Best Hotels & Lodges

Isaraya Luxury Over Water Villas in Zanzibar are located over-water on Konokono Beach Resort‘s jetty. In a world apart from the steel and concrete structures of a modern city these exclusive water villas have been conceived with modern style and comfort, while still retaining an authentic, rustic East African feel - evident with the Makuti thatched roofs blended in with Teak, Mahogany and Mangrove wood used in their construction. Hence, designed with all the luxuries you certainly might want for your stay coupled with an impeccable service to ensure privacy and exclusivity.

Zanzibar’s allure is hardly a secret but picturesque Pongwe Beach, on the quieter eastern side of the island, has managed to remain somewhat under the radar. There’s no high-gloss, glitzy resorts here either and Pongwe Beach Hotel is as unpretentious, laid back and utterly divine as it gets. Think airy, white-washed cottages scattered along a secluded stretch of white sand, hammocks and palm trees blowing in the breeze and sapphire waves lapping at the shore. So what are you waiting for? Grab a fresh pineapple juice and a bikini and come to Pongwe for some relaxation of the sun, sea and sand kind.

Ycona Luxury Resort in Uroa, Zanzibar, is a 5-star, award-winning eco-conscious boutique retreat blending Italian design with African style. Experts in sustainable luxury, Ycona is located on a private 500m beach, featuring 40 private villas with private pools, lush gardens and multiple dining options with a huge focus on sustainability, wellness, and high-end service

Rome has no shortage of fancy hotels, but few feel as alive as this one. Occupying three connected palazzi on Via Sistina, literally at the top of the Spanish Steps, the building spent centuries hosting European nobles on their Grand Tours before becoming a hotel in the 1920s. In 2019, Rocco Forte gave it a head-to-toe transformation that's bold, colourful and full of wit, without ever losing touch with its magical 18th-century bones. Celebrity chef Fulvio Pierangelini runs the kitchens, the rooftop draws Romans and visitors alike, and the location is within a few minutes' stroll of pretty much everything. It's polished, buzzy and thoroughly Roman.

Loisaba Tented Camp embodies a true balance between people, landscape, culture and the wildlife. Set in the thriving Laikipia region of central Kenya, the lodge aims to touch your mind, body and soul while on safari in this unique and beautiful land. You can't help leaving truly moved. Loisaba also encourages local communities to get involved in the lodge. This philosophy infiltrates every part of the ranch and conservancy, and the local Samburu and Maasai tribes are full partners in the project. Head out into the local conservancy in search of big game such as lion, elephant and buffalo (as well as unique species such as the Grevy's zebra and reticulated giraffe), with a rare insight into the nomadic Samburu and Maasai people's cultures and traditions.

Perched on the banks of the Ngobit River with Mount Kenya's snow-capped peaks as its backdrop, The River Camp delivers intimate luxury in one of Africa's most pioneering conservation areas. Sprinkled along the riverbank, there are just eight tents (the camp has a max of 20 guests), making sure you get the full exclusive experience in renowned Ol Pejeta Conservancy. Beyond Big Five encounters, you'll witness leading conservation efforts firsthand, from tracking lions with researchers to meeting the planet's last two northern white rhinos. With private decks overlooking wildlife watering holes and spa treatments after action-packed days, it's safari sophistication with serious conservation credentials.

Casa de Uco is what a wine enthusiast's dreams are made of. Sitting right in the middle of a gorgeous 320-hectare estate at the foothills of the Andes, the eco-friendly resort harmoniously blends in with the surrounding vineyards and natural environment. Conceived by a world-renowned architecture firm, the modern aesthetic of the property provides a sophisticated atmosphere, whilst the activities on offer really round off an unparalleled wine experience and beautifully showcase what the local culture is all about. Picture yourself ending the day soaking in your suite’s standalone tub, a glass of cabernet franc in hand, just taking in the scenery…

Tucked away on its own private island in the eastern reaches of the Lower Zambezi, Chula is where safari purists go to disappear. Just five mesh-walled tents beneath towering Natal Mahogany trees offer front-row seats to one of Africa's last true wildernesses. This is owner-run, passion-fuelled safari at its most authentic – think bucket showers under the stars, breakfast around a crackling campfire, and guides who paddle these channels like they were born to do just that. It's deliberately simple, refreshingly remote, and completely captivating; the kind of place where hippos provide the morning alarm and elephants might just wander through camp for afternoon tea.

