Monday newsletters always feature top 10 travel lists to inspire.
Today (August 22, 2016): top 10 most remote luxury hotels in the world.
When the world’s most affluent people think about a holiday, their minds often drift to a luxury hotel that offers them peace, tranquility and total privacy, hereby taking them away as far as they can get from their environment into a pristine, secluded location. Some of these off the beaten path hotels take that concept to the extreme, as they’re so remotely located that they can only be accessed by seaplane, boat, or other unconventional and adventurous means, but that journey is part of the appeal. Whether surrounded by jaw-dropping mountain vistas or on a beachside paradise, here are 10 of the most remote hotels found in some of the most distant corners of the planet that still offer utter luxury and divine pampering.
What is your favorite, most remote luxury hotel in the world? Do you think I missed one? Leave a comment or take my poll below.
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10. TRAVAASA HANA, HAWAII, USA
Considered one of the most remarkable resorts in Hawaii, Travaasa Hana, Maui (formerly known as Hotel Hana Maui) is located in the tiny town of Hana on the eastern tip of Maui and will immerse you in the real Hawaii. Timeless local customs such as throw-net fishing and lei making are still a fundamental part of this community’s fabric. Travaasa Hana is the first resort on the island to greet the rising sun and is set amid rolling grass fields and palm trees above Hana Bay. The resort’s spacious cottages and private suites set a peaceful mood, and some of them offer views of the waves rolling across the Pacific Ocean from their private lanai. In an environment free of radios, clocks, and televisions, nothing will distract you from the natural beauty and relaxation of heavenly Hana.
Hotel website: Travaasa Hana
How to get there: Travaasa Hana is located at the end of a three-hour, hair rising coastal drive along Maui’s rugged eastern coastline, considered to be one of the most scenic routes on the planet. Maui itself is located a five-hour flight from the USA West Coast, with most USA carriers serving this routes.
TRAVAASA HANA, HAWAII, USA
9. FOGO ISLAND INN, NEWFOUNDLAND, CANADA
Located off the Northeast Coast of Newfoundland, Canada, Fogo Island Inn finds itself at one of the four corners of earth, in a place that has seven seasons, on the rugged shores of the wild North Atlantic Ocean. The hotel is perched on stilts, affording all 29 suites with floor-to-ceiling views of sea and sky. All suites showcase the richness of their locality and express a modern take on traditional Newfoundland outport design and décor. The Inn’s architecture is bold, optimistic, and distinctly of this place. The fourth floor rooftop deck houses the Inn’s wood-fired saunas and two outdoor hot tubs, which is the perfect spot to relax after hiking along herds of caribou and foxes in their natural habitat, or watching whales migrate through the Atlantic.
Hotel website: Fogo Island Inn
How to get there: The closest international airport to Fogo Island Inn is Gander, Newfoundland. The best routes into Gander are through the international airports located in Halifax and St. John’s via Air Canada or United Airlines. From Gander, it’s a 3 hour drive by rental car to the hotel, including a 45 minute vehicle ferry.
FOGO ISLAND INN, NEWFOUNDLAND, CANADA
8. LIZARD ISLAND, QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA
Lizard Island is truly secluded from the rest of the world. With 24 powdery-white beaches and 40 luxurious suites, it is the most northern resort in tropical Queensland and is located directly on the Great Barrier Reef. The island is reserved for the fortunate few who will experience an unforgettable holiday like no other. Guests enjoy secluded picnics and sunset beach degustation on private beaches, five-star cuisine in the beautiful Salt Water restaurant and indulgent spa treatments in the Essentia Day Spa.
Hotel website: Lizard Island
How to get there: a National Park covering 1,013 hectares with 24 sandy beaches and a lagoon, Lizard Island is accessible only by a one hour flight onboard a private charter from Cairns Airport in northern Queensland, Australia. Cairns Airport is accessible from all major Australian airports and directly from some cities in Asia.
LIZARD ISLAND, QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA
7. FOUR SEASONS GOLDEN TRIANGLE, THAILAND
A natural paradise surrounded by majestic mountains, Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle puts you in an exquisite bamboo jungle close to some of Thailand’s oldest civilizations. Here, you can ride an elephant, take a nature stroll, and discover the customs of northern Thailand’s most colourful hilltribes. Four Seasons Tented Camp contains just 15 tents, where you can stretch out in 54 square metres (581 square feet) of living space appointed with leather-and-hardwood bush chairs, paddle fans and a hardwood desk, or soothe your muscles in a custom-made wooden hot tub on the outdoor deck.
