7 Dream-Like Overwater Villas And Floating Hotels

From the ultra-luxe Soneva hotel group, an exquisite collection of villas launches this year with a focus on creating the most private of getaways. Joining its two other Maldivian destinations – Soneva Fushi and Soneva Jani – Soneva Secret is located in Haa Dhaalu, the Maldives’ most remote atoll. It has just 14 villas, including the lagoon Crusoe villas, accessible only by boat, and the Castaway, which is the very first floating villa in the Maldives and expertly designed to be unaffected by wave movements. A standout feature will be a slide-away roof in the master suites, so guests can sleep beneath the starry sky.

One of the most legendary resorts for quintessential overwater villas is the Four Seasons in Bora Bora, where picture-perfect, capacious suites are suspended over the glistening lagoon, which teems with a vivid assortment of reef fish and corals. Traditional teak furnishings make for a calming, understated aesthetic indoors, while vast bathtubs and private pools give the opportunity to soak in spectacular views – though the full immersion comes from diving straight into the sea off the private deck.

One&Only’s Maldivian outpost comprises a collection of beachside and overwater villas in a sublime setting. Encircled by the Indian Ocean, the vistas from the water villas, where the indoors melts into the surrounding ombré blues, change as the dazzling daylight transforms into pastel skies at sunset. The beautifully designed bedrooms and grand bathrooms open out onto expansive sundecks, complete with private infinity pools floating above the lagoon and hammocks for the most laid-back sunbathing spot, reclined above the gently lapping waves.

While every accommodation option is astounding at the charming island retreat of Cayo Espanto, the most romantic and remote abode is the overwater bungalow that sits at the end of the 150ft dock. With turquoise-shuttered windows on every side, it offers 360-degree vistas of the cerulean Caribbean Sea – and even a glass panel in the bedroom floor, for a glimpse into the depths beneath.

The private, tropical-island resort of Song Saa is in the Koh Rong Archipelago, where thatched villas maximize the utterly paradisal surroundings: either nestled in verdant jungle, dotted alongside the ocean, or perched on stilts above the crystalline waters (with direct access into the ocean from the wooden deck, and curved infinity pools giving unparalleled views of the blues below). Better yet, in a commitment to preserving the awe-inspiring environment, the resort has been designed with sustainability as a priority, using reclaimed timber and materials, plus repurposed, upcycled furnishings.

On a dramatic bay looking out over the East Vietnam Sea, Six Senses Ninh Van Bay sits between coral, beach and mountain. Sleek split-level villas are perched above the water and feature steps down into the bay below, as well as a plunge pool and deck with glorious views and serene open-air, open-plan bathrooms, complete with a carved wooden bathtub as the centerpiece. While all the villas boast the utmost in privacy, The Rock Retreat takes seclusion to a new level: this cluster of pavilions (housing three master bedrooms) is situated on dramatic rock formations in its own bay, accessible only via private mountainside walkway or speedboat.

Between jewel-toned jungle and powder-white sands, Rosewood Mayakoba inhabits a sublime position from which to revel in the beauty of Mexico’s Riviera Maya. The standout accommodation to take full advantage of the location is the Overwater Lagoon Suite, which hovers invitingly above the mangrove-surrounded lagoon. The verdant indoor-outdoor bathroom has an open-air shower, while the terrace has a plunge pool, boat dock and enthralling panoramas.

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