The Best Resorts in the World: 2024 Readers’ Choice Awards
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Unforgettable food. Cutting-edge design. Immersive experiences. These are some of your top criteria for judging what makes a quality hotel—not to mention a worthy resort, cruise, spa, or island. In tallying up the 575,048 votes cast in our 37th annual Readers’ Choice Awards survey, we were struck by both your eagerness to embrace the new and your reverence for tried-and-true classics. Your favorite hotel in the five boroughs is the two-year-old Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad, but you also can’t stop returning to storied French Polynesian resort The Brando. You’ve jetted through the sprawling Istanbul International Airport, booked intrepid sailings to Antarctica, and fallen in love with historic yet innovative cities like Copenhagen. Read on to start planning your next round of travels—these are the best resorts in the world, as voted by our readers.
View the Readers' Choice Award winners for best hotels in the world here.
This gallery has been updated with new information since its original publish date.
Four Seasons Resort Lanaihotel50. Four Seasons Resort Lanai — Hawaii
$$$ |
Gold List 2018, 2020, 2022 
Hot List 2017 
Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024The lush tropical paradise is akin to a real-life version of Fantasy Island. With everything you could possibly want in one oceanfront destination, it's a place you'll never have to leave, unless of course, you want to. Apart from the on-site fitness center with ocean views, a private beach, and an 18-hole golf course designed by Jack Nicklaus, there's no shortage of activities with up to 22 daily offerings. Complimentary classes include lei-making, a rancher's experience, and a resort cultural tour. There are 26 room types, including garden view rooms with modern-meets-island-style decor and private terraces, and Ohana suites that are best suited for families. The grande dame here is the two-bedroom Alii Royal suite with an open living and dining space, a formal seating area, a library, and three private balconies.
Scott Ramsay/Sasaab/The Safari Collectionhotel49. Sasaab — Samburu Game Reserve, Kenya
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2022, 2024Where better to go on safari than its birthplace in the Kenyan savannah? Sasaab sits just one degree below the equator, gracing the natural ecosystem with year-round summer warmth. First time safari-goers and seasoned visitors alike are welcomed into the action just by staying at Sasaab as each of the tents overlooks a popular watering hole for elephants. The tents themselves take after Moroccan and Swahili design elements to naturally cool down the space even in the sweltering heat of high noon. Inside the tents, warm tones take over the bedding and furnishings with local artisanal products like hand-woven blankets bringing local color to the tents. In addition to amenities like the fitness center and spa, Sasaab also offers once-in-a-lifetime experiences to witness the Great Migration from a hot air balloon and start the day by eating breakfast in the Bush alongside mud-bathing hippos.
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Courtesy Zemihotel48. Zemi Beach House, LXR Hotels & Resorts — Anguilla
$$$ | Hot List 2017 Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024Zemi Beach House sits on a sprawling six acres by the ocean, with a luxe spa that includes Anguilla’s only hammam—if you’re craving a tropical escape, this is the place. Unwind on the yoga deck and enjoy holistic treatments at the 300-year-old imported and converted Thai Rice Barn turned spa; or camp out on Shoal Bay Beach, watching the waves roll in. There are 65 rooms total, outfitted with perks like 24-hour room service, “personalized Caribbean mini bars,” and Malin + Goetz bath products. You’ll be hard-pressed to leave. The resort reopened remarkably quickly in February 2018, following 2017's rash of hurricanes, restaurants Stone and 20 Knots included.
Courtesy Triple Creek Ranchhotel47. Triple Creek Ranch — Darby, Montana
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024Just 75 miles south of Missoula, Triple Creek nevertheless manages to feel like it’s in its own world. With 25 log cabins looking out onto the Bitterroot Mountains, all-inclusive Triple Creek pairs upscale rusticity with isolation—we're talking exposed log walls, slate bathrooms, and private hot tubs. Fill your days with horseback riding, hiking or snowshoeing, a fly-casting clinic, archery, or tennis, or simply relax by the pool.
Courtesy Accor Hotelshotel46. Fairmont Scottsdale Princess — Arizona
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024Scottsdale, Arizona boasts 333 days a year of sunshine and impeccably powder blue skies, and the almost always sunny weather reflects off the six glimmering pools of the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess. While the Spanish Colonial architecture of the resort is classically Southwestern, the pools are refreshing reprieves from the at-times record-breaking heat. Kids will have a blast at the Sonoran Splash Pool, with its twisting twin water slides, and at the adults-only Sonoran Landing Pool, older guests can lounge about on floating bean bags and oversized hammocks. Neutrals and umbers theme the various guest room and suite offerings, and views show off the estate’s golfing grounds, gardens, and lagoon. The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess is also just a stone’s throw away from Scottsdale’s arts and culture venues such as the Heard Museum, natural landmarks like the McDowell Sonoran preserve, and shopping venues such as the city’s Fashion Square.
Scott Baker/Playa Largo Resort & Spa, Autograph Collectionhotel45. Playa Largo Resort & Spa, Autograph Collection — Florida
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024Opened in fall 2017, this family-friendly property is idyllic for those looking to enjoy the amenities and predictability of a trusted brand while collecting Marriott Bonvoy points along the way. The resort comprises four, three-story towers with the lion’s share of guest rooms, a collection of ten colorful two-story bungalows dubbed “The Hammocks,” and a three-bedroom “Beach House'' with its own pool and waterside lawn. The resort has skillfully engineered a long sandy beach above its seawall—and segued the two with actual steps from the beach into the Florida Bay. Here, you’ll find the likes of both water and beach cabanas, free-standing hammocks (propelled by metallic spheres), splashing pups (the property is very pet-friendly), and Caribbean-inspired waterfront restaurant, Sol by the Sea. On property, also look forward to a colossal zero-entry pool, a full-service spa with six treatment rooms, a kids club, and three additional restaurants.
