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Why we love it: A luxury resort with top-notch amenities in the heart of Malta

The Highlights:
- A variety of room types to accommodate all travelers
- Five on-site bars and restaurants, including the historic Villa Corinthia
- A regal pool surrounded by loungers and gardens

The Review:
In 1959, the Pisani family patriarch bought the historic Villa Refalo, intending for it to be a home for him, his wife, and their six children, as well as a restaurant. When he died unexpectedly, his children took over the property, first turning it into a wedding hall, and then a luxury hotel called Corinthia Palace. Even though the Pisanis have since expanded the Corinthia brand to 14 hotels around the world, they still own and operate the Malta original, running it with all the amenities required of a five-star stay. Here, guests find five bars and restaurants, a swanky outdoor pool and garden area, tennis courts, a deluxe spa and fitness center, and friendly, attentive service. The afternoon tea, served in your choice of British or Maltese style in the Orange Grove Brasserie, is a must, while the daily breakfast spread is generous and tasty.

Ranging from superior rooms to executive suites, accommodations feature comfy beds and private balconies or terraces. All come with complimentary access to the Athenaeum Spa, but higher category options also include entry to the Executive Lounge, where guests can enjoy a daily breakfast buffet and complimentary wine, spirits, and canapés each evening. Speaking of the spa, it’s currently being renovated and will be unveiled in April 2020 with a new design by Goddard Littlefair, a new parternship with ESPA for treatments, and new facilities including seven treatment rooms, a relaxation lounge, and a thermal area.

The Phoenix, a little slice of paradise on the edge of San Pedro, features more modern architecture than most buildings in town, as well as modern amenities. Rooms are one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and three-bedroom condominium suites that feature luxurious eat-in kitchens, bathrooms with walk-in showers and Jacuzzi tubs, large living rooms and laundry facilities. Each suite also has a balcony or patio, and almost all suites are just steps away from one of the pools which are the focal point of the resort. The larger main pool cascades into a shallower lower pool and is saline chlorinated, as is the 55-foot-long lap pool. A pool bar is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Red Ginger restaurant is open daily for breakfast lunch and dinner as well as brunch on Sunday afternoons and serves a tapas menu on Sunday and Wednesday evenings. There are also business services, an on-site spa, and fitness and yoga centers. Rates begin at $325 per night during low season for a one-bedroom beach view suite.

There’s plenty to do in Paracas, from sandboarding in Paracas National Reserve to boating around the Ballestas Islands to flying over the nearby Nazca Lines—that is, if you can tear yourself away from the pool at Hotel Paracas. The 120-room resort was all but leveled by the 2007 Peru earthquake, but reopened two years later with a fresh new look, including a blue-taupe-and-white color scheme to reflect the surrounding ocean, desert, and sky. A great choice for families, Hotel Paracas features a children’s club and kids’ pool as well as three restaurants, including a casual seafood spot, an Italian trattoria, and a fine-dining option. Also on-site are two bars serving drinks and light fare, plus a spa and 24-hour fitness center. Guests even have access to complimentary bikes and water-sport equipment.

Spread over six levels, rooms feature either terraces or balconies with garden or ocean views as well as spacious bathrooms with separate showers and tubs. Suites also include a dining area, and some even have private plunge pools.

Islands trace the Great Barrier Reef up the northeastern coast of Australia, clustering in the clear blue waters known as the Whitsundays. There, nestled on Hamilton Island, Qualia has set a new standard for Australian tourism—and resorts worldwide. What is magical about Qualia, however, is not just the champagne on arrival, or the fact that some rooms have their own plunge pools. The winning feature here is how perfectly the resort fits into the natural beauty of the island, almost disappearing into the eucalyptus trees of the surrounding rain forest. Understated and sophisticated, Qualia fosters a sensitive connection to the environment, allowing guests to experience Australia without all the usual tourist fanfare.

Rooms look through natural bushland out to the water and surrounding islands, where dolphins are frequently spotted. They also come with their own electric golf carts, which guests can use to tour the entire island. In the epic Long Pavilion, floor-to-ceiling windows on the seaward side open to an infinity pool, while glass windows at the other end offer views of the resort’s bright tropical landscaping.

The Inn at Perry Cabin, a Belmond property, offers understated elegance on the Chesapeake Bay. Located in the postcard-perfect town of Saint Michaels, MD, less than 2 hours from Washington DC the resort has long been a popular getaway for polticos escaping the frantic pace of the beltway. With the serenity of the Chesapeake Bay at it’s doorstep the recently renovated colonial manor is easily one of the most beautiful resorts on the east coast, even serving as a filming location for the movie Wedding Crashers. Eschewing a grand lobby in favor of intimate nooks and hideaways, thoughtful design marries the Chesapeake Bay’s nautical heritage with modern touches throughout the inn. The spacious rooms are casually luxurious in calming shades of white and blue; when combined with Belmond’s unparalleled service makes for a truly relaxing getaway. Spend the day on the water with the resort’s fleet of Alerion yachts before sinking into a waterfront Adirondack chair with a glass of wine in hand to watch the sunset over the bay.

