Top Beach Hotels as Voted by Tanglewood Moms

For our Off the Beaten Path issue, the Madeworthy editorial staff reached out to the travel-savvy members of the Tanglewood Moms Facebook group to ask:

What is your favorite beach hotel?

We have collated the answers and added some of our favorites. As you plan your next beach adventure, consider these hotels. We promise you won’t be disappointed!

Used with permission / Four Seasons

Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea
Maui, Hawaii

Located above beautiful Wailea Beach on beautiful Maui, the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea is the only resort on Maui to receive both the AAA Five Diamond Award and Forbes’ (formerly Mobile) Five-Star Award. The luxurious, open-air resort is perfect for romantic getaways, family holidays, or a girls’ trip. Enjoy a massage in an open-air hale (thatched hut) overlooking the ocean. Whale watch from the resort or go on a whale-watching tour. Learn to paddle an outrigger canoe or scooter snorkel. Families will appreciate the Kids’ Club and babysitting services, while golfers can take advantage of three par-72 championship courses and the TopGolf Suite. The resort has three restaurants, including the Hawaiian outpost of Wolfgang Puck’s Spago.

Sofitel Krabi Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort [Editor’s Pick]
Krabi, Thailand

The five-star Sofitel Krabi Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort is set near the tropical forest and limestone cliffs of southern Thailand on Klong Muang Beach overlooking the Andaman Sea. The resort is the ideal headquarters as you explore all of what southern Thailand has to offer. Explore the hidden beaches and lush rain forests of the Krabi Islands just offshore. Learn to windsurf or paddleboard. Kayak around the coast in a glass-bottomed kayak. Take an excursion to Railay, a small peninsula of beautiful beaches, limestone cliffs, caves, and a secret lagoon. Above all, enjoy Thai culture and hospitality.

Grace Bay Club
Turks and Caicos

Each suite, pool, and dining venue in the timelessly elegant Grace Bay Club has a stunning view of the beach and the aquamarine waters of Grace Bay on Providenciales, an island in the Turks and Caicos Islands. This resort offers three distinct offerings to appeal to all travelers. The Hotel is adults-only, The Villa Suites caters to families, while The Estate is a exclusive, ultra-luxury resort-within-a-resort. Explore Chalk Sound Nature Reserve by kayak. Enjoy a private picnic on a secluded beach or nearby uninhabited island. Enjoy deep sea fishing and allow the chef at The Grill to prepare your own catch of the day. Of course, there is a championship 18-hole golf course, a world-class spa, gorgeous pools, and divine dining, as well.

Property owned / Four Seasons

Four Seasons Resort Hualalai
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

After a multi-million dollar renovation in 2020, the Four Season Resort Hualalai is back and better than ever. Perfectly situated for all kinds of island adventures, this AAA Five Diamond Award-winning resort offers everything a traveler to Hawaii could want. Take a helicopter tour over a volcano. Learn to free dive with champion free diver and ocean conservationist Kimi Werner. Tour a boutique coffee farm or go snorkeling with a marine biologist. There are four restaurants in the resort, and the Kids’ Club offers field trips to the Kaʻupulehu Cultural Center and activities at the new Kuma Kai Marine Activity center.

Victoria House Resort and Spa [Editor’s Pick]
Ambergris Caye, Belize

An intimate and luxurious resort located on Ambergris Caye in Belize, Victoria House Resort and Spa is perfect for an elopement, honeymoon, or simply a romantic escape. Explore ancient Mayan temples. Snorkel the second-largest barrier reef in the world. Tube through a subterranean cave system or zipline through the jungle canopy. Enjoy an aerial tour via airplane or helicopter. Or simply relax with your honey on the beach, in the award-winning spa, or in your luxurious casita, suite, or villa. For the ultimate in romance, enjoy a chef-prepared, candlelight dinner on the beach under the tropical moon.

Courtesy of Las Ventanas al Paraiso, A Rosewood Resort

Las Ventanas al Paraíso, a Rosewood Resort
San Jose del Cabo, Mexico

This gorgeous desert beach hideaway offers luxurious accommodations, delicious cuisine, and exciting adventures for the whole family. Inspired by the ancient healers of Baja, the spa incorporates the elements of earth, air, fire, and water to relax and rejuvenate even the most stressed traveler. Las Ventanas is the only resort in Mexico to offer private plunge pools and Jacuzzis in their beach cabanas overlooking the Sea of Cortés. Book a Beach Cinema experience for the ultimate dine-and-dive-in movie. Surf the waves of the Pacific or marvel at the annual migration of whales that passes right by the resort. With eight pools, four golf courses, and restaurants, lounges, and bars, there is something for everyone here.

Courtesy of Rosewood Mayakoba

Rosewood Mayakoba
Quintana Roo, Mexico

Nestled between the jungle and the beach, the Rosewood Mayakoba is one of the gems of Mexico’s Riveria Maya just north of Playa del Carmen. This resort was designed to preserve and enhance the native landscape and had gone to great lengths to protect the mangroves and wildlife habitats. It is a leader in sustainable, luxury tourism. Explore the ancient Mayan city of Coba and swim in a sacred cenote. Tour the Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza by plane. Bike through the jungles or swim with dolphins. The Rosewood Explorers is program for the resort’s younger guests so that Mom and Dad can enjoy golf, the spa, or just the beach and each other. There are eight restaurants and bars at the resort, as well as seasonal experience and pop-up dining opportunities.

Christian Horan / Four Seasons

Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo
Guanacaste, Costa Rica

Overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo is the perfect place to experience Costa Rican pura vida. Go zip lining through the mountain jungles. Learn to surf. Explore the Rio Celeste National Park and Waterfall or the Palo Verde National Park. “Taste the Stars” is a uniquely luxurious dining and stargazing experience that can’t be missed. With a Kids’ Club, a Teen Center, and a Family Golf Experience on the Arnold Palmer-designed golf course, the whole family will enjoy their trip.

Grand Hotel Mackinac Island [Editor’s Pick]
Mackinac Island, Michigan

Alright, this isn’t technically a beach hotel, but it’s wonderful all the same! Located on beautiful Mackinac Island in Lake Huron, this grand, historic hotel is luxurious reminder of an elegant by-gone era. Motorized vehicles are prohibited on the island, encouraging exploration of the island by foot, bicycle, horse, or horse-drawn carriage. (The hotel has its own stables and offers carriage tours and horseback riding.) Bike the over 70 miles of island trails. Play croquet on the grand lawn. Enjoy a family game of pickleball. Or simply sit on the world’s longest front porch, which is, by the by, a perfect place to enjoy the hotel’s Labor Day Jazz Festival.