Luxury automaker Aston Martin and famed French Champagne house Bollinger have forged a prestigious global partnership, the two brands announced. The upscale union brings together two icons of the luxury market known for their enduring heritage, impeccable craftsmanship, and pursuit of excellence–as well as joining James Bond’s preferred automobile and the superspy’s favorite Champagne under one experiential umbrella.

Champagne Bollinger was named the Official Champagne Partner of Aston Martin, which in turn becomes Bollinger’s Official Automotive Partner. “This partnership is a natural alignment of two iconic brands,” said Charles-Armand de Belenet, Managing Director of Champagne Bollinger. “We are proud to see Champagne Bollinger become part of Aston Martin’s most exceptional moments around the world.”

Founded in 1913, Aston Martin is a symbol of British performance and handcrafted excellence. The marque’s century-long history of creating celebrated sports cars, which combine cutting-edge engineering with timeless design, mirrors the values held by the 196-year-old Champagne house. Since its founding in 1829, family-owned Bollinger has maintained a distinctive balance between heritage and forward-thinking excellence, even holding a continuous Royal Warrant from the British Royal Household since 1884.

Stefano Saporetti, Director of Brand Diversification at Aston Martin, said the partnership exemplifies the automaker’s spirit of creating “unforgettable experiences that blend performance, craftsmanship, and artistry.”

As part of the agreement, Champagne Bollinger will be present at key Aston Martin VIP events and customer gatherings globally, from exclusive launches to intimate unveilings. The strategic partnership aims to reinforce both brand’s commitment to elevating lifestyle experiences for discerning global audiences. Stay tuned to see what the collaboration has in store for fans of both brands.

A luxurious new membership package aimed at deep-pocketed racing buffs just hit the market. Apex Motor Club, a private racetrack and experiential motorsports lifestyle community in Phoenix, has launched the ultimate membership for enthusiasts, bundling a brand new McLaren with a custom, trackside man cave. The $2,000,000 package is an all-inclusive opportunity for anyone looking to live out their professional racing fantasies. It kicks off with a new McLaren supercar, provided by McLaren Scottsdale, that’s immediately ready to hit the track.

But an exotic, ready-to-race ride needs a proper home. The membership includes a private, customizable trackside garage condo with direct access to the track’s Pit Lane. To transform this space into the owner’s personal sanctuary, the package allocates $250,000 toward creating a customized man cave. Apex even offers an interior design service to help owners turn their private garage into a personalized motorsports haven.

The value of the membership extends beyond the hardware. Forty hours of professional driver coaching are included to elevate skills on the track, along with entry into the Apex Challenge series of races to allow members to compete like a professional. Members get their choice of an all-inclusive Formula 1 VIP Experience or a Monterey Car Week VIP Experience, both featuring first-class transportation and exclusive event access.

The package also includes a fully custom race suit and helmet, a customized Louis Vuitton personal shopping experience with $75,000 to spend, and the ability to name a turn on one of Apex’s signature racetracks. Finally, the package wraps up the membership initiation fee and three years of annual membership fees.

Apex Motor Club features three private racetracks in Phoenix. Its newest track was designed by race industry veterans Darren Law and Ian James and integrates iconic design features and turns from legendary international tracks, including the Nürburgring, Silverstone, and Monaco.

Apple TV+ has debuted the trailer for the new docuseries Knife Edge: Chasing Michelin Stars, executive produced by Gordon Ramsay and premiering on October 10. The eight-part series, hosted by Jesse Burgess, co-founder of the global food and travel platform TopJaw, takes viewers inside the high-stakes world of fine dining—capturing the pressure and ambition that define the road to Michelin recognition. Check out Apple’s official plot synopsis below:

Knife Edge: Chasing Michelin Stars travels to some of the most compelling culinary destinations on Earth. Across eight episodes, the series visits restaurants in New York (Coqodaq, The Musket Room, Nōksu), Chicago (Cariño, Esmé, Feld), the Nordics (Aure, Jordnær, Knystaforsen), the U.K. (Caractère, House, Wilsons), Mexico (Em, Máximo), Italy (Agriturismo Ferdy, Kresios) and California (The Harbor House, Pasjoli, Pasta|Bar). At each stop, chefs open their doors and their kitchens, as they chase their first, second, or even third Michelin star.

With unprecedented access to Michelin—including rare, on-the-record interviews with anonymous inspectors—the series serves up a chef’s-eye view of one of the culinary world’s most elusive honors. Watch the trailer here.

The idea that one can snap your fingers and be transported to a different locale entirely is an intoxicating prospect, but the new Shinola Hotel City to Shore Travel Experience is about as close as one can get to an instantaneous change of pace.

Arriving just in time for peak fall leaf-peeping, the exclusive travel package brings together the lovely tranquility of Northern Michigan’s recently opened Otis Harbor Springs alongside the mix of Motor City grit and modern refinement that is the Shinola Hotel, as Maxim found out during an exclusive visit to both properties earlier this season.

