Luxury
Small five-star hotels, island resorts and suites with a view, from the Maldives and Mauritius to the Amalfi Coast, Dubai and the Caribbean.
Photo by Bas van den Eijkhof on Unsplash
- Typical length
- 7 to 14 nights, often two hotels in one trip
- Flying
- Premium economy, business or first, with lounges and fast track
- Board
- Breakfast, half board or all-inclusive, depending on the hotel
- Best booked
- 9 to 12 months ahead for school holidays and the best villas
Luxury is less about gold taps than about things working quietly in your favour. The room is ready when you arrive, the table is the one by the water, and by the second morning someone remembers how you take your coffee.
The best hotels are very different from one another. A palazzo on the Grand Canal, a family-run masseria in Puglia, a villa on its own Maldivian island and a desert resort outside Dubai all call themselves five-star. Which room, which side of the resort and which time of year matter as much as the name over the door.
We start with you: what you want from the time away, how you like to be looked after, what has disappointed you before. Then we match the hotel and the room, book the flights in the cabin you want, and arrange the private transfers, dinners, spa time and anything else that makes the trip.
Kinds of luxury
Five-star means different things in different places. These are the main kinds, and each suits a different trip.
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Photo by Roméo A. on Unsplash Overwater and island resorts
Villas over the lagoon or on the beach, often with their own pool, reached by speedboat or seaplane. The Maldives is the classic; Bora Bora in French Polynesia is the other famous one.
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Photo by D Jonez on Unsplash Small boutique hotels
Twenty or thirty rooms, a chef who cooks what's good that day and staff who know your name. Italy, Greece, Portugal and France are full of them, in old palazzi, farmhouses and townhouses.
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Photo by Rafi Thissen on Unsplash Grand city hotels
The landmark hotels of Paris, London, Rome, New York and Dubai, with doormen, a famous bar and a concierge who can often find a table when the city says there isn't one.
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Photo by Meg von Haartman on Unsplash All-inclusive, done well
Resorts where food, drinks and most activities are included but the standard stays high: several restaurants, good wine and space to spread out. Popular in the Caribbean, Mexico, Mauritius and the Mediterranean.
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Photo by Nick George on Unsplash Villas with staff
A private villa with a pool, and a cook, housekeeper or butler if you want one. The best choice for families and groups who want their own space and still want to be looked after.
The details that matter
The right room
In a good hotel the gap between room types can be bigger than the gap between hotels. Sea view or garden, ground floor or high up, near the restaurant or away from it, a private pool or a shared one. We look at the room plans with you and tell you which rooms are worth paying more for and which aren't.
Flying well
Premium economy gives you more room and better food; business class gives you a flat bed, lounge access and fast track at many airports. On long flights to the Maldives, Asia or the Caribbean it changes how you feel on the first day. We'll find the airline and seats that suit you, and add an airport lounge or a hotel the night before if it helps.
Arriving and settling in
A private car or seaplane waiting when you land, the room ready early if it can be, and dinner booked for the first night. We pass on the things that help a hotel look after you: a birthday, an allergy, a cot, a quiet room away from the lifts.
Where to go
Somewhere is always at its best. These are the places people ask for most, and the months to go.
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November to April
Photo by Ishan @seefromthesky on Unsplash The Maldives
One resort to an island, villas over the lagoon and some of the clearest water in the world for snorkelling. About ten hours direct from London, or with a stop in the Gulf.
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April to December
Photo by Anton Marchuk on Unsplash Mauritius
Calm lagoons, mountains behind the beaches and some of the most polished resorts in the Indian Ocean, only a few hours ahead of UK time.
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April to May and October to November
Photo by seytales on Unsplash The Seychelles
Granite boulders, empty beaches and island-hopping between Mahé, Praslin and La Digue, with some resorts on islands of their own.
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December to April
Photo by Germine Sealy on Unsplash The Caribbean
St Lucia, Antigua, Barbados and the Grenadines: long beaches, sailing and resorts of every size, about eight to nine hours from London.
