16 spectacular remote hotels around the world

Tucked away in some of the most remote corners of the planet, from Ecuador to Cambodia, Australia to the Arctic, these beautiful, isolated hotels are the best way to truly get away from it all...

6 mins

1. Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve, South Africa

Koro Lodge, in the heart of the Kloof Wilderness Reserve (The Red Carnation Hotel Collection)

Koro Lodge, in the heart of the Kloof Wilderness Reserve (The Red Carnation Hotel Collection)

Set deep in the daunting Cederberg Mountains, this former 19th-century farm is a magical wilderness retreat, offering vast open plains, dramatic sandstone formations and ancient bush art sites dating back 10,000 years.

Surrounded by over 18,000 acres of the South African veldt, there’s nobody else for miles.

More information: Bushmans Kloof

2. White Desert Whichaway Camp, Antarctica

The luxury Antarctic pods of Whichaway Camp (White Desert)

The luxury Antarctic pods of Whichaway Camp (White Desert)

Accessible only by private charter flight, and with space for just 12 guests, Whichaway Camp in Antarctica is a once in a lifetime experience.

Set in the shadow of a 200ft ice cliff, these space-age pods offer the highest levels of luxury in one of the harshest environments on Earth. There’s even an award-winning chef on hand to prepare your meals.

More information: White Desert

3. Fogo Island Inn, Canada

One of the villas of Fogo Island Inn (Fogo Island Inn)

One of the villas of Fogo Island Inn (Fogo Island Inn)

Fogo Island Inn sits on an island, off an island, off the coast Newfoundland in eastern Canada. 

Each architect-designed suite offers floor-to-ceiling views of the wildest and most powerful ocean on the planet. It's the perfect place to watch giant icebergs float by as they wend their way down Newfoundland’s famous Iceberg Alley.

The villas were built on the principles of sustainability and respect for nature and culture, with 100% of operating surpluses reinvested into the local community.

More information: Fogo Island Inn

4. Mashpi Lodge, Ecuador

Mashpi Lodge (Michael Kleinberg/Mashpi Lodge)

Mashpi Lodge (Michael Kleinberg/Mashpi Lodge)

Ecuador’s extraordinary Mashpi Lodge is an eco-wonder set deep in the amazing Chocó-Andean Cloud Forest.

Expect uninterrupted views of rainforest from your room and total isolation, apart from the hundreds of species of birds, butterflies, and jungle frogs that call this jungle home.

You can sleep well, too, knowing that not a single tree was removed during its construction.  

More information: Mashpi Lodge

5. Wadi Rum Bubble Luxotel, Jordan

Wadi Rum Bubble Luxotel at sunset (Alamy)

Wadi Rum Bubble Luxotel at sunset (Alamy)

If you’ve ever wanted to sleep under a million stars, this glamping site, in the heart of Wadi Rum, is the one for you. Deep within the desert, this remote hideaway comes with luxury touches, including air conditioning and private bathrooms.

After a day packed with adventures, including hiking and camel trekking, spend the night stargazing through the roof of your bubble, or you can even book into a stargazing experience, with an astronomer on hand to help you spot celestial objects.

More information: Wadi Rum Bubble Luxotel

6. Three Camel Lodge, Mongolia

The gers of Three Camel Lodge (Three Camel Lodge)

The gers of Three Camel Lodge (Three Camel Lodge)

Go totally off the grid and immerse yourself in traditional Mongolian ‘ger’ life with a stay at the Three Camel Lodge, deep in the heart of the Gobi Altai Mountains.

The lodge stakes some getting to – there’s both an internal flight and two or three hours of four-wheel driving involved – but the views from your traditional felt tent are worth it, as is the epic silence.

More information: Three Camel Lodge

7. Deplar Farm, Iceland

Deplar Farm on Troll Peninsula (Eleven Experience)

Deplar Farm on Troll Peninsula (Eleven Experience)

Hidden in the Fljót Valley, in one of the most isolated corners of northern Iceland, this converted sheep farm is at once extremely remote and decadently luxurious.

With its black timber cladding, grass-sodded roof and floor-to-ceiling windows, it embraces its dramatic surrounding, while cocooning you in comfort. Of course, this Icelandic gem has a natural hot spring spa to enjoy.

More information: Eleven Experience

8. Song Saa Private Island, Cambodia

Aerial view of Song Saa Private Island (Song Saa)

Aerial view of Song Saa Private Island (Song Saa)

A tiny dot in the Cambodia’s secluded Koh Rong Song Saa archipelago, Song Saa Private Island offers luxury, serenity and a deep connection with the environment.

