Whether it’s a cleansing dip after a day of adventures in rainforest and reef, or a relaxing immersion in preparation for a private candlelight dinner on the beach, a bathtub can become more than just a way to get clean. Here’s a sampling of some amazing bathing experiences from around the world. You’ll just have to sink in and relax.
Jumby Bay, Jumby Island, Antigua
Sink into the deep pedestal tub within the walled courtyard of Jumby Bay’s estate suite, and you can enjoy nature in a state of au naturel. The tub and its adjacent rain shower are in a setting that seamlessly flows from the master bedroom to an outdoor garden. Set to complement the suite’s lavish indoor facilities where guests can also enjoy panoramic views of the Caribbean from a private infinity pool with a wraparound patio. This ultra-luxe property sits on a 300-acre private island just off the northeastern coast of Antigua, ringed by powder-fine beaches, and laced with walking and bike paths.
Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas, Maldives
When you sink into the spa tub in your beach villa at Anantara Kihavah, you aren’t just in the water; you are also surrounded by water. Each private courtyard includes numerous water features with ponds and reflection pools and opens to views of the sun and stars. The al fresco bathroom features indoor and outdoor rain showers as well as a round tub for two. Just beyond the door of your personal oasis, the beach awaits, and the shallows lead to colorful snorkeling reefs. As one of the most luxurious private island retreats in the Maldives, the resort is known for its underwater restaurant.
Paradise Taveuni, Taveuni Island, Fiji
Lava rock walls enclose a soaking tub in a lush private garden at a beachfront villa at Paradise Taveuni Resort. Oceanfront pampering is found at the spa which focuses on local Fijian techniques using organic virgin coconut oils blended with essential oils. This boutique property sits within an oceanfront coconut grove on the southwestern corner of Fiji’s garden-like Taveuni Island. Guests are just a short boat ride away from the world-famous diving and snorkeling sites of Rainbow Reef. In addition to private soaks, a highlight of each day is the sunset candlelight dinners served in a thatch-roof pavilion overlooking the sea.
GoldenEye, Jamaica
Barefoot luxury is the theme at Jamaica’s GoldenEye Resort. Once the private estate of Ian Fleming—author of the James Bond series—this boutique resort features a collection of unique cottages and villas set along the beach or tucked against the shores of a private lagoon. This claw foot tub in a Fleming villa epitomizes the indoor/outdoor living philosophy the property promotes and showcases the rustic and chic décor that reminds guests that they are living island-style. For more bathing, the spa features warming, cooling and relaxing bush baths in a garden setting for an immersive recharge of mind and body.
COMO Maalifushi, Thaa Atoll, Maldives
Follow up an afternoon of splashing in the clear waters of the lagoon, and sunning on the sands at COMO Maalifushi, and it’s just a few short steps to your beach villa. There, a private bathing suite awaits, with a tub for two, and floor-to-ceiling windows that open to a private courtyard. As the first resort to open in the Maldive’s pristine Thaa Atoll, Maalifushi is an ideal destination for both nature lovers and water sports enthusiasts. It is also the setting for the signature Shambhala Retreat, which provides life-enhancing programs and Asian-based therapies. An open-air yoga pavilion, overwater treatment rooms and curated wellness packages enhance a healthy journey.
Sailrock, South Caicos, Turks & Caicos
Bathrooms at Sailrock Resort’s beach villas open to small courtyards where guests can soak away their tensions to the sounds of the nearby ocean. Each of these one- to four-bedroom luxury residences perches on the edge of a mile-long beach on the shores of South Caicos Island fronting the Atlantic Ocean to the north and the Caribbean Sea to the south. Though located on one of the most remote and pristine islands in the Turks and Caicos chain, Sailrock rewards visitors with upscale amenities and fine dining. Water sports and the near-deserted beach are the main attractions, and the villas are ideal for families and groups.
Banyan Tree Mayakoba, Riviera Maya, Mexico
Courtyard walls provide ultimate privacy in a villa at the Banyan Tree Mayakoba, where an evening soak in an outdoor tub is accented by candles with flames that dance in the night breeze, to the accompaniment of the sounds of wildlife from the surrounding lagoons and forests. Set on a prime beach in the heart of Mexico’s Riviera Maya, the Mayakoba immerses guests in a five-star resort setting that blends elegantly into the natural surroundings of the Yucatan. Luxury villas are scattered around mangrove-lined lagoons that provide native habitat for a wealth of indigenous fish and bird species.
Belle Mont Sanctuary Resort, Kittitian Hill, St. Kitts
Bathe on the verandah of your traditional guesthouse at Belle Monte Sanctuary Resort and you can also soak in views that extend from field to ocean. Cottages resemble the traditional West Indies structures at this unique resort and are set within a 400-acre organic farm on the north coast of St. Kitts. The 84 guesthouses are part of the larger Kittitian Hill development, which combines sustainable living principles with a commitment to cultural authenticity. Farm-to-table meals are elevated to culinary heights by award-winning chefs, and even the golf course is planted with a range of edible crops and fruit trees.
Lily Beach Resort & Spa at Huvahendhoo, Maldives
There’s room for two in the courtyard soak tub of a beach villa at Lily Beach Resort. These private enclaves are set among lush tropical vegetation on the edge of the beach, with landscaped paths leading to resort facilities offering world-class dining and five-star spa services. In addition to a wealth of on-property amenities, Lilly Beach becomes a starting point for adventures on land and sea. These include visits to traditional Maldivian villages, swims with wild dolphins and sightseeing tours of the coral reefs in the resort’s submarine. After a day on the water, the Tamara Spa offers calming Ayurvedic treatments.
COMO Parrot Cay, Turks & Caicos
Water views are framed by the courtyard walls of a beachside villa at COMO Parrot Cay. The cay is a 1,000-acre private island that is home to a collection of premium guest rooms, private villas and grand residences, all of which enjoy exclusive access to a private, mile-long beach. The interior of the island is forested trails ready for exploration on foot or via bicycle. The resort prides itself in providing “foot-in-the-sand” luxury, while also embodying the COMO brand’s dedication to wellness and world-class cuisines. The entire property has recently undergone a complete refreshment, including a new Shambhala gym, children’s play space and upgraded beach club.
Banyan Tree Phuket, Phuket, Thailand
Water elements abound at the Double Pool Villas by Banyan Tree Phuket, a 26-villa hamlet set between lagoons and lush vegetation. In addition to the luxurious soaking tubs and rainfall showers set in a private garden courtyard, guests can indulge in the Herbal Cuddle infused with herbs ideal for a jetlag recovery bath. Each of this five-star resort’s expansive villas features a private wading pond, a 15-meter pool with a Jacuzzi, reflecting pools that surround the open-view bedroom pavilion, and panoramic views of the lagoon across a tropical garden. Guests have access to a premier on-site spa that offers traditional Thai treatments, along with full privileges at the adjacent Banyan Tree Phuket resort.
