{"id":7066812,"date":"2026-09-25T17:41:17","date_gmt":"2026-09-25T17:41:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/uncategorized\/10-amazingly-cool-hotels-for-your-bucket-list\/"},"modified":"2026-09-25T17:41:17","modified_gmt":"2026-09-25T17:41:17","slug":"10-amazingly-cool-hotels-for-your-bucket-list","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=7066812","title":{"rendered":"10 Amazingly Cool Hotels For Your Bucket List"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Cool Hotels<\/h2>\n

I spend an inordinate amount of time choosing hotels when we travel. My criteria:<\/p>\n

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  1. We want to be in the best location \u2013 when your child has to go to the bathroom in a European city, your hotel room is the easiest possible option if it\u2019s nearby!<\/li>\n
  2. We want the best view. Because Instagram. And because it\u2019s fun to look out from your room and see famous sites and watch local life.<\/li>\n
  3. We want the historic, iconic hotel. Lake Louise is all about the Fairmont<\/a>. The Fullerton Hotel<\/a> in Singapore used to be the main post office. You can feel the history at the Peninsula Hong Kong<\/a>. Those are the places I want to stay.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    But no matter how amazing a hotel is, it\u2019s primarily a place to base out of when you\u2019re seeing a city\u2026except when it\u2019s not! Sometimes a hotel is the reason for the trip, a property so cool and amazing that it\u2019s worth flying halfway around the world to stay there. Years ago I wrote a post for Travelocity on eight destination bucket list hotels that we love. Here\u2019s my updated list, bumped up now to 10 cool hotels. Ok, 12. Simply too many cool hotels around the world. <\/p>\n

    Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa<\/h2>\n

    Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, UAE<\/h3>\n

    Al Maha<\/a> is located 45 minutes from Dubai, but you feel like you\u2019re in the middle of nowhere! We went on camel rides, participated in early-morning falconry, hiked the dunes, had dinner in the middle of the desert and far more. A true oasis. <\/p>\n

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    \"Bucket\"Bucket
    Our room and private pool at Al Maha<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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    \"Bucket\"Bucket
    Our private dinner in the desert<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

    Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora<\/h2>\n

    Bora Bora, French Polynesia<\/h3>\n

    Four Seasons Bora Bora<\/a> is very kid-friendly for an iconic honeymoon resort in the South Pacific! Highlights were water sports, snorkeling with stingrays, a barbecue on a remote beach, and gazing out at one of the prettiest views in the world. My kids especially liked the long walk to dinner on the boardwalk every night. My blog post is here<\/a>. <\/p>\n

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    \"Bucket\"Bucket
    Stand up paddle boarding at Four Seasons Bora Bora<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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    \"Bucket\"Bucket
    Walking to dinner<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

    Giraffe Manor<\/h2>\n

    Nairobi, Kenya<\/h3>\n

    If you love giraffes, Giraffe Manor<\/a> is as good as it gets! Breakfast with endangered Rothchild\u2019s giraffes was amazing, as was afternoon tea on the terrace with giraffes and warthogs, and dinner in the hotel\u2019s paneled dining room (sans giraffes). Our room was perfect for a family of five \u2013 the only downside being that it wasn\u2019t upstairs so the giraffes didn\u2019t poke their heads in! Truly one of the world\u2019s great bucket-list, coolest hotels. My blog post is here<\/a>. <\/p>\n

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    \"Africa\"Africa
    Morning at the Giraffe Manor<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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    \"Best\"Best
    Breakfast with giraffes<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

    Ashford Castle<\/h2>\n

    County Mayo, Ireland<\/h3>\n

    Ireland\u2019s Ashford Castle<\/a> is incredible. First, it\u2019s a castle, so you get to sleep in a castle! Second, the food is excellent. Third, there are enough activities to keep you busy for days, including falconry (so fun), horseback riding, hiking, zip lining, archery, fishing and afternoon tea, and our kids played game after game of chess in the main hall. My review is here<\/a>. <\/p>\n

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    \"Ashford\"Ashford
    A (faint) double rainbow over one of the coolest hotels in the Ashford Castle. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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    \"Ashford\"Ashford
    Falconry at Ashford Castle: a walk in the forest with Harris Hawks <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

    Six Senses Zighy Bay<\/h2>\n

    Musandam Peninsula, Oman<\/h3>\n

    The Musandam Peninsula is separated from the rest of Oman by the UAE, and there\u2019s really only one reason to go:\u00a0Six Senses Zighy Bay<\/a>. We were picked up in Dubai, driven to a mountain near the hotel, and then paraglided in to check in! Our villa was a private plunge pool was amazing, and we loved cycling around the property, watching the sunset from the\u00a0Sabatyn plateau, tubing and relaxing. My blog post is here<\/a>. <\/p>\n

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    \"Bucket\"Bucket
    Paragliding into the Six Senses Zighy Bay<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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    \"Affordable\"Affordable
    At Six Senses Zighy Bay. It\u2019s hot in the summer, but it\u2019s also a lot less expensive to visit then. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

    The Broadmoor<\/h2>\n

    Colorado Springs, Colorado<\/h3>\n

    I grew up less than a block from\u00a0The Broadmoor<\/a>\u00a0and spent virtually every afternoon at the hotel feeding ducks with day-old bread from The Tavern, hanging out at the toy store, taking a pedal boat out onto the lake and reading comics at the drug store, and I saw almost every movie in the theater. Now I love returning with my kids. We play at the playground. We spend hours at the gorgeous pool and on the lake. We take cooking classes. And we hike and visit waterfalls just minutes away. My post on one of our stays is here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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    \"Bucket\"Bucket
    At the Broadmoor<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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    \"Colorado\"Colorado
    The Broadmoor at sunset. Listen for the bagpipes!
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    Mashpi Lodge<\/h2>\n

