9 Dreamy Waterfront Hotels Around the World

You won’t find any bright, surf-chic decor at this cliffside castle, just south of San Francisco and Napa Valley. The Ritz Carlton, Half Moon Bay is housed in a cliffside castle that looks like it’s plucked straight from the shores of Scotland—complete with bagpipers who play every night at sunset. Whether you’re sipping Sonoma wine around the fire pits, teeing up at the two championship golf courses, feasting at one of three on-site restaurants or simply relaxing in your elegant suite, you'll have striking views of the Pacific Ocean front and center.

Montauk, the laid-back sister to the Hamptons, has a handful of cool summer stays, but you won’t find one better than Gurney’s. This year-round resort is a favorite for its Olympic-size saltwater pool; waterfront seafood restaurant; and decadent spa, complete with Roman Baths, a Finnish-style rock sauna, and a eucalyptus-infused Russian steam room. But the main draw is the covetable location: the hotels sits on 1,000 feet of pristine sand, with a sexy beach club that’s known for its DJ dance parties.

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The isle of St. Barts is more Euro glitz than it is Caribbean cool. A-listers come here for its glam beach clubs, over-the-top yacht scene, and buzzy waterfront restaurants. But really, it’s all about where you stay—and Le Barthélemy goes above and beyond. The new 46-room resort is the first to be built in more than 20 years and seriously impresses with its breezy-chic interiors (think: warm, driftwood-inspired floors, sand dollar motifs, and a chartreuse and turquoise color palette), sun-soaked terraces, a seaside Michelin-starred French eatery, and massive infinity pool which overlooks the Grand Cul de Sac beach.

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In Cabo San Lucas, all eyes are on Chileno Bay, a 1,200-acre property that sits on the area’s largest swimmable beach, with access to a private beach club and a Tom Fazio-designed golf course. The resort has 32 opulent villas and 60 guestrooms, all of which are done up in chic coastal decor (slick wood furnishings; sandy beige hues; light linen fabrics), with striking views of the Sea of Cortez. Spend your afternoons snorkeling the colorful reefs, dipping in the sprawling tri-level pool, or getting pampered in the spa’s outdoor reflexology pools, tropical gardens and salt saunas. When hunger strikes, head to COMAL for modern Mexica dishes by French Laundry alum Yvan Mucharraz.

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Everything about the Six Senses Zil Pasyon spells romance. A helicopter whisks couples off to the exotic 30-villa escape, which sits on Félicité Island in the Seychelles. The dreamy suites are surrounded by white-sand beaches, lush tropical forests, and boulders that jut out of the sea, and come with private infinity pools and GEMs—Guest Experience Makers—who can customize your itinerary any way you’d like. Kick back in a hammock by the pool, or take the resort’s boat to Cocos Island for an afternoon of swimming and snorkeling.

Spain’s famous party-hardy isle, Ibiza, gets a bit more sophisticated with the new addition of the Nobu Hotel. Opened in June, this resort on Talamanca Bay comes courtesy of chef Nobu Matsuhisa and partner Robert DeNiro. The beachy guestrooms are decorated in a tranquil palette of sandy beige, sea blues and light driftwood, and downstairs there are four restaurants, including a signature Japanese-Peruvian Nobu outpost. You could hole up at the resort for days on end--but if you want to let loose one night (or two), the party's not far away.

This remote eco-lodge looks like it’s straight out of a 007 film. The twenty one sand-blasted limestone suites form the perfect cinematic backdrop as they cascade down the slope of a steep oceanfront bluff on Kangaroo Island (known as the Galápagos of Australia). Inside, the Bond-esque rooms feature sexy, sunken lounges, glass-fronted façades and private terraces from which to take in the sunset over the Southern Ocean.

When you think of overwater bungalows, you probably picture the Maldives or Bora Bora. But this under-the-radar Cambodian castaway in the Koh Rong Archipelago tops all our expectations. The 27 overwater bungalows are built from natural materials (bamboo, beach driftwood and recycled timber from old fishing boats) and furnished with handcrafted pieces by local artisans. They all have the perks you’d expect—breezy indoor/outdoor bedrooms, private plunge pools, and of course, decks with steps that lead right into the Gulf of Thailand. Book a day of pampering at the Buddhist-inspired hilltop spa—we love the rainforest facial, which is administered in an open-air pavilion by a secluded lagoon.

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Just three month old, Hôtel Les Roches Rouges is the French Riviera’s newest gem. Tucked between St. Tropez and Cannes, the boutique sleep is effortlessly cool, with a breezy, barefoot-chic style (whitewashed walls, Provençal ceramics, and nautical accents) and playful amenities like pétanque courts, an outdoor cinema, and an open-air terrace restaurant, all of which look out onto the Côte d'Azur. Spend your days lounging by the saltwater pool cut directly out of the shorefront rock.