Desperately Seeking Private Beaches

The stunning strip of white sand at Zannier Bai San Ho earned the Kiwi Collection Hotel Award for Best Beach Hotel in 2022, and it remains spectacular. Tucked away in the Phu Yen province amidst 98 hectares of nature overlooking the South China Sea, the resort’s remoteness makes it feel that much more private.

They put it in the name so there’s no confusion—Jumeriah Beach Hotel gives its guests access to a private, two kilometer swath of sand. If anyone in your travel party is less fond of the tiny granules, there are also five temperature-controlled pools across the resort to choose from.

On the Halkidiki coastline, Miraggio Thermal Spa Resort has its own calm sandy beach with sun beds, umbrellas, towel service and beach bar serving up bevvies and snacks. But as its name suggests, the resort also sits upon a natural hot spring and that anchors its extensive wellness offering, which includes a thermal pool, hammam and sauna. There’s also another seven swimming pools to dip into.

On the Turquoise Coast, tucked into a secluded cove only accessible by boat, 16-room Yazz Collective is all about privacy. Sun beds are lined up along the shoreline, mere steps from both the sea in front, for refreshing dips, and the open-air restaurant behind, for satisfying sustenance.

For those who want a private beach but don’t care for sand between their toes, there’s Tiara Miramar Beach Hotel just beyond Cannes. In a rocky cove, their private Beach Club is built on a terracotta-tinged platform so to dip into the water, one elegantly descends a short ladder.

On the east coast of Sicily, the charming hilltop town of Taormina is understandably a tourist favourite. People-watch in peace with an Aperol Spritz in hand from one of Villa Sant’Andrea, A Belmond Hotel’s private beach cabanas overlooking the beautiful Bay of Mazzaró.

Soft sand, gentle surf, crystal-clear water—that sums up the private, Blue Flag-certified beach at Eden Roc at Cap Cana. For even more seaside privacy, guests can book one of the newer Oceanfront Bungalows, complete with their own pool or Jacuzzi, that are perched atop the rocks just west of the Beach Club.

While all the beaches in Antigua are public, the only resort on the horseshoe-shaped Carlisle Bay Beach is Carlisle Bay so it’s essentially private. A number of suites open right onto the beach for particularly easy access, and many of the dining establishments too, including The Coconut Grove with its chairs anchored in the sand and palm trees providing dappled shade.

The red and white striped umbrellas make Faena Miami Beach’s private seaside setup alluring enough, and then you find out there’s more than 100,000 square feet of it. The rest of the property is equally spacious and stylish, thanks to Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin’s creative direction.

There is such thing as a quiet beach in Cancun—Waldorf Astoria Cancun’s parcel of powdery sand isn’t technically private but manages to feel like it, because of its secluded location behind a mangrove preserve well south of the busy Hotel Zone. Two big, beautiful pools also overlook it.