Beautiful Hotels Worth the Trip
Some hotels are just a place to sleep. These? They’re the reason to book your trip.👇
let’s find your stay
OVERWATER VILLA ESCAPES
PRIVATE POOL HOTELS
ROMANTIC HOTELS
MORE FABULOUS STAYS
A trio of hotel gems
We don’t pick favorites easily, but these three are seriously special.
RAYAVADEE – Krabi (Thailand)
Jungle-wrapped luxury with monkeys, cliffs and turquoise beaches
Read why love it
HALEKULANI – Honolulu (Hawaii)
Heavenly beachfront oasis (with that iconic orchid pool!)
Read why we love it
LA CASA QUE CANTA – Zihuatanejo (Mexico)
Adults-only cliffside hideaway with jaw-dropping bay views
Read why we love it
Favorite booking sites
Booking.com
Our go-to is Booking.com. The site has a huge global selection, lots of guest reviews and no booking fees. Plus, it’s easy to use.
We also especially love the free cancellation (often up to 24 hours before) – usually more flexible than booking direct.
More reasons we like Booking.com?
Expedia and Hotels.com
Expedia and Hotels.com are worth checking too – and sometimes you’ll find stronger deals for U.S. and Mexico hotels.
Agoda
Agoda is a great pick for hotels in Asia – we’ve scored excellent rates (especially in Thailand), and reviews can be more detailed.
If you reserve through our highlighted Booking, Expedia or other affiliate links, we may earn a small commission – at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting our work.
How we find great hotels
We’re a little obsessed with research – we do the digging so you don’t have to!
How we shortlist hotels
We start with trusted sources like The Telegraph, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Condé Nast Traveler, MICHELIN Guide and Forbes.com.
Then we search “best 5-star hotels in [destination]” or “luxury boutique hotels in [city]” to uncover standouts.
Next stop? TripAdvisor to dig into real guest feedback. Repeated complaints (hello, thin walls or noise) means an instant “No.”
Quick booking tips
Browse all hotel reviews by destination
Our top travel tips and resources
→ General trip planning: TripAdvisor is a helpful starting point, with loads of user reviews on hotels, restaurants and things to do.
→ Hotels: Booking.com is our go-to for scoring a “wow” hotel – or at least a decent one – often at lower rates than the hotel’s own website. (We especially like Booking.com’s flexible cancellation policy!) You can also find excellent discounted rates on Expedia, especially for hotels in the U.S. and Mexico.
→ Vacation homes, condos and rentals: We prefer and use Vrbo (Vacation Rentals by Owner).
→ Flights: For the best flights, we search on Google Flights first. Expedia and Kayak are then perfect for snagging the cheapest tickets. (They’re often non-refundable, though, so for more flexibility, we book directly with the airline, even if it costs more.)
→ Airport lounge access: We love (and have) Priority Pass for comfy lounge seats, free snacks and drinks, complimentary WiFi and sometimes even showers and spa services!
→ Tours: For the best local food, walking and other guided tours, plus skip-the-line tickets to attractions, check out Viator (a TripAdvisor company) and GetYourGuide.
→ Car rental: Renting a car can be a great way to explore off the beaten path. Discover Cars searches car rental companies for the lowest rates.
→ Travel insurance: SafetyWing is designed for frequent travelers, long-term adventurers and digital nomads. It covers medical expenses, lost checked luggage, trip interruption and more. We also have and recommend Medjet for global air medical transportation.
→ Travel gear: See our travel shop to find the best luggage, accessories and other travel gear. (We suggest these comfy travel sandals for city walking, the beach and kicking about.)
→ Need more help planning your trip? Check out our travel tips and resources guide for airline booking tips, ways to save money, how to find cool hotels and other useful trip planning info.
If you make a booking or purchase through our site, we may earn a small commission (at no cost to you). Thanks!
About the authors
