Best Hotels & Lodges

After a spectacular $40 million makeover, this riverside tower has reinvented itself as Singapore's most ambitious eco-luxury experiment. With an address along the historic Singapore River, it's far enough from the CBD's chaos to feel like a retreat, yet just a two minute stroll from the MRT (train). With fresh, reimagined rooms, complete with AI assistants and filtered water systems, the 30-storey sanctuary has become the unlikely darling of eco-conscious families and urban escapists. The real triumph? They've managed to make sustainability feel genuinely luxurious, pioneering everything from water filtration to biodegradable amenities without sacrificing one bit of comfort.

Scarcely pin-pricks on a globe, the scattered isles of Africa's Gulf of Guinea barely feature on a map, let alone a traveller’s radar. But as technology connects the remotest corners with the rest of the world and people hunger for roads-less travelled, things are changing—though, thankfully, not too quickly. Bom Bom Island Resort straddles jungle, beach and islet on the northern tip of Principe Island, one part of the archipelago nation of Sao Tome and Principe. This place is a boon for sojourners seeking solitude and pristine nature, both on land and by sea. The island's 136 square-kilometres are nearly all primary and secondary forest ringed by pale-sand beaches that just beg to be explored.

This mid-sized, owner-run lodge is located in the hills of rural Karatu, about halfway between Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Lake Manyara National Park - and a short drive to Tarangire National Park and the extraordinary Serengeti. Set in 10 acres of beautifully maintained gardens, Plantation Lodge offers a great mix of lush surroundings, lodge comfort, excellent food, spa pampering, aesthetically pleasing African style and access to Tanzania's most scenic national parks.

Like all the Elewan Collection of lodges and camps in Tanzania (including Joy's Camp, Elsa's Kopje, Kitich and Lewa Safari Camp), Tortilis is set in an iconic location. In this case it's the western Amboseli, where game viewing is fruitful, accommodation is first-class, the food is Italian-style delicious, the guides are local and there's a responsible attitude towards conservation and the local communities. Here, overlooked by Mount Kilimanjaro, you can see a elephants (lots of them), hippo, lion and other big cats, and plentiful birds.Tortilis is Kenya's first eco-lodge and has won the Tourism for Tomorrow award.

To the west of Chobe National Park is Chobe Forest Reserve, home to one of the few remaining natural timber forests in Botswana. Lying in a private concession in this off-the-tourist-track reserve is Muchenje Safari Lodge, a laid-back retreat set high on an escarpment with views across a seasonal floodplain to the distant river. The lodge is owner-run and -managed, so every detail has been carefully considered, from the comfortable main area and lovely chalets to the fresh, homely meals, prolific wildlife (the region is one of the richest birdwatching areas in Africa) and top-quality guided drives and nature walks.

Sitting pretty in Hanoi's dapper French Quarter, Hotel de l'Opera strikes a graceful figure. Its pristine walls of white and mirror-like windows are just the beginning, concealing interiors that are theatrical, plush, and all-around gorgeous. From the gold-gilded lobby to the lantern-lit, nine-storey atrium and the jewel tones and pink velvet couches in the suites, Hotel de l'Opera is a feast for the eyes. And, with the iconic Opera House on its doorstep and the scenic Turtle Lake a short walk away, it's in prime position for enjoying the historic sights of Hanoi.