It’s easy to put up a hotel at a destination that everyone wants to go. Though, when you do pop up at a location that becomes a destination becomes of the hotel, well, that’s pretty darned special. A hotel is more than just four walls. If they’re doing it right, they’ll make you want to spend some quality time within its confines. Preferably of course, with your sig other and family. Because once you go luxury hotels, it’s near impossible to go back to average. And we know that you’re not average. So, these are the best resorts in the world that are anything but run-of-the-mill. Even without the destination, the hotels are doing it so right that they will inspire you to travel.
The Hotel: Borgo Egnazia
Location: Savelletri di Fasano
As far as hotels that put a destination on a map, Borgo Eganzia did just that. We remember the naysayers who couldn’t believe that the owner, Aldo Melpignano, put $180 million of his family money into the development. What Melpignano saw though was the potential to bring luxury tourism to one of the most beautiful regions in Italy. Instead of putting up just any hotel though, he built what has become one of the best resorts in the world.
Granted Puglia has been around for thousands of years, as old as the signature olive trees that the area is known for. However, until Borgo Egnazia opened, the region was generally a beautiful place to visit with nowhere great to stay. That has obviously changed, where Puglia is now firmly on the tourist map, as well as celebrity radar. Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel, two world travelers themselves, hosted their wedding at Borgo Egnazia over 10 years ago.
There’s no question that the area, from the white town of Ostuni to the famed Trulli houses in Alberobellow are a draw outside of Borgo Egnazia. However you could hunker down completely and spend days just on the property grounds. Set up as an old town, you’re meant to walk through the stone corridors. If you didn’t know it, look original. There’s a beach club that’s part of the hotel a short shuttle away directly on the sea, as well as a top golf course. As far as accommodation goes, the rooms and villas of all sizes were a pioneer in that earth-tone clean design. If you have kids of all ages, Borgo Egnazia is also where to start them out right in traveling the world. There is a dedicated kids club as well as customized activities for your tweens.
The Hotel: Mandarin Oriental Costa Navarino
Location: Navarino Bay, Greece
While it just opened last year for barely a full summer season, Mandarin Oriental Costa Navarino is already on its way to be one of the best resorts in the world. The entire area of Costa Navarino is a brand new development, but it’s set within one of the most historic areas of Greece. The ancient town of Pylos dates back to before 1200 BC. Mount Olympus, as in the Greek God address, is within an hour and a half ride. However it wasn’t until a bridge was recently completed that a highway could connect Costa Navarino to Athens within 4 hours drive. There’s also now an airport that connects with direct flights to London.
The hotel itself is a destination, that you could easily spend a week and never leave. First, the rooms and the villas are sublimely decorated in earth tones and local art and rugs. You may not know you’re in a Mandarin Oriental, but for the top service. The gym is better than most people have at home, and has an array of boxing, yoga, and pilates. All of which are home-level quality in terms of the workout. Of course the spa has top treatments to pamper as well. The food options at the hotel as well as next door at The W can easily keep you on campus for your stay. French, Italian, a pizza Omakase by famed Chef Danieli Cason
The Hotel: Amanzoe
Location: Porto Heli, Greece
The theme of this list are the best resorts in the world, that are so good, they create destinations. That was certainly the case when Amanzoe arrived on the Peloponnese Peninsula, located on (gasp) mainland Greece. It was unheard of to develop a luxury hotel, but of course Aman was up for the challenge. The point was to have a blowout hotel in a less-known, but not less special, part of Greece. It took over a decade, but other hotel groups are following Aman’s lead. Amanzoe will always be the OG though.
They’re not resting on their laurels by any means, as the rooms and suites are tops by any standards. In signature Aman minimalist, these rooms are extra luxurious and roomy to post up for a long weekend. You could literally not leave the resort and just detox between the spa, your private pool, and beach club. If you’re rolling deep with entourage, or just like baller villas, Villa 20 is one of the most luxurious in the world.
The Hotel: Four Seasons Resort Los Cabos
Location: Baja California Sur, Mexico
There is a place in Mexico, that gives you European Riviera vibes, and that’s the Four Seasons Los Cabos, in the Costa Palmas development. The Four Seasons is set in an area that was once, and still outside the gates of the resort, a low-key surfer area. The fishing village of La Ribera is still in tact, and a nice field trip for those who want to leave campus. However, as one of the best resorts in the world, you have everything within the compound.
