The World’s 100 Best Hotels

Cliffside hotel built into the rock above Positano on the Amalfi Coast, with gardens, a private beach club and a shuttle into town. Rooms and the terrace have sea views, attentive staff remember names, and food comes from the Michelin-starred restaurant.

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A Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Ubud, this luxury resort sits above the Ayung River, surrounded by jungle and rice fields. Villas have private pools, each guest has a personal butler, and service is attentive throughout.

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Luxury cliffside resort in Cabo San Lucas, reached by a private tunnel through the mountain, with ocean-facing rooms. Staff are attentive and remember names, rooms have private plunge pools, and whales can be seen from the property.

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A rainforest resort in La Fortuna, with villas and casitas among gardens and views of Arenal Volcano. Features include private plunge pools, included breakfast, and wildlife such as sloths and toucans on the grounds.

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Luxury hotel in Agra, a short walk from the Taj Mahal, with Mughal-inspired grounds and gardens. The staff are attentive, rooms offer Taj Mahal views, and the restaurants are a draw.

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Beachfront all-inclusive resort on a bay in Kemer, set among pine-covered slopes with goats on the hillside. The resort has attentive staff, à la carte restaurants, clear sea views and a kids' club.

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Boutique hotel on the bank of the river in Siem Reap, set among trees and gardens about six minutes from the city centre. Rooms are Khmer-style, and the hotel has a restaurant serving breakfast, a spa, and staff who help with transfers and tours.

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Mountain resort in the South Tyrolean Dolomites with a minimalist timber and stone design; its main building was begun in 1912. Rooms offer views of the valley and peaks, and the spa, daily changing restaurant menu and attentive staff complete the stay.

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A Ritz-Carlton Reserve resort on a bay in Krabi, with grounds set above the Andaman Sea and limestone cliffs behind. It offers large private pool villas, a personal butler for each stay, and calm, quiet grounds.

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Luxury lakeside hotel on the banks of Lake Pichola in Udaipur, built in Mewari palace style across large grounds. The grounds have gold-leaf domes, fountains and gardens with peacocks; staff are attentive, and rooms have private terraces or pools.

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A luxury alpine hotel in Telfs, set high in the Tyrolean mountains amid pine forest with mountain views. Rooms are spacious with balconies, and the hotel has a spa and staff.

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A five-star hotel on the wooded rise of Toranomon, beside embassies and gardens, with a lobby designed by Yoshiro Taniguchi in 1962. Rooms are spacious with city views. The hotel also has a 27th-floor pool and breakfast at Orchid.

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Historic lakeside hotel in Cernobbio on Lake Como, set in a villa with formal gardens. The grounds, lake views and restaurants are strong points, while service and upkeep are mixed.

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A luxury hotel in two historic Renaissance palaces, with a large private garden and a short walk from central Florence. The staff are attentive, and the property includes the garden and the Il Palagio restaurant.

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Adults-only rainforest resort near Arenal Volcano, with villas spread over a hillside and shared pools, restaurants and trails across three properties. Private hot spring plunge pools, outdoor showers, wildlife on the grounds and friendly staff are part of the stay.

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The hotel sits in the centre of Killarney, a short walk from Killarney National Park and the town's pubs and shops. Rooms are renovated, the lounges have fireplaces, and staff remember names and go out of their way to help.

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Luxury all-inclusive resort on a private island off Samaná, reached by boat from the Simi Báez pier. Each stay is assigned an ambassador, and the resort has a wellness center, several restaurants and a calm beach setting.

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All-inclusive beachfront resort in Nuevo Nayarit on the Pacific coast, with renovated rooms and ocean views. Service is attentive, with several restaurants, a large pool complex and a kids club.

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Beachfront resort on Bai Truong Beach in Phu Quoc, with ocean-view suites, pool villas and pools spread across landscaped grounds. The staff are attentive, the rooms are large, and sunset views and a generous breakfast buffet are part of the stay.

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A five-star hotel on the upper floors of Shinjuku Park Tower in Nishi-Shinjuku, designed by Kenzo Tange and opened in the 1990s. City views, attentive staff, renovated rooms and the Japanese breakfast are part of the stay.

