The 10 Most Beautiful Clifftop Hotels in the World

Private plunge pools aside, there are few things more thrilling and luxurious than a clifftop hotel. Perhaps it’s the sheer seclusion, or the unobstructed views, or the feeling that you’re living on the edge—quite literally. From lofty hideouts on the Amalfi Coast to precariously-perched Balinese sanctuaries, we’ve hand-picked the world’s most beautiful clifftop hotels.
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    Courtesy Monastero Santa Rosa

    Monastero Santa Rosa (Amalfi Coast, Italy)

    Perched high above the fishing village of Conca dei Marini, this 17th-century monastery-turned-luxury hotel is worth visiting for the views alone. Though the hotel is just four years old, it’s already established itself as one of the most beautiful hotels on the Amalfi Coast, holding its own against grand dames like Le Sirenuse. We prefer Monastero for its secluded location—hidden away in the cliffs between touristy Amalfi and Positano—and its spectacular rooftop pool, which sits at the edge of a cliff, 660 feet feet above the Tyrrhenian Sea.

  • Courtesy Cliff House Hotel

    Cliff House Hotel (Ardmore, Ireland)

    The aptly-named Cliff House is one of Ireland’s most beautiful and scenic hotels, clinging to a cliff overlooking Ardmore Bay. The ultramodern building’s angular slate-and-glass design is a dramatic contrast to its craggy, untamed surroundings, which makes for some Instagram-worthy photographs. Not surprisingly, each of its 39 cozy, sun-drenched rooms come with stunning bay views, but book a terrace suite for extra bragging rights.

  • Courtesy Post Ranch Inn

    Post Ranch Inn (California, USA)

    Set atop a towering mountain ridge above the Pacific, this 19th-century homestead is one of the dreamiest destinations in the country. Bungalows of slate, marble, and wood are divvied up between separate buildings and are designed to blend seamlessly into the property’s lush natural landscape (book one with an ocean or mountain view). The property’s pièce de résistance? The Jade Pool, an ocean-facing infinity hot tub perched at the edge of the bluff.

  • Courtesy Mystique

    Mystique, A Luxury Collection Hotel (Santorini, Greece)

    Built right into the face of Santorini’s dramatic sea cliffs, Mystique boasts unrivaled views over Santorini's caldera and the southern Aegean Sea. The boutique hotel’s 18 whitewashed, free-form rooms are also carved directly into the cliff, and feature uninterrupted vistas across the caldera all the way to Fira, the island's capital. Mystique’s pool bar, Aura, makes for the ideal spot to watch the sunset.

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  • Courtesy Bulgari Resort

    Bulgari Resort Bali (Bali, Indonesia)

    Though gorgeous hotels in Bali are a dime a dozen, the Bulgari Resort, with its lofty clifftop perch 500 feet over the Indian Ocean, is at the top of the list. Located on the rugged Bukit Peninsula at Bali’s southern tip, you’ll find show-stopping ocean views from every vantage point, whether you’re at the pool, any of its four bars and restaurants, or your own villa. Added bonus: there’s a secluded beach tucked beneath the hotel, accessible only by a glass elevator that makes the 500-foot journey down the cliff face.

  • Courtesy Alila Jabal Akhdar

    Alila Jabal Akhdar (Nizwa, Oman)

    Getting to Alila Jabal Akhdar is no easy feat: the hotel is perched on the craggy summit in the central section of the Al Hajar mountains, accessible only via four-wheel drive vehicle. But it’s worth the trek—upon arrival, you’ll be rewarded with 360-degree mountain vistas, not to mention heart-stopping views over the 2,000-foot-deep ravine below. With the hotel being so remote, there’s really not much to do besides explore the canyons and admire your rugged surroundings from the infinity-edge swimming pool (but then again, that’s exactly why you’re here.)

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  • Courtesy The Caves

    The Caves (Negril, Jamaica)

    Perfectly positioned on the honeycombed cliffs of Negril's scenic West End, this idyllic resort consists of 13 stone-and-wood cottages overlooking the Caribbean. The Caves makes the most of its dramatic location with numerous sun-decks, a bar and restaurant built into a limestone grotto, and an ocean-facing pool. Not that you’ll ever need to use it: the best part about staying here, after all, is being able to cliff-dive right into the aquamarine ocean, which rests just steps from your private cottage.

  • Courtesy Cape View Clifton

    Cape View Clifton (Cape Town)

    Ready for a respite from bustling Cape Town? Look no further: this low-key, seven-room boutique hotel makes for the perfect cliffside hideout. As its name suggests, the hotel boasts sweeping views over the the Atlantic Ocean and Twelve Apostles, best enjoyed from the sunken pool or the sprawling sun-deck. Added bonus: there’s not one—but four—beautiful, unspoiled beaches located right beneath the hotel.

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  • Courtesy Jumeirah Port Soller

    Jumeirah Port Soller (Mallorca, Spain)

    Set high on a bluff overlooking the fishing village of Port Soller on the rugged west coast of Mallorca, the Jumeirah, expectedly, has fantastic ocean views. But what might surprise you are the equally stunning mountain views you’ll find on the other side of the hotel, which is backed by the majestic Serra de Tramuntana mountain range. Throw in 121 ultra-luxe guest rooms, two infinity pools, a handful of ocean-facing bars, and 22,000-square-foot spa, and you’ve got Spain’s best clifftop hotel.

  • Courtesy Jade Mountain Resort

    Jade Mountain Resort (St. Lucia, Caribbean)

    Nestled dramatically into a lush volcanic cliff, this architecturally-striking resort comes replete with uninterrupted views over St. Lucia’s Piton Mountains and the Caribbean Sea. And we mean uninterrupted: each of Jade Mountain’s 24 infinity pool suites is missing a fourth wall, meaning there’s literally nothing standing between you and the incredible expanses before you. If you can manage to drag yourself out of your suite, watch the sunset from the resort’s Celestial Terrace, which marks the highest point of the hotel.