The best luxury hotels off the beaten track

Looking to explore further afield on your next superyacht holiday? Get some travel inspiration from our round up of the best luxury hotels in the world's most remote, exotic and far-flung destinations, from the Maldives and Sri Lanka to Thailand or The Seychelles...

Anantara Kihavah Villas

Kihavah Huravalhi, Maldives

A circular speck in the Baa Atoll, Anantara Kihavah is arguably the most picturesque destination for high-tech wellness treatments in the world. Having snapped up a team of therapists from Cocoon in Bali, its new medi- spa, the first in the region, offers cutting-edge treatments from the comfort of its overwater rooms – think light, airy spaces with a minimal design and a neutral palette, offset by natural wood and thatching outside. A 30-minute IV- drip session promises to pep up overworked souls as well as banish jet lag. Or if you’re feeling brave, opt for the Vampire Facial, where your blood platelets are massaged on to the skin following microneedling to help reduce wrinkles and stimulate collagen production. After your treatment, relax in the spa’s outdoor lounge with an uninterrupted view of the ocean, ginger tea and macaron in hand.

Ideal for yacht owners ready for a spruce-up, Anantara Kihavah is a three-hour cruise from Gulhi Falhu and you can dock 200 metres from the beach. Make sure you visit the resort's dining spot SEA, one of the best underwater restaurants in the world, where you can enjoy spiny lobster medallions and Wagyu tenderloin while watching the fish and turtles going about their lives. Back on land, recline with a glass of champagne for an astronomy lesson with the resort’s in-house guru and the Maldives’ most powerful telescope.

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Amanpuri

Phuket, Thailand

Drop anchor off Phuket’s west coast and tender in to the secluded beaches of Amanpuri, which means “place of peace” in Sanskrit. It was the first Aman resort to open, 32 years ago, but there are now even more reasons to visit. Its 40 Thai-style pavilions and 47 villas are as welcoming as ever and the spa has recently been expanded and upgraded. 

Now home to 12 treatment rooms, it offers a series of recently launched wellness immersion programmes to tackle specific concerns such as weight or stress. After sunset you can toast your health at The Lounge bar with an Aman 1 Tonic, a gin concoction by mixologist May Sriskaew, followed by exceptional Thai food by chef Kannika Jitsangworn at the Terrace.

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Naladhu Private Island

Naladhu, Maldives

A petite private island lying in the baby-blue water of South Malé Atoll, Naladhu is home to 19 colonial-style villas. Step off the resort’s Sunseeker yacht, after a 30-minute blast from the airport and collect the key to your private paradise – complete with an infinity pool and house master (butler) to take care of your every whim. The star of the island is the Pool Residence: 600 square metres of seclusion spread over two floors, with stunning views of the Indian Ocean at dusk.

The resort’s promise of privacy lures castaways ranging from love-struck honeymooners to paparazzi-dodging celebrities – Kate Moss and Roger Federer are both rumoured to have been spotted on shore. But the island also has easy access (via a bridge and boat) to the amenities of its neighbours Anantara Dhigu and Anantara Veli. Their 10 restaurants, two spas and outdoor cinemas are just a quick paddle away – if you can be persuaded to leave your villa, that is.

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Qualia Resort

Hamilton Island, Australia

No island is as synonymous with sailing in Australia as Hamilton, so it seems fitting that the late Bob Oatley first spotted its potential while cruising nearby as a young man. He took over the island in 2003 and set about transforming it into one of the country’s most sought-after holiday destinations. The jewel in its crown is Qualia, sat on its own peninsula on the northern tip. Celebrities such as Chris Hemsworth and Miranda Kerr have posted envy-inducing pictures from its private infinity pools, which offer stunning views across the Whitsundays.

Saltier sailors can tender straight in to the beach, while those wanting to keep their stilettos clean can dock in the island’s marina and be escorted by golf cart behind the resort’s imposing wooden gates. Once inside, a cold glass of Charles Heidsieck champagne awaits in the Pavilion Lounge, which offers epic vistas of the turquoise sea. The resort took a beating from Cyclone Debbie in 2017 but a monumental effort by staff, who stayed on the island while the resort closed for three months, has returned it to Oatley’s original and spectacular vision.