Interior designer and owner Denis Roy eschewed the palapa-inspired elegance employed by so many Costa Rican resorts in favor of a tropical take on European influences—Victorian architecture, French colonial touches, and Grecian columns among them—creating a resort like no other on the country’s west coast. Owing to its vantage point 1,100 feet above the entrance to the Gulf of Nicoya, the views of the rain forest, ocean, and sunsets are stunning, especially from the infinity pool. Rooms in the main building are fairly basic, but suites and villas offer more luxurious touches, such as Jacuzzis, private ocean-facing terraces, and plunge pools. The property has its own beach (with sun beds, showers, and a snack bar), but since it’s at the bottom of a steep hill, the resort provides hourly transfers. Retreat to the open-air yoga studio, then head to the bar atop the Greek amphitheater to linger over a martini at the nightly sunset happy hour.

Housed on a 1,100-foot stretch of beachfront, Grace Bay Club is as stylishly current as it was in 1993, when it became the first luxury hotel to open on the then nearly empty sands of Grace Bay. From its original 21 rooms, the upscale property has grown to 82 suites, each of which features ocean views, a private veranda or patio, and chic interiors by renowned designer Thom Felicia. Guests can also look forward to superior service, including a personal concierge available day or night via a provided cell phone.

When hunger strikes, there’s the oceanfront Infiniti Restaurant & Raw Bar, which boasts sea-to-table fare and the longest bar in the Caribbean, as well as several other family-friendly venues, including The Grill. If it’s pampering you seek, make time to visit the spacious Anani Spa, where you’ll find six treatment rooms, including one just for couples. A spa tent is also available for beachfront massages.

The Rome Cavalieri, like the Hassler and St. Regis, is synonymous with five-star luxury in Rome. The hotel, opened in the 1960s, channels a Versailles-meets–Dolce Vita vibe, and given its unbridled opulence, it’s a top destination for honeymooners and jet-setters seeking the ultimate comforts. Its location atop Montemario, a hillside residential district north of the Vatican, offers spectacular views of the city from various terraced levels and many of the rooms. The very location, affording such panoramas, is also a drawback for travelers wishing to be in the thick of it all, so the Rome Cavalieri is best suited to those who relish spending significant time in the hotel rather than out on the town.

There are plenty of appealing amenities for guests who choose to stick around the property. The outdoor pools, the finest in Rome, are set amid lush gardens. The pool area doubles as a sort of private club for local elite and is ripe for Italian athlete and celebrity sightings. Back inside, the lobby and rooms are sumptuously furnished and feature antiques and original works of art.

Calistoga Ranch was damaged in the Glass Fire of 2020. They are closed indefinitely.

Calistoga Ranch sits in a private canyon of the ridge that makes up the eastern side of the Napa Valley. From this secluded spot, the entire valley floor unfolds. On windy nights, you might spot hawks surfing thermal winds just outside your balcony. But the views aren’t the only selling points of this ultra-luxurious 157-acre resort. Instead of traditional rooms, Calistoga Ranch is composed of 50 freestanding one- and two-bedroom guest lodges. Each upscale-yet-approachable lodge resembles a wooden cabin, with sweet-smelling cedar, indoor and outdoor showers, and a deck that opens to the mossy forest. The resort’s calendar is packed with activities, including bocce, wine-blending classes, and painting and photography workshops. Last year, the resort started offering guests a formal guided hike to Davis Estates Winery with a picnic lunch along the way. The pool area has earned numerous awards for its laid-back design. The on-site spa specializes in hydrotherapy with soaking treatments, while the property’s largest restaurant, dubbed The Lakehouse, overlooks Lake Lommel and serves a host of dishes made of all local produce. Try the halibut with piperade, carrot, fennel, and scallops.

American entrepreneur Michael Evans and Argentine winemaker Pablo Gimenez Riili joined forces to create an unparalleled viticultural paradise for wine lovers from around the world. Set on 1,500 pristine acres in the heart of the Uco Valley, the Vines Resort & Spa is a haven of laid-back luxury with a robust offering of culinary and wellness activities, winemaking endeavors, and outdoor adventures. Every aspect of the hotel is designed to share Mendoza’s natural beauty, superior wines, and Argentina’s warm culture through a tailored guest experience provided by the resort’s “Gauchos”—personal concierges and tour guides who curate one-of-a-kind itineraries for visitors.

