La Purificadora, Puebla, Mexico

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Summertime and the livin’ is chillin’. That, at least, is the guiding principle to our hit-list of the best places to visit when the mercury starts to max. Because you don’t have to battle the sweltering heat when you’ve got a world of ultra-cool choices at your disposal. Some of our picks come into their prime during the summer months; others are classic year-round destinations. And one or two are the sort of destinations that you Must Do Now.

Hidden Pond
US & CANADA | US | MAINE | KENNEBUNKPORT
There’s often a pine-scented crispness to the Maine air — even through summer when, by contrast, much of the lower 48 feels like the malarial tropics. But you don’t need your own presidential compound to enjoy the state’s cooler climes and sparkling coastline. Hidden Pond in Kennebunkport has 14 luxe one- and two-bedroom cottages set amid 60 secluded acres of birch and balsam. Screened-in porches lead indoors to Frette-draped beds, stone fireplaces and kitchens. Plus, private chefs are available to cook gourmet dinners.

Llao Llao Hotel & Spa
LATIN AMERICA | ARGENTINA | PATAGONIA
When the mercury peaks in the northern hemisphere, Patagonia is the place to hit for winter fun. Llao Llao has long been the region’s most celebrated hotel — built in 1938 (then rebuilt the following year after it burnt to a cinder), the iconic mountain lodge is credited with first opening up Argentina to luxury tourism. Now, its 43 new — and thoroughly modern — suites have been appended to its imperious hillside grounds, floating above Bariloche’s Lake Moreno and flanked by the foothills of the Andes.

Amirandes
EUROPE | GREECE | CRETE
Set on the northern coast of Crete, life at Amirandes centers around water. The wow factor comes courtesy of a palm-shaded infinity lagoon that melds with vistas of the Mediterranean. Of the 212 rooms, the Royal Villas feature their own private infinity pools with sunken stone beds, while deep soaking tubs stand in the middle of the master bedrooms. Along the core lagoon, the stone-and-wood Elixir Spa offers ayurvedic treatments with organic plants. And the food at Amirandes? Most of the produce comes from its own “water-efficient” organic farm.

The Lodge
EUROPE | SWITZERLAND | VERBIER
Famous for its world-class off-piste skiing, Verbier is making a comeback. All year round. The Lodge might be Richard Branson’s first ski chalet in his elite portfolio of worldwide properties, Virgin Limited Edition. But it’s also a perfect boutique base to experience the Swiss-Alpine wonderland in all its summer glory. For adrenaline junkies that means mountain biking, paragliding and white water rafting. Though that shouldn’t rule out a hike through the lush, green mountains. Or a session at the Lodge’s spa.

The Beach House at ManafaruASIA | MALDIVES
So you’re lounging in your private cabana, at the edge of a turquoise sea, when you’re faced with a decision: mango or coconut sorbet? The query comes courtesy a “sorbet butler,” who circulates the sandy fringes of The Beach House at Manafaru, an exclusive resort in the northern Maldives. Over half the resort’s 68 villas have been built over water — so you can enjoy glass-paneled floors, infinity plunge pools, and sun decks leading straight into the sea. Landlubbers won’t feel cheated, either: beachside villas have open-air rain showers, and lounge cabanas kissing the lagoon.

La Purificadora
LATIN AMERICA | MEXICO | PUEBLA
One of Mexico’s most evocative colonial towns is now the Latin destination to chill. Literally. Puebla’s restored 19th-century ice factory and water purifying center has been reborn as a hip Design Hotel. La Purificadora’s 30-meter rooftop pool overlooks the town’s ancient spires while its intimate patio restaurant is where you can try Puebla’s famed mole — the rich chili-and-chocolate sauce that blankets poultry and takes three days to brew.

The Surf Lodge
US & CANADA | US | NEW YORK | HAMPTONS
Montauk is the laid-back, chilled-out extension of the Hamptons — without the crowds. But who knows how long the easternernmost tip of Long Island will stand separate from “the scene” now that the Surf Lodge has opened. The brainchild of the team that gave New York the club CAIN, the new hotel is perched on the shores of Fort Pond, half-a-mile inland from the beach. All 32 rooms have lake views, while a dozen feature private courtyards and hot tubs. And whether or not you come to hang ten, you’ll probably want to hang at the huge indoor-outdoor lounge with a raw bar.

Parador de Santo EstevoEUROPE | SPAIN | GALICIA
Incomparably greener — and cooler than the rest of Spain — Galicia feels like a slice of Ireland in Iberia. The claim that the Celts settled in the misty hills of this northwestern region certainly rings true after a Celtic hot-stone massage at this spectacular new spa, housed in a 10th-century monastery-turned- hotel. The 9,600-square-foot retreat features an outdoor hydro-massage bath, a heated indoor pool and cold plunge pool. And after a “flotation massage” in a warm waterbed, you can further relax with a sangria from the cloister bar and a stroll through the parador’s gardens.

Toka LeyaAFRICA & MIDEAST | ZAMBIA
Separated by just a narrow rock ledge at the precipice of Victoria Falls, Devil’s Swimming Pool is Africa’s most dramatic natural infinity pool. Just seven miles up the Zambezi River from the falls, the dozen en-suite tents of Toka Leya huddle beneath a jackalberry canopy along the riverbank. When you’re not taking a dip in the camp’s own swimming pool, or canoeing the Zambezi, go on a game drive through the surrounding Mosi-Oa-Tunya National Park — this UNESCO Heritage area is home to the only rhinos in Zambia.

Watergate BayEUROPE | ENGLAND | CORNWALL
Cornwall, that serrated spit of southwest England, has transformed itself over the past decade into Europe’s watersport wonderland — despite its icy waters. Tilted perfectly toward the restless North Atlantic, the vast, sweeping beaches here are home to Britain’s first center for kitesurfing (among other sports) and some 3,500 surf students a year. The de facto epicenter of the region’s surf scene is the Extreme Academy at Watergate Bay, near Newquay. Billed as “a ski resort on a beach,” the complex has grown from a beach-hut shop to include a café, an outpost of Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen restaurant, and 15 luxury guestrooms perched above the battered shores.