagoon-style pools

Large and resort-generic rather than intimate

$$$Mitchell Henderson · Pexels

New Zealand South Island Road Trip: The 10-Day Loop · design · Queenstown

Sherwood

A converted motor lodge on the hill above Lake Wakatipu with a garden-driven kitchen

A drive or bus ride from the town center

$$$Ville Miettinen from Helsinki, Finland · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Tokyo · boutique · Shibuya

Shibuya Excel Hotel Tokyu

Directly connected to Shibuya Station via Mark City

Standard rooms are compact

$$$Arturbraun · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Seoul · value · Gwanghwamun / Jongno

Shilla Stay Gwanghwamun

Reliable mid-range chain within walking distance of Gyeongbokgung

Compact rooms and limited views

$$$$Rhododendrites · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Costa Rica: Arenal, Monteverde & Manuel Antonio · resort · Manuel Antonio hill road

Sí Como No Resort

54 rooms with balconies over the forest, a separate adults-only area and 4 hectares of protected forest terraces

Ten minutes by road from the park and the beach

$$$$$Hush Neo · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Australia East Coast Road Trip: Sydney to Cairns · luxury · Mossman River, near Port Douglas

Silky Oaks Lodge

Forty treehouses above the Mossman River on the edge of Daintree National Park, twenty minutes from Port Douglas

Very expensive, with minimum stays on the signature packages

$$Diliff · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

California Coast Road Trip: Highway 1, San Francisco to Los Angeles · value · San Simeon

Silver Surf Motel

Affordable and minutes from Hearst Castle

Basic motel amenities with no resort features

$$$$Robert Gadomski, Poland · Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

Corfu · boutique · Corfu Old Town

Siorra Vittoria Boutique Hotel

A restored 19th-century mansion inside the Old Town

No pool or beach

$$User:Ggia · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Istanbul · value · Sirkeci (edge of Sultanahmet)

Sirkeci Mansion

A 14-minute walk from the Blue Mosque at a fraction of Sultanahmet luxury prices

Simple rooms, not a design property

$$$$$catlin.wolfard · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Fiji · luxury · Malolo Island, Mamanucas

Six Senses Fiji

Solar-powered pool villas on a Mamanuca island

Very expensive

$$$$$steve p2008 · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Ibiza · luxury · Cala Xarraca, Portinatx (north coast)

Six Senses Ibiza

A 20-acre resort wrapped around the northern tip’s Cala Xarraca, with 137 suites, cave rooms and residences

Remote: 35 to 45 minutes by car from Ibiza Town and the airport

$$$$$Jongleur100 · Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

Turkish Riviera (Bodrum to Antalya) · luxury · Kaplankaya, Bozbük (about 45 minutes north of Bodrum)

Six Senses Kaplankaya

A secluded peninsula setting among olive groves and cypress hills, well away from the Bodrum scene

Remote by design: Bodrum town and the airport are a long transfer away

$$$$$Ruta Badina · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Koh Samui · luxury · Ban Ao Bang Rak (north headland)

Six Senses Samui

Fishing-village-inspired villas on a private headland

Very expensive

$$$$$Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Bangkok · luxury · Sukhumvit

Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit

Sky bridge straight into Asok BTS and Sukhumvit MRT

Busy, built-up part of Sukhumvit outside the hotel

$$$$catlin.wolfard · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Fiji · resort · Denarau Island

Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa

Full-service beachfront resort on Denarau near the airport

Denarau’s beach is modest

$$$$$Thomas Hirsch / User:Ravn · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

10 Days in Vietnam · luxury · Hoan Kiem, Hanoi

Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi

A restored 1901 colonial landmark near Hoan Kiem Lake and the Opera House

Among the most expensive addresses in the city

$$$$$Rolf Müller (User:Rolfmueller) · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Hanoi · luxury · French Quarter, beside the Opera House

Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi

Open since 1901 and the most storied address in Indochina, with the original Heritage Wing preserved in colonial detail and the newer Opera Wing in neo-classical style

Heritage Wing rooms are atmospheric rather than large, and the two wings differ enough that the wing matters more than the room category

$$$$Wikimedia Commons · Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

Queenstown · luxury · Queenstown Town Centre

Sofitel Queenstown Hotel & Spa

Central position a short walk from the gondola and lakefront

No lake frontage

$$$$$Martin Falbisoner · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Maldives Overwater Villas · luxury · Kunfunadhoo Island, Baa Atoll

Soneva Fushi

Pioneer of the "no shoes, no news" barefoot-luxury concept

Only 8 of its 61 villas are overwater; most are beachfront

$$$$$Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Phuket · luxury · Cape Panwa (southeast peninsula)

Sri Panwa

Hilltop villas with private infinity pools over the Andaman Sea

Steep, sprawling site relies on buggies

$$$$fotografia di Rosanna C. · CC BY 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons

Sardinia · unique · Oliena, Barbagia (Supramonte)

Su Gologone Experience Hotel

Family-run since 1967 by the Palimodde family, grown from a spring-side restaurant into 71 rooms

Inland: 30 to 40 minutes to Cala Gonone and the sea

$$$Maros M r a z (Maros) · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Two Weeks in New Zealand · boutique · Christchurch

Sudima Christchurch City

A well-run modern hotel in the central Victoria Street precinct

Business-hotel character rather than boutique charm

$$$$$Rhododendrites · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Costa Rica: Arenal, Monteverde & Manuel Antonio · resort · Volcano road, Arenal

Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa

The most famous thermal river gardens in the country, on site and open to guests outside day-pass hours

Day-pass visitors share the gardens until evening

$$$$$JosephAssisFernandes · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Goa · luxury · Benaulim beach (South Goa)

Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, Goa

About 140 rooms and villas spread over 56 acres of gardens with roughly 800 metres of beach frontage, which is why it never feels full

Priced at the top of the Goan market, and the on-site dining is priced accordingly

$$$$$Hans A. Rosbach · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Kerala Backwaters · luxury · Kumarakom, beside the bird sanctuary

Taj Kumarakom Resort & Spa

Built around a 19th-century Baker family bungalow on the estate that later became the Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary, so the setting is old growth rather than landscaped lawn

Rooms and villas vary a lot in age and outlook; the lake-view categories are worth the difference and the garden ones are not

$$$$$Mahmoudalrawi derivative work: MagentaGreen · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Rajasthan Golden Triangle · luxury · Lake Pichola, Udaipur

Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur

A genuine 18th-century royal palace on its own island in Lake Pichola

Reachable only by hotel boat, awkward for late or luggage-heavy arrivals

$$$ผู้สร้างสรรค์ผลงาน/ส่งข้อมูลเก็บในคลังข้อมูลเสรีวิกิมีเดียคอมมอนส์ - เทวประภาส มากคล้าย · CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Chiang Mai · boutique · Old City, on Ratchadamnoen Road

Tamarind Village

Built around a 200-year-old tamarind tree in garden courtyards, a genuinely calm pocket in the exact centre of the Old City

Rooms are comfortable rather than lavish; you are paying for location and gardens, not marble

$$$$$Thomas Quine · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Peru: Cusco & Machu Picchu · resort · Urubamba, Sacred Valley

Tambo del Inka, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa

Its own private train station connecting to Machu Picchu

Resort feel is more international than Andean

$$$$$Paul Vlaar · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Kyoto · unique · Downtown Kyoto

Tawaraya

Over 300 years of continuous operation as a ryokan

No online booking; reservations are typically made by phone or through a travel agent

$$$$$Mitchell Henderson · Pexels

New Zealand South Island Road Trip: The 10-Day Loop · luxury · Franz Josef

Te Waonui Forest Retreat

Set in rainforest a short walk from Franz Josef village

Luxury pricing in a modest village

$$$$Flickr user "The Dilly Lama" · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Langkawi · unique · Between the airport and Pantai Cenang