The resort’s 22 spacious villas have ample indoor/outdoor living space, with wood-burning fireplaces, open-air fire pits, plunge pools, hot tubs, and private rooftop terraces with 360-degree views. Siete Fuegos, the resort’s signature restaurant, showcases open-flame grilling techniques mastered by Argentina’s acclaimed chef Francis Mallmann. The fitness center and yoga studio look out to the Andes, while three miles of running trails weave through the property’s vineyards. There’s never a dull moment at the Vines, with horseback riding, hiking, biking, cooking lessons, and winetasting at your fingertips—unless lounging is your preferred activity, in which case a cabana next to the 1,000-square-foot infinity pool will be calling your name.

Tahiti invented the concept of the overwater bungalow so, when visiting, you’re almost compelled to stay in one. The island’s top luxury resort, the InterContinental, offers 32 surprisingly affordable options, plus a few hundred rooms in three beachside buildings, two infinity pools, a swim-up bar, a private beach, and a lovely spa. Modeled after traditional Polynesian fare houses, the bungalows reach out over the lagoon and include roofs woven from pandanus leaves, private jetties that provide direct access to the water, and terraces ideal for watching the sunset. When hunger strikes, head to the onsite Tiare Restaurant, which features an open kitchen and nightly Tahitian dance performances, or Le Lotus, which is set in an overwater building and gives off a romantic vibe with live piano, gorgeous views, and French cuisine. The resort is also home to the Tiki Bar, a favorite local watering hole that serves cocktails in coconuts.

This hotel is on our list of The 10 Best Hotels in Canada.

Set in the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Banff National Park, the year-round Fairmont Banff Springs was the brainchild of Sir William Cornelius Van Horne, president of the Canadian Pacific Railway. On arrival at Banff, the tourism visionary made the canny observation, “Since we can’t export the scenery, we’ll have to import the tourists;” thus, he set about building a string of great railway hotels across Canada. The original wooden hotel that opened here in 1888 burned down in 1926, but was replaced two years later with the grander castle-meets-baronial-Scottish-hall structure that exists today. The public lobby spaces are vast, and there are countless nooks to curl up in with a book where guests will remain undisturbed. With its signature stone walls, turrets, and winding staircases, Van Horne’s gambit paid off: The Fairmont Banff Springs feels for all the world like an elegant and ancient castle, albeit one with all the modern conveniences.

Rooms in the main building come with quirky period details such as chandeliers and crown moldings, while those in the Stanley Thompson Wing (the old staff quarters) are more spacious and a solid bet for families—who will also enjoy the kids’ club packed with activities such as campouts, science projects, and arts and crafts. The hotel also has 11 different restaurants, cafés, and bars, with the choices so diverse—from sushi, fondue, and Italian to Canadian steakhouse and southern U.S. barbecue—that guests are issued a food guide upon check-in to help them make the most of the hotel’s offerings. Of course, there are also a wide array of activities to help round out your time between meals, from skiing and rounds on the resort’s 27-hole championship golf course to downtime in the expansive Willow Stream Spa, which features indoor and outdoor whirlpools, a European-style mineral pool, and 23 rooms for therapeutic treatments.

Once the vacation home of the Italian Duchess Rosa de Ferrari, this exceptional estate was converted into a hotel in 2005. 2014 marked the arrival of a new owner and a new era for the property. Today, Hotel Esencia is an elegant small resort on one of the prettiest beaches on the Mayan Riviera. Surrounded by 50 acres of lush jungle and manicured, palm-fringed grounds, Esencia pairs the amenties and comforts of a larger hotel with the attentive care typical of a boutique property or B&B. Amenities include two swimming pools, a spa, and two restaurants. In the spacious rooms, lots of details stand out: iPod surround systems, well-stocked minifridges, 600-thread-count sheets, and walk-in closets.

A number of influences combined to make Belizean cuisine what it is today. Sample Creole chicken stew in Belize City, Mestizo tamales or escabeche on Ambergris Caye, Mayan fish in San Pedro, Garifuna hudut in Hopkins, or Mayan caldo in Punta Gorda. Here is a list of the best restaurants in Belize to sample it all in.

Set on 12 lush, cloud-forested acres next to the Urumbamba River, this eco-resort (a member of the National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World) is practically a destination in and of itself. Here, 83 rustic-but-chic, whitewashed adobe casitas are tucked among a sanctuary of terraced hills, stone paths, and waterfalls that are home to 214 bird species and, at 372 cataloged varieties, the largest collection of native orchids in the world. Guests are encouraged to hike around the grounds (the hotel can also arrange for excursions farther afield), visit the resort’s Ecocenter, or relax in a naturally heated spring-water pool while listening to birdsong.

The superior casitas are the simplest accommodations, but still come with plush robes, hand-crafted Andean slippers, and a separate dining area. Superior deluxe rooms feature fireplaces, while suites offer terraces with garden views. The most lavish option, the Villa Inkaterra includes an open-air shower, plunge pool, and 24-hour butler service. When not luxuriating in your room, visit the glass-walled restaurant, which has stunning views of the river, or head into Agua Calientes, which is just a few minutes away and offers several other dining options.