The Best Resorts in Asia: 2018 Readers' Choice Awards
Whether you're in Vietnam or Myanmar, Sri Lanka or India, Asian resorts offer serious luxury—and an opportunity to feel lost in paradise. This year, Bali's resorts gained plenty of ground, enticing travelers with beachfront retreats and spas to write home about; and Thailand, a regular on this list, again offered plenty of luxe options for the traveler willing to go the distance. Here are the best resorts in Asia—a mix of mountain hideouts, tony villas, and plenty of infinity pools—as voted by travelers in ourReaders' Choice Awards survey. Is your favorite on the list? If not, VOTE in this year's survey—and you might win a dream getaway for two. Counting down...
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Christian Horan/Courtesy Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayanhotel45. Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan, Indonesia
$$$ |
Gold List 2020 
Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan, on the banks of the Ayung River just outside arty Ubud, is still queen of the jungle two decades in. Waterfront villas with lotus-filled pools and a lobby terrace that overlooks dense, tumbling palms create a sense of lush timelessness. But a new cooking school and refreshed wellness program are now speaking to the mindful crowd that flocks to this corner of Indonesia. There’s no shortage of five-star resorts outside of Ubud, but this is where Julia Roberts camped out while shooting Eat, Pray, Love and the Obama family chose to stay for a few days in 2017, thanks to the property’s lush serenity and peerless privacy. The main building’s dramatic, elliptical architecture makes a statement from the moment you arrive, with panoramic views of the jungle and the rushing Ayung River. The décor, a mix of traditional and modern Balinese styles, conjures a distinct sense of place, while the spa is especially strong in a region known for its wellness offerings. Doubles from around $490.
Courtesy Starwood Hotels & Resorts/Photo by Ralf Tootenhotel44. The St. Regis Bali Resort, Indonesia
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023Occupying a prime tranche of sea coast in the resort enclave of Nusa Dua, the St. Regis brings Fifth Avenue smarts to the tropics without losing a scintilla of the island’s languorous magic. Spacious lagoon villas offer a choice of garden privacy, a private gate to the beach, or hop-in access to the meandering lagoon pool. There’s no end of things to do here—an athletic club, frequent cultural events, and an exquisite spa. The resort also abounds in private nooks: A magnificent formal garden dotted with thatched pavilions occupies an expanse of nearly two acres between the main building and the golf course. The beachside Kayuputi restaurant is easily one of the island’s best, offering extravagances like wagyu beef carpaccio and Sturia caviar.
Courtesy The Sanchayahotel43. The Sanchaya, Bintan Island, Indonesia
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Hot List 2015 Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018This 30-room-and-villa property—an imposing colonial mansion with a courtyard and a stone fountain—is serious about doling out a luxury experience. Check-in was done in-room with assistance from a British Butler Institute–trained butler. The suites, too, are handsomely appointed; floors were polished wood, the furniture sleek black bamboo, while antique maps and antiques added a touch of mystery and adventure. It’s Brad Pitt meets Indiana Jones. The beds are comfortable, and staff members are doting. You don’t get this level of luxe anywhere else in Bintan…or even nearby Singapore.
Courtesy Four Seasonshotel42. Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay, Indonesia
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021One of Bali’s most respected five-star all-villa retreats, and one of the first international chains to have arrived on the island, the Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay has been offering its own form of warm hospitality for more than three decades. After arriving at the open-air hilltop lobby, guests are gently ushered from the reception balé to a blessing from the resident Balinese Hindu priest—a completely magical welcome. Golf carts shuttle guests around the property, which is is more compact than the winding lanes convey, not to mention perfectly laid out.
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Courtesy Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spashotel41. Anantara Hoi An Resort, Vietnam
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2023Set on the Thu Bon River, this 93-room, colonial-style resort offers full immersion in Hoi An—you're less than a kilometer from its historic quarter, and a promenade takes you toward cafes, teahouses, and shrines within the UNESCO Heritage site. Rooms are crisp and contemporary—cool palates and clean lines—and offer a lovely counterpoint to the amazing lushness of the grounds and surrounding landscape. If you really want to take advantage of the relaxation possibilities, book a 90-minute Vietnamese four-hand massage (yes, that's two therapists to your one person) at the spa; because two really is better than one, right?