Temple Tree Langkawi

Eight antique Malaysian houses, Chinese, Malay, Indian and Eurasian, each 60 to 120 years old, dismantled across the country and rebuilt here as suites

Not on a beach: Cenang's sand is a short drive away

$$$$$Ank Kumar · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Great Barrier Reef & Cairns · unique · Between Cairns and Port Douglas

Thala Beach Nature Reserve

Standalone timber bungalows built into a private headland reserve

Isolated: a car is necessary for reef trips, restaurants and the Daintree

$$$$User:Ggia · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Istanbul · design · Karaköy

The Bank Hotel Istanbul (formerly Vault Karaköy), a Member of Design Hotels

A converted mid-1800s bank building with preserved architectural details

Karaköy nightlife carries some street noise

$$$$$Colourpicture Publishers, Inc. · Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

Miami · luxury · Coral Gables

The Biltmore Hotel Miami – Coral Gables

A 1926 National Historic Landmark with grand old-Florida architecture

Far from the beach, needing a 20 to 30 minute drive to South Beach

$$$$$Stan Shebs · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Los Cabos · design · Misiones / Playa Monumentos (Corridor, Cabo San Lucas end)

The Cape, a Thompson Hotel

Mid-century-inflected design with the best straight-on view of El Arco across the bay

The beach in front is a surf break, not a swimming beach

$$$CEphoto, Uwe Aranas · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Kuala Lumpur · boutique · Chow Kit, on Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman

The Chow Kit, an Ormond Hotel

86 rooms and 27 suites of genuinely good mid-century-inflected design at three-star prices, built by the Malaysian Ormond Group as a bet on an unfashionable district

Chow Kit is a working, rough-edged district with a red-light history, and the walk home at midnight is not for everyone

$$$$$Flickr user "The Dilly Lama" · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Langkawi · luxury · Datai Bay (northwest)

The Datai Langkawi

Rooms, suites and villas dropped into old-growth rainforest above Datai Bay, with resident naturalists and daily nature walks

A 45 to 60 minute drive from Cenang's restaurants and the airport corridor; you stay for the bay, not the island

$$$$$Someformofhuman · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Singapore · luxury · Marina Bay / CBD

The Fullerton Hotel Singapore

Housed in a 1928 neoclassical landmark that was once Singapore’s General Post Office

Grand public spaces but some rooms are smaller given the historic floor plan

$$$$Mitchell Henderson · Pexels

New Zealand South Island Road Trip: The 10-Day Loop · boutique · Christchurch

The George

Across the road from Hagley Park

City views rather than scenery

$$$$pakku · CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Hokkaido · resort · Niseko Village

The Green Leaf Niseko Village, Tapestry Collection by Hilton

Direct ski-in, ski-out access to Niseko Village slopes

Books out fast and prices spike in peak snow season

$$$$Mitchell Henderson · Pexels

New Zealand South Island Road Trip: The 10-Day Loop · unique · Aoraki/Mount Cook village

The Hermitage Hotel

The only full-service hotel in the national park village

A remote village with few dining alternatives

$$$$Maros M r a z (Maros) · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Two Weeks in New Zealand · design · Auckland

The Hotel Britomart

A sustainability-focused design hotel in the walkable Britomart precinct

Rooms are compact

$$$Elias Politis ( http://www.auhopu.com/ ) · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Athens · boutique · Koukaki

The Koukaki Residence

Housed in a restored 1930s neoclassical building

Small property with limited room categories

$$$$$Simon_sees from Australia · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Seminyak · luxury · Seminyak Beach (Petitenget end)

The Legian Seminyak, Bali

All-suite beachfront rooms facing the sunset

Premium pricing

$$$Paulo Barcellos Jr. · CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

New York City · value · Upper West Side

The Lucerne Hotel

Landmark 1904 building a few blocks from Central Park and the Natural History Museum