JOALI Maldiveshotel44. JOALI — Maldives
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024Joali’s strongpoint is simple: an island hotel in the relatively undeveloped Raa Atoll that’s sensible and unselfconscious, its Maldivian natural wonder combined with a Mediterranean feel (the owner is Turkish). This mood sets it apart from other Maldivian hotels, many of which scrabble about trying to reinvent the country’s Paradise Found with some trumped-up USP. The laid-back Med luxe is epitomized in the sunset-facing Mura Bar, the sky-blue shutters, wicker globe lamps, and chic cane sofas making it the hotspot for a sundowner and a suck on a shisha pipe. Every last detail is simple and delicious, down to the coconut croissants. And there’s been no scrimping when it comes to design: Istanbul-based architects Autoban, known for the extraordinary Baku airport international terminal and London’s Duck + Rice, have created 49 overwater and 24 beach villas that are both smart and vast, with palm roofs and rose-gold taps resembling giant pebbles. Slinky silk gowns hang in the wardrobe—a one-off print by Ardmore, which designs for Hermès—while the island is peppered with unexpected sculptures including a manta-ray tree house by artist Porky Hefer and an underwater coral garden by Misha Kahn. Japanese Saoke, one of three restaurants, serves 50 different sakes. But the highlight is lying back in a hammock and watching soft-bellied fruit bats swoop down while nursing a cocktail.
Courtesy Silverado Resort and Spahotel43. Silverado Resort and Spa — Napa, California
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2024With over 250 years of history, 1,200 acres of Napa vineyards, and several PGA Tour events under its belt, the Silverado Resort and Spa has earned its place as one of the most renowned destinations in Napa Valley. Few luxury resorts can lay claim to the amount of state-of-the-art sports facilities available at Silverado. You can play tennis, pickleball, golf, and bocce on the tournament grounds of the best athletes in the world to play the sports. And if you’re more interested in winding down than working out, you’ll also get the luxe experience of a Napa resort with the eight on-site dining options featuring fresh, seasonal produce grown locally at the resort’s gardens, house-like accommodations, and wildlife-filled hiking and biking trails. Summer is the season Silverado shines with live music on the lawns, private cabanas at the pool, and local bottles of wine poured over golden hour sunsets at their most divine.
Courtesy The Romanos, a Luxury Collection Resorthotel42. The Romanos, a Luxury Collection Resort, Costa Navarino — Greece
$$$ | Gold List 2020 Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2024Messinia is a ravishingly remote corner of the southwest Peloponnese that’s a four-hour drive from Athens (or one hour from tiny Kalamata airport). The Romanos, A Luxury Collection Resort, a 321-room polished-marble flagship, is exclusive, with low-slung buildings wrapped around a series of seductively lit lagoons. It's deeply rooted in the local culture with mmersive experiences that include philosophy walks in centuries-old olive groves and grape harvesting in the organic vineyard. The property is aimed squarely at couples, with poolside cabanas and plunge pools in nearly all its ground-floor rooms and gorgeous views of the sapphire Ionian Sea upstairs. Dark wood and polished marble interiors are quietly understated relative to the glitzy clientele.
Courtesy Le Barthélemy Hotel & Spahotel41. Le Barthélemy Hotel & Spa — St. Barts
$$$ | Hot List 2017 Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024A relatively new addition to St. Barts' luxury hotel scene, Le Barthélemy is a sophisticated winner that keeps with the island's low-rise sensibility. Set between a lagoon and Grand Cul-de-Sac beach along the island's northeastern shore, the hotel is an education in understated elegance. Rooms are spare and enormous, with lots of wood and one or two pops of bright color—some even have small, rectangular plunge pools for mini-laps. The food at Amis St. Barth is unabashedly modern French, with attention paid to proper portions in the tropics: in other words, not too much. Water sports enthusiasts have an expanse of calm shallow waters for kayaking, kite-surfing, and snorkeling—a flotilla of a dozen sea turtles that survived the storms of 2017 remain in residence and are easily visible.
Fabrice Ramberthotel40. Hôtel Barrière Le Carl Gustaf — St. Barts
$$$ | Hot List 2021 Readers' Choice Awards 2022, 2024Those who knew and loved Le Carl Gustaf the first time around will have even more reason to fall for it now that the Barriere group has taken over. The hotelier company—known for reviving particularly beloved but withering properties—has made sure to keep the spirit of Le Carl chic and easy. The raw wood and petite terraces still make it feel like the beach house of a fabulous French friend, yet the hotel’s reimagined approach to the environment gives it a 21st-century edge. Paris design firm Gilles and Boissier gussied up the 21 rooms with creams, stone, and linen, as well as a profusion of palms separating various spaces with a curtain of greenery. Suites have been reconfigured to catch sea breezes, providing natural air conditioning. And a fleet of electric bikes brings guests down the hill upon which the hotel stands like a lookout, over the town and coastline, to nearby Shell Beach, the perfect place for a picnic prepared by the hotel’s staff that feels, appropriately simple and chic—much like Le Carl itself.
Omni Amelia Island Resorthotel39. Omni Amelia Island Resort — Florida
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024About 40 minutes from Jacksonville Airport, Omni Amelia Island is one of only two luxury resorts on the island (the other is a Ritz Carlton)—though the vibe is far from pretentious. Once through the gated entry, you’ll notice beautifully untamed grounds rich with Spanish moss-adorned live oaks. Enter the lobby and you're met with a cascade of blues: a captivating view of the Atlantic ocean and, in the foreground, an eye-catching water feature followed by an adults-only pool and hot tub, plus a family pool and splash pad. Each level offers plenty of loungers and palms, and every room at the property has an ocean view—and a striking one.
