Some places you visit. Others, you inhabit — living, breathing, and soaking in every bespoke detail. Around the world, the smartest travelers are trading hotel lobbies for private driveways, concierge desks for butlers who know their martini order, and crowded pools for infinity edges that belong entirely to them. This is the new gold standard: villas, chalets, and charters where privacy, design, and togetherness reign.
I’ve been lucky enough to slip behind the gates — or in some cases, set sail — at a few of the world’s most exclusive escapes. Here’s my passport to five stays you’ll never want to check out of.
Cabane Tortin
VERBIER, SWISS ALPS
Perched above the ancient Tortin Glacier, Cabane Tortin is a snow-dusted dream at 9,500 feet. Mornings start with coffee on the balcony, the peaks blushing pink in the first light, before carving untouched powder with your private ski guide. Afternoons dissolve into raclette by the fire, evenings into laughter under an Alpine sky so clear it feels infinite. With a private chef and discreet staff, this is mountain living without compromise.
Hale ‘O Ka La
– BIG ISLAND, HAWAII
Rising from the coastline like a phoenix after the 2023 fires, Hale ‘O Ka La is 5,358 square feet of reimagined tropical splendor inside the Mauna Kea Resort. Five lavish bedrooms, a saltwater pool with a waterslide and swim-up bar, and a waterfall grotto make it feel like your own resort — minus the strangers. Private chefs, full-service staff, and seamless access to resort amenities are just a phone call away.
Delfin I
AMAZON, PERU
A floating villa on the world’s greatest river, Delfin I offers just four oversized suites, each with a private panoramic terrace — two with whirlpools. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame the rainforest, while solar panels hum quietly overhead, powering your sustainable adventure. Days are spent spotting pink dolphins, nights stargazing from the open deck with a pisco sour in hand. It’s Amazonian elegance at its most intimate.
Casa Bellamar
EAST CAPE, LOS CABOS, MEXICO
Solar-powered and oceanfront, Casa Bellamar’s eight bedrooms and four guest casitas stretch across two acres and 400 feet of pristine shoreline. There’s a beachfront pool, a private tennis court, and butler-and-chef service to match the view. Come for a family reunion or take over the property for a barefoot, toes-in-the-sand wedding for 100 — the beauty salon in the master suite has “bridal glam” written all over it.
Laughing Waters
BARBADOS
Set on four manicured acres just steps from Sandy Lane Beach, Laughing Waters is Barbados’ most coveted private estate — and its largest, at 32,000 square feet. With 12 bedrooms, membership to a private beach club, and access to a AAA Five Diamond resort’s golf courses, dining, and spa, it’s a one-stop fantasy for 24 lucky guests. Designed by local icon Larry Warren with interiors by London’s Emma Pearson, it’s Oliver Messel–inspired Caribbean glamour at its absolute peak.
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