Villa River Cat is run by Rinhoo Sehgal, a creative-minded traveler. He designed an idyllic round house deep in the palm trees off a bumpy dirt track in the lost part of north Goa. It is more of a retreat than a hotel: Rinhoo’s many cats and dogs mingle in the grounds, where hammocks and daybeds blow gently in the breeze.

The owner’s personal touch makes your visit special – and that goes as much for the legions of artists and scriptwriters who head out there time after time as for first time visitors. Bathrooms are tiled with bright colours – this is India, remember – whereas in the entrance hall, marionettes hang on the wall and statues of Shiva and other gods watch over you.

The food is rather special. Fresh herbs, fruit and spices, delicious organic rice, and homemade curries are all served in the Miau restaurant, with the gentle sound of the river rushing by. If lounging around in the shade is not exactly what you looking for, Rinhoo will take you to his favorite lagoons for a swim, show you the starts through the telescope, and help you find your way across the country.

One thing is for sure, the side of Goa is not tie-dyed and bursting with glow sticks and deafening techno. It is tranquil backwater place, where you can relax all day long, count the coconuts in the trees and watch the fishermen return with their catch.

Location: Goa, India. Photos by: browners82 and j0rune

Located in Milan’s business center, the Principe di Savoia is renowned as the focal point of the Piazza della Repubblica. The Hotel Principe Di Savoia Milan is located close to the main railway station, which makes getting around easy for travelers. Guests of the hotel will also find that they are within walking distance to some of the historical attractions.

Hotel Principe Di Savoia offers a winning combination of Old World luxury, latest technology and design innovations. The 5-star Principe Di Savoia offers luxurious rooms, and a complete wellness centre on the top floor. All rooms and public areas feature Wi-Fi.

Room Facilities: Air Conditioning, Private Bathroom, Direct Dial Telephone, Mini Bar, Room Service, Safe Deposit Box, Wireless Internet Access, Handicapped Room, Connecting Rooms. Small pets are allowed in the hotel with an extra charge of 120.00 Euro for the stay that will be added to the total amount of the stay apart from the number of nights.

The tenth floor offers an ultra-modern Fitness Center, the Club 10, endowed with a swimming pool, gymnasium and sauna.

Lobby Lounge – The Lobby Lounge at the Hotel Principe di Savoia is an elegant café specialising in delicious pastries, traditional English afternoon teas.

Situated at the foot of Mount Toubkal, the highest peak in North Africa, the Kasbah du Toubkal sits on a rocky crag 5,900 feet (1,800 m) up in the Atlas Mountains. The mountains are just 40 miles (64 km) from the city of Marrakech, Morocco. The restored fort is reached by a fifteen-minute mule ride from the tiny Berber village of Imlil. The Kasbah dose not describe itself as a hotel, it is more an extension of the hospitality. Photo by: Martin and Kathy Dady

The Kasbah has two large roof terraces, and although there is no swimming pool, there is a steam room and plunge-pool complex. Comfortable rather than luxurious, the guests rooms are decorated in traditional Berber style, with carved walnut furniture. They have private bathtubs or showers and stunning mountain views. The superior rooms have a balcony and to the south of the Kasbah is the Garden House for those of willing more privacy. Photo by: IanHaskins

The lack of five-star luxury is replaced by Kasbah’s magnificent setting, which offers superb treks right from your door. Treks range from short, easy strolls through the surrounding villages to overnight walks, including demanding multiday treks to remote valleys with local mountain guides and mule support. One of the best walking options is the two-day ascent of Mount Toubkal, 13,655-foot (4,160m). Photo by: Rebecca Weeks

Photo by: Martin and Kathy Dady

Discover Makasutu Culture Forest, just an hour drive from the hectic coastal resorts of the Gambia. Inside the forest is an idyllic mangrove-lined tributary of the River Gambia, where is a luxury eco-retreat that sleeps a maximum of sixteen. Visitors reach Mandina Lodge by elevated walkways or via canoe. Photo by: ambabheg

The lodges are solar-powered with private roof terraces, beautiful views, and carved four-poster beds dressed in white linens. Bathrooms are roofless for bathing under the stars. There is an enormous pool and a relaxing bar. Dinner can be enjoyed alfresco or in your lodge, after a personal talk with the chef. The place relaxed even the most stressed into total peace. Photo by: gavin malarky

