The best luxury resorts in the world are of course glorious places to stay, but there is so much more to them than their guest rooms – they’re gateways to destinations, and they’re entire destinations in themselves. Whether they happen to be located in the middle of national parks, private white sand beaches, wine country, ski slopes, cities or small towns, they tell a unique story about their place. Here are 10 of our favorites right now.

For billabong swims and hammock time: Silky Oaks Lodge, Queensland

Forty ‘treehouses’ sit snugly in the world’s oldest living rainforest, surrounded by fronds and vines, ferns and mosses. It’s hard not to think of Eden as you lie in your hammock following a dazzling blue Ulysses butterfly or a chattering of palm cockatoos with your eyes. Guests have the chance to learn about the Indigenous culture of the local Kuku Yalanji people who have lived in the Daintree Rainforest continuously, and have a deep connection with it.

 

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For tranquility and connecting with nature: Hoshino Resorts Oirase Keiryu Hotel

In the mountains of north Japan, this tranquil ryokan is the only resort built on the shore of the Orase Gorge, part of the Towada-Hachimantai National Park, a protected area teeming with lushness: beech, katsura and Japanese horse chestnut trees, plus over 300 species of moss. Rooms overlook the stream and waterfalls; it’s an unparallelled vantage point for witnessing the changing seasons. Lots of significance is placed on the onsen experience in the hot springs from Mount Hakkoda – the concept behind the resort is “Keiru slow living”. Stay here on our Majestic Japan journey. 

For sumptuous living in the city: The Leela Palace, Chennai

One of the best luxury resorts on our Essence of India journey, this is almost five acres of sheer opulence and romance where the Bay of Bengal meets the Adyar river. There are brunches fit for royalty, sea-view sundowners, marble corridors, chandeliers and silk ruching wherever you look, even a cake shop, whose counters are filled with handcrafted macarons, chocolates and cheesecakes. Rooms and suites are haven-like, golden and glorious but it’s worth tearing yourself out of them to lounge by the enormous pool. 

 

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For icon status in the great Canadian outdoors: Fairmont Banff Springs

Known as Canada’s “Castle in the Rockies” this world-famous resort with its steep copper roofs, dormers and gables, is located in the majestic Banff National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Besides absurd levels of beauty and various walking trails, the park itself offers opportunities for horseback riding, rock climbing, biking, glacier walking and skiing. On the resort itself, there’s a 27-hole championship golf course and an award-winning spa, not to mention wildflower cocktails in the timeless Rundle Bar. 

Stay here on our Majesty of the Rockies journey.

 

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For serenity (and celebrity) by the beach: Copacabana Palace, Rio

As far as world class locations go, Copacabana Beach is hard to beat. This imposing white Carrara marble icon has been in situ since 1923, when French architect Joseph Gire took influence from the Negresco in Nice and the Carlton in Cannes. Since then, celebrities passing through have included Walt Disney, Brigitte Bardot, Princess Diana and Madonna. Away from the high energy of the beach and the city streets, the interiors offer soothing white linens, mahogany furnishings and arguably the best balconies in the world. 

This hotel is on our Classic South America journey.

 

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For Tuscan frescoes and flowers: Four Seasons Firenze

This is an urban retreat of Florentine proportions, housed across the 15th-century Palazzo della Gherardesca and the 16th-century convent, La Villa. The creamy interiors feature frescoes, paintings and sculptures, plus elaborate floral displays and golden light seemingly sent from the heavens. The Renaissance theme continues through the Michelin star restaurant, wine cellar and into the relaxation center, with its ancient Italian spa treatments and garden-based yoga. All a 15-minute walk from the Duomo.  

For English charm and Swiss hospitality: Hotel d’Angleterre, Geneva

On the shore of the glittering Lake Geneva, the Angleterre is a grand old dame to behold, but – as one of the best luxury resorts in the world – it’s also more intimate than you might expect. No two rooms are the same – there’s masterful quilting and upholstery, with playfulness coming through in the occasional leopard print cushion, striped drape, silk-covered wall or original Miró sketch. There’s afternoon tea, of course, plus decanters of port, cognac and whisky. It’s a masterclass in refined luxury, and it’s best enjoyed as part of Majestic Switzerland. 

For easy living in The Big Easy: The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans

At the edge of the French quarter, the swish Maison Blanche building which occupies a whole city block is a retreat from the hubbub, but a very assuredly New Orleanian one. After a dinner of farm-to-table Louisiana cuisine (blue crab beignets, seafood gumbo, shrimp and grits), guests can listen to jazz musician Jeremy Davenport playing the lounge named after him, while sipping Davenportinis. It’s always a joyful stop on our Southern Grace journey. The spaces are ritzy and glamorous – lots of black leather and velvet.

