Saturday, December 28, 2024
HomeTravelThe very best IHG seaside lodges.

The very best IHG seaside lodges.


With 18 different brands in its portfolio, IHG Hotels & Resorts is one of the world’s largest hotel chains. As you’d imagine, they have a wealth of options when it comes to beach resorts.

At the top sit the luxury brands Six Senses, InterContinental and Regent, which boast some of the best beach hotels in the world with amenities focused on wellness and sustainability. Kimpton and Indigo also have some fantastic oceanside resorts with a more eclectic, boutique feel.

When choosing the best IHG beach hotels, we took into account location, design, accommodations, dining and drinking options, spa, activities and value.

From sustainable luxury on a private island in the Gulf of Thailand to family-friendly resorts in Mexico and the Caribbean, these properties are at the top of their game.

Read on for the best IHG beach hotels in the world.

InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa

Bora Bora, French Polynesia

INTERCONTINENTAL BORA BORA RESORT THALASSO SPA/TIM MCKENNA/FACEBOOK

Best for: Island hoppers searching for that perfect overwater villa experience.

Why stay here: The 13,000-square-foot Deep Ocean Spa offers Polynesian-inspired treatments performed in serene glass-bottom bungalows.

Best way to book: Book through our partner Skylark to earn IHG points while enjoying elite-like benefits and on-property credits, via American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts or Chase’s Luxury Hotels & Resorts Collection, or redeem your points by booking through IHG directly.

One of the top resorts in French Polynesia, this property is a favorite for destination weddings and honeymoons. On Motu Piti Au, a coral islet surrounded by aquamarine water and boasting views of Mount Otemanu, the tropical setting is every bit as dreamy as you’d imagine.

The main islet, which contains the restaurants, bars, spa, pool, boutiques and dive center, is connected to the overwater bungalows via a pair of jetties. All of the villas, from the entry-level right on up to the two-bedroom Teremoana Pool Villa, have a wooden platform and ladder that lets you swim in the lagoon. Some of the villas also have a private pool.

Six restaurants and bars range from a casual beach shack to the elegant Le Corail restaurant, which claims to have the largest wine cellar in French Polynesia. Reef Restaurant serves Mediterranean cuisine and Sands Restaurant serves Asian-influenced dishes. During theme nights, you can enjoy Tahitian dancing, fire dancing and other forms of entertainment.

A stingray feeding takes place every day, giving guests the chance to swim with these graceful creatures. You can also experience Polynesian culture at the “Secret Garden of Love” and learn about the resort’s coral regeneration project at the Lagoonarium. Non-motorized water sports equipment like kayaks and paddleboards are complimentary, and more adrenaline-pumping activities like parasailing and skydiving are available for an extra charge.

Sign up for our daily newsletter

Rates for InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa start at $1,171. Award nights are not currently available at this property.

InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort

Da Nang, Vietnam

IHG INTERCONTINENTAL DANANG SUN PENINSULA RESORT/FACEBOOK

Best for: Beach bunnies who still want an elevated, sustainable hotel experience.

Why stay here: The Mi Sol Spa’s Rituals treatments, which combine fitness, pampering, sleep support and sound healing, ensure your body and mind are equally rejuvenated.

Best way to book: Book through our partner Skylark to earn IHG points while enjoying elite-like benefits and on-property credits, via American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts or redeem your points by booking through IHG directly.

About an hour’s drive from Hoi An, this luxurious beach resort is set in the Son Tra Nature Reserve. Renowned Bangkok-based designer Bill Bensley imbued the resort with a whiff of colonial-style nostalgia. The restaurants, facilities, rooms and suites are built onto the mountain and are connected by a cute little funicular that shuttles guests up and down the various levels.

The 201 rooms and suites range from spacious rooms perched on top of the mountain with fantastic views to three-bedroom beach villas perfect for families. Bensley’s design features contrasting white linens and dark wood furnishings onto which he layered color and texture in the form of rugs, lamps, cushions and other accessories.