Don Riddle/Courtesy Four Seasonshotel38. Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2023, 2024The Four Seasons Orlando makes a dramatic entrance. Hidden behind the gate of Disney’s upscale Golden Oak neighborhood, the 17-story building towers in the distance as you wind through the well-manicured streets. Inside, you’re greeted with fireworks; more than 30,000 crystals hang from a chandelier, forming a dozen bursts of light. The spacious one-bedroom suites feature absurdly comfortable beds, abundant closet and drawer space, and two full bathrooms. The bedside tablet can be used to order room service or connect with hotel staff. One huge perk? The concierge desk is staffed by a Disney Cast Member who will assist with park tickets, dining reservations, and any other questions.
Courtesy Hutchinson Shores Resort & Spahotel37. Hutchinson Shores Resort & Spa — Jensen Beach, Florida
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2019, 2020, 2021, 2024On a reserved stretch of Jensen Beach, guests breathe in the salty sea air at the Hutchinson Shores Resort & Spa and get a taste of why nearby Stuart, Florida, was once celebrated as America's Happiest Seaside Town. Guest rooms are immediately reminiscent of the beach scene with clean whites alternating with sailor navy blues throughout the furnishings, and herringbone floors add a subtle touch of something special. The overlooking ocean is front and center at the resort, acting as the centerpiece at dining venues, the inspiration for spa treatments, and the view from every room. Thoughtful staff deliver small touches like fresh-baked muffins in the morning and cookies at night to make stays—even with unreal ocean views—feel just like home. There are even opportunities to witness and help clear the beach for sea turtle nestings—a quite literal example of how Jensen Beach welcomes guests from all walks of life.
Christian Horan Photographyhotel36. Montage Healdsburg — California
$$$ | Hot List 2021 Readers' Choice Awards 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024Northern California’s wine country retreats often model themselves on faraway places; destinations with longer traditions and more Old World gravitas. This is too bad, because their location, between the Pacific and the Mayacamas Mountains, is pure magic, and by this point on the domestic-wine timeline, there’s no need to apologize for who you are. This is why the arrival of Montage’s first property in the region, and Sonoma’s first large-scale luxury resort, is so exciting. It celebrates its own landscape, leaving the 22,000 live oaks in place and pulling a palette of dun and moss from the surrounding sun-soaked vineyards. The resort acknowledges that, as recent wildfires have shown, this is fragile terrain: Its 130 Cali-modern rooms are raised, to disturb the land as little as possible. The restaurant offers a bounty of Sonoma’s best, with everything—from the Pliny the Elder IPA to the lamb shank—sourced from within miles. And the local sixth-generation vintners who frequent the sprawling patio bar are happy to remind you that there is, in fact, plenty of history in these parts.
Courtesy Weekapaug Innhotel35. Weekapaug Inn — Westerly, Rhode Island
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024A recently renovated legendary seaside inn on the National Register of Historic Places, the 27-room, six-suite Weekapaug Inn is a three-hour drive from New York and less than two from Boston—ideal for a quick weekend jaunt. A flock of old-line dowagers who habitually flit down to Florida in the winter still home dependably back to the stately waterside residence with its intergenerational broods in the summer. (Mrs. Franklin Delano Roosevelt visited in her day.) Nowadays, new-money yummy mummies with Ralph Lauren-attired banker hubbies and picture-perfect offspring attended by nannies join the throng, drawn by comfortable, quilt-laden suites and the promise of relaxation—at least for a few minutes. Excellent guided nature walks, golf, tennis, and fishing and boating expeditions in historic vessels can also be arranged. Meals served at the inn can suffer from slow or overanxious service and occasionally from dishes that skimp on size and taste. Give the Sunday night lobster boils a chance, though—they run off-season as well as on.
Barnsley Resorthotel34. Barnsley Resort — Adairsville, Georgia
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024Originally built as an Italianate villa, this off-the-beaten-path resort in the Blue Ridge Mountains now has a cluster of country cottages and is laid out to resemble an English country village, with ten acres of heirloom gardens. Cottages are beautifully and uniquely decorated, with claw-foot tubs and handpicked reproduction furnishings, and have porches with rocking chairs or swings. Rice House serves prime beef, fresh fish, and wild game in an 1854 farmhouse with bullet holes from the Civil War—the food is first-class, and it has a certain Barnsley flair to it. Activities include the awesome golf course, designed by Jim Fazio, and two 14-station clay shooting courses. Staff are fabulous and the environment lends itself to a true escape from the daily grind.
Courtesy Sirikoi Lodgehotel33. Sirikoi Lodge — Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, Kenya
$$$ | Gold List 2018 Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2019, 2023, 2024Built by second generation Kenyans and conservationists, Sirikoi’s got a main lodge, a three-bedroom house, and two- and four-bedroom tents facing a watering hole for great armchair game viewing. The feeling that you’ve entered a private home suffuses the place, from the lovingly tended gardens to the heirlooms collected by the family over the years. In addition to morning and evening game drives, you can do a bush walk with a ranger, horseback ride across the plains, fly in a helicopter up to Mount Kenya to go fly fishing, or do a quad bike safari for an overnight campout.
Blake Marvinhotel32. Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal — Mexico
$$$ | Gold List 2018 Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024Enveloped by short, craggy hills on 24 pristine acres of Baja California beachfront, the upscale spot is practically floating in open waters, and in fact, it’s tricky to distinguish the hotel’s infinity pool from the brilliant blue body of water behind it. This Mediterranean village–inspired enclave gives off a rustic beach vibe that makes you feel like you just stumbled upon the place, and luckily so. Suites are outfitted with hand-carved wood, locally made ceramic tiles, and plunge pools hanging off private ocean view-terraces. Another selling point? The exceedingly attentive staff, plus a personal concierge program—you'll have someone dedicated to making your vacation dreams come true, including planning romantic evening cruises and early morning massages at your request.
