Hotel Awards 2024: the world's 36 best hotels (original) (raw)

This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK).

It's been an epic year for hotel openings, revamps and extensions, and we've scoured the globe for the best of them. Whether you want to tune into the jungle from a treehouse, sleep in a piece of history or watch the sun set over mountain peaks from your bed, you're guaranteed a memorable stay from our winners and runners-up.

Revamped Hotel

These established beauties have been given a new lease of life thanks to recent works.

Winner: Badeschloss, Austria

There was nothing particularly wrong with this palatial 18th-century bathhouse, where German Emperor Wilhelm I used to enjoy the thermal waters of Bad Gastein. But its location at the base of Graukogel mountain in the Austrian Alps deserved to be maximised. A dynamic revamp by Viennese architects BWM has done the trick, transforming it into a red-hot retreat with an eyrie-like spa. Its 13-storey concrete addition has brought the room total to 102, and all are designed in candy colours with bathhouse accents like aqua tiling, pool ladders, private saunas and deep tubs you can practically swim in. The icing on this cake is the rooftop heated pool atop three floors of saunas and treatment rooms. Floating here with a direct sightline to Graukogel’s 8,200ft peak, backed by a sound-track from the frothy Gasteiner waterfall, is the region’s most satisfying year-round sport. From €182 (£155), B&B.

The views from Badeschloss are just as epic as the hotel's interior, which emanates a playful, bathhouse feel.

Photograph by Arne Nagel (Top) (Left) and Photograph by Arne Nagel (Bottom) (Right)

Runners-up

The Lafayette Hotel & Club, US: Maximalists rejoice — your spiritual home awaits at this San Diego establishment. Originally built in 1946, this grande dame was beloved by film stars during its mid-century heyday, hosting the likes of Ava Gardner and Frank Sinatra. After a major revamp, its blockbuster vision of old-school glitz has been revived. Many of the 139 guest rooms now come with lavishly draped canopy beds, there’s a 1940s-style diner and a dark, moody Oaxacan-inspired restaurant, while down at the pool, guests can recline on leopard-print loungers under tasselled umbrellas. From $228 (£175).

Hotel Las Balsas, Argentina: In a secluded spot enveloped by native Patagonian forest, Hotel Las Balsas’s 10 new ‘rustic luxury’ Lakeview Villas gaze across the glacial waters of Lago Nahuel Huapi to a precipitous Andean range. Raised on stilts, with wall-sized windows and private balconies, these eye-catching glass-and-wood structures immerse guests in the dramatic landscapes of the Argentine Lake District without stinting on comfort — as befitting a hotel with both B Corp certification and Relais & Châteaux membership. Villas from US$712 (£545); doubles from US$262 (£200), B&B.

Romantic Bolthole

Retreat to this dreamy crop of hotels for heart-stealing views, cosy nooks and privacy in stylish surrounds .

Winner: Hotel Corazón, Spain

With views of the Tramuntana Mountains and Mediterranean guaranteed to lift moods, Majorca’s Hotel Corazón would be a heart-stealer regardless of its style credentials. Situated among the orchards, olive groves and limestone crags of west-coast hill towns Deià and Sóller, this 15-room hotel is the vision of British-born photographer Kate Bellm and her Mexican artist and cactus-gardener husband, Edgar Lopez Arellano. Both burn with passion for Majorca and it shows in how they’ve revived this 16th-century finca — now a retro-glam escape, restaurant, farm and art space. The mood is wild child meets Vogue: gardens lush with palms and jacarandas, rooms filled with terracotta, stone, wood and sheepskin, and flowing forms echoing nature’s colours and curves. Come for the ocean-facing pool with baby-pink loungers, hand-dyed hammocks and sunsets that pop. Come for peace and privacy. Come for walks among gardens bristling with cactuses and wild rosemary, or for farm-grown food. But mostly come for the unique vibe — whether you’re into sound baths, hiking, jam sessions, reiki or ceramic-making. The maxim is: “You can’t break the rules because there are none.” From €370 (£312).

In the Baba Royale Superior Double Room at Hotel Corazón, romantic accents abound.