Perched beneath ancient winterthorn trees where the Chongwe meets the mighty Zambezi, these two exclusive suites deliver pared-back luxury with a side of butler service. The Cassia Suite pampers honeymooners with river-facing romance, while the two-bedroom Albida welcomes families who fancy their own slice of wilderness. With private plunge pools, clawfoot bathtubs under the stars, and dedicated guides who'll paddle you past hippo pods at dawn, this is safari refinement without the stuffiness. Elephants regularly wade through the channel right in front of your suite – entertainment courtesy of nature while you sip coffee from your canopied lounge.

With terraced hills, organic gardens, waterfalls and cobblestoned pathways, Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo feels like an intimate village of its own. A 5-hectare mountainside reserve, the pristine cloudforest setting is a dream for all travellers, but even more so for nature enthusiasts and birdwatchers, with over 210 bird species and 370 orchid species (making it the world’s largest native orchid collection) recorded in the exact area. Amazingly, the hotel’s sustainability efforts have helped preserved hectares of Amazonian forest and native fauna, while also striving to make stays 100% carbon neutral. Staying here for the full Machu Picchu experience just feels right.

Camp Kipwe is a unique place, built in crevices between giant boulders stacked one above the other – a feature typical of this part of northwestern Namibia. You have to admire the ingenuity of the camp's designers, who have managed to combine intimate accommodation with sweeping views across the Aba Huab valley. From this eco-friendly camp, you can explore Damaraland – take an early morning game drive to look for the country's famously elusive desert-dwelling elephants, hike the ancient Aba Huab River or travel back in time at Twyfelfontein, Namibia’s first World Heritage Site.

In the heart of Bumthang's incredible valleys, this family-run retreat is all about honest hospitality without the price tag of its luxury neighbours. Founded by the late Karma Tobden, a beloved local engineer and community leader, the lodge stays true to its roots with a beautifully tranquil Bhutanese atmosphere. The spacious rooms are warmed by traditional Bukhari wood-burning stoves and are a cosy base to return to after a day of temple-hopping, whilst the rooftop hot stone baths are truly special. There's also hearty regional cuisine (including the family matriarch's legendary Bumthang Pizza), exceptional views of the valley, and easy access to ancient monasteries like Kurjey Lhakhang. It's Bhutan, just as it should be.

Explore the pristine isolation of Golfo Dulce, kayaking through the hushed mangroves of Los Mogos where wildlife reigns supreme, and plunging into the crystalline depths surrounding Punta Adela and Isla del Caño—a marine sanctuary rarely experienced by outsiders. Venture deep into the verdant, wild embrace of Corcovado National Park, where the untamed rainforest pulsates with life, or conquer the exhilarating rapids of the Savegre River, a true wilderness challenge.

This is your chance to disconnect from the ordinary and immerse yourself in the raw, unparalleled beauty of a Costa Rica few ever witness.

Hidden away in Fez's ancient medina, this former pasha's palace has been lovingly transformed by a Provençal antique dealer with an eye for the extraordinary. Michel Biehn didn't just restore this 1906 summer retreat, he also filled every corner with carefully curated antiquities from Central Asia to Africa. From the Royal Suite with its soaring glass dome to rooms inspired by Marco Polo's silk road adventures, each space feels more like a private collection than a hotel suite. The magnificent Andalusian garden – complete with Isfahan roses, jasmine, and a tranquil swimming pool – provides a blissful escape from the medina's bustling souks.

Named after Ernest 'Papa' Hemingway – who famously survived not one but two plane crashes in this very stretch of wilderness – this intimate tented camp channels the romance of golden-age safaris. Tucked beneath towering fig trees on the south bank of the Nile, it sits within a 350-square-kilometre low-use zone of Murchison Falls National Park, shared with no other camp. Lions are prolific here (a recent census counted over 45), and a habituated hyena den near camp offers extraordinary viewing. The roar of the rapids drifts through at night, elephants and buffalo roam the riverbanks, and the thundering falls themselves are an easy game drive away. With only five tents, exclusivity is guaranteed.