Both share a curious, highly stylish throughline in terms of handsome design DNA: Former Shinola Creative Director Daniel Caudill was at the helm of the Otis Harbor Springs, as well as the impeccable Shinola Hotel, which brings the illustrious Detroit watch brand’s vision to life in stunning clarity. Complete with a Shinola boutique in the hotel and access within minutes to the company’s Cass Corridor HQ and production facility, you could very well say that the Shinola Hotel is the most stylish property in Detroit. Now, it has a northern Michigan partner to match in the Otis Harbor Springs.

Available now for $2,400 plus taxes and fees across select fall dates, the Shinola Hotel City to Shore Travel Experience sees lucky travelers start their journey across the lovely autumnal scenes of Pure Michigan with two nights in Detroit at the hip boutique hotel. To kick off a prime fall weekend, guests then embark on a self-guided journey north to Harbor Springs for a two-night stay at the revamped, luxe Otis Harbor Springs. At the Otis, custom furnishings, Flamingo Estate grooming products and a chic outlook on Mid-Century Modern design speak to Caudill’s vision for a fashionable and yet heritage-minded update to a long-running motor lodge.

The experience kicks off in elevated fashion, bringing visitors into an elegant Shinola Hotel Cass King room. Each property is offering $100 in dining credits, plus breakfast for up to two guests. It’s as if each property thought of every carefully considered detail, then improved upon even that high bar for hospitality.

In addition to prime access to buzzing Motor City culture (and the hotel’s excellent San Morello restaurant), the Shinola Hotel watch lending program is an astoundingly cool draw for guests who stay in suites on the property. The VIP personalized concierge visit gives you the chance to select your choice of a luxury Shinola timepiece during your stay. To say that Shinola watches add some wrist game flair alongside an Old Fashioned is an understatement. There are even rarities like Shinola’s Petoskey stone dial watch available through the program: Putting a covetable Shinola watch on one’s wrist only heightens the entire experience.

Guests at the Shinola Hotel are also encouraged to visit the property’s speakeasy-esque Evening Bar, where cocktails like the Spirited Away (a rich and sumptuous blend of rye and cognac, plus a smoky hint Scotch and a dash of honey) are especially delectable.

San Morello’s rich, elevated Italian-American cuisine also serves as hearty sustenance ahead of an evening exploring Detroit’s many delights on foot. The property’s culinary offering includes more casual fare, like tantalizing fried chicken at Penny Red’s or refreshing steins of beer at The Brakeman.

The same meticulous attention to detail can be found further north after one’s journey to the bucolic, revamped motor lodge at the Otis Harbor Springs. Set across 10 acres and boasting a “long-spanning legacy of Mid-Century Modern design,” the Fireplace Lounge is an utterly cozy, luxe-meets-rustic place for a round of cocktails.

Complete with its original stone fireplace and sturdy wooden beams, the Fireplace Lounge boasts a visitor-favorite Otis Fashioned (a buttery blend of maple, rye spice and walnut bitters), while the About Last Night delivers the spice of mezcal and habanero with a cutting touch of floral blanco. Seasonal cocktails and small plates deliver suitably premium, utterly delicious variety for a weekend visit, and the bar’s mixology team says the destination is even popular among locals.

The property blends rich and warm tones with a considered take on Mid-Century Modern design, with one story of 31 exclusive rooms set around an inner courtyard complete with lawn games and prime access to a series of lovely rolling meadows. In nearby Harbor Springs, perfectly classic autumnal Michigan pursuits await, from blazing lakeside sunsets to vibrant dining at NOMAD Harbor Springs (don’t miss out on its spritz menu, boasting Fernet, CYNAR and more).

For those who crave the modern style of the Shinola Hotel (and the chance to try a Shinola watch on for size), the new Shinola Hotel City to Shore Travel Experience is a prime introduction to the famed brand. And just in time for gorgeous fall foliage, the program’s offerings at Otis Harbor Springs couldn’t be more perfectly suited. Book your Pure Michigan getaway now, and be on the lookout for future partnerships between the two premium properties.

Alila Ventana Big Sur, the iconic “luxury inclusive” resort rising from the cliffs of California’s Central Coast, recently unveiled a multimillion-dollar, property-wide revamp in celebration of its 50th anniversary—and the results are phenomenal. Back in 1975 movie producer Lawrence A. Spector built the Ventana Inn using profits from the cult classic Easy Rider starring Dennis Hopper, Peter Fonda and Jack Nicholson, establishing the first true luxury retreat in then-bohemian Big Sur and helping to make the town into a cultural touchstone and byword for rugged, coastal cool. 