Photograph by Anna Malmerg

Runners-up

The Celestine, US: While you can’t bottle the Europe-meets-the-Mississippi spirit of New Orleans’ French Quarter, this newcomer gets close. Bearing the imprint of designer Sara Ruffin Costello, The Celestine has taken the former 18th-century home of apothecary and cocktail master Antoine Amédée Peychaud and brought it into the 21st century, with an intimate vibe that will strike a chord with couples. After a welcome cocktail, pass through the fountain-splashed courtyard to sleek rooms with curated antiques, fireplaces, four-posters and balconies. From $240 (£180).

Violino d’Oro, Italy: A restored palazzo near Piazza San Marco, Venice, this hotel delivers an intimate stay coupled with made-in-Italy glamour, thanks to its Carrara marble floors, Tuscan wooden bookshelves and Venetian glass chandeliers. The polished Il Piccolo bar does cicchetti and spritz with elegance — but the prime spot is arguably the canalside Salotto d’Acqua residents’ lounge. Here, next to a fireplace, you can sink Prosecco à deux as gondoliers glide by, feeling like you’re watching from your very own Venetian home. From €775 (£590).

City Star

Make these stellar new addresses the centrepiece of your next urban getaway .

Winner: The Fifth Avenue Hotel, US

The social media buzz surrounding the debut of New York’s latest big name was hard to miss — especially with Sarah Jessica Parker hosting the opening night. The good news is that ‘The Fifth’ (as it’s known to Manhattanites) more than lives up to the hype — not to mention its prime NoMad perch at the corner of 28th Street and Fifth Avenue. Conceived by Swedish designer-du-jour Martin Brudnizki as ‘a New York hotel like no other’, it exudes Gilded Age glamour, from grand arched windows and marble flooring to tasselled draperies and rainbow-hued Murano-glass chandeliers throughout. Pleasingly, it also contains plenty of lovely bonuses — including a roaming martini trolley, round-the-clock butler service on every floor and a luxury car service for all guests. The restaurant, Café Carmellini, is a fine-dining establishment from NYC heavyweight Andrew Carmellini, while The Portrait Bar mixes outrageously creative cocktails in an intimate wood-panelled library. From $745 (£565).

At The Fifth Avenue Hotel, The Portrait Bar serves creative cocktails inspired by destinations, such as the Philippines.

Photograph by The Fifth Avenue Hotel (Top) (Left) and Photograph by The Fifth Avenue Hotel (Bottom) (Right)

Runners-up

Le Grand Mazarin, France: Hailed as ‘Wes Anderson meets Alice in Wonderland’, Le Grand Mazarin is a design lover’s dream, secreted in the characterful Parisian arrondissement Le Marais. Inspired by the literary salons of the 18th century, it’s packed with whimsical touches — from ornate swan-tap sinks and pleated fabric ceilings to a magnificent Jacques Merle mural across the vaulted ceiling of its pool. A petite spa is run by iconic Parisian brand Anne Cali, while the restaurant, Boubalé, is a love letter to Ashkenazi and Eastern European cuisine from much-lauded chef Assaf Granit. From €690 (£580), B&B.

Trunk(Hotel) Yoyogi Park, Japan: Tokyo’s latest Trunk is a treasure chest of calm buried at the city’s neon heart. Despite being close to the buzz of Harajuku and Shibuya, the group’s third hotel is an ode to relaxation. That urban recharge is delivered in a serene fashion, from minimalist rooms blending Scandinavian and Japanese styles, to a sixth-floor infinity pool overlooking forested Yoyogi Park, one of the city’s largest green spaces. Expect quirky guest activities (such as vintage shopping tours) and a rooftop oyster and cocktail bar; this is a much-needed circuit-breaker in the middle of one of the world’s most populated cities. From Y81,700 (£435).

Food Hero

Feast on kitchen-garden ingredients, local produce and farm-fresh breakfasts at this trio of culinary champions .