Local guides take visitors to explore the surrounding forest or the river. Legend has it that Makasutu (holy forest) is haunted, but you are more likely to spot a baboon or monitor lizard than a supernatural being. Photo by: Tim & Sam’s Flickr

Photo by: Tim & Sam’s Flickr

Location: Makasutu, The Gambia. Photo by: Tim & Sam’s Flickr

It is hard to imagine a more romantic arrival. After rumbling over gravel roads between fairy-tale forests along Chile’s remote but spectacular Carretera Austral, you come, at last, to a tranquil little hamlet on the edge of a fjord: Puyuhuapi. The last stretch of your journey must be done by boat, crossing the glassy waters to find a cathedral-like wooden building poised right on the water against a backdrop of virgin forest. It seems an unlikely place for a luxurious spa, and yet inside this beautiful structure there are immaculate pools, fed by three kinds of natural waters. There are also healing mineral water hot springs too. From this superb range of combinations, the owners have created a wide specialty of treatments which transformed the guests’ well-being. 

The accommodation is simple, rather than chic. The comfortable rooms are designed with natural materials and floor-to-ceiling windows to make the most of tranquil views onto the fjord. Fine cuisine completes the luxurious treatments. Bedfellows can conclude their trip there with an unforgettable voyage to see the mighty glacier at Laguna San Rafael.

It is Puyuhuapi’s complete contact with nature that is so special: Take a kayak out onto the water to explore, or hike to the inspiring glacier on the other side of the fjord. After a day of exertion, there is no better therapy than to bask in hot pools under the beautiful sky and watch the stars.

Location: Chiloe Island, Chile. Photos by: nazgulhead

There is an unwritten low that the most beautiful places are awkward to get to – the farther away, the more isolated, the better. Gite D’Indaiatiba is just such a place. Situated in rain forest between Sao Paulo and Rio, it is hidden in a dense vegetation at the end of a rocky, precarious dirt track 7 miles (12 km) away from the beachside of Paraty.

The small pousada is a real gem, and definitely off the proverbial beaten track, with the main lodge and five huts dotted across the wild step terrain of the rain forest. A tiny sauna hut overlooks the tropical paradise; the only sounds are the twitter of birds and water cascading down the river. There are no phones or television to be seen in the pink and cream bungalows; their one luxury is an open fire place.

Activities here are few: Read in the hammock on the porch, swim in the freshwater pool, or count the many different species of wild orchid. And then there is the food. The Gite’s mix of Brazilian and French cuisine is so good that the helipad is used by wealthy Brazilian from Sao Paulo to jet across for dinner. Outrageous perhaps, but sitting in the dinner room by candlelight sampling fish in grape sauce and incredible tangy seviche, it is easy to see why.

Location: Paraty, Brazil. Photos by: mauro.godinho

The lodge spreads over 10 000 hectares of the world-renowned Sabi Sand Game Reserve, bordering the famous Kruger National Park. It’s accessible by road or by air, flying directly from Johannesburg International Airport. Leopard Hills Safari Lodge features eight beautifully appointed suites that allows for a unique outlook on the spectacular surroundings. All of them are equipped with all the necessary amenities to make your stay comfortable such as air-conditioner, king-size bed softly draped mosquito netting, romantic bathroom with Victorian bath, indoor and outdoor showers, own sundeck and private pool.

Leopard Hills prides itself on its reputation for world-class service. The ultimate luxury lodge offers as much privacy as you could wish for. Activities at Leopard Hills Lodge are varied and exciting. The guests can choose from fantastic game drives in the bush, walking safaris to explore the endless fascination of Africa’s wildlife, photography, watch birding and mush more. On safari you may see prides of lion, antelope, elephant, white rhino, buffalo, leopard, hyena and many more.

The Masters Lodge is a small luxury lodge positioned atop Bluff Hill in the Art Deco City of Napier with spectacular views over the blue South Pacific Ocean , Cape Kidnappers. The Master’s Lodge is a five hour drive from Wellington, six hours from Auckland, and 2.5 hours from Taupo. The beach, shops, restaurants, museums and central business district are all within a 10 minute walk from the Lodge.

 The Masters Lodge was designed by famed architect Louis Hay in the early 1930s when he also designed Napier’s most famous Art Deco building.

The Lodge offers Only 2 Guest Suites each with ensuite Bath.

 Facilities: Bar and Lounge, Restaurant, Swimming Pool, Sauna, Spa.