There are three main restaurants and a couple of bars. Vietnamese cuisine is served at Citron, an all-day dining restaurant with panoramic views. Barefoot is a casual beachside spot offering continental fare like grilled seafood and meat. The most elegant option is Maison 1888, a fine-dining restaurant by Michelin-starred French chef Pierre Gagnaire, which serves three-, four-, or five-course tasting menus. The L_O_N_G Bar was inspired by the Long Bar at the historic Raffles Hotel in Singapore, which invented the Singapore Sling.

In addition to standard amenities, the resort has an art gallery with artwork by Bill Bensley, tennis courts and a soccer field. Daily activities might include a massage workshop or a wildlife workshop in which a staff member takes guests around the property in a golf cart to search for macaque and endangered red-shanked douc langur monkeys.

Rates for InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort start at $400 or 66,000 IHG One Rewards points per night.

InterContinental Presidente Cozumel Resort Spa

Cozumel, Mexico

MIGUEL NUNEZ/INTERCONTINENTAL PRESIDENTE COZUMEL/FACEBOOK

Best for: Families looking for a relaxed beach vacation.

Why stay here: On the island’s largest private beach, this family- and pet-friendly resort lets guests explore one of the world’s largest reef systems without leaving the property.

Best way to book: Book through our partner Skylark to enjoy elite-like benefits and on-property credits. You can also book via American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts for value-added benefits like upgrades and late checkout based on availability, plus on-property statement credits.

Cozumel is the largest island in the Mexican Caribbean and is a popular spot for cruise ships and scuba divers. Far from the cruise ship crowds and even farther from the party scene in Cancun and Tulum, this beach resort is ideal for travelers who prize peace and quiet over a thumping nightlife.

Rooms and suites are clean and comfortable, with accent walls in blue or green and nice touches like outdoor patios, hammocks or whirlpool tubs with views of the sea. The spacious Presidential Sapphire suite can sleep up to six people and features direct beach access.

Four restaurants serve a variety of international cuisines. For Mexican and international specialties, El Caribeno — on a pier under a palapa — is the place to go. Le Cap Beach Club serves grilled seafood right on the beach. Head to Alfredo di Roma Trattoria to try the signature fettuccine alfredo. Or take a seat at Faro Blanco for coastal specialties with a view of the resort’s private cove.

Amenities include the Ikal Spa — the best on the island — a 24/7 gym, tennis courts, a dive shop and kids club. Lounge by the pool or snag one of the cabanas at the beach club, which are built on wooden platforms with hammocks hanging over the sea.

Rates for InterContinental Presidente Cozumel Resort Spa start at $238 or 40,000 IHG One Rewards points per night.

InterContinental Hayman Island Resort

Hayman Island, Queensland, Australia

INTERCONTINENTAL HAYMAN ISLAND RESORT/FACEBOOK

Best for: Travelers in the market for an upscale beach vacation with luxurious amenities like private yacht charters and helicopter flights.

Why stay here: This InterContinental outpost serves as a fabulous home base for exploring the Great Barrier Reef, plus it offers plenty of pampering to enjoy after a snorkeling or diving excursion.

Best way to book: Book directly through IHG to earn or redeem IHG points or via American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts or Chase’s Luxury Hotels & Resorts Collection.

One of the jewels of the Great Barrier Reef, this iconic private island resort is in the Whitsundays off the coast of Queensland. Its long and storied history began in the 1940s when Hayman Island was first developed for tourism. This resort was built in the 1980s and changed hands a few times. After it was hit by a tropical cyclone in 2017, it took a massive renovation to the tune of 135 million Australian dollars ($91 million) to bring it back to its former glory and into InterContinental’s portfolio in the process.

As the island extends across 988 acres and the resort has just 168 rooms, it feels like there’s plenty of space for guests to spread out. An enormous pool is at the center of the resort, and there’s an infinity pool overlooking the ocean. Beach-inspired hues of sandy beige and different shades of blue give the rooms and suites a calming vibe. Some rooms on the ground floor provide direct pool access.

