The height of luxury travel is staying at an amazing hotel set on its own private island. The following ten best luxury private island resorts are some of the most exclusive hotels in the world, offering peace and exclusivity.
Our pick of the top 10 best private island resorts in the world includes Lizard Island Resort, andBeyond Mnemba Island, Jumby Bay Island, Laluca Island, Necker Island, North Island, Parrot Cay By Como, Soneva Fushi, Soneva Jani, and The Brando.
1. Lizard Island Resort, Australia
Lizard Island Resort on the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, Australia is arguably the best private island resort in the world. As the northernmost resort on the Great Barrier Reef, Lizard Island is home to one of Australia’s most exclusive resorts, and life doesn’t get much better than a stay here.
The hour flight from Cairns allows you to take in the true majesty and scale of the reef, and the resort is literally on the reef, so there are no long boat rides to take to get to Lizard Island Resort.
Lizard Island presents elegant yet understated Great Barrier Reef accommodation in 40 luxurious rooms and suites. The communal areas are cleverly designed to take in the views from the best vantage points. Dining takes place at the open-air Salt Water Restaurant overlooking Anchor Bay. Beyond this, the Driftwood bar is a dreamy place to enjoy a drink.
All of the Lizard Island Resort rooms and suites offer serene luxury and a private location on the Great Barrier Reef. The views from the rooms tend to be over the garden or the sea. They all offer verandahs that offer lots of comfy places to relax, and we love the beachfront rooms with their beachfront decks in particular. Each has a private pathway leading directly to the beach.
The Villa is the best option for families or groups. Sleeping up to five guests, The Villa is secluded, sitting atop a ridge and commanding uninterrupted views across Sunset Beach and the Coral Sea.
Oceanview Villas are set high on Sunset Bay. Providing filtered sea views over Anchor Bay or Sunset Beach, these Villas offer privacy and easy access to a string of secluded beaches. Select Oceanview Villas have their own private plunge pool, so these are the ones to pick.
Experience Lizard Island on the reef, on land, or in the tranquility of the spa. Guided and self-guided activities include snorkeling, diving, paddleboarding, kayaking, hiking, visits to the Research Centre, tennis under night lights, morning yoga on the beach, and indulgent spa treatments.
2. Parrot Cay, a COMO Shambhala Resort
Parrot Cay, a COMO Shambhala Resort in Turks and Caicos, is located 25 minutes by speedboat from Providenciales, on a private, secluded island. Parrot Cay’s topography slopes up from the ocean to a ridge along the island’s center, whose elevation is about 50 feet.
Crystal clear turquoise waters surround its 3.2 miles of white sand beaches. Groves of cactus and thickly entwined scrub, and spreading mangroves and wetlands accent the beauty of this island’s 1,000 secluded acres.
The traditional colonial decor mixes four-poster beds with lavish white fabrics. 58 Rooms comprise of 20 Gardenview Rooms, 22 Ocean Rooms, 4 Oceanview Suites, 6 One Bedroom Beach Houses with heated private plunge pools, three detached One Bedroom, Beach Villas, with private heated plunge pools and shower garden, 2 Two-Bedroom Beach Villa with private swimming pools, and one Three Bedroom Villa with two en-suite shower gardens a private swimming pool.
The main infinity pool overlooks the boats and is perched on the beachfront. It is surrounded by white-cushioned loungers, tropical vegetation, and day-bed pavilions. There’s also a beach bar by the pool for your Caribbean cocktails.
For absolute privacy, reserve a residence tucked away from the main resort. The island’s two restaurants serve gourmet dishes, including organic, healthful COMO Shambhala cuisine.
3. The Brando, French Polynesia
The Brando is a luxury private island resort on French Polynesia’s breathtakingly beautiful private atoll of Tetiaroa, located just 30 miles northeast of Tahiti.
Surrounded by the vast blue expanse of the South Pacific, The Brando is unique, combining stunning environmental purity, luxury, sustainability, and a remarkable historical and cultural legacy. It is a world apart, where past and present exist as one.
