October is the ideal month to mix autumn cosiness with a dose of winter sun. Think an Australian surfer-chic stay on a working farm with crackling wood-burning fires, or a striking architectural gem on Mexico’s surf-kissed Mazunte coast. If it’s sun you’re chasing, island boltholes in the Caribbean await, while France’s Loire Valley offers a château escape steeped in countryside charm.
1. Lon Retreat & Spa, Victoria, Australia
If you’re after a coastal escape that balances indulgence with surfer-chic ease, Lon Retreat & Spa is a dream find. Set on the Bellarine Peninsula, it pairs sandstone calm with a breezy beach vibe — think airy suites with sky-and-sea tones, roaring fires, and mineral-fed baths big enough to swim in. Food is a highlight too: breakfast hampers and grazing platters arrive at your door, or the team can pack a picnic for long walks through dunes and down to the coast.
You’re just minutes from some of Victoria’s best surfing beaches, so you can swap spa robes for a wetsuit and chase the waves before melting back into the sanctuary of the retreat. There are three private treatment rooms where relaxing massages and glow-boosting facials can be booked, plus a steam room, indoor pool, and lounge to stretch out in afterwards.
2. La Valise Mazunte, Oaxaca, Mexico
Perched on a cliffside above Oaxaca’s Pacific coast, La Valise Mazunte was designed to flow with the land, opening out to sweeping ocean panoramas at every turn. Suites and the private villa embrace a minimalist, surfer-chic aesthetic—natural wood, earthy tones, and open-air living that blurs the line between indoors and out. Days here are about balance: floating in the infinity pool, practicing yoga as the waves crash below, or wandering down to the private beach deck.
Mazunte’s surf breaks and bohemian soul are just minutes away, while back at the retreat you can sink into sound healing, a traditional temazcal ceremony, or simply sip mezcal cocktails as the sun sinks into the Pacific. With soulful dining built around fresh, local ingredients (seafood a standout, of course), this cliff-clinging haven combines coastal cool with a sense of spiritual renewal, where design, culture, and the ocean are inseparable.
3. The Retreat Costa Rica, Costa Rica
Craving a retreat where wellness is seamlessly part of daily life? The Retreat Costa Rica is hard to top. Set high above the rainforest on a mountain of quartz, this sanctuary combines luxury with a deep connection to nature: yoga studios open to the jungle canopy, meditation decks tucked among the trees, and rooms with sweeping views, private balconies, and indulgent soaking tubs. Days flow gently from swimming in the bougainvillea-framed pool to restorative treatments at Vida Mia Spa, where everything from Ayurvedic therapies to cutting-edge biohacking supports renewal.
Dining is a health-promoting experience, too, with vibrant anti-inflammatory dishes made fresh from the harvest, nourishing smoothies, colourful salads, elegant tasting menus, and poolside cocktails. Whether you commit to a tailored wellness programme or simply soak up the stillness, every detail at The Retreat is designed to restore balance, calm the mind, and reconnect you to the rhythm of nature.
4. Bequia Beach Hotel, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Bequia Beach Hotel is the kind of Caribbean escape that makes you instantly slow down. Set on the curve of Friendship Bay, it pairs an authentic island atmosphere with all the comforts of a boutique resort: an infinity pool that seems to spill into the sea, a pristine white-sand beach for snorkelling and swims, and a shuttle to Jack’s on Princess Margaret Beach, where fish burgers and cocktails are the order of the day. Rooms and cottages are bright and breezy, while the villas bring a sense of seclusion with private terraces and sweeping views.
When it comes to food, variety keeps every day refreshingly different: freshly caught seafood by local fishermen served right on the sand at Bagatelle, Italian flavours and hillside romance at Blue Tropic, and rum punch over games of backgammon at the beach bar. Between morning yoga by the waves, spa treatments in the gardens, and those unforgettable sunset swims, Bequia Beach captures the true soul of island living.
5. The James Suite Hotel Firenze 1564, Florence, Italy
The James Suite Hotel Firenze 1564 distils the romance of Florence into an intimate, design-led retreat. Housed in a Renaissance palazzo on Via di Mezzo, it’s a place where soaring frescoed ceilings and stone arches meet Cavagnari’s contemporary touch—muted tones, rare fabrics, and artisanal details that make each suite feel like a private gallery. Step into the Signature Suites for something truly special, with views that sweep across the Tuscan skyline.