White Desert Antarctica/Echohotel31. White Desert, Echo — Antarctica
$$$ | Hot List 2023 Readers' Choice Awards 2023, 2024When you feel like you’ve nearly done it all in “bucket list” travel—and you have the financial bandwidth to partake in a one-of-a-kind, ultra-exclusive journey that could potentially outshine most (if not all) of your previous global pursuits—Echo Camp is waiting. Tour operator White Desert’s space-themed property is one of the world’s most audacious eco-luxury projects, featuring an otherworldly design set in an even more otherworldly landscape in Antarctica’s glacier-lined Henriksen Nunataks. It’s the most luxurious base from which to explore coastal colonies of dawdling emperor penguins and to reach the near-mythic South Pole, while near-camp activities include ice wall climbing, skiing, nunatak summit hikes and abseils, and fat biking through scenic wave-textured ice plains. If you can afford it, I suggest going “all the way” and booking the 7-night/8-day South Pole & Emperors trip. Not only will you enjoy the soul-stirring scene of a 1,000-plus colony of bumbling, chirpy penguins on Akta Bay, but you’ll also get to experience what only about 500 tourists achieve per year: a journey to the geographic nadir of Mother Earth.
Courtesy Four Seasonshotel30. Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2024One of Bali’s most respected five-star all-villa retreats, and one of the first international chains to have arrived on the island, the Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay has been offering its own form of warm hospitality for more than three decades. After arriving at the open-air hilltop lobby, guests are gently ushered from the reception balé to a blessing from the resident Balinese Hindu priest—a completely magical welcome. Golf carts shuttle guests around the property, which is is more compact than the winding lanes convey, not to mention perfectly laid out.
Southern Ocean Lodgehotel29. Southern Ocean Lodge — Kangaroo Island, Australia
$$$ | Hot List 2024 Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2024When the catastrophic “black summer” bushfires of 2020 burnt down Southern Ocean Lodge, many thought it was the end of the story for one of Australia’s greatest luxury lodges. A fixture on Kangaroo Island’s sensational stretch of wild southwest coast, the resort was originally opened in 2008 by husband-and-wife duo James and Hayley Baillie, and it quickly became the soft-landing of choice to explore the “Australian Galápagos.” This story received a much-welcomed plot twist in December 2023, when the resort reopened as a near replica of its former sci-fi self, shaped like a low-flying saucer hovering above the Southern Ocean, with uninterrupted last-stop-before-Antarctica views across the sea. The resort now comprises 25 glass-fronted suites that extend across the limestone cliffs, each with midcentury-modern curves, sunken living rooms, fireplaces, and sliding doors that open to private patios and the fresh Antarctic breeze. On the western edge of the lodge, the four-bedroom Baillie Pavilion suite is a new addition—it sits like an amphitheater with an infinity pool, a plunge pool/spa, and views across the coastal cliffs. Another tweak is the now north-facing spa, complete with a chill-out lounge, small gym, sauna, three treatment rooms, and hot and cold plunge pools. The reoriented spa turns its back to the sea to give guests a glimpse of the 250 acres of nature reserve surrounding the resort, all while they’re being massaged and scrubbed with the island’s bounty of lavender, eucalyptus, and pure Ligurian honey.
Courtesy White Barn Inn, Auberge Resortshotel28. White Barn Inn, Auberge Resorts Collection — Kennebunk, Maine
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024Ever since Kennebunk's White Barn Inn & Spa opened in 1973, the 26-room, 19th-century main house and two renovated barns have attracted couples seeking enchantment and celebrities seeking discretion. They’ve indulged in all the decadent property has to offer—the infamously rich lobster fettuccine with cognac coral butter sauce; the 90-minute Himalayan Salt Stone Massage in the spa; the hand-packed picnic baskets made for sunrise (or sunset) beach picnics. What's most remarkable about The White Barn Inn is the extent to which they seem to have thought of everything: You walk away from a stay here wondering why all of life can't be this seamless.
Chatham Bars Innhotel27. Chatham Bars Inn — Cape Cod, Massachusetts
$$ | Gold List 2022 Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024Eevery inch of the property’s 25 acres (CBI has quietly picked up more throughout the years) is intoxicating. There’s the cool Atlantic breeze hitting the bluff, a sand-swept wedding in the distance (remember when?), a private beach launch to a secluded sandy spot. Scattered atop a seaside bluff, the "charming New England–style cottages" have bay windows, fireplaces, and private decks or patios with views of the ocean, grounds, or golf course. There’s an oceanfront pool, downtown Chatham steps away, a lobby fireplace roaring upon your return. It oozes nostalgia, and that’s why guests return—kids a little older, parents a little wiser, grandparents in pearls taking in the view a little bit longer—to summer on the Cape. CBI has perfected the good stuff: views (see the fishing boats at the pier, fog sitting on the water?), a seaside spot to rest your head (nothing beats the ocean view cottages), and family fun. And that’s what the Cape is all about.