A longer subway or taxi ride to Midtown and downtown sights

$$$$Robert Gadomski, Poland · Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

Corfu · boutique · Corfu Old Town

The Merchant

Contemporary rooms in a historic shell

Small property, books up fast

$$$$$User:Davenbelle aka User:Moby Dick aka Jack Merridew · Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

10 Days in Bali · luxury · Seminyak Beach

The Oberoi Beach Resort, Bali

Direct Seminyak Beach frontage on large mature grounds

Expensive

$$$$$Simon_sees from Australia · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Seminyak · luxury · Seminyak Beach

The Oberoi Beach Resort, Bali

Direct Seminyak Beach frontage on large mature grounds

Expensive

$$$$$Paulo Barcellos Jr. · CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

New York City · luxury · Midtown Manhattan (Fifth Avenue)

The Peninsula New York

Landmark 1905 building on Fifth Avenue and 55th Street

Among the most expensive hotels in the city

$$$$$Wikimedia Commons · Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

Queenstown · luxury · Queenstown Bay (edge of town centre)

The Rees Hotel & Luxury Apartments

Lakefront position with wide views of Lake Wakatipu and The Remarkables

A 15 to 20 minute walk into the town centre

$$$$$Paul Vlaar · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Kyoto · luxury · Kamogawa riverside, downtown

The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto

Riverside site favored by Japanese nobility since the 17th century

One of the most expensive hotels in Kyoto

$Diliff · CC BY-SA 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons

Rome · value · Esquilino, near Termini

The RomeHello

A social-impact hostel with both dorms and private rooms

Esquilino is a workaday, unglamorous area at night

$$$$$kevinmcgill from Den Bosch, Netherlands · CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Maui and Oahu: Planning the Two-Island Hawaii Trip · unique · Waikīkī, Oʻahu

The Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort

The Pink Palace of the Pacific: a Spanish-Moorish landmark open since 1927 on the best stretch of Waikīkī sand

Historic-wing rooms are smaller than modern luxury standards

$$$$$Dietmar Rabich · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Cape Town & the Winelands · luxury · V&A Waterfront

The Silo Hotel

Set above the Zeitz MOCAA contemporary art museum in a converted 1920s grain silo

Among the most expensive rooms in the city

$$$$Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

10 Days in Thailand · design · Phuket (Nai Yang Beach)

The Slate

Tin-mining-heritage design by Bill Bensley

Far north on Phuket, away from the old town and nightlife

$$$$Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Phuket · design · Nai Yang Beach (near the airport)

The Slate

A distinctive tin-mining-heritage design by Bill Bensley

Far north, away from the old town and southern sights

$$$$$The TerraMar Project · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Bora Bora · luxury · Motu Ome'e (northeast)

The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort

77 overwater villas and 13 beach villas, among the largest standard overwater accommodations in French Polynesia

Rates and extras at the very top of the market

$$$$$Flickr user "The Dilly Lama" · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Langkawi · luxury · Near Kuah (southeast)

The St. Regis Langkawi

An all-suite resort on its own cove southeast of Kuah, with a small set of overwater villas rare for Malaysia

The house beach is small and the sea here is calmer and murkier than the north-coast bays

$$$kevinmcgill from Den Bosch, Netherlands · CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Maui and Oahu: Planning the Two-Island Hawaii Trip · boutique · Waikīkī (two blocks inland), Oʻahu

The Surfjack Hotel & Swim Club

A 112-room mid-century boutique two blocks from the beach, with the famous Wish You Were Here pool

No ocean views and a short walk to the sand

$$$$$leonardo samrani from rosario, argentina · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Argentina: Buenos Aires and Mendoza Wine Country · resort · Vista Flores, Uco Valley

