With the explosion in popularity of Instagram, it increasingly feels like you haven’t really been on vacation until you’ve carefully crafted and posted that all-important shot from your hotel, hacienda or houseboat.
Whether it’s sunsets, water, cityscapes or mountains – or even a combination of all four – there’s no shortage of stunning travel backdrops on which to perfectly pose yourself or your cocktail.
Here are 17 of the most breathtaking hotel views around the world – no filter needed – that are likely to make your post especially popular.
Mandarin Oriental, New York
It’s a skyline that never gets old, a cityscape that seems tailor-made for Instagram and that perfect pic. The skyscrapers, sunrises and sunsets in Manhattan add an undeniable glamor quotient, while the expanse of Central Park is the perfect natural foil to the concrete jungle.
When taken from the plush surroundings of a sleek luxury hotel such as New York’s five-star Mandarin Oriental, the Instagram envy rating goes through the roof.
Rooms with Central Park views start at $845.
Mandarin Oriental New York, 80 Columbus Circle, New York, NY 10023; +1 212-805-8800
Soneva Jani, Maldives
The Maldives islands have to be one of the most Instagram-friendly destinations anywhere thanks to impossibly blue water, sky and perfect white sand beaches.
Luxurious but eminently sustainable, Soneva Jani is one of the country’s most exclusive retreats and boasts a gallery of possible shots at every turn from their villas.
With a “Man Friday” host on hand for your every need, world-class dining and your very own in-villa slide to hit the water for snorkeling, the only challenge comes in choosing what to shoot next.
Rates for a two-bedroom water retreat with slide start from $4,892 per night.
Soneva Jani, Medhufaru Island Noonu Atoll, Maldives; +960 656-6666
The Peninsula Paris
When it comes to getting those likes, it definitely helps to have an iconic background, and few tick this box as much as the City of Light’s Eiffel Tower.
The Peninsula is located across the Seine from the famed Parisian landmark, and the roof terrace of the property’s Garden Suite has few rivals in terms of catching that view over the rooftops. Add in a candlelit dinner for two to make for a romantic post par excellence.
Garden Suite rates range from about $7,150 to $9,430 a night, depending on dates.
The Peninsula, 19 Avenue Kléber, 75116 Paris, France; +33 1 58 12 28 88
El Questro Homestead, The Kimberley, Australia
The Kimberley region of Western Australia is unimaginably vast and empty, while the luxurious clifftop retreat El Questro Homestead offers stunning panoramic views of the landscape, the Chamberlain Gorge and River.
While flocks of parakeets fly by, keep an eye out from the floor-to-ceiling windows of your elegant suite for the resident crocodile in the water below.
From sunrise through to sunset, the colors change constantly, meaning no two photos will look the same. For ultimate Instagram points, it’s hard to beat the bathtub under the stars.
Rates start from $1,706 per night for a Gorge View Room.
El Questro Wilderness Park, El Questro Road, Durack WA 6743, Australia; +61 1800 837 168
The Rosewood Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Set in an urban Asian landscape, this time in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh, the recently opened Rosewood has given locals and visitors alike a whole new perspective on the city, thanks to its location 188 meters up in the Vattanac Capital Tower.
Spanning 14 floors, the luxury hotel offer views to the horizon, over the fabled Mekong River, the city’s Royal Palace and domed Central Market. Amidst multiple dining options, Sora on the top floor is a perfect selfie spot thanks to its dramatic 180-degree vistas and stylish bar setting.
Rooms from $220 per night.
The Rosewood, Capital Tower, 66 Monivong Blvd, Sangkat Wat Phnom, Khan Daun Penh, Phnom Penh, Cambodia; +855 23 936 888
La Mainaz, Gex, France
Mountain views are epic from the Franco-Swiss border. La Mainaz in Gex, France, provides an exceptional perch. At 1,250 meters (4,100 feet) above sea level, the property overlooks a stunning combination of Lake Geneva and Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in the Alps.
The four-star hotel offers just 21 rooms and suites, while its gourmet restaurant, La Table de La Mainaz, makes the very most of fabulous local products, notably Comté cheese.
Room rates start from $330 per night.
La Mainaz, D1005 Route du col de la Faucille, 01170 Gex, France; +33 (0) 4 50 41 31 10
Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort, Chiang Rai, Thailand
There can’t be many Instagram posts that allow you to take a snap of three countries in one shot, but the Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort sits in 160 acres right on the border of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar.
As if more was needed, elephants graze happily beneath you and the Mekong and Ruak rivers flow gently by. The camp serves as a home for elephants primarily rescued from illegal logging and elephant shows.
Room rates start from $1,484 per night.
Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort, 229 Moo 1, Chiang Saen, Chiang Rai 57150, Thailand; +66 (0) 53 784 084
Rascal Voyages, Indonesia
This is a waterborne Instagram location – this time with Rascal Voyages, a company providing off-grid adventures with a dose of real luxury. A traditional Indonesian wooden schooner called a phinisi is home, albeit one with every modern luxury and technology.
They sail the remote and beautiful waters of Indonesia, home to some of the world’s greatest diversity of marine life – as well as infamous komodo dragons on two of the region’s islands. But if there’s one thing even more Instagrammable than water and blue skies, it’s when you throw breakfast into the picture, right outside your cabin.
Rascal Voyages start from $8,500 per night for 10 people, full board.
InterContinental, Hong Kong
Looking from Kowloon across Victoria Harbour to Hong Kong Island is already one of the world’s most popular Instagram and social media posts, but to take it up a notch, the shots could come from the five-star InterContinental Hong Kong.
Among the hotel’s dining options, seafood restaurant Rech by Alain Ducasse offers stunning views across the water.
