The Best Luxury Holiday Destinations in the World 2022

Dann Ball
Dann BallJul 20, 2022
The Best Luxury Holiday Destinations in the World 2022

There’s nothing wrong with adding a bit of luxury to your life — especially when it comes to your much-awaited annual leave and implementing some R&R. So, push the boat out (figuratively and literally) with a luxurious yacht stay, enjoy a no-expense-spared ski trip, or experience the finer things in life with your own private island.

We’ve rounded up the best luxury holidays in the world so you can get packing and enjoy some pampering. And a bonus? You’ll get Crypto Cashback on each one of these luxury getaways.

The Bahamas, The Caribbean

Hammocks, sun, sea, and luxury. The Caribbean islands have it all – and more. But, with so many stunning islands, it can be tricky to decide where to spend your vacation.

Do you go to the mountainous St Lucia? The celebrity-filled Barbados? How about invoking your inner Bond or Bond girl on a trip to Jamaica? Or, do you head to the luxurious and secluded St Bart and Turks and Caicos?

Wherever you choose, each island has its own natural wonders, historic sites, and a year-round tropical climate. However, our top pick has to be The Bahamas.

Experience pink sand by the ocean, mangrove forests, and rum cocktails on deserted beaches. What’s more luxurious than that?

Where to stay: Seeing as we’ve mentioned James Bond, why not stay somewhere that played a starring role in Casino Royale? The Ocean Club, a Four Seasons Resort, Bahamas (4% Crypto Cashback), did just that. On Paradise Island’s northern shore is where you’ll find this luxe colonial-style resort that oozes luxury.

With 35 acres of manicured gardens, you’ll discover a Balinese-inspired spa, tennis courts, a golf course designed by Tom Weiskopf, and ocean views. For an added touch of the good life? There are also private butlers to cater to your every need.

Bali

Bali is known as the ‘Island of the Gods’ – for a good reason. This destination is bursting with cascading waterfalls, rainforest hideaways, emerald rice fields, beautiful beaches, and luxurious spas that you’d be hard-pushed to find anywhere else. Detach from daily life in Canggu, find your zen in Ubud, or catch a wave in Seminyak. Everything – and everywhere – in Bali is magical.

Where to stay:

It’s hard to pick just one place in Bali. However, The Ungasan Clifftop Resort in Uluwatu (5.4% Crypto Cashback) has to be one of our favorites. Book here, and you’ll be checking in to a relaxing oasis on the clifftops.

Experience total privacy with your private pool villa, complete with your personal butler. The resort offers private beach access with crystal-clear waters, scattered rock pools, and Sundays Beach Club. There’s also a spa, wellness center, fitness center, and world-class dining available at their Selatan Restaurant.

Bora Bora, French Polynesia

This might be a tiny island in French Polynesia, but its big prices make it one of the most luxurious holiday destinations in the world. Don’t be surprised to spend around $800 per night here on the island.

However, costs like this mean out-of-this-world accommodation and experiences. Plus, you’re sure to rub shoulders with celebrities and the business elite. It’s a hard life, but someone’s got to do it!

Where to stay:

Embrace luxury at the Conrad Bora Bora Niu (5.4% Crypto Cashback). This award-winning resort is nestled in a private cove on Motu To’opua and features villas set over sublime turquoise seas.

Discover a world of flavors in one of their five unique restaurants and bars or experience ultimate relation at their Hina Spa. And when relaxation leads to rejuvenation, there are plenty of activities to choose from. Our favorites include hiking and swimming with sharks.

However, there’s one thing you just have to make time for while you’re there: spending a day at the resort’s private islet Motu Tapu. Here, you can sip on champagne and enjoy a picnic prepared by the chefs; it’s definitely a luxury worth experiencing.

Dubai

Of course, we couldn’t mention luxury vacations without including Dubai. Some say it was built within the last 50 years just to cater to luxurious vacationing. And they’d probably be right; pretty much every aspect of this UAE city feels brand new and is dripping in affluence and riches.

Experience world-class dining, award-winning spas, and expansive suites – without ever leaving your hotel. Venture outside to explore, and you’ll find iconic landmarks like Burj Khalifa (the world’s tallest building and first 6-star hotel), The Palm, designer shopping districts, waterparks, and more.

This is a city that certainly likes to show off. So book a hotel here and expect perks such as Rolls Royce airport transfers, underwater suites, private beaches, stellar service, and more.

