There may be a lot of competition in terms of luxury retreats in Bora Bora and indeed in the broader region of French Polynesia, but the 5 Star InterContinental Thalasso Bora Bora is really quite a place. It is located on its own private island, a 20 minute boat ride from Bora Bora Motu Mute Airport, and it is hard to overemphasize the extraordinary setting, with the craggy peak of Mount Otemanu towering above and the most beautifully clear turquoise waters you could ever imagine swaying gently all around. It also has consistently high levels of service, great facilities and a laudable commitment to eco-friendly and sustainability principles, all of which make it stand out somewhat from the rest and lend the place an extra exclusive feel. It is very much a once in a lifetime vacation venue, and smoothly manages to be both family friendly and ideal for honeymoons. THE ACCOMMODATION: The overwater bungalows and villas are in a choice position to enjoy the setting with their boardwalk jutting out right in the middle of the bay. They are also all exceptionally spacious; the smallest cover a minimum of 1020 ft² while the largest, the ‘Marlon Brando Suite’, comes in at a whopping 3465 ft². As you will see there is a great range of accommodation to choose from, most, but not all, of which are overwater. Of those that are overwater they come with glass floor coffee tables from where you can peer down into the coral reef and see all manner of exotic creatures. Many also have their own private, on deck, infinity swimming pools. The design and interior decoration are a pleasing mix of modern and traditional Polynesian and they have all the modern facilities and comforts you would expect from a luxury hotel: air-con, WiFi, cable TV, music system, refrigerator, coffee maker, mini bar, some lovely bathrooms with bathtubs and rainfall showers, as well as plenty of lounging and dining furniture both inside and out. Room service is 24 hours and you can expect the absolute best in service throughout the resort which also has a concierge team. As mentioned above InterContinental Thalasso makes great READ MORE

Lily Beach Resort is a 5 Star all inclusive with an absolutely stunning setting on a private island in southern Ari Atoll, Maldives. Their all inclusive plan offers a generous array of quality services, with a range of free water sports activities and excursions and lots and lots of premium quality food and drink. It is a well known resort and consistently popular; people return here year after year, so advance bookings are recommended. THE ACCOMMODATION: They have a choice of overwater villas, beach villas and lagoon villas at Pearl Beach. The typically romantic overwater villas are divided between ‘Deluxe Water Villas’ which have 1356 ft² of space including a private outdoor deck with a jacuzzi plunge pool, and the ‘Sunset Water Villas’ which are a step ahead with 1960 ft² to play with, a proportionally larger deck and larger pool, as well as a 24 hour personal butler service. All the overwater choices have a section of glass floor panels so you can gaze at the sea life below from the comfort of your bungalow. The Lagoon Villas are at the edge of the lagoon and cover just short of 1000 ft², are secluded and private and come with an outdoor bath on the terrace, while the Beach Villas have a nice location right on the beach with a private deck and about 730 ft² of space for the ‘standard’ villas and 1463 ft² for the two bedroom ‘family’ villas, which are effectively two interconnected standard villas. The style is modernist and fairly minimalist, with the emphasis being more on comfort than interior decor, and all the accommodation choices include luxury hotel standard facilities and features as standard; air-conditioning, WiFi, flat-screen TV & home theatre system, tea/coffee making facilities, minibar and safe etc. The bathrooms are all suitably plush too with rainfall showers and spa bathtubs. PRICES: Check out all the details – prices, reviews & more photos, on the booking page here. FACILITIES & THINGS TO DO: There are four restaurants and three bars at the resort and the quality of the food and drink is excellent. Many 5 Star all-inclusives let themselves down a little when it READ MORE

Stella Island Resort in Crete is a 5 Star luxury, adults-only resort with a tremendously good reputation, and one which is, quite excitingly, home to one of only two overwater bungalow accommodations in Europe. (The other being at Palafitte Resort on the, rather chilly, Lake Neuchâtel in Switzerland.) It occupies a private stretch of Crete’s north coast and offers, amongst other things, excellent spa facilities, some of the very best food on the island and the opportunity to enjoy many sports including tennis and water sports. Guests also consistently praise the staff at Stella Island. The resort has various deals for you to choose from: You can go B&B/ breakfast only, have breakfast and dinner included in the room rate or go all-inclusive. In terms of value the breakfast and dinner included option seems the best, but only if you’re not a big drinker – if you’ll be getting stuck into the cocktails every evening then go for the all-inclusive. Stella Island, though large, is far more romantic getaway than party place. There are many lovely bars, lounges and restaurants to choose from but they close relatively early. THE ACCOMMODATION: There are 89 rooms, bungalows and villas at Stella Island, and all are top of the range. It is luxury accommodation but not in any kind of garish way. All are elegant and stylish and exhibit more than a touch of boho chic. Some rooms, on the first floor, have balconies that overlook the huge central lagoon pool while the ground floor rooms allow direct access to it. Their 12 ‘Island Villas’ come with their own private pools, and are relatively good value compared to the rooms. The overwater bungalows come in two forms the first, referred to as ‘Bungalow with Shared Pool’ on the booking page, are relatively small but beautifully designed, furnished and fitted. They feel private, cosy and romantic, and come with a terrace allowing direct access to the lagoon pool, and overwater hammocks. The second though – listed as ‘Grand Overwater Bungalow with Outdoor Jacuzzi’ on the booking page, are far superior. They are spacious and airy with high ceilings and large terraces that also allow READ MORE

