Escape the Crowds This Summer With The World’s Most Exclusive Hotels
Your passport to privacy, pampering, and unhurried days
As high season approaches and the world’s most iconic destinations brim with summer travellers, the true luxury this year is space: space to breathe, to savour, and to truly unwind. For those seeking a retreat from the crowds without sacrificing style or experience, these exceptional hotels redefine exclusivity.
Whether perched above bustling cities, hidden on private shorelines, or enveloped in lush gardens, each property on this list offers a rare sanctuary where privacy and attentive service are paramount. Here, summer is less about escaping to the ends of the earth and more about finding the right place to feel entirely at ease.
Hôtel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel
Set on the edge of Place de la Concorde, Hôtel de Crillon was made for summer stays that are just as grand as they are intimate. At Jardin d’Hiver, your breakfasts stretch into long lunches. Meanwhile, Bar Les Ambassadeurs brings in a well-dressed crowd to anchor your evenings. Upstairs, the rooms open into expansive suites, many with sweeping views across the square towards the Eiffel Tower. Step outside, and you are minutes from the Tuileries Garden and the Seine’s golden-hour rhythm, making this one of the few hotels where summer in Paris feels fully breathtaking.
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Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, A Four Seasons Hotel
Set across a peninsula wrapped in gardens and pine forest, Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat allows for a leisurely summer on the Côte d'Azur. You begin each day at Club Dauphin, with the famous cliffside infinity pool reached by funicular. Even at full occupancy, the property rarely feels dense, with villas and terrace suites designed to keep you within your own orbit.
Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc
At Eden-Roc, privacy is not in the conventional sense but in terms of control over access. The property sits at the far edge of Cap d’Antibes, cut off from the mainland by design. The famous rock-carved pool and pontoon decks create a direct relationship with the sea, eliminating the need to leave the grounds altogether. What further sharpens the experience is a concierge team that is hard to beat almost anywhere, able to secure last-minute reservations, discreet beach access, or off-schedule boat charters without friction.
Villa d’Este
On Lake Como, where newer properties lean into modern minimalism, Villa d’Este remains deliberately maximal, with formal gardens, floating pool decks, and interiors untouched by trend cycles. Your summer revolves around the lake, whether through private boat rides or long lunches that stretch across waterfront terraces. While the lake fills up with tourists in summer, the hotel’s private shoreline and controlled access keep its atmosphere intact.
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Caruso, A Balmont Hotel
Caruso’s advantage is altitude. Set in a restored 11th-century palace above the Amalfi Coast, Belmond Hotel Caruso makes sure you are well removed from the beach density and the noise. The infinity pool, suspended over the cliffs, is the obvious centrepiece, but the experience extends into terraced lemon gardens, quiet cloisters, and open-air dining that leans into regional Campanian cuisine.
Kalesma Mykonos
Away from the beach clubs and night scenes of Mykonos, Kalesma offers a calmer view of Mykonos without losing the island's charm. Designed like a Cycladic village, the property features whitewashed suites and villas, each with private pools and uninterrupted sunset views. Your summer here is shaped by leisurely mornings, long meals, and privacy away from the partying crowds. In peak summer, when the island becomes crowded, Kalesma functions almost as a counter-environment, where the noise never fully enters.
Mandarin Oriental Bangkok
Nestled on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, Mandarin Oriental Bangkok draws guests in with experiences that go far beyond its prime location. The historic Authors’ Lounge, where literary legends once gathered, is still one of the city’s most beloved spots for afternoon tea. Across the river, The Oriental Spa, reached by private boat, invites you to slow down with multi-hour wellness treatments. Suites here feature heritage detailing with silk panels, teakwood finishes, and river-facing layouts that keep the outside world at a distance.
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Raffles Singapore
Raffles Singapore’s charming low-rise colonial buildings, peaceful courtyards, and sheltered walkways do much to soften the buzz of the city outside. Afternoons centre around the Writers Bar and the Tiffin Room, where heritage Indian dining and high tea have become rituals in themselves. The property houses a cluster of restaurants and bars, including the iconic Long Bar, the original home of the iconic Singapore Sling cocktail.
Aman Tokyo
Perched atop the Otemachi Tower in Tokyo, Aman Tokyo invites guests to unwind in an atmosphere of space, serenity, and effortless connection to the city. The rooms and suites are some of the largest in Tokyo, featuring deep soaking tubs, cosy engawa-style seating nooks, and floor-to-ceiling windows that offer sweeping views of the skyline (and on clear days, even Mount Fuji). Dining areas include Arva for Italian cuisine and Musashi for omakase, alongside a lounge that becomes a quiet all-day space for tea or evening drinks. Additionally, the location also places you within minutes of the Imperial Palace gardens.
The Datai Langkawi
Nestled in a lush rainforest along the Andaman Sea, The Datai Langkawi blends seamlessly into its breathtaking natural surroundings. Guests can choose between three unique settings: the tranquil beach, rainforest villas tucked beneath the canopy, or the main lobby perched high above it all. The private bay, Datai Bay, one of the most secluded stretches of sand in Langkawi, is reserved almost entirely for guests, with calm waters suited for swimming and kayaking. The hotel also runs its own sustainability and conservation programmes, which guests can engage with directly.