Eco-luxury retreat in the Maya Mountains of Belize

We discovered this beautiful hotel while scouring the internet for unique travel destinations. Not only is this eco-luxury hotel incredible, but the activities surrounding it makes the resort even more enticing! Ka’ana Boutique Luxury Resort is a 17 room property in the Maya Mountains of Western Belize. Since its opening in 2007, Ka’ana is now widely regarded locally and internationally as the premier resort in Western Belize; offering a level of personalized service and amenities never before realized in this region. With nearby cultural, historical and eco-adventure attractions, guests can utilize Ka’ana as an ultra-luxurious and exclusive out-post.

Ka’ana is truly Belizean inspired in its décor and there are tributes to local craftsmen in all areas of the resort. Local artist, Jorge Landero, was commissioned to convey the spirit of the Maya in the wall art. The Art in your room will be changed on the 4th night of your stay in an attempt to expose you to even more of these local masterpieces. Elmer Panti hand crafted all the slate work, including the restaurant coasters, which are yet another example of how skilled the local craftsmen truly are.

Modern, clean design is incorporated into rooms housed in hacienda-style buildings and casitas at Ka’ana Boutique Resort and Spa. All have a private outdoor terrace or balcony overlooking the pool or tropical gardens, high ceilings and local works of art on the walls. Your French doors and windows allow the indoors to embrace the outdoors in a seamless way. The bathroom vanity is done in a beautiful Central American hardwood called “Poison Heart” and is the masterpiece of a spacious, naturally lit space. You will enjoy the jungles and archaelogical intrigue of the Cayo area by day and be immersed in the comfort you have become accustomed to and deserve by night.

To stay at this incredible private retreat, rates range from $250-$350 per night from here.

Luxury Anantara Dhigu Resort in the Maldives

Anantara Dhigu Resort & Spa in the Maldives is a tropical paradise featuring soothing views of the endless deep blue Indian Ocean. This luxurious resort is comprised of 110 spacious beach villas and over water suites with private plunge pools. The beach villas are reminiscent of the idyllic Maldives resort bungalow, with 110 square meters; the villas are positioned to catch either the perfect sunrise or sunset. The villas come complete with a private terrace with sun loungers and a dining area for two. The interiors feature a classic island style luxury with a large outdoor bathroom featuring a terrazzo bathtub, semi indoor shower and outdoor rain shower, tropical vegetation, as well as a dressing room and minibar area behind the king bed and a host of other modern comforts.

The 132 square meters over water suites are suspended above the crystal clear waters, designed to offer the ultimate experience among Maldives luxury hotels. With your own personal over water sun deck to view glorious sunrises and sunsets. Lie back in the tub or take a swim in the crystal turquoise sea thanks to direct lagoon access. Each of the suites features a spacious indoor bathroom with lagoon views, a dressing room area, indoor and outdoor seating areas, and private sun loungers facing out to sea.

“The tropical lagoon setting creates a Maldivian paradise of breathtaking natural wonders, where the warmest heartfelt welcome leads to journeys that can be deeply relaxing or truly invigorating. Anantara Dhigu’s evocative location is matched by a tranquil island design approach that feels like home away from home while providing you with excellent facilities. Play tennis, hit the gym and swim in the infinity edge pool, or simply unwind at Anantara Spa with a range of renowned signature treatments. Discover your own paradise at Anantara Dhigu Resort & Spa.”

To book your luxury vacation holiday retreat in the Maldives, rates start at $302-$919 per night from here.

Luxurious retreat surrounded by towering cliffs

Rayavadee Resort is located on the edge of Krabi Marine National Park with towering limestone cliffs and islands dramatically bordered by the crystal clear waters of the Andaman Sea. Krabi enjoys mild weather throughout the year and is famous for its sandy beaches and gorgeous natural scenery. The spectacular resort is located just 180km east of Phuket, Rayavadee sits at the heart of the stunning Phranang Peninsula and offers 98 enchanting two story pavilions and 4 luxurious villas. The resort is spread over 26 acres of coconut groves with private gardens, hydro-pools and Jacuzzis, surrounded by three National Park beaches. The award winning architecture and tropical landscaping provide an atmosphere of a southern Thai village, while the spacious interior decoration boasts all the luxury and comforts for the highly discerning guests.

Rates start at $621 per night and can be booked from here.

