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
Portugal’s secret shoreline: Praia do Canal Nature Retreat unveils an alternative Algarve
Beyond the golden beaches of southern Portugal’s crowd-drawing coast lies a quieter, wilder side of the Algarve. Hidden within the heart of the Vicentine Coast Natural Park, Praia do Canal Nature Retreat offers an altogether wild and wonderful antidote to the region’s glossy resorts and golf enclaves — one that’s
Game, set, relax: 8 boutique hotels where tennis takes centre court
As Wimbledon fever comes into full swing and the strawberries-and-cream season begins, there’s no better time to dust off your racquet and serve up your next holiday with a tennis twist. From clay courts surrounded by Umbrian olive groves to oceanside matches along Australia’s western shores, these boutique stays combine
7 boutique hotels to inspire your next holiday
What moments are you manifesting for your travels this year? Whether it’s sipping mezcal by a private lagoon somewhere in the Mexican jungle, meditating creekside beneath Sedona’s red rocks, or dining on just-plucked artichokes in the Apulian countryside, these boutique stays offer immersive, considered experiences in carefully sought-out corners of
Top things to do, see, and eat in Cefalù: plus, where to stay in Sicily
As you drive into Cefalù, the dramatic Rocca di Cefalù towers over the town’s sandy-hued buildings, setting a history-steeped scene for this once-humble fishing village. While tourism has certainly made its way here, this beloved Italian beach destination still holds onto its character, feeling far less polished than Taormina on