Courtesy Hotel Tugu Lombokhotel40. Hotel Tugu Lombok, Indonesia
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2021, 2023The lobby of this intimate resort is a 100-year-old carved wooden house incorporating Malay, Chinese, and colonial influences and stocked with funky antiques; dining is in a soaring pavilion by the pool, presided over by sculptures of Hindu deities. (Tugu Hotels' founder and designer has amassed quite the collection of fine Indonesian antiquities.) Spacious bungalows nestle around shaded walkways and brilliant tropical gardens, giving the place the tranquil atmosphere of a secluded compound, with hand-hewn furniture and copper tubs in the outdoor bathrooms. The feeling of isolation is maximized by Tugu's surroundings—farming villages and virgin wilderness—with the only other modern note an adjacent 18-hole golf course.
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Courtesy Amanhotel39. Amankila, Bali, Indonesia
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2021, 2022Wend your way to Bali’s less-explored and truly rural east coast; just after the almost-hidden sign for Amankila has nudged you to turn off the road, the dramatic, watery horizon comes into view. With greenery stretching for miles below and the island of Nusa Penida in the distance, this is the paradise travelers dream of—a world away from traffic-clogged, built-up Seminyak and Nusa Dua. Staggered on a hillside frothing with frangipani and bougainvillea are 34 standalone alang-alang-roofed villa suites. Even the entry-level Garden Suites are a cut above, but for a truly unforgettable experience, the Kilasari Suite, named after Amankila’s main temple, has a lovely sea-view infinity pool. There’s no dazzling you with hi-tech frippery; rather, here the luxury is a feeling that comes from having your own villa and private terrace. Rooms have sophisticated furniture with inlaid coconut and shell, and the ensuite bathrooms are nearly as large as the sleeping quarters. Order a mangosteen martini to toast your unmistakably Balinese setting—and your good fortune to be staying at an Aman. Then, in the open-air restaurant, feast on just-caught seafood, suckling pig, satay skewers, and sambals. One of the original Aman resorts, its name means “peaceful hill,” and it remains as charming as ever.
Courtesy Rosewood Phukethotel38. Rosewood Phuket, Thailand
$$$ | Gold List 2020 Hot List 2018 Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022The Thai island of Phuket has grown up from backpackers’ hangout to serious hotel destination. Relative newcomer Rosewood Phuket is leading the pack, and from the drive-up alone, you know this place is special: Lots of blond wood and imposing flagstones, with a breezy and spaced-out design. Free-standing bungalows go up and down the hillside, while pools, the spa, and bars and restaurants are scattered throughout. The set-up lets the property breathe—you never feel like you're sharing space with many others, even when the resort is full. And the Andaman Sea is visible from just about everywhere.
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Courtesy Four Seasonshotel37. Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai, Thailand
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021With a library, three pools, cooking classes, and a handful of upscale shops on-site, the Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai has a laundry list of extras—but it also offers spectacular scenery and a supreme sense of tranquility. The resort sits smack in the middle of rolling rice fields, the seeds of which you can learn to plant; or, opt for a nature walk instead, and head up the hills that surround the classic Lanna villas, with their steeply pitched roofs and teak floors. A team of 40 full-time gardeners—and some trusty water buffalo—work to maintain an organic farm and landscaped gardens on the resort's grounds.
Courtesy Sanctum Inle Resorthotel36. Sanctum Inle Resort, Inle Lake, Myanmar
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018Arriving by boat on the vast Inle Lake, you'd be forgiven for wondering whether you'd stumbled on a Benedictine abbey: The 95-room Sanctum Inle Resort, far from a traditionally appointed Burmese hotel, is a complex of arcaded cloisters, manicured lawns, and Mediterranean-style tiled roofs. Of course, inside, there are nods to its heritage—plenty of teak furniture and local fabrics—to bring you right back to Myanmar. The Cloister Bar, which opens onto an outdoor deck, offers Myanmar-brewed beers, along with two premium local vintages, perfect for sipping while you watch the sunset. Don't miss the Sanctuary Spa, either: The 30-minute Tamarind Skin Exfoliation is as cleansing as it is fragrant.
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Courtesy ITC Hotelshotel35. ITC Grand Bharat, A Luxury Collection Retreat, Gurgaon, New Delhi Capital Region, India
$$$ | Hot List 2015 Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018Aside from the fact that the ITC Grand Bharat is architecturally magnificent—the sprawling half-square-mile complex of blush-hued sandstone blocks looks like a medieval fortress—guests love the all-suite resort's elegant Peacock Bar, inspired by India's national bird. Wooden panels carved into the shape of the multi-colored bird frame the bar, where you're well-advised to pull up a chair and enjoy the 'bar theater' (an expert molecular mixologist may use liquid smoke in the making of your perfect drink).
