Best Hotels & Lodges

Cannes and Nice sit 20 minutes off in either direction, yet from the tip of Cap d'Antibes, both disappear entirely, swallowed by nine hectares of pine forest and a coastline straight off the front of a postcard. And that’s the best bit of Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc: total seclusion, right in the middle of the busiest stretch of the Riviera. The cliffside pool, cut straight into the rock, comes with a trapeze slung above the water, where Picasso, Hemingway and the Fitzgeralds once filled its cabanas, inventing the Riviera season as we know it. Three MICHELIN Keys, one of only a handful of hotels anywhere holding them, confirm what regulars already know… Nowhere else on this coast does it quite like Eden Roc.

Occupying a portion of one of the world's most important biodiversity hotspots, the 7,400-hectare Mkambati Nature Reserve throws every expectation out of the window... with style! With a prime position on South Africa's Wild Coast, GweGwe Beach Lodge is the kind of place where you can soak up every ounce of nature. That could mean scanning the waves for whales from your private deck or kayaking along tranquil tributaries, stopping for a dip beneath one of over 21 waterfalls. With just 9 suites in total, it'll feel like you have this slice of wilderness all to yourselves – and your guide will craft the experience entirely to suit you

Rosé-pink walls, umbrella pines and a private beach on the Plage de la Bouillabaisse, a ten-minute stroll from the old port. Small, calm and pointedly unfussy, this is the St-Tropez the magazines tend to skip: no DJ, no velvet rope, no one checking your labels. Arnaud Donckele runs the kitchen at La Vague d'Or, holds three Michelin stars and is a saucier before he's anything else (you'll understand at dinner). The original Capron ceramics survived the LVMH makeover, which tells you the tone. The village is ten minutes on foot. The pontoon is thirty seconds. We know which we'd choose.

Aware of the magic of fully experiencing the microcosm of Castello di Ama, there are now five luxurious suites available to guests. Those who stay at Villa Ricucci will not have a "hotel", but will experience the privilege of entering a unique dimension where time seems to have stopped.

Due to its intimacy, Ama is a place that touches each of us directly, without the need for mediation. The owners have therefore decided to leave the word to the village and the wines, accompanying you on visits+tasting inspired by the themes that they feel closest to.

The Riviera has plenty of grand hotels, but only one where the concierge can namedrop Grace Kelly's iconic kiss scene before the bellhop's finished with your bags. Opened in 1911 and still fronted by its two famous domes, the Carlton Cannes has changed a little since then, thanks to 750 French artisans who rebuilt it from the inside out. Behind the façade, they also added the one thing it had gone a century without: a Mediterranean garden and a pool you can swim lengths in. And La Croisette's shops, casino and film-festival red carpet are all just a stroll away.

Mandrare River Camp is tucked away in an isolated spot in Madagascar’s picturesque south. This part of the island is characterised by bizarre landscapes of dense riverine forests, spiny deserts and open plains studded with giant baobabs. In the middle of it all, the six East African-style safari tents of Mandrare are set along the river beneath shady tamarind trees. There's a strong focus on culture and community here, as well as nature - you'll wake to the sounds of the local Antandroy tribe singing in the forest and have the opportunity to visit the village during the day too.

In the hills above the pretty village of Vence, amid the warm cypress and cicada song drifting on the breeze, Château Saint-Martin & Spa claims the best patch of hillside. Once a site guarded by Roman sentries and then fortified by the Knights Templar, a stretch of old wall, a chapel and part of the drawbridge still stand in the gardens today. Today, the hotel is lighter and brighter but still undeniably French (undeniably Provençal, in fact) and the chateau-style building is one-of-a-kind. Surrounded by acres of natural beauty, it's a wonderful place to just be for a few days, Cannes one way, Nice the other, and olive groves tumbling down in between.

The uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, in the northern part of the mountain range known affectionately by locals as "The Berg", offers some of the most dramatic scenery in South Africa. Far removed from the visions that spring to mind when you think of Africa, this is a region of snow-capped mountains (in winter) and lush green hills (in summer). It's the perfect setting for Montusi Mountain Lodge, an upmarket destination with uninterrupted views of the cliffs and peaks, and the iconic Amphitheatre. Montusi's 1000-hectare estate has been rehabilitated over the past 15 years to become a haven for indigenous birds and antelope.

Italians call Umbria the Green Heart of Italy, and once you've wound your way through its olive-stuffed valleys and medieval hill towns, the nickname makes perfect sense. There are fewer tour buses than Tuscany, a wilder countryside (and food to match) and, 25 minutes southwest of Perugia, Borgo dei Conti Resort. A 13th-century fortified hamlet, it once belonged to the noble Raspanti family and was later reimagined as the neo-Gothic country residence of a 19th-century painter. Restored top to toe by Milanese studio Spagnulo & Partners and relaunched as Relais & Châteaux in 2024, it now combines Renaissance-hued interiors and terracotta floors with a serious spa, two restaurants and 16 hectares of olive groves and forests.

Tucked into the golden curve of Procchio Bay on Elba, the largest island jewel in the Tuscan Archipelago, this family-run hotel has been welcoming sun-seekers since 1955. Back then, it was the haunt of Nobel Prize-winning poets and Italian artists; today the De Ferrari family (four generations of hoteliers, no less) keep things polished but refreshing. With its private stretch of sand, seawater pool and Mediterranean gardens shaded by pines and oleanders, it's a proper Italian seaside retreat. Add two excellent restaurants, a clutch of bars, and an island small enough to explore in a day but interesting enough to fill a week, and you've got yourself a winner.

Perched on the shores of the glittering lake, this magnificent grande dame of a hotel has been welcoming discerning travelers since 1863. The sumptuous interiors - with their jewel-toned purples, golds and indigos - transport you to an era of Belle Époque elegance, when wealthy Europeans would flock to the Italian lakes for restorative retreats. Today, the hotel seamlessly maintains its historic charm while offering every modern comfort. Sink into plush furnishings and gaze out over the pristine waters, perhaps penning your own masterpiece as Hemingway did during his stay (which later featured in 'A Farewell to Arms'). Just a short hop from Milan, this little corner of paradise offers the perfect escape, whether you're planning a romantic getaway, family adventure or elegant business gathering.

A port city with layers of Dutch, Portuguese and Chinese influence, Nagasaki has always been Japan's gateway to the outside world. Perched halfway up Mt. Inasa, Garden Terrace is a design-driven retreat by celebrated architect Kengo Kuma. With just 36 spacious rooms, four excellent restaurants and views that rank among the world's finest night-time panoramas, it's a hotel that rewards a slightly slower travel pace. Use it as a springboard for visiting the poignant Peace Park, the historic island of Dejima and the World Heritage-listed Oura Church, or simply stay put and watch the city lights flicker over the harbour below.

Bang in the centre of Montecatini's fashion district, this 102-room Art Deco revival takes the whole spa hotel thing rather seriously - we're talking 400 square metres of wellness wizardry spread across two floors, including an honest-to-goodness salt cave. It's the kind of place where they've named their spa experience "Emotion Time" without a hint of irony, and somehow made it work. The property underwent a complete Art Deco makeover that gives it a distinct 1920s movie-set vibe - each room decorated differently, like someone went wild with a vintage furniture catalogue and a bottomless budget. But here's the kicker: they've also got a sister property, Collina Toscana Resort, tucked away in the Tuscan hills 8km away, where hotel guests can escape for the day with access to the outdoor pool and proper countryside views. It's like getting two holidays for the price of one, if you don't mind the short shuttle ride.