Winner: Farasha Farmhouse, Morocco

It’s like a magic trick: one minute you’re in Marrakech, the next you’re in the echoing silence of the desert, where olive groves fade into the sun-rippled distance and the dusky Atlas and Jbilet mountains rise up on the horizon. Embracing the cinematic light and views is Farasha, a four-room retreat supporting regenerative farming. Its kitchen gardens provide abundant fruits, vegetables and herbs that go into family-style meals at a long communal dining table. Whether it’s breakfast shakshuka, a punchy lunchtime salad or a perfectly spiced tagine at dinner, it’s all delicious, and served with warmth and flair. Keeping the bohemian vibe of the one-time residence of French painter Patrice Arnaud, owners and event stylists Fred and Rosena Charmoy have enlisted interior designers, expert craftspeople and visionary creatives to fashion a ‘home’ unlike no other. Suites are love letters to Moroccan artistry, with eggshell-smooth tadelakt plaster, zellige tiles, shaggy Beni rugs and handcrafted lamps. Lazy days cooling off in the pool and meandering through oasis-like gardens melt into star-blanketed nights. From €350 (£295), B&B.

Meals are enjoyed al fresco at Farasha Farmhouse, held around a long, communal dining table.

Photograph by Igor Demba (Top) (Left) and Photograph by Igor Demba (Bottom) (Right)

Runners-up

Vyn, Sweden: The latest project from superstar Swedish chef Daniel Berlin, 15-bedroom Vyn is a restaurant first, hotel second. Set on an 18-acre former farm on the southeastern tip of Sweden, overlooking verdant Österlen countryside rolling to the shores of the Baltic Sea, it bagged two Michelin stars months after opening. The minimalist, contemporary rooms are pared-back affairs, with clean lines and earth-toned furniture. Menu ingredients are just as carefully considered, with many grown, foraged or hunted by Berlin himself. From SEK 3,500 (£260), B&B.

Holm, England: This restaurant with rooms in Somerset is powered by the founder of the now-closed Salon Brixton, Nicholas Balfe, but its DNA is pure West Country. An on-site garden grows herbs, vegetables and fruit for a hyper-seasonal menu, such as ricotta agnolotti with asparagus, or cod with barbecued leeks. Seven bedrooms in muted tones have the same local appeal, with oak headboards made in the village, ceramics fired down the road and blankets woven from West Country sheep’s wool. From £179, B&B.

Beach Sanctuary

Sand and sea are the stars at these three coastal retreats, mixing laid-back glamour with barefoot luxury .

Winner: The Potlatch Club, Bahamas

Elizabeth Taylor holidayed at The Potlatch Club, Greta Garbo felt the pink sand between her toes here and, in 1969, a honeymooning Paul McCartney wrote Beatles lyrics on the hotel notepaper. That vintage 20th-century glamour still abides at this hotel, a luxurious yet laid-back retreat recently resurrected to its former glory on the Bahamian island of Eleuthera after decades of abandonment. Accommodation takes the form of classic Caribbean bungalows, shaded by palms and radiating local character with rose-coral floors, rattan four-posters and Adirondack chairs on the verandah. Views take in the gardens, while you’re never more than a short stroll away from the beach, where the powder-soft sand is lent a pink hue by tiny coral-dwelling organisms. Chances are you’ll be spending much of your time on the beach — The Fig Tree restaurant serves seafood right on the sand — where you can swim with rays, spot tropical fish and admire the pastel-hued clapboard houses of Eleuthera’s capital, Governor’s Harbour. From $475 (£360).

After decades of abandonment, The Potlach Club has been restored to its original, 20th-century vintage glamour, having opened in 1923.

Photograph by David Loftus

Runners-up

Dunas de Formentera, Spain: Dunes slide into a sea so turquoise it looks photoshopped on Playa de Migjorn, a four-mile curve of sand on Formentera’s south coast. It’s even more heavenly staying at this eco-luxe resort, where footpaths lead to sunlit rooms and suites. Big on natural materials, they mirror the sea’s changing moods. A coast-facing infinity pool and the backbeat of gentle waves elevate this to one very special beach escape. From €350 (£295), B&B.

