When it comes to choosing luxury hotels for your honeymoon, tropical waters, sunlit skies or dramatic scenery may be high on your wishlist, but if you want to travel in style you’ll also need the best hotel room in the house. Here are six hotels with very special accommodation that ticks all the boxes for glamour, private space and fantastic views
1. Marbella Club, Spain
Luxury hotels are certainly plentiful in Spain, but this iconic property in the south of Spain, not far from the playground of Puerto Banus has history, charm and sits on a gorgeous stretch of coast. It has welcomed a ‘who’s who’ of glitterati over the years – from Brigitte Bardot to crowned heads of Europe. The ultimate room in the house is Villa del Mar – actually a six-bed house in the hotel grounds furnished in grand Andalusian style. You have butler, maid and dining staff on call here, plus a private spa therapist and personal trainer if needed. With collectable artworks, multiple terraces a private pool and wood burning fireplaces, it’s also been the location for many beautiful beachside weddings. marbellaclub.com
2. The Sandpiper, Barbados
Located in St James, Barbados, The Sandpiper is also one of the most exclusive small luxury hotels in the West Indies. Facing a sandy beach with a tree-shaded deck, it’s known for meticulous attention to detail, fabulous food and wall-to-wall pampering. Honeymooners should request The Curlew Suite – a room you will never want to leave. It has a huge deck and views over the Caribbean waters from both bedroom and living area. sandpiperbarbados.com
3. Villa La Massa, Italy
A splendid mansion in the heart of the Tuscan countryside, and just a few kilometres from Florence, Villa La Massa is part of the Leading Hotels of the World group. The views are splendid and the authentic cuisine makes this a total immersion in grand living, Italian style. All paths in the 22-acre gardens lead down to the meandering Arno River, so this is also a supremely tranquil spot. A Top Junior Suite offers exquisite authentic furnishings and views to die for. If you want to mix period and modern, The Presidential Suite can be combined with a Top Junior Suite – meaning even more room to spread out and a huge private terrace looking over the river. villalamassa.com
4. Windjammer Landing, St Lucia
A 60-acre beachfront resort overlooking Labrelotte Bay, Windjammer Landing has a fantastic new spa with dedicated couple’s treatment room, customised private fitness classes and wellness activities. You can even opt for an after-hours candlelit spa treatment followed by dinner à deux served by your own private butler. Estate Villa accommodation is definitely the way to go – offering loads of space (three or four bedrooms), private pool and glorious deck, with the best overlooking warm ocean waters. windjammer-landing.com
5. Ballyfin, Ireland
Winner of multiple awards for its impeccable style and service, Ballyfin is five-star luxury in intimate yet grand surroundings. This 614-acre estate in County Laois sits at the foot of the Slieve Bloom Mountains, so the scenery is stunning. But the Regency hotel – once a country mansion – has just 20 bedrooms, so you are guaranteed not to feel one of the crowd. While all the rooms are unique, we suggest you opt for The Lady Caroline Coote (formerly known as Lady Coote’s boudoir). With extraordinary vivid blue wallpaper and a fantastic four-poster, it is full of fine artworks and overlooks the lake from both its huge bedroom and capacious bathroom. ballyfin.com
6. Blue Waters Resort & Spa, Antigua
Considered by many travellers to be one of the places to stay in the Caribbean – and winner of too many travel awards to list – Blue Waters is an idyllic holiday playground on Soldier’s Bay, Antigua with three beaches and multiple pools. Accommodation here ranges from fine to sublime, but the best base for privacy and views is Rock Cottage. It sits on its own rocky outcrop, with ocean on three sides. You have vast quarters, with multiple sundecks and a lovely private plunge pool. There’s a dedicated concierge service to ensure your every whim is satisfied. bluewaters.net
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