Unlike the other resorts in Cabo which are set on the Pacific side with waters that are generally un-swimmable, the Four Seasons is on the East Cape. What this means is that waters are calm and it’s more family-friendly to take in the water.
It’s not just the water though that gives you the European vibe, but rather the marina they’ve developed with the shops and restaurants. Costa Palmas doesn’t feel like a resort, but rather a town on the Mediterranean. With the kids, you can pretty much cut them loose as they can’t get into trouble as while it looks like a town, it’s all resort property.
The Hotel: Six Senses Seychelles
Location: Felicite, Seychelles
If you’ve ever wanted to be stranded on an island, you should consider the Six Senses Seychelles as a location of choice. It doesn’t matter where you’ve traveled around the world; this is one special hotel. A helicopter ride away from the main island of Mahe, the entire island is the resort. And no, even after a week, you will likely not want to leave.
The Seychelles location is one of the top not only of the Six Senses portfolio, but also one of the best resorts in the world. There’s no scene-y beach club, restaurants to fight for a reservation or shop till you drop line of luxury stores. Instead, the Six Senses Seychelles is where you may just find the meaning of life. Or at least enjoy real quality time with your family, friends, or significant other, who is lucky enough to join you.
Food Too Good to Describe
The food is off the charts at the Six Senses, where you will realize you’ve never had a real avocado until that moment at breakfast. The food is healthy and clean, but yet you won’t realize it as the food preparation is tops. Almost all the ingredients are sourced locally, including many on-island and the waters right off the island. There are six intimate bars and restaurants, where pretty much they’ll make you whatever is not on the menu. They have special theme dinners as well to mix it up.
One of the stars of the experience is the Six Senses Spa. Of course there are luxurious treatments in one of the most unique spas, which is built into massive natural rock formations. However signature to the Six Senses, they go a step deeper than surface level, with their wellness assessments. In fact, this is one of the spas that you would put on your daily schedule. They’ll get you up and running so that you are better when you leave, than when you came.
The Hotel: Cali Mykonos
Location: Mykonos, Greece
You know a hotel is good when it’s on Mykonos, and worthy enough to forgo all the usual Mykonos festivities. That’s Cali Mykonos, located in Kalafati, one of the most undeveloped parts of the island. The hotel itself is up on a cliff, which affords it views of the Med below. We can attest that those views are best taken in from the 130-meter cresent-shaped infinity pool. It’s from this vantage point that you get a rarified moment, where you realize you have all you need in life.
The architecture of Cali Mykonos would be impressive anywhere in the world. White, modern, marbled and serene, it’s unique from any of the hotels on the island which are more Greece vibes. The hotel is sleek and attracts a crowd with a high level of taste, yet it’s still warm and low-key. The hotel is just 40 suites and villas, and even when it’s full-tilt at peak season, it stil feels private an intimate.
The gym facility is massive; it is easily the largest in Greece. They could stay open all year-round and run fitness retreat from the hotel, as they have full pilates reformers and space for classes. The hotel itself is a stand-alone destination, with three restaurants that range from Greek to sushi. The owner lives part time in Mykonos and New York, so the hotel has that level of sophistication and service.
A Fun Tid-Bit
Few A-List celebrities and Heads of State are able to go to Mykonos due to the island setup. However, Cali is one of the only places, and hotels, where security teams give their clearance for those who breath rarified air.
If you do want to get into the mix, you can bypass all the Mykonos commutes and head there by boat. What you find though is once you get to Cali, it’s a destination in itself. For those who want to experience the real Mykonos, it’s easily one of the best resorts in the world.
Founder Christine Drinan’s Pick: Hotel du Cap Eden-Roc
Location: Antibes, France
Yes, it’s set in the South of France, where there are so many diversions outside of the Hotel du Cap. However, there’s only one place in the world that Founder Christine decides she’s going to put on her out of office. From the moment she walks into the lobby at Hotel du Cap, she’s on vacation, and will not even open her computer. While she goes annually, it somehow never gets old. Many of those visits she doesn’t even leave the hotel, until it’s time to meet friends in St. Tropez. So as far as the best resorts in the world, there’s a reason that Hotel du Cap is on the annual list of top travelers.
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