We’ve been hearing about the legendary Ventana for years, and after staying at Alila’s epic Napa Valley property in Saint Helena, we knew to expect great things from the brand; waiting until the 50th anniversary turned out to have been a brilliant move. Alila are masters at revamping and rejuvenating existing, sometimes historic, hotels, and doing something completely new while preserving tradition. The Big Sur property first became part of the impressive Alila portfolio following it’s last major transformation in 2017, and it has thrived ever since.

Alila Ventana Big Sur features 54 guest rooms, suites and villas, most with working fireplaces; the stunning Spa Alila; two pools with outdoor Japanese hot baths; and a widely acclaimed restaurant, Sur House. “Alila Ventana Big Sur has always been a place where people come to reconnect: with themselves, with nature, and with something larger,” says General Manager Matt Skaletsky. “As we celebrate 50 years in this special community, we’re thrilled to unveil a thoughtful evolution of the Ventana experience—one that honors our roots while looking boldly to the future.”

Set in 160 acres of rolling meadows, majestic redwoods and ocean vistas, guests can partake in complimentary Signature Activities such as fitness classes, daily guided nature walks, Tai Chi, meditation, and nightly s’mores at Social House, the property’s hub. The resort’s Alila Experience Program offers one-of-a-kind mind, body, and soul experiences, including falconry, wild foraging hikes, photography and axe-throwing workshops, plus a number of immersive hiking excursions.

Guest rooms and suites have been artfully reimagined with sustainable materials and modernizations that “pay homage to the rich history, character, and singular spirit of Big Sur,” the property notes. “The aesthetic reflects a refined natural minimalism—clean architectural lines paired with soft, organic textures, local craftsmanship, and warm, tonal surfaces that draw the outside in. Every element has been carefully considered to remove distraction and elevate calm, resulting in spa-inspired spaces that feel simultaneously modern and deeply grounded.”

In addition to the guest room refresh, Alila Ventana Big Sur has also made major upgrades to The Sur House, its beloved indoor-outdoor restaurant with panoramic ocean views and a “Mediterranean‑inspired, California‑sourced” vibe. The Sur House has debuted a new dinner menu “marrying vibrant coastal flavors with California’s finest hyper‑local ingredients, including herbs and produce sourced from the resort’s organic garden.” As the property’s rates now include an inclusive experience—an “all encompassing, highly customized approach” that includes meals and more, you can make the most of it.

Signature Sur House dishes include a 24-oz bone-in ribeye served with shishito peppers, duck‑fat–dusted potatoes, and peppercorn au poivre, plus an exclusive caviar add‑on option from San Francisco’s The Caviar Co. House‑made pasta offerings include a squid‑ink dish that pays homage to nearby Monterey Bay. A new brunch menu has also been introduced showcasing shareable plates and Mediterranean flavors. The wine and cocktail lists are also impeccably curated, and you’ll find some of the most knowledgable and genuinely friendly service at any coastal California resort here.

“Throughout the property, we’ve reimagined our culinary approach to reflect a sense of place, drawing inspiration from the Mediterranean while remaining deeply rooted in California’s seasonal abundance,” says Ventana’s Executive Chef Andrew Lauer. “It’s about creating food that feels both elevated and grounded, where every dish tells a story of our surroundings and the people who craft it. From garden-grown herbs to locally caught seafood, every dish is rooted in a sense of place.”

One of the most appealing offerings at the property is the Classic Cars, Classic Highway experience, which allows you to choose from a carefully-selected fleet of 40 classics provided by Monterey Touring Vehicles, from vintage Porsche Spyders to classic Shelby Cobras and even a DeLorean, with which you can “create your ideal adventure vibe with the car of your dreams,” and explore the beauty of the coast roads around Big Sur along the famous Pacific Coast Highway.

To commemorate the resort’s golden anniversary, Alila Ventana Big Sur has also debuted a limited-time, ultra-luxury 50th anniversary Legacy Package offered at $50,000. The once-in-a-lifetime experience includes first-class airfare from select cities paired with private jet service by Schubach Aviation into Monterey Airport, plus a three-night stay in one of the resort’s newly refreshed guest rooms.

Guests arrive at Monterey Airport to be greeted by a vintage car circa 1975; upon arrival, they are invited to toast with a rare 1975 Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Carte Or Brut, and enjoy the dedicated services of a private butler throughout their stay. The package also features an exclusive spa experience, a private dinner in the property’s Glass House, and a private garden breakfast with live culinary stations and ingredients foraged fresh from the property’s organic garden.

Alila Hotels and Resorts—the name means “surprise” in Sanskrit—was founded in 2001 by Franky Tjahyadikarta, Mark Edleson, and Frederic Simon. The brand emerged from a takeover of two hotels in Bali, The Serai and The Chedi, which later became the very first Alila properties. The company’s focus is on “creating unique, sustainable luxury experiences that blend contemporary design with local culture and natural surroundings.” Part of the Hyatt portfolio since 2018, the next Alila set to open will be in Mexico’s iconic Mayakoba, which we hope to visit in the new year.

