Resorts & Spas
AYANA Resort
Jimbaran. Bali
Ayana sprawls across Jimbaran’s cliffs, a tropical estate of rooms, suites, and pool villas. Sunset rituals orbit Rock Bar; days drift between lagoon and infinity pools, Kubu Beach, and the Aquatonic Seawater Therapy Pool. Restaurants roam the globe. The mood is polished, resort-grand, minutes from Jimbaran’s seafood shacks and Uluwatu. 9.4
Viceroy Bali
Ubud. Bali
Viceroy Bali crowns a lush ravine in Ubud, a collection of private-pool villas with sweeping jungle views. Lembah Spa, a dramatic infinity pool, and a helipad set a quietly extravagant tone. Dine at Apéritif’s fine-dining theatre. The mood is romantic, serene, minutes from temples, galleries, rice-terrace wanderings, and cafes nearby. 9.8
Round Hill Hotel And Villas
Jamaica.
On a private peninsula near Montego Bay, Round Hill is effortless island elegance: Ralph Lauren–designed oceanfront rooms and villas with pools amid tropical gardens. Snorkel off the crescent beach, sail, play tennis, visit spa in a 18th-century great house, and dine on farm-to-table Jamaican flavours. Sunset cocktails seal the day. 9.6
Eden Roc Cap Cana
Dominican Republic.
Eden Roc Cap Cana is a Relais & Châteaux hideaway of pool-suite villas and oceanfront suites within Cap Cana’s gated estate. Expect Solaya Spa, Caletón Beach Club, gourmet dining, and access to Punta Espada golf. The vibe is polished Caribbean-chic, minutes from Punta Cana airport and sugar-white, reef-sheltered waters nearby. 9.6
Kimpton Seafire Resort & Spa
Cayman Islands.
Kimpton Seafire rises sleek on Grand Cayman’s Seven Mile Beach. Contemporary rooms and suites frame Caribbean blues; cabanas, two pools, and a lively beach club set the pace. Ave and Avecita lead dining, with a soothing spa and kids’ club. The vibe is design-forward, social, steps from coral adventures. 9.8
COMO Parrot Cay
Turks and Caicos.
COMO Parrot Cay is a private-island sanctuary of beach houses, airy rooms, and oceanfront villas. COMO Shambhala Retreat anchors days of yoga, hydrotherapy, and holistic treatments, with paddle boarding, sailing, and barefoot dining. The mood is serene, restorative, quietly glamorous, a short boat ride from Providenciales yet feeling blissfully worlds away. 9.2
Seven Stars Resort & Spa
Turks and Caicos.
Seven Stars Resort & Spa fronts Grace Bay’s powder-fine crescent with airy suites, full kitchens, and balconies. A calm, reef-sheltered sea, the island’s largest heated saltwater pool, cabanas, and a soothing spa set an easy rhythm. Dining at Seven, beachside cocktails, and walkable boutiques keep the mood polished, effortless, island-bright. 9.8
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Buoy Haus Beach Resort
St Thomas, US Virgin Islands
Buoy Haus Beach Resort sits on Morningstar Beach at Frenchman’s Reef, with contemporary rooms opening to turquoise swells. An oceanfront pool, cabanas, beachside dining, and easy snorkeling and paddleboarding set carefree days. The mood is nautical-chic and social, minutes from Charlotte Amalie’s harbor, boutiques, and ferries to the Virgin Islands. 9.2
Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort
Aruba.
Hyatt Regency Aruba fronts Palm Beach’s powder strand with breezy rooms and suites, many ocean-view. Cascading pools, a quiet adults-only Trankilo pool, ZoiA Spa, and a lively casino shape sunlit days. Dine at Ruinas del Mar and palapa grills. The vibe is relaxed-chic, minutes from Oranjestad and snorkel-bright reefs nearby. 9.4
O2 Beach Club & Spa
Barbados.
O2 Beach Club & Spa brings a chic all-inclusive pulse to Barbados’s south coast at the quiet end of St. Lawrence Gap. Contemporary suites, some swim-up, orbit three pools, rooftop Oro dining, and Acqua Spa. The vibe is stylish and social, steps to calm surf, with island exploring by taxi. 8.8
Le Barthélemy Hotel & Spa
St Barths.
