Travel wish-lists are nothing new — and in our case, never ending — but what about turning a trip on its head, and making the journey for a hotel so special that it’s become a destination in its own right? Hotel-centric holidays still come down to location, to a certain extent, but it’s about homing in on the only hotel with that particular offering. For example, there are lots of ski chalets to choose from, but how many sit at the top of the range’s highest peak?
Personalised, hyper-local experiences also underpin the best destination hotels, from exploring the Sahara by day and sleeping under the desert skies to joining the chefs around the kitchen table in a Swedish townhouse to plan your next meal. Read on to discover the allure of the Finest Collection, which extends beyond each hotel’s doorstep — these properties stand out in the world’s most sought-after destinations, where no two stays are like anything you can experience elsewhere.
1. Dar Ahlam, Morocco
If anything hints at the magic behind Dar Ahlam’s doors, it’s the Arabic meaning behind its name. ‘House of Dreams’ is the best possible description for this Sahara-skirting, rule-breaking Kasbah, which is masterminded by Thierry Teyssier, the visionary who conceptualised the world’s first nomadic hotel. On the fringes of the Moroccan desert, this terracotta-hued haven arranges wellness treatments and hosts intimate meals across its manicured lawns and shaded groves of palm, citrus, and fragrant almond blossom.
Days at Dar Ahlam are shaped around ultra-personalised experiences which immerse guests in Berber culture, from sleeping beneath the stars in a traditional tent, sunrise tea ceremonies in the Sahara, to locally led treks into the Valley of Roses, and visits to hilltop villages which date back to the 12th century.
2. Ett Hem, Sweden
Swedish owner Jeanette Mix and long-time friend Ilse Crawford, the creative mind behind beloved British interiors brand Studioilse, are responsible for the original, and incomparable, home-from-home hotel. Ett Hem, which is Swedish for ‘a home’, epitomises effortless luxury, where guests are treated as friends of the family throughout the Arts and Crafts townhouses in Lärkstaden, a leafy residential area on Östermalm in Stockholm.
The interiors are relaxed yet elevated, blending a handpicked mix of vintage, bespoke and contemporary furniture and art. Leisurely, convivial meals can be enjoyed at the kitchen counter with the chefs, twinkling conservatory, and verdant courtyard, in line with Ett Hem’s ‘open kitchen’ concept. The attention to detail and anticipatory service is so good that you begin to wonder whether staff are mind readers, topped off by a bedside guide penned by Mix herself to Stockholm through the seasons.
3. Reschio Hotel, Italy
Huddled amidst rolling green hills lined with cypress trees, Reschio Hotel is a one-thousand-year-old castle which has been meticulously restored and stylishly reimagined by architect Count Benedikt Bolza and his B.B. for Reschio team based out of the estate’s converted 1940s tobacco warehouse, into several bespoke farmhouses dotted across a staggeringly beautiful 1,500-hectare landscape on the Umbrian-Tuscan border.
Arriving at this castle and wandering its sprawling estate that’s roamed by wild boar and deer feels like stepping into a Renaissance painting, where you can while away your time riding Andalusian stallions through the truffle-filled forests or watching a dressage display from a regal tent, playing tennis, rowing across the lake from the boathouse, soaking in the Roman-inspired bathhouse, and swimming in the moat-like pool overlooked by an ancient watchtower (now a trendy pool bar). For a truly monarchic escape, take up residence in the Tower Suite, spread across five floors in the most ancient part of the castle and crowned by a panoramic rooftop with an outdoor clawfoot tub.
4. Cap Rocat, Spain
Architecturally spectacular and steeped in heritage, Cap Rocat is a wonderfully secluded former military fortress built atop Cap Enderrocat to protect the Bay of Palma. Wrapped up within 88 acres and stretching along the coastline for two kilometres, the adults-only retreat continues to raise the bar amidst Mallorca’s ultra-luxury landscape, with its spectacular drawbridge, bunkers and suites (restored and refurbished by the famed Mallorcan architect Antonio Obrador) set in old shooting buttresses, and dazzling infinity pools cut into the cliff.
The underground, naturally lit hammam is carved deep into the rocks, bathed in golden sunlight which filters 12 metres down to the saltwater pool, and the rugged beach has direct access to the sea and jetty for casting off aboard the hotel’s private yacht. Dining options offer the best of both worlds; the waterfront, open-air Sea Club serves island classics cooked in a traditional Mallorcan firewood oven and grill, while La Fortaleza, headed by chef Víctor García, is known for its avant-garde techniques using seasonal produce sourced from local ecological farms.
