Bjarke Ingels Group just unveiled the design for Albany, a luxury resort community in the Bahamas, and every unit in the residence features a balcony with a private pool overlooking the marina. Every. Single. One. BIG
If the tropics aren’t your style, trek out to Iceland’s Thingvellir National Park to stay in this
Minarc-designed hotel, overlooking the country’s largest natural lake and tucked into the side of a volcano. The perfect place to enjoy a lava spa or catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights.
Located in Huzhou, China, west of Shanghai, this is unlike any Sheraton hotel you’ll see stateside. The 27-story hotel, designed by Beijing-based architecture firm
MAD and opened last year, offers a view of Lake Taihu from every room. Though it appears to rise out of the water like a giant horseshoe (or a neon Slinky), two floors underground connect the two sides to make a complete oval.
Architects Marwan Al-Sayed, Wendell Burnette, and Rick Joy designed this retreat that spans a vast 600 acres of southern Utah near the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. The resort, 25 minutes away from the nearest town, wraps around a pool that abuts the rocky cliffs of the desert landscape. Wendel Burnett Architects
This planned community in Florida was carefully crafted by Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company to be easily traversed by foot or bike. With architecture inspired by Bermuda, Antigua, and Guatemala, and overseen by a pair of official town architects, there’s plenty to admire in this luxury escape destination. Vacation home rental? Yes, please.
The HOK-designed Flame Towers in Baku, Azerbaijan, have made a distinct mark on the city’s skyline. The three towers, which pay homage to the country’s fire-worshipping history, are among the tallest in the country. A 318-room luxury hotel featuring restaurants, rooftop pools, a jazz bar, and a cigar divan opened in one of the towers last summer.
Currently under construction, NL Architects’ Sanya Block 5 in tropical Sanya, China
offers an upgrade to the typical resort layout. Instead of meandering down a public hallway, you follow a private pathway that leads from the elevator directly to your room, and every room features a double-height living room with floor-to-ceiling windows.
Scheduled to open this year, the Wadi Rum Resort in southern Jordan cuts a path through the imposing rock formations in the valley. Gorgeous, if not entirely
environmentally friendly.
The doldrums of winter have officially descended, and whether you’re in the path of a polar vortex or not, a getaway is starting to sound mighty fine.
Alys Beach
Whether you’re in the mood for Iceland or the Bahamas, here are a few beautifully designed resorts to get your travel senses tingling.
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