Four restaurants offer a variety of cuisines. Pacific sets up an ample buffet for breakfast and dinner. Pan-Asian food like sashimi and Singaporean wok-fried chili prawns are must-tries at Bam Bam. Guests hankering for Mediterranean dishes like pizza and pasta will find all that and more at Amici. Aqua offers Mexican fare like fish tacos and margaritas.

Both men and women will feel pampered at the spa, which has a robust set of offerings, including massages, facials, wraps, mani-pedis, waxing and hair styling. There’s also a gym, in addition to plenty of opportunities to get some exercise by hiking on the trails or dabbling in water sports. Kayaks and paddle boards are complimentary, while guests can book activities like snorkeling and diving excursions for an extra charge.

Rates for InterContinental Hayman Island Resort start at $444 or 71,000 IHG One Rewards points per night.

Regent Phu Quoc

Phu Quoc, Vietnam

REGENT PHU QUOC/FACEBOOK

Best for: Connecting with nature without sacrificing luxury.

Why stay here: This hotel only has suites and villas (some with private pools) overlooking a blissful, sandy beach and its five massive pools.

Best way to book: Book through our partner Skylark to earn IHG points while enjoying elite-like benefits and on-property credits, or redeem your points by booking through IHG directly.

Lauded as the next generation of Regent Hotels giving the storied brand its swagger back, this stylish new resort on the Vietnamese island of Phu Quoc showcases the Regent brand’s reimagining with modern luxurious spaces, lifestyle amenities and curated experiences. Less developed than other Southeast Asian islands like Phuket and Bali, Phu Quoc is coming onto the radar of international travelers, and this new hotel is one reason why.

Related: Glamorous yet intimate: The new Regent Phu Quoc in Vietnam

Accommodations here consist entirely of suites and villas — and with rates starting around $349 for more than 800 square feet of space, they’re an incredible value. At more than 1,770 square feet, even the smallest villas are downright massive. The modern design features warm neutral tones with a smattering of color provided by cushions, flowers and custom patterned bathrobes. Villas come with well-stocked kitchens and private pools.

Of the six restaurants and bars, no visit would be complete with dinner at Oku, which serves Japanese-French omakase menus devised by young Vietnamese chef Andy Huynh, who worked at Nobu restaurants across the U.S. before returning to his native country. Fu Bar serves a gin-focused menu of cocktails with fantastic views of the ocean.

Wellness-focused offerings include a luxurious spa with holistic treatments, a Pedi:Mani:Cure Studio by Bastien Gonzalez, a 24-hour gym and complimentary daily yoga lessons. The kids club has a mini cinema, treasure hunts and plenty of other things to keep little ones entertained. Aside from kayaks and stand-up paddle boards, the resort has its own catamaran available for private charters.

Rates for Regent Phu Quoc start at $349 or 56,000 IHG One Rewards points per night.

Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa

Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

KIMPTON SEAFIRE GRAND CAYMAN/DON RIDDLE/FACEBOOK

Best for: Families, thanks to a kids club with lots of programming, an action-packed water park and special family suites complete with bunk beds.

Why stay here: The cuisine is farm-to-table at all three of the resorts’ restaurants — and kids younger than 5 eat for free.

Best way to book: Book through our partner Skylark to earn IHG One Rewards points and enjoy elitelike benefits such as space-available upgrades and on-property credits, or redeem points directly with IHG.

One of the leading boutique hotel brands in the U.S., Kimpton was acquired by IHG in 2015 and this was its first resort. Known for quirky, playful design and friendly, personalized service, Kimpton delivers a boutique feel with all the perks that come from belonging to a major chain. This property on Grand Cayman’s Seven Mile Beach exemplifies that.

There are 264 rooms and suites, but they’ve been thoughtfully designed to ensure guests have privacy and never have to fight for lounge chairs at the pool or beach. Rooms start at a spacious 441 square feet and at 4,220 square feet, the Presidential Oceanfront Suite is enormous. There are also a handful of bungalows that offer even more privacy.

On-site dining includes three restaurants plus a grab-and-go pantry, and the quality of the food at all of them is excellent, if pricey. Ave features an extensive selection of items for breakfast, while at night, it transforms into a steak and seafood restaurant. Avecita serves Spanish cuisine, including traditional tapas and grilled meat. The menu at the casual Coccoloba can be served at beachfront tables or directly to your lounge chair.