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April to October
Photo by Sebastian Leonhardt on Unsplash The Amalfi Coast and Italian lakes
Cliffside hotels in Positano and Ravello, long lunches by the sea, and grand villas on Lake Como. Many of the best hotels close in winter.
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May to October
Photo by User_Pascal on Unsplash The Greek islands
Santorini's caldera suites, Mykonos and quieter islands like Paros and Crete, with direct flights from the UK in summer.
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November to March
Photo by Shibin Joseph on Unsplash Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Seven hours from the UK with little jet lag: winter sun, beach hotels, desert resorts and a big restaurant scene.
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November to April
Photo by Margo Evardson on Unsplash Thailand
Bangkok's riverside hotels, then Phuket and Krabi on the Andaman coast, or Koh Samui on the Gulf side, where the rainy season comes later, in October to December.
Destinations we'd suggest
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Maldives A thousand low coral islands, each resort its own island, and water clearer than you thought possible.
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Mauritius Reef-sheltered lagoons, green mountains and a warm mix of cultures in the middle of the Indian Ocean.
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Barbados Calm west coast beaches, rum shops and Friday fish fry, with a welcome that feels like home.
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Santorini White villages on a volcanic cliff, a flooded caldera below and the best-known sunset in Greece.
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Amalfi Coast Pastel villages stacked above a deep blue sea, lemon groves and long lunches on the terrace.
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Dubai Winter sun seven hours away, with beach, desert and a skyline like nowhere else.
Questions about luxury
What does five-star actually mean?
Star ratings are set differently in each country, and in some places hotels rate themselves. They say more about facilities than about service, so we look at the hotel itself: its size, its setting, its rooms and what guests say about it.
When is the best time to book?
For school holidays, Christmas and the most popular villas and suites, 9 to 12 months ahead. Outside those dates there is often good choice closer to the time.
Is all-inclusive worth it at a luxury resort?
Where eating out is expensive or there is little outside the resort, as in the Maldives, it often is. Where there are good restaurants nearby, as in Italy or Greece, breakfast or half board usually makes more sense. We'll compare the board options for your hotel.
Can you get us an upgrade?
Upgrades are never guaranteed, but we tell the hotel when you are celebrating something, and some offers include a better room or extras. We will tell you exactly what is confirmed and what is only a request.
How do we get to our island in the Maldives?
Resorts near Malé are reached by speedboat; those further away by seaplane, or a domestic flight and a boat. Seaplanes fly only in daylight, so the time your international flight lands matters. We plan the connections so you aren't left waiting.
Do luxury hotels welcome children?
Many do, with kids' clubs, family villas and babysitting. Others are adults-only or have adults-only areas, so the choice of hotel matters whether or not you're bringing children.
Do I need to tip?
It depends on the country. In the USA it is expected; in much of Europe a little for good service is normal; some resorts add a service charge to the bill. We'll tell you what is usual where you're going.
What insurance do I need?
A travel insurance policy that covers the full cost of the trip if you have to cancel, with medical cover for where you're going. We can point you to a provider.
Where should we take you?
Tell the team what you have in mind and we'll come back with ideas, usually the same day. The team reads every request.
- 01WhereA place, a few ideas, or a hotel you love
- 02WhenA month or exact dates, and how flexible you are
- 03FlightsWhich airport suits you, or none at all
- 04WhoEveryone going, with children's ages
- 05SpendA rough idea for the whole trip
- 06The detailsBoard, hotel rating, facilities, the kind of place
Photos by Bas van den Eijkhof, Roméo A., D Jonez, Rafi Thissen, Meg von Haartman, Nick George, Ruben Aster, Marlene Céline Nordvik, Jailam Rashad, Ishan @seefromthesky, Anton Marchuk, seytales, Germine Sealy, Sebastian Leonhardt, User_Pascal, Shibin Joseph and Margo Evardson on Unsplash.