Ah, a room with a view.
No, we are not talking about novels by E.M. Forster, nor Merchant Ivory films of the same name—although each of these works aim (and succeed!) in capturing the floating-on-air bliss provided by their namesakes. Many things go into making a hotel room great—design, comfort, dimensions—but you either have a great view or you don’t, and this last element is what makes the room and guest alike truly sing. After a year of traveling far and wide, our editors have returned with a bevy of experience after staying in some of the world’s best hotels and accommodations. But which of them sang the loudest? Below, find the rooms with the very best views that we stayed in this year. From the Maasai Mara to Hong Kong then round again to Rio, there’s a vista for everyone to enjoy.
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São Lourenço do Barrocal — Alentejo, Portugal
Sometimes, the best view is just nothing. Well, not nothing necessarily, but miles and miles of countryside, where wildflowers bloom and horses wander. For me, there are few places as beautiful as the Alentejo; the Portuguese interior where space feels bigger, sunsets are more colorful ,and people are just happier. São Lourenço do Barrocal is a special place that captures this laid-back beauty perfectly. The terraces outside the farmhouse rooms are a place of perfect calm, where sitting with a morning coffee is as rejuvenating as a 60-minute massage. I’m a city lover, but there’s really nothing like looking out onto the rolling hills, hearing every single sound of nature and breathing in the warm country air. It’s a place I return to in my head often when I crave peace, and I know I’ll cherish that view forever. —Abigail Malbon, contributor
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Rome Cavaliere, a Waldorf Astoria Hotel
The Rome Cavaliere, a Waldorf Astoria Hotel, sits atop Rome’s highest hill, Monte Mario. And the hotel is wise enough to place terraces outside of each of the rooms. Come morning I would take my coffee outside, and watch the flaming pink sun rise over the entire city, lying low and thin before me, in the distance. I’d play a game, thinking of any of Rome’s monuments and frantically running my eyes across the skyline, jumping from the Wedding Cake to the Vatican to Castello St Angelo to the Coliseum to see how fast I could locate them, and in so doing, map out my day ahead (bonus, the hotel’s utterly divine Olympic pool is also visible, and during my August stay I would simultaneously plot my journey from Monti to Piazza Navona to Piazza del Fico, making sure I could fit everything in by 3 p.m. so that I had plenty of time to enjoy that pool after a scorching hot day rummaging around the town. Reward indeed). We have a tendency to think the more central the location the better. But the Cavaliere, for me, defies that. Taking in all of Rome from a singular vantage point felt like an experience in itself, the layers of eras and histories built into the city on full, glorious display. And made me so excited to plan out ambitious days ahead. With pool breaks built in, of course. —Erin Florio, executive editor
Angama Mara — Maasai Mara, Kenya
I nearly fainted when I stepped into my room at Angama Mara. The tented suite sits atop the Oloololo Escarpment, nearly 1,000 feet above the stretch of grasslands that make up the Maasai Mara—I knew this when my friends and I decided to splurge on the stay for a couple of nights. But to actually take in the whole of the Maasai Mara from my bed, bathtub, or even in the bathroom mirror’s reflection, ambling giraffes and elephants moving across it and visible to the naked eye, was something else. —Megan Spurrell, senior editor
Marriott Mena House — Cairo, Egypt
The Marriott Mena House near Cairo famously has rooms with views of the Giza Pyramids and, as expected, it’s gobsmacking to wake up, fling open the curtains, and see the ancient structures looming in front of you. It feels like you’re hanging out with a slice of ancient Egypt, especially since the pyramids continue to be visible at the restaurant, from the courtyard, even while on a few machines in the gym (a nice reward for making it there on your vacation). If you’re looking for a sleek high-rise stay you’ll have to head into Cairo proper, but the pyramid-side setting here is a novelty that’s hard to forget. —MS
The Retreat — Costa Rica
Arriving at The Retreat well after sundown, I was brimming with excitement when I woke up that first morning—a pre-trip scroll of the property’s Instagram and website let me know I was in for a treat. When I did pull back the curtains, there was an audible gasp inspired by the floor-to-ceiling windows on the entire back wall of the loft, some of which were sliding doors leading out onto a balcony. When it’s clear, you can see the Pacific Ocean; even in the fog, rolling green hills; chirping, fluttering birds; and impossibly bright flowers are in your sightline, whether you’re laying in bed, soaking in the standalone tub, or swaying on the porch swing. —Madison Flager, senior commerce editor
Grace Hotel, Auberge Resorts Collection — Santorini, Greece
Standing on the private patio of your room makes you understand exactly why tourists flock in droves to this Greek Island. The sweeping views of the caldera are like watching a moving postcard in slow motion. And while you can capture this view from many spots on the island, here it remains uninterrupted by crowds that descend from all over the world. —Eugene Shevertalov, associate entertainment director
San Domenico Palace, a Four Seasons Hotel — Taormina, Italy
All you have to do is look outside your window to understand the magic of Taormina. The perfectly manicured English garden flows right into the terraced pool deck with its vintage striped sun umbrellas that juxtapose against the dramatic cliffside views of the Mediterranean and the small villages that dot the coastline. All in the shadow of Mount Etna, a constantly steaming volcano. —ES
Aboard the Norwegian Viva
