Cayo Espanto
San Pedro, Belize

Atlanta entrepreneur Jeff Gram and his wife, Susan, own this 3.7-acre private island, which you can reach by a 17-minute flight to San Pedro from Belize City. Tiger Woods, who plays golf nearby, is among those who love its privacy. A favourite of the five suites is the two-floor, two-bedroom Casa Estrella, with a downstairs parlour, an upstairs master bathroom and a plunge pool. Chef Patrick Houghton offers private dining, so you can eat wherever and whatever you want.

www.aprivateisland.com

Mina A’ Salam
Dubai, United Arab Emirates

This rugged 292-bedroom fort is right on the pristine sandy shore of the Gulf. Inside, you’ll find traditional marble and arabesque patterns along with the latest technology. Ask GM John Pelling for a room with access to the second-floor Club lounge, with stunning buffets and a big terrace – ideal for watching the electric taxi-boat dhows ply the outdoor canals.

www.madinatjumeirah.com

Hotel du Vin & Bistro
Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom

The top floor of this 42-room converted brewery overlooks the River Thames and the Leander Club, the venerable home of rowing. The Laurent-Perrier Suite, named after the champagne, has a spacious bathroom upstairs, complete with walk-through shower and two bathtubs. The hotel’s bistro and wine cellar are first-class, and the billiard table was made by Sir William Bentley.

www.hotelduvin.com

The Peninsula Bangkok
Bangkok, Thailand

GM Rainy Chan has introduced a mother and daughter package, tailored to the age and interests of guests. (Want to take Thai cooking lessons or visit the GM’s own silk supplier and couturier?) Relax in one of the 12 Thai-tiled salas flanking the four-stepped swimming pools; luxuriate in suite 3703, with a terrace-set Jacuzzi offering a unique view of the bustling Chao Phraya River below; and dine in the indoor-outdoor Thiptara restaurant, with teak pavilions built around mature trees.

www.peninsula.com

Kempinski Grand Hôtel des Bains
Saint Moritz, Switzerland

From an ever-flowing tap in the lower lobby of the 184-room hotel, you can drink the thermal spa water that has made this city famous since the 16th century. Enjoy the superb food along with olive oil and wine tastings in the 19th-century Enoteca restaurant and bar. Work out in the indoor pool and gym or ask GM Rupert Simoner to take you mountain biking.

www.kempinski-stmoritz.com

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Mary Gostelow is one of the world’s top authorities on luxury hotels and the editor-in-chief of the Wow Traveler newsletter for elite travellers. You can reach her by writing to mgostelow@enroutemag.net or visiting www.wowtraveler.net.

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