Cubenedo

Occupying a historic landmark mansion just blocks from Lake Winnipesaukee, Pickering House Inn opened in 2018 as a contemporary guest house. Each of the 10 rooms has its own distinct design, and a delicious gourmet breakfast is included.

This family-friendly resort takes full advantage of its surroundings — a verdant jungle and the striking Arenal Volcano. Details like cozy casitas with private outdoor showers, multiple pools and hot tubs, several dining venues with ample options, and an array of tours and wildlife experiences combine for an unforgettable experience.

Guests make their grand arrival by boat to the Leela Palace Udaipur, which is right on Lake Pichola. The 80 rooms and suites all have water views, with the Aravalli Hills in the background.

Just a few miles from the Golden Temple, this luxury business hotel has tasteful rooms, three restaurants and bars, a spa, and a pool. The breakfast is especially tasty and the staff is warm and helpful.

The Finger Lakes got a near-instant icon when this 124-room lakefront resort opened in 2020. Willowbrook Spa features Nordic-inspired barrel saunas overlooking the lake, along with a calming sunroom and a tranquil garden. Guests can swim in the outdoor pool, soak in the hot tub, or go out on the lake in canoes, kayaks, and stand-up paddleboards.

Housed in an 18th-century mansion surrounded by lavender and cypress trees, this Relais & Chateaux property is a draw for both its proximity to Aix-en-Provence (it's a 15-minute walk to Cours Mirabeau) and countryside seclusion. The 23 rooms and suites have either a private garden of views of the sprawling grounds, and each one is outfitted in toile, cream, and crimson Louis XV furnishings. The outdoor pool is, of course, a highlight, as is the on-site wine cellar and spa. Head to the restaurant for a seasonal menu that pairs Provençale, French, and Mediterranean dishes with Bordeaux, Burgundy, and local wines—all served on the terrace during the summer.

Life isn’t perfect. That’s why we have places like Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, where the world’s most glamorous people descend every summer to live on what feels like an impeccably styled film set. The last day of my most recent stay here—the one I had reserved to spend entirely by its swimming pool, cut into rocks overlooking a glittering blue Mediterranean Sea—turned out to be gray and overcast. By this time, I had already experienced the other attractions: the rose garden, the tennis courts, the private cabanas where I enjoyed a massage, the restaurants that manage to feel casually chic in the day and all dressed up at night, and the Manolo Valdés exhibition on its perfectly manicured lawns, where pine trees are being carefully planted to eventually replace the imposing ones standing now. This is a place where nostalgia is kept alive, where corridors are filled with photographs of its most famous guests from the past 150 years, where golden sunshine infuses everyone and everything with an air of romance, so that your time here feels lengthened and expanded, and etched in memory no matter how short your visit actually is. You will leave so well taken care of, so well fed, so intoxicated by the heady, fragrant summer breeze that even a cold final day on the French Riviera will not taint your mood. Instead, it will seem like just a little twist in the plot, enough to make you believe that the rest of your life is pretty perfect after all. Doubles from $740. —Divia Thani

To book a stay at this impeccably designed escape, guests must send an inquiry through the website—a sign of just how exclusive the hotel is. The reward is an extremely private getaway with a relaxing natural, neutral design. A 1950s-era beach motel was transformed into this serene escape, which opened in April 2017. The hotel is a study in high-design restraint—which is clear after setting one foot inside its almost hidden entrance. Guests enter into a courtyard that looks out onto the ocean, which leads to a beautiful garden. Follow the path to a deck made from ipe wood that overlooks Carbon Beach and Malibu Pier.