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A historic riverside hotel on the Chao Phraya River, dating to 1876, with heritage buildings and a separate river-crossing shuttle to its other side. The staff are attentive, butler service is offered, rooms and balconies have river views, and the breakfast spread is large.

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Large all-inclusive resort on the Riviera Maya coast at Akumal, set in jungle gardens with a beach and several pools. The staff are attentive, with concierge service, clean rooms and varied restaurants, though sargassum arrives at times and check-in includes a sales pitch.

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Adults-only, all-inclusive beach resort in San José del Cabo with ocean views and butler service. The staff, restaurants and daily spa hydrotherapy are strengths, but timeshare sales pitches occur and food and security are areas of concern.

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A large beachfront resort in Jimbaran with Balinese-style villas set among tropical gardens. The staff are attentive, and the resort offers bay views, several pools and buffet breakfasts.

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A desert resort in Liwa, Abu Dhabi's Western Region, built as a traditional Arabian fortress among golden dunes. Attentive staff, pool villas, dune activities and restaurants are on offer.

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Clothing-optional all-inclusive resort on the beach in Negril, with separate nude and clothed sides. The staff are friendly, with buffet and à la carte food, nightly entertainment and a lifestyle-friendly atmosphere.

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A remote beachfront resort on Sumba island, with villas spread across hillsides above the beach. The staff are attentive, with personal butlers called Guest Kaptens, the food is a draw, and horses roam the sand.

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Luxury hotel on a hill in Higashiyama, Kyoto, with a Tony Chi-designed building beside the Yasaka Pagoda. The staff are attentive, numerous rooms have Pagoda views, and quiet gardens lie within walking distance of Kiyomizu-dera and Gion.

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Beachfront five-star hotel in Limassol with gardens, pools and a private beach, set in a concrete building from the 1970s. Staff are attentive, breakfast buffets are large, and heated pools and a spa are available.

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Large all-inclusive family resort on a big island in Noonu Atoll, reached by seaplane from Malé. It has many restaurants, bars, pool areas and activities, with attentive staff and ambassadors who assist with bookings.

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Rainforest resort on the northwest tip of Langkawi, built into ancient forest with a private bay beach. The staff are attentive, and the villas and wildlife, including monkeys and hornbills, are a feature.

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Large resort on the hills and beaches of Praslin island in the Seychelles, with villas and two-storey buildings across the grounds. Staff are friendly and attentive, and breakfast and dinner are served across several restaurants.

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Luxury city hotel in the restored Palacio de la Equitativa complex in Madrid's Canalejas area, near Puerta del Sol and Gran Vía. The staff are attentive, the rooms are spacious, and facilities include a spa with an indoor pool and the rooftop Dani Brasserie.

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Large all-inclusive resort on the jungle and beach edge of Playa del Carmen, Riviera Maya, with separate Ambassador, Zen and Grand Class sections. The property offers restaurants, attentive concierge service, pools and a kids and teens club.

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Five-star beach resort on the Red Sea coast at Ras Soma, Safaga, spread over a large site near the water. Rooms are spotless, the grounds are well kept, the buffet is varied and the staff are attentive.

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A jungle-set resort on Mexico's Pacific coast, about an hour from Puerto Vallarta, with private villas built among cliffs and trees. It has ocean views, a protected beach and a spa, but service and bugs are drawbacks.

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A classic hotel in Central on Hong Kong Island, open since 1963, with a calm, historic atmosphere. The staff are attentive, the rooms are comfortable, and afternoon tea and harbour views are on offer.

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A large resort complex in Nusa Dua, Bali, with private pool villas on a hillside above the main grounds. Staff are attentive, butler service is offered, and several restaurants are spread across the property.

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The resort sits on the Railay Peninsula in Krabi, set among jungle, limestone cliffs and three beaches inside a national park. It offers pavilions and villas, attentive staff, monkeys and lizards on the grounds, and restaurants including The Grotto.

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The all-inclusive golf resort on the Belek coast has large pools, a kids' club and an aqua park. Family suites are spacious, a villa comes with a butler and the buffet is wide, but some rooms are worn and service is slow.