Le Barthélemy unfurls along Grand Cul-de-Sac’s tranquil lagoon, with airy rooms, suites, and beachfront villas. An elegant infinity pool, watersports from the shore, and Le Spa partnered with La Mer set an indulgent rhythm. Dine at Amis St. Barth. The mood is polished, barefoot-luxury, minutes from St-Jean and Gustavia nearby. 9.8
COMO Shambhala
Ubud. Bali
COMO Shambhala Estate is a holistic wellness retreat in the jungle above the Ayung River near Ubud. Residences and pool suites pair with daily yoga, Pilates, and targeted wellness programs, hydrotherapy and nutrition-led cuisine. The mood is serene and restorative, with trails, river rafting, and Ubud’s temples and galleries nearby. 9.8. Read the article & review>>
Acqualina Resort, Miami
Miami.​
On Sunny Isles Beach, Acqualina is Mediterranean-glamour on a pristine stretch of sand. Sunlit rooms and residences with balconies face the Atlantic. Drift between three oceanfront pools, cabanas, and the Acqualina Spa; dine at Il Mulino and Costa Grill. Family-friendly perks abound. Bal Harbour and Miami Beach are close. 9.6
Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club
Miami.
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In Surfside, Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club marries 1930s glamour with contemporary serenity. Airy rooms and cabana studios face the Atlantic. Laze by oceanfront pools and beach, retreat to the marble spa, dine at The Surf Club Restaurant and Lido. Minutes to Bal Harbour, Miami nightlife and boutiques. 9.6
Four Seasons Resort Orlando
Within Walt Disney World’s Golden Oak, Four Seasons Orlando blends resort serenity with park-adjacent ease. Sunlit rooms and suites, many with balconies, overlook palms and fireworks. Drift between adults-only and family pools at Explorer Island, golf on Tom Fazio’s course, visit the spa, dine at Capa; park shuttles whisk to rides. 9.6
Faena Hotel, Miami Beach
On Collins Avenue’s mid-beach, Faena is red-and-gold theatricality with serious art: cathedral lobby, Damien Hirst’s gilded mammoth, and a privé cabaret. Sunlit, Art Deco–meets-fantasy rooms face the Atlantic. Laze on striped loungers, swim, visit Tierra Santa Healing House, dine at Los Fuegos and Pao. South Beach and boardwalk ripple nearby. 9.2 Top 5 hotels in Miami>>
Waldorf Astoria Pedregal
Los Cabos. Mexico.
Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal hides beyond a private tunnel, a cliffside sanctuary where casita-style suites with plunge pools face the Pacific. Luna y Mar Spa, private beach cabanas, and El Farallon’s cliff-edge dining set the tone. The mood is secluded, romantic, polished, minutes from Cabo San Lucas’s marina downtown. 9.8
Rosewood Mayakoba
Playa del Carmen. Mexico.
Rosewood Mayakoba drifts between mangroves and turquoise lagoons north of Playa del Carmen. Suite and villa hideaways offer plunge pools and boat arrivals; SENSE, A Rosewood Spa, sits on its own islet. Beaches, bikes and standout dining set an easy rhythm. Polished, nature-led, with cenotes and ruins within reach nearby. 9.8
Soneva Fushi
Maldives.
Soneva Fushi is a barefoot-luxury hideaway on a private island in Baa Atoll’s UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Vast beach and overwater villas with outdoor bathrooms, a soothing spa, and inventive dining set the rhythm. Expect an observatory, glass studio, Cinema Paradiso, and manta-rich snorkelling at Hanifaru, wrapped in dreamy castaway ease. 9.2
Velaa Private Island
Maldives.
Velaa Private Island is an ultra-exclusive retreat in Noonu Atoll, where overwater and beach villas with pools meet a sublime spa and private submarine. Michelin-trained dining, a wine tower, golf academy, and watersports set indulgent days. The mood is discreet, opulent, reef-bright, a seaplane hop from Malé in the Maldives. 9.6
JOALI BEING
Maldives.
