When choosing a hotel for a vacation, travelers are looking for more than just a place to sleep. Hotels are going above and beyond standard amenities to make guests' stays the highlight of their trips. From healing thermal waters and on-property petting zoos to oceanfront pickleball courts just steps from your bed, these experiences ensure unforgettable memories.
EUROPE
Natural Thermal Waters at The Gainsborough Bath Spa
The Gainsborough Bath Spa (pictured), located just a 90-minute train ride outside of London, offers an extraordinary experience centered around its legendary healing bath waters. From its beginnings as a thermal spring with healing waters, Bath has endured 2,000 years as a leisure and wellness destination. The hotel occupies two 18th-century buildings with distinguished Georgian and Victorian façades that were originally built as two hospitals. The Gainsborough is the only hotel that has tapped into these natural thermal waters, which are believed to have come from rainfall approximately 10,000 years ago, providing guests with incredible spa treatments and pools to bathe in the healing waters after spending their days exploring the city. Reviving the ancient practice of social bathing, the property's Spa Village Bath offers guests a one-hour 'Bath Circuit' featuring time in three different pools, reminiscent of a Roman bathhouse. The natural thermal water is rich in 42 minerals and is said to improve skin conditions, soothe sore joints, and alleviate stress, making the Gainsborough Bath Spa a unique and exclusive destination for wellness and relaxation.
Sound Therapy Room at eriro in Ehrwald, Austria
eriro is a newly opened luxury mountain retreat, elevating the Alpine experience within the Alps of Ehrwald, Austria. As new hotels and lodges across the Alps lean into modern approaches, eriro is anchored in the origin and preservation of mountain culture, creating an experience guided by tradition, seasonality, and simplicity. Emphasizing silence as the experience, every design element within the eriro spa has been carefully selected to create a harmonious connection with nature and connect guests with the element earth. The entire spa is meticulously designed to connect you with nature, even placing the spa area underground amidst the raw beauty of rocks, forests, and meadows. eriro offers an innovative approach to sound therapy with a completely dark sound room located in the back of their spa that enables absolute concentration on the body and mind. The selected music, accompanied by a nature film shown on a screen emerge through two singing bowls which can be felt throughout the body like a massage, promoting body awareness and relaxation. These vibrations mimic the Earth's natural frequency, creating a profound sense of connection with the very ground beneath you.
Fun for the Whole Family at Forsthofgut Nature Hotel
Forsthofgut Nature Hotel in Leogang, Austria, offers an exceptional array of amenities designed to cater to guests of all ages, with a particular focus on families. The hotel's MiniGut is a charming children's farm built in the style of traditional Pinzgau farms, featuring a petting zoo where young guests can interact with local animals such as rabbits, ponies, pigs, sheep, and goats. Adjacent to the MiniGut is the Deer Park, where guests can observe Rocky the deer and his friends in a natural setting. For families seeking adventure and relaxation, the hotel boasts the waldSPA Family & Kids area, which includes an indoor pool and a children's water world with separate pools for babies, toddlers, and older children, complete with three exciting water slides. The hotel also offers a comprehensive childcare program for children aged two and up, available seven days a week, allowing parents to enjoy some quiet time while their children participate in various activities. Older children and teenagers can enjoy the Teen Center, equipped with table football, table tennis, air hockey, and a relaxation area with beanbags and regular movie nights. Equestrian enthusiasts will appreciate the hotel's extensive stables and riding facilities. Guests can take part in guided trail rides, receive riding lessons for all skill levels, and even participate in vaulting sessions. The hotel also offers pony rides for younger children and carriage rides for those who prefer a more leisurely equestrian experience. These diverse offerings ensure that every family member can find engaging and enjoyable experiences during their stay at Forsthofgut Nature Hotel.
AFRICA
Singita Pamushana Lodge: Beyond the Traditional Safari
Singita Pamushana Lodge in the Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve in Zimbabwe offers a range of exceptional experiences that go beyond traditional safari activities. Guests can enjoy sundowner cruises on a pontoon boat, sipping drinks while taking in the stunning scenery and reflecting on the day's adventures. For those who enjoy fishing, the lodge provides opportunities to catch tigerfish, bass, bream, and catfish in the Malilangwe Dam, with the added bonus of having their catch prepared by the lodge's chefs for dinner. The Hwata photographic hide is a standout feature, allowing visitors to capture unique wildlife moments from a ground-level perspective. This popular spot offers the chance to photograph elephants, rhinos, and various other animals as they come to drink, often resulting in close-up shots that showcase the animals in their natural habitat. These activities combine to create a well-rounded safari experience that caters to different interests and provides memorable encounters with Zimbabwe's wildlife.