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A central boutique hotel in a historic Lisbon building, within walking distance of the main sights and Pink Street. Staff are attentive, rooms are large, snacks and drinks are free, walking tours are free, and a spa offers a sauna and jacuzzi.

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Five-star country house hotel and golf resort in a historic manor estate near Adare village, County Limerick, set in a landscaped park beside the River Maigue. The manor building, lodges, staff, golf courses, several restaurants and a spa are the main features.

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Luxury resort in the Mae Rim Valley, set among rice paddies and forest about 40 minutes outside Chiang Mai. The resort offers pool villas, Lanna-style pavilions, attentive staff, and farm activities such as buffalo bathing and rice planting.

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Oceanfront luxury resort in San José del Cabo, with suites, pools and gardens set along the beach. It offers butler service, multiple pools and several restaurants, with whales offshore.

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A beachfront resort on Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi, with a large pool, gardens and sea views across the Arabian Gulf. Staff are attentive, and the property offers butler service, spacious rooms and buffet breakfast.

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Five-star resort on Koh Lanta, built into jungle on a steep hillside above a beach. Staff are attentive, villas have private pools, and the rooms and grounds overlook the Andaman Sea.

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The small boutique hotel is in Sultanahmet's historic centre, within walking distance of Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. The staff are attentive, a welcome drink is served on arrival, the rooms are clean, and there is a rooftop breakfast terrace.

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A cliffside resort of villas with private pools above the Indian Ocean at Uluwatu. The architecture, ocean views, infinity pool and attentive staff are features, though upkeep has some problems and weddings bring noise.

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Set in a jungle lagoon and mangrove reserve near Playa del Carmen, this luxury resort of villas and suites is reached by boat. It offers attentive butler service, several restaurants, a spa and gardens.

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Jungle resort outside central Ubud, set in forest above a river valley. The property is large, with a long infinity pool, a kids' club and animal farm, free activities such as yoga and archery, and attentive staff.

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All-inclusive adults-only resort on the Riviera Maya coast between Puerto Morales and Playa del Carmen, set back from the beach in a V-shaped layout. It offers multiple pools, six restaurants, daily activities, and attentive staff.

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Five-star city hotel in Gwanghwamun, a short walk from Gyeongbokgung Palace and City Hall. The staff are attentive, and the hotel offers a large breakfast buffet, spacious rooms and a well-equipped gym.

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A historic luxury hotel on Place Vendôme in central Paris, housed behind an 18th-century townhouse façade. The rooms are spacious, the style is classic French, and the property includes a garden, the Bar Vendôme and the Salon Proust. Service varies between warm and standoffish.

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A luxury hotel on the Kamo River at Nijō Bridge, its low building blends into Kyoto's townscape and it opened in 2014. The rooms have river views, the staff are attentive, and breakfast is by Pierre Hermé.

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A classic French-style hotel in Gramado, Serra Gaúcha, with decorated rooms and suites. The staff are attentive, breakfast includes live classical music, and small extras such as sparkling wine and evening tea are offered.

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Luxury boutique hotel in Hanoi's Old Quarter area near Hoan Kiem Lake, with interiors styled as a 1920s opera house. Staff are attentive, the breakfast buffet is generous, and a daily jazz happy hour and a spa are on offer.

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A luxury riverside hotel on the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok, built in 2020, with a resort feel. It has river-view pools, art-filled interiors, attentive staff, and several restaurants and bars.

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The five-star hotel is on the Obersalzberg above Berchtesgaden, high in the Bavarian Alps, with wide views of the mountains and the Eagle's Nest. Features include a large breakfast buffet, a spa and pool, restaurants, and attentive staff.

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Large all-inclusive family resort on the Belek coast, with private villas, swim-up rooms and a traditional hotel section. The grounds are spacious, the staff are attentive, and there is a choice of restaurants and a kids club.

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Luxury hotel occupying the upper floors of Lotte World Tower in Jamsil, Seoul. It is known for high-floor city and Han River views, attentive service and spacious rooms, but breakfast and spa prices are divisive.

