The Little Nell, the only ski-in/ski-out property on Aspen Mountain, is getting a makeover. When the hotel reopens in December, it will do so with freshly appointed rooms designed by Holly Hunt. Along with such expected amenities as down comforters and fireplaces, all 92 rooms will be outfitted with a …

The pavilion-style villas on the windward side of Qualia—a 30-acre resort on Hamilton Island, off the coast of Queensland—are surrounded by eucalyptus trees and offer private 9-foot-deep plunge pools and egg-shaped soaking tubs that overlook the Whitsunday Islands. Those on the leeward side (Qualia’s owner is an avid yachtsman) feature …

On a hill next to the Clos Apalta vineyards and winery, the Lapostolle Residence consists of four opulent casitas that are so private you can sunbathe nude on your terrace while gazing at the nearby vines and valley. The residence’s dining room serves gourmet meals paired with Lapostolle’s acclaimed Clos …

Some 450 miles east of Château Cheval Blanc, the Saint-Émilion producer of one of France’s most celebrated wines, is Bernard Arnault’s other Cheval Blanc. Arnault, chairman of LVMH and France’s richest citizen, opened the latter property—a 34-room ski-in/ski-out chalet—in 2006 as his mountaintop palace, a winter retreat in his favorite …

For tropical vacations, Sir Richard Branson escapes to his private Necker Island in the Caribbean. But when he hears the call of the mountains, the founder of the Virgin conglomerate heads to Verbier, Switzerland. Broad and accessible off-piste terrain, a sociable community of English-speaking expats, and a central European location …

Capella Telluride, which opened in February as Capella Hotels and Resorts’ first property in the United States, does things a little differently—as you discover shortly after checking in. The reception desk sits in an attractive, light-filled lobby with stone floors, high beamed ceilings, and a tiered glass-plate chandelier that hovers …

Swine flu, drug wars, and a down economy have discouraged many would-be visitors to Mexico—especially those in search of a wellness experience. But few settings could be more therapeutic than the courtyard relaxation area at Las Ventanas al Paraíso’s spa, where the resonance of crystal bowls rises above the sound …

Since acquiring the property that would become Como Shambhala Estate, Como Hotels and Resorts has changed the name (from Begawan Giri), added a few private villas, and built a new spa, the Ojas, which includes nine treatment rooms, a yoga pavilion, a swimming pool, and a water-therapy pool. However, while …

The Kapalua Resort community, on Maui’s northwest coast, appeals to visitors seeking either tranquility or a cure for boredom. The 23,000-acre resort, which contains the island’s only operating pineapple plantation, has two golf courses (one designed by Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore and the other by Arnold Palmer and Francis …

Since acquiring the property that would become Como Shambhala Estate, Como Hotels and Resorts has changed the name (from Begawan Giri), added a few private villas, and built a new spa, the Ojas, which includes nine treatment rooms, a yoga pavilion, a swimming pool, and a water-therapy pool. However, while …