The hotel charges a $70 nightly resort fee, which covers complimentary coffee and wine served daily in the lobby, daily fitness classes, the use of snorkeling gear, kayaks and even GoPros. The spa has a hydrotherapy pool and an extensive list of treatments.

Rates for Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa start at $469 or 70,000 IHG One Rewards points per night.

Hotel Indigo Bali Seminyak Beach

Seminyak Beach, Bali, Indonesia

HOTEL INDIGO BALI SMINYAK BEACH/FACEBOOK

Best for: Couples and friend groups who want to soak up the boho-chic style.

Why stay here: An Instagrammable aesthetic combined with a scene-y vibe and luxurious amenities make this a tempting choice.

Best way to book: Book via American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts for value-added benefits like upgrades and late checkout based on availability, plus on-property statement credits.

On Bali’s southwestern coast, Seminyak is one of the most popular places to stay on the island. Famed for its beautiful beaches, trendy restaurants, boutiques and beach clubs, the area has plenty to offer.

Hotel Indigo stands out among the many big brand resorts in Seminyak for its fantastic design and friendly service. Guests will appreciate the eclectic boho-chic design that features graphic patterns and Balinese elements, like traditional songket weavings.

The 289 rooms, suites and pool villas have plush beds with indigo bedspreads or runners, decorative carvings and mosaic-tiled bathrooms. Some rooms have courtyard access, while others provide ocean views.

Six restaurants and bars range from the casual Kiosk and Cave Pool Lounge to Makase, the all-day restaurant that serves Balinese dishes like nasi goreng (fried rice with meat and vegetables) in addition to other Asian dishes and international staples. The beachfront restaurant SugarSand is especially popular for light lunch fare.

There are three pools, including the main pool overlooking the beach and a smaller hidden garden pool that draws guests in search of a more tranquil atmosphere.

Award-winning Sava Spa uses products made with local herbs, sea salt and Balinese rice in a variety of treatments, including massages, scrubs and wraps.

Rates for Hotel Indigo Bali Seminyak Beach start at $138 or 26,000 IHG One Rewards points per night.

Six Senses Laamu

Laamu Atoll, Maldives

SIX SENSES LAAMU/FACEBOOK

Best for: Families or couples who want a private, wellness-focused escape.

Why stay here: It’s all about the details at this resort. You’ll find almost 50 ice cream flavors at the on-site Ice & Chocolate Studio, plus homemade chocolates.

Best way to book: Book through our partner Skylark to earn IHG points while enjoying elite-like benefits and on-property credits, via American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts or redeem your points by booking through IHG directly.

When IHG acquired Six Senses in 2019, it was a big deal for the hotel industry and great news for IHG One Rewards members. The award-winning brand sits at the top of IHG’s luxury portfolio and focuses on wellness and sustainable luxury. That ethos is very much alive and well at the Six Senses Laamu.

On a small island in the Laamu Atoll, it’s one of the most remote resorts in the Maldives, reachable via a 60-minute flight and speedboat rather than the customary seaplanes. Once you arrive, you might feel like a castaway on a deserted island, albeit one dotted by beautifully designed villas and structures. Choose from the overwater villas or beach villas — you can’t go wrong with either.

Related: No shoes, great service: A review of IHG’s Six Senses Laamu in the Maldives

Six dining and drinking venues offer a range of cuisines, from Mediterranean to Maldivian. With its dramatic sunken bar and poolside seating, Sip Sip serves fresh squeezed juices and cocktails with wood-fired pizzas and burgers. Ice & Chocolate Studio boasts 48 flavors of ice cream — and they’re all complimentary. The resort also offers special dining experiences, like beach barbecues that let you dine with your feet in the sand.

With wellness being a core tenet of the Six Senses brand, the offerings here are top-notch. Guests can book three-, five-, seven- or 10-day retreats focused on detoxing, yoga, and improving sleep quality or fitness, as well as one-day programs focused on mindfulness, immunity boosting or heart health. Or, choose from the spa treatments and activities offered a la carte.

