In a bold quest to find the most impressive places to spend the night, an increasing number of travelers have checked into a range of rare and wonderful accommodations in remote and exciting locations all over the world.
Lofty Pursuits
Sitting directly above turquoise blue, crystal-clear waters (with a magnificent view worth the trip itself) are the Intercontinental® Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa bungalows. As French Polynesia’s first resort with all over-water villas and an over-water wedding chapel, the resort sets the standard for a Polynesian bungalow experience. Wake up each morning with breakfast delivered by canoe, and enjoy a truly unique five-star experience day after day.Our favorite tree dwellings are the Treehouses at Lion Sands Game Reserve which are distinguished as a “million-star experience” because you quite literally sleep in a tree beneath the stars. Also up in the sky are the Hanging Gardens of Bali featuring airy villas and a two-tiered pool overlooking a vast expanse of lush jungle. In Scandinavia, Finland’s Arctic Treehouse Hotel features luxurious glass houses on a wooded slope, while Sweden’s Treehotel takes the glass theme to new levels with the mesmerizing, fort-like Mirrorcube.
Image Credit: Intercontinental® Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa
Built-in View
Voted one of the seven resorts with the most spectacular views in the world by CNN Travel, The Springs Resort & Spa in La Fortuna, Costa Rica is where the word “vacation” is truly defined. Whether traveling as a family, couple, or group, guests will be overwhelmed in every aspect of quality, service and design.Image Credit: The Springs Resort & SpaFor those who truly wish to be one with the landscape, the Canaves Oia Hotel & Suites, located in Santorini, is carved into the cliffs of the isle’s northwestern tip – overlooking Oia Santorini’s stunning Caldera and the beautiful turquoise Aegean Sea; and the Adrere Amellal Ecolodge, in Egypt’s Western Desert, feels primitive and luxurious all at once. But, not to miss is Italy’s Grotta Palazzese hotel perched on a cliff overlooking the Adriatic Sea – a study in contrasts with crisp, clean, modern suites above elegant dining in a rugged stone cave below.Image Credit: Canaves Oia Santorini
Outdoor Envy
Situated on the banks of the river from which it has taken its name, Elewana Sand River Masai Mara replicates the 1920s era of exclusive tented camps. Located within Kenya’s picturesque Masai Mara National Reserve on the Tanzania border, the hotel is optimal for those wishing to enjoy exceptional big-game viewing.Image Credit: Elewana Sand River Masai MaraSimilarly, the Gran Meliá Iguazú in Argentina is the only hotel in the world within Iguazú National Park, and it stands beside one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World: Iguazú Falls. All 183 rooms and suites feature terraces overlooking either the jungle or “Devil’s Throat” – a view you can also enjoy from the incredible 55-yard infinity pool.Under Canvas® travelers are also reconnecting with the outdoors in safari-inspired glamps across the United States. Word is, the acoustic campfire music at the outfit’s Great Smoky Mountains camp in Tennessee is worth the journey alone. Meanwhile, for bubble enthusiasts, the Finolhu Beach Bubble Tent on Baa Atoll in the Maldives and the Buubble hotel in Iceland, also called the “5 Million Star Hotel,” will make anyone’s Pinterest dreams come true.
Image Credit: Gran Meliá Iguazú
We’re So Cool
Just a little over 45 minutes from Banff lies Fairmont Château Lake Louise, a destination among a destination. This Rocky Mountain retreat is a year-round sanctuary nestled among soaring mountain peaks, the majestic Victoria Glacier, and a glistening emerald lake. Take advantage of the glorious natural surroundings by canoeing and hiking in the summer, or by skiing and ice skating on Lake Louise in the winter to truly embrace your “cool.”Looking for someplace to ogle the Northern Lights? The Ice Hotel in the Swedish Lapland village of Jukkasjarvi is an established favorite. This one-of-a-kind hotel features both warm and cold room accommodations and changing ice art exhibitions. Other equally thrilling options include Iglu-Dorf in Zermatt, Switzerland, the magical Kaksluauttanen Arctic Resort inside the Arctic Circle in Finland, and Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel in the northernmost region of Norway.
Image Credit: Fairmont Château Lake Louise
Don’t Mind if I Do
The only property in the Caribbean with Palace distinction, we won’t have to twist your arm to visit Cheval Blanc St-Barth Isle de France. Echoing French refinement in a glamorous ambience, the hotel features French designer, Jacques Grange’s new architectural concept. However, perhaps what the property does best is celebrate the art of living in the tropics by providing culinary and cultural journeys in a renowned way. Lastly, Giraffe Manor, from The Safari Collection, is a boutique hotel just outside Nairobi, Kenya, which is popular among a herd of wild Rothschild’s giraffe. The elegant and amiable creatures visit at dawn and dusk, often peeking in the windows to receive treats. For extra bragging rights, ask for the Karen Blixen suite, named for the author of Out of Africa.
Whether you’re craving star-struck nights in the desert, stunning sunrises over the sea, softly falling snow, dense rainforests, or all of the above, if you look hard enough, you’ll find the world is full of unique places to lay your head. Which will you visit first?
Image Credit: Cheval Blanc St-Barth Isle de France / Main Image Credit: Intercontinental® Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa
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