The ‘gram loves a good rooftop, doesn’t it? Infinity pools teetering over a city’s edge, open-air bars and sky-high restaurants to drink in those bird’s eye views and sip cocktails in the clouds. Now that summer is almost here, these are the best boutique hotels to book for rooftop access in cities you’ll want to revel in from up high as much as at street-level. There’s even a roll-out bed for sleeping under the stars…
1. La Roqqa, Italy
Perched on a hillside overlooking Porto Ercole, La Roqqa is a Sixties-inspired stay on the Tuscan coast. Pops of burnt red and terracotta catch the eye as much as the views from Scirocco Rooftop Bar, which is angled towards the Corsini Botanical Garden and Porto Ercole harbour. Cocktails are themed around Caravaggio’s paintings, and there’s a dedicated section on the menu for Negronis. You’ll also be able to eye the hotel’s Isolotto Beach Club on the sandy shoreline below, which is where you’ll spend most of your sun-drenched days here.
2. The Rebello, Portugal
Strung along the southern banks of the Douro in amongst Porto’s wine warehouses, the loft-style rooms and suites at The Rebello are the epitome of industrial chic. Up on Bello Rooftop, drink in the river views as traditional boats bob past, while tucking into small plate petiscos or health-boosting brunch bowls by day. The wine list draws on Portuguese vineyards from the Atlantic, valleys, and the south for a well-rounded taste of the terroir.
3. The Norman Tel Aviv, Israel
Crowning the fourth floor of The Norman Tel Aviv, a twin set of 1920s townhouses framed by Bauhaus buildings, this rooftop infinity pool puts guests in prime city- and sea-gazing territory. The wow-factor doesn’t stop at the 360-degree sundeck lined with cream tasselled parasols, but continues throughout the glamorous interiors which have been designed to bring the outside in.
4. WITTMORE HOTEL, Spain
Spend just a few minutes in the WITTMORE HOTEL and you’ll be immersed in a modern member’s club atmosphere. Soaring above Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter, there’s a sociable, stylish vibe on the citrus-yellow striped sun deck that serves cocktails poolside to its adults-only guests.
5. Nobu Hotel Marrakech, Morocco
Towering above the Red City’s ‘Golden Triangle’, the rooftop garden at Nobu Hotel Marrakech is designed around a gently curving, all-season pool lined with cabanas, rattan hanging chairs, and shade-offering palms. An assortment of cold Japanese dishes, nigiri and sashimi makes its way from the sushi bar to the sun deck, and DJ sets start to crank up the volume come sunset.
6. 137 Pillars Suites Bangkok, Thailand
Soaring above the streets of Bangkok, the skyline-skimming infinity pool at 137 Pillars Suites is as photogenic as they come. When cocktail hour rolls around, you just need to take a few barefoot steps from your luxurious lounger to the Sky Bar to sink a post-swim sundowner.
7. Sant Francesc Hotel Singular, Mallorca
Soak up panoramic views of Palma’s old town from the 200-metre-squared rooftop terrace, pool bar and solarium at Sant Francesc Hotel Singular, an urban oasis with front row seats to the spectacular Palma Cathedral. We’ve yet to find a better spot for chilled champagne-sipping and all-day pool dipping in Mallorca’s capital.
8. CoolRooms Palacio de Villapanes, Spain
Seeing Seville’s sights (La Giralda bell tower and the Gothic cathedral, to name just two) is included in your stay without even setting foot outside the walls of CoolRooms Palacio de Villapanés, an 18th century Andalusian palace with a jaw-dropping rooftop crowed with cabanas and a cooling plunge pool. Expect baroque architecture, marble columns and tiles, ornate archways, carved doors, and parquet floors — all on the edge of the Barrio de Santa Cruz.
9. Emiliano Rio, Brazil
The rooftop bar and infinity pool are as white-hot and minimalist as the rest of Emiliano Rio — a shuttered stay cleverly designed with a perforated pattern that allows the cooling sea breeze to enter, while bathing you in dappled light. Come face to face with the legendary Copacabana beach, and enjoy views from this Modernist masterpiece extending to the shimmering Atlantic and Sugar Loaf mountain beyond.
10. La Valise Mexico City, Mexico
Concealed behind a nondescript door of a discreet 1920s French-inspired townhouse in the city’s trendy Roma district is La Valise Mexico City, home to eight palatial suites which Mexican artist Pedro Friedeberg has infused with his signature Surrealist style. The king-size beds in both the Polaris Suite and Cilene Suite can be rolled out onto private terraces to take in CDMX while still wrapped up in your luxurious bedlinen or soaking in a freestanding alfresco tub.
Latest stories
Northern delights: a ‘coolcation’ itinerary across Norway & Iceland
As the train begins its slow, corkscrewing descent into Norway’s Flåm Valley, snow is softening mountain peaks into meringue-like folds. Outside the window, waterfalls freeze mid-cascade, as forests stand still under crystal light. The Flåm Railway — a staggering feat of engineering — feels like a portal into another season,
Snowy Lapland lodges to Balinese spa retreats: top boutique hotels for February
February invites a different kind of travel thinking. The urgency of new beginnings has softened, replaced by a desire to move well toward places feel tuned to their setting. This month’s selection spans extremes and in-betweens: Arctic forests and Balinese cliffs, historic towns in southern Europe, and quietly evolving cities.
A winter guide to the Dolomites for sporty travellers
Next month, the Winter Olympics land in northern Italy, with Cortina d’Ampezzo and multiple mountain clusters across the region hosting events. This winter guide to the Dolomites is for travellers inspired by the Olympian spirit: staying active outdoors by day, then prioritising recovery, wellness, and deep rest by night. Across
Out of season in Cyprus: discovering slow craft in Lefkara
Out of season in Cyprus, Lefkara doesn’t ask for your attention; it earns it by refusing to compete. The streets are narrower than you expect, the stone cooler under your palm than it looks, the air so clean it feels almost deliberate. You hear at your own pace: the sound