You will be so close to nature here that you may have sea turtles nesting in front of your villa or watch whales and dolphins just off the reef. You can explore the island paths on a bicycle, stroll along deserted white sand beaches, spend the afternoon in a Polynesian spa overlooking a lily pond, sail to a neighboring motu, or snorkel or dive with tropical fish.
The award-winning cuisine is featured in all dining venues and in-room dining. The resort’s two restaurants showcase Polynesian-inspired dishes, East/West fusion, and classic French cuisine.
The Brando’s Varua Polynesian Spa specializes in the finest holistic treatments inspired by ancient Polynesian traditions coupled with modern techniques. The spa includes private massage and treatment villas, steam baths, a tea and relaxation lounge overlooking the pond, a yoga shelter, and an exclusive spa suite for couples high up in the palm trees.
An abundance of activities is available at The Brando, including snorkeling in a coral garden, paddleboarding, kayaking, Polynesian canoeing, scuba diving, tennis, biking, swimming, exploration of the untouched private islets surrounding the lagoon, and guided tours by naturalists.
The resort also has a Library and Explorer Center where guests can read books about French Polynesia and attend lectures and demonstrations about Polynesian culture, history, and lifestyle. Onsite research scientists will speak with guests about their research and the species of birds and marine life found on the atoll. A luxury pearl shop and a boutique are also located on the property.
Whether you want natural splendor, luxury, romance, or the warmth and charm of the Polynesian people, you will find it here and return a different person.
4. Soneva Jani, Maldives
Soneva Jani is located on the island of Medhufaru in the northern Atoll of Noonu, an hour by speedboat from Soneva Fushi. The Maldives’ most exclusive hotel is fringed by pristine beaches blanketed with lush tropical greenery. It offers a huge 4 kilometers of unspoiled beach.
This stunning resort showcases some of the most modern approaches to eco-tourism. For example, it boasts a silent outdoor cinema, where guests will listen to movies with Bluetooth earphones so as not to disturb the local wildlife.
The resort also features 24 spacious villas, each with a private pool, as well as a private island villa for those who seek a truly exclusive retreat. Each water villa has a retractable roof in the master bedroom, allowing for fantastic stargazing without having to leave your bed. And, of course, some of the villas even feature a gigantic water slide into the Indian Ocean. Splash your way to happiness at this barefoot luxury hotel.
Inspired by a word that means wisdom in Sanskrit, Soneva Jani is located on Medhufaru island, which is part of an uninhabited five-island cluster in the Noonu Atoll.
5. Soneva Fushi, Maldives
Soneva Fushi, features in our 10 best luxury hotels in the Maldives for a honeymoon, and is a desert island hideaway where you can stay in a romantic Robinson Crusoe treehouse. Soneva Fushi Resort is located in the stunning Baa Atoll island archipelago, a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, on an island with a coral reef surrounded by lush jungle. This luxury resort faces the Indian Ocean and is 6 km from the inhabited island of Maalhos.
Eco-chic villas are hidden among dense tropical foliage and are the stuff of romantic Robinson Crusoe fantasies. In fact, many are built to resemble tree houses. They are all open to their own private stretch of sugar-white sands, and most boast their own private seawater swimming pools. Service is provided by Mr./Ms. Friday butlers who know what you want before you do!
Activities include a Six Senses spa, private beach with watersports facilities, bikes to borrow, observatory, open-air cinema, floodlit tennis court, badminton, snooker table, group yoga, and tai chi classes, jogging trail, board games, ice-cream parlor, library, a stash of CDs and DVDs, free Wi-Fi. In rooms: flatscreen TV, DVD player, preloaded iPod and dock, binoculars, air-conditioning, minibar, tea- and coffee-making facilities. The resort can also organize scuba diving, motorized watersports, and local boat trips.
If powder-white sands, crystal clear waters, and understated luxury are what you are looking for, the original desert island hideaway of Soneva Fushi will make your dreams come true.
6. North Island, Seychelles
North Island is one of the world’s most exclusive private island hideaways, with only 11 opulent villas overlooking the powder-white sands and turquoise waters of the Ile Du Nord eco-reserve. Raised off the ground to catch the cooling Indian Ocean breezes, all villas open up onto your private garden and the beach. Plunge pools and outdoor showers provide the finishing touches to these incredible spaces.
