Life's a Beach
What’s better than the beach? Literally nothing. Celebrate eternal summer at our favorite coastal properties around the world.
Splendido Mare, a Belmond Hotel
Portofino, Italy
Before a three year, multi-million dollar renovation, rooms at Splendido Mare were the cheap seats in Portofino’s arena, where big sister Splendido always held center court. But when Splendido Mare reopened its doors in May – the first in the Belmond portfolio to debut under LVMH ownership – the former understudy is ready for the limelight. Inspired by old Hollywood glamour and the golden age of Portofino’s rich maritime history, Splendido Mare is now a swanky seaside sophisticate, where atmosphere is everything. The 14-room stunner sits in the center of Portofino’s buzzy piazetta, where the comings and goings of local residents and the international jetset make for prime people watching. Rooms play off this spirited location, with nods to the Ligurian coast and Italian heritage throughout – think Gio Ponti furnishings draped in Loro Piana fabrics, with nautical textures and subtle amber, marigold, and sea green hues throughout. Splendido Mare offers all sorts of off-campus excursions, like private coastal tours on the hotel’s Chris-Craft Corsair36 or botanist-led hikes through Mount Portofino Natural Park, but if you can’t seem to pull yourself from your Luce Solare on the Dav Mare terrace at sunset time, well hey, we can hardly blame you.
Rosewood Little Dix Bay
Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands
Practically woven into the fabric of Virgin Gorda’s history, you cannot recount the story of the British Virgin Islands without including a chapter on Little Dix Bay. Founded by Laurance Rockefeller in 1964 with the intention of representing a new style of island lodging, the property was meant to blend with its surroundings, leaving the island’s wild beauty as the focal point. A pioneer of barefoot luxury, Little Dix quickly earned a reputation for sublime luxury and unmatched Caribbean hospitality – its hilltop cottages and undisturbed crescent beach attracting repeat visitors year after year. Acquired by Rosewood in 1993, the hotel was set to undergo a multi-million dollar renovation following its golden anniversary – the efforts of which were destroyed by Hurricane Maria in 2017. Today, the long-awaited reemergence of Little Dix Bay has finally come to fruition – Rosewood’s Sense of Place mantra gracing the property with the best of the BVIs. Sip Pusser’s Navy Rum at the bar, eat Anegada lobsters straight from the boat, and as you lounge in a hammock swinging beneath a Tamarind tree, remember that life doesn’t get much better than this.
Grand Hotel du Cap Ferrat
Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, France
With such a privileged location on the very tip of Saint Jean’s illustrious cape, you could forgive Grand Hotel du Cap Ferrat for being a stuffy place – a grande dame who knows she’s pretty and doesn’t care if you think otherwise. But this Four Seasons managed property, which has seen a centennial lifespan of riviera royalty and celebrity comings and goings, proves unaffected by its opulence. You won’t experience warmer, more personalized service on the riviera that right here at Cap Ferrat, where staff members seem deeply studied in the art of hospitality, leaving guests to feel at ease in such exquisite surroundings. All of Cap Ferrat’s most stunning attractions are within a scenic drive – Villa Sospir is even reachable on foot – but we’ll hardly blame you if choose to spend the entirety of your vacation at Club Dauphin, wrapped up in a striped pool towel, Cote de Provence in hand.
Amanpuri
Phuket, Thailand
Aman’s flagship property, Amanpuri has been captivating visitors since 1988. Located on a former coconut plantation, the 70-room property offers sparkling views of the Andaman Sea and access to the nearly private Pansea Beach. The clifftop spa, with its bamboo treatment pavilions overlooking the palm-fringed property, sets the Aman standard for excellence in wellness, offering every imaginable holistic treatment from massages and facials to personalized cleansing programs. For more indulgent pursuits, don’t miss the hotel’s daily poolside tea time, when staff members serve kanom krok, addictive Thai coconut pancakes.
Cuixmala
Costalegre, mexico
Once the private home of Franco-British billionaire Sir James Goldsmith, this whimsical wonderland which is perched on 25,000 acres of the shimmering Costalegre, combines Mexican and North African architecture to striking effect. Outdoors, the fantasy atmosphere is enhanced by riots of bougainvillea and herds of roaming zebra; inside the secluded suites, bungalows, villas, and casitas, vibrant furnishings pop against smooth, cool white walls and floors, creating an environment of highly curated and very tasteful whimsy. An organic garden, sea turtle sanctuary, and clouds of pink flamingos complete this eccentric, fanciful Eden.
Bahia Vik
Jose Ignacio, Uruguay
Bahia Vik is what happens when Norwegian-Uruguayan, art-collecting, wine-making, hospitality-genius, power couple Alex and Carrie Vik put their own spin on Jose Ignacio’s white-washed boho-beach town vibe. Located right on the sands of Playa Mansa, the eccentric, arty property features 10 rooms individually inspired and/or designed by the likes of Carlos Musso, Alvaro Pemper, and Juan Manuel Blanes. Outside, a zig-zag of granite pools cuts through unruly dunes, offering uninterrupted views of the big gray Atlantic. Next door, at La Susana, the hotel-owned beach club, the spirit of Jose Ignacio comes alive as attractive beach-goers while away afternoons feasting on grilled seafood and slinging back Christiania Caipiroskas – a moody mix of vodka, passion fruit, Tabasco, and lime.