Extensive spa services, rooftop bars and Michelin-star dining are all signs of a stellar hotel, but The Joseph in Nashville is offering a truly next-level amenity that’s sure to turbocharge your stay: 200 miles of road-tripping in an Italian supercar.

The Marriott-owned hotel’s new Luxury Auto Escape package puts its guests behind the wheel of either the Ferrari 488 or Lamborghini Huracan EVO for a two-night stay. As gearheads know, those are some serious rides with sub-three-second 60 mph times and 200 mph-plus top speeds. The Prancing Horse was deemed “Supercar of the Year” by Top Gear in 2015 and Motor Trend‘s “Best Driver’s Car” in 2017, thanks to a phenomenal twin-turbocharged 3.9-liter V8 that puts down 661 horsepower. Meanwhile, the Raging Bull, powered by a 5.2-liter V10, also won Motor Trend‘s “Best Driver’s Car” title in 2020.

The Joseph’s package practically ensures its guests will get the most out of the vehicles by including a curated driving itinerary. The route visits the storied Natchez Trace Parkway, a national park site that follows a historic route trekked by early settlers, Victorian downtown Franklin, and the peaceful rural community of Leiper’s Fork. Also included is a Taste of Italy starring Burrata cheese, Sicilian tapenade and focaccia bread that greets travelers upon arrival, breakfast for two, and nightly valet parking.

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The Joseph’s Luxury Auto Escape is one of several packages offered by Marriott as a part of its Iconic Drives series, which also includes luxury automobile loans at The Ritz-Carlton locations in Maui, Amelia Island and Portland, as well as the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa in Phoenix. The choice in vehicle varies from a Porsche 911 and Chevrolet Corvette to a Range Rover Sport, depending on location.

For The Joseph’s Nashville Luxury Auto Escape, tap here to learn more or book—prices start at around $1,500 per night.

Luxury is coming to the links. Mandarin Oriental is set to open its first-ever golf resort in Dubai, a destination that promises to blend world-class golf with the luxury hotel brand’s renowned hospitality and wellness offerings. The Mandarin Oriental Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai, slated for a 2030 opening, will be the group’s third property in the city and will feature 97 private branded residences.

Located in the serene Jumeirah Golf Estates, the resort is designed to be more than just a destination for golf lovers. With a strong emphasis on wellness, it will offer guests and residents a tranquil sanctuary. The resort will feature 121 beautifully designed rooms and suites, complemented by expansive villas for residents. Each villa comes with its own private amenities, including a lounge, meeting space, pool, and fitness areas, ensuring a true sense of exclusivity, according to the brand.

At the heart of the property will be the Spa at Mandarin Oriental. Nearly 5,000 square meters will be dedicated to holistic well-being, featuring male and female-only pools, an outdoor meditation area, and three additional swimming pools. Residents and guests will have access to a full range of signature wellness, beauty, and massage treatments, creating a peaceful retreat from the city.

For those who come for the golf, the resort won’t disappoint. As part of the larger Jumeirah Golf Estates, the Next Chapter development, guests will have access to exceptional facilities, including an 18-hole championship golf course, a driving range, and a Golf Clubhouse. There will also be a dedicated Equestrian Centre and Clubhouse with indoor and outdoor arenas.

The resort will also offer six distinct dining venues, including two restaurants at the Golf Club, and a variety of meeting and event spaces, including a grand ballroom. This new venture underscores Mandarin Oriental’s commitment to expanding its presence in the region and offering a unique, lifestyle-focused destination for well-heeled golfers who appreciate luxurious living and a focus on wellness and nature.

Check out the first official rendering of the Dubai golf resort above, and see where Mandarin Oriental landed on the LTI-Luxury Travel Intelligence list of best hotel brands of 2025 here.

The dreamy concept of “luxury” in the humid jungles of Costa Rica just might clash with reality, despite what glitzy Instagram reels might suggest. One cannot be shocked when a spider the size of a cantaloupe brazenly crawls along the edge of the Infiniti pool before you, or if a giant millipede slithers across your terrace while enjoying a morning cappuccino. At times the rain, the all-encompassing wet of the tropics, may fuel a curmudgeon’s grump. And simply getting to your remote destination from the Central American country’s twin major airports can seem like an Odyssean affair in itself—an epic journey of buses, ferries and damper-challenged taxis laboring over pitted roads that will test the patience of most adventurers. To be totally honest, a Costa Rican jungle vacation is not for everyone. 

But for some, to be sure, it is heaven. Or better said actually, a Garden of Eden. Simply because of the Genesis-level wildlife that scurries, swings and flaps from all directions. When you stand in the solace of your private terrace and stare out to a rolling canopy of jungle, listening to the frogs chirping and cicadas chittering through the dense jungle, every minute of the long trek becomes worth it. The scene that plays out before you so raw, so abundant of nature, you almost expect to hear Richard Attenborough narrating the King Vulture soaring overhead.