Where to stay:

You can’t get much more decadent than the Bulgari Resort Dubai (5.4% Crypto Cashback). First, it’s on the manmade Jumeirah Bay, an island in the shape of a seahorse connected to the central Dubai coastline via a 300m bridge. Secondly, it has its own private marina with the world’s first Bulgari Yacht Club and 50 boat berths.

Choose from one of 101 rooms and suites or 20 Bulgari villas. You’ll also find:

  • Dubai’s most exclusive beach club with a private beach
  • An ultra-luxe spa with hammam
  • Mosaic-design outdoor swimming pool
  • World-class restaurants

The Maldives

1,200 islands surrounded by white sand and crystal-clear turquoise waters. We can only be talking about one iconic luxurious destination: the Maldives.

Yes, the Maldives offers jaw-dropping scenery that will make you think you’re on a desert island – but with 5-star amenities, of course. First, you’ll reach the shores of your chosen island via a speedboat or seaplane. And from there, things only get more exclusive.

Bring your swim gear and sip cocktails outside your water bungalow or jump down your accommodation’s built-in waterslide to join the manta rays, turtles, and tropical fish. You can go even bigger and soak up champagne cruises at sunset or rent an entire island to yourself. Robinson Crusoe, eat your heart out.

Where to stay:

It’s got to be the five-star Anantara Dhigu Maldives Resort (3.6% Crypto Cashback). Based on the private island of Dhigufinolhu, you can choose to stay in magical rooms poised over the water or snuggled on unspoiled sands. Whichever room you pick, you’ll find rain showers and flatscreen TVs. Plus, you’ll be just steps away from the resort’s tranquil lagoon and powder-fine white beach.

For added luxury, choose a room with its own private plunge pool or take a short pontoon ride to own private island with deserted beaches and some of the world’s best snorkeling. Trust us; this is a vacation you’ll talk about for years.

Top Tip: Wanting to travel to The Maldives with the family? Discover the luxurious – and family-friendly – Niyama Private Islands in our guide to the Best Family Holiday Destinations.

Mauritius

Our next holiday destination isn’t nicknamed the ‘Island of Eden’ for nothing. Come to Mauritius and experience otherworldly lagoons and waterfalls, luscious rainforests, and coral-fringed beaches. This volcanic island’s remoteness makes you feel like you’ve walked through a portal into the epitome of luxury.

As well as out-of-this-world natural wonders, the hotels and resorts in Mauritius bring opulence to the max – from golf courses to infinity pools. Its crystalline water also makes it perfect for scuba diving, snorkeling, and whatever other water activity floats your boat.

Where to stay:

Experience a serene tropical getaway at the Radisson Blue Poste Lafayette Resort & Spa (5.4% Crypto Cashback). Right on the beach, you can fall asleep to the sound of the waves and enjoy the panoramic sea views. There’s also a spa, a gym, and a lavish pool for you to enjoy. Luxury doesn’t get much better than this.

Monaco, France

Yachting and glamour go hand-in-hand with Monaco. So it makes sense that it’s also one of the best luxury holiday destinations in the world.

Browse superyachts, dine at some of the world's top restaurants, try your luck at Casino de Monte Carlo, or dance alongside celebs at Jimmy’s Monte Carlo. Don’t forget that you can also time your vacation right to be there for the Monaco Grand Prix.

Where to stay:

For something a little different, why not stay in a Luxurious Yacht in the heart of Monaco (5.4% Crypto Cashback)? Only a one-minute walk from the Monte Carlo Formula 1 Track, this yacht sleeps up to six guests in three rooms. You can also opt for two crew onboard to ensure a relaxed – and envy-inducing – yacht experience.

Santorini, Greece

Santorini has long been a top destination for jet setters and holiday getaways. We know you’ll recognize this idyllic island’s white-washed scenery and stunning sunsets from Instagram and TikTok.

Set on the edge of an extinct volcano, you’ll find towns perching on cliffs, blue-domed churches, endless shopping opportunities, and black sand beaches against the Aegean Sea. It’s Insta-famous for a good reason.

Where to stay:

Like its luxury counterpart, Mykonos, some seriously stylish hotels and resorts can be found here. Our favorite is Iconic Santorini (4.95% Crypto Cashback), a unique boutique cave hotel perched on a cliff. If sunsets are your kryptonite, you’ll be pleased to know that it’s only a short drive from Oia’s famous sunsets.

