Lapa Palace, Lisbon

This former palace with two wings in a residential neighborhood near St. Jorge's Castle is "very elegantly decorated." Suites on the fifth floor of the palace have original furnishings from 1870 and gold leaf–framed mirrors. Lapa serves Italian and Portuguese dishes, and Bar Rio Tejo offers casual dining as well as seven types of vintage port. (109 rooms)

 

Also featured on the: Gold List for 2006, Gold List for 2008, Gold List for 2009 

4 Rua do Pau de Bandeira

Lisbon
Portugal

Tel: 351 21 394 9494
Tel: 800 237 1236

reservations@lapa-palace.com

 

Mauritius

Royal Palm Hotel

It's hard to believe places in the world still exist that could be considered off the beaten track and luxurious simultaneously, but the Royal Palm Hotel on the island nation of Mauritius is such a place. Located 500 miles east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean, Mauritius takes so long for most Americans and Europeans to reach that few ever get there. It's a shame because it is a beautiful, unspoiled paradise with white sandy beaches, cool breezes and a hint of the exotic. Guests at the Royal Palm can easily spend all their time here swimming, scuba diving, windsurfing, deep-sea fishing or getting massages, but at least one afternoon have the concierge arrange a tour of the island--by car or helicopter--because it would be a shame to come this far and never see more than the beach.

Royal Palm Hotel
Grand Baie
Mauritius, Indian Ocean
Phone: 230 209 8300
Fax: 230 263 8455

Jimbaran Bay , Indonesia

Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay

One has to hand it to the Four Seasons people--they know what it takes to run a top-of-the-line resort. Jimbaran Bay may just be the jewel in their considerable crown. Maybe it's the low cost of labor or real estate in Bali, maybe it's the natural friendliness of the Balinese, maybe it's stunning beauty of the place, and maybe it's just something they put in the water, but with its traditional thatch-roofed villas, abundance of flowers, superb food, world-class spa and beautiful beaches, Jimbaran Bay is about as perfect a romantic luxury beach resort as you could want to find.

Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay
Jl. Bukit Permat
Jimbaran Bay 80361, Indonesia
Phone: 62 361 701 010
Fax: 62 361 701 020

West Indies

K Club

This very chic and relatively new resort is owned by the fashion designer Krizia (hence the "K" in the name) and was intended to be a getaway primarily for wealthy Europeans--and some Americans--who want to relax on what is one of the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean. She succeeded. Each white bungalow has a view of the ocean and a private porch from which to enjoy it. The Mediterranean-influenced food is first-rate--as is the scuba diving, windsurfing and deep-sea fishing. But since it opened, this 230-acre resort has made no bones that it is not for everybody. One may only reach it via private plane. Nor are children allowed, and its prices make it one of the most expensive on our list.

K Club
Barbuda-Antigua, West Indies
Phone: (268) 460-0300
Fax: (268) 460-0305

Weekapaug, Rhode Island

Weekapaug Inn

Around the turn of the 19th century dozens of grand seaside resorts dotted the most fashionable coastal villages of the East Coast from Nova Scotia down to Florida. Few of them remain and most of those that do now must pursue the lucrative conference business in order to remain solvent. Fortunately, the Weekapaug Inn, just a few miles outside of Watch Hill, has remained true to its original conception. Still family-run, it's open only from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Rooms are spartan but clean. There's no telephone. Children are welcome--the more the merrier. There's no bar or any fancy spa services, but there is a lovely beach, terrific food and a cookout every Thursday night.

Weekapaug Inn
25 Spray Rock Road
Weekapaug, Rhode Island 02891
Phone: (401) 322-0301
Fax: (401) 322-1016

Wailea, Maui, Hawaii

Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea

There are many incredible beaches and superb resorts in Hawaii, but for service, food, location and ambiance, nothing beats the Four Seasons resort on Maui. The island boasts gorgeous weather year round and its white sand beaches and clear blue water make for great scuba diving, snorkeling, wind surfing or just world-class goofing off.

Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea
3900 Wailea Alanui
Wailea, Maui, Hawaii 96753
Phone: (808) 874-8000
Fax: (808) 874-6449

Santa Monica, California

Shutters on the Beach

Although it only opened in 1993, Shutters on the Beach calls to mind a grand resort hotel of the 1920s. Each one of its nearly 200 rooms have shuttered doors that open onto private balconies but guests who want to have a view of the ocean will have to pay more. The hotel has become a favorite romantic getaway for the Hollywood crowd, and is the only luxury beachfront hotel in Los Angeles.

Shutters on the Beach
One Pico Boulevard
Santa Monica, California 90405
Phone: (310) 458-0030
Fax: (310) 458-4589

Thailand

Amanpuri

Phuket is one of the greatest beaches in the world, and the Amanpuri is its finest resort. Barefoot, smiling staff greet you on arrival and usher you to your own private bungalow decorated in traditional Thai style, with beautiful fabrics and woodwork, and a deck with views of the silent blue surf. The name Amanpuri means peace, and the name is appropriate. Everything is done to make life as relaxed and peaceful as possible for guests. From the spa to the beach to the restaurants, the staff seem truly dedicated to making your stay here as comfortable as possible.

Amanpuri
Pansea Beach, Cherngtalay
Phuket 83110, Thailand
Phone: 66 76 324 333, 02 287 0226 Bangkok reservations; in the U.S. dial (800) 447-7462
Fax: 76 324 100

New Caledonia

Le Méridien Ile des Pins

If they have heard of New Caledonia at all, most people associate it with headhunting aborigines and French naval maneuvers. But that is part of its charm, this French protectorate in the middle of the Coral Sea (nearly halfway between Australia and Fiji), is still one of the most untouched and naturally beautiful places in the world. The resort is set within 4.5 hectares of coconut groves in Oro Bay, a lagoon protected by a coral reef barrier. The tone of the resort is a combination of French (emphasis on water sports, good food and topless sunbathing) and Melanesian (emphasis on friendliness). And don't worry about headhunting: These days the locals don't want to scare off the lucrative tourist trade.

 

Le Méridien Ile des Pins
B.P. 175, 98832 VAO
Ile des Pins, New Caledonia
Phone: (687) 46 15 15

Fax: (687) 46 15 16

Malaysia

 

The Datai

Set between rainforest and ocean, The Datai is a sleek, modern resort that has been designed not so much to stand out against, but to harmonize with its environment. From a main hotel building, individual guest villas radiate out like branches from a great tree, all connected by covered open-air walkways that allow guests to feel part (but not too much a part) of the surrounding jungle. In addition to its long white sand beach, the resort has an 18-hole championship golf course and a spa.

The Datai
Jalan Teluk Datai
07000, Langkawi, Malaysia
Phone: 60 4 959 2500
Fax: 60 4 959 2600

India

The Leela Palace, a Kempinski resort

Goa, once the premier trading port between India and Europe, is also one of the subcontinent's most beautiful coastal regions. Its long sandy beaches may not always be as pristine as most Westerners would like--many of the local citizenry both work and perform their ablutions in the water--but the hotel has a full-time staff of maintenance men who rake the beach continually from dawn to dusk.

The Leela Palace, a Kempinski resort
Mobor, Cavelossim Village
Salcette, Goa 403731, India
Phone: 91 832 871 234
Fax: 91 832 871 352

French Polynesia

Bora Bora Lagoon Resort 


It's hard to get more isolated than this. Set on its own motu (islet) in the middle of Tahiti's Bora Bora lagoon, there is nothing to do here other than enjoy yourself and take advantage of the wonderful harmony of cultures that is French Polynesia. Great food, great beaches and just incredibly luxurious.

Bora Bora Lagoon Resort
Motu Toopua, B.P. 175
Vaitape, Bora Bora, French Polynesia
Phone: 689 60 40 00
Fax: 689 60 40 01

British Virgin Islands

Little Dix Bay

Virgin Gorda was originally discovered by Columbus in 1493, but it wasn't until 1958 that Laurence Rockefeller set about establishing a resort at Little Dix Bay that the island became known as one of the most beautiful spots in the world. The half-mile crescent shaped beach and offshore coral reef offers first rate snorkeling and scuba diving in addition to golf, tennis and fine dining. The resort is also extremely child-friendly and it has programs that can accommodate children from 3 years of age up to teens. Today the Rosewood chain of hotels manages the resort.