Courtesy The Brandohotel26. The Brando — French Polynesia
$$$ | Gold List 2019 Hot List 2015 Readers' Choice Awards 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024Marlon Brando first came across the 18-isle atoll of Tetiaroa while scouting locations for his 1962 movie Mutiny on the Bounty. Now, more than 60 years later, the late actor’s beloved island hideaway is maintained by his family as a singularly unique resort, where stays feel like they’re once-in-a-lifetime. The wild South Pacific feel is intact, with just 35 luxe thatch-roof villas scattered across the main island—each has a private plunge pool and access to the sea. As you hike past ancient open-air temples or snorkel among schools of colorful fish, you’ll be able to appreciate wildlife conservation efforts so remarkable that researchers regularly fly in to study. From $4,900. —Megan Spurrell
James Baigriehotel25. Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort & Club — Dana Point, California
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023, 2024Don’t let the grandiose water fountains at the entrance deter you. The Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach is casual luxury at its best, where relaxation and fun pair up whether it be chilling at the pool in a cabana, hitting the golf links in front of the resort, or sharing dinner with friends around the fire pit at the beach club. This is the ultimate refined family-friendly getaway, with enough options to keep kids entertained and plenty of amenities to make traveling families comfortable, but without being too “kiddie” centric.
Courtesy Tierra Hotelshotel24. Tierra Chiloé Adventure and Spa Hotel — Chile
$$ | Gold List 2018 Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024This might be the coolest hotel in Chile. The 24-room property on the remote, southern island of Chiloé—about two hours by plane from Santiago—is an all-inclusive destination resort that does just about everything right, from traditional scratch-made apple tarts at breakfast to horseback riding along deserted stretches of coast to pisco sour cocktail hour. Rooms have wide-angle views of the bay, sumptuous beds, and rainfall showers. There’s a communal lobby that feels more like a mountain lodge living room, with roaring fireplaces and wool blankets; the oversized hot tub is magical; plus there's a brand new spa and pool. But activities—as at all Tierra properties—are the special sauce here: Trekking through woodlands, visiting small farming communities to shop their produce markets, getting behind the scenes of restoration projects underway at UNESCO-protected wooden churches; sailing the waters off Chiloé in the hotel’s private yacht. Everything’s included, and guests are free to pick and choose from the menu of options—all the more reason to love this all inclusive.
Patrick J O'Brienhotel23. The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort — South Carolina
$$ | Gold List 2023 Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024Kiawah Island is a 21-mile drive southwest of downtown Charleston, yet it feels worlds away. Drive through rural John’s Island, beneath tunnels of gnarled live oaks, across the marsh, pausing briefly at the island’s gatehouse, then continue along four more miles of winding road to reach The Sanctuary. Bellhops dressed in classic knickers and argyle socks sprint to help with your luggage, their sunshiny dispositions adding to the sensation that you’ve landed somewhere special. Design-wise, The Sanctuary straddles modern and traditional. On the one hand, you’ve got state-of-the-art construction built in 2004 to withstand the occasional hurricane (thick walls, solid windows, no ambient noise). On the other hand, old-school design touches give the hotel warmth and softness: floral drapes, mahogany bed frames, Victorian picture hangers, and soft yellow hues.
Four Seasonshotel22. Four Seasons Resort and Residences at The Pearl-Qatar — Doha
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2024Opened in 2023, this resort is the latest from the Four Seasons to open in the Middle East. With options for vacationing travelers and longer-term stays alike, visitors and residents, business and pleasure, citylife and getaway retreat, live as one here. The most critical pillar of that community, the Four Seasons staff, go above and beyond to make the fantasy of Qatar’s Pearl Island come true—from leading private all-day tours of Doha, to revving up Jeeps for dune-bashing, to making sure accommodations are kept just how you like it. The shimmering waters of the Arabian Gulf and panoramic views are on full display at the balcony of La Méditerranée Robuchon, the resort’s flagship restaurant serving French Mediterranean cuisine. Guests can also book various pearl-inspired wellness treatments at Loulou (meaning pearl in Arabic) Spa, which also offers specialized men’s care and a sun-soaked indoor lap pool looking over the gulf.
Courtesy Nihi Sumbahotel21. NIHI Sumba — Indonesia
$$ | Gold List 2018, 2020, 2023 Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024At Nihi Sumba, a quick 50-minute flight from Denpasar, a wilder sort of luxury reigns, where adventure (one of the world’s best private waves, God’s Left, is in front of the hotel) and solitude—550 acres of sand and forest—is more prized than pomp. As if the Cast Away vibes weren't strong enough, the resort also offers a Robinson Crusoe–style, three-villa treehouse in addition to its 27 villas. Round out your stay with the very active to-do list on the island: Catching a wave on Occy's Left and horseback riding over at Sandalwood. With strong ties to the local community and an ethos that channels the rustic surf hotel it once was, Nihi has managed the near impossible: five stars and cool.
Courtesy Finch Bay Galapagos Hotelhotel20. Finch Bay Galapagos Hotel — Ecuador
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024If you’ve only ever visited the Galapagos Islands by sea, this beachfront eco-lodge on the south side of Santa Cruz Island makes a strong case for getting your feet in the sand and sticking around for a while. Expect breezy porches strung with hammocks, a restaurant serving sustainable slipper lobster, and access to a mangrove-lined beach. The hotel offers plenty of excursions (including yacht tours and visits to a giant tortoise reserve), but one of the true joys of this place is simply wandering around the island. Exploring by foot means you’ll have access to the Charles Darwin Research Station, the marine iguanas of Tortuga Bay Beach, and the crystal-clear swimming holes known as Las Grietas.
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Courtesy Hyatt Key West Resort and Spahotel19. Hyatt Centric Key West Resort & Spa
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2021, 2022, 2024Quintessentially Key West, the Hyatt Centric Resort & Spa sits on the warm Gulf of Mexico with close proximity to the Old Town, Duval Street, and the shops at Mallory Square. For a true sense of retreat, charter boats are available for adventurous guests looking to jet off and explore the gulf for themselves, and you might even swim alongside dolphins while snorkeling in the crystal clear waters near the resort. Guest rooms are minimalist and beachy, with breezy white linens interspersed with light wood details and teal penny tiling in the bathroom. If there was ever a place to forget your worries in postcard-worthy seclusion, it’s here.