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Luxury oceanfront resort in Onna Village, Okinawa, with pools, a private beach and Sunset Wing rooms and villas. The staff are attentive, the breakfast buffet is large, and families with small children are welcome.

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Five-star hotel on Victoria Dockside in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, beside Victoria Harbour and an MTR station. Rooms are spacious with harbour views, staff are attentive, and the restaurants are of a high standard.

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A former royal garden estate turned five-star palace hotel in Marrakesh, with Moroccan architecture and gardens that may date from the 18th century. The grounds offer large gardens, pools, restaurants and a spa, but service is uneven and a strict dress code applies.

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The beachfront resort sits on Wailea Beach in Kihei, with a lobby stairwell and fountain, pools and ocean-view rooms. Dining includes the Spago and Ferraro's restaurants, and the resort has an adults-only infinity pool and staff who remember names.

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A modern business and leisure hotel beside Brașov train station, opened in 2013. Rooms are spacious, the breakfast buffet is large, and the hotel has a restaurant and the Belaqva spa.

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Historic castle hotel on the shores of Lough Corrib near Cong, Ireland, with a 19th-century castle and wide grounds. The staff are warm and attentive, with lakeside walks, dining in the George V room and afternoon tea on offer.

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A hillside resort in Ortaca, set among pine and olive trees above a sandy bay on the Aegean. The rooms are clean, the food is varied, there are sea views, and the staff is friendly and attentive.

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A large African-themed resort on the Meloneras coast in Gran Canaria, set in landscaped gardens with a baobab tree and many pools. It has a lazy river, a buffet and attentive staff, but rooms are dated, children make it noisy and sunbeds are crowded.

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Luxury beachfront resort on the southwest coast of Mauritius, with colonial-style buildings, villas and suites at the foot of Le Morne mountain. Personal butlers are attentive, the long beach has sunbeds, and the grounds include landscaped gardens and several restaurants.

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A luxury hotel on the Cotai Strip, connected to the Londoner Shoppes and casino, with spacious rooms. Staff are attentive, butler service runs 24/7, and the breakfast buffet is large.

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Lakeside hotel on the Rożnów Reservoir near Gródek nad Dunajcem, a modern building set among wooded hills. It has pools, a spa with lake views, live-cooking breakfasts and restaurants with views over the water.

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A large adults-only resort in Analipsi, Crete, built around lagoon-style pools and overwater bungalows. Service is attentive, with a wide choice of restaurants and a quiet, private atmosphere.

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A beachfront luxury hotel in the Port Olímpic area, its tall twin tower was built for the 1992 Olympics. The hotel has attentive staff, spacious rooms with sea and city views, and a concierge team.

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Beachfront resort on a rocky headland near Tangalle, spread across lawns with pool villas and suites. Staff are attentive, villa hosts are part of the service, Italian and Sri Lankan food is served, and wildlife such as monkeys and peacocks is present.

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The all-inclusive resort in Cap Cana, Punta Cana, has an adults-only Zilara side beside the family Ziva side. It offers many restaurants, two pools, a wide beach and a gym, though food and service are mixed.

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A beachfront resort on Nguyễn Đình Chiểu in Mui Ne, built in 2023 with an Indochine-inspired design of tiled buildings and gardens. It has two pools, a private beach, a breakfast buffet, and attentive staff.

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Luxury tented lodge on the Indian Ocean coast, in the buffer zone of Yala National Park. Its cocoon-shaped tents have private plunge pools, the staff are attentive, and daily safari drives often see elephants, leopards, and monkeys.

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Luxury cliffside resort in Ninh Thuan on Vietnam's central coast, set in Nui Chua National Park above Vinh Hy Bay. Widely spaced villas and pavilions, with staff who know guests by name and housekeeping that tidies rooms while guests are out.

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Five-star hotel in Hanoi's French Quarter, a building dating to 1901 near Hoan Kiem Lake. The staff are attentive, and the Heritage Wing rooms and club lounge service are strengths.

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Beachfront luxury hotel in Montecito, California, set on the Pacific with bungalow-style buildings and landscaped gardens. It offers ocean views, a pool, a spa, and restaurants including Caruso's.