Courtesy COMO Shambhala Estatehotel34. COMO Shambhala Estate, Bali, Indonesia
$$$ | Gold List 2018 Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023Entering the COMO Shambala Estate is like stepping into some kind of enchanted forest, with moss-covered stone walls centered around a cascading series of hand-cut grass terraces that slope down from a crystalline pool. The whole property sits on a promontory above two rivers, the Ayung and the Os—an auspicious position, according to Balinese tradition. More a residential retreat than a hotel, a three-night minimum stay is required for the kind of health transformation COMO aims to induce, and privacy is paramount—no wonder many celebrities come here for extended immersions. Guests looking for transformation can join one of four targeted holistic wellness programs offered by the spa: Cleanse, Be Active, Ayurvedic, and Bespoke. It’s a quiet and seriously spiritual place.
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Courtesy IHHR Hospitalityhotel33. Ananda in the Himalayas, Narendra Nagar Tehri–Garhwal, India
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023You can't get much closer to nirvana than Ananda in the Himalayas, which sits in the foothills of the Indian Himalayas near the birthplace of yoga, meditation, and Ayurveda (a form of alternative healing that stresses the connection between body and mind), and the place where the Beatles met the Maharishi. The resort takes this legacy seriously, with a holistic approach to wellness that combines Eastern and Western healing methods—Ayurveda and aromatherapy treatments are at your disposal, as is a 24,000-square-foot, 24-treatment-room spa that near guarantees a restorative experience. The fresh air and 100 acres of forest don't hurt, either.
Courtesy Anantara Seminyak Bali Resorthotel32. Anantara Seminyak Bali Resort, Indonesia
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2020The view from Anantara's Seminyak Bali Resort, which unfurls out towards the Indian Ocean, could easily be the best part about this 60-room, all-suite haven—but, somehow, there's plenty else to eclipse it. We could start with its infinity edge swimming pool, or rooftop lounge; there's also its sleek, contemporary design, full of sharp, 90-degree angles, plus nearly each suite's two-person balcony Jacuzzis, to consider. Once you've spent the day lounging on a beanbag, beachside, it'll be hard to shift into dining room mode. But you can forget the slacks, if you like: the resort offers al fresco private dining, with sunset meals tailored to your taste.
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Courtesy Shangri-La Hotels & Resortshotel31. Shangri-La’s Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa, Penang, Malaysia
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2022, 2023Located on the northern tip of Penang Island, off Malaysia's western coast, Shangri-La's Rasa Sayang Resort has all the trappings of an outsized luxury resort without the crowds. Rooms are split between the low-key Garden Wing, with its surplus of family-friendly rooms and suites, and the exclusive, more buttoned-up Rasa Wing (the latter has private access and a lounge with a dress code). While the colonial George Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is just a complimentary shuttle ride away, there are plenty of diversions available on the hotel grounds itself: A short list includes multiple swimming pools, a par 3 putt-and-pitch golf course, and Chi, an 11-villa spa set in a secluded corner of the resort offering traditional Malay and Chinese treatments.
Courtesy Nihi Sumbahotel30. Nihi Sumba Island, Indonesia
$$ | Gold List 2018, 2020, 2023 Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023At Nihi Sumba, a quick 50-minute flight from Denpasar, a wilder sort of luxury reigns, where adventure (one of the world’s best private waves, God’s Left, is in front of the hotel) and solitude—550 acres of sand and forest—is more prized than pomp. As if the Cast Away vibes weren't strong enough, the resort also offers a Robinson Crusoe–style, three-villa treehouse in addition to its 27 villas. Round out your stay with the very active to-do list on the island: Catching a wave on Occy's Left and horseback riding over at Sandalwood. With strong ties to the local community and an ethos that channels the rustic surf hotel it once was, Nihi has managed the near impossible: five stars and cool.
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Courtesy Katamamahotel29. Katamama, Bali, Indonesia
$$ | Hot List 2017 Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019Seminyak is built-up and noisy, and Katamama is a welcome antidote to the more traditional resorts and guesthouses in this area. Owner Ronald Akili’s appreciation of the Jengki, a post-war modernist design movement, was a big factor in the stylings here. The Indonesian hotelier and restaurateur’s collection of midcentury-modern furniture includes Hans J. Wegner chairs and Paul McCobb tables, all of which feature in some of the hotel’s suites. Smooth teak furniture and other handicrafts, custom-made from local materials by local makers, further the hotel's mission to revive and preserve the fading arts of the Indonesian archipelago.
