We have rounded up top travel destinations and hotels from around the world for yachting enthusiasts, boat lovers or those who need an excuse to show off their nautical style. Each of the hotels offers unique seaside accommodations at the foot of the world’s most famous harbors, ports and marinas for those looking for boating and sailing experiences, or to watch the yachts pass by from the shoreline.
The Luxury Collection of Sardinia – Costa Smeralda, Italy
Between its sprawling coastline, stunning scenery, and perfect sailing conditions, Costa Smeralda is one of the world’s most coveted yachting destinations. Well known as one of the best-equipped ports in the Mediterranean, Porto Cervo on this Emerald Coast offers up luxury accommodations, retail and restaurants alongside its sailing services. The Luxury Collection of Sardinia - Hotel Cala di Volpe, Hotel Romazzino, Hotel Pitrizza and Cervo Hotel - are the choice hotels of the area’s elite travelers, including celebrities and royalty alike, offering ultra-private and ultra-luxury accommodations near the world-famous port. A stop on Princess Diana and Dodi al Fayed’s Sardinian boating trip, there is nowhere better suited to luxury travelers than the famed Hotel Cala di Volpe.
Conrad Maldives Rangali Island – South Ari Atoll
Offering private charters of the traditional Dhoni, one of the oldest known sea vessels in the Maldives, Conrad Maldives provides a uniquely Maldivian experience on its striking azure waters. Sighted more frequently in the South Ari Atoll than almost anywhere else in the world, a boating trip from the hotel also offers prime whale shark spotting from the decks. In addition to traditional dhoni, Conrad Maldives has something for every type of boat lover – from sailing yachts to cruise through the lagoons and reefs alongside schools of dolphins, to luxury speedboats for thrill seekers. For those who love to be on the water, there are no accommodations more fitting to feel at one with the ocean than in the hotel’s overwater villas or underwater suite, the Muraka.
Le Sereno – St. Barth’s
A year-round hub for billionaire superyachts, and home to one of the most prestigious yacht racing events of the year, the island’s Bucket race (open only to yachts 78 feet or larger), St. Barth’s is an unparalleled spectacle of the world’s best boats. Located on the shores of the Grand Cul de Sac and reopening in October ahead of prime yachting season, Le Sereno is an intimate beachfront hotel offering luxurious suites and villas featuring contemporary design and understated décor that make for the perfect accommodations for boating lovers. Guests can board a stylish motorboat directly in front of the hotel and embark on full or half day tours of the crystalline Caribbean waters leading from St. Jean to Colombier to the port of Gustavia.
Hammetts Hotel – Newport, RI
Nicknamed “the city by the sea”, Newport is one of the US’s most popular maritime hubs. The official partner of the New York Yacht Club and sponsor of the upcoming Rolex Invitational Cup (taking place September 11th-18th), Hammetts Hotel is located on the Wharf just steps from the Marina at the foot of the seaside action. The hotel is closely tied with its waterfront surroundings down to its design, which is a nod to Newport’s historic mercantile wharves carefully blended with the aesthetic of a modern yacht club. As a Main Street Hospitality property, a blend of local history and modern experience is at the heart the hotel.
Il Sereno – Lake Como, Italy
Lake Como’s dramatic landscape and exquisite lakeside villas are best seen from the water from a classic wooden boat, in true Italian tradition of la dolce vita. An ultra-luxury hotel on the shores of the Lake near Torno, Il Sereno commissioned three custom Cantiere Ernesto Riva boats from the namesake family that has been building boats by hand in the nearby town of Laglio since 1771. Il Sereno guests are able to travel to other destinations on the lake via two Jetto’s or the grand Vaporina del Lago which features interiors designed by Patricia Urquiola for the ultimate Lake Como boating experience.
Casa de Campo – La Romana, Dominican Republic
Casa de Campo Resort & Villas is home to one of the most prestigious 370-slip marinas & yacht clubs in the heart of the Dominican Republic countryside. The heart of Casa de Campo Resort and Villas’ ocean playground is the Marina—the vision of Gianfranco Fini and Piero Giacosa. Inspired by the quaint seaside villages that dot the Mediterranean coastline, the Marina is more than just a place to moor, it’s an entire community for sport fishermen, yachting enthusiasts, and landlubbers alike. Guests can chase the horizon by sailboat, catamaran, or charter boat and also catch and release an extraordinary, trophy-worthy blue marlin. Racing between the waves towards smaller, out islands filled with native wildlife is another major draw.
The Vinoy® St. Petersburg Resort & Golf Club - St. Petersburg, FL
Originally opened on New Year’s Eve in 1925 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, The Vinoy® St. Petersburg Resort & Golf Club is the only historic luxury resort on Florida’s west coast that boasts 13.5 acres of idyllic waterfront property, a private 72-slip marina, 18-hole golf course on the exclusive Snell Isle, tennis complex and fitness center. The iconic pink hotel blends modern elegance with Mediterranean Revival architecture in the heart of downtown St. Petersburg, with over 40,000 square feet of spectacular indoor/outdoor event space, innovative restaurants and a day spa.