One&Only Aesthesis, Greece: The whisper of the sea, the rustle of palms, the scent of pine on the breeze, sunsets like ripe peaches — it’s the Greece of collective imaginations, except you wouldn’t expect it a 30-minute drive from central Athens. In a 52-acre forest reserve in Glyfada, this vogueish seaside hideaway has a splash of mid-century glamour. The design is as fresh as the coastal breeze in nature-inspired beach bungalows and villas with private pools, vast terraces and al fresco showers. From €638 (£538), B&B.

Wellness Haven

Rest and relaxation is taken up a notch at these innovative spa hotels, with hot springs, moonlit yoga and herb-based therapies .

Winner: Jacumba Hot Springs Hotel, US

A world of hot springs awaits at this oasis of a hotel in the Sonoran Desert in California. Housed near an ancient Native American healing site, the dinky 20-room retreat once drew curious visitors such as Hollywood A-listers Clark Gable and Marlene Dietrich to its mineral-rich waters. Having fallen on hard times for some decades, it’s now risen from the ashes to attract a new crowd, drawn to its bubbling pools, heated naturally by the earth’s core and said to offer healing benefits. There are plentiful soaking options on tap, with three chemical-free pools fed by thermal springs and fringed with shaded cabanas. As the sun dips below the horizon, guests and locals mingle in the spruced-up bathhouse for live music sets at the weekend, illuminated by flickering candlelight. There’s also a vibey bar to kick back in, surrounded by eccentric furnishings including a DJ stand fashioned from a discarded Indian dowry chest. Guest rooms prove difficult to leave, featuring organic materials, handcrafted furniture and natural tones. From $180 (£135).

At Jacumba Hot Springs Hotel, guests can bathe in naturally heated pools surrounded by earth tones and handcrafted furniture.

Photograph by Mikael Kennedy (Top) (Left) and Photograph by Mikael Kennedy (Bottom) (Right)

Runners-up

Mementos By ITC Hotels Ekaaya Udaipur, India: Life moves at a refreshingly slow pace at this 117-suite hotel in the Aravallis mountain range. Although there’s a spa, wellness here is more about the gentle activities on offer, with days spent watching flamboyant kingfishers, trying out landscape painting and hiking into the mountains for the sunset. As night falls, chilled-out guests unwind further with lunar yoga sessions and stargazing under the glow of the moon. INR 24,650(£225), B&B.

Gundari Resort, Greece: Fifty minutes by ferry from Santorini, the lesser-visited island of Folegandros offers an escape from the crowds. And now visitors can retreat in serious style to this 27-suite cliffside hideaway. The spa combines ancient Greek therapies with local herbs, offering treatments overlooking the Aegean Sea, while award-winning chef Lefteris Lazarou oversees the restaurant’s health-conscious, farm-to-table menu. Rooms offer the final slice of Zen: rustically styled spaces in complete tranquillity. From €600 (£510), B&B.

Remote Sleep

Escape from it all at one of these wilderness hotels, far from the madding crowds .

Winner: Boca de Agua, Mexico

Retreating to a treetop den is a childhood rite of passage and anybody still yearning to hide away in a leafy canopy will appreciate Boca de Agua, a complex of 22 elevated treehouses deep in the rainforest on the Yucatán Peninsula beside a dazzling stretch of Maya coastline. Designed by celebrated Mexican architect Frida Escobedo, the treehouses at this freshly unveiled regenerative retreat have been created using salvaged materials and a pared-back aesthetic that allows the surrounding jungle to take centre stage. The emphasis is on softening the walls between the wilderness and guests, with outdoor showers, views of the azure Bacalar Lagoon and hammocks swinging lazily on the deck. There’s also a stargazing platform at one of two restaurants, where dishes like juicy pork cochinita pibil tacos are served. Those seeking close encounters of the animal kind could discover impish spider monkeys swinging from tangled branches in neighbouring mangroves. From US$500 (£380), B&B.

Dense jungle surrounds the treehouse complex at Boca de Agua.

