With Eid Al Adha just around the corner, most of us are thinking where to escape to for those four glorious days. Many will have their tried-and-true favourites, but since we like to do things a little differently around here, we’ve selected a list of ten properties for the “in the know” crowd. Whether you’re searching for something quirky and adventurous or a hidden corner of the world that’s beautiful and tranquil to unwind, we’ve got you covered.
Anantara Santorini Abu Dhabi Retreat, Abu Dhabi
For those who want a romantic European getaway, with minimal flight time
If you can’t bear the thought of long-haul travel, you can escape to a corner of Greece not too far from home at Anantara Santorini Abu Dhabi Retreat. Hidden halfway between Dubai and Abu Dhabi along a stretch of picturesque coastline, the adults-only retreat was designed to mirror the iconic buildings of the Greek islands. A tribute to Santorini with its elegant white domed structure and soothing minimalist spaces, there’s just 22 rooms, which makes the atmosphere magically serene, wonderfully private and the ideal place to soak in blissful silence, minus the jet lag.
Instagram: @anantarasantorini
Six Senses Ibiza, Spain
For those who want to recharge and reset in style
With expansive terraces that overlook the sea, rattan furniture, bamboo roofing and acres upon acres of unspoiled nature, Six Senses Ibiza is bohemian luxury done right. Located on Ibiza’s peaceful northern tip, it’s a refreshing change of pace from the island’s typical party scene. Instead, wellness and relaxation take centre stage, with an impressive roster of experiences, from morning yoga to sunset ceremonies to star gazing to zero waste workshops where you can make your own toothpaste. If sun salutations aren’t your thing, you can take a ladder that leads directly into the sea to snorkel, sail or explore the nearby coves to your heart’s content.
Instagram: @sixsenses.ibiza
Hotel Corazón, Spain
For those in search of an artsy hideaway
Tucked in the Tramuntana Mountains of Mallorca, Hotel Corazón is painfully cool. With its walls covered with artwork, sleek lines and go-with-the-flow contours and curves, the ‘chillax’ vibes are set the moment you enter. Featuring just 15 rooms furnished with custom handmade pieces and illuminated by crystal lamps, it's less a hotel, and more like staying over at your cool artist friend’s house. Which is not far off as Hotel Corazón is the brainchild of artists Kate Bellm and Edgar Lopez. Here, there are no TVs, but stunning mountain views and spontaneous happenings, from sound baths, farming, musical jam sessions and art workshops.
Instagram: @hotelcorazon
Four Seasons Hotel Firenze, Italy
For those in search of a cultural getaway
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Florence is steeping in historical and artistic beauty, so where you put your head down for the night should match. Set within two Renaissance palaces, Four Seasons Florence will have you feeling like you’ve been transported back in time. It’s full-on Florentine grandeur with stunning architecture, lush gardens and museum-worthy rooms adorned with hand-painted ceilings, period furniture, coffered ceilings and frescoed living spaces. With impeccable Four Seasons service and all the galleries and iconic sites just a step away, the only trouble is leaving.
Instagram: @fsflorence
AREV St. Tropez, France
For those who crave the heydays of the French Riviera
There’s nothing more iconic than the French Riviera and no town is more infamous than the legendary Saint Tropez. A fairly new property in the region, AREV is not your typical hotel. It's a private villa-esque oasis brimming with personality and a retro yacht club aesthetic, think vertical stripes, a nautical colour palette, classic painted wooden shutters and countless black and white photos capturing the Saint Tropez of the seventies. Boasting one of the largest pools in town and just 35 rooms, not to mention that the property is just steps away from the Place des Lices and all the prime port-side people-watching action, AREV is a secret you’ll want to keep.
Instagram: @arev.sttropez
Dexamenes Seaside Hotel, Greece
For those who like the unusual and unexpected
It's not every day you can stay in somewhere called a 'ChemLab Suite' or sleep in an actual wine tank, but then again, Dexamenes isn't your usual hotel. Once an abandoned wine factory, this postwar winery has been transformed into an ultra-luxe resort set along one of the most unspoiled stretches of coastline in the western Peloponnese. Design-wise, its brutality meets elegance, think concrete, steel, timber and glass, softened by minimalist furniture and uninterrupted views of the Ionian Sea. It shouldn't work, but it does.
Instagram: @dexamenes
Cuixmala, Mexico
For those who love wild landscapes and getting lost in them
Boasting a nature reserve of more than 30,000 acres, calling Cuixmala (located on Mexico's Pacific Coast) a hotel feels wrong. Originally a private retreat for billionaire Sir James Goldsmith and his family – who still manage the place – it’s now a luxury eco-resort of gargantuan proportions. With 3 private beaches, endless stretches of lush tropical forest teeming with wildlife (from crocodiles to howler monkeys) and only 43 terracotta-hued rooms in the middle of it all, it’s every wilderness lover's dream.
Instagram: @cuixmala
La Maison Bleue, Egypt
For those searching for a slice of maximalist heaven
A bronze mermaid in the pool, stone elephants on the terrace and mystical figures painted on the walls are just some of the few opulent treasures you can find at La Maison Bleue. This pastel blue palazzo, in the resort town of El Gouna, stretches out alongside a private lagoon just moments away from the Red Sea. Designed by antiques collector Amr Khalil and with just 13 suites, a Roman-inspired spa and a private beach, it's the ultimate intimate escape for aesthetes, artists and dreamers.
Instagram: @lamaisonbleueelgouna
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Royal Mansour Marrakech, Morocco
For those who want to live like royalty
Owned by King Mohammed VI, no expense has been spared at Royal Mansour Marrakech, which results in a dangerously opulent getaway that transcends the typical hotel experience. You don’t stay in a room, but in an entire riad. Built like mini palaces, each riad boasts a private courtyard (with fountain, of course), a rooftop terrace overlooking the city and a plunge pool. The service is just as impressive, thanks to the property’s unique underground tunnel system, which allows staff to remain unseen until they appear at your door for whatever you need.
Instagram: @royalmansourmarrakech
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Desert Rock, Saudi Arabia
For those who want to sleep close to the stars
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The kind of hotel that needs to be seen to be believed, Desert Rock isn’t just a hotel that’s in the desert, it’s literally carved into it. Villas are burrowed right in the mountains, offering surreal views that make you feel like you’re floating above the desert, and each room comes with a private pool somehow magically wedged between centuries-old rugged cliff faces. Although it’s remote and ancient, there’s a lot to do at the resort – from adrenaline-fuelled desert adventures to soothing spa therapies.
Instagram: @desertrockresort
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