Tropical wellness retreat overlooking the Bali jungle

Set in the stunning beauty of Bali, COMO Shambhala Estate at Begawan Giri is a destination with your peace and well being in mind. You believe in holistic health and the healing properties of meditation. You are inspired by the Indonesian landscape and its natural forests. Then, you belong at COMO Shambhala Estate at Begawan Giri. Take advantage of this place of beauty to detoxify, meditate, and recharge. The incredible residences and villas display Asian-meets-European decor. Alang-alang roofs shelter hand-carved furniture and Chinese antiques; baths are carved from Sumban stone. Each has a private butler and infinity pool.

Spend your mornings walking along the peaceful riverbank, practicing pilates, or participating in a restorative yoga class. A variety of daytime wellness treatments and cooking demonstrations will keep you occupied between nights relaxing in your private and spacious accommodation. Each suite is different from the next, with subtle shifts in mood, view, and spirit.

Bali is an extraordinarily peaceful destination and you’ll find COMO Shambhala Estate to be the pinnacle of the island’s character. This is truly a fitting place to realize your potential while reflecting on your dreams. All guests are assigned a personal assistant to help ensure a seamless stay.

Rates from this incredible retreat starts at $350 nightly from here.

Exceptional Sea View Villa in Phuket

Sea View Villa is a three-storey home nestled on a gentle hillside on the west coast of Phuket, overlooking the pristine Andaman Sea, this stunning property is located within a five star private resort and enjoys breathtaking sea views and sunsets. Comprised of 8,546 square feet (794 square meters), the stylish yet comfortable interior design effortlessly blends traditional Thai elements with modern facilities to provide a completely relaxing living experience. The spacious five bedrooms are accompanied by equally luxurious en suite bathrooms, while the dining and living areas open onto the pool terrace, seamlessly merging interior and exterior living. Additional features include the private infinity pool (in addition to a 400 square meters communal pool), twin salas, barbecue and fully equipped bar area, spa room, gentleman’s sport bar and double maid’s quarters for staff.

This stunning property is listed at $9,079,000 from here.

Escape to the Waldorf Astoria Maldives

The Waldorf Astoria Maldives on Manafaru Island is comprised of villas hovering over waves, suites perch above the beach, and pavilions that jut out over the ocean. Like an oasis, this resort has an amazing range of amenities and facilities in splendid isolation. Acommodation options are out of this world here: from Water Villa to Beach Villa, Ocean Villa, Beach Suite, Grand Water Pavillion, and Grand Beach Pavilion. Turquoise waters surround guests and make the decision to hop into your private infinity pool or straight into the sea a more complicated one than you might have anticipated. This fabulous resort has a full list of incredible activities such as deep-sea fishing, diving and snorkeling, bungee trampoline, kids’ club, tennis courts, recreational center, and more. There is nothing like an island vacation to make you feel as if you have executed a blissful escape… so if “escaping” is in the cards, head to Waldorf Astoria Maldives.

Nightly rates start at $525 from here.

Charming historical retreat in Tuscany

Thousand-year-old walls hold secrets of wellness, indulgence, and peace at Castel Monastero, a standout destination in Tuscany, Italy. Castel Monastero is, as you might imagine, a restored monastery. Monks set on healthy living, cooking from the soul, and distilling wine that fired many a jovial evening.

75 rooms and suites plus one villa await your high expectations with confidence. Rustic original features like arched stone doorways add charm; while WiFi and flat screen TV ensure modern desires are always met.

Led by Gordon Ramsay, Contrada Restaurant benefits from the chef’s “local, simple, fresh” direction. And down in the cellar, La Cantina offers authentic regional cuisine anchored by gorgeous wines, oils, and cheeses – all from the surrounding area. It’s been the home to slumbering Chianti for years. Why not wake a bottle or two up?

Relax in the pool, or get active with tennis, local tours, or even mushroom foraging. Whatever you busy yourself with, the healing spa here will most definitely have the means to get you back to your best – and further past that. Spend hours in the three outdoor pools or, next to them, the full-scale indoor thalassotherapy facility.

Nightly rates start from $390/night and can be booked from here.

