Some can only aspire to it. Others make the most of this once in a lifetime experience. The select few judge by trial. Whichever category you’re in, you can’t miss Luxury Collection Resorts of the map.
The Luxury Collection is one of the world’s leading ultra-luxury hotel brands, with almost 100 of the world’s finest hotels and resorts in more than 35 countries. Many of their establishments are hosted by historical buildings, converted palaces, and even restored medieval convents.
They are now serving their third generation of guests. The Luxury Collection traces its heritage to a super elite Italian hotel chain, Compagnia Italiana Grandi Alberghi (CIGA), founded in 1906.
The brand turned into a major player in 1994 when Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc acquired GICA and began to expand the company’s luxury hotel portfolio. Dozens of other hotel projects are in development at the moment.
The Luxury Collection of Resorts is inexhaustibly diverse. To stick to one of their locations can be a tough call. So here’s our list with the brand’s top 5 best ultra-luxury resorts that span the world.
5 Luxury Collection Resorts to Choose From
Vana Belle – Luxury Collection Resorts, Koh Samui
‘The Classic Epicurean Experience’
Once upon a time, Koh Samui was a quiet fishing community nestled amid coconut groves, palm-fringed beaches, and lush rainforest. Now, Koh Samui is a cosmopolitan melting pot of luxury resorts, backpackers’ bungalows, and posh spas.
Fortunately, the new development facelift suits the tropical surroundings. And Vana Belle couldn’t be more comfortably and naturally integrated into the landscape.
Its 80 suites and villas open to the white sands of Chaweng Noi Beach and the sparkling blue waters of the Gulf of Thailand.
The staff is discreet and attentive, and the resort offers personalized service. If you’ve always hankered after the luxury of having a butler serving you mango French toast and Phuket lobster for breakfast, you can indulge that wish in one of the deluxe villas lining the beach.
Or say you’ve taken more than you can handle of the rowdy nightlife in Koh Samui. It’s the reason brunch – the breakfast of late sleepers – is a long-standing tradition at Vana Belle.
Price per night: From $413 to $742/ suite or villa
La Posada – Luxury Collection Resorts, Santa Fe
Created exclusively for the luxury resort market, this haute resort and spa faces the bulk of the landmarks of Santa Fe: Santa Fe Plaza, the New Mexico History Museum and Palace of the Governors, the ancient cliff dwelling of Bandelier National Monument, the Santa Fe Opera, the Loretto Chapel, and Canyon Road with its 100 art galleries, restaurants, and shops.
At the intersection of the heavy tourist foot traffic, La Posada remains an idyllic retreat. The interior design of the casita-style suites features New Mexican architectural motifs. The adobe walls expose the original wood beams that converge on the eye from the indigenous viga and latilla ceilings.
The Baca Suite is the star of this lush Mexican resort. The wood burning fireplaces glow over the well-furnished patio to warm the cool desert nights. The extensive suite is comprised of a huge living room, bedroom, and a separate reception room.
Price tag/ night: From $225 to $637 for the Baca Suite.
Hotel Marques de Riscal – Luxury Collection Resorts, Elciego
The Resort in the City of Wine
Nestled between the vineyards of Basque countryside and the dramatic Cantabric Mountains, The Marques de Riscal is quite a sight to behold.
If Barcelona is the work of art of Gaudi, the Marques booked the names of Frank O. Gehry, Finnish ‘Father of Modernism’ Alvar Aalto and Christian Werner to create this avant-garde adventure.
The luxury resort has become a landmark in itself. The Gehry Suite, a 12-foot ceiling and 770-square-foot architectural innovation is the piece de resistance.
Where you’d expect walls, windows await instead; perspective stylishly plays games on the eye, while allowing a full panoramic view of Elciego, and beyond. The Santiago Pilgrimage Route passes meters away from the hotel.
Price per night: From $340 to $670
Al Maha – Luxury Collection Resorts and Spa, Dubai
A Verdant Oasis in the Middle of the Desert
The Al Maha provides naturally luxurious, culture-aware experiences, while an Arabian night landscape unfolds before your eyes. You won’t tire gazing into the vast open space, especially when you can do so lying on your own private sun lounger.
Little thoughtful touches such as an easel and brushes, a writing desk, or binoculars adorn every suite. How else to see as long as the desert’s horizon? Glass tables frame the ornate Omani doors in heavy wood, while a heavy chest sitting at the end of every bed completes the Bedouin decor.
Price tag: The Bedouin Suite for $789/ The Emirates Suite for $1960
The Phoenician – Luxury Collection Resorts, Scottsdale
If you want to invest your holidays into playing golf, this is the resort where you can finally hit that albatross. The Phoenician favors a parkland style, weaving between the Grand Canyon landscape and over the hillsides.
The 22,000-square-foot retreat also harbors one of the country’s premier resort spas, The Centre for Well-Being. In this haven of pure relaxation you can enjoy 24 private treatment, aerobic and weight training, wellness consultations, and spa and salon services.
Price tag: $145 for a guest room