Hotel website: Four Seasons Golden Triangle
Other accolades: Four Seasons Golden Triangle also features in my top 10 lists of the world’s most expensive hotels, the best luxury hotels in Thailand, and the most luxurious glamping sites.
Tip: enjoy exclusive VIP amenities when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. daily breakfast and $100 USD spa credit).
How to get there: the Four Seasons Golden Triangle can be reached by a 75-minute flight from Bangkok to Chiang Mai followed by a four-hour scenic drive passing dozens of hill-tribe villages as well as a brief long-tail boat ride down the Ruak River.
FOUR SEASONS GOLDEN TRIANGLE, THAILAND
6. PARK HYATT MALDIVES HADAHAA
The Maldives’ ultraluxe resorts are some of the most remotely located hotels on earth since they all occupy their own secluded, private island scattered along the Equator. Unless you stay in the North or Male South atoll close to the international airport, you will need to transfer to your resort by waterplane or a domestic turboprop flight upon arrival in the Maldives. Located in one of the largest and deepest atolls in the world, North Huvadhoo, the Park Hyatt Hadahaa is one of the most difficult resorts to get to in the Maldives, and getting there requires perseverance but it’s worth the travel burden. Featuring a strikingly modern, minimalist decor, the resort features only 50 villas, on land and over water, and the impressive spaces are designed with the utmost comfort and luxury in mind.
Hotel website: Park Hyatt Maldives Hada
Other accolades: Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa also features in my top 10 list of the best luxury hotels for amazing award redemptions and the best hotels in the Maldives.
Tip: enjoy free VIP amenities when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. room upgrade, daily breakfast, early check-in, late check-out, and $100 USD spa credit).
How to get there: domestic flights to Park Hyatt Maldives are arranged via Maldivian Airlines and waiting times at the airport may vary from a minimum of 1 hour to a maximum of 4 hours. The shortest flight from Male to Kooddoo – the getaway airport to the Nirth Huvadhoo atoll – is approximately 1 hour and the longest flight takes approximately 1 hour 45 minutes due to a ‘stop over’ in Kadhdhoo Domestic Airport. An exciting speedboat journey of approximately 30-40 minutes (weather dependent) will follow as the final stretch of your journey to the paradise island.
PARK HYATT MALDIVES HADAHAA
5. ULTIMA THULE LODGE, ALASKA, USA
Paradise lies deep in the Alaskan wilderness, more precisely in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, which is part of the largest protected land mass on earth. Located a hundred miles from paved roads and quite possibly the most isolated lodge in the Americas, Ultima Thule Lodge is immersed in nature, steeped in luxury, and centered on adventure. The main lodge sits at the top of the hill and houses the dining room, open kitchen, and sitting room with floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over the mighty Chitina River and mountains to the South. The lodge offers 5 private cabins built using local timber and designed to maximize privacy.
Hotel website: Ultima Thule Lodge
How to get there: it’s a six-hour drive from Anchorage (Alaska’s capital) to Chitina, then a 90-minute flight from the airstrip to the lodge.
ULTIMA THULE LODGE, ALASKA, USA
4. SONEVA KIRI, THAILAND
Soneva Kiri is my favorite hotel in the world, and that’s partly explained by its exceptional location. Remote yet accessible by a 1,5 hour flight from Bangkok on the resort’s private plane, Soneva Kiri occupies a secluded spot on Thailand’s fourth largest but least populated island, Koh Kood, in the Gulf of Siam. It has 29 spectacular private villas – amongst the largest in the world – that are built on hillsides blanketed with ancient rainforest and overlooking the turquoise waters. Guest are given their own buggy to get to the private and stunning, coconut palm shaded beach, where your toes will go into the powdery soft sand, and where you can stroll through the pristine waters with the ocean lapping at your calves. Be prepared for a phenomenal experience!