Courtesy Alila Hotels and Resortshotel28. Alila Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia
Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2020A slick, 240-room beachside complex, Alila Seminyak is where the cool kids come to play when they hit Bali. Its low-key, albeit high-luxe design—think clean lines, minimalist furniture, and a buzzy rooftop watering hole—helps it to fit right in with its surroundings. (The nearby neighborhood of Petitenget caters to a similar demographic, home to a cluster of top-line boutiques and trendy cafés). Start your day with one of the resort's daily, early-morning yoga classes or a session at the 24-hour gym, then hang back by one of the five pools until it's time to hit the seafood-driven Seasalt restaurant; don't leave without trying the grilled sand lobster, served with pickled beetroot and wasabi gel.
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Courtesy COMO Point Yamuhotel27. COMO Point Yamu, Phuket, Thailand
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023High above Phang Nga Bay, Como’s property has a near-panoramic vista of the glittering waters below. But the real beauty here is that there isn’t much to do beyond taking a dip in the phenomenal infinity pool, followed by a nap. The decor, by noted designer Paola Navone, is simple and open, and the 106 modern, airy rooms, suites, and villas are decorated in a palette of whites and deep blues. Our two favorite indulgences were the spa and, no joke, the laundry service. Is there anything better than getting your clothes back impeccably folded into beautiful rattan boxes? It’s details like these that elevate this property from just another hotel with a view into something more memorable.
Courtesy Ritz-Carltonhotel26. Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Bali, Indonesia
$$$ | Gold List 2024 Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2023When the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company bought an area of untamed land more than 10 years ago, it purchased twice the amount it needed to add another jewel to Bali’s hospitality crown. The result is a sprawling hotel footprint across 25 acres surrounded by lush rainforest and rice paddies that dramatically cascade down hillsides. Luminous dragonflies buzz, butterflies flit their kaleidoscopic wings and doe-eyed frogs croak in the distance—rather than interfering with their surroundings, this property honors them. Forget rooms, there are 60 suites and villas here, ranging in size from substantial to palatial. Bathtubs for two are wrapped in rattan and scented with ginger-lily salts, large balconies offer panoramic views of the sunset-facing valley and villas have infinity pools. Days start with breakfasts of jewel-colored fruits and steaming Javanese coffee. Supper is served in Japanese Ambar Ubud Bar and Kubu at Mandapa, where Eka Sunarya delights diners over eight- and 10-course tasting menus that utilize all the landscape has to offer. Families are welcome, and little ones are catered for in the kids’ club, which favors activities in the open air over technological distractions. It’s just as well, as missing out on a treatment in the riverside spa would be nothing short of a crime. —Lee Cobaj
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Frank Montanaro/Courtesy Aman Resortshotel25. Amanpulo, Pamalican Island, Philippines
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2016, 2017, 2018Facing the tranquil, atoll-studded Sulu Sea, are 42 beachfront, treetop, and hillside-studded casitas, modeled after indigenous bahay kubo dwellings. Access here is very James Bond-style: private planes whisk you to the resort, and villas are centered around swimming pools but you’ll never consciously realize when the indoor ends and the outdoors begin. The trick here is to do nothing, but stylishly: villas come with their own private chef and butler, and while you may not actually brush shoulders with the likes of Bill Gates, Tom Cruise, or Beyoncé, you’ll know that you are as much as a star as these regulars. Take in a traditional Hilot massage, which alternates hot and cold with banana leaves and cold-pressed coconut oil, to rebalance areas of tension; or channel your inner Julia Child by picking vegetables from the organic garden for the chef at the Clubhouse Restaurant to prepare.
Courtesy Anantara Chiang Mai Resorthotel24. Anantara Chiang Mai Resort, Thailand
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022Anantara has upped the ante in this posh town on the Mae Ping River. The 84 sleek rooms, protected from urban noise by two sets of thick doors, have sweeping floor-to-ceiling views of Thai river life. (There are also 24 serviced suites just across the road, which are optimal for families or extended stays.) Daybeds indoors and out are a relaxing pleasure, as are teak chaises by the riverfront pool. The hotel wraps around the open-air restaurant, where an East-meets-West menu is served all day long—think a breakfast buffet, loaded with fruits and juices, and later, flavorful plates of Kashmir chili and Indian spice–marinated chicken. A wrought iron staircase twists up to the rooftop bar. If you're looking to spice up your staid vacation itinerary, activities worth booking include a Muay Thai kickboxing class and a sunset river cruise.