The hotel’s courtyard and secret garden invite quiet moments, while evenings unfold at The James Restaurant, where local olive oils, handmade pastas, and seasonal vegetables anchor menus that are both rooted in tradition and elegantly inventive. End the night in the glow of the 1564 Mixology Lounge Bar, sipping cocktails infused with botanicals and house-made syrups, or head up to the rooftop terrace for a toast beneath Brunelleschi’s dome. Outside, Florence’s masterpieces are at your feet.
6. Château de Maubreuil, Nantes, France
Step through the gates of Château de Maubreuil and it feels as though you’ve wandered into both a fairytale and a grand voyage around the world. Just outside Nantes, this Loire Valley château brims with treasures collected across centuries and continents: Venetian masks, St Petersburg tapestries, Moroccan gardens, and a Maharaja’s Palace apartment fit for six. Each suite is a story in itself, layered with art and objets d’art, yet grounded by modern comforts and a concierge who seems to anticipate your every need.
Days unfold between swims in the outdoor pool, indulgent treatments in the vaulted spa, and oenology workshops with the château’s sommelier. Dining carries the same spirit of discovery — La Table du Marquis reinvents classic brasserie fare with ingredients from the château’s own gardens, while Bar Zélélé mixes cocktails as playful as they are polished. Come summer, Salon Nomade adds a Moroccan flourish poolside, with light bites and cocktails under billowing canvas.
7. Morgan’s Rock, Nicaragua
Where the jungle spills into the sea, Morgan’s Rock hacienda and eco lodge creates a sanctuary that feels both wild and wonderfully refined. On Nicaragua’s Pacific coast, the villas and bungalows are hidden among the trees, each with forest or ocean views and a vast swing bed on the veranda that practically insists you slow down. Private plunge pools, visits from howler monkeys and bright tropical birds, and the soundtrack of the surf make it a place where nature feels close at hand.
Meals are a celebration of the land and sea — most ingredients are grown or caught right on the property, from gallo pinto breakfasts and farm-fresh produce to seafood pulled from the bay that same day. After crossing the suspension bridge back from the beach, you might end the day with a hot stone massage at the clifftop spa or a yoga session to the hum of the forest.
8. ONE | GT Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
Opens April 2026
One to bookmark now for a spring break, ONE | GT Grand Cayman hovers above the shoreline with far-reaching sea views in every direction. This sleek ten-storey retreat offers everything from one-bedroom suites to penthouse lofts, each with calming interiors, private kitchens, and balconies that frame the glittering horizon. The rooftop is its crown jewel — home to the island’s first infinity pool, palm-dotted terraces, and Byū, a vibrant Asian-inspired restaurant where bold flavours meet panoramic skies.
Downstairs, Perle brings French-Mediterranean finesse to the table, while Café Bellini fuels long mornings with pastries, market fare, and specialty coffee. Between dips in the pool, yoga above the waves, or in-room spa rituals, days here are as restorative as they are indulgent. With George Town, Seven Mile Beach, and Eden Rock’s reefs all within easy reach, ONE | GT is set to become both a gateway to Grand Cayman and a destination in itself.
Latest stories
6 eco-friendly hotels offering ethical wildlife experiences
If you prefer your wildlife encounters without the crowds — and with a side of serious sustainability — SLH’s Considerate Collection has you covered. And with World Wildlife Conservation Day shining a light on the importance of protecting our planet’s most vulnerable species and habitats, there’s no better moment to
From vineyard valleys to hot springs: top boutique hotels for December
Across continents and climates, location leads the experience at these boutique escapes. A monastery where the cloisters still set the pace, a mountain retreat content to drift with the clouds, a Swiss villa that practically levitates above an alpine lake — each hotel lets its setting do the talking. Here’s
How to spend a weekend in Girona
This pocket-sized city couldn’t be more different to its same-coast cousin, Barcelona. Comfortingly walkable and distinctly Catalan, what Girona lacks in size is made up for with its abundant food scene, ochre-infused colour palette and surrounding mountain landscapes.
Elevated wellbeing escapes: 5 mountain retreats made for meaningful rest
When the world feels too fast paced, the mountains offer the ultimate antidote. Whether blanketed in winter snow or wildflowers come spring, these high-altitude hideaways invite a deeper kind of rest — the kind found in silence, fresh air and unspoiled nature. Part of SLH’s Wellbeing Collection, each retreat goes