Rates for Six Senses Laamu start at $1,194 or 187,000 IHG One Rewards points per night.

Six Senses Yao Noi

Phuket, Thailand

SIX SENSES YAO NOI/FACEBOOK

Best for: Sustainability served with ultra-luxurious flair.

Why stay here: The resort is a 40-minute boat ride out of Phuket’s harbor, so guests can enjoy more seclusion than they would on Phuket itself.

Best way to book: Book through our partner Skylark to enjoy elite-like benefits and on-property credits; or reserve via American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts for value-added benefits like upgrades and late checkout based on availability, plus on-property statement credits.

Another eco-chic Six Senses resort, this wellness and sustainability-focused outpost is on the small Thai island of Koh Yao Noi in Phang Nga Bay, about 45 minutes from Phuket by speedboat.

It’s designed to have everything you’ll ever need. Some guests never step foot off the property. Among the many lifestyle amenities are complimentary bikes, just in case you can pull yourself away to explore the island.

Thatch-roofed villas feel like luxe treehouses in the jungle, complete with mosquito nets draped over the beds. Even the entry-level accommodations come with a private pool and all guests are assigned a GEM (Guest Experience Manager) who helps arrange activities, makes reservations at the restaurants, and generally takes care of you during your stay.

In keeping with the brand’s focus on sustainability, the resort has a farm that supplies some of the ingredients used in the restaurants. Guests can even gather their own eggs laid by the hens in the chicken coop and give them to the chefs to cook at breakfast. There are four restaurants serving Thai and Western cuisine.

Related: From Ibiza to the Seychelles: 11 Six Senses properties you can book with IHG points

Like at other Six Senses resorts, the spa has an array of treatments, including a special Thai herbal massage and an alchemy bar where guests can learn to make salves, soaps and other beauty products. There’s also a range of wellness-focused activities, like complimentary yoga classes and guided kayak excursions. Some activities, like Thai boxing lessons, have a fee.

Rates for Six Senses Yao Noi start at $649 or 110,000 IHG One Rewards points per night.

Six Senses Ninh Van Bay

Khanh Hoa, Vietnam

SEX SENSES NINH VAN BAY/FACEBOOK

Best for: Travelers who want privacy.

Why stay here: On a secluded cove only accessible by boat, this luxurious resort is spread out so you’ll hardly encounter other guests.

Best way to book: Book through our partner Skylark to enjoy elite-like benefits and on-property credits. You can also book via American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts for value-added benefits like upgrades and late checkout based on availability, plus on-property statement credits.

With a secluded location near the resort town of Nha Trang, this resort is a popular spot for honeymooners and those who would rather stay put and relax than explore. It’s about an hour-long flight from Ho Chi Minh City to the nearest airport in Cam Ranh.

Luckily, the property has everything you could want for a relaxing vacation, starting with the rustic treehouse-like villas dotted around the property. Some are perched on the hillside with fantastic views of the sea, while others are built onto the rocks at sea level and have ladders that let you swim right outside your villa. All have an eco-chic design, with lots of natural wood and billowing white linens.

The restaurants and bars are named according to their location. Dining by the Bay is a popular spot overlooking the water with a menu that offers both Asian and international dishes. Poolside favorites like lobster rolls and burgers are served at Dining by the Pool. The fanciest restaurant is Dining by the Rocks, which serves prix fixe menus with a sea-to-table ethos. The resort’s gardens produce much of the fruit, veggies and herbs used in the kitchen.

Travelers who have come to love Six Senses’ spa and wellness offerings won’t be disappointed here. In addition to the brand’s signature treatments, there are locally inspired treatments like the green coffee body treatment, the green tea scrub and the Vietnamese Journey, which comprises a scrub made with Vietnamese rice, a bamboo massage incorporating coconut oil and a facial that focuses on Vietnamese pressure points.

Rates for Six Senses Ninh Van Bay start at $945 or 165,000 IHG One Rewards points per night.