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Didi Lotze/Courtesy Ayana Resort and Spa Balihotel23. Ayana Resort and Spa Bali, Indonesia
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2019, 2020Set on the cliffs of Bali’s Jimbaran Bay and spread across 220 acres, Ayana is a gargantuan resort—the kind where some guests might not leave until check-out time. The property has three sets of accommodations, 19 restaurants and bars, a dozen pools, a spa, a private beach, a cooking school overlooking rice paddies, a kid’s club and mini golf course, and Buddhist statues and shrines at every turn. The whole thing feels a bit like Disneyland for Eat, Pray, Love fans, complete with trams that maneuver around perfectly manicured stone paths, taking guests to and fro.
Courtesy The Ritz-Carltonhotel22. The Ritz-Carlton, Bali, Indonesia
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2020, 2023Set on a verdant cliffside above the Indian Ocean, The Ritz-Carlton, Bali is quite the eyeful: The resort, whose two distinct levels are connected by a soaring glass elevator, contains 313 suites and villas, six restaurants and bars, and a spectacular pool that hovers over the threshold of the Indian Ocean. You'll want to book a dinner at Bejana, for authentic Indonesian cuisine—the sambal udang, a dish of Kalimantan-style King prawns and tomato-chili relish, might nearly distract you from your view of the ocean below.
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Jason Lang & Christopher Wise/Courtesy Banyan Tree Samuihotel21. Banyan Tree Samui, Koh Samui, Thailand
Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2022, 2023The party-happy sands of Chaweng are just over the ridgeline to the north of Banyan Tree’s private, palm-lined bay, part of a hidden valley on the eastern shore of Koh Samui. In a feat of engineering and architecture, the villas dramatically ascend the hillsides on stilts, clinging to the slopes. The golf cart–driving chauffeurs mean it when they tell you to hold on. Each of the 88 villas has a sizable swimming pool outside and earth tones inside. No razzle-dazzle here. The real magic is in thoughtful details—a built-in head cushion in the bathtub, perfectly focused reading lights, and a rain-style showerhead. Best of all, the resort delivers a real sense of place, particularly in the restaurants’ authentic Thai dishes, the confident masseurs in the spa, and, of course, this being Thailand, a genuinely hospitable staff.
Courtesy Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resorthotel20. Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort, Chiang Rai, Thailand
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023Anantara’s superb setting on a sylvan hillside above the Mekong River, an hour north of Chiang Rai, isn't the only reason to love this 61-room and suite hotel. The accommodations, all with balconies, have teak floors and are decorated with northern Thai objects and textiles. The infinity pool has glorious Mekong views, and there’s a first-rate spa and two excellent restaurants, one serving spicy northern Thai and the other surprisingly good Italian. What really puts this place over the top, however, is the sweet, attentive, and welcoming staff, who fall all over themselves trying to anticipate your needs.
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Courtesy Wild Coast Tented Lodgehotel19. Wild Coast Tented Lodge, Yala, Sri Lanka
Hot List 2018 Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2020, 2021, 2023In no small feat, this Relais & Chateaux property has managed to combine the luxury of a lodge on the African savannah with the wildness of Sri Lanka's Yala National Park; it's romantic, faux-rustic, and dramatically set between the churning coast and dense parkland. The architecture of the property is also designed in the shape of a leopard's paw, in reference to Yala's most renowned sighting (the park has one of the highest densities of leopard in the world). You're likely to get to bed early here, but this is a blessing in disguise, as you'll have real time to enjoy the fabulous beds and creature comforts of the room—organic Ophir bath products, soft and luxurious towels and a bed that makes you want to sleep in each morning.