    Ecuador\u2019s Cloud Forest<\/h3>\n

    Mashpi Lodge<\/a>\u00a0isn\u2019t near an airport \u2013 you have to drive 3+ hours from Quito. But our stay was one of our favorite hotel experiences ever, so the drive is worth it! The views over the cloud forest are stunning and the activities are amazing for adults and kids alike: hikes to waterfalls; night safaris; more butterflies and hummingbirds than you\u2019ve seen before; morning bird-watching, with coffee; and a lot more. My blog post is here<\/a>. <\/p>\n

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    \"Bucket\"Bucket
    Sunset at Ecuador\u2019s Mashpi Lodge<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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    \"Mashpi\"Mashpi
    On Mashpi Lodge\u2019s Dragonfly<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

    Soneva Kiri<\/h2>\n

    Ko Kood, Thailand<\/h3>\n

    Soneva Kiri<\/a> is pure island relaxation, with some of the best food we\u2019ve found anywhere. You can take a boat to a nearby stunning beach, have tea in a nest high in the trees, learn to make coconut oil, swim to a waterfall, take a sunset cruise and lots more, and you get around via golf cart and arrive on a private plane. Oh, and there\u2019s unlimited free ice cream and chocolate. My review is here<\/a>. <\/p>\n

    NOTE:<\/strong> As of 2026, Soneva Kiri is closed. There was a plane crash and a fire, and Soneva\u2019s resorts (other than Kiri) were sold last year to a private equity firm. I\u2019ll leave it in this post for now, sincerely hoping that they reopen. <\/p>\n

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    \"Soneva\"Soneva
    Our villa at Soneva Kiri<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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    \"Soneva\"Soneva
    In the tree pod<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

    Tierra Patagonia<\/h2>\n

    Torres del Paine, Chile<\/h3>\n

    Tierra Patagonia<\/a>\u00a0is stunning both in its architecture and its setting within Torres del Paine National Park in southern Chile \u2013 one of the world\u2019s most beautiful destinations. We went horseback riding and hiked to find animals and caves and loved absolutely everything about our stay. And its sister property Tierra Atacama<\/a> is just as amazing, but in the desert instead of the mountains. My post on Tierra Patagonia is here<\/a>. My post on Tierra Atacama is here<\/a>. <\/p>\n

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    \"Patagonia\"Patagonia
    Tierra Patagonia at sunrise<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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    \"Patagonia\"Patagonia
    Hiking in Torres del Paine National Park with a Tierra Patagonia guide<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

    Six Senses Laamu<\/h2>\n

    Laamu Atoll, Maldives <\/h3>\n

    I almost didn\u2019t include Six Senses Laamu<\/a> here, since I already have Six Senses Zighy Bay on this list, but every one of our Six Senses stays around the world has been amazing, and this is our favorite resort in the world. Pure overwater relaxation in an amazing setting with some of the prettiest water you\u2019ll ever see, and we love exploring on bicycle. We\u2019ve been twice so far and would return annually if it wasn\u2019t halfway around the world! My posts are here<\/a> and here<\/a>. <\/p>\n

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    \"Maldives\"Maldives
    Relaxing in the sunset hammocks at Six Senses Laamu<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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    \"Maldives\"Maldives
    Love the bike riding at Six Senses Laamu! <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

    Cyprianerhof Dolomit Hotel<\/h2>\n

    Tires, Dolomites, Italy<\/h3>\n

    I find myself dreaming of returning to Cyprianerhof<\/a> more than to any other hotel on this list. It\u2019s simply perfect: a destination for hiking in the summer, for winter sports, and for pure relaxation. It\u2019s a hiking hotel, which means you can base there and join daily guided hikes to some of the most spectacular places in the Dolomites. And it\u2019s easy to reach \u2013 just take the train to Bolzano, walk next door to the bus station, and Bus 185 will drop you right at the hotel. My blog post is here<\/a>. <\/p>\n

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    \"Where\"Where
    The main pool at Cyprianerhof<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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    \"Dolomites\"Dolomites
    Hiking from the gondola next to the Cyprianerhof Dolomit Hotel<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

    Bonus Cool Hotel: Kolarbyn Eco Lodge<\/h2>\n

    Skinnskatteberg, Sweden<\/h3>\n

    Every hotel on this list is indeed a bucket list destination \u2013 most are remote, all have amazing rooms, views and activities, and\u2026they\u2019re all higher-end properties. So I wanted to include a far lower-priced alternative, Kolarbyn Ego Lodge<\/a>. It\u2019s still a bucket list hotel but definitely not luxurious. In fact there\u2019s no electricity or wifi, and you cook your own food. But I loved the forest huts, the lake and floating sauna, the fires for cooking and keeping the huts warm, and the overall feeling of being (largely) on my own in the middle of the forest. It\u2019s included in my Sweden blog post<\/a>. <\/p>\n

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    \"Sweden\"Sweden
    Where I slept at Kolarbyn! <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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    \"Sweden\"Sweden
    The floating sauna is in the distance<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

    Cool Hotels: Your Turn<\/h2>\n

    What are your ultimate bucket list \/ cool hotels? What\u2019s the most amazing place you\u2019ve stayed? <\/p>\n<\/div>\n