This year, I embarked on my first cruise aboard the Norwegian Viva. While I am not yet a dedicated cruiser, one thing that I very much enjoyed about the experience was the view from my stateroom. Every night before bed I’d step out on my balcony and stare in the endless black, and the churning Mediterranean below (at these times, because I hadn’t brought a friend, I always felt perilously alone), and every morning I’d wake up to see a different city framed in the window: Livorno, Cannes, Ibiza, and Lisbon; each new places I’d wake up in having never visited before. That these vistas cycled in and out like clockwork was enough for me to see the merits in this form of travel—one that I had previously dismissed entirely. —Charlie Hobbs, editorial assistant
Waldorf Astoria Cancun
“This can’t be all for me.” I kept repeating this phrase in my head as I walked through my room at the Waldorf Astoria Cancun in awe. I couldn’t believe it—a gorgeous suite with a massive living room, closet, rain shower, and incredibly chic decor was waiting for me. As if this luxe suite wasn’t enough to absorb, there was more awaiting. Sliding open the large glass doors that lead me to my—very large—private balcony was one of those pinch me moments every traveler dreams of. I had a perfect view of still, crystal blue waters, untouched white sand, and swaying palm trees. It was a complete oasis. I stood there mesmerized by each morning’s sunrise and each evening’s sunset. Every room at the hotel has an ocean-front view from a private balcony with a plunge pool. There was no better or more sacred place for me to unwind at the end of each day. I’ll be daydreaming about that calmness forever. —Meaghan Kenny, associate commerce editor
Rosewood Hong Kong
I have a thing for iconic skylines, which might be a result of having lived for extended periods of time in cities like Bombay and New York. Hong Kong’s could well rival either, and there’s no better place to experience it than from a suite at the Rosewood Hotel. The hotel is a towering presence on Victoria Dockside, the new arts and shopping epicenter on Kowloon Peninsula’s waterfront, which means that no matter which room you’re in, you have panoramic views of Hong Kong Island across the harbor. Come evening, mix up a cocktail from your bedside bar trolley and position yourself by the window at 8 p.m. for the city’s light show. For nearly 20 years, this tradition has illuminated Hong Kong’s skyline for the benefit of tourists, and it’s always impressive. —Arati Menon, global digital director
The Nimb — Copenhagen, Denmark
Carousels, roller coasters, and illuminated fairytale gardens: as far as unusual views go, the ones from the Nimb are pretty special. This beloved hotel in the heart of Copenhagen sits on the grounds of the famous amusement park, Tivoli, which means that you wake up to the excited chatter of visitors trooping in each morning to experience its famed rides. Throw open your blinds and you have front-row seats to it all—my own suite opened into a splendid terrace with the best views of this magical setting. In particular, the Golden Tower, one of the highest rides in the park. From the shrieks and yells of the folks riding up and hurtling down its 63 meters, I could only assume it’s a hair-raising experience. —AM
Villa B’alam Ya — Lake Atitlán, Guatemala
Our villa was named “Mirador” (lookout point) for good reason. The primary bedroom was cylindrical—I arrived at night and awoke to panoramic views of the vibrantly blue Lake Atitlán and majestic Volcán San Pedro. We had breakfast on the balcony (where the view was somehow even more breathtaking), sipping on local coffee and nibbling on fresh fruit, fried eggs, and plantains. On the second day, when the clouds parted and revealed the volcano’s peak for the first time since our arrival, we all shouted for joy and gathered on the deck to marvel in all its glory. It was nearly impossible to tear our eyes away and set off on the day’s adventures. —Hannah Towey, associate news editor
Fasano Rio de Janerio
In the Fasano hotel, the hallways are softly lit, the walls and doors made up of rich, dark wood from the ground (a deep red carpet) to the ceiling. When we first opened the door to our room, the sunshine poured in, and as our eyes adjusted to the contrast, they fell on the view: a sparkling sea stretched out before us, with Ipanema Beach in the foreground. From our balcony, we could see the entirety of the beach as we sipped fresh coconut water and snacked on Globo biscuits: the surfers at Arpoador to our left, the steamy stretch of sand leading all the way to the iconic peaks of the Dois Irmãos (Two Brothers) to our right, with all of the energy of the beach (people cycling along the boardwalk or purchasing bikinis and partying at each posto, or lifeguard stand) in between. To make the view even better, our balcony was mirrored on each side, allowing us to take in both ends of the beach, no matter which direction we faced. —Mercedes Bleth, global associate director of social
Molori Mashuma — Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe
Visiting Zimbabwe’s storied Mana Pools National Park, you hear the lore well before you’ve even arrived: “the scenery.” This park and reserve are world renowned for conservation efforts and a gargantuan size that mean you’ll spot multiple game at once, like a painting of what a safari can be in your wildest dreams. It was a high expectation that had me worried the reality might not match up—until I checked in at Molori Mashuma with the backdrop of dozens of elephants, baboons, a family of warthog, and a water buffalo or two mingling in the watering hole spread at the foot of my tented suite. There are six permanent, sprawling suites with private pools and viewing decks for watching the animals emerge—and even wander right up to you while you’re lounging, as one curious elephant did to me soon after check in. Instead of “tents” the suites are more open-air rooms, with side flaps that can be untied to hang down when you want to turn on indoor air conditioning; hardwood flooring, mini fridges complete with glassware, four-poster beds with mosquito netting, and sitting areas with couches, armchairs, day beds, and dining tables (both inside and out on the deck) make the interiors feel a lot more like a hotel that happens to be perched on a sub-Saharan watering hole. And it all encircles an open-air “lodge” that boasts a fully-stocked cocktail and coffee bar, a braai (a South African-style charcoal grill) for elevated barbecue dinners, a nature-engulfed swimming pool, ample seating and relaxation areas dotted with binoculars for spotting the wildlife, and a wine pod filled with imported South African vintages that are uncorked daily. —Shannon McMahon, destinations editor