Even post-pandemic, terraces and balconies remain essential for many travelers when choosing a hotel or resort. They provide privacy, fresh air, and a retreat from the chaos of living out of a suitcase (hotel rooms can get cluttered!).
These outdoor spaces also allow guests the opportunity capture Instagram-worthy photos, especially during the bustling summer travel season when vacation destinations dominate our feeds.
We’ve rounded up some of the most luxurious and spectacular terraces and balconies at hotels and resorts across the globe, each offering far more than just a refreshing breeze. From private pools to breathtaking views, these outdoor areas are anything but ordinary – they are a “balconycation” all of their own.
Villa Lala — Romantic Boutique Hotel – Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (pictured above and below)
Nestled in the captivating South Zone of Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico, this oasis awaits you with only 12 rooms, seamlessly blending unique architecture with natural beauty, accessible by both land and sea.Indulge in a dining and beverage service exclusively crafted for guests. The hotel features two palapas and a terrace by the communal pool, where you'll experience personalized attention. Authentic gardens, each surrounded by floral plants, whispering trees, small streams, and ponds inhabited by fish, create a truly unique atmosphere. Hammocks, comfortable loungers, and strategically placed tables allow you to delight in bird watching to the gentle murmur of water.
Zemi Beach House – Anguilla
Nestled on the pristine beaches of Shoal Bay East in Anguilla, Zemi Beach House is 76-key luxury hotel offering a private and serene getaway. Guests can enjoy the beautifully designed and one-of-a-kind Rhum Room which boasts 140 small batch rums and offers tastings and specialty cocktails. Zemi is also home to a 307-year-old Thai House Spa with various treatments for the ultimate pampering, as well as the island’s only hammam. The hotel offers breathtaking ocean views from the majority of its rooms, with the most impressive vistas found on the expansive terrace of the Three-Bedroom Presidential Beach Front Suite (pictured). Here, guests can unwind in their private pool overlooking the shimmering blue waters, and enjoy various seating and outdoor dining areas, crafting a unique and unforgettable experience.
Swim in the sky in your private infinity pool while gazing over the serene sea. Relax on one of the sun loungers and swing to the motion of the ocean; you’ll want to spend as much time as possible on this dream-worthy terrace. With a dining table that can seat six, you can get your butler to arrange an al fresco dinner for you and friends. Feel right at home in a large airy living and dining areas, as well as a separate pantry and two beautiful bathrooms for private and guest use. All bathrooms are fitted with bespoke Graff amenities, a world-exclusive, created for Atlantis The Royal.
Solaz, a Luxury Collection Resort, Los Cabos – Los Cabos, Mexico
Solaz, an oceanfront property with sweeping views of the Sea of Cortez, provides guests with 34-acres of glistening blue waters and powdery sand. The resort features a luxurious spa and offers guests a tailored journey with its Artisan-butler service and a concierge team. Designed with sophisticated, modern, and natural features, Solaz’s architecture showcases the landscape and brings the outdoors in (biophilia) with various open dining spaces and beachfront access and features art from Mexican Visual Artist, Cesar Lopez Negrete. The resort provides an assortment of room types with unique terrace and balconies offerings – most notably the Villa Solaz Four Bedroom (pictured). This expansive suite is equipped with both a private whirlpool and pool to accompany the spacious outdoor area making guests feel as if they are vacationing in their own private home.
W South Beach - Miami Beach, Florida
W South Beach, renowned for its luxurious accommodations and prime oceanfront location, distinguishes itself with a standout feature: every room boasts a spacious balcony overlooking the iconic South Beach, offered at no additional cost to guests. Following a recent $30 million renovation, the hotel introduces newly designed rooms and upgraded amenities, including the serene Away Spa, exclusive pool cabanas, a state-of-the-art fitness center, FIT and a rooftop basketball court and tennis court, SWISH & SWING. Each guest at W South Beach receives a dedicated W Insider, available 24/7, who will take care of whatever, whenever (literally) from dinner reservations, grocery delivery, drivers, yacht charters and more allowing guests to curate the custom trip of their dreams. The ultimate W South Beach vacation includes a custom spa experience at the new minimalistic refuge, Away Spa, where guests receive complimentary detox elixirs, charcoal cookies, and cell phone sleeping bags. W South Beach’s unwavering commitment to luxury and comfort, coupled with its unparalleled balcony views, solidifies its status as the premier destination for travelers seeking relaxation against the stunning backdrop of Miami Beach.