 

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For untouchable private island solitude: Song Saa, Cambodia

This is the kind of unfathomable paradise we couldn’t not put on a list of the best luxury resorts. On Cambodia’s Koh Rong Archipelago, 45 minutes by speedboat from Sihanoukville, Song Saa is arranged across two small islands. It’s got everything you’d expect – palm-thatched villas with four-poster beds and sea-view plunge pools and an open-air spa made up of various pavilions, and plenty you’d never dreamed of too (it’s surprisingly family-friendly!). The owners are committed to the environment – they’ve set up a marine reserve and employ conservation staff.

For stylish safaris with heart: Londolozi, South Africa

In the Sabi Sand Game Reserve within the Greater Kruger National Park, Londolozi is all for healing the land. The Varty family behind it believe it “should inspire a desire to live in deeper connection with each other and the natural world”. Each of the exquisite camps tells a story – the Founders camp honors the past, Tree Camp is lantern-lit, and sanctuary-like, and Varty Camp is the heart and soul – it’s been hosting family-friendly campfires for over 100 years. The rooms and suites are richly layered under thatched roofs, each with expansive decks on which to do yoga, bathe or sip champagne.

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From King Tut’s tomb in Egypt to Roman relics in England, you’ll find endless hidden treasures when you explore ancient civilization sites around the world with Luxury Gold. We’ve selected some of the highlights to inspire your next luxury journey.

King Tut’s Tomb, Luxor, Egypt

As one of the oldest ancient civilizations on the planet, the Ancient Egyptian timeline stretches from before 3100 BCE until the end of the Roman Period around 400 CE. Even the Ancient Egyptians studied the Ancient Egyptians, unearthing hidden treasures and studying them with a reverent curiosity. King Tut’s Tomb, however, is a modern-day discovery that is rivaled only by the pyramids and the Sphinx. 

A century ago, archaeologists stumbled upon a staircase in the Valley of the Kings: one leading to the tomb of King Tutankhamen, a young pharaoh of Egypt with a short and debatably uneventful reign. The discovery of his tomb, however, was one of the most important in the study of Ancient Egypt.

Hidden in the sand, it was overlooked by centuries of tomb raiders. While the treasures in the surrounding king’s tombs were near-empty by the time modern archaeologists studied them, Tut’s tomb and its contents were relatively undisturbed, leading to both new revelations of Ancient Egypt and the cultural boom of Egyptomania that still captivates the world today.

Take a seven-night luxury Nile cruise, see King Tut’s Tomb, the Great Pyramids of Giza and more on our Luxury Nile river cruise.

You may be interested to read: Riches of the Nile: Why Egypt’s icon is the grandest river in the world

Pachacamac Idol, Lima, Peru

Between the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu, it’s easy to forget that ancient civilizations like the Inca were found throughout what’s now known as Peru. Which is why it’s so inspiring and exciting when hidden treasures are still unearthed in modern cities like Lima.

The Pachacamac Idol is a statue more than 2 meters high (over 7-feet tall) and was first introduced in modern-day history via Spanish colonial accounts. A conquistador attempted to destroy it in the 1530s; an attempt that was thought successful until the 1930s when it was uncovered near Lima at the Painted Temple archaeological site.

The Painted Temple was a holy pilgrimage site where this idol, believed to house an oracle, was unearthed. Although its existence alone is a priceless discovery, scientists have recently carbon-dated the statue and believe that the Pachacamac Idol was carved between 760 and 876 AD — predating the Incan empire’s arrival. 

Bookmark for later: Embrace the spirituality of the Incas in Peru’s Sacred Valley

Roman God Sculpted Heads, Carlisle, England

Italy may be the epicenter of Ancient Rome, but this iconic ancient civilization left hidden treasures scattered throughout Europe. Even in Great Britain, archaeologists are still uncovering remnants of Roman occupation. One of their most recent discoveries are sculptures of Roman gods found at a cricket club (how quintessentially British).

The area around the Carlisle Cricket Club is a trove of hidden treasures: over 1,000 artifacts including coins, pottery, weapons, and more have been found over the last two years. Once the site of a Roman bathhouse, these sculpture heads are dated around 200 AD and their large size is an especially uncommon feature found in Roman Britain. 

You may also like to read: Blooming Romance: Where to Find England’s Finest Rose Gardens

Stone Turtle Statue, Angkor Wat, Cambodia

Excavations of the Angkor Wat temple complex are ongoing, and have been since its discovery in 1840. Today, however, might yield some of the most exciting rediscoveries of the last 200 years. A large stone turtle statue was found in the Srah Srang reservoir during excavations of a small temple. The turtle is an avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu, so it’s far from a common find. What’s significant, however, is similar statues and artifacts are being found in other nearby temples within the reservoir. 