Little Dix Bay
P.O. Box 70
Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands
Phone: (284) 495-5555
Fax: (284) 495-5661

Hayman - Australia

Anyone who has seen the northeast coast of Australia can see its one long stretch of some of the finest beach in the world. The weather is so mild and the Australians are so laid back that many people don't even bother staying in a hotel and just sleep on the beach. But if you are looking for something more luxurious, there is no finer resort in Queensland than Hayman. Located in the famous Great Barrier Reef (home of some of the best scuba diving in the world) and near Whitsunday Island, the hotel has just undergone a two-year, $15 million refurbishment that should more than justify the amount of traveling you'll have to do to get here.

Hayman
Hayman, Great Barrier Reef
Queensland 4801, Australia
Phone: 61 7 4940 1234
Fax: 61 7 4940 1567

Hotel Splendido

Portofino is one of the great summer playgrounds of Europe, and the Hotel Splendido is at its very heart. Many of the wealthiest families in Italy summer here in their own villas or stop by in their yachts, and it is easy to see why. The harbor is both picturesque and perfect for the kind of water sports that Italians love: waterskiing and speedboat racing. (Nearby Santa Margherita is ideal for less strenuous activities.) Nocturnal sports are just as much fun, though, and the town's discos and nightclubs stay open well into the morning. Positioned overlooking the harbor, the Splendido, a former private villa, is at once part of it all and wonderfully removed. You can come here and dance until dawn or just relax and let the superb staff pamper you. The hotel also has a sister establishment, the Splendido Mare, which is located in town.

Hotel Splendido
Viale Baratta, 16
16034 Portofino, Italy
Phone: 39 0185 267 801
Fax: 39 0185 269 614

Skis on in Dublin

Calling all British people - and those abroad who may also like to visit - if you're desperate to go on holiday some time soon, you might like to consider booking a room in a Dublin hostel so that you can take advantage of a new ski slope that is being considered by Dundalk authorities.

Called Altitude, it's apparently going to be all-weather terrain (although I'm not sure how much it snows in Dublin - at least you know your vacation won't be ruined by the typical British rain anyway) and a planning application for the project - which the Belfast Telegraph tells me will cost around £390 million - has been lodged with local authorities in the Dundalk area.

And that's not all. Even if you're not that into hitting the slopes, there's plenty of other entertainment in store once the scheme has been finished. An indoor concert arena is also on the agenda - perfect for those in search of a gig - and a swimming centre, bowling alley, cinema and shops will also be on hand to keep everyone amused for however long they want.

What's more, for those in search of a little bit of sin while away, a casino is also to be built, although Dundalk town councillor Jim Ryan believes that it could be in for a bit of a tricky time before it wins approval. So don't hold your breath on that one.

And don't forget to go for a pint in one of Dublin's oldest pubs, The Brazen Head. I mentioned it in a previous post as it was putting on dinner parties complete with tales of Irish folklore but, even though those evenings are finished, it's still a great place to get a few rounds in.

Enjoy Edinburgh on Burns Night

here are certain cities for which you can say there is an ideal time to visit and for those planning a trip to Edinburgh hostels, next week is the time to go.

If it's New York you want to see, go in December for your Christmas shopping; for Dublin it's got to be March so you can catch St Patrick's Day. For anywhere in Scotland, however, you want to be there for Burns Night.

Taking place every January 25th - but with a host of events and celebrations surrounding that date - the occasion marks the birthday of the famed Scottish bard Robert Burns. This year is the 251st anniversary of his birth, so you've just missed the big one, but the Scots rival the Irish for their parties each and every time.

One man who knows the traditions very well is Stewart Daniels, general manager of the Scottish Tourist Guides Association. And he explained that while Ayrshire (birthplace of Burns) is probably the best place to be, visitors can enjoy celebrations all over Scotland.

However, if you happen to miss out on the festivities, that's not to say there isn't plenty for you to do. Indeed, Sinead Feltoe of VisitScotland has highlighted the vast range of sights, sounds and experiences on offer in Edinburgh.

"Our world-renowned festivals are a must or explore the many museums and art galleries in the New and Old Towns or find the perfect spot on Arthur's seat to take in the city with its stunning views across the Forth," she advised travellers.