Amenities at Loapi
Loapi, Tswalu's newest addition to South Africa's largest private game reserve, offers an exclusive wilderness experience with six individually tented safari homes spanning over 3,200 to 4,600 sq ft. Each home functions as an independently run micro-camp, featuring luxurious amenities such as shaded outdoor decks, daybed niches, study areas, well-appointed kitchens, plunge pools, and fire pits. The camp's design seamlessly blends canvas, glass, cork, steel, and sustainably sourced timber, incorporating innovative solar power technology to minimize environmental impact. Guests can enjoy spacious living areas that flow onto private decks, offering uninterrupted views of the Kalahari landscape. Additional features include an informative outpost building, providing insights about the reserve and Tswalu's initiatives. With its earthy color palette, meticulous attention to detail, and commitment to sustainability, Loapi creates an immersive and luxurious safari experience that connects guests with the surrounding wilderness while ensuring comfort and exclusivity.
ASIA
Disconnect to Reconnect: Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve’s Wellness Program in the Heart of Bali
A destination for wellness and spirituality, Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve offers guests a “temple” to call their own, a luxury sanctuary for inner discovery and serenity in Ubud, Bali. The property's newest offering is their Disconnect to Reconnect program, a wellness journey featuring a curated selection of 14 activities - all inclusive - to heighten guests' awareness of their thoughts, emotions, and sensations, ultimately fostering a profound sense of mindfulness and inner tranquility. The daily rotating activities include Breath Work, Vibrational Sound Therapy, Aquatic Therapy, Quantum Healing, and Chakra Balancing.
In addition to the new program, Mandapa offers extraordinary healing sessions with an intuitive blind healer for travelers to take their retreat to the next level. Ibu Ketut Mursi is a highly skilled healer with a gifted intuitive awareness and touch, assessing and assisting with emotional and physical issues. Honoring ancient traditions, Ketut carries her family's secret herbal oil blend that has been passed down from her grandfather, a Balinese healer. Accompanied by her assistant Ibu Kis, they work harmoniously to realign and release any blocked energy pattern through bodywork and reflexology.
The Swim Reef at The Ritz-Carlton, Koh Samui
Located within The Ritz-Carlton, Koh Samui resort, guests are granted access to the enchanting underwater world of Southeast Asia’s largest swim reef. Teeming with over 50 species of fish, the resort offers snorkeling experiences and scheduled fish feeding sessions to get up-close-and-personal with thousands of fish, including the charismatic clownfish and graceful angelfish. The advanced filtration systems remove pollutants, jellyfish, and solids from the seawater, providing the ideal environment for fish to breed and for local authorities to propagate the endangered coral reefs. The one-of-a-kind, immersive, aquatic sanctuary can be enjoyed by guests of all ages year round, and the resort’s commitment to environmental preservation draws attention to the beauty and fragility of the oceans as it offers educational, responsible, and unforgettable entertainment.
NORTH AMERICA
Amenities at Hawaiian Paradise with THIRDHOME
Malulani Villa is a luxurious retreat on the tropical island of Hawaii, offering an array of exceptional amenities that create an unforgettable experience for guests. This home is only available to members of THIRDHOME, a luxury home exchange club for second homeowners second home owners to leverage assets that would otherwise sit empty, allowing them to travel to over 18,000 homes around the world with the average home valued at $2.4 million. This enchanting getaway features a custom pool with sea turtle designs and a cascading waterfall, providing a tranquil oasis for relaxation. For sports enthusiasts, the villa boasts an oceanfront pickleball court, perfect for friendly matches while enjoying stunning views of the vibrant ocean. Guests can also engage in the unique ancient Hawaiian petroglyph game, connecting them to the island's rich cultural heritage. With three spacious bedrooms and four bathrooms, Malulani Villa is designed for comfort and elegance, making it an ideal destination for both leisure and adventure. Additionally, the property includes a fully equipped kitchen and lush tropical gardens, ensuring a luxurious stay that caters to every need.