And yes, there are hours when torrential rains soak the mountain fat, and it is all wonderful and sublime and at times even terrifying. But the drama makes you feel alive. And the flip-side of the coin from those lightning storms are other moments, like mornings when we awoke to a sky so Halcyon bright it appeared like one of those movies when the hero dies and transitions to Saint Peter‘s Gates, eyes flooded in golden, unreal light. If that vision is the sort of thing that gets you off, then Costa Rica’s Hotel Three Sixty is for you.

Sitting nearly 1,000 feet above the South Pacific Puntarenas coastline on a private 58-acre rainforest reserve, the adults-only Hotel Three Sixty was conceived as a mountaintop sanctuary where sweeping views, impenetrable tranquility, and excellent service—especially in Costa Rica, where the pura vida philosophy can feel at odds with lofty American expectations—do your vacation’s heavy lifting. The boutique hotel is small in scale, just a dozen villas, but massive on horizon and architectural design. 

After a long drive to this remote jungle—although there is a small airport nearby for puddle jumpers to save time—we arrived through the canopy into a breezy, sculptural lobby that frames the coast like a cinema screen. A dry pool of polished stones plays central hub in the courtyard… at least till the rains come, when it transforms into a tropical fountain. An open-air lobby, curving infinity pool, Kua Kua restaurant and 360 Bar surround it, positioned so the sapphire Pacific and emerald mountains play both centerstage and backdrop in every direction.

From there paths lead to freestanding villas where floor-to-ceiling sliding doors dissolve into your magical terrace; outdoor showers borrow the forest as a “feature wall,” and custom furnishings keep the palette tropical-modern rather than rustic. The rooms are large and well equipped with firm king-size Simmons Beautyrest Recharge mattresses and potent air conditioning. But the real stars here are the aforementioned terraces—you’ll spend every free moment possible on your 130 square-foot balcony, greeting mornings with breakfast delivered to your room (fresh juices, coconut water, well-cooked farm eggs, French toast piled with fresh fruit, dark roasted Costa Rican coffee, etc.), all set to the ceaseless soundtrack of the jungle.

The guiding hand here at the Hotel Three Sixty is its owner, founder and visionary Trevor Ling—an English expat who pivoted from three decades in wealth management to hospitality. Ling opened Hotel Three Sixty with investor friends in 2017/2018, and during a sunny lunch at Kua Kua he summed up its ethos as “authentic, laid-back luxury.” Translation: solace over opulent pageantry, nature over noise, and helmed by a staff who know when to appear and when to melt away into the ferns. Ling’s philosophy shows up in the intimate scale, the remote setting built high away from neighbors, and the sophisticated tone—utterly grown-up, but without any pretension. Or screaming children, arguably the best blessing of all. 

Ling’s ethos also reveals itself in the property’s sustainability choices: minimizing the built footprint to under 8% of the land, using ecological products and toiletries from Costa Rican brand RAW Botanicals in the bathroom, sourcing local ingredients for nourishment, and planting a tree for every night a guest stays through a partnership with One Tree Planted. To be transparent, we did lament the reliance on single-use plastics at times, including the morning coffee cup. Ling explained the at-times tenuous recycling complications of Puntarenas, so we’ll take his word. 

The culinary heart of the Hotel Three Sixty is Kua Kua, aka “butterfly” in the local Boruca language—a nod to the transformational quality of the place. With well prepared sushi offerings, as well as comfort options like fried chicken sandwiches and tempura vegetables, Executive Chef Fernando Gamboa also leans on his Tico roots for plates like his whole snapper, oven baked and served with patacones and Costa Rican Caribbean sauce. The adjoining Bar 360 underscores the quality of Ling’s team, as whoever stocks the shelves with the Cascahuin Tahona Blanco—one of the finest, and tough to source tequilas on the planet—deserves a raise. 

Back to the design for a moment. Architecture here does more than hold up the walls; it is a storytelling device. Understandable, as high from this epic vantage point—that which gives the hotel its name—you want the view to play protagonist, any structures hiding off to the side, staying offstage as much as possible. Our favorite spot being the infinity pool, wrapping the edge of the main building so the view shifts as you swim, providing a cool respite from the torrid jungle heat. Hours are happily invested here sipping cocktails, scanning details of the rainforest fading into the Pacific below. At sunset, the pool becomes a mirror for the Gauguin-painted sky.

The name isn’t marketing puff; you really do get 360-degree vistas that run from the famed white sand beaches of Manuel Antonio National Park in nearby Quepos down to the Osa Peninsula, one of the most biodiverse regions on the planet. Boasting over 400 species of birds, its exotic wildlife also includes sloths, tapirs, squirrel and howler monkeys, and even the rare jaguar. But you don’t have to travel two hours to the Corcovado National Park to see some of these spectacles, as several afternoons a pair of yellow-throated toucans came and perched 20 feet from our tumblers full of Cascahuin. Frequently a troop of capuchin monkeys migrate their way to the surrounding trees, hanging from their tails and leaping with absurd agility from branch to branch, seemingly just for our amusement. Of note, the hotel just launched a partnership with Swarovski Optik supplying binoculars to better view these spectacles with greater detail. 