Ellerman House
Cape Town, South Africa
When driving through Bantry Bay, the tony Cape Town neighborhood dubbed the “Cape Riviera,” you wouldn’t be remiss in thinking Ellerman House was just another private home – the real estate in this zip code the most expensive on the continent. And after being buzzed in the front door and greeted by a butler inside the relaxed, though exquisitely decorated parlor, you’ll begin to wonder if you’ve gotten it all wrong, if the hotel address in your itinerary was somehow replaced with that of some local art dealer’s personal estate. But as staff members come to collect your luggage and escort you past the pool, and the palms, and the pitch perfect verandahs, you’ll snap out of your dream state and walk straight into your rose-colored reality: there’s a room for you at this dazzling Edwardian mansion…and they’ve just given you the keys.
Cap Juluca
Anguilla, British West Indies
Anguilla’s most iconic property, Cap Juluca became a member of the Belmond family in 2018. Revived by the art of Belmond hospitality, the hotel looks better than ever, with interior décor that reflects its iconic Moorish exteriors and Caribbean locale. Arabasque tiles and lantern pendants are meticulously mixed with navy damask and flaxen ropework to create a look that’s uniquely Cap Julucan. Outside, the marshmallow-white sand of Maundays Bay stretches in a perfect crescent, as palm trees strung with hammocks create the quintessential island vibe. On-site dining includes a decades-old island institution, an upscale Italian eatery inspired by the Belmond’s sister property in Venice, and a toes-in-the-sand beach bar that's perfect for sunset cocktails.
Le Sirenuse
Positano, Italy
In a world where travel trends change on a dime (or a hashtag), Le Sirenuse stands apart. John Steinbeck wrote about it in his 1953 Harper’s article on Positano, and young European royals still hide away in the airy rooms today. Everyone checking in through the generations becomes a guest of the inimitable Sersale family, who has called the house, with its central location and distinctive deep red exterior, home for two hundred and fifty years. The décor is authentic and elegant, with museum-worthy antiques paired with thought-provoking modern pieces (Antonio and Carla Sersale have begun a contemporary art initiative that sees them commission a site-specific work from an emerging young artist each year). The pool area is one of the most relaxing places along the Amalfi, and their vine-bedecked restaurant, La Sponda, is studded with thousands of lit candles and serves some of the area’s freshest seafood.
Ocean House
Watch Hill, Rhode Island
If there's ever a place that defines quintessential coastal New England, it's the Ocean House in Watch Hill. The iconic buttercream yellow Victorian hotel has provided refuge for refined travelers for generations, but after a 2004 rebuild and recent renovation of the interiors, the property retains a historic character while satisfying modern expectations. The manicured rooms feel as though you're staying at a beach house owned by a classic interior designer, with fresh patterned fabrics paired perfectly with thoughtful details, all awash in warm seaside light, allowing the design-conscious among us a place to relax. While the beach and outdoor games shine in the summertime, the property's award-winning spa and culinary program make it a destination with year-round appeal.
Uxua
Trancoso, Brazil
A line of vibrant restored fishermen’s houses in Crayola colors borders a grassy quadrado at Uxua, a passion project hotel from the former creative director at Diesel that raises bohemian aesthetics to a superlative standard. Open the door of your bungalow onto the town square and you’re immediately immersed into the village life of Trancoso, where wild horses may be grazing leisurely in your front yard near locals playing a game of checkers that has lasted for years. A seven-minute stroll from the center of town lands you on an endless stretch of golden sand beach; crack open a fresh coconut and stay a while.
Rosewood Miramar Beach
Montecito, California
East coast beach chic meets California cool at the Rosewood Miramar Beach, a 161-room resort sprawled across 16 acres of Pacific-front property. Reflecting the polished style of a New England mansion, the elegant Manor House is the hub of the hotel, where guests check-in and enjoy stunning ocean views across the great lawn. Rooms are decked out in seaside accents, like whitewashed beadboard and nautical stripes, while common spaces boast a clubby elegance. The pristine Manor pool, Sense Spa, and direct access to Miramar Beach are huge draws here, but for those who want to get off property, the shops, restaurants, and art galleries of downtown Montecito are a 5-minute drive away.