 The Lodge also offers a living room and cocktail lounge, formal dining room, solarium, superbly stocked wine cellar, music room, shady verandahs, beautifully maintained flower gardens in park-like grounds.

Bahia is Brazil’s new hot spot, and there is nowhere hotter than Fazenda da Lagoa. The owners fell in love with it at first sight, and it is easy to see why. It stands on a beautiful white-sand beach, with rain forest and mangroves and saltwater lagoon close by. The owners called the place planetinha (little planet). Photo by: ewen.sturgeon

Each of the spacious fourteen bungalows has a deck, outdoor shower, television, CD and DVD players, hammocks, air-conditioning, and gauze-netted beds. The interior design is enough to put a smile on your face: pop-art style, bright and bold, designed by architect Lia Siqueria and decorated by Carioca artist Mucka Skrowronski. Photo by: fazendadalagoa

However, this is not just a luxury wilderness retreat because it is also an eco-hotel. You will find biodegradable toiletries in the shower, and there are plenty of outdoor activities to enjoy, such as kayaking, surfing, and river trekking. Photo by: fazendadalagoa

Location aside, it is the little unexpected things that make Fazenda da Lagoa so special. Sure, the infinity pool is impressive and very stylish, as is the spa. When you are ready for breakfast, you simply raise a flag outside your bungalow, and the kitchen is alerted to deliver your food basket to your private terrace. Photo by: renata bokel

Photo by: Coffee_Martin

On an undeveloped stretch of Brazil’s famous Cacoa Coast, set among 247 acres (100 ha) of rare Atlantic coastal rain forest, Txai Resort is a secluded enclave of guests rooms sprinkled throughout the grounds of a privately owned coconut plantation. Ocean views are unavoidable in this eco-friendly hideaway with natural springs and waterfalls aplenty  in the surroundings lush hills.

There are twenty-six bungalows, all with king-sized beds, mosquito nets, and sofas, decorated with thatch and wood ceiling, color-washed interiors and private spa baths. Two even have their own private plunge pools. Most bungalows are found on the resort’s lower levels within easy walking distance of the palatial swimming pool, but others are scattered along a hillside and offer a mix of floor plans that can satisfy every need.

One bungalow have a mezzanine, making it ideal for family of four, whereas other can be booked to sleep up to eight people. With breakfast, lunch, and dinner included in the room rate, most meals tend to be eaten in the resort’s Bahian-style restaurant. Menus are changed daily and follow a largely Brazilian theme, ranging from traditional fish stews and shrimps served with black beans and manioc through to the humble pizza.

The resort’s hilltop spa offers hydro-massage, hot stone treatments, yoga and a range of facials and manicure treatments that may well be a requirement rather than just an excuse to relax after a heady day. Activities include kayaking or sailing in a traditional Bahian boat along the Rio de Contas, riding horses through the rain forest trails, or hiking the beach.

Location: Trancoso, Brazil. Photos by: mamachado10

In the 1700s, looming volcanic cones sprayed Lanzarote with molten lava, redefining the vista into a surreal, jagged environment. To some, bedding down in a valley between two volcanic comes may not sound like a sleep – inducing experience, but British owners Tarnya and Richard Norse-Evans have created a tranquil hideaway here on the island.

Four retro-rustic cottages from an L-shape around a carves swimming pool, an oasis of gleaming white and tropical flora amid a landscape of ash-black lava. Bougainvillea clambers over the ocher rooftops, and palm trees shade the private gardens. The cottage interiors pair old with new: high-tech entertainment systems housed on bare stone shelves; terra-cotta floor tiles splashed with bright rugs; and stylish bathrooms dominated by indoor foliage. At night, the silence is overwhelming. With near-zero light pollution, the razor-sharp sky feels only a stretch away.

The hotel’s relatively isolation certainly does not mean there is nothing to do. Spa treatments and massages are on offer in a stone yoga yurt, sandy beaches are less than 6 miles (10 km) away, and a network of trekking trails for the more adventurous crisscrosses the region. Creative writing, cooking, and painting classes are also arranged on request.

Although self-catering, organic breakfasts featuring home grown fruits are delivered to the secluded terraces. For stocking up the fridge, a local farmers’ market sells cheese, fruit, vegetables, and fresh bread every weekend. For stressed-out suits in need of some ”away-from-it-all” time, coupled seeking the perfect anti-resort, or artists searching for an inspirational retreat.

Location: Lanzarote, Canary Islands. Photos by: Photo#Matt and jim oatway.

