The Best Resorts With Breathtaking Open-Air Hotel Rooms

For any traveler who likes to feel connected to nature, camping is undoubtedly a great option, especially if you find gorgeous campgrounds in the Caribbean. You are self-sufficient, have minimal impact on the landscape, and can hop in and out of your surroundings with the simple operation of a zippered flap. But if you like your outdoor lodging a little more plush, consider booking a room at a resort with breathtaking open-air rooms. 

These properties, generally in destinations that are scenic, and predictably dry, take the nature experience up a notch. They are located all over the world, and let guests enjoy all the perks of being outdoors, and possibly sleeping outside, without them having to give up their creature comforts. For a nature enthusiast, or anyone with a passing interest in what it's like to sleep out in the open, this kind of set-up is hard to beat. We consulted blogs to find the best of them.

This property, part of the luxe hotel brand Aman, spreads across 900 acres of red-rock country. The resort is split into two distinct sections, with the main part of Amangiri featuring contemporary suites that reside among the arid contours of the Colorado Plateau. This is where to also find the spa and the main pool, which sidles up right next to a sheer face of rock. Away from this, though not far, is Camp Sarika, where the rooms really embrace nature. 

Comprising 10 grand tents, they feel connected to the environment, though each one also spoils guests with the luxe touch of a private pool. Slide open the glass doors, and with the canvas canopy bringing to mind the top of an outdoor camping set-up, visitors will feel like they are out among the elements. These rooms also have a spacious stone deck, by their pool, that looks right onto the cliffs and canyons of red rock.

Elewana Collection has a number of properties peppered across the wilds of Tanzania and Kenya (the nation where you will find charming Lamu Island). This one exists inside a section of Laikipia County, within a conservation area of more than 50,000 acres where elephants roam. Loisaba has a tented camp, where rooms embrace nature with open arms. But for something a little special, guests should book a stay in the Elewana Loisaba Star Beds. Located on what is known as a kopje, a feature of the African bush that is a cliff-like hill, the beds are more than just places to get a night of restful slumber. 

They look into a waterhole where animals come to quench their thirst. A four-poster bed on wheels is brought out to an elevated platform each night, and above it is nothing but sky. The accommodation is more than just glorified camping, as the room, which is covered in thatch, also features a full bathroom, and a generous seating area. Visits by local warriors add to the authenticity of the bush experience.

In the southwest of the Caribbean island of St. Lucia, one of the most affordable places in the Caribbean, Jade Mountain sits high above the coast. It's a luxe resort, one where many vistas open onto the island's defining natural feature, the twin peaks of the Pitons. Rooms, at least their names, take inspiration from the solar system, which is why they have monikers such as Galaxy, Moon, and Star. What is clear is that they certainly feel open and limitless. 

Since rooms are set high up, they bring with them a sense of infinite space, helped by only really having walls on three sides. The fourth wall is left open to nature, making the outdoors an extension of the living space. The accommodations also have lofty ceilings, 15 feet in most cases, and the majority come with their own private pool, which promises hypnotic views. Guests have a full spa where they can decompress or the beach at sister property Anse Chastanet.

This camp is located inside Pench National Park, in central India. It brings travelers into the heart of one of the country's premier reserves for wildlife, one that features in Rudyard Kipling's "Jungle Book." The park is home to wild boar, monkeys, antelope, and sloth bears, but one creature tends to capture the imagination of visitors. Pench is a habitat for the Royal Bengal tiger, and today it is a tiger sanctuary, where the big cats are known to roam free. Jamtara Wilderness Camp is a comfortable, sustainable base for trips around the park. 

Reclaimed wood and products are used extensively throughout the property, and local staff and producers are key components in the operation's daily running. The Star Bed, which allows guests to sleep under the night sky, celebrates its sense of place. It recreates the experience of villagers who would sleep on elevated decks as a way to watch over their crops in the darkness. With the stars twinkling overhead, guests can enjoy an incredible adventure, while also paying homage to local customs, and maybe spot a tiger on the prowl.

Close to Jade Mountain, this property is also set up from the sea, on a ridge between St. Lucia's mighty Pitons. The location is breathtaking, with the peaked mountain towers resting on either side of the resort. The buildings of Ladera unspool along the ridge, like a long thread laid across the spine of mountains. Thanks to the design, rooms have an amazing sense of privacy, arranged next to each other, but never obstructing their views. 

All 37 of the accommodation options are suites and villas, and all feature local wood, regional stone and tile, and their own private pool. They vary in size, and some even provide the services of a butler, but what they all share in common is the absence of a fourth wall. That space is left open to the air, so the views of the Pitons are always on show, like a spellbinding painting.

The Cabriolet Suite at this rural retreat in the north of Italy is similar to a convertible car with an open roof design. The room is really designed for love-struck paramours because, above the four-poster bed, a retractable roof can be opened and closed at the touch of a button. Slide it open, and the skies announce themselves. 

Night time is when the benefit of this set-up is most obvious — wait for a cloudless evening, and with the room's roof open, the sky glitters as though filled with small gems. There is plenty more around this resort worth casting an eye over. This is pastoral Italy at its finest, with vineyards and hills that rise and fall filling the scenery in all directions. The balcony of the Cabriolet Suite also promises views of rows of vines and beyond that, the still waters of Lake Iseo, an under-the-radar alternative to Lake Como.

Right in the heart of Mexico's capital, and close to Chapultepec Park, and the National Museum of Anthropology, this property is named after the French word for suitcase. The property, technically in the La Roma district, calls a 1920s townhouse its home. Given its small footprint, the hotel is tiny, with only eight rooms, all suites. Travelers might feel as though they are staying in a finely curated home, one with antiques, and local artwork. 