Ary Bestari/Courtesy The Legian Balihotel18. The Legian Bali, Indonesia
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020The handsome and distinguished Legian Bali, a classic five-star hotel, gets repeat guests galore. Hendra Hadiprana’s architecture might seem a little hard-edged and dated when you very first arrive past the high gates, but step inside and you'll be taken with the elegant teak antiques, parquet floors, and captivating art, all mapped out by the late interior designer Jaya Ibrahim. With a prime beachfront position, a show-stopping split-level swimming pool, and rolling gardens with tropical flowers, the grounds are all-out incredible. The 67 suites, grand as ever, follow suit with huge marble bathrooms with his-and-hers sinks, tubs and showers, and Acqua di Parma toiletries.
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Courtesy Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spashotel16. Anantara Peace Haven Tangalle Resort, Sri Lanka
$$ | Hot List 2017 Readers' Choice Awards 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021A secluded stretch of beach on the southernmost coast of Sri Lanka is just one of the smart draws of this 152-room resort, where the sound of the ocean is louder than patrons’ chatter. The respect for Ceylonese traditions involves a traditional high-tea served with single estate brews from the highlands, and generous accompaniments of expected scones and artisanal jams. You’d be wise to stay in the two-bedroom pool villa, which has a wine humidor, a butler pantry, and bicycles to use for as long as you’d like. An ancient therapy-based spa treatment followed by an extra chilled superfood wellness juice is just the antidote for heat-searing days.
Courtesy Anantara Uluwatu Bali Resorthotel15. Anantara Uluwatu Bali Resort, Indonesia
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021If you're thinking of booking a stay at Anantara Uluwatu Bali Resort but you're not quite sold, we'll try to make it an easy decision for you. With 72 spacious suites and villas—many with ocean views and jacuzzis, we might add—and a luxe, open-air concept that lets you make the most of that ocean breeze, the terraced resort won't leave anyone feeling shortchanged. If you want to add a little adrenaline to your beach vacation, this is just the place to do it—Uluwatu's beach is known for its epic surf breaks, so you'll have plenty of opportunities to practice (or show off) your skills.
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Courtesy Anantarahotel14. Anantara Hua Hin Resort, Thailand
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022Two-and-a-half hours south of Bangkok, the Anantara Hua Hin Resort, set in a sleepy seaside town once frequented by Thai royals as their summer playground, still looks the regal part. Rooms have hand-crafted wooden armoires, silk accents, and the occasional private terrace that overlooks either the tropical gardens or the Gulf of Thailand. The roughly 14-acre garden dreamt up by architect and landscape designer Bill Bensley is designed to resemble an ancient Thai village, and water features like lagoons and lotus ponds fill the property. There are plenty of restaurants and lounges to choose from, too: Readers recommend Rim Nam for Thai and fusion cuisines, and Issara Café for leisurely breakfasts; for a dining experience that's a little less conventional, there's Spice Spoons, to school you in the art of perfectly balanced curries.
Courtesy Four Seasons Resort Langkawihotel13. Four Seasons Resort Langkawi, Malaysia
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022When the Four Seasons opened their tropical resort in Langkawi in 2006, most of their clients had not even heard of the 99-island archipelago off Malaysia; the 91-room property right on the shores of the Andaman Sea is a testament to the luxury group’s ability to open in both well known destinations and to gamble on the barely discovered. Set out like a traditional Malay village, albeit one with far grander accommodations, the design borrows generously from the surrounding Indian, Balinese and Middle Eastern cultures. While palatial beachfront villas come with their own spa rooms and private plunge pools, even the pavilion rooms feel like mini-fiefdoms. Other highlights include the infinity lap pool with its cabanas framed by stone walls (high enough to block out the couples on either side), Moroccan tents set up beachside for private dinners, the excellent, mostly Balinese-trained, staff, and bathrooms you’ll want to transport home. Though its tempting to stay resort-side, take the time for a boat trip through the mangroves of Kilim River and the pristine, uninhabited outlying islands. As you drift along you’ll realize that opening in this idyll was really no gamble at all.
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Courtesy Ritz-Carltonhotel12. Phulay Bay, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Krabi, Thailand
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2023It’s all about the views at this hotel, which is on the Krabi coastline and has astonishing vistas of the Andaman Sea. Here, 54 sumptuous suites and villas sit amid tropical gardens and serpentine moats, but the extensive grounds have a downside: The sprawling property is perhaps more easily explored on wheels, and hotel staff will happily chauffeur you in the resort's golf carts. Rooms are Dubai-level lavish, with interiors of cream granite and white linen. The bathrooms have lotus-shaped sinks and outdoor tubs, and most rooms have massive beds.