Reached by a private, 30-minute speed boat ride from Sihanoukville, the rest of the world is a million miles away as you surround yourself with golden sand beaches and calm, clear waters teeming with tropical fish.

More information: Song Saa

9. Awasi Patagonia, Chile

Lodge looking across Patagonia (Awasi Patagonia)

Lodge looking across Patagonia (Awasi Patagonia)

Situated in a private reserve overlooking Torres del Paine National Park, the 14 luxury lodges that form Awasi Patagonia offer epic vistas of mountains and lakes and large doses of peace and quiet.

Each lodge is assigned with a private guide and 4WD, so you can explore at your own pace. And your only neighbours are the eagles and the occasional puma that call this isolated part of the world home.

More information: Awasi Patagonia

10. Skylodge Adventure Suites, Peru

Dining pod (Natura Vive)

Dining pod (Natura Vive)

Hotels don’t get much more remote than these transparent pods, attached to rugged cliffs, 440m above Peru’s Sacred Valley.

It takes an hour and a quarter to reach them, along a heart-pumping via ferrata. You'll spend much of the climb attached to guide wires.

The rewards are immense, with breathtaking views form your ‘room’ and the chance to dine, in the elements, at a dining suite attached to a granite cliff.

More information: Natura Vive

11. Pacuare Lodge, Costa Rica

On the way to Pacuare Lodge (Pacuare Lodge)

On the way to Pacuare Lodge (Pacuare Lodge)

You’ll always remember your arrival at Pacuare Lodge. Set in primary rainforest, beside the mighty Río Pacuare, there is only one way in – by white water rafting.

Thankfully, your heart rate will return to normal as soon as you settle into your luxurious villa, surrounded by rainforest. Expect to see birdlife in the forest, and stunning night views lit by scores of candles. 

More information: Pacuare Lodge

12. Nyungwe House, Rwanda

Aerial view of Nyungwe House (One And Only Resorts)

Aerial view of Nyungwe House (One And Only Resorts)

Perched at the edge of Nyungwe National Park in south-western Rwanda, this sophisticated wilderness retreat is the perfect place to unwind and get away from it all.

Be warned: the neighbours can get a little noisy, especially when they are monkeying about in the trees above the pool.

More information: One And Only Resorts

13. Yemaya Island Hideaway and Spa, Corn Islands, Nicaragua

Ocean front Yemana Island Hideaway  (Yemaya Little Corn)

Ocean front Yemana Island Hideaway (Yemaya Little Corn)

Nicaragua’s Corn Islands are amongst the most isolated in the Caribbean, with Little Corn Island perhaps the most remote. It’s here you’ll find Yemaya Island Hideaway, tucked away on the north coast.

There are 16 ocean-front rooms offering stunning sea views, exquisite white sand beaches and a pristine reef teeming with sea life. It takes some getting to, but once you’re there you may never want to leave.

More information: Yemaya Little Corn

14. Palacio de Sal, Bolivia

Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia (Shutterstock)

Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia (Shutterstock)

Bolivia’s Salar de Uyuni is one of the emptiest places on the planet. A vast salt flat, it is dazzling bright and equally as remote. Most people visit for the day, ferried in by a fleet of 4WDs.

Those in the know stay at the Palacio de Sal, built entirely from salt and overlooking a seemingly-endless plain of white, stretching as far as the eye can see.

More information: Palacio De Sal

15. Uma Punakha, Bhutan

Overlooking the Mo Chu River (Como Hotel)

Overlooking the Mo Chu River (Como Hotel)

Set in an isolated valley in one of the most isolated kingdoms in the world, Uma Punakha offers modern luxury in a traditional Bhutanese setting.

Overlooking a snake-like bend in the Mo Chu River, the hotel’s design is based on the local dzongs, or fortresses, with grand double doors leading into an inner courtyard. Minimalist and serene, it is the ideal base for exploring the lush Punakha Valley.

More information: Como Hotels

16. Arctic Bath, Sweden

Arctic Bath in winter (Daniel Holmgren/Arctic Bath)

Arctic Bath in winter (Daniel Holmgren/Arctic Bath)

This floating hotel in Swedish Lapland makes for a perfect stay in all seasons. During the summer, it appears to float in the River Lule, whereas in Winter it freezes into place. The remote setting makes it an ideal location for spotting the northern lights from August until March.

It has a striking eco-friendly design which blends seamlessly into the surrounding natural environment. The exterior is woven together with locally-sourced pine wood, creating a nest-like appearance. 

More information: Arctic Bath

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