The family friendly Four Seasons Resort forms an exclusive enclave by the coral reefs to the north east of Bora Bora and offers overwater bungalows, and beach villas, that are spacious, sleek and very well equipped. Their style is more modernist than most and they have the feel of luxury design apartments where everything feels crisp, clean and new. All come with tremendous views over Mount Otemanu and the lagoon, the overwater bungalows particularly, and the resort itself is a pleasure to stroll around with plenty to do and see, and a cosy, friendly, atmosphere throughout. Though the vibe is, this being Bora Bora, generally one of romantic indulgence, The Four Seasons takes care of children better than most with a kid’s club and plenty of organized activities for both youngsters and teens. THE ACCOMMODATION: Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora has one hundred over-water bungalows and seven beachfront villas to choose from, ranging in size from 1070 ft² to over 3200 ft², with a maximum occupancy of 6 for the larger units. All are extremely comfortable, spacious and beautifully styled with teak woods and pastel shaded soft furnishings. The outside spaces are expansive and well kitted out, with the overwater bungalows having private access to the water as well as outdoor showers, chaises lounges, circular daybeds and dining tables. All the overwaters have internal glass floor panels to watch the sea life in the lagoon below too and some also have plunge pools on the deck. You can expect King size beds as standard in all of the units as well as plasma screen satellite TVs, DVD players, coffee machines, mini fridges, music stations etc. in the lounge areas. All the bathrooms come with nice, large and deep, baths and with some opening out to the sea via sliding doors. Room service is 24 hours and the service throughout the resort, which also provides concierge and business services, is of the highest quality. PRICES: Check out all the details – prices, reviews & more photos, on the booking page here. FACILITIES & THINGS TO DO: You can enjoy some tremendous food at the Four Seasons, where you have a choice READ MORE

The Float House River Kwai Resort is a uniquely romantic floating hotel in western Thailand. Its luxury villas float on the waters of the River Kwai and can only be reached by boat, so offer very much the sensation of getting away from it all. This is not some primitive jungle camp though, it is a luxury boutique resort with overwater villas that are extremely spacious and comfortable, and equipped with all modern luxury hotel conveniences. THE ACCOMMODATION: Their villas are are all two bedroom, one double and one twin, and all almost identical; there are no ‘standard’ or ‘superior’ villas or the like here, so the only thing that you may like to request is to stay in one of the two villas at the ends of the floating complex, which offer a bit more privacy. You can put a note on the booking form to request, though it might be a difficult thing to guarantee especially in high season. Beyond that your accommodation choices are: B&B villa, with breakfast only, half board or full-board. Going for full-board makes the most sense. The buffet food included in the package is excellent quality and even if it weren’t, as the place is so isolated, unless you bring your own food you will be spending extra to eat at the same restaurant anyway. The villas have around 90 square meters/1,000 square feet of space and have a nice, natural elegance; their thatched roofs, teakwood furniture and natural materials allowing you to feel at least a little in harmony with nature. If being too much in harmony with the deep jungle scares the hell out of some of you, rest assured you will have modern luxury hotel facilities too; air-con, mosquito nets, WiFi, flat-screen satellite TVs, DVD players, coffee machines, mini bars, very comfy thick mattress with luxurious linens etc. Apart from the two bedrooms you have a lounge area, very nice bathrooms with rainfall showers, and a private outside terrace with seating and lounging furniture. PRICES: Check out all the details – prices, reviews and more photos, on the booking page here. FACILITIES & THINGS TO DO: The setting for this READ MORE

Sandals, fresh from their success with overwater bungalows in Jamaica, quickly turned their sights to St Lucia, and here at the all-inclusive, adults only, Sandals Grande St. Lucian resort you can expect the same high levels of luxury, sophistication and service. It is very much an opulent romantic getaway, being adults only and attracting a well heeled clientele, but the atmosphere is friendly, relaxed and rarely stuffy. Their overwater bungalows are a honeymoon favorite and with only nine of them they are booked out well in advance. They come with glass floor panels, tranquility soaking tubs, private patios and over-water hammocks, amongst other special features. They also have a 24 hour personal butler service and the service in general is top notch – efficient and professional but also relaxed and personable. THE ACCOMMODATION: They have an enormous range of accommodation at the resort, with the above mentioned overwater bungalows being the most popular. These have a spacious, luxurious feel with hardwood floors, vaulted ceilings, king-size beds with soft linens and plush pillows, smart TVs, sun decks, outdoor showers, swish bathrooms and 24 hour personal butler service. Many of the other choices well match, if not surpass, the style and sophistication of the overwaters though just without the novelty of having ocean being directly under your feet. The beachside suites in particular are extremely opulent, and very much worth considering if the overwaters are not free. PRICES: Check out all the details – prices, reviews and more photos, on the booking page here. Note: The overwater bungalows at Sandals St. Lucien are very sought after – Covid-19 notwithstanding, for the 2021 season you should really reserve your stay as soon as possible. Our partnership with Hotels.com allows you free cancellation on most bookings.  FACILITIES & THINGS TO DO: Sandals Grande St. Lucian is a huge resort with 311 accommodation units, twelve restaurants and six bars including a British Pub and a swim-up pool bar. All of this is all-inclusive of course and the quality and variety of the food is impressive, as is the ever cheerful sand helpful service. There is also a mile of gorgeous sandy beach at your disposal, READ MORE