Photograph by César Béjar (Top) (Left) and Photograph by César Béjar (Bottom) (Right)

Runners-up

Our Habitas Atacama, Chile: The salt flats, geysers and snow-capped volcanoes of the Atacama Desert are on your doorstep at this hotel. Adobe walls, thatched roofs and local textiles in its gorgeous rooms, suites and villas help bring the natural world in. Exploring the environment is top of the agenda here, whether stargazing beneath the inky night skies or paragliding above Mars-like valleys, while a menu of organic spa treatments will revive you, ready to do it all again tomorrow. From US$154 (£118), B&B.

Highland Base, Iceland: A striking monument to modern Scandi design, this hotel is a luxurious, cosy sanctuary amid the steaming fumaroles and black deserts of the Icelandic Highlands. Its organic design, clad in light wood and with an angular, asymmetrical facade, blends in seamlessly with the Kerlingarfjöll mountains, while expert guides are on hand to help you explore this remote region on foot, e-bike or snowmobile. Back at the hotel, geothermally heated hot pools will help reinvigorate tired limbs. From ISK 72,400 (£400).

Clever Conversion

Expect exquisite interiors, thoughtful service and creativity in these smart heritage hotel projects .

Winner: Raffles London at The OWO, England

Six years and £1.3 billion in the making, the unveiling of Raffles London at The OWO has been one of the most hotly anticipated hotel openings in years. It proved well worth the wait. Taking the bones of the former war office on Whitehall in central London, Raffles painstakingly researched the history of the building and rebuilt it piece by piece, incorporating design details throughout that reflect its storied past. From curtains modelled on the coats of the Horse Guards who parade outside to the extraordinary wood-panelled suite in Winston Churchill’s former office, it’s a hotel that comprehensively reflects and builds upon its heritage. The guest experience more than lives up to the weight of that legacy, with service both slick and friendly, staff seeming to magically pop up at the exact moment you need them. Highlights include the atmospheric subterranean pool and Guerlain spa; the surprising dishes that appear in the vegetable-forward tasting menus at Saison by Mauro Colagreco; and a residents-only bar that reflects the building’s standing as the birthplace of MI5. Daily historian-led tours of the premises leave guests in no doubt that they’re staying in a very special slice of London’s history. From £827.

One of the most impressive features at the recently converted Raffles London at The OWO is its grand marble staircase.

Photograph by John Athimaritis

Once the office for the head of the British Army, The Granville Suite at Raffles features design elements that reflect the hotel's history.

Photograph by John Athimaritis

Runners-up

Mondrian Bordeaux Les Carmes, France: Wine and Bordeaux are synonymous, so it’s fitting that this new opening is set in former grand cru classé aging cellars. Don’t expect dark and dingy: the stone exterior is a masterclass in grandeur, with crenelated bays and a carved gable. Inside, designer Philippe Starck has been given free reign. Concrete, boiled wool and warm-hued leathers intersect in rooms, some of which have private terraces. In the restaurant, Japanese dishes from renowned chef Masaharu Morimoto meet — what else? — a generous selection of local wines. From €228 (£190).

The Store, England: Until its 2020 closure, Boswells was part of the fabric of Oxford for 282 years. Now the department store’s grand premises on Broad Street have been transformed into a thoroughly modern hotel, with scalloped headboards, pops of colour and parquet flooring in the rooms, and a rooftop bar serving cocktails drawing on Oxford’s heritage. Treadwell restaurant, in the former pharmacy, draws a local crowd for seasonal dishes such as venison dumplings, while the spa, a moody enclave with walnut wood, has treatments from Brit brand Oskia. From £216.

One-Of-A-Kind

Vintage style, vinyl collections and eclectic architecture make these boltholes stand out .

Winner: Sun Ranch, Australia

Sun Ranch is a dreamy love letter to the halcyon days of 1970s California. Except it’s been transplanted to a farm just outside the popular surf town of Byron Bay on New South Wales’s northeast coast. Bordered by fig trees, the retro retreat is the latest project from Julia Ashwood and Jamie Blakey, a hotelier and fashion design duo who have overhauled a 1980s farmhouse. The result combines spacious suites and self-contained two-bedroom barns, filled with artistic flourishes and trinkets handpicked from across the Americas. But the ranch’s communal spaces are where it shines. There’s a sunken velvet lounge encircling a cosy sculptural fireplace, a saloon where guests can browse an extensive vinyl collection, and a 25m infinity pool cut into the side of a grassy hill that provides the perfect setting for sage-scented yoga classes. An eclectic menu of activities includes horseback adventures, lemon-picking in the orchard, cacao ceremonies and tarot reading. From A$500 (£255) per night, minimum two-night stay.