Hotel website: Soneva Kiri
Other accolades: Soneva Kiri features in my top 10 lists of the world’s most amazing beach resorts, the world’s most outrageous hotel experiences, the world’s most insanely beautiful hotel beaches, the best private plunge pools in the world, the world’s best luxury hotels, the world’s best family hotels, the best luxury hotels in Thailand, and luxury hotels with private airports.
Tip: enjoy free VIP amenities when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. villa upgrade, breakfast, early check-in , late check-out, welcome Champagne with Thai tapas on arrival, and a 30 minute spa treatment for two).
Review: read here my review of Soneva Kiri.
Complimentary room upgrade: contact me to get a complimentary room upgrade at Soneva Kiri.
How to get there: it’s a 1,5 hour flight from Bangkok on the resort’s private plane.
3. JALAKARA, ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS
Jalakara resort – named after the ancient sanskrit word meaning’ the source’ – is the realization of a dream of a globetrotting British couple. The property used to be a banana & betel nut plantation, but is now transformed into gorgeous rainforest-beachy hideaway with just six suites and one private villa, all of them offering glimpses of fabulous views across the forest towards the sunset and sea. The resort features a modern design with some traditional touches and is located in the remote Andaman Islands, a pristine archipelago in the Bay of Bengal also known as the Indian Maldives, that is famous for holding some of the world’s most isolated tribes.
Hotel website: Jalakara
How to get there: The Andaman Islands can currently only be accessed by plane from mainland india. There are daily flights to the capital, Port Blair, from Chennai and Kolkata and weekly flights from Bangalore, Dehli and Mumbai. From Port Blair it is another 2 hours by ferry to Jalakara.
JALAKARA, ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS
2. NIMMO BAY, BRITISH COLUMBIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA
Remote coastal rainforests stretching as far as the eye can see, and a ring of snow-capped mountains meeting the shoreline of a wide, calm bay will be your first sight when arriving by helicopter at the exclusive Nimmo Bay Resort. The main lodge actually floats on the bay, with two cedar hot tubs steaming away at the foot of a cascading waterfall. Nimmo Bay Resort offers plenty of adventure varying from heli-fishing and grizzly bear spotting in a quiet valley, to river rafting, whale watching, or heli-hiking atop some of those sparkling mountain peaks. At Nimmo Bay Resort, food is also a big part of the adventures, with fresh, local, coastal, homemade fare, such as fresh salmon and Dungeness crab.
Hotel website: Nimmo Bay
Other accolades: Nimmo Bay also features in my top 10 list of the best luxury hotels in Canada.
How to get there: Nimmo Bay Resort is accessible only by air or water, and getting here is part of the adventure. The resort is a 20 minute helicopter or floatplane ride from Port Hardy on the remote, northern tip of Vancouver Island. The latter can be accessed by a combined ferry and road day trip, an eight-hour cruise, or a one-hour flight onboard a light aircraft from Vancouver.
NIMMO BAY, BRITISH COLUMBIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA
1. EXPLORA RAPA NUI, EASTER ISLAND, CHILE
Easter Island, famous for its Giant moai statues dotting the grassy flanks of an extinct volcano, is located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, roughly halfway between South America and French Polynesia. It does feature a stunning hotel, Explora Rapa Nui, which is located on a tranquil spot from which the island’s mysteries and dramatic isolation are in full view. The hotel’s award-winning architecture blends the island’s unique geography and heritage, with its vibrant present. The 30 rooms are designed to take full advantage of the silence, privacy, and spaciousness of the surrounding landscape, ensuring deep rest after a long day of exploration.
Hotel website: Explore Rapa Nui
Tip: enjoy exclusive VIP amenities when booking via Virtuoso (e.g. daily breakfast, upgrade, early check-in, late check-out, and $100 USD gift card).
How to get there: Easter Island is a five-hour flight from the nearest airport, either Santiago in Chili or Tahiti, both routes being served by LATAM airlines. Since there are no diversion points in between, only one plane can fly to Easter Island at a time to prevent trouble in case that something would happen and the single runway ends up being obstructed by debris.
EXPLORA RAPA NUI, EASTER ISLAND, CHILE
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Top 10: world’s most remote luxury hotels to get away from it all
Monday newsletters always feature top 10 travel lists to inspire. Today (August 22, 2016): top 10 most remote luxury hotels in the world.