La Minervetta formerly was a 1950’s restaurant, today turned into exclusive hotel perched on Sorrento’s cliffside. It would not look out of place in the pages of a trendy interiors magazine. Warm Neapolitan sunshine floods in through floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating sleek furniture with a retro twist. Photo by: bergi_m

There is a warm, welcoming feel to this stylish establishment, yet it never looks overstyled. There are twelve captivating rooms, some with wraparound glass walls for 180-degree views of the azure water below. Listen for the sound of church bells ringing in the village below, then wander down to the kitchen for breakfast, where fresh fruits are on offer and foaming cappuccinos are served at the huge table. Spend the day on the hotel’s stretch of private beach, where you can take the hydrofoil to Capri, Ischia, Naples, and Positano. Or take the 300 steps down to the traditional fishing harbor of Marina Grande to soak up the atmosphere and join the evening passeggiata. Terraces have sofas, daybeds, and chaise lounges to sink into the soak up the panoramic views. Sip a cocktail and watch the sun down, or have a soak in the whirlpool tub, looking across the stunning Bay of Naples. Meanwhile the pools appears to lean across the cliff edge. Location: Campania, Italy. Photo by: johnmcd

Noosa Sanctuary Hotel  is located two minutes from iconic Hastings Street, on a waterfront site overlooking Noosa Sound and a protected conservation sanctuary. It is 25 kilometres from the Maroochydore Airport. Some of the attractions in its vicinity are Underwater World, Australia Zoo, The Big Pineapple, Fraser Island.  A popular Queensland holiday spot, Noosa’s Botanic Gardens and National Park make it a popular haunt for eco-tourists.

 This magnificent resort offers luxurious accommodation in Noosa with the choice of 78, studio, 1, 2 and 3 bedroom fully appointed apartments. The ultra-modern, spacious apartments come with full kitchen and laundry facilities, air conditioning and flat-screen satellite TV.

 Services: Room Service – Meeting/Banquet Facilities – Airport Shuttle – Business Centre – Babysitting/Child Services – Laundry – Dry Cleaning – Breakfast in the Room – Tour Desk – Fax/Photocopying.

 Facilities: Lagoon swimming pools and kids pool, Day Spa, Gymnasium, Tennis centre, Retail boutique, Car parking.

 Quay West Resort is also the perfect venue for all occasions including conference meetings, incentive groups, special events and celebrations.

The BathHouse is one of the most acclaimed places in the entire spa industry. Located on second floor of the hotel at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, the minimalism designed spa center offers ultimate treatments in the modern spa experience. There are steam rooms, full equipment gym, saunas and twelve treatment rooms where you can enjoy massages, wraps and facials. Photos by: MGM MIRAGE

There are plenty of different types of spa procedures including mouth-watering treatments, a champagne body wrapand massage using champagne foam and the crème brulee exfoliating glaze wrap. Don’t miss the Crystal Energy Massage integrating harmonic sounds and aromatherapy and the Scen-tao Stone reflexology treatment.

The elite BathHouse displays uniquely European style of its design – the ultra-modern entrance, white onyx floors, slate walls, exotic baths and breathtaking rainfall walled corridors. Simple elegance – it’ll make you feel as if flashed into the future.

Just on two-hour drive from Havana, gets you to Palma Rubia, a central point for the Archipelago de los Colorados, a cluster of small islands facing Florida, covered by lush greenery of tropical mangroves and bordered by sugar-white, soft-sand beaches. The most impressive retreat among these is Cayo Levisa. There is nowhere to stay except your own tent or twenty little bungalows, dotted among the pine trees and right on the beach. Photo by: Kristin Lyseggen

An outdoor bar is a central point, when the sun goes down and the friendly barmen keep the cocktails and Cuban music flowing. Other than the bar and grill, there is one restaurant and that is it. The only thing could disturb you are the day-trippers who arrive mid-morning and leave late afternoon. There is abundance of marine life and with snorkeling and scuba diving on tap – this area is hoe to one of the largest coral reefs in the world. Photo by: suavekeith

The great happiness of Cayo Levisa is that it is different from other Cuban resorts, which are crowded and block-booked by cheap vacations. This, by contrast, is practically your own private island. The island is just several hundred yards wide with sand washed by a warm clear aquamarine sea.The archipelago includes Cayo Paraiso, an even smaller little island reputed to be  a favorite fishing haunt of Ernest Hemingway. Photo by: radiotelescopio