JOALI BEING is a wellbeing-only island in Raa Atoll, where airy beach and overwater villas with pools meet personalised programs. The AREKA spa, sound and hydrotherapy halls, herbology, and movement spaces anchor days; plant-forward dining nourishes. The mood is serene, transformative, ocean-bright, a seaplane hop from Malé with manta-rich reefs. 10
Baraza Resort & Spa
Zanzibar.
Baraza Resort & Spa evokes a Sultan’s palace on Bwejuu Beach, with hand-carved details and private plunge-pool villas. Frangipani Spa, a PADI dive centre, tennis, and dhow sails shape languid days; kiteboarding is close. Dining is lavish and lantern-lit. The mood is opulent, romantic, and family-friendly on Zanzibar’s serene east coast. 9.6
&Beyond Mnemba Island
Zanzibar.
&Beyond Mnemba Island is a tiny, private atoll off Zanzibar, a barefoot sanctuary of just a handful of palm-fringed bandas on powder sand. Expect butler service, candlelit dining, and reef-bright snorkelling with turtles and dolphins. The mood is hushed and romantic, castaway-elegant, reached by boat from the island’s northeast coast. 9.8
Four Seasons Bora Bora
Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora floats in a turquoise lagoon beneath Mount Otemanu. Overwater bungalows and beachfront villas with pools, a serene spa, and lagoon sanctuary snorkelling set the stage for dreamy days. Canoe breakfasts, sunset sails, and Polynesian nights charm. The mood is polished, barefoot-romantic, 15 minutes by boat from the airport. 9.6
St. Regis Bora Bora
St. Regis Bora Bora spans a private lagoon facing Mount Otemanu. Vast overwater and beach villas with plunge pools and butler service. Miri Miri Spa, calm beaches, pools, and reef-bright snorkelling set dreamy days. Romantic dining on piers and by canoe. Polished, barefoot-luxe, 15 minutes by boat from the airport. 9.6
The Westin Resort & Spa
Bora Bora.
The Westin Bora Bora fronts Motu Tape’s turquoise lagoon beneath Mount Otemanu. Renovated overwater bungalows and beach villas, some with plunge pools, orbit an infinity pool, a serene spa, and easy watersports. Restaurants and bars span casual to refined. The mood is polished, barefoot-luxe, 15 minutes by boat from the airport. 9.6
The Brando
Tetiaroa Private Island.
The Brando rests on Tetiaroa, a private atoll reached by plane from Tahiti. Beachfront villas with pools, attentive staff, and solar-powered comforts feel gently luxurious. Days bring snorkelling in clear lagoons, paddleboarding, and cultural walks. Varua Te Ora Spa and refined dining complete a calm, beautifully eco-minded escape. 9.9
InterContinental Tahiti
InterContinental Tahiti spreads along a turquoise lagoon minutes from Papeete, with classic overwater bungalows and airy rooms facing Moorea. Two infinity pools, a lagoonarium, and Deep Nature Spa set an easy rhythm. Dine waterside, sip sunset cocktails, and slip into snorkel-bright shallows. Polished, convenient, near markets, ferries, and the airport. Island-facing bungalow recommended 10
COMO Laucala Island
Fiji.
COMO Laucala Island is Fiji’s ultimate private playground near Taveuni. Vast cliff, beach, and jungle residences with pools and butlers hide amid coconut groves. Farm-to-table dining, a sublime spa, golf, horses, diving, sailing, and surf shape indulgent days. The mood is secluded, extravagant, nature-led, reached by plane over turquoise reefs. 9.9
Kona Village
Hawaii. A Rosewood Resort.
Kona Village, A Rosewood Resort, sprawls along Kahuwai Bay on the Big Island’s lava-sculpted Kona Coast. Standalone thatched hale with outdoor showers, Asaya Spa, pools and a saltwater lagoon set an unhurried rhythm. Expect outrigger canoeing, snorkelling and cultural workshops. The mood is refined, barefoot-Hawaiian, sunset-soaked, minutes from petroglyph fields.
9.6
Four Seasons Oahu at Ko Olina
Hawaii.
Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina lines a calm lagoon on the island’s sunny west side. Light-filled rooms and suites, adults-only and family pools, tennis and golf, and Naupaka Spa set the stage for easy days. Mina’s Fish House and La Hiki lead evenings. Four Seasons luxury, relaxed, and 30 minutes from Honolulu. 9.6
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