Archaeologists are discovering new undocumented medieval cities buried around Angkor Wat, and with these submerged temples yielding significant artifacts, there’s hope that other vast temple complexes may be unearthed around Siem Reap. 

An African safari is a bucket-list experience for many travelers. Whether you’re trekking with gorillas in the mountains or driving across the savannah in search of lions, elephants, and more, the excitement is almost indescribable. 

There are countless ways to experience Africa’s wonderful wildlife viewing opportunities, but staying at an eco sustainability safari lodge can help you stay more eco conscious, and limit your carbon impact while supporting conservation efforts.

Experience it With Luxury Gold: We invite you to seek out the Big Five in Kruger National Park on Luxury Gold’s Spectacular South Africa Journey. You’ll spend two nights in the Sabi Sands Game Reserve near a waterhole where animals roam day and night. Go on game drives and bush walks where you may spot the Big Five, hippos, crocodiles, and cheetahs.

Top Safari Lodges For Eco Sustainability 

Discover the wonder of Africa’s wildlife while staying at these eco conscious safari lodges that prioritize sustainable practices. As with any stay around the world, do your diligence to determine how truly an eco sustainability property truly is. Taking the extra steps to research the property’s sustainability credentials, its conservation projects, and eco conscious actions such as supporting local communities can help ensure that your travels are limiting your carbon footprint while helping to regenerate our world.

Private Game Drives and Five-Star Stays: How Luxury Gold Does Safari Differently

Cheetah Plains | South Africa

 

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Within the Sabi Sands Nature Reserve, Cheetah Plains is the first eco friendly business to offer a zero-emission game drive in the reserve. Their safari lodge runs entirely on solar power and a carbon negative property, which means you can offset part of the carbon footprint your travels create just by staying at Cheetah Plains. 1200 solar PV panels offset over 500 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year by generating an average of 550WMh per year.

Campi Ya Kanzi | Kenya

 

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Accountability is critical in maintaining a true eco friendly business, which is why every night spent at Campi Ya Kanzi directly benefits the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust. The trust benefits local Maasai communities through actions like reimbursing tribes when they lose livestock due to predator attacks; this encourages the tribe not to retaliate by hunting the predator, thus keeping the human and animal populations sustained. From an eco sustainability perspective, the lodges at Campi Ya Kanzi are 100% photovoltaic. Harnessing solar power to cut carbon emissions to zero, which leads to carbon neutrality via offsetting with the Chyulu REDD+ Carbon Project.

Usangu Expedition Camp | Tanzania

 

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Similar to the way the Cheetah Plains uses solar power to lead its safaris, the Usangu Expedition Camp in Tanzania is the safari lodge in Ruaha National Park to prioritise eco sustainability by creating safari vehicles that run on ethanol instead of diesel fuel. The ethanol is taken from the molasses production in the south of the country, giving the vehicle a candy-like scent as they drive. This eco conscious camp is near the Douglas Bell Eco Research Station and encourages travelers to help in the wildlife conservation efforts by placing camera traps, tracking lions, and identifying predators in the area. 

How to Safari in Style: The Ultimate Packing Guide

Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp | Namibia

 

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Eco sustainability in all of Africa is important, including places like the Namib Desert where an astounding number of biodiverse species thrive. The Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp is a luxurious desert oasis and leverages its sun exposure to operate 100% on solar power. Guided walking safaris are an available alternative to game drives to further reduce your impact in one of the world’s oldest deserts. An on-site research center allows you to assist conversation efforts by helping staff track the endangered desert-adapted black rhinoceros. 

Rugged luxury: Why a Trip to New Zealand Might Surprise You

Mount Gahinga Lodge | Uganda

 

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Eco sustainability discussions tend to focus around our natural world, and while the protection of the mountain gorillas is a priority, Mount Gahinga Lodge is also working to sustain the native Batwa tribe that was displaced when the Virunga Mountains were annexed for conservation. The Lodge’s founder built a permanent Batwa settlement where 150 people live off of the land in their own, safe community. You can visit this settlement and support the Batwa people when you stay at Mount Gahinga Lodge, with opportunities to also track gorillas and golden monkeys. 

Read next: Walking With the King of the Big Cats in India’s Royal Hunting Grounds

Don’t limit your safari to one continent. Venture into Ranthambore National Park in search of Bengal tigers on the Luxury Gold Essence of India journey. 

Not only does this 8-day adventure check-off bucket-list visits to the Taj Mahal and the Pink City of Jaipur, it also offers the chance to see tigers in the wild. Your safari through the former private hunting grounds of the maharajas of Jaipur takes you across lakes and palace ruins where the elusive tigers roam.