If you are trying to decide where to take your vacation this year then you should take a look at these 20 amazing hotels that you really should consider visiting before you die.
In their fight to attract adventurous visitors, hotels have often been at the forefront of creative structure and interior design, struggling to create ever more intriguing and attractive rooms in ever more exotic locales. Some hotels, like the Conrad Maldives or the Manta resort in Zanzibar, even let their guests sleep underwater.
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1. Hotel Kakslauttanen, Finland
This Hotel Kakslauttanen provides a unique experience in the Saariselkä Fell area of Finnish Lapland. It features accommodations in glass igloos and has the world’s largest smoke sauna.
The igloos are made from thermal glass, keeping guests warm in Arctic conditions. All have luxury beds and a private toilet, while shower facilities are shared.
Guests can also rent cross-country skis, Nordic walking sticks and snow shoes. The staff are available to arrange husky and reindeer safaris, along with ice fishing.
2. Ladera Resort, St. Lucia
Taking full advantage of its natural surroundings, Ladera offers a unique design in guest accommodations. The 32 suites all have an “open wall” – the west side of each unit is left open to expose the breathtaking view, and the orientation of the buildings maintains complete privacy.
The suites are constructed of tropical hardwoods, stone and tile, furnished with 19th century French furniture or replicas, wicker and accessories crafted by local artisans. All units are decorated with local artwork and feature magnificent views of the Pitons and Caribbean Sea.
3.The Manta Resort, Zanzibar
The Manta Resort has a new room on the Pemba Island in Zanzibar which floats on a shallow coastal coral reef and has an underwater bedroom that lets you sleep among the fishes making this one of the best island hotels in the world.
How awesome would it be to spend the night here?
The bedroom, which was opened recently, is located in a room below deck that has large viewing glasses offering guests a view of the colorful aquatic world outside. Above deck, a three-story structure gives guests all the amenities of a regular hotel room, albeit with an incredible view.
4. Rayavadee Krabi, Thailand
Situated at the heart of the stunning Phranang Peninsular on the edge of Krabi Marine National Park, Rayavadee nestles discreetly amidst tropical gardens and coconut groves against a backdrop of sheer cliffs, lush jungle foliage and the clear waters of the Andaman Sea.
In addition to stylish, five-star accommodation, Rayavadee boasts fine cuisine, one of the most unique relaxation spas in Thailand and warm, attentive service.
Surrounded by breathtaking natural beauty, the resort is also the perfect Thailand honeymoon destination and setting for intimate, personalized wedding celebrations.
5. Shangri La, Paris
As you arrive at Shangri-La Hotel, Paris, its elegant façade brings to mind its legacy as the former home of Napoleon Bonaparte’s grandnephew, Prince Roland Bonaparte. Attentive staff and a pleasantly discreet check-in ensure that you receive the royal treatment right from the start.
In your room, commanding views of the Eiffel Tower and the River Seine hold you transfixed. The old-world elegance of the room, lovingly adorned with the fine work of craftsmen, is mirrored in the city that lies just below.
6. Hotel Ristorante Grotta Palazzese Polignano a Mare, Italy
Carved out of magnificent limestone rocks, with a view over the blue-green Adriatic, the Hotel Grotta Palazzese in Polignano a Mare lies in an unparalleled location and has been enchanting visitors for centuries.
The intimate hotel has just 25 rooms, some of which have glorious sea views while others overlook the winding streets of the old town with its characteristic white houses.
From the hotel you have direct access to the sea and the hotel’s mooring facilities, moreover, there is a regular shuttle service to the beach (with full facilities) only 3 kilometers away.
7. Conrad Maldives, Rangali Island
Home to whale sharks, manta rays, dolphins, turtles and an excellent coral reef, Conrad Maldives was recently voted the “Best Luxury Resort in the Maldives”.
This luxury resort offers three resort experiences across two islands and is home to 11 restaurants and bars including Ithaa Undersea Restaurant, 101 of the world’s best cheeses, the underground Wine Cellar and 20,000 bottles of fine wines.
For relaxation, there are two spas, an extensive range of excursions, diving and watersports – including a submarine – a vibrant coral reef and beautiful white sand beaches.