Iconic Santorini has 19 cave rooms and suites, each decorated in their own style with subtle nods to historic Cycladic architecture. Book a superior suite, and a private plunge pool is all yours. There’s also the onsite Pergola Restaurant for dining outdoors next to the hotel’s pools while looking out to sea. Trust us: this mix of stunning views and splendid service is hard to beat.

Seychelles

If you’re after miles and miles of stunning coastline, you can’t go wrong with Seychelles. This star-studded group of 115 islands lies off the coast of Tanzania and is famous for its postcard white beaches, dreamy warm waters, and lush tropical foliage.

Where to stay:

In terms of luxury, you can’t get much more decadent than the North Island, a Luxury Collection Resort, Seychelles (5.4% Crypto Cashback). This private island resort houses just 11 ocean-view villas, meaning you’ll find your own slice of peace and serenity. And who knows? Maybe George and Amal Clooney will be your neighbors. The two have stayed at the resort and enjoyed the secluded beach, coconut grove, and 201 hectares of sublime natural beauty.

The villas have private plunge pools and direct access to the beach, where you can snorkel, dive, kayak, paddleboard, fish, or enjoy a sunset cruise. Once back at the resort, why not slip into serenity at the spa or dive into the 45m infinity pool? Then, when it’s time for dinner, you can dine at the Piazza or Sunset Beach Bar with your toes in the sand. Bliss!

St. Moritz, Switzerland

Head to St. Moriz and experience luxury and opulence surrounded by majestic mountains. At an altitude of 1,856m, St. Moritz provides some of the best skiing and snowboarding in the world – and is one of the most decadent ski resorts on this planet. Expect luxurious chalets and an array of luxury spa hotels — perfect for relaxing after a day on the slopes.

Skiing and snowboarding not your thing? Don’t worry – St. Moritz offers high-end shopping, restaurants, and bars. In fact, the ‘champagne atmosphere’ is also legendary here with some of the best après spots in the world. St.Moritz is also a luxurious spot during the summer, with 25 crystal-clear mountain lakes, endless hiking trails, and 400km-long mountain bike trails.

Where to stay: If you’re on a trip where money isn’t an option, why not stay in a five-star chalet hotel with its own private lift and ski school? Yes, we’re talking about Suvretta House, a St Moritz institution.

Suvretta is set in its own grounds at the foot of the Corviglia ski area and guarantees you’ll get the celebrity treatment. Our favorite perks include:

  • Two mountain restaurants: The Grand Restaurant for gourmet specialties and the Suvretta Stube for authentic Swiss dishes
  • An in-house winter sports shop
  • A state-of-the-art spa with a 30-yard indoor pool and open-air whirlpool

Our top tip?

Arrive in St. Moritz in style via the Glacier Express. It takes you across Switzerland, climbing mountains, running alongside frozen rivers, and offering stunning scenery of the Swiss Alps. If you go First Class, enjoy floor-to-ceiling glass windows for a spectacular panoramic view. Well, who says luxury can’t start from the moment you leave home?

Tanzania

If you're a luxury traveler, heading to Tanzania on a safari must be on your bucket list. Cross paths with elephants, giraffes, leopards, lions, and rhinos before heading back to your grand, 5-star accommodation. Tanzania also offers an extraordinary mix of beautiful beaches and rich bazaars if safari isn’t your ideal holiday.

Where to stay:

Find sanctuary in the Savannah at the Four Seasons Safari Lodge Serengeti (3.6% Crypto Cashback). This five-star resort is at the heart of one of the world’s top wildlife reserves. Here, you’ll find the Big Five – the lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant, and rhino.

Enjoy your morning coffee on your private balcony as you watch a family of elephants take their morning drink at the watering hole next door to the Lodge. Then, during the day, join a thrilling game drive or soar high with a hot-air balloon safari before returning to the modern comforts and luxuries at the lodge.

And these ‘comforts’ aren’t exactly modest. You’ll find:

  • A luxury spa with six free-standing treatment pavilions
  • A fitness center
  • An infinity-edge swimming pool
  • An educational discovery center

Fancy exploring the US instead? Discover our top picks of All-Inclusive Weekend Getaways and experience luxury closer to home. Don’t forget to click through our Staff Summer Picks for everything you need for your summer trip. Click the link to see their picks, including sunscreen, pool rings, and surfboards.