Six Senses Fiji

Malolo Island, Fiji

SIX SENSES FIJI/FACEBOOK

Best for: A relaxed and friendly island escape.

Why stay here: From conservation work with Fijian Crested iguanas to an ongoing coral restoration project on the resort’s house reef, you’ll find this resort is much more than a place to sleep. But, the villas – each with its own plunge pool – get high marks as does the food.

Best way to book: Book through our partner Skylark to earn IHG One Rewards points while enjoying elite-like benefits and on-property credits, via American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts, or redeem your points by booking through IHG directly.

Guests of the Six Senses Fiji rave that the resort goes above and beyond expectations. On a secluded bay on the island of Malolo — part of the Mamanuca archipelago where “Castaway” starring Tom Hanks was filmed — the resort exemplifies barefoot luxury with a praiseworthy sustainability ethos to boot.

The entry-level villas start at a spacious 1,200 square feet and have a private plunge pool and deck with sun beds. For larger parties, there are villas with up to five bedrooms that come with fully equipped kitchens. All the accommodations have a natural, tropical style with thatched roofs, lots of wood and locally inspired design elements. Also, they’re entirely powered by solar panels.

Three restaurants (plus an ice cream shop and gourmet deli) serve fresh, delicious cuisine incorporating locally sourced ingredients — many from the property’s herb garden and farm. A healthy buffet breakfast is served at Tovolea, which transforms into an elegant restaurant with Pacific-inspired tasting menus in the evening. Rara Restaurant & Bar is more casual, with themed dinners spotlighting various cuisines. The alfresco Tetitei Pizzeria also hosts cooking classes.

Activities — both on the property and off — abound. Guests can practice yoga, go hiking, take a surfing or scuba diving class and watch a movie under the stars at the open-air cinema — all in a day.

At the spa, try the locally inspired heated lava shell massage. There’s a kids club and even a “junior spa menu” with options specifically designed for kids.

Rates for Six Senses Fiji start at $856 or 173,000 IHG One Rewards points per night.

Six Senses Krabey Island

Krabey Island, Cambodia

SIX SENSES KRABEY ISLAND/FACEBOOK

Best for: Enjoying a secluded private island resort.

Why stay here: Whether you want to snorkle the house coral reef, check out the sky observatory, wander the ocean boardwalks or relax in your villa (which has a living roof and private plunge pool), you’ll find plenty of opportunities to relax and recharge.

Best way to book: Book through our partner Skylark to enjoy elite-like benefits and on-property credits.

After a two-hour drive south from Phnom Penh, a speedboat awaits to whisk you 15 minutes from the mainland to this sustainable resort, which extends across 30 acres of a private island in southern Cambodia.

The resort’s design was inspired by Angkor Wat, with gray stone buildings and jungle paths. The property partners with a local Non-Governmental Organization for butterfly conservation and works to support local Khmer communities with development projects.

Guests stay in modern stand-alone villas with floor-to-ceiling glass doors that open onto private decks with pools. Families or friends traveling together can book the Beach Retreat, which comprises two villas and can accommodate up to five people.

In addition to a small herb garden on the island, the resort maintains a 40,000-square-foot organic farm on the mainland, which provides ingredients for both culinary delights and spa treatments. There are two restaurants, an ice cream parlor and the Sunset Bar, with incredible views of the Gulf of Thailand. Try traditional Khmer cuisine with a modern twist at Tree Restaurant, or enjoy international staples and pan-Asian flavors at Aha Restaurant.

As you’d expect, the spa and wellness programming are excellent. In addition to signature treatments, you can try a Khmer Kru Thnam herbal massage, which incorporates local therapeutic herbs wrapped in a muslin cloth and tied into a ball.

There’s an aerial yoga studio, a meditation cave, an alchemy bar and much more. Water sports, sunset cruises, cooking classes and outdoor movie nights are just some of the activities on offer.

Rates for Six Senses Krabey Island start at $650; award nights are not currently available at this property.

Related reading:

RELATED ARTICLES

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

- Advertisment -

Most Popular

Recent Comments