8. Hotel Ubud Hanging Gardens, Indonesia
This tranquil setting features many incredible amenities, but none as breathtaking as the hotel’s magnificent hanging infinity pools. These multi-leveled infinity pools allow guests the opportunity to swim up the edge of the pool enjoying the views of the lush green Pura Penataran Dalem Segara temple. There are 38 luxury private pool villas located all throughout this property, ensuring all of their guests receive an equally impressive experience.
9. Attrap Reves Hotel, France
ATTRAP’RÊVES offers visitors an unusual, and romantic and unforgettable experience. Sleep out in the open and view the stars at night while inside a protected bubble.
Every bubble has been situated in an area with a particularly scenic viewpoint. A silent blower keeps the space inflated, while constantly recycling the air inside. The bubbles are furnished with a king-sized bed, nightstands, reading lamps, and a set of table and chairs, all of which have been designed to fit different styles for guests to choose from.
Guests can also choose between bubbles that are fully or partially transparent, depending on how much privacy they would like. And even though they’re out in the woods, each bubble has electricity and a sink/shower area with running water.
10. Katikies Hotel-Oia, Greece
Inspiring deep emotions of enchantment and fascination, Katikies The Hotel in Oia Santorini is renowned for its leading luxury, unparallel services, warm atmosphere and sense of romance uniquely combined in an exceptional setting and natural environment in Oia Santorini.
Guests at the Katikies Hotel-Oia can enjoy fine dining, have the choice to relax in the two infinity swimming pools, an indoor Jacuzzi, on sunbathe on the deck with an open air Jacuzzi.
11. Hotel Le Sirenuse, Amalfi Coast, Italy
Le Sirenuse is a wonderful place from which to enjoy the simple pleasures of Positano and the spectacular Amalfi Coast. Guest rooms and the swimming pool terrace offer breathtaking views of the endless, blue Mediterranean Sea and the picturesque village of Positano.
The hotel also has their own magnificent boat and and take guests on trips to explore the Amalfi Coast.
One of the attractions of the hotel is the Aveda Concept Spa designed by the world renowned architect Gae Aulenti. It features a sauna, a bio-sauna, 2-massage cabins, a private suite for couples, an indoor plunge pool, a hammam, a work out area, and an audiovisual center. It is the perfect place to come and unwind after a day of intensive sight seeing, or sun worshiping.
12. Ice Hotel in Jukkasjarvi, Sweden
The Icehotel in the village of Jukkasjärvi, was the world’s first ice hotel and have been building these amazing hotels every year since its first opening in 1990. The hotel, including the chairs and beds, are constructed from snow and ice blocks taken from the nearby Torne River. To remain frozen the structure is kept below freezing, around −5 °C (23 °F).
Every year the hotel takes on a new guise which is designed by artists from all over the world.
The ICEBAR is one of the main features of the hotel and serves drinks in glasses made of ice. Guests can dance on a floor made of snow and do some late night mingling with visitors from near and far that have all traveled to this little bar.
13. The Cambrian Hotel, Adelboden, Switzerland
Situated amid the pristine scenery of the Swiss Alps, and with stunning mountain views in every direction, The Cambrian offers the kind of location that tense desk huggers the world over spend their days dreaming about.
Whether you’re here for the unsurpassed skiing on the slopes of the Bernese Oberland, to fill your lungs with all that clear, snow-tinged air in the forests and cow-flecked pastures of the surrounding hillsides, or simply to indulge in the hotel’s high-end dining or unwind in its award-winning spa, you’re sure to leave Adelboden in a relaxed and rejuvenated state.
14. Dedon Island Resort
Dedon Island provides a tropical island escape at its finest, on the stunning Siargao Island in the southern Philippines. With its all-inclusive packages, guests never have to worry about signing bills or carrying their wallet around, since everything guests could possible want or need is included
Only nine villas make up this exclusive resort, all extremely luxurious, with private terraces and stunning views of the lush, tropical surroundings. Dining is fresh, and meals are cooked to order, whenever and wherever guests please.
Guests never have to leave the resort, with its stunning infinity pool and luxurious surroundings being more than enough for anyone on holiday, but those who do venture out will enjoy the verdant, ancient mangrove forest surroundings, which can be explored through various vehicles on guided tours.