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Six Senses Yao Noi

Phang Nga Bay, Thailand

Cascading down a hillside that faces the iconic limestone karsts of Phang Nga Bay, Six Senses Yao Noi offers a restorative hideaway near the bustle of Phuket. Anchor off Ko Yao Noi (which means small long island) and tender in to the resort’s private jetty, leaving your superyacht in the bay made famous by James Bond in The Man with the Golden Gun. From there a golf cart will whisk you up the hill into the verdant plantation, which is peppered with rubber trees and home to 56 thatched villas, three restaurants and a sprawling spa village. Combining luxury and sustainability, the resort’s on-site water bottling plant means it is plastic bottle free, while its organic gardens and farm produce the freshest ingredients – the chickens are even played jazz music to encourage them to lay better eggs for your morning omelette. Before breakfast watch the sun come up over the limestone pillars that rise from the emerald waters as tropical birds sing the morning chorus.

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Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort

Muscat, Oman

Carved dramatically into the mountainside, the Barr Al Jissah complex promises to lure superyachts to the undiscovered Omani coastline. Moor in the naturally sheltered bay, guarded by rocky outcrops, and tender in to the marina to discover this Middle Eastern wonder.

The opulent complex, consisting of private homes designed by Bannenberg & Rowell and three Shangri-La hotels, offers 22 dining options – head to the Bait al Bahr fish restaurant for locally caught yellowfin tuna with white anchovy cappelletti and black olives.

For the adventurous, the rolling burnished sand dunes and mountain canyons are just a helicopter ride away, while the Chi spa is the perfect place to recover from expeditions – try the signature Traveller’s Retreat journey, which combines an aromatic bath, bio-energising body wrap and vitality massage.

To complete the Sultan-worthy experience, book the Royal Suite at the Al Husn hotel. Inspired by the 17th century Omani castle at Jabreen, the intricately decorated space offers spectacular views across the Gulf of Oman. Explorer yacht Itasca and Motor Yacht A have already been spotted off these shores and it won’t be long before other superyachts follow in their wake.

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Reethi Rah

North Malé Atoll, Maldives

Offering unrivalled seclusion and space, Reethi Rah is an Eden hidden in North Malé Atoll. For the ultimate retreat stay in the Maldivian island’s recently renovated Grand Sunset Residence, nestled among tropical palm trees at the end of a private road.

The extravagant villa comes with its own slice of white powder beach and a 50 square metre swimming pool. With a butler and a world-class chef, there is no need to ever leave this peaceful residence, but if adventure calls, Reethi Rah has its own fleet of yachts on which to explore the surrounding azure waters. Afterwards, dine under hundreds of orchids at the resort’s new 100 per cent organic restaurant, Botanica – opt for the garden-to-table experience and enjoy dishes such as topinambour velouté and quail breast served with savoy cabbage and quail-herbs consommé.

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Cape Weligama

Sri Lanka

Marco Polo may have called dibs on this spot, on Sri Lanka’s southern shore, in the 13th century, but arriving at Cape Weligama by boat still feels like approaching an undiscovered country. The resort is perched on burned umber rocks that tumble down to scallops of powdery beach and internationally lusted-after surf breaks. From the pool at your sprawling private villa, the vista is edge-of-the-world spectacular; the misty breadth of the Indian Ocean speared with distant promontories and punctuated with windswept palm trees. It is an asset the owners have emphasised in Cape Weligama’s brand new spa, opening next month to celebrate the resort’s second anniversary. As well as an indulgent programme of treats (think scrubs made of nutmeg, sweet orange and sandalwood, and oils with Ceylon tea) plus four new treatment rooms, there will be an expansive ocean-facing yoga deck. The good news for explorer yachts? You can still call it part of your off-grid adventure.

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Four Seasons Resort at Kuda Huraa

Maldives

A private island of Four Seasons Resort Maldives, Kuda Huraa in North Malé Atoll is set amid 12 acres of exotic, fragrant gardens and has the intimate feel of a traditional yet distinctly upscale Maldivian village. Snorkel above thriving artificial coral frame reefs, including one that, from the air, resembles a sea turtle, then see real turtle hatchlings in the conservation program. Test your balance during a SUP yoga session in the lagoon or escalate your adrenaline levels by shooting several feet above the same blue waters on jet blades. Finally, travel less than a minute via dhoni to the only spa in the Maldives on its own isle. The Four Seasons also has a second private island resort in Baa Atoll, Landaa Giraavaru.

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Fregate Island Private

Seychelles

Thrilled by wilderness? But you’d like to survey it from a private infinity pool? Fregate Island is flung far enough into the Indian Ocean to make superyacht owners feel like adventurers, but you don’t have to eschew the fluffy towels: just anchor out and tender in. The rainforest on this private islet boasts first-class wildlife, including 2,200 giant tortoises, while staff can serve your seafood and Champagne on one of seven stunning beaches — or at a revamped private villa. In that infinity pool.

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