Courtesy Soneva Kirihotel11. Soneva Kiri, Koh Kood, Thailand
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2019Soneva Kiri, on the still pristine Koh Kood, is among the most exciting resorts, not just in Thailand, but in all of Southeast Asia. Guests land on a private airstrip on neighboring speck Koh Mai Si and then take a short motor boat ride to a jetty jutting into a pretty cove. The resort sprawls over the island’s northern tip, and butlers shepherd guests over the manicured grounds by electric cart. Virtuously constructed from sustainable eucalyptus logs, native bamboo, and treated pine, the 36 villas—some fronting a gorgeous private beach, others up on the hillside—are actually multi-structured complexes spacious enough for an entire family and appointed with a dressing area, a separate dining deck, indoor and outdoor showers, and a private infinity pool. Chef Khun Benz spearheads the resort dining—including inside a bamboo "Treepod" served by a waiter on zipline—which matches dishes with a dizzyingly long wine list, makes use of locally sourced produce, and borrows from Thai, Mediterranean, and continental European cuisine. Another pleasant surprise is the Cinema Paradiso, an open-air movie theater with dinner service.
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Courtesy Iniala Beach House/©2012 Brent Madisonhotel10. Iniala Beach House, Phuket, Thailand
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019The design credentials are incredible at this collection of three villas and a penthouse, back on Phuket at Natai Beach. No matter where you stay, you'll have a butler, driver, chef, spa therapist, and housekeeper to attend to your every need. American chef Tim Butler heads up two restaurants: Iniala Dining, which dishes up Mediterranean-inflected meals and whose menu rotates daily, and Esenzi, which focuses on sustainably sourced seafood. The resort is also only a 20-minute drive from Phuket's airport (with multiple, daily flights from across all of Asia).
Courtesy El Nido Resortshotel9. El Nido Resorts - Pangulasian Island, Philippines
$$$ | Gold List 2018 Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022The most luxurious of El Nido Resorts' four Palawan archipelago properties comprises 42 villas laid out along a white-sand cove facing the emerald Bacuit Bay on the South China Sea. An hour-and-a-quarter-long charter flight southwest from Manila brings you to a one-runway airport where you're welcomed by a group of singing ladies. Your luxurious hideaway (a quick boat trip from the airport) is a launchpad to the island biosphere gloriously featured in The Bourne Legacy. With scuba courses and access to plentiful dive sites, as well as boat tours of mangroves and secret lagoons, you could spend all your time exploring, but the resort makes it equally tempting to stay put. There is a reef for snorkeling, a fleet of kayaks for guests' use, and a seemingly endless choice of lounging options.
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- DestinationsHow to Do Napa Without Breaking the Bank
hotel8. Cape Weligama, Sri Lanka
$$ | Hot List 2015 Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023The team behind Ceylon Tea Trails has opened its latest Relais & Chateaux resort on a 12-acre headland above Sri Lanka’s palm-lined southern coast. Between the on-site dive center and the infinity pool overlooking the Indian Ocean, it offers plenty of outdoor diversions. But you’ll also want to spend time in its 39 terracotta-roofed, butler-serviced villas, designed by Thai architect Lek Bunnag within stonewalled wattas, or gardens.
Klaus Lorke/Courtesy The Oberoi Vanyavilas, Ranthambhorehotel7. The Oberoi Vanyavilas, Ranthambhore, India
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023At this elegant, Oberoi-run retreat, spacious, magical, private tents are set between lemon and mango trees, with enclosed gardens, teak floors, claw-foot tubs, tiger motifs, and air conditioning. Water and flowering trees make the place feel like an Old-World safari camp. The dining room serves Indian, Thai, and Western cuisine. Arriving guests can be greeted by elephants at reception, before taking in tigers, bears, leopards, and hundreds of bird species on game drives. All this, an only a few hours drive south of Delhi.
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Courtesy Alila Hotels and Resortshotel6. Alila Diwa Goa, India
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2020So infused with traditional Goan design is the graceful, tile-roofed architecture, so massive and gnarled are the mango trees growing in its courtyards and gardens, that it’s not initially obvious that the Alila is, in fact, relatively new (it opened in 2010). The public rooms and corridors, open-sided and high-ceilinged, draw in the lush surroundings, which are cooled by reflecting pools and fountains. Dramatic lighting makes the outdoor setting, which includes an infinity pool with partially submerged recliners overlooking rice paddies and bamboo stands, even more magical at night. The 118 rooms and suites are furnished simply yet elegantly, enlivened by earth and jewel-colored headboards; the bathroom, enclosed by a lattice screen, has a tub, a walk-in shower, and a walk-in closet. The open-kitchen Vivo serves multiethnic cuisine at all meals; Spice Studio, a purely Indian menu in the evening.