Ponte Vedra Inn & Clubhotel18. Ponte Vedra Inn & Club — Florida
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2023, 2024This 1928 Spanish colonial has "a prime location on a beautiful beach." Amenities include a "well-maintained golf course" and "first-class spa." Rooms are decorated in ocean tones of blues, greens, and sand, and have ash furnishings and crown moldings. The "pricey Seahorse Grille has a huge aquarium" and serves seafood and steaks. The beachfront bar High Tides specializes in frozen drinks. "Service is outstanding."
Courtesy The Breakers Palm Beachhotel17. The Breakers Palm Beach — Florida
$$$ | Gold List 2024 Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024For a good part of a century, Palm Beach has been a winter magnet for those attracted to a luxurious oceanfront getaway. And undoubtedly the most recognizable fixture within that pull is The Breakers, a 534-room beachside hotel that presents itself less as a resort and more like a palace—at least that’s what my children said on a recent stay. The majestic narrative is in part due to the grand architecture that emulates 15th-century Italian villas, inclusive of gilded and fresco ceilings hand-painted by Florentine artisans. But if you think The Breakers is stuck in the past, then just take in its annual $30 million reinvestment fund that has given way to contemporary additions like HMF, a vibey lounge named after the property’s founder, railroad and oil tycoon Henry Morrison Flagler, that serves sexy cocktails. The Breakers leans into its Florida feels with a waterside area that’s home to four sparking pools, a private beach, and enough palm trees to populate a rainforest. Guest rooms, marked by neutral shades that deliberately play second fiddle to the view of either turquoise blue ocean or verdant gardens, match the resort’s comfortable sophistication, with linens that feel as decadent as the legendary Sunday brunch.
Courtesy Omni Barton Creek Resorthotel16. Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa — Austin
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2022, 2023, 2024Located peripherally to the city at the mouth of Texas Hill Country, this resort blends urban high life with total retreat. Bright guest rooms are decorated with warm touches of Southern decor and open up to the evergreen hills surrounding the property. Travelers looking for leisure and lounging will find their call for relaxation answered at the Mokara Spa—a 13,000-foot temple to wellness inspired by the area’s creeks and springs—and the outdoor pools which are fully immersed in stunning views of the Texas Hills. Those looking to stretch their legs have ample opportunity at one of the resort’s four golf courses to test their hand at the green. Cityside, guests can head to the thumping heart of Austin nightlife where the Live Music Capital of the World always has a new favorite act and dance floor to cut up waiting just around the corner.
hotel15. Rancho de los Caballeros — Wickenburg, Arizona
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2023, 2024Surrounded by the vast Sonoran Desert and endless skies stretching as far as the eye can see, Rancho de los Caballeros is poised as the perfect dude ranch experience. The resort is staffed by expert naturalists who are as eager to educate as they are knowledgeable and grooms who have the magic touch when it comes to pairing horses with riders—greenhorns, seasoned saddles, and everyone in between. But beyond the outdoorsy pull of the ranch, Rancho de los Caballeros encourages its guests to trade in the fast pace of everyday life for a moment and ease into a slower way of living. While younger guests learn how to ride and wrangle decoy steers at the Kids Club, older guests can explore more leisurely fun by booking hot stone massages at the Ranch Spa, or eating lunch at 19, the resort’s high-end dining concept. And there’s still more for the whole family to join in on at the lively pickleball courts and open fire cookouts where guests savor slow-cooked barbecue to the strumming of cowboy balladeers.
hotel14. Bardessono Hotel and Spa — Yountville, Calif.
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2024Situated on the former site of Lucy and John Bardessono's former homestead just steps from downtown Yountville, the 62-room eco-luxe hotel—with an on-site spa and garden-to-table-inspired eatery, Lucy Restaurant & Bar—was constructed using salvaged Tufa stone from the original family home; a 200-kilowatt solar energy system; and low volatile compound for all adhesives, finishes, paints, and carpets. The LEED Platinum–certified sanctuary is divvied up into Spa suites (ideal for couples with 800 square feet of space including a fully-enclosed furnished courtyard or patio); Steam Spa suites with an indoor shower-gone-steam room and an outdoor shower; and Tufa suites akin to wine country townhomes with massive living rooms, abstract art, and outdoor patios with flat-screen TVs.
Estancia VIKhotel13. Bahia VIK & Estancia VIK José Ignacio — Uruguay
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2024Drive just 40 minutes northeast of Punta Del Este’s sunny beaches and swank resorts, and you’ll hit this Uruguayan sanctuary: a 12-suite Spanish colonial spread dropped into 4,000 wind-whipped acres of rugged countryside, just a mile from the coast. More than half of the white-walled estancia’s footprint is taken up by interior pockets of outdoor space—gardens, courtyards, walkways. The rest holds its other charms, like individually designed rooms, courtesy of Uruguayan artists: The master suite Vik, for example, is wrapped in rich, dark woods, while the Trujillo suite’s bed is anointed by a massive nude painting. Make a plan to test out the massive indoor barbecue surrounded by tin walls—a nod to the galpons, or sheds, used by gauchos, and hosed in graffiti for one of the hotel’s many art-driven kicks.