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A large hotel inside the Terra Nostra Garden in Furnas, Azores, housed in a 1930s art deco building. Park and thermal pool access runs 24 hours, the staff are attentive, and the breakfast is a draw.

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Overwater bungalows and villas sit on a lagoon in Bora Bora, with Mount Otemanu filling the view from many rooms. The grounds are tropical, with lagoon snorkelling, several restaurants, and a range of water sports and activities.

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Luxury overwater resort on a private motu in Bora Bora's lagoon, with villas facing Mount Otemanu. Facilities include butler service, bicycles for getting around the large grounds, and snorkelling straight from the villas.

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Luxury mountain resort in Oman's Al Hajar range, built from local rock about 2,000 metres above a canyon. It offers canyon-view suites and villas, pools, a spa, and activities such as via ferrata and stargazing.

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The historic five-star hotel sits on Krakowskie Przedmieście, close to Piłsudski Square and the Old Town. Rooms are spacious, the staff are attentive, the breakfast is strong, and the spa has a pool.

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An Aman resort of stone pavilions and villas on a hilltop above the Argolic Gulf in the Peloponnese. Views cover the sea and olive groves, the rooms are large with private pools, and the staff are attentive.

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Luxury palace hotel in Abu Dhabi with gardens, gold-accented architecture and a private beach. The building is grand, the staff are attentive, and the hotel has Michelin-starred restaurants and a breakfast spread.

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A historic 1930s mansion hotel with a small set of rooms in a forest setting in Nairobi. Resident Rothschild's giraffes wander the grounds, poke their heads through windows at breakfast, and staff learn each person's name.

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Five-star suite hotel on the cliffs of Oia, Santorini, with white cave-like rooms set above the caldera. The stay features caldera views, attentive staff, breakfast at the Petra restaurant, and private pools in a number of suites.

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A hotel above Positano, with antique furniture, hand-painted ceramics and sea views over the town. Staff are attentive, breakfast is served on the pool terrace, and dinners are held at La Sponda.

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This intimate beachfront resort on Mauritius's west coast has villas, cottages and gardens set among palms. Staff are attentive, and the restaurants, the spa and sunsets over the sea are also on offer.

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A large resort on the Andaman Sea coast, about 90 minutes north of Phuket. The staff are friendly, the grounds are tropical, breakfast is varied, and there are many restaurants, though the site is very big and busy.

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The five-star beachfront resort sits on Mauritius's east coast, set among tropical greenery with a white-sand beach. The grounds are clean, with a large pool, varied buffets, attentive staff and a family-friendly atmosphere.

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Family-run wellness hotel in Tesido in the Puster Valley, set above the valley with mountain views. The spa offers sauna infusions, gourmet dinners are served, and the staff are attentive.

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Luxury city hotel on its own island in Bahrain Bay, in a 68-storey tower in Manama, with views over the Gulf and skyline. The hotel has large pool complexes, a private beach, a spa, a gym and several restaurants, and the staff are attentive.

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This adults-only boutique hotel sits on a hilltop in Wailea, about a mile inland from the beaches. Its small villa-style buildings hold roughly 70 suites, with attentive staff, complimentary shuttles, quiet grounds with birdsong, and ocean views from the restaurant and Birdcage bar.

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Large beachfront resort in Nusa Dua, with temple-style architecture, a grand lobby and several restaurants. Rooms, villas and private-pool suites are offered alongside attentive staff, a spa and a breakfast buffet.

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Open-air sanctuary suites sit on a mountain above the sea between the Pitons in Saint Lucia. Each suite has a private infinity pool, butler service, and views of the Pitons.

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It is a family-run mountain resort at the edge of Grossarl village in Salzburger Land, next to the Kreuzkogel lift station. The spa spans several floors, with indoor and outdoor pools, a water park, and breakfast buffets.

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Central Cusco hotel housed in a restored 16th-century convent, with Inca stone walls and colonial cloisters around its courtyards. The staff are attentive, the breakfast buffet is a draw, and free daily activities include alpaca visits and pisco sour classes.

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