Top 5: Rooms with a view
You know you've arrived when you can indulge in views like this — all from your very own suite
01 Explora, Chile
Travelling to such an epic region as Patagonia surely warrants a stay in a room with a view to match. This ultra-slick retreat in Torres del Paine National Park has views of the Pehoe Lake and Paine Massif. But its the Exploradores suites in the shadow of Macizo del Paine that blows all else out the water. explora.com
02 Longitude 131°, Australia
Not a morning person? You will be on a stay at this posh tented camp. If ever there was a view to get up early for, it's the vision of Uluru from your super-soft white bed. You could always camp in a swag below it — but then you'd be missing out on the pool, private dining and the plush spa. longitude131.com.au
03 Shangri-La at the Shard, England
The capital's hotel-of-the-moment upped its kudos in May with the unveiling of its super swish Shangri-La Suite on level 39 of The Shard. There's a private lift, a 24-hour butler service, and a private chauffeur, while the vision from the windows reads like a roll call of the Big Smoke's most spectacular buildings… all for an eye-watering £10,000 a night. shangri-la.com
04 Hanging Gardens Ubud, Indonesia
Every villa at this hideaway — tumbling down a hillside in the Balinese hinterland — comes with its own private infinity pool where guests can bob in unison, cocktail in hand, and glimpse monkeys swinging through thick jungle and achingly beautiful rice terraces beyond. hanginggardensubud.com
05 The Oberoi Amarvilas, Agra, India
Is it a mirage? No, it is the Taj Mahal staring back at you. Whether you're wallowing in the bath, in bed or out on your private terrace, you can have this white marble mausoleum all to yourself in the ritzy Kohinoor Suite. oberoihotels.com
Published in the Jul/Aug 2015 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK)
