Every travel agent keeps a running list of hotels they cannot stop thinking about. Ours live in screenshots, saved tabs, and the occasional 11 p.m. text that says “look at this view.” We asked the team to share the places at the top of their lists for 2027, and the answers range from a private bay in Indonesia to an artist’s house in Marseille.
Here are eight hotels that have us opening our laptops, desperate to click “book.” If one of them is calling your name too, we can build a trip around it.
Sea Dragon Lodge, Kangaroo Island, Australia
Nancy Jane’s pick
Sea Dragon Lodge has a little bit of everything. It sits on Pink Bay, across 320 acres of private coastal bushland with its own beach, and half the property is a protected wildlife conservancy. Rooms, suites, and villas all face the ocean, each with an outdoor deck. Kangaroo Island also has wineries, a distillery, and boutique breweries, so the wine-and-wildlife combination is covered. Guests who book an experience package can add a full-day nature tour through Flinders Chase National Park and Seal Bay Conservation Park.
Château Saint-Martin & Spa, Vence, France
Nancy Jane’s pick
The French Riviera gets crowded, and Château Saint-Martin solves that by sitting up in the hills of Vence, away from the coast. The gardens were once walked by Matisse, Picasso, and Chagall. Six Provençal-style villas are built into an olive-tree hillside, and one of the restaurants, L’Oliveraie, is set among centuries-old olive trees. Add a La Prairie spa and the kind of service Nancy Jane calls impeccable, and the gorgeous rooms and views are almost a bonus. The hotel runs on a seasonal calendar, so timing matters when planning a stay.
Lovango Resort + Beach Club, U.S. Virgin Islands
Nancy Jane’s pick
Lovango Resort has a ten-minute ferry ride from St. John and St. Thomas to a private cay, and the resort takes up half the island. The other half is left undeveloped. There are 31 places to stay: treehouses, glamping tents with outdoor showers facing the Caribbean, and villas with private decks. A 70-foot infinity pool overlooks the water. A complimentary ferry runs to Cruz Bay for dinner, with a moonlit boat ride back.
Pavillon Southway, Marseille, France
Chloe’s pick
Pavillon Southway is an 1880s artist’s house in Marseille, and it works more like a museum you can sleep in. Each of its two rooms was furnished and decorated by artists. The Fresco room draws on Mediterranean antiquity, and the Gothic room looks out over the Marseille hills. The house also has an exhibition room, two living rooms, a kitchen, and a shaded courtyard. Art historians are on hand during the day to talk about art and the city, and guided visits of Marseille’s notable sites are part of the stay.
Palm Heights, Grand Cayman
Chloe’s pick
Palm Heights is an all-suite boutique hotel on Seven Mile Beach, with ocean views from every suite. Chloe loves it for the gorgeous property, the thoughtfully designed suites, and the fact that it is female-owned. The restaurants include Tillies, Yashinoki, and a rooftop space, and the wellness program is a real draw. The calendar also includes retreats, such as a freediving retreat for first-time certification.
Rockhouse, Negril, Jamaica
Shelley’s pick
Shelley admits she is not usually a hotel person, and Rockhouse is the exception. It sits on the volcanic cliffs of Pristine Cove, with stone and thatched-roof cottages built right into the rock, plus suites and oceanfront villas. Shelley loves that it is funky and laid-back, and that you can jump into the ocean from your room. The property includes cliffside dining, a spa, and about 8 acres of tropical gardens. One third of profits go to the Rockhouse Foundation, which supports education, health, and environmental projects in Negril.
Menjaga Bay, Flores, Indonesia
Shannon’s pick
Shannon booked Menjaga Bay for her honeymoon and has not stopped thinking about it. The resort sits in a private bay on the main island of Flores, facing the islands of Komodo National Park. The sea suites are overwater bungalows with steps straight into the water. There is a 360-degree bar at the end of a wooden pier for sunsets, a mangrove spa, and kayaks, paddleboards, and snorkeling gear for days on the water.
292 Aurland, Norway
Catherine’s pick
Catherine has already booked this one. 292 Aurland is a family-run boutique river lodge on a restored farm in the Norwegian fjords, in the Aurland valley near Flåm. The old smokehouse, once used to cure wild salmon, is now the dining room, where dinner is served at a communal table with seasonal ingredients. Local guides design hiking routes for every level. Catherine has her afternoon planned around a wood-fired sauna and a farm-to-table dinner.
Ready to Book One of These?
We can help you build a trip around any of them, from flights to private tours to dinner reservations. Explore our group trips for upcoming departures or contact us to start planning.