Wailea Beach Resort – Wailea, Maui
Nestled between two of Maui's famous golden sand crescent beaches, Wailea Beach Resort is the epitome of scenic luxury spanning 22 acres with four spectacular pool experiences. The resort is also located at the closest proximity to the ocean’s edge in all of Maui, making it uniquely suited to those looking for breathtaking views. Guests looking to make the most of Wailea Beach Resort’s location can soak in sweeping ocean expanses when they book accommodations within the Sundeck Collection, a 43-room cluster of spacious suites each boasting an extended 150 sq. ft of private indoor-outdoor living space. These highly coveted rooms provide convenient access and proximity to the resort’s beach walk, lawn and pools, inviting guests to step out into the Hawaiian sun each morning to sip coffee. At night, the lanais become the perfect place for an evening nightcap and exquisite views of the unparalleled Hawaiian sunset. For highly sophisticated accommodations, the Sundeck Garden Oasis collection introduces a new way to luxuriate in island-style outdoor living. Each private garden oasis features an expansive lanai appointed with an outdoor bathtub and shower with lush amenities, and a firepit lounge area for rest and relaxation during cool nights. Guests may add exclusive in-room spa treatments including massages through the Bath Butler menu by Mandara Spa.
The Westin Cape Coral Resort at Marina Village – Cape Coral, Florida Located in the scenic Tarpon Point Marina, over the last couple years Westin Cape Coral Resort debuted a guestroom-focused renovation. This renovation increased guestroom inventory, and now features 308 guestrooms and suites with striking waterfront views and a refreshed design, inspired by the resort’s stunning natural surroundings. The majority of the updated resort accommodations offer guests a spacious, private terrace complete with modern outdoor furniture to soak in Cape Coral’s famed sunsets from. Of note, is the Admiral Suite Penthouse boasting two private terraces, including an expansive screened-in, furnished balcony on the first level to enjoy the view and light Gulf breeze, as well as an upstairs wraparound, open-air balcony that features a bar counter with seating for 20 – perfect for entertaining with stunning water views.
Botánika Osa Peninsula, Curio Collection by Hilton – Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica The 106 LEED-certified residences at this luxury eco-resort are positioned beside Costa Rica’s two prized jewels: Corcovado National Park and the Pacific Ocean’s Golfo Dulce. Recognized as “the most biologically intense place on Earth” (source: National Geographic), Botánika Osa Peninsula serves as a jumping off point for immersive ocean and rainforest experiences. Guests can lay their heads to rest in the resort’s striking open floor studio, 1-, 2-, or 3-bedroom rainforest residences outfitted with floor-to-ceiling windows, oversized terraces with rainforest views and a private rooftop lounge area fit for nature viewing and stargazing. The property blends into its environment with intelligent architectural designs that seamlessly blur the lines between outdoors and in with wide verandas, expansive glass walls and dramatic landscaping. Guests at Botanika can constantly relax among nature right from the property’s expansive balconies offering unmatched, breathtaking rainforest and waterfront views.
Hotel ZaZa Houston Museum District, Houston Texas
Combining both luxury and art decadence, Hotel ZaZa Houston Museum District offers its guests a unique sensory experience with the perfect balance between refinement and relaxation in Houston’s most vibrant neighborhood. For a breath of fresh air in the heart of the city, guests are invited to book the Black Label Magnificent Seven Suite which features an extra-large balcony with stunning city views, bed-like lounge seating, a chandelier, and even an outdoor two-person soaking tub. The suite itself is a sleek two-bedroom complete with a kitchenette, lounge area, and dining room, and adorned with an exquisite crystal chandelier and marble accents.
