The World's Most Luxurious Resorts

Visitors love the Thai island of Koh Yao Noi, located between Phuket and Krabi, because of its untouched natural splendor. It offers nothing but serenity and calmness. The resort in the quiet village offers private pool villas with open-air bathrooms, majestic views of the bay, an infinity edge plunge and individual butlers. Other amenities include an all-day eatery with a terrace, a restaurant with a glass floor, a spa and a gym. The resort offers to tailor design excursions and events around your ideas.

You may not associate a small Italian village with a luxurious vacation but that is exactly what you get at Adler Thermae Spa & Relax Resort. The location — snuggled in a small thermal community in the Siena countryside — is stunning, situated on a hill with postcard perfect views of rolling hills and Cyprus trees. If that's not enough, you'll have access to indoor and outdoor pools with healing thermal water, private balconies, patios and soaking tubs. Should you choose to explore more, you can go hiking, road biking, golf or horseback riding.

The private villa offers 5-star luxury facilities and activities. You can enjoy tropical gardens, beach style swimming and spa pools, and a rooftop hot tub designed to provide spectacular panoramic views. You can also get to dine on a deck that hovers over water. The rooms have private ensuites, terraces or balconies. A night there can cost you $10,000-$15,000.

The Rania Experience is by far the most exclusive and expensive luxury resort in the Maldives. It's private, tucked away in the middle of the Indian Ocean. You get a completely hidden small island to yourself. You also won't have to share the beachfront, butlers, spa therapists, chefs, and yacht and speedboat crews, which are all at your disposal. You also have your very own personal PADI-certified dive instructor in case you feel like scuba diving one day.  

This is a haven of lush gardens and a mile and half of private beach, just minutes away from the Dubai Marina. You can stay at the Beach Garden Villa found through a private drive and past secure gardens. You also get a isolated beach beside the warm waters of the Arabian Gulf. All rooms in the resort face the sea and have a private balcony. The resort boasts big and small temperature-controlled swimming pools, watersports center, seven world class PGS golf courses as well as tennis courts.

This extravagant safari lodge in South Africa offers an unforgettable wildlife experience that includes rescued elephants, antelopes, giraffes and zebras. You'll stay in a private bungalow that has its own splash pool, deck, lounge with a fireplace and, of course, your own butler. Expect to find grass-pressed mud walls, stone floors and thatched roofs. The resort offers hot air balloon rides so you can witness the sunrise while flying high above nature reserves and wildlife land.

One & Only Palmilla is a luxurious sanctuary in a mountainous desert along the peaceful Baja coast. The resort is popular because of the astonishing views of the Los Cabos landscape and the beachfront access to one of the few swimmable beaches in the area. You can explore the unique location by scuba diving or snorkeling. You can also capture breathtaking views from the two infinity pools.

Golf and spa resorts in the U.S. don't get more prestigious than the Boulders. The glamorous décor is basically the 12-million-year-old natural rocks. You get to choose between casitas, villas, and haciendas set amid the natural Sonoran Desert terrain. You can play golf on a course stretching across the desert. The huge spa offers massages, facials, and many different refreshing therapies. Your stay wouldn't be complete without rock climbing, horseback riding, and a Grand Canyon air tour.

The island is only 7.5 square miles, edged by lagoons and coral reefs. It's a treasure for visitors, mostly because of the privacy it offers. Laucala has 25 dazzling villas that are designed as different versions of traditional Fijian houses. You can even choose to stay in a plantation beside a private beach or in a villa on top of Nawi Mountain engulfed by rainforests offering majestic views of the sea and the rest of the island. They all have private gardens and infinity-edge pool.

People can only access this private island by boat. No place else in Turks and Caicos offers more seclusion. At your disposal are three miles of clear beaches, waterfront villas, notorious COMO Shambhala Spa and an infinity pool. Individual butlers are also on hand for every request. People describe the beach as "out of this world – a long stretch of clear blue waters, and a shallow enough lagoon."  

The resort is currently being refurbished but the villas are open. In terms of personal space, it's where you want to be anyway. Offering a stunning view of green fields and a large pond, they are located just 20 minutes away from Adare Village, celebrated as one of Ireland's most beautiful villages. Falconry and Archery are the only activities available during the closure period.

When people think of private islands, they usually imagine a place in the tropics. But Canada has its own exclusive piece of heaven where you can see grizzly bears, kayak in the sea, or go on a safari-like tour. Suites offer stunning ocean views. The 5-star spa, tennis courts, saunas and fly-fishing ponds add to the memorable experience. There are only two ways to get to Sonora Resort – take a water taxi, or fly from Vancouver.

Musha Cay is part of the "Out Islands," a total of 11 stunning islets. You have this one all to yourself and you even get to choose who the rest of the guests are. The offer is non-negotiable – and you have to rent the entire little island. You can stay by yourself of have up to 23 other people with you. The amenities include your own private 10,000-square-foot Manor House on the crest of a hill or in rooms with outdoor Jacuzzis and beaches. Some of the activities you can enjoy include deep-sea fishing, a fireworks show and a customized treasure hunt.

The Khwai River Lodge offers you a chance to see some of the most amazing wildlife Africa has to offer while you stay in lavish tents set on wooden platforms. The roofs are thatched in traditional African style. Each tent has a private deck with hammocks where you can relax and enjoy the stunning panorama in the horizon. Among the more "usual" features are a luxurious swimming pool, gym and a spa.

The Hayman Island is the only Australian island with the prestigious honor of being one of The Leading Hotels of the World. Its private and pristine shores offer an incredible view of the Great Barrier Reef. The resort has won many awards in the luxury category with its all-inclusive health and spa programs, individual treatment rooms, beach front ocean view massages and hydrotherapy as well as tennis courts and a driving range. You can find more adventurous options such as diving and sailing.

This small resort island has 47 luxurious villas, all built by local craftsmen, overlooking the South China Sea. You can also enjoy private plunge pools, and dive with turtles and whale sharks. There is also the opportunity to discover the surrounding forests and mangroves. The resort is known for its Solace Spa with private pavilions built directly into the landscape, letting you feel as if you are a part of the island's jungle and massive boulders.