Finca Cortesin
Malaga, Spain
The impeccable design chops of the late Duarte Pinto Coelho and sisterly design duo Ana and Cristina Calderon will fool you into thinking this 2009 purposefully-built resort is really some esoteric former monastery with a backstory. Walking the corridors of this white-washed Andalusian mansion, where pink geraniums hang from plump baskets and wisteria curls around Moorish archways, it’s easy to imagine such a story, where Spanish nuns sell chocolates through ironbound windows or Moroccan royalty poses for summer holiday portraits on a cossetted chaise overlooking the sea. You can let your mind run wild between the potted palms and chinoiserie, but don’t let your daydreams pull you away from reality for too long, or you’ll miss cold splashy reality of Finca’s jade green pools, the warm sand of its glamorous beach club, and the exceptional Michelin starred cuisine of its upmarket restaurants.
Eden Rock
St. Barthelemy, French West Indies
In 1951, Rémy de Haenen, the first person to land a plane on St. Barth’s, decided to put down roots and buy a hilly outcropping above Baie de St. Jean. His home later became the island’s first hotel, hosting guests such as Baron de Rothschild, David Rockefeller, Brigitte Bardot, and Howard Hughes. One of the chicest addresses on the island over the ensuing decades, in November 2019, the hotel made its triumphant comeback after the devastating effects of Hurricane Irma in 2017. The new Eden Rock features 37 redesigned rooms and suites, with contemporary beach-chic décor and plush amenities. Everything about the hotel's topnotch location remains the same, with a gorgeous stretch of beachfront and easy access to local shops, bars, and restaurants.
Laucala
Laucala Island, Fiji
Laucala (that’s Lau-THAL-a, for those of you who don’t speak Fijian), is one of the world’s most luxurious private island resorts -- a utopia dropped in the middle of endless cerulean. The 3,000-acre former coconut plantation was purchased in 2003 by Dietrich Mateschitz, the creator of Red Bull, who tricked the island out into the ultimate tropical getaway. At roughly five square miles, it’s home to pristine beaches, lush jungle, and untouched mangrove forests, as well as man-made pleasures including a 18-hole golf course and an equestrian center. The 25 residences are scattered throughout the island and done in the style of a traditional Fijian home gone glamorous. Activities are seemingly endless, with water sports, hiking, fishing, cooking classes and horseback riding on offer.
Round Hill
Montego Bay, Jamaica
Forget the Montego Bay brouhaha clouded by cruise liners and college kids, Round Hill is the Jamaica of lore, where white gloved formalities are eased by genuine hospitality. A terraced hillside encircling a sandy cove, the property is the picture of Caribbean grooming, where the only blemish on its perfectly trimmed lawns is falling Frangipani petals and the occasional windswept palm frond. Expect your ackee and salt fish to arrive on fine china each morning and a chorus of “good afternoons” to follow you as you walk down to the beach before tea time. Round Hill’s 36 hotel rooms are designed by Ralph Lauren, but its truest expression of luxury lies in its collection of 27 privately staffed villas.
Quinta Da Comporta
Carvalhal, Portugal
The easy, breezy Quinta Da Comporta is everything you might want in a seaside resort…except for the fact that it’s not technically on the sea. Semantics aside (the beach is a 15-minute bike ride away), this beachy boho resort actually sits in the middle of Comportan rice fields outside the village of Carvalhal. The property itself is a bit of a mish mashed facility, pairing local A-frame villas with industrial-looking former grain stores and open-air bamboo pavilions to create a scene that somehow works — thanks to the visionary eye of Portuguese architect and designer Miguel Câncio Martins, we’d guess. Interiors are white-washed and wood-toned, with just enough wicker and raffia for a good Instagram picture. The other odds and ends that comprise great beach resorts are all here: farm-to-table dining, a sunset bar, a delightful little spa, but none of that seems to matter the minute you sink into your poolside lounge chair, poncha in hand.
Il Pelicano
Porto Ercole, Italy
The product of a California love affair between an American socialite and a British playboy, Il Pellicano is an iconic Italian property that combines the beauty of the Tuscan Riviera with the effervescence of a Santa Barbara summer. On land formerly owned by the Borghese family, Il Pellicano has been welcoming a jetset clientele since the 1960s, when the likes of Robert Mitchum and Sofia Loren graced the beach club and nightly house parties were the talk of nearby Porto Ercole. The property still maintains an air of retro cool, so guests can relive the golden age of La Dolce Vita whether they're sipping martinis at the piano bar, playing backgammon by the pool, or chartering yachts John Wayne-style.
Yemanja
Mustique, St. Vincent & the Grenadines
We don’t usually like to play favorites, but when it comes to villas on Mustique, there’s a special place in our heart for Yemanja. With a name that pays homage to the Brazilian Candomble goddess of the sea, it’s easy to imagine the villa’s best attributes – thatched roof rotundas, cotton fringed hammocks, raffia hewn wall art. The eight bedroom mansion sprawls across seven hilltop acres, with a curving infinity pool extending 300 feet above the sea. Its sweeping views of Macaroni Beach are framed by flowering frangipani trees – a postcard perfect invitation to explore the rest of the island. Spend your days aboard the Lady Anne, Mustique’s beloved 38 foot boat, enjoy private picnic lunches on the beach, and belly up to the bar for Basil’s famed Wednesday night jump ups.