The island’s lounge and dining areas, spa and gym, library and dive center, and a rim-flow swimming pool are all built into a granitic outcrop.
7. Necker Island, British Virgin Islands
Perhaps the world’s most highly publicized private island is Necker Island. Sir Richard Branson says, “Necker Island is my home and favorite hideaway. I invite you to explore this idyllic island paradise for yourself and to be inspired by its beauty. I hope someday to be able to share it with you.”
This 74-acre private island is definitely one of the most exclusive places to stay in the Caribbean. Sir Richard Branson’s private island paradise offers barefoot luxury in a setting that’s just about as lovely as it gets, situated in the unspoiled British Virgin Islands.
His spacious al fresco Balinese house boasts fantastic panoramic views of the Caribbean, the Atlantic, and neighboring islands. Each of the 11 guest rooms in the Great House has a balcony, and all come with king-size beds and en-suite bathrooms. Plus, there’s a bunk room sleeping up to six children. While on the upper level, you’ll find the stunning Master Suite, complete with a private outdoor hot tub and sundeck.
There is also a dedicated team of fabulous staff on the island, plus more than 200 flamingos who are all part of the Necker family!
8. andBeyond Mnemba Island
andBeyond Mnemba Island is an award-winning barefoot beach paradise, a romantic, private hideaway just off the northeast coast of Zanzibar. This exclusive paradise features just twelve rustic beachside bandas for just 24 guests, connected to the breathtaking Mnemba atoll.
Discover the sheer, unpretentious paradise on this exclusive island, where the simple pleasures become your most treasured of memories for many years to come. Relax and unwind on your own stretch of beachfront, where simple yet luxurious bandas peep out onto unblemished sands from the dappled shade of the casuarina pine forest. Thatched dining and sitting or bar areas boast beautiful open views of the beach and spectacular vistas of Zanzibar beyond.
Late breakfast trays teeming with tropical fruit, freshly-squeezed juice, and Tanzanian coffee can be delivered to the beach banda for those wanting to indulge in a lie-in. Fresh sushi and chilled champagne can appear discreetly at the guests’ beach loungers should they wish to celebrate the magnificent sunset in privacy. Romantic candlelit dinners are served on the beach, with the waves lapping gently at guests’ feet. Allow yourself to relax and take a break with yoga and massages in the tranquil retreat of your banda.
9. Laluca Island, Fiji
Laluca Island, Fiji is set upon 1,400 exclusive hectares of private island, amidst coconut plantations, damatic rainforest-laced landscapes and white sandy beaches. It offers unparalleled levels of luxury and privacy.
No expense has been spared at this exclusive tropical hideaway, where 25 Fijian-styled villas overlook fertile coral reefs and endless jungle. Style and sustainability go hand in hand throughout, from the natural fibers and woods used in design to the wild orchids harvested in gardens and organic produce grown on island farms.
Seamless transition from indoor to outdoor living creates an inspiringly relaxed yet luxurious atmosphere. Enjoy diving in a unique underwater world, rain forest tours, horseback riding, surfing, golfing on the 18-hole championship course, or meeting native artists.
10. Jumby Bay Island, Antigua
Jumby Bay Island, an Oetker Collection property, is set in one of the most beautiful, undisturbed places in the world, on a 300-acre private island 2 miles off the coast of Antigua.
Offering guests space, privacy, and seclusion, from the moment you touch down at Antigua airport, you can simply ‘let go.’ The resort offers plenty of playful diversions, from snorkeling and sailboarding to biking and sunset cocktail cruises, all free of charge.
Choose from 40 oceanfront guest rooms or villas and Private Residences. Blending seamlessly into the island’s landscape are four restaurants: The Estate House, serving European classics with a West Indian flair, the new beachfront Veranda restaurant and bar, the oceanfront Pool Grille, and the casually authentic Beach Shack.
Copyright Luxury Travel Diary 2014 - 2024. Duplication outside of luxurytraveldiary.com is forbidden.
Note: Benefits & upgrades subject to availability. Benefits offered correct at the time of writing. Terms & conditions apply. Enquire for more information. Posts may be sponsored by the proprietor or brand being appraised. All opinions remain our own & are in no way influenced.