As aesthetically rewarding as the location is, the Hotel Three Sixty’s sense of place in Costa Rica really clicks when you step off-property. Minutes downhill are Ojochal’s quiet beaches—Playa Tortuga for tidepool wandering, Playa Piñuela for low-key swims, and Playa Ventanas, where the jungle tumbles to a crescent of sand punctured by sea caves (the eponymous “ventanas,” or windows) that sigh open with the tide. The hotel sits close enough for a spontaneous beach run (about a 15-minute drive), but far enough to keep the soundtrack confined to birds and warm breezes.

Our favorite destination by far, however, was the Parque Nacional Marino Ballena (aka Whale Marine), one of Costa Rica’s most singular stretches of coastline—and the hotel’s crown jewel natural playground. At low tide, two beaches meet at Punta Uvita to form the famous “Whale Tail”: a sand-and-rock tombolo that from a birds-eye view looks exactly like its name implies. In the morning during the the ebb we strolled almost a mile out along the tail deep into the sea, turning for a breathtaking view of the palm-studded wilderness behind us. At flood, the two bodies of water zippered up to the shore determinedly, waves colliding with violence, erasing the tail entirely. A very cool aquatic event to witness while sipping coconuts in the sun. The fact that a geological “whale’s tail” somehow exists on a coast considered one of the best places on Earth to witness the migration of humpbacks wasn’t lost on us: it’s the sort of cosmic punchline that delivers this divine stretch of Costa Rica’s magic.

Follow our Deputy Editor on Instagram at @nickstecher and @boozeoftheday.

For those planning getaways not around location but five-star service and opulent amenities, LTI – Luxury Travel Intelligence has compiled a list of the top 15 hospitality brands to consider. The UK-based members-only organization caters to affluent travelers, providing detailed reports on hotels, restaurants, spas and nightlife. Researchers extend their efforts past just reporting on independently funded stays to engaging with a wide range of stakeholders, from CEOs of rated brands to thousands of management personnel, staff and guests.

To rank the world’s top 15 luxury hotel brands, LTI identified 130 key touchpoints relevant to the luxury hotel sector that encompass entire brands, not just individual properties. Each touchpoint was assigned a weighted score, culminating in a maximum of 4,663 points. Ongoing investments and their effective utilization, particularly concerning new properties and the refurbishment of existing ones, were considered carefully.

In light of LTI’s latest report, company founder Micahel Crompton elaborated on the state of the luxury hotel industry. “In 2023, we raised a concern about the evident global shortage of exceptional management and staff to match the substantial investments in increasingly impressive ultra-luxury properties. This mismatch between capital investment and human resource development is now becoming critical and, if not addressed, it could threaten the reputation of several top-tier brands. Relying on well-meaning but inexperienced locals under the guise of offering a ‘sense of place’ or ‘relaxed luxury’ is no longer acceptable. Today’s discerning luxury traveler demands and deserves flawless service and professional management.”

He continued, “While there is no single quick fix, it is essential for brands to proactively invest from the outset, ideally during the construction phase, to recruit and train management and staff. This investment would allow them to align with the brand’s ethos and service expectations by gaining experience at more established properties. As part of our commitment to tracking excellence in the sector, LTI will significantly update its algorithm from 2026 onward to monitor how brands are confronting this challenge.”

LTI makes a point of informing its audience that they are not in the travel business—they don’t sell vacation packages, host booking engines, or even advertise. Membership fees are its only source of revenue—interested parties can join here using the code INVITE350, which has a $350 value.

Check out LTI’s list of the World’s Best Luxury Hotel Brands 2025 below:

15. Raffles

As a cornerstone of Accor’s luxury portfolio, Raffles Hotels & Resorts operates a collection of properties known for historical significance and local cultural immersion. The brand is recognized for its iconic flagship hotel in Singapore and for creating unique “legendary” guest experiences that often involve fine art and a sense of place.

14. Banyan Tree

Part of the Banyan Tree Group, this brand focuses on high-end, ecologically sensitive resorts and spas. With properties often set in natural surroundings like rainforests or deserts, Banyan Tree is noted for its emphasis on sustainability, wellness, and a “sanctuary for the senses” philosophy.

13. Peninsula

The Peninsula Hotels, an offshoot of the Hong Kong and Shanghai Hotels group, operates a small but highly regarded portfolio of luxury properties. Known for a blend of classic elegance and modern technology, the brand is celebrated for its grand lobbies, opulent interiors, and a distinct Asian heritage.