5. Castle Hot Springs, USA
As you arrive at Castle Hot Springs, you can almost hear the thermal springs bubbling up all around this Arizona retreat — creating the sense of a natural, luxury oasis amid the sun-soaked canyons. Star-seekers should opt for the Sky View Cabins, which are set on an elevated foundation overlooking the lush grounds with breathtaking views of the surrounding Sonoran Desert. Each cabin has an expansive wood deck equipped with a telescope for stargazing and a private outdoor claw-foot tub ready to be filled with natural hot spring water.
Wellness is on the wild side at this Bradshaw Mountain-backed resort, where treatments draw directly from the mineral-rich springs, and you can go straight to the source at the canyon swimming holes. Spa services are delivered in custom cabanas along the spring water creek shaded by towering palm trees, with fully customised therapies using hot stones from the springs. Included in every stay is a whole host of immersive activities, from paddleboard yoga and guided hikes to mind and body classes and tours of the organic closed-loop farm cultivated by skilled agronomists and ‘flavour farmers’ to supply the Harvest Restaurant.
6. Viceroy Bali, Indonesia
Perched on the edge of a steep ravine with otherworldly views over the Petanu River gorge in the mountain foothills, the thatched private pool villas at Viceroy Bali cascade down the hillside into the jade-green jungle. The spa’s semi-circular balcony overhangs the valley, offering unrivalled 180-degree views, with its own yoga master on standby for private sessions in any of the garden locations around the resort or in guest villas.
The main restaurant is recognised as one of Bali’s very best, sitting beneath an architecturally daring grass and bamboo 10-metre-high roof and sourcing ingredients from the onsite greenhouse or local organic farmers. Wake to the early morning mists gently lifting from the hillside, and start the day with a sunrise swim in your villa’s private pool as monkeys leap through the surrounding trees and exotic jungle noises fill the air.
7. FORESTIS, Italy
A perfectly poised spa-meets-ski hotel in the Dolomites, FORESTIS takes alpine wellness to new heights while continuing the healing powers of its sanatorium origin story — from summit-level sauna sessions and centuries-old Celtic yoga to the indoor-outdoor rock pool which gazes out towards snow-capped peaks from its glassy front. Bask in the forest’s energy in total privacy from a nature-immersed Tower Suite or the recently restored alpine villa, which was built by the Austrian monarchy in 1912 to be completely sheltered from view on the southern slopes of the Plose mountain.
The forest cuisine at FORESTIS is overseen by native South Tyrolean Executive Chef Roland Lamprecht, who foraged his way through the forests and meadows as a child and now expresses his love of the woodlands in the most wholesome way. Using essences from the surrounding forests, such as herbs, nuts, and berries, as well as shrubs, barks, and fir needles, each plate becomes a little work of art dedicated to the Dolomites.
8. Le Grand Bellevue, Switzerland
Gstaad’s flawlessly groomed ski slopes and glitzy boutiques are just a horse-drawn carriage away from Le Grand Bellevue, a superbly located address along the designer-strung Promenade. With a fine dining restaurant, Art Deco bar, fondue chalet, and 3,000 square-metre spa spread across 17 different experience zones, there are plenty of reasons to stay inside at this early 20th-century grand dame as much as enjoy the great outdoors, whatever the season.
Le Grand Bellevue has succeeded in creating a light-hearted, relaxed atmosphere for fun-loving guests, from giant board games in the afternoon tea lounge, to specially designed sofas in the underground bar made from a carpet-like material to encourage dancing on the furniture.
9. Emiliano São Paulo, Brazil
Located in São Paulo’s exclusive Jardins neighbourhood along the ultra-stylish Oscar Freire Street, Emiliano São Paulo is undoubtedly one of the most prized addresses in the city (not to mention coming with its own helipad if you like to make an entrance). Plump for the split-level Cubo Suite, and enjoy a 180-degree vista across São Paulo’s rooftops while swimming in the private, heated pool right in the middle of your living room.
When it comes to relaxation, there’s no need to leave the hotel’s cocooning confines — from long, city-renowned brunches, to downtime in the Santapele Spa, and evenings spent in the expert hands of the sommelier at the country’s first champagne and caviar bar, where more than 80 brands of bubbly and rare Beluga roe await.
10. Bay of Many Coves, New Zealand
Way off-the-beaten-track in the Marlborough Sounds, the clear cool waters, sheltered coves and native bush backdrops provide a spectacular setting for wildlife watching at Bay of Many Coves. Playful dolphins, fur seals, and island birds can be spotted from your private balcony, and there are kayaks and paddleboards to borrow for up-close encounters with the bay’s abundant marine life.
Captain Cook chose this area as his favoured anchorage while visiting New Zealand, and there over six kilometres of private walking trails from the hotel’s doorstep that link to the internationally renowned Queen Charlotte Track. The spacious, wood-clad apartments frame views of the bush-backed shoreline and are designed to make you feel as though you’re a million miles away from everything (and everyone) else.
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