Best Hotels & Lodges

Ensconced by grand cru vines, barrel cellars and château gates, Les Sources de Caudalie is elegant French countryside living, personified. Built by the family behind Caudalie skincare, it's Bordeaux's only Palace-rated hotel and one of France's Three-Michelin-Key properties. The draw runs deeper than good wine, however, and the highlight is a spa fed by a hot spring, 540 metres underground with a list of treatments centred around the grapes next door. When you're finished being pampered, there are two-Michelin-starred restaurant to enjoy, and the vines of Smith Haut Lafitte just beyond the tree line. Come for the spa and stay for everything else.

With a new concept of space and freedom, this hotel redefines the idea of ​​luxury, taking it to its pinnacle, building the most enchanting luxury resort in Sicily. Here, in the heart of the Mediterranean, amidst the captivating panorama of the Val di Noto, an ancient farmhouse, once owned by Prince Nicolaci, has become an idyllic retreat, a destination of choice in surprising harmony with nature.

The silence and quiet of an intimate setting characterize the suite collection, instilling feelings of well-being and peace, restoring a clear sense of self and inner balance. The lush, sunny, and authentic exterior encourages a rediscovery of the world, stimulating regenerating effects of pleasure for the mind, body, and spirit. The relaxing and prestigious atmosphere simultaneously enhances the colors of Sicilian tradition and the most modern and innovative comforts.

Built around a waterhole that attracts hundreds of animals daily, from elephant, cheetah, lion, wobbly-legged giraffe, antelopes (including kudu) and warthog to snakes and many birds, Phinda Zuka is a heavenly lodge. There are just four cottages tucked into the bush and densely wooded hills, so Zuka is the ideal getaway for a honeymoon party or family groups of up to eight. It's an exclusive-use lodge with a dedicated host and ranger, tracker, butler, chef, and private safari vehicle. This upmarket destination is not cheap, but a visit is worth every cent.

Furnirussi Tenuta sits at the heart of Europe's largest organic fig plantation — 4,500 trees across 20 hectares of Salento countryside, 12km inland from Otranto. The De Santis family built it from bare land in 2006, and the result is unusually distinctive for the region: clean-lined, minimal and contemporary, where most masseria peers go rustic.

Twenty-nine suites open onto private courtyards or panoramic terraces. There's a lake-shaped 1,000sqm bio-pool, a rock-cut hammam, and a kitchen working straight from the farm next door.

Located in Jodhpur, Daspan House is your escape to a slow life of peace & tranquility. Upcycled from a 1921 home, the house offers a vibrant decor with 18 rooms, a mysterious bar and a cheerful restaurant all with locally made custom furniture. Keeping the spirits alive, Daspan House is continuously celebrating all forms of art through collaborations. A collection of intimate nooks & corners with calming sounds, the house extends a warm & homely atmosphere for the curious traveler.

Enjoy the comfortable amenities, restaurant and lush garden (which contributes to the hotel's name) at the Green Palace Guesthouse. Take your pick from the hotel's range of twin, double, triple or family studios. Each room at the Green Palace has a TV and air-con with an en-suite bathroom and terrace overlooking the garden. The hotel's chef offers an array of Malagasy and French dishes for you to enjoy. With a friendly staff and in-room massages, the Green Palace has a lot to offer.