12. Dorchester Collection

Owned by the Brunei Investment Agency, the Dorchester Collection is a global portfolio of nine iconic, landmark hotels, including The Dorchester in London and the Hôtel Plaza Athénée in Paris. The group is defined by its reputation for timeless luxury and a commitment to preserving the unique character of each of its historic properties.

11. Belmond

Acquired by LVMH in 2019, Belmond operates a collection of luxury hotels, trains, river cruises, and safari lodges. The brand specializes in curated travel experiences that celebrate heritage and culture, with notable assets including the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express train and Hotel Cipriani in Venice.

10. Four Seasons

Since its founding in 1961, Four Seasons has become a global leader in luxury hospitality with over 120 properties worldwide. The brand is defined by its consistent, high-standard of personalized service and is a joint venture between founder Isadore Sharp, Bill Gates’ Cascade Investment, and Saudi Arabian Prince Alwaleed bin Talal’s Kingdom Holding Company.

9. Auberge Resorts

Auberge Resorts Collection is a portfolio of intimate, boutique hotels and resorts primarily located in the Americas and Europe. The brand focuses on “one-of-a-kind” experiences that connect guests to the local environment and culture through custom-designed properties and curated activities.

8. Rocco Forte

Founded in 1996 by Sir Rocco Forte and his sister Olga Polizzi, this is a family-run collection of 15 luxury hotels and private villas located in Europe’s most significant cities and destinations. The brand’s identity is rooted in its Italian and British heritage, with a strong emphasis on interior design that reflects the local culture.

7. One&Only

One&Only is a brand of ultra-luxury resorts primarily located in tropical or remote destinations. The brand, which is part of Kerzner International, is known for its spectacular locations, exceptional architecture, and for offering a high degree of privacy and exclusivity.

6. Rosewood

Acquired by Hong Kong-based Rosewood Hotel Group, the brand operates a collection of hotels with a distinctive residential-style feel. Rosewood is recognized for its “A Sense of Place” philosophy, where each property’s design and service are specifically tailored to the local history, culture, and geography.

5. Six Senses

Owned by InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), Six Senses is a luxury brand known for its commitment to sustainability, wellness, and a remote, eco-friendly approach to hospitality. Its properties often feature organic gardens, wellness programs, and a focus on integrating with the natural environment.

4. Oetker Hotels

Oetker Hotels is a portfolio of “Masterpiece Hotels” owned and managed by the German Oetker family. Its properties, such as Le Bristol Paris and Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, are known for their historical significance, prestigious locations, and a legacy of refined, traditional European hospitality.

3. Bulgari

Bulgari Hotels & Resorts is a luxury brand and joint venture between Italian jeweler Bulgari and Marriott International. The properties are noted for their contemporary Italian design, often featuring dramatic architecture and high-end materials that reflect the brand’s jewelry heritage.

2. Aman

Aman is a privately-held company known for its exclusive and minimalist resorts located in remote and culturally rich destinations. The brand is famous for its discreet, highly personalized service and low-density properties, which often have a small number of rooms to ensure maximum privacy and seclusion.

1. Mandarin Oriental

Headquartered in Hong Kong, Mandarin Oriental operates a portfolio of luxury hotels, resorts, and residences globally. The brand is distinguished by its dual Asian heritage and a reputation for legendary service that combines a sophisticated, modern style with traditional hospitality.

The Cape, a Thompson Hotel, has the distinction of being hands-down the coolest place to stay in all of Mexico’s Cabo San Lucas. One-of-a-kind architecturally, and the only hotel in town with a bird’s eye view of the iconic El Arco rock formation, the elite five-star retreat is also known for world class food and drink. And that’s especially true now that acclaimed Michelin-starred chef Enrique Olvera has taken over its 007-worthy bar.

Olvera, famed for his two-Michelin-star restaurant Pujol in Mexico City, has elevated the chic space, dubbed Sunken Bar, from an attractive spot for a drink before dinner into a Michelin-worthy cocktail and culinary experience in its own right. One of North America’s most notable chefs, Olvera has been associated with The Cape since it first opened nearly a decade ago, helming Manta, its impeccable “Dark Nostalgia”-style contemporary Mexican restaurant.

The social heartbeat of The Cape’s soaring open-air, elevated main floor, with its striking architecture by Mexico City–based Javier Sanchez—blending a “hand-crafted local look with a bit of a SoCal modernist vibe,” according to the Michelin Guide—the redesigned Sunken Bar is the centerpiece of various gathering places and dramatic viewpoints which add to the James Bond-movie feel.

The lofty space features high ceilings crafted from indigenous materials that pay homage to the Baja landscape, offering panoramic views of the horizon where the blue waters meet the sky. As daylight progresses to dusk, the bar transforms with shadows lengthening across textured surfaces, the setting sun igniting the silhouette of El Arco in a palette of amber and gold.

