Appealing though it may be to mill about with royalty at Gstaad Palace, the tony Swiss ski hamlet’s most romantic hotel, I find that hobnobbing with fur-clad jetsetters, movie stars, and the fascinating children of retired world leaders takes a toll on my conversational gymnastics after a few very social days. Don’t get me wrong: every single fellow guest embodies the essence of glamorousness and affability at this sublime hotel. And, I’ve made scads of new friends. An icon as suitable for winter holidays as for summer vacations, the Palace perches on a hill above Gstaad, with princess towers and queenly crenelations. Reigning as one of the world’s best stays, it has a legendary motto: “Every guest is a king and every king is just a guest,” which says it all.
Perhaps it’s the introvert in me, but after a few days of loquacious interplay around the hotel, I find a need for quietude. As Greta Garbo famously said: “I want to be alone.” So, I spend an afternoon exploring picturesque Gstaad’s winding cobbled streets where carved balconies, classic chalets with sloping roofs, and nostalgic horse-drawn carriages set a distinctly Swiss mood. I also relax in the Palace’s peerless spa. When still I yearn for a hideaway (but don’t want to forego the Palace’s indulgent pampering), I turn to the front desk and concierge team for advice. They offer the ideal solution for a one-night getaway, the hotel’s further-flung super suite: Walig Hut. A restored Alpine cottage set nearly a mile above the village mountainside, it provides guests with a rural option, while still ensuring support from the Palace’s supreme staff.
Walig Hut, Gstaad Palace, Gstaad Switzerland
Built in 1786 as a seasonal refuge for local farmers tending cattle, the traditional hut looks across the valley, sporting expansive views of Gstaad, the mountains, and meadowlands. While staff deliver my suitcase from the Palace for a one-night solo stay, I hike up to Walig Hut from the hotel, which takes an hour or two. En route, I meander through flower-filled pastures, passing bell-wearing cows, horses, and goats. For one terrifying sprint, I’m chased by a colossal bull. I arrive at last to the remote, rugged hut. A herd of cows encircle it, their tinkling bells and cacophonous mooing are like a serenade of welcome.
The cottage, sumptuously kitted out with hand-built furniture and regional adornments, can accommodate two adults and a child — but it’s perfect, too, for only me. Swiss wine chills in a cow trough by the porch, and a busy chef waves me indoors to point out what he’s cooking in the modern, albeit tiny, kitchen. Another staff member shows me the lavish sleeping suite, where the bed soars to the ceiling with layers of feathery comforters and pillows. Timeless, the hut has a table on the porch where I sip wine, dine on local cheese and charcuterie, and watch the stars as they pop like iridescent paint splotches from the night sky’s vastness.
We’ve curated more hideaway suites — other discreet stays, essentially hotels within hotels, also ensure your privacy in the utmost luxury.
andBeyond Ngala Treehouse, South Africa
You’ll have a lilac-breasted roller’s birds-eye view of the bush from your leafy home at this ultimate safari suite. Suspended 39 feet in the air, the new andBeyond Ngala Treehouse hovers above the surrounding shrubland, which flaunts ancient acacia and baobab trees. Three miles away from the nearest lodge, the totally remote, four-level nest operates as part of andBeyond Ngala Safari Lodge and andBeyond Ngala Tented Camp. The solar-powered treehouse boasts an indoor bedroom, full bathroom with outdoor shower, rooftop deck, outdoor bed, and deck for sundowners. A protective thorn boma fence encircles the suite, while a treehouse attendant awaits just a phone call away.
Les Grand Appartements Hôtel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel, Paris
Just to walk through the front door of Hôtel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel situated off Place de la Concorde takes guests on a magic carpet ride, awash in fantasy. Its top bolthole Les Grands Apartments features two suites spread across the hotel’s fourth floor. Flaunting heart-quickening Paris views, the airy suites were designed by the late fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld, who wove contemporary elements into the gravitas of the Crillon’s palatial roots. Ideal for families or two couples traveling together, the suites can be booked separately or as one giant residence featuring three bedrooms and a plush 3,606 square feet.
Villa Rose at JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa, Venice
To stay at JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa already means arriving to your private island paradise by boat — a Venetian tradition. But rather than docking at the mothership resort, you’ll park your craft at Isola Delle Rose, an “island within an island,” the ultimate in clandestine shelter. Amid ancient olive groves and cultivated gardens, delve into the multi-level villa, comprised of two bedrooms, three bathrooms, and a slew of roomy common areas. With interiors finished by the magnificent Matteo Thun, this is no ordinary villa-suite oasis. Flanked by 4, 250 square feet of uplifting gardens, a private swimming pool and deck area, Villa Rose boasts unforgettable views of Venice across the water.
Room 50, Soho Beach House, Miami, Florida
With exclusivity vibes so speakeasy-hush-hush it’s only bookable by request, Room 50, a 1,515-square-foot indoor-outdoor suite secreted within buzzy Soho Beach House Miami makes for the perfect Art Deco lair. Mixing mid-century modern flourishes with contemporary design, elements such as patterned textiles echo Cuban influences, a wrap-around terrace shows both the Atlantic Ocean and the Miami skyline, while floor-to-ceiling windows bring the outside indoors. A freestanding bathtub stands out as a cosseting highlight.
The Terrace Inn at La Fonda on the Plaza, Santa Fe, New Mexico
Built where a hotel has coddled guests for some 400 years, the meticulously restored La Fonda on the Plaza sets a mood with Pueblo-style architecture, period antiques, and southwestern spirit. Though a destination in itself, La Fonda holds one of Santa Fe’s best-kept secrets: The Terrace Inn, an evocative rooftop haven. The city’s only hidden hotel, The Terrace Inn encompasses 15 sixth-floor suites, a fitness center, hot tub, and tiled patios, all accessible by private elevator. With concierge service, the spacious suites, complete with views, fuse old with new via design motifs and architecture inspired by Navajo, Pueblo, and Hispanic cultures.
The Villa, Casa Palopó, Guatemala
Already off-the-grid, Guatemala, Central America’s verdant hidden gem, draws scores of up-market travelers looking for seclusion and digital detox holidays. Its first (one of only two) Relais & Chateaux properties, Casa Palopó in Lake Atitlán, brims with boutique glam. All 15 rooms shine with distinctive design and stellar views of the emerald terrain. Its coveted Villa, however, takes sanctum to the next level. Set above the hotel with three separate suites, living areas, and an irresistible infinity pool, the buyout-worthy, long-stay conducive residence boasts a helipad for arrival ease.
Featured image courtesy of Gstaad Palace.
