There are destinations that put the awe in awesome, and then there are hotels that almost outshine their locale — where the rooms, restaurants, spas and suites are so sweet, you may forget all about the island, town or city you’re visiting.
From imposing views of the Himalayas at a hill station hotel in India to sumptuous overwater bungalows in the Fari Islands, these eight accommodations in idyllic locations — chosen by Marriott Bonvoy members — could easily be featured on “Wish you were here!“ postcards.
The Hong Kong High Life
Towering above the city’s bustle, The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong elevates travelers more than 100 floors to the top tiers of Kowloon’s International Commerce Centre skyscraper. From this lofty roost, panoramic skyline and harbor views greet guests inside spacious suites (some with telescopes!).
The views are just as spectacular from the infinity pool on the 118th floor, as well as from tables in the two Michelin-starred restaurants. What’s more, you’ll feel like Lando Calrissian in Cloud City when you order a cocktail at Ozone, one of the world’s highest bars (by floors, not elevation), that has a space-age feel.
The Water World Refuge
Placid turquoise seas beckon in every direction at The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort. Built on a tiny atoll in the Indian Ocean that’s part of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, most of the resort’s villas, its spa and one of its restaurants dangle enticingly over water.
When you aren’t looking for manta rays swimming below your private deck, or lounging on a massage bed set atop a glass floor, you’ll want to grab a waterproof camera and snorkel or scuba dive, capturing underwater images to compete with the never-ending aquamarine views above.
The Exclusive Maldives Escape
Looped like a black pearl necklace atop an azure backing, the circular overwater villas of The Ritz-Carlton Maldives hang enticingly from their Fari Islands mooring in the Indian Ocean.
The minimalist villas — with infinity pools that blur the line between sea and sky — scream out for photo-ops, and the resort offers workshops to help you perfect your trigger finger.
After swinging in your overwater hammock or snorkeling from your private sundeck, summon the villa butler to deliver cocktails and canapes to your slice of paradise.
The Pastel-Hued Vietnamese Hideaway
A former 19th-century French university is now transformed into the palatial JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay Resort & Spa on the island of Phu Quoc, Vietnam. Here, European design elements meet tropical colors next to the Gulf of Thailand.
Take a dip in the photogenic, seashell-shaped pool that abuts a sandy, palm-shaded beach, or sink into a sumptuous chair and admire the sea views through the iron fretwork of your private balcony.
Don’t forget to chronicle your evening inside the Pink Pearl, an oceanfront mansion that serves French cuisine.
The Balinese Beauty
While vacationing at W Bali – Seminyak, get your picture taken sunbathing on a pink float at a terraced pool inspired by rice paddies or while eating lunch inside a birdcage-enclosed booth at Starfish Bloo.
Everything about this resort calls out to be digitally captured, from the villas’ private plunge pools and the lip-shaped red pillows decorating the beachfront cabanas to the spherical lanterns illuminating popular Woobar.
The Mumbai Maharaja
With on-call butler service and afternoon tea, luxury lives on at The St. Regis Mumbai. Savor city views from the opulent guest rooms, blue-tiled outdoor pool or dreamy rooftop bar. Sink into the elegant couches inside the grand lobby or the gold banquettes of the Sahib Room & Kipling Bar.
When you leave the hotel, Mumbai’s other famous sights will vie to be immortalized through your lens, from the nearby Gateway of India monument to the cave temples on Elephanta Island, constructed in the mid-fifth to sixth centuries.
The Himalayan Hideaway
Perched at 6,932 feet in the foothills of the Garhwal Himalayas, the JW Marriott Mussoorie Walnut Grove Resort & Spa overlooks deep valleys and soaring peaks from Mussoorie, one of India’s famous hill stations known as the “Queen of the Hills.”
Large windows in the simple, modern rooms invite the mountains and forest indoors, and if you need more Instagram inspiration, see the region’s trees, rivers, waterfalls and mountain vistas up close on a hike or a rafting trip.
The Modern Japanese Marvel
Sliding shoji screens, wall-to-wall windows and smiley-face pillows in the guest rooms are just a few touches of Japanese culture and kitsch inside W Osaka, a hotel that melds heritage with modern design in a city famous for its food scene.
Though it’s tempting to stay here and turn the hotel’s cuisine, your room’s chic cocktail bar, and the lobby’s flashy Living Room mingling space into endless Instagram stories, venture outside and find other picture-perfect sights, including Osaka Castle and the city’s many markets.
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