The cocktail program, orchestrated under Olvera’s discerning eye, follows his culinary ethos and tells a similar story of place. Classic beach drinks like the Mezcalita and Classic Margarita get little tweaks, while more sophisticated creations like the Bianco Spritz, a blend of white vermouth, damiana herb, prosecco, and soda, “speak to a more contemplative palate.” The Old Fashioned reimagined with Mexican spirit, angostura, chocolate bitters, and piloncillo sugar is like nothing by that name you’ve ever had before.

Morning light reveals yet another facet to Sunken Bar. From 6:30 am to noon, the space becomes a refined breakfast sanctuary where the ritual of coffee becomes elevated artistry. Specialty brews and restorative smoothies accompany a thoughtfully curated morning menu, with Michelin-worthy signatures. Diners can indulge in regional classics like chilaquiles or enfrijoladas, or opt for lighter fare such as the chia pudding infused with local honey and tropical fruits, all while gazing upon the majestic Arco framed perfectly through the architectural apertures designed specifically for this purpose.

As afternoon unfolds, Sunken Bar switches to a midday menu serving as a vibrant expression of coastal bounty. Guests can sample exquisite interpretations of regional specialties such as tuna tiradito dressed with citrus harvested from nearby orchards, Peruvian ceviche, and shrimp aguachile that delivers a complex interplay of heat and freshness. A Korean-inspired chicken dish provides a note from farther afield, while tempura fish tacos and herb-infused guacamole offer takes on much-loved classics from Olvera’s repertoire at Manta.

Olvera’s involvement with Sunken Bar represents a “natural extension of his culinary philosophy. ” His two-Michelin-star flagship restaurant Pujol stands as a sanctuary of gastronomic innovation in Mexico City’s sophisticated Polanco district. His signature mole madre, aged for hundreds of days, showcases his “commitment to honoring ancestral techniques while embracing evolutionary approaches.” It’s all a delectable balance between “reverence for tradition and forward-thinking innovation” and a hallmark of Olvera’s contribution to global gastronomy.

Beyond Mexico City, Olvera has established culinary outposts across North America, Cosme and Atla in New York City, and Damian in Los Angeles, with each venue “communicating the profound depth and sophisticated nuance of Mexican culinary heritage.” His cookbooks, most notably the acclaimed Mexico from the Inside Out, and his appearance on Netflix’s Chef’s Table has bring international acclaim to Olvera’s approach to elevated Mexican cuisine.

As Michelin recently unveiled its inaugural Mexico dining guide, Manta stands poised for further recognition in subsequent editions. While only one Cabo restaurant received an actual star in the guide’s first iteration, culinary cognoscenti anticipate that Manta’s compelling cuisine backed by Olvera’s passion and endless innovation will earn it similar distinction when Michelin’s regional evaluations resume. 

Beyond Sunken Bar and Manta, The Cape offers additional options for refined hospitality. At The Ledge restaurant, contemporary American cuisine meets Mexican coastal influences in a setting that is literally cantilevered over the ocean. The property’s Currents spa sanctuary meanwhile integrates indigenous healing techniques with contemporary wellness approaches, “creating restorative journeys that honor both body and spirit while incorporating native botanicals and ancient therapeutic traditions.”

Perhaps most emblematic of The Cape’s distinctive character is its infinity pool, which creates an optical illusion of merging seamlessly with the Sea of Cortez just beyond; and the adjacent rockbound salt water pool, another architectural marvel. The swim-up bar re-envisions the resort cliché by turning it into the hippest spot for half-submerged cocktailing in all of Baja. And then there’s the Instagram-worthy rooftop bar to boot, where epic sunsets become the backdrop to equally memorable evenings.

The Cape’s Luxury Suites are carefully-considered sanctuaries where modernist vision meets the raw beauty of Baja, accented with wood, leather, and custom tile and fabrics. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame El Arco and the limitless Pacific, while handcrafted furnishings blend Mexican artisanal tradition with mid-century elegance, harking back to the genesis of the Thompson brand. The spaces “transcend conventional luxury, offering private terraces where the boundary between curated comfort and untamed landscape dissolves.”

The property’s Villa collection meanwhile delivers privileged seclusion, with private plunge pools and outdoor kitchens. Interiors fitted with locally quarried stone, reclaimed wood, and handwoven textiles “create environments that honor the region’s cultural vernacular.” The signature Two-Bedroom Villa offers 2,700 square feet living space across two levels, while the Three-Bedroom Villa runs an impressive 3,100 square feet, for the true feeling of a private vacation home.

In a destination increasingly defined by mass-market luxury, The Cape, now part of the World of Hyatt portfolio, with Olvera’s Sunken Bar as its latest innovation, offers something altogether more compelling and profound—an authentic, aesthetic sense of place expressed through meticulous attention to sensory detail and a genuine commitment to honoring the soul of Baja California Sur through the finest food and drink and incomparable design.