Courtesy Conrad Koh Samuihotel12. Conrad Koh Samui — Thailand
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2019, 2024If you’ve ever dreamed of having your own private island, the villas here are everything you’ve imagined and more. A modest-sized island off the Andaman archipelago, Koh Samui is home to a variety of options for R&R every type of traveler can appreciate—popular beaches for partiers, tucked away stretches of shoreline for those looking to truly get away, and even an elephant sanctuary for animal lovers. The property itself is staggered across a hillside on the island’s southwestern tip, where villas fit with 33-foot infinity pools, private terraces, and spa bathrooms open up to 360 degree views of the Gulf of Thailand. A stay at the resort is a choose-your-own-adventure of relaxation, whether that looks like tai chi on the beach, snorkeling through Koh Samui’s thriving reefs, or pampering yourself with personalized healing sessions at the spa.
Silversandshotel11. Silversands Grenada
Readers' Choice Awards 2020, 2021, 2022, 2024Few places capture the Spice Isle’s understated magic like the Silversands Grenada resort, situated at the sleepy end of the two-mile Grand Anse Beach. Enter its perimeter and the hubbub of local street life suddenly feels like a vague memory. What catches your eye first is the breathtaking 330-foot infinity pool—said to be the longest in the Caribbean—which begins at the hotel's entrance and stretches all the way to the sea. You can while away your day beside it or gaze at the crystal water from the white-sand beach. Have the legendary rum punch and a lobster roll, or feast at Asiatique, where dishes like crisply fried lobster in red coconut curry and dark-molasses ginger cake are assembled with fresh local ingredients, including a smattering of Grenadian spices. Make sure you catch one of the planet's most mesmerizing sunsets, a sight so sublime it alone would justify a stay. Night after night, a sky filled with wispy clouds turns from fiery red to pink, then purple—an incredible show, even better for being nature's very own.
Photo by Jen Judgehotel10. Vermejo — Raton, New Mexico
$$$ | Gold List 2018 Hot List 2017 Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2019, 2023, 2024Ted Turner’s Vermejo is the closest thing to a private national park. Roughly 550,000 acres draped across the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Vermejo is the largest privately owned ranch in the U.S., spanning two states (New Mexico and Colorado) and encompassing several early 1900’s coal-mining and saw-mill towns, as well as Anasazi-era cliff dwellings. The recently restored Casa Grande, a stone-walled, seven-bedroom mansion, is one of nine lodgings on the ranch, and its most storied. Built in 1909 for a Chicago businessman, it was sold after his death to Los Angeles Times publisher Harry Chandler in 1926, whose regular guests included Herbert Hoover, Cecil B. DeMille, Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford. The grandeur of the mansion hearkens back to this era, from the marble-pillared great room’s dining room table outfitted in china and crystal to the grand piano. The property languished between several owners, and it was Turner who had the vision to turn the sprawling property into a modern-day conservation-minded ranch. Fly-fishing season is from May to September and the property offers endless amounts of hiking. Staying at Casa Grande gives you a taste of what Fairbanks et al. might have experienced back in the mansion’s heyday; rooms are impeccably done in European antiques and toiles, private dining room service is available if you don’t want to join the others at the main lodge (the bison burger, crispy buttermilk marinated quail, and fresh-caught trout are musts), and staff can bring you a G+T on the porch as you watch the wildlife creep out of the woods at sundown.
Mike Butler/Waldorf Astoria Orlandohotel9. Waldorf Astoria Orlando
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2024The Waldorf Astoria Orlando echos the elegance of its under-renovation New York counterpart, with casual elegance suited to its Central Florida setting. The black-and-white marble floor and iconic clock tower in the center of the lobby rotunda contrast with a bright blue mural. Guest rooms have plush bedding and dark wood furniture with accents of yellow, teal, and tangerine, and bathrooms are spacious and well-designed, with separate walk-in showers and soaking tubs—a plus for families with young children—plush spa robes, and Ferragamo Tuscan Soul toiletries. Get outside to enjoy the 18-hole championship golf course, designed by acclaimed course architect Rees Jones, or the serene, cabana-lined pool, where attendants are on hand with prosecco popsicles. Want a night out without the kids? Astoria After Dark provides dinner and activities on Friday and Saturday evenings.
Courtesy Ritz-Carltonhotel8. The Ritz-Carlton, Orlando Grande Lakes
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024Rows of palm trees herald the entrance to the Ritz-Carlton Orlando, a towering, Italian-inspired resort where attentive staff greets you at the porte-cochère and welcomes you into the marble lobby with a glass of sparkling wine. Guest rooms are modern and subdued with private balconies and ultra-plush bedding, and the large, marble bathrooms have plush terry-cloth robes, oversize towels, and Asprey Purple Water toiletries. If you can fit it in, make time to check out the spa: The Ritz-Carlton’s massive, 40,000-square-foot space has 40 private treatment rooms, a cafe, and a serene outdoor pool. The Grand Citrus Escape treatment uses herbs and citrus grown onsite and honey from the resort’s bees to hydrate and soothe your skin from head to toe.
Jumby Bayhotel7. Jumby Bay Island — Antigua
$$$ | Gold List 2018, 2023 Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2019, 2020, 2023, 2024Reopened in October 2017 as an Oetker Collection member (formally a Rosewood resort), Jumby Bay Island is accessible only by boat, with not a car in sight—but plenty of bikes to navigate this 300-acre island off the northern coast of Antigua. With only 40 accommodations in total—rooms and villas— there’s no need to worry about feeling the need to ever get off the all-inclusive island (although if curious, there's a complimentary ferry service that runs between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m.). You’ll be plenty busy on one of the resort’s three tennis courts, in three pools—the Veranda is family-friendly, and on more than four miles of beach, plus kids’ club, for when you want to be anything but busy. The cheerful decor throughout is the work of Brazilian interior designer, Patricia Anastassiadis of Anastassiadis Arquitetos.