Jaw-Dropping Ubud Hanging Gardens in Bali

Ubud Hanging Gardens Hotel and Resort is a haven of peace set among the smoky volcanoes and emerald rice terraces at the heart of Bali. Perched adjacent to steep rice terraces with sweeping views across the Ayung river gorge to the ancient Pura Penataran Dalem Segara temple on the opposite hillside, Ubud Hanging Gardens has 38 villas, which are all constructed in contemporary Balinese style on gravity defying wooden pillars with thatched alang-alang roofs. The resort’s accommodation, restaurants, pool and spa cascade down the hillside to the valley floor below and can be reached by a funicular.

The resort’s garden was conceived by the landscape architect William Warren (author of “Balinese Garden”, Thames & Hudson), together with John Pettigrew, (another devotee of botanical gardens who created the garden at Begawan Giri). It is planted with exotic trees and tropical shrubs such as cocoa, coffee, fruit trees, durian, rambutan, lychees, and a variety of tropical bamboos, flame trees, bird of paradise flowers and orchids.

The hotel has four categories of villa-style accommodation: 15 deluxe Pool villas, of approximately 100m², 15 panoramic view deluxe Pool villas, of approximately 100m², two panoramic view suite pool villas of 160m² and six 2-bedroom Family Pool villas of 160m². The villas were designed by Anglo/ French architect Gordon Shaw and all have king sized four poster beds, handmade batik cotton fabrics, an interior bathroom with hand moulded bath, terraces with open air showers and dramatic Java stone plunge pools with adjoining Bales (a traditional Balinese relaxation area). Shaw used precious woods throughout the property, including Merbau flooring for the interiors, Benkirai for the exteriors and wooden furniture with sculpted doors in the Balinese tradition.

For reservations to this peaceful and tranquil luxury resort, click here.

Island Hideaway at Dhonakulhi Maldives

The Island Hideaway at Dhonakulhi Maldives sits on its own piece of paradise, 1.4 kilometer long, crescent-shaped island, complete with lush green vegetation, long white beaches and an adjacent coral reef. The resort offers 43 spacious, private luxury villas and a whole range of first-class facilities with the majority of the island left in its pristine natural state. Dhonakulhi Island, with a beach length of some 3,200 meters around the Island, is a haven of peace, tranquility and serenity. The crystal clear turquoise waters of the shallow waist-deep lagoon surrounding the island stretch as far as the eye can see. The Island’s uniquely rich and dense vegetation instill a feeling of harmony and being at one with nature.

The guest villa complexes are some of the largest of any resort in the Maldives. These majestic chalets are tucked into the lush greenery and scattered along the beach-line some 30 meters apart from one another, providing the ultimate in privacy. All of the Island’s villas boast breathtaking panoramic views over the beautiful turquoise lagoon and the Indian Ocean. There are six types of accommodation, some “floating” over infinity pools, some with private pools, some right on the beach, and others that sit on stilts over the ocean. The most deluxe are the Hideaway Water Suites, each featuring their own sea-view spa room, including sauna, steam room, and an outdoor bathtub. The designs of the furniture, fixtures and fittings are a rustic celebration of nature, and custom-made hand-finished natural materials have been used throughout.

Nightly rates for this incredible Maldivian retreat start at $695, and can be booked from here.

Romantic luxury resort in Punta de Mita

We are excited to bring to you today a beautiful luxury resort in Punta de Mita, Mexico called “Imanta Resort“. The story of Imanta begins with the name, which is Spanish for “magnetic attraction”. Imanta is the feeling you get when you fall in love with a person or a place. It is immediate, exhilarating and mysterious. The resort is a little touch of paradise in an idyllic setting backed by a tropical rainforest and fronted by a pristine beach. Imagine having a fully staffed hotel and a private beach all to yourself. This stunning hotel is situated on 250 extraordinary acres of jungle wildlife, mountain vistas, private beaches and ocean splendor and is the ideal destination for an idyllic wedding, family gathering or special retreat. Imanta’s two master suites each offer three bedrooms, gracious living room and chef’s kitchen. Five additional suites, individually sited and beautifully landscaped, afford the utmost in tranquil seclusion. You can book all rooms together for a truly personalized holiday experience. There is also Ocean and Oceanfront Casa’s, each offering magnificent views of the ocean, gardens and jungle. Designed exclusively for Imanta, the sofa, desk, dining table, luxurious bed, double vanities and large closets add to the distinctive character of your casa. A private terrace with a king-sized daybed adjoins your own relaxing infinity edge swimming pool.

For further information and travel booking, please visit Imanta Resort here.