With Siargao Island being one of the world’s surfing capitals, surfing lessons and equipment are available in abundance.
15. Astarte Suits Hotel, Greece
Endless blue sky and sea greet visitors to Santorini, Greece, home to Astarte, a boutique, all-suite getaway that beckons guests to forget their stresses.
Astarte Suits Hotel is built in one of the island’s most beautiful areas, opposite to the endless Aegean blue. All suites have volcano and caldera views and a private heated indoor or outdoor Jacuzzi.
During their precious down time, guests can relax and unwind next to Astarte’s stunning turquoise infinity swimming pool, which overlooks the Aegean Sea’s tranquil blue waters and nearby rocky cliffs.
For delectable dining, Astarte offers discreet room service, which most guests enjoy in the privacy of their own balcony. The Morning Star pool bar offers light fare and a variety of refreshing drinks.
Leisure and cultural options abound nearby, such as in Akrotiri, an ancient city buried and preserved by volcanic ash—known as the Pompeii of the Greek islands—and at Red Beach and White Beach, the ultimate locales for a spectacular day of fun in the sun.
16. Hotel Le Moulin du Roc, France
In Champagne-de-Bélair, in the Périgord region, Le Moulin du Roc is a private world in an idyllic country setting, both poetic and original. Built on the River Dronne in 1670, the mill is made up of three separate buildings linked through a series of walkways and intimate staircases, delightful rooms decorated with period furniture, some of them enhanced by a private terrace, all looking onto the river that flows through the gardens.
A soothing location ensuring complete relaxation as well as one of the area’s finest restaurants. Alain Gardillou draws the very best out of the local products to provide guests with a culinary treat. The cellar features over 900 different fine wines… This gourmet’s delight can be enjoyed in one of the two restaurant rooms or by the riverside.
17. Montana Magica Lodge, Chile
The Montana Magica Lodge is a strange volcano-like building that spews water several times a day. Its welcoming windows are adorned with moss and vines, complementing the surrounding trees and it looks like a vacation retreat for Hobbits.
Among the activities on offer are a wild-course mini-golf, where the holes form part of the natural terrain, hiking and access to the longest zip wire in South America. And, if you’re lucky, you might catch a glimpse of a pudu – the world’s smallest deer which is just 13in tall.
At the end of the day, guests can relax in hot tubs carved from gigantic tree trunks – as the calming sound from the waterfall cascades down the side of the building.
18. Giraffe Manor, Kenya
Giraffe Manor is set in 12 acres of private land within 140 acres of indigenous forest and is only 20 kilometres from Nairobi city centre. Built in the 1930s, this luxury boutique hotel has maintained all the charm of the era and is now famous for its resident herd of Rothschild Giraffe.
Giraffe Manor offers you an unparalleled experience of the giraffes, with them vying for your attention at the breakfast table, the front door and even your bedroom window.
Giraffe Manor is also home to many characters including warthogs, bushbuck, dik dik and more than 180 species of birds and has a striking view of the Ngong hills.
19. Four Seasons Resort, Bora Bora
Wrapped by majestic views, Four Seasons Resort is surrounded by sand-fringed islets on an outer coral reef that enclose a turquoise lagoon.
From shopping to kayaking, from scuba diving to volleyball there is something for everyone here. Practice your tennis serve. Feed the sharks. Explore the lagoon. Or experience the beauty and adventure of this Tahitian paradise aboard the Resort’s Catamaran.
20. Palazzo Alazzo Avino, Ravello, Italy
Palazzo Avino is a stunning five-star deluxe hotel on Italy’s famed Amalfi coast. Built in what was once a 12th century private villa for an Italian noble family and opened as a hotel in 1997, Palazzo Avino has been rated as one of the world’s finest hotels and boasts two-star Michelin dining.
Tucked away in the medieval hilltop village of Ravello and perched high on the cliffs, 350 m (1,000 ft) above the sparkling Mediterranean, Palazzo Avino overlooks some of the coast’s most picturesque fishing villages.
Which of these amazing hotels would you love to stay in the most?
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