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The world’s a big, beautiful place. Soaring mountains, plunging valleys, and infinite oceans take our breath away. But other things blow our minds altogether.
Glow-in-the-dark beaches, giants’ footpaths, and walls of coral hundreds of miles long are just a few natural wonders that feature in our list today. But of course, this is Room Service; we’re checking out the best hotels to experience natural phenomena.
SAii Lagoon, Maldives, Bioluminescent Lagoon
Location: Eh’mafushi South Male Atoll
Price: $280
Vibe: Bioluminescent luxury
The rundown: It’s a spectacular hotel in the Maldives – you don’t usually need to say much more than that. But not every hotel in the Maldives sits on a bioluminescent bay.
Caused by plankton in the water, the spectacle is only seen in a few places around the world. Staff are extremely attentive to the phenomenon and will taxi guests to the beach to enjoy it, even if they’re in the middle of dinner. Don’t worry; they’ll hold your table ‘til you’re back.
Hotel de Sal Luna, Bolivia, Salt Flats
Location: Salt Flats, Bolivia
Price: From $175
Vibe: Salty in the best way
The rundown: Hotel de Sal Luna’s location on the edge of the Uyuni Salt Flats is unbelievable as it is. The fact the hotel is composed almost entirely of salt bricks is something else – don’t lick the walls.
The hotel will build salt flats tours for you or book you into its world-class spa center to relax at the end of a day’s exploration.
Causeway Hotel, Ireland, Giants Causeway
Location: Bushmills, Ireland
Price: From $130
Vibe: Fee-fi-fo-funbelievable stay
The rundown:The Giant’s Causeway is a stretch of basalt honeycombs tracing the Irish coastline. It’s said the geoformation is the remnants of a path built by a giant that allowed him to cross to Scotland and fight his rival.
Whatever the origins, it’s an unmissable spectacle, and nowhere gets you closer (or comfier) than the Causeway Hotel. It’s a classic hotel, run effectively, and boasts an excellent restaurant and bar to sip a Guinness or four after a long day out.
Chable Yucatan, Merida, Cenotes
Location: San Antonio Chable
Price: $1,300
Vibe: Utter, sacred serenity
The rundown: 65 million years ago, a gargantuan asteroid collided with Earth, killing the dinosaurs and changing the planet forever. The point of impact? Yucatan in Southeast Mexico. Aside from the immediate extinction events, a complex geological process was kickstarted, culminating in the creation of a ring of beautiful cenotes in the Yucatan peninsula.
Cenote visits are a must for any visit to the region, but for Chable Yucutan, you need only step outside your room. Boasting a private cenote and built to perfection within the sacred Mayan jungle near Merida, the resort is a staggeringly luxurious experience. It comes with a hefty price tag, but it’s not likely you’ll forget it.
Reefsuites, Australia, Great Barrier Reef
Location: The Great Barrier Reef, Australia
Price: From $1050
Vibe: Ocean view on steroids
The rundown: This one is pretty special. 40 nautical miles off-shore from Airlie Beach, permanent pontoon Reefworld is anchored on the edge of the Great Barrier Reef. For most tourists, it’s a base for snorkeling and organized day activities. For a lucky few, it’s a bed for the night.
Under the top deck, where guests can enjoy dinner and drinks, guest rooms open to the most spectacular view on earth – the ocean. The generous rooms boast floor-to-ceiling windows, from which you can watch the comes and goings of life on the world’s largest reef.
Longitude 131, Australia, Uluru
Location: Uluru, Australia
Price: From $1350
Vibe: Ultimate desert luxury in sacred heartlands
The rundown: Uluru Rock explodes from the Australian Central Desert triumphantly. It’s no wonder indigenous populations believe it to be sacred.
For those seeking the ultimate luxury, however, the nearby Longitude 131 is up there in the pantheons of fine stays. Calling their luxury tents “tents” is a stretch – there’s more decadence packed under its canvas roof than most hotels. Add in its extravagant starlit dinners, cultural hikes, sunset cocktails, and a myriad of amenities, and you’ll never want to leave.
by travelers, for travelers.