InterContinental Hong Kong’s Deluxe Suites also lay the city’s spectacular skyline before you – striking at any time, but especially so when illuminated with the neon lights reflecting on the water.
Your suite even features an oversized Jacuzzi with those same views.
Deluxe Suites start from about $2,400 a night.
InterContinental Hong Kong, 18 Salisbury Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong; + 852 2721 1211
King George Hotel, Athens
Another property with views of a monument that can truly be called iconic comes at the King George Hotel in the Greek capital of Athens.
While staying in their penthouse involves seriously splashing the cash, you do get one of the most remarkable views of the Acropolis, the ancient citadel including the Parthenon that has overlooked the city for almost 2,500 years.
There’s even your own private pool that will doubtless help add to the likes.
Penthouse Suite starts from $7,000 per night.
King George Hotel, Athens, 3 Vasileos Georgiou A, Syntagma Square, Athens 105 64, Greece; +30 21 0322 2210
Gangtey Lodge, Bhutan
High up in the Himalayas, Bhutan is one of the world’s most remote and undiscovered locations, meaning there’s a chance that your Instagram shot will join a pretty exclusive set from those visitors lucky enough to make it to the Kingdom of the Mountain Dragon.
The award-winning Gangtey Lodge sits in a valley that is the perfect base for mountaineering, hiking, rafting and other adventures. Each of the 12 rooms has a fireplace and bath to let you soak in the views as much as the water.
Rooms and full board from $500 per night.
Gangtey Lodge, below the monastery, Phobjikha Valley, Gangtey Gonpa, Bhutan; +975 (02) 34 0943
Time + Tide Miavana, Madagascar
The island of Madasgacar sits off the coast of Mozambique and offers a vacation dream of deserted sandy white beaches, coral reefs and stunning sunsets. Miavana is an ultraluxurious escape for Instagrammers with deep pockets.
Just 14 villas sit along the secluded private beach, each offering views of the Indian Ocean to take your breath away. With private pools, butler service and ample space to kick back, your posts risk inducing serious envy.
Rates start from $3,000 per night.
Time + Tide Miavana, Nosy Anko, Madagascar
QT Queenstown, New Zealand
If a country were to win medals for Instagrammable landscapes, then New Zealand would be constantly in the running for gold. A case in point: The spectacular vistas over the crystal-clear Lake Wakatipu and the peaks of the mountain range aptly called The Remarkables.
QT Queenstown is a 69-room lakeside resort where the very best views come from the Remarkable King on the top floor, but even at breakfast, you’ll be hard pushed to concentrate on your food given the stunning views from their restaurant called Bazaar.
Room rates start around $380 per night.
QT Queenstown, 30 Brunswick Street, Queenstown 9300, NZ, +64 3 450 3450
The Cape, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
This boutique property sits at the Los Cabos surf spot Monuments Beach, with views over the Sea of Cortez and the famed rock formation known as El Arco.
Contemporary and sleek, the hotel boasts an infinity pool, daybeds, rooftop lounge and patios, all with a Baja California vibe to make any Instagrammer salivate. If money is no object, choose from their huge suites and villas, some with private plunge pools and rooftop space.
Rates start at $499 per night.
The Cape, Carr. Federal Libre Transpeninsular Km 5 Misiones del Cabo, Cabo San Lucas, B.C.S., Mexico 23455; +52 624 163 0000
Villa Eyrie Resort, Vancouver Island, Canada
The Malahat Summit on Vancouver Island is home to Villa Eyrie Resort, which lays claim to what must be one of the best panoramic views anywhere.
Their luxury Cielo penthouse features 270-degree views over gardens, forests, the Finlayson Arm Inlet, then out toward Mount Baker and the Olympic Mountains. A network of walking trails allows you to work off the calories from their farm-to-table restaurant, aptly named The Summit.
Rates start around $430 per night for the Penthouse Suite.
Villa Eyrie Resort, 600 Ebadora Lane Malahat, British Columbia, V0R 2L0, Canada ; +1 778 746 2389
Royal Champagne Hotel and Spa, Champillon, France
The rolling vineyards of France’s Champagne region provide the perfect backdrop from the historic Royal Champagne Hotel and Spa, a spot that once counted Napoleon Bonaparte as a guest.
The hillsides and villages it overlooks include Hautvillers, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and former home to the monk Dom Pérignon, who was credited with inventing Champagne. So there’s no better excuse to kick back on your terrace and toast him.
An elegant spa and Michelin-starred dining at Le Royal are other distractions during your ultrachic break.
Rooms from $530 per night.
Royal Champagne Hotel and Spa, 9 Rue de la République, 51160 Champillon, France; +33 3 26 52 87 11
Belmond Cadogan Hotel, London
The Belmond Cadogan Hotel in London’s swish Chelsea neighborhood is a hideaway that was once home to the Irish author Oscar Wilde. After a multimillion dollar renovation, the five townhouses dating from 1887 have become a supremely elegant 54-suite property overlooking Cadogan Place Gardens.
The 150-year-old gardens are only open to guests of the hotel and residents of the super-exclusive Cadogan Estate, meaning that playing tennis, enjoying a picnic or sitting under a tree planted to mark Her Majesty The Queen’s coronation in 1953 are all options to while away the hours.
Cuisine from one of London’s most acclaimed young chefs, Adam Handling, awaits when you return.
Rates start from $450 per night.
Belmond Cadogan Hotel, 75 Sloane St, Chelsea, London SW1X 9SG, UK; +44 20 7048 7141
Many visitors to London like to dive into the 1,000-year history of British kings and queens. What awaits a royals fan? A plethora of palaces, museums and galleries including Kensington Palace, walking distance from the Belmond Cadogan.
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