The Vines Resort & Spa

Villas set among some 1,500 acres of Uco Valley vineyards

Remote: Mendoza city is well over an hour away

$$$$$The TerraMar Project · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Bora Bora · resort · Motu off Anau (east)

The Westin Bora Bora Resort & Spa

The island's newest resort: opened September 2024 on the former Le Meridien site, the island's first resort opening since 2017

The motu faces the main island's east coast rather than the classic full-face Otemanu angle from every room

$$catlin.wolfard · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Fiji · value · Mamanuca and Yasawa Islands

Tourism Fiji budget-island listings

The Mamanucas and Yasawas have simple bure and dorm resorts along the Yasawa Flyer route

Basic facilities and simpler food

$$$$$Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Phuket · luxury · Nai Thon (northwest coast)

Trisara

Private-pool villas and residences on a secluded bay

Very expensive

$$$$Ville Miettinen from Helsinki, Finland · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Tokyo · boutique · Jingumae / Shibuya

Trunk (Hotel) Cat Street

A genuinely social lobby bar that draws locals, not just guests

Small rooms by international five-star standards

$$$$Rhododendrites · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Costa Rica: Arenal, Monteverde & Manuel Antonio · villa · Manuel Antonio hill, Tulemar beach

Tulemar Resort

Bungalows and villas on a 13-hectare forested estate with its own beach

A rental estate rather than a hotel: no single restaurant or front desk in the usual sense

$$$Jongleur100 · Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

Turkish Riviera (Bodrum to Antalya) · boutique · Kaleiçi, Antalya

Tuvana Hotel

A cluster of restored Ottoman houses, once the home of an 18th-century Ottoman officer, inside the walled old town

Historic-house rooms vary in size and light

$$Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Ubud · value · Nyuh Kuning / south Ubud

Ubud Aura Retreat

Good value with a wellness and yoga focus

Small, simple property, not luxurious

$$$$$Bernard Gagnon · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Greece in 10 Days: Athens, Mykonos & Santorini · boutique · Agios Elefterios, on the edge of Mykonos Town

Vencia Boutique Hotel

A family-run boutique hotel operating for around four decades

A 10-minute walk rather than a doorstep location in Mykonos Town

$$$$Olaf Tausch · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Crete · boutique · Rethymno Old Town

Veneto Boutique Hotel

A 15th-century former monastery building in the heart of the Old Town

No pool

$$$$Eteocles at Greek Wikipedia · Attribution via Wikimedia Commons

Cyclades Island Hopping: How to Plan the Route · boutique · Poulati, Sifnos

Verina Astra

A small clifftop boutique hotel on the east coast at Poulati, with suites named after constellations

You need a car or taxis; nothing is walkable from Poulati

$$$$$Dronepicr · CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Algarve · luxury · Porches (Lagoa coast)

Vila Vita Parc

Around 200 rooms, suites and villas spread through subtropical gardens on a low cliff above its own coves, so it feels like grounds rather than a compound

Top of the regional market in price, and the gastronomy that justifies it costs extra on top

$$$$$Dronepicr · CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Algarve · resort · Porches (Lagoa coast)

Vilalara Grand Hotel Algarve

Clifftop gardens above a near-private cove on the Lagoa coast, long known for one of Europe's serious seawater-therapy spas

Recently rebranded (it traded for years as Vilalara Thalassa Resort), so older reviews and older prices describe a slightly different product

$$$$Diliff · CC BY-SA 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons

Rome · boutique · Prati, on the Tiber

Villa Laetitia

A 1911 liberty-style villa restored by the Fendi family with real vintage furniture in every room

A 20 minute walk from the Vatican Museums and further from the Colosseum

$$$$fotografia di Rosanna C. · CC BY 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons

Sardinia · boutique · Alghero (Lungomare Valencia)

Villa Las Tronas Hotel & Spa

A 24-room former aristocratic villa on its own promontory over the Gulf of Alghero

