Christina Pfeiffer takes a front-row suite to gaze at some of the world's finest vistas.
The world's top luxury hotels might compete by offering unique spa treatments, excellent restaurants, gorgeous decor and slick service. But more often than not, it's the hotel's view that captures the imagination and lingers in the memory.
There are countless hotels and resorts around the world with breathtaking views of mountains, oceans, lakes, canyons, forests and glaciers. And thousands more with electrifying views of cityscapes. Here's our pick.
Lake
Since 1568, the rich and famous have been drawn to Villa d'Este to feast their eyes on Lake Como's ethereal beauty.
European aristocracy, movie stars, musicians and politicians return again and again to sip champagne, fill their lungs with fresh air and enjoy stunning views of the glacial lake and snow-covered Alps. English poet Percy Shelley described it as "exceeding anything I ever beheld in beauty".
The hotel's 152 rooms and suites, spread over two historic buildings, are decorated with period furniture, oil paintings, Como silk and linen sheets. Most spectacular is the Cardinal Suite with its private terrace overlooking the lake.
Grand Hotel Villa d'Este, Via Regina, 40, 22012 Cernobbio, Italy, +39 031 3481, www.villadeste.com. Lake-view rooms from EUR610 ($1200).
City
A room overlooking the harbour at the InterContinental Hong Kong has seats to the world's largest permanent light-and-sound show. Listed in the Guinness Book Of Records, the 13-minute nightly show is a dazzling display of Hong Kong Island's skyline with flashing neon-lit skyscrapers, laser beams and searchlights.
Sitting elegantly at the edge of Victoria Harbour, the hotel has 495 guest rooms and 92 suites - all suites and more than two-thirds of the rooms have uninterrupted views of this spectacle. Top of the line is the Presidential Suite with its 230-square-metre terrace and infinity pool facing the cityscape.
The InterContinental, 18 Salisbury Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong, +852 2721 1211, ichotelsgroup.com/intercontinental. The Luxury Getaway package includes accommodation in a Superior Harbourview room and access to Club InterContinental Lounge for $HK4599 ($902).
Monument
Designed to capture views of one of the world's most-visited man-made wonders, the Taj Mahal, the Moorish and Mughal-inspired Oberoi Amarvilas is an opulent shrine to luxury. It's a palatial lodging of marble, gold and timber adorned with intricate bead embroidery, wood carvings and hand-woven tapestries. The resort's grandeur extends to its gardens where terraced lawns, fountains, reflection pools and pavilions offer hints of a past royal era.
Just 600 metres from the iconic monument, it has views of Emperor Shah Jahan's memorial to his much-loved wife. These can be enjoyed from the lobby, bar, lounge and any of the 102 rooms and suites. For the ultimate indulgence, the Kohinoor suite, on the fifth floor, offers Taj Mahal views from every room.
Oberoi Amarvilas, Taj East Gate Road, Agra 282001, India, +91 562 2231515, oberoihotels.com. Rooms from INR 30,500 ($893).
Wilderness
Rooms with waterfall views are snapped up quickly at Sheraton Iguazu Resort & Spa, Argentina. Surrounded by rainforest, the 180-room, three-floor resort in the heart of World Heritage-listed Iguazu National Park is within walking distance of Iguazu Falls, one of the world's largest and most impressive waterfalls.
The sight of a waterfall (one of the park's 275) can be enjoyed from a private balcony of a Falls View room, the veranda of the Lobby Bar, the restaurant or from the resort's lawns. Rooms are comfortable but don't expect over-the-top opulence. It's the only hotel in the park.
Sheraton Iguazu Resort & Spa, Parque Nacional Iguazu, Iguazu 3370, Argentina, +54 3757 491800, sheraton.com/iguazu. Falls View rooms from $US360 ($547).
Desert
Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa is an exclusive oasis in the Dubai Conservation Reserve, a reserve for wildlife and plant life occupying 225 square kilometres of the Arabian Desert. The 42 luxurious suites, each with private temperature-controlled pools, offer awe-inspiring sand dune views. As does the resort's Timeless Spa, set among palm trees and water features. The contrast of lush gardens and stark desert is striking. And the sight of oryx and gazelles wandering around is delightful.
Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, +971 4 303 4222, al-maha.com. Bedouin suites from $US1475 ($2250).
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