Maldives

The Maldives almost feels unfair. Water that looks edited, overwater villas sitting above impossible shades of blue, private pools, beaches with barely another person in sight, and sunsets that make even people who never post vacation pictures reach for their phones. The fantasy is real. The hard part is figuring out which version of it is worth paying for.

Because choosing a hotel in the Maldives is different from choosing a hotel almost anywhere else. Your resort is not just where you sleep. Your resort is basically your entire destination. Once the speedboat or seaplane drops you off, that island becomes your restaurants, nightlife, beach, activities, entertainment and home until it is time to leave. Pick correctly and disappearing onto an island for five days sounds incredible. Pick poorly and you just paid thousands of dollars to be stranded somewhere beautiful.

From BlkTravel’s published hotel rankings