Rocky shore and piers rather than a sandy beach

$$$$lo.tangelini from Soliera / Modena, Italia · CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Tuscany · boutique · Panzano in Chianti

Villa Le Barone

A historic villa run more like a private house than a hotel

No walkable town at the door; a car is needed

$$$$CEphoto, Uwe Aranas · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Kuala Lumpur · boutique · Taman U-Thant, the embassy quarter east of KLCC

Villa Samadhi Kuala Lumpur

A 21-room timber-and-bamboo hideaway wrapped around a lagoon pool in the embassy district, styled like a luxe kampung: the anti-tower option in a city of towers

Nothing is walkable: every meal out and every sight starts with a Grab, and the in-house restaurant carries the nights you stay in

$$$$JosephAssisFernandes · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Goa · unique · Majorda (South Goa)

Vivenda dos Palhacos

Eight rooms in a carefully restored 120-year-old Portuguese house on a residential cul-de-sac, about a kilometre from the beach

Not on the sand: every swim is a short drive, walk or cycle

$$$$$User:Davenbelle aka User:Moby Dick aka Jack Merridew · Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

10 Days in Bali · resort · Petitenget, Seminyak

W Bali - Seminyak

Busy beachfront pool and bar scene

The party atmosphere is not for everyone

$$$$$Simon_sees from Australia · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Seminyak · resort · Petitenget

W Bali - Seminyak

Lively beachfront with a buzzing pool and bar scene

The party atmosphere is not for everyone

$$$$$Elemaki · CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Barcelona · resort · Barceloneta beachfront

W Barcelona

Sail-shaped landmark building right on the beach

Removed from the Gothic Quarter and Eixample sights, taxi or long walk needed

$$$$$Godot13 · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Budapest · design · District VI, in the Drechsler Palace on Andrassy Avenue opposite the Opera

W Budapest

Occupies the 1886 Drechsler Palace, the neo-Renaissance landmark built opposite the Opera House and empty for decades before its 2023 conversion: one of the best building rescues in the city

The W scene, music in the public spaces and a party crowd at weekends, is a feature or a bug depending on the traveler

$$$$$JosephAssisFernandes · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Goa · design · Vagator (North Goa)

W Goa

About 120 rooms and villas on the Vagator headland, most with a Portuguese-style balcony and a sea or garden view

The brand's music-and-party positioning is the whole point; if you want quiet, this is the wrong building

$$$$$Stan Shebs · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Los Cabos · luxury · Pedregal (Pacific side, Cabo San Lucas)

Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal

Reached through a private tunnel bored through the Pedregal cliffs

The Pacific beach below is not swimmable

$$$Patrice Semeria · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

French Riviera (Cote d'Azur) · boutique · Villefranche-sur-Mer

Welcome Hotel

A 1710 building on the harbour of Villefranche-sur-Mer, with past guests including Jean Cocteau and Winston Churchill

Small property with limited room count

$$$JosephAssisFernandes · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Goa · boutique · Fontainhas, Panjim

WelcomHeritage Panjim Inn

A colonial mansion of the 1880s in the heart of Fontainhas, converted into what is described as Goa's first classified heritage hotel and still run by the founding family

A city hotel with no beach and no pool; this is a base for churches and streets, not for sand

$$$$Paulo Barcellos Jr. · CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

New York City · boutique · Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Wythe Hotel

Converted 1901 barrel factory with the borough’s original boutique-hotel identity

A 15 to 20 minute subway or car ride from Midtown

$$$$Hans A. Rosbach · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Kerala Backwaters · unique · Pallathuruthy, Alappuzha, cruising Vembanad

Xandari Riverscapes

A small managed fleet of houseboats with en-suite air-conditioned bedrooms, a full kitchen and a chef aboard, run as one property rather than as individually owned boats

Comfortably more expensive than the boats touted at the jetty, and you are still paying resort money for one night in a cabin

$$Maros M r a z (Maros) · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Two Weeks in New Zealand · value · Nationwide network