Yoga classes are held at Sun Ranch's hillside infinity pool, an idyllic setting for meditative activities.

Photograph by Anson Smart

Sun Ranch's self-contained bedroom barns feature trinkets and artistic furnishings, handpicked from across the Americas.

Photograph by Anson Smart

Runners-up

Izza Marrakech, Morocco: Uptown from the ancient treasures of Marrakech’s medina, Izza brings arresting contemporary art and modernised Moroccan detailing to an elegant 14-room riad. Every custom furnishing, every pearly zellige tile and engraved hardwood door has been painstakingly handcrafted to welcome visitors enchanted with Maghreb culture. What really sets it apart, though, is its secondary life as a ‘museum in the medina’, with 300 works of art seasonally curated and shared within the walls. From €160 (£135), B&B.

The Hotel at the Moore, US: A Zaha Hadid sculpture spanning the atrium is a sign that Miami’s Moore is not your average art deco landmark. A former furniture showroom, this members’ club and boutique hotel never saw furnishings this sensual nor art this brazenly bold. A bone-like framework defines each palm-fringed space, culminating in 13 suites on the upper floors with white-hot views over the Design District. Shrouded in exotic woods and reeded glass, the rooms aren’t restricted to members, and make residents feel part of an exclusive set. From $750 (£565).

Budget Break

Wallet-friendly prices don’t have to come at the cost of style or substance — as these three hotels illustrate.

Winner: INNSiDE By Meliá Bangkok Sukhumvit, Thailand

In a city increasingly dominated by ultra-luxe hotels, INNSiDE is something of a palate cleanser. In Bangkok’s On Nut neighbourhood — a short train ride away from the Thai capital’s main action — this light and bright place offers an upscale stay without the matching price tag. Inside, the hotel has embraced a white palette with subtle nods to the city’s landmarks, with wavy ceilings that evoke the flow and majesty of the Chao Phraya River, and gold accents resembling the spires of the Wat Pho and Wat Phra Kaew temples. The restrained interiors are a wise choice that allows the spectacular sky-rise views to shine. INNSiDE’s 208 rooms and clutch of bars, restaurants and communal workspaces are spread over 33 floors that culminate in the hotel’s crowning glory: a glass-bottomed infinity pool overlooking the metropolis. The views provide a glittering urban backdrop for a swim, or for sunset tapas at the bar on the floor just below. From US$116 (£88), B&B.

At INNSiDE By Meliá, the Tapas Bar offers breathtaking views overlooking the glistening Bangkok skyline.

Photograph by INNSiDE By Meliá

Runners-up

House of Gods, Scotland: Zebra-print four-posters scattered with gold petals, dark-wood walls, monochrome marble bathrooms and freestanding copper tubs — imagine Liberace’s personal cabin on the Orient Express, and you’re somewhere close to picturing Glasgow’s House of Gods. It’s not subtle, but it isn’t meant to be, with the hotel unashamedly embracing all things rakish, louche and maximalist — a philosophy that extends to the rock ’n’ roll lounge bar. From £102, B&B.

Interno Marche, Italy: In a century-old, coral-hued, art nouveau villa in Tolentino, Interno Marche has high design in its bones. Nowadays it’s a hotel for aesthetes on a budget, with each of the 30 rooms referencing a different era: some have classical frescoes and mosaics, others minimalist decor and futurist lines. All promise access to the similarly style-conscious spa and the L’Opificio bistro, serving the finest seafood. From €165 (£140).

Eco-Stay

Take a low-impact break that supports local suppliers, visits Indigenous villages or champions conservation.