Courtesy The Mulia & Mulia Villashotel5. The Mulia & Mulia Villas, Bali, Indonesia
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022The 219-room seaside Mulia & Mulia Villas in the southeastern tourist enclave of Nusa Dua is one of our readers' favorite resorts in Asia for a reason: The Indian Ocean is just steps away. The 20-room spa is well equipped to cure whatever ails you, from a Finnish wood sauna to a steam room, not to mention Bali's first (and presently, only) ice fountain room, set to 30 degrees Fahrenheit. Within the spa, there are also both hot and cold water pools for you to alternate between—and the shock to your system is one way to get that circulation going, if you'd rather not hit the fitness center. Alternately, spend a leisurely Sunday afternoon over brunch at Soleil, a Mediterranean spot infused with Vietnamese, Indonesian, and Thai flavors, where you can indulge in a generous spread of meats, grilled seafood, and an epic dessert buffet.
- Group TravelAn 8-Day Cycling Adventure From Tokyo to Kyoto
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Geoff Lung/Courtesy JW Marriotthotel4. JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay Resort & Spa, Vietnam
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021The inimitable hotel designer Bill Bensley is a master of fabulation, and here on Kem Beach, on the southern shore of Phu Quoc, he has concocted quite the tall tale. The hotel’s design concept weaves a story around the fictional historic Lamarck University, an homage to the French evolutionary theorist, which was supposedly founded in 1894, then abandoned in the 1940s, and ultimately restored by Marriott. Although he takes the theme to extremes in the public spaces—including the Department of Chemistry (a bar lined with periodic tables), and the Department of Physical Education (the gym, obvs—there are trophies, too)—the effect doesn’t mute the ample luxury of the hotel’s 234 rooms and villas with sea views and private pools.
hotel3. InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort, Vietnam
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022Though just 30 minutes from the Da Nang airport, InterContinental’s flagship Vietnam property feels much farther away from the “real world.” Scattered amongst the lush hills of the Son Tra Peninsula nature reserve and down to the sandy shores of the East Sea, the resort—which opened in 2012—has become one of the top picks in the country for relaxing getaways. While families tend to rule here, it's also a hit with couples and groups of friends, particularly those interested in cuisine and wellness. Adults can have their fun around the grown-ups-only infinity pool (there’s a garden pool for all ages), at daily activities like tai chi classes, and at the award-winning Harnn Heritage Spa, where the treatments range from holistic therapies to luxe mani-pedis created by French pedicurist Bastien Gonzalez. From the ocean- or mountain-view rooms and suites to the penthouses and the multi-bedroom villas, it's the perfect pick for some beachside R&R while in Vietnam.
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Courtesy COMO Hotels & Resorts/©2013 Martin Morrellhotel2. COMO Uma Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2022Because Bali is a tropical island, there's a misperception that it's all about beaches. Yet there’s little more dramatic than the magical tableau of Ubud's jungle scenes. At COMO Uma Ubud, coconut palms and banyan trees frame 46 rooms, suites, and villas, all designed by Koichiro Ikebuchi, offering an intimate, hyperlocal experience. At the heart of the resort is an 82-foot jade-green pool with rooms and eating areas staggered across the snug plot. Clever planning, fresh interior design, private courtyards, and infinity-edge plunge pools make the property feel modern—yet totally at home in Ubud.
Toshiko Kawana/Courtesy Viceroy Balihotel1. Viceroy Bali, Indonesia
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019Set in the so-called “Valley of the Kings,” a short drive from the cultural hub of Ubud, this collection of luxuriously appointed villas will make you feel like you are one of the Balinese royals that give the region its name. It begins as soon as you enter: The-two tiered entryway to this resort is equal parts lobby and porch, and the design of the space is almost as grand as the views it offers guests. The open-air area is covered by a thatched roof and has lounge chairs for resting before going out, or simply for looking out over the palm tree grove and pool area at any time of day. Each villa offers views over the gorge below that will make it hard to leave your private balé. At the Lembah Spa, there's—you guessed it—more views, paired with top-notch treatments that combine Western and local traditional techniques.
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