6 designer hotel bathrooms with the best views

Often simultaneously underrated and overlooked, hotel bathrooms are an important part of the travel experience for the respite and relaxation they offer. A well-designed bathroom is a sanctuary where you can freshen up after a long journey, get ready for a day of exploring your destination or glam up for the evening – then rinse and repeat.

Whether it’s amazing views through floor-to-ceiling windows, high-end amenities or Instagrammable bath soaking tubs, these incredible stays come with swoon-worthy bathrooms to match.

1. The Upper House, Hong Kong

Perched above Pacific Place in Admiralty, The Upper House features 117 spacious studios and suites that offer wrap-around spectacular views of the harbour or mountainside (or both). The bathrooms are the real highlight: interior architect Andre Fu paired natural materials like bamboo with sculpture to add a sense of serenity. Take advantage of the large, free-standing limestone bathtub in the centre of the bathroom: the perfect place to take in the city views while sinking into bubbles.

2. Banyan Tree Shanghai on the Bund, Shanghai

Marvel at Pudong’s futuristic skyscrapers and enjoy an unparalleled vantage point over the Huangpu River at Banyan Tree Shanghai On The Bund . Many of the luxury urban resort’s 130 rooms and suites feature a round bathtub, while the Bund Oasis and Bund Panorama Oasis rooms have a spacious private dipping pool planted right next to the bedroom window – the perfect spot for taking in the city’s shimmering skyline at night and watching the world go by with a glass of something icy in hand.

3. Ubuya, Fujikawaguchiko  

From its vantage point in Fujikawaguchiko, a resort town in the northern foothills of Mount Fuji, Ubuya offers an unobstructed view of the majestic mountain. Your private open-air bath lets you soak up the picturesque view of the peak across Lake Kawaguchi. Ubuya also has indoor and outdoor communal baths for guests, where you can take in the tranquil natural surroundings while being quite literally immersed in traditional Japanese bathing culture. 

4. Wild Canvas, Waitomo

Take in the breathtaking landscape of New Zealand’s North Island at Wild Canvas , a secluded glamping site set on a 700-hectare farm with plenty of wildlife roaming the fields. The luxurious tents all feature fully fitted bathrooms with eco-friendly toiletries, providing guests with privacy and convenience while they bathe and answer nature’s calls in the wild. After a full day of exploring the trails nearby, take a dip in the outdoor hot tub or bath and recharge under a canopy of stars.

5. Inn Above Tide, Sausalito

Located on the Sausalito waterfront – a 40-minute drive from San Francisco’s airport – the Inn Above Tide offers a panoramic view of the San Francisco Bay, the Golden City’s skyline or nearby Angel Island, Alcatraz and Marin. All 33 rooms and suites feature sliding doors that lead out onto private furnished decks overlooking the bay, seamlessly connecting the serene surroundings with the understated nature-inspired interiors. Soak up the sweeping vista of the bay by staying at the Skyline, Panorama or Penthouse suites, which all feature a generously sized spa tub and shower facing the water.

6. Madikwe Hills Private Game Lodge, Madikwe Game Reserve

A four-hour drive from Johannesburg, in the heart of Madikwe Game Reserve , lies Madikwe Hills Private Game Lodge. The reserve’s 10 lavish glass-fronted suites are all laid out to bring as much of the wilderness into the living space as possible – including the luxurious bathrooms. Enjoy a bath in the deep tub with a wide-angle view of the surrounding bush or wash off the day’s safari in your open-air shower. For a spectacularly unique experience, the Honeymoon Suite’s outdoor bath and shower are cleverly obscured by rocks – yet have a direct line of vision to an elephant watering hole.