Winner: Santo Mine, Greece

In the whitewashed village of Oia, in northern Santorini, Santo Mine is the latest from Greek-owned Metaxa Hospitality Group, which has been hot on sustainability long before it was in vogue. Supporting local suppliers, championing renewable energy sources, managing waste responsibly and protecting biodiversity with indigenous gardens is the MO, with improvement on the agenda every year. Set on the site of a former stone mine, Santo Mine builds on the existing theme with additional initiatives such as sustainable fine dining at Ālme Restaurant — serving, for example, invasive lionfish from local waters, courgette from the hotel’s gardens and truffles harvested on the Greek mainland. Simple but elegant suites with light woods and sea-facing beds sleep up to four people. At their most spectacular, they come with private pools, private whirlpool baths and an unwavering view of Santorini’s greatest asset: the spectacular daily sunset, shimmering in all the colours of a freshly made mai tai. From €417 (£357), B&B.

Beyond its elegant whitewashed interior, Santo Mine champions sustainability by featuring locally sourced produce.

Photograph by Santo Mine Oia Suites (Top) (Left) and Photograph by Santo Mine Oia Suites (Bottom) (Right)

Runners-up

Anantara Mina Al Arab Ras Al Khaimah, UAE: A short hop from Dubai but a million miles away in spirit, this resort — on Mina Al Arab Island, by the Arabian Gulf — has sustainably furnished suites and villas that merge seamlessly into a nature reserve, fringed by lagoons and wetlands. The eco-credentials really shine: there are EV charging points, a conservation programme protecting the fragile ecosystem and low-impact activities from kayaking through mangroves to hiking in the Hajar Mountains. From AED627 (£130).

Maringi Sumba, Indonesia: Built by local Sumba island craftspeople from sustainable bamboo, Maringi Sumba’s fantasy-style nine villas have roofs that look like witches’ hats. Between sun salutations and hot stone massages, grab a bike and cycle through indigenous villages guarded by stone monoliths. After a homegrown organic dinner, gaze at the billions of stars. There’s so much to love — not least that the resort provides life-changing training in hospitality for local young people. From US$175 (£135).

Mountain Refuge

These three winners expertly showcase the peaks on their doorsteps, with log-cabin interiors and epic views .

Winner: Odles Lodge, Italy

Whether snow-frosted in winter or glowing pink in a summer sunset, the Dolomites are riveting viewed from this lodge above Bressanone (Brixen). Peering across to 9,800ft peaks that razor along the horizon, Odles is an inimitable mix of understated luxury and raw wilderness, with pine forest and flower-flecked meadows at its feet. Unplugging and tuning into nature is the mantra. The minimalist-cool lodges use blonde spruce and Swiss stone pine — the fragrant untreated timber apparently promotes better sleep — while the windows and balconies frame showstopping views. The spirit of South Tyrol’s traditional mountain huts is captured, too, with restored wood-burning tiled stoves and hand-carved furnishings. After a day of hiking, biking, climbing or skiing on beautiful trails and pistes, relax in the spring water-filled forest pool, sauna and steam bath. And after the soundest night’s sleep, breakfast is delivered to the door. Chalets from €505 (£465), B&B.

Combining understated luxury with raw wilderness, bedroom windows frame striking views of the snow-capped Dolomites at Odles Lodge.

Photograph by Odles Lodge

Runners-up

Catalootchie Ranch, US: An elevated frontier experience, this Great Smoky Mountain retreat does log-cabin luxury with high-country views and cowboy cuisine from a Southern pit-master. A dozen family-sized cabins and stone fireplaces circle the historic North Carolina lodge. The lodge itself holds six suites, a woody spa and a cosy, fire-lit bar for bourbon cocktails. Beyond, miles of riding and hiking trails disappear into the wilderness. From $700 (£535).

Grace La Margna St Moritz, Switzerland: A limestone wing, created in 2023 by British architects, adds to the splendour of this art nouveau beauty in the eastern Swiss Alps. A year-round hotel overlooking St Moritz’s lake, it’s a tactile buffet of buttery leathers and honed mountain hardwoods, while the 74 rooms look out to mountains like rough-cut diamonds. A new spa and 20m pool complete the transformation. From CHF440 (£400), B&B.

Published in the November 2024 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK).

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