There are no bad rooms in the best resorts. But some accommodations are a cut above the rest. The new GOLF list Top 100 Resorts in the world covers the glitziest lodging in the game, from beach cottages and baronial mansions to modernist suites and mountain chalets. All come, of course, with ready access to world-class golf, top-quality food and wineand amenities to complement its surroundings. On a list where every option shines, the differences come down to taste. Here are 5 that stood out to us.
The hill of the monkeys
St. James, Barbados
Named for the wild green monkeys frolicking among its treetops, this hilltop resort pairs jungle seclusion with breathtaking sea views. Villas – from two-story layouts to single-level residences over 4,000 square feet – open from floor to ceiling to let the island breeze do the cooling. Designer kitchens, private pools and a golf cart are standard, but it’s the indoor-outdoor flow, tuned to the tropics, that makes this feel like a luxurious treehouse.
courtesy Apes Hill
San Regis Punta Mita
Banderas Bay, Nayarit, Mexico
The 120 hacienda-style rooms and villas here draw on ancient Mexican and Mediterranean craftsmanship, with terracotta floors, exposed wood beams and private plunge pools in beachfront suites. But the real signature is the service: every guest receives 24-hour butler care, from unpacking to pressing a shirt before dinner. Add in the indoor-outdoor marble bathrooms, hidden TVs that rise from the cabinets, right mattresses with high-thread-count sheets, and windows that open to the coastal breeze, and the feeling of pampering is complete.
Heritage Resorts
Bel Ombre, Mauritius
Every accommodation option here is a suite. No standard rooms. Just beautiful, expansive spaces. Guests choose their advantage: view of the sea, of the garden, or of the ocean, each with the same comfort of all the integrated suites. It doesn’t matter how you travel – as a couple, with a family, on a group getaway – the accommodations allow you to spread out after a ride, with the Indian Ocean or manicured grounds as a backdrop.
The bond barrier
Tomarata, New Zealand
The same restriction that defines Te Arai’s Tom Doak and Core-Crenshaw corsi leads into the house, its design all wood tones, clean lines, and windows and doors that give to the external decks on the dunes. The style is consistent, but the scale varies, ranging from rooms and suites with ocean views to cottages and villas. Topping them all is the Whaitere, a five-bedroom home located on the South Course with a gym, indoor and outdoor kitchens, a home office, and its own indoor putting green. Here, along a spectacular and unspoiled coastline, luxury comes in subdued tones, not shouts.
Trump International Golf Links & Hotel
Doonbeg, Clare, Ireland
Located on a windswept stretch of Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way, Doonbeg’s 218 suites blend in completely with their surroundings. Think stone walls, wood-beamed ceilings and lighted fireplaces before you arrive. It’s unapologetically old-world Irish estate luxury, with marble bathrooms, full kitchens and ocean views that stand for something understated. Between rounds, guests can kick back at the spa or settle by the fire, drinking whiskey and swapping stories embellished by the course.