Courtesy Uxua Casa Hotelhotel6. Uxua Casa Hotel & Spa — Trancoso, Brazil
$$ | Gold List 2018, 2019, 2023 Readers' Choice Awards 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024Surrounded by dense rainforest and teetering high on a ridge overlooking the powder-sand-fringed Atlantic, Uxua fits right into the post-hippie utopia of Trancoso. Working with local artisans, Dutch owner Wilbert Das (Diesel’s former creative director) has turned the hotel into a collection of rustic renovated casas, cottages, an intimate treehouse, and a tribal-inspired spa. All are cloaked by hummingbird-flecked tropical gardens and centered around a pool lined with green aventurine quartz, which, for those not up on their healing crystals, is said to be very therapeutic. Interiors are haute-boho: roomy indoor-outdoor sitting rooms and airy living spaces with dazzling-white walls and muslin-canopied beds, accented with lots of reclaimed wood, antiques, and vintage finds including brightly painted Virgin Mary statuettes. A decked path runs through mangrove forests to the beach, where there are enormous day beds for post-breakfast snoozing and a beach bar fashioned from an old fishing boat—just stay horizontal and another Caipirinha will soon find its way to you.
CHRISTIAN HORAN PHOTOGRAPHY/Four Seasons Resort and Residences Whistlerhotel5. Four Seasons Resort and Residences Whistler — British Columbia, Canada
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024When in Whistler, you either stay in the hubbub of the village itself or a bit away, where it’s more peaceful and quieter. The Four Seasons, firmly in the second camp, is slightly removed from the action—and proud of it. There's a frequent and efficient shuttle service (as well as a private driver) can whisk you back and forth whenever you desire. It's also within strolling distance of the village’s shops and restaurants. This is a classic Whistler hotel: sophisticated yet also rooted in the outdoors, with lots of wood and stone, and cozy chairs where you can laze in front of the fireplace. This is Whistler’s top luxury property, and it's worth the splurge whether it’s your first stay or your fortieth.
Eden Roc Cap Canahotel4. Eden Roc Cap Cana — Dominican Republic
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024The only Relais & Châteaux property in the Dominican Republic occupies an exclusive slice of beachfront real estate on the country’s eastern tip. Accommodations run the gamut from standalone beach suites to ocean bungalows to multi-bedroom villas, which come in an array of architectural styles that speak to the Caribbean surroundings: Think bright punchy colors and barrel tiles for some; thatched-roof, palapa-inspired designs for others; and plenty that are blindingly white to contrast with the area’s deep blue skies. The resort is also home to a Jack Nicklaus signature course, where the 18 holes dip and curve with the oceanfront landscape, past waterfalls and cliffs and beaches, while the spa offers such unique treatments as a massage that incorporates virtual reality.
Courtesy Six Senses Zighy Bayhotel3. Six Senses Zighy Bay — Oman
$$ | Gold List 2019 Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024As we approach Six Senses Zighy Bay, tarmac gives way to rock-peppered dust tracks lined with sidr trees, beneath which roaming mountain goats shelter from the harsh midday sun. We wind through the mountains until the horseshoe of Oman's Zighy Bay comes into sight below. Before the resort opened in 2008, this stretch of sand lay all but untouched, a secret kept for the local families from tiny Zighy village, tucked into the far corner of the bay, and the fishermen who sailed these waters. The resort’s 82 charmingly rustic villas, built with thick stone walls and topped with roofs made from tightly strung palm fronds, are designed to mimic the homes in a traditional Omani village. Sustainability is at the core of what Six Senses Zighy Bay is about, and the infrastructure is truly impressive—from the onsite desalination plant to the nearby farm that provides fresh produce, cheese, and milk. Don’t miss a trip on one of the resort’s three private boats to explore the surrounding coves. It’s the best way to truly understand the remoteness of Zighy Bay and take in the dramatic landscapes. Don’t be surprised if you spot a pod of dolphins (when the season is right) or, in our case, a group of friendly eagle rays. From $1,031. —Sophie Prideaux
Derek & Chris Fourie-Lipman/Courtesy Makanyi Private Game Lodgehotel2. Makanyi Private Game Lodge — Timbavati Private Nature Reserve, South Africa
$$$ | Hot List 2016 Readers' Choice Awards 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2024The seven-room Makanyi Private Game Lodge is full-on luxury with the feel of a family home—which makes sense, given its provenance. British owner Jessica Gold bought the private property and turned it into a safari camp in 2015, conforming to a classic aesthetic of thatched-roof villas in terra cotta tones. This place is relaxed, void of stodginess, and perfect for people looking for a more intimate experience.
Courtesy L'Horizon Resort & Spahotel1. L'Horizon Resort & Spa — Palm Springs, Calif.
$$ | Gold List 2016 Hot List 2016 Readers' Choice Awards 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024L.A.-based residential designer Steve Hermann spent two years (and millions of dollars) turning the historic William F. Cody–designed L’Horizon into a luxurious boutique hotel. He didn’t alter the footprint much—the main house and 25 bungalows were built in 1952—but he added an open-air spa and an alfresco restaurant and gut-renovated the interiors. Hermann wanted the decor to work with the mid-century architecture without creating a time warp. As such, each bungalow is a mix of modern (custom hair-on-hide rugs, industrial-chic machined brass lighting and fixtures) and vintage (furniture from Percival Lafer, Mullhauser, Knoll, and Katavolos). And while it is a fun hotel, more private club than frat party, it’s also a place for quiet indulgences: The pool is guests-only; unexpected treats are brought to your room every afternoon (could be a scoop of ice cream, could be a shot of tequila); and roaming poolside therapists offer complimentary foot and shoulder massages. Request a west-facing bungalow with an outdoor shower and watch the sun go down over the San Jacinto Mountains while shampooing.