7 Ultra-Luxurious Destinations For A Grown-Up Girls’ Trip

If your friendship group is happiest languishing over long lunches with exceptional wine pairings, head for Nordelaia in Piedmont. Hidden among five hectares of vineyards and rolling countryside between Milan and Genoa, the independently owned 12-room retreat is effortlessly elegant. Think: restorative walks through the surrounding hills, a dip in the spa’s pool and an abundance of exquisite Italian food.

Speaking of gastronomy, the hotel’s acclaimed restaurant, LORTO, reimagines Piedmontese cooking with a vegetable-led sharing-menu concept that maximizes on produce grown in its own gardens and sourced from neighboring farms. Beyond the hotel, your group can venture out to family-run wineries, hunt for white truffles with local experts, take hands-on cooking classes or nip over to Genoa, whose grand palazzi, galleries and beautifully regenerated waterfront make for an injection of culture, before retreating back to the tranquility of the vines.

For friends with a shared penchant for exquisite design, El Fenn in the heart of the Marrakech medina serves a kaleidoscopic feast for the senses. The riad’s rich jewel-toned, art-filled interiors echo the vibrancy of the bustling locale, with three dazzling pools and a glorious, revamped roof terrace – where the 30-foot marble bar offers up cocktails from expert mixologists. The boutique hotel has also opened its little black book to give insider experiences of the city via its retreats – from a discovery of Moroccan design to an exploration of local fashion. Alternatively, you can have a trip specially tailored to the interests of your group, with the three-bedroom suite – complete with a private plunge pool – providing the ultimate accommodation.

To combine the creative city jaunt with outdoor adventure, head 45 minutes into the ethereal desert beneath the Atlas Mountains to Caravan by Our Habitas Agafay. Sleep in beautiful lodges situated in the moon-like landscape and delve into experiences such as a camelback safari through the dunes and a Moroccan tea ceremony.

A spa retreat might be rather clichéd for a girls’ weekend, but the resplendent Heckfield Place is anything but. Rolling up to the glorious Georgian manor in the leafy Hampshire countryside reveals 400 acres of ancient woodland and walled gardens, refined interiors with roaring fireplaces and plush sofas aplenty, fantastic local, seasonal-minded restaurants helmed by luminary chef Skye Gyngell, and the beautiful Bothy by Wildsmith spa, tucked behind a secret garden door. Here, the holistic, healing powers of nature are celebrated through a menu of massage, meditation and movement, as well as therapies like osteopathy and reiki. The magnificent country bolthole also hosts dedicated retreats designed to help guests slow down, switch off and navigate areas of difficulty in their lives – whether in the mind or body. There is also an extensive program of events, spanning from nature walks and forest bathing to flower arranging, bird-watching and wild swimming.

Dating back to the 13th century, Domaine des Etangs is a divine turreted chateau that looks like it was pulled straight from a storybook in the forest-swathed Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of south-west France. Rooms, suites and farmhouse cottages (ideal for larger groups) are dotted between seven lakes across the stunning estate, which is well-fortified with activities and pastimes that can enjoyed together or separately. Think horseback riding through the forest, paddleboarding on the pond, delving into the on-site art gallery and extensive library, unwinding in the Gallo-Roman-inspired thermal baths and playing a match on the floating tennis court. On the food front, the recently crowned Michelin-starred Dyades restaurant celebrates local produce and a farm-to-table ethos.

Santorini may seem an obvious choice for a girls’ trip already, but Neema Maison in Finikia offers a very different perspective on one of Greece’s most beloved islands. Newly opened in July of this year, the adults-only, 16-suite hideaway just beyond Oia is close enough to meander down to the boutiques and famous caldera viewpoints, but gratifyingly at a distance from the busiest crowds. The former village homes have been transformed into beautiful, artfully appointed individual suites with private terraces, while the geometric pool terrace, designed with bold red and cobalt accents, has a wonderful Art Deco feel to it and sets it apart stylistically from the surrounding environment.

Spend the trip focusing on the island’s creative and culinary heritage by joining tastings with independent volcanic wineries, photographing the honey-colored alleyways or gathering for intimate courtyard dinners. Guests also have exclusive access to the Helestia Concierge Club, where a private sanctuary overlooking the caldera is a great front-row seat to Santorini’s famous sunsets.

A long-time favorite city break, Amsterdam has world-class art galleries, the proximity to cycle around, canal boats to see the city in style and eclectically beautiful places to stay. One of the most impressive accommodations is the Pulitzer Amsterdam, a heritage hotel formed of no fewer than 25 canal houses, dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries. Inside, 223 unique, characterful bedrooms and suites are connected by a labyrinth of ambient, art-adorned corridors and look out over either the Prinsengracht and Keizersgracht canals or attractive courtyards – in which there is a charming indoor-outdoor restaurant. In the gardens, guests will also discover the Beauty House, with expert treatments from the likes of 111Skin, to rejuvenate after a day of sightseeing and coffee-shop stops.

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