17 Luxury Beach Holidays Worth Planning in 2026
These 17 beach resorts span Dubai, the Maldives, the Caribbean, Mauritius and the Mediterranean, and as of October 2026 we could confirm that most are still operating, several under new names. The smallest we checked has 32 villas and the largest has 459 rooms.
| # | Resort | Where | Size or key fact |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai | Dubai, UAE | 294 rooms, private beach |
| 2 | One&Only Royal Mirage | Dubai, UAE | The Palace is one of its properties |
| 3 | Huvafen Fushi | North Male Atoll, Maldives | 46 bungalows and pavilions |
| 4 | Hermitage Bay | Antigua | 32 villas, 2 Michelin Keys |
| 5 | Anassa | Latchi, Cyprus | Five-star Mediterranean resort |
| 6 | Coral Reef Club | Holetown, Barbados | Family owned, 12 acres of gardens |
| 7 | Constance Prince Maurice | Mauritius | Poste de Flacq, Mauritius |
| 8 | Carlisle Bay | Antigua | Beachfront resort |
| 9 | Jumby Bay Island | Antigua | Private island, Oetker Collection |
| 10 | The Ritz-Carlton Tenerife, Abama | Tenerife, Spain | 459 rooms, suites and penthouses |
| 11 | Tamarind by Elegant Hotels | Barbados | Beachfront hotel |
| 12 | Le Touessrok | Mauritius | Island resort |
| 13 | Belmond Villa Sant’Andrea | Taormina, Sicily | 66 rooms, built 1919 |
| 14 | Amirandes | Crete, Greece | Nine restaurants and bars |
| 15 | Fairmont Royal Pavilion | St. James, Barbados | Opened 1987 after a restoration |
| 16 | Pine Cliffs Resort | Albufeira, Portugal | Formerly the Sheraton Algarve |
| 17 | Sandy Lane | Barbados | 113 rooms and suites, 3 golf courses |
Our order follows the original lineup, from the Gulf to the Caribbean to Europe, and is not a ranking. Who doesn’t love a day on the beach with a cocktail, so here is what each resort offers.
1. The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai
The hotel sits in the middle of Jumeirah Beach Residences, with 294 rooms, 193 guest rooms, 60 Club Level rooms and 41 suites, each with a balcony or terrace over the sea. Guests get a private beach, six pools and nine restaurants and bars.
2. One&Only Royal Mirage, The Palace, Dubai
The Palace is one of the resort’s buildings on the Dubai coast. Room counts and current rates are best taken from the resort itself.
3. Huvafen Fushi, Maldives
Huvafen Fushi Maldives calls its accommodation 46 exceptional bungalows and pavilions, in the North Male Atoll. The site links to Small Luxury Hotels, which suggests a membership we have not confirmed.
4. Hermitage Bay, Antigua
Thirty-two villas on Antigua’s west coast, each with a private pool or hot tub, an outdoor shower and a stand-alone tub. Stays can be all-inclusive or bed and breakfast, and the resort says the Michelin Guide awarded it Two Keys.
5. Anassa, Cyprus
Anassa is a five-star Mediterranean resort on Latchi Beach, in Polis, in the Paphos district. It highlights dining, wellness and sea views. Its room count is not confirmed here.
6. Coral Reef Club, Barbados
This is a family owned and run luxury resort in Holetown, set in 12 acres of gardens. It offers garden rooms, cottages, suites and villas, belongs to Small Luxury Hotels and closes in August for an annual refresh, reopening in October.
7. Constance Prince Maurice, Mauritius
Listed at Poste de Flacq on Mauritius under the name Constance Prince Maurice. Villa counts and rates are not confirmed here, so ask the resort.
8. Carlisle Bay, Antigua
Carlisle Bay is a beachfront resort on Antigua. Size and rates are left out because the official figures were out of reach.
9. Jumby Bay Island, Antigua
The former Rosewood Jumby Bay occupies a private island about 2.5 kilometers off Antigua’s northeast coast, and the five-star resort is now managed by Oetker Collection. A 2025 industry list names it among Antigua’s Two-Key winners.
10. The Ritz-Carlton Tenerife, Abama
The old Abama Golf and Spa Resort now carries the Ritz-Carlton name, with 459 rooms, suites and penthouses in three areas: The Citadel, The Retreat and The Penthouses Collection. Add a spa of about 2,500 square meters, Michelin-starred dining and a golf course.
11. Tamarind by Elegant Hotels, Barbados
Tamarind is a beachfront hotel in the Elegant Hotels group on the Barbados west coast. Room counts and rates are left to the hotel.
12. Le Touessrok, Mauritius
A resort on Mauritius. Current details and rates should be confirmed before you plan around it.
13. Belmond Villa Sant’ Andrea, Italy
Built in 1919 as a retreat for an aristocratic family, it now has 66 rooms and suites on Mazzaro Bay, in Taormina Mare, Sicily. The grounds include a heated outdoor infinity pool, a spa, two restaurants, four bars and a beach club on the bay. It calls itself the definitive Sicilian summer residence, so it is a summer property and opening dates vary.
14. Amirandes Grecotel Exclusive Resort, Greece
Amirandes is a Grecotel resort at Kato Gouves, on Crete’s north coast, about ten minutes from Heraklion airport. Nine restaurants and bars, a private beach with lagoons, a spa and an all-inclusive option make up the offer, and the suites have been renovated recently.
15. The Fairmont Royal Pavilion, Barbados
The beachfront hotel began as the Miramar Hotel in the 1940s, the first hotel on Barbados’ west coast, and reopened in December 1987 after a restoration. Branding may have changed since then, so check its current name before booking.
16. Pine Cliffs Resort, Portugal
The old Sheraton Algarve now operates as Pine Cliffs Resort in Albufeira, with Luxury Collection properties including Pine Cliffs Hotel and Pine Cliffs Ocean Suites. The ochre-red Algarve cliffs frame a nine-hole golf course and a spa.
17. Sandy Lane, Barbados
Sandy Lane opened in 1961 and was rebuilt after a 1998 sale in a three-year, $450 million project, according to its history. Inside are 113 guestrooms and suites, a five-bedroom villa, a spa of 47,000 square feet, four restaurants, seven bars and three golf courses.
Which one is your favorite? If you also like yachts, take a look at our yacht holidays.
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FAQ
Which of these resorts has the most rooms?
The Ritz-Carlton Tenerife, Abama, with 459 rooms, suites and penthouses, followed by The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai with 294.
Which is the smallest?
Hermitage Bay in Antigua has 32 villas, and Huvafen Fushi in the Maldives has 46 bungalows and pavilions.
Which resorts hold Michelin Keys?
Hermitage Bay says it holds two Michelin Keys, and a 2025 industry list also puts Jumby Bay Island at two Keys. We did not find Keys for the others.
Which names have changed since this list first ran?
Abama is now The Ritz-Carlton Tenerife, Abama. The Sheraton Algarve is now part of Pine Cliffs Resort, a Luxury Collection property. Rosewood Jumby Bay is now Jumby Bay Island, managed by Oetker Collection.
Do these resorts publish their rates?
Most show prices only after you choose dates in their booking tools, so we do not quote nightly rates. Check each resort for your dates.
Last updated: October 2026.