All suites have gleaming wood floors and rustic-chic decor, but the Cilene Suite and Polaris Suite depart from the status quo. These two categories of rooms, both on the third floor, feature a king-size bed that can be rolled outside onto each room's private deck. Guests, of course, have the option of sleeping indoors, but given the chance to sleep outside in the city, while being totally safe, why would they? For an extra treat, guests can soak in the outdoor tub while admiring the soothing assemblage of plants on the terrace.

A sister property to La Valise Mexico City, this resort departs from its sibling's urban grit to the serene shores of the Riviera Maya. The property sits on its own stretch of private beach, and while visitors can wade into the Caribbean Sea, they also have a main pool at their disposal. There is also a cenote or natural swimming hole, on-site (here are some crucial things to know before you dive in one), so for water babies, the options are plentiful. 

Rooms all embrace the outdoors, thanks to the design that features high ceilings for an airy ambiance, and lots of glass windows. For the most open-air sensation, however, one category excels. The Beachfront Master Suite has a thatched roof and a peaked ceiling that rises more than 20 feet. The king-size bed is set behind sliding doors, but guests can simply open them, roll the bed out along its track onto a large deck, and sleep under the stars. Travelers will also enjoy a view of the sea from this al fresco setting, so what's not to love?

For travelers with an interest in the safari hotspots of South Africa, the name Sabi Sands Game Reserve might be familiar. Located next to Kruger National Park, the private reserve is where to spot the Big Five, and is filled with plush lodges. Formerly used for cultivating crops and farming cattle, the reserve is now a boon for the many animals that are now drawn to the year-round watering holes. Within Sabi Sands, smaller private reserves exist, like Lion Sands. It features a number of lodges, such as Ivory, Narina, and River, and guests at any of these properties can look forward to a real treat when they book the Treehouse. 

There are three Treehouses situated in Lion Sands, and they finely distill the pristine, clear beauty of the bush at night. Guests are shuttled from their lodge just before sunset to these special accommodations. Over a picnic dinner in the Treehouse, they can watch the sky gently darken, and the never-ending plains of the bush unfurl before them. Since the deck, where the bed, table, and chairs are located, is set high above the ground, animals can wander freely below, and guests have no fear for their safety.

One of the andBeyond family of lodges and properties, this safari camp sits within Kruger National Park, specifically in the confines of Ngala Private Game Reserve. Visitors can see the Big Five when taking safari drives in the reserve, a private concession of more than 35,000 acres. The lodge features 20 rooms, all thatched and standalone, that are sprinkled between mopane and tamboti trees. The outdoors never feels far from them, thanks to the large windows, and spacious decks that allow guests to enjoy the setting al fresco. But for the ultimate outdoor stay, nothing quite tops the Ngala Treehouse, where travelers can truly sleep under the stars. 

It inhabits an area a few miles removed from the main lodge (and is also open to guests of the Ngala Tented Camp), where lights and the temptation of Wi-Fi seem like fragments from a distant dream. The structure has four levels, with two of those dedicated to spaces for sleeping. One is indoors, with a king-size bed and a hot-water shower. But the real prize is one floor up — an open-air platform with a bed, and an awning above. Slide the canopy back, and all you can see are stars in every direction.

Kruger National Park is a grand tract of wilderness that pulls in safari devotees the world over. It spreads across the northeast of South Africa, thousands of square miles in size. Visit the park, and you'll see large, endless plains, the scenery occasionally broken by the jagged crests of mountains. Stay at The Outpost, which is located in the Makuleke private area in the park, close to the borders with Mozambique and Zimbabwe, and you'll feel like a part of that savanna. The suites promise a feeling of openness thanks to the retractable screens, which allow guests to bring the outdoors in and deliver striking views. 

There are 12 rooms in total, all separate from one another, located on a ridge, which gives them a sense of elevation. Of the choices, perhaps the River View Spaces feel the most connected to nature. A large bed, draped in romantic, gauzy fabric, and an egg-shaped tub are steps away from a terrace. Once the screen is open, the room feels like an extension of the surroundings and supplies views of the slender Luvuvhu River.

Eco-tourism is a well-established industry in Costa Rica, with travelers from near and far coming to immerse themselves in places like the world's most biologically diverse destinations. Pacuare Lodge draws on that demand as it hosts guests in its eco-focused resort on the banks of the Pacuare River, east of San Jose. The greater area of Pacuare, which extends across 25,000 acres of rainforest by the Talamanca mountains, promises plenty of diversions, among them some prime opportunities to go whitewater rafting. Tourists will also find a healthy variety of flora and fauna in these realms, from monkeys to jaguars, hummingbirds, and toucans. Culture vultures can also learn about the Cabécar, the local indigenous people, with details at the lodge designed to put guests in touch with their way of life. 

The architecture of the property is inspired by Cabécar traditions, while accommodations include many that open up to the rainforest. There are 20 suites in all, with wood floors and bright colors on walls and cushions. The Jaguar Villa brings some of its features to the outdoors, including a terrace where a hammock swings, and a spacious bathtub set on a covered deck. The bedroom also relies on natural breezes as its cooling method, while a wooden bridge that leads to the villa lends it an air of seclusion in the forest.

Another property in Kruger National Park, this lodge is a stone's throw from South Africa's border with Mozambique. The resort resides within a 33,000-acre private concession, one exclusively for Singita guests (a sister lodge, Singita Lebombo, is close by). Singita Sweni is set within a forest by a river, with rooms quietly positioned among the tree canopy. Thanks to the reliable water source, the area is a hotspot for wildlife, with hippos among the creatures that constantly visit for a cooling drink or dunk. 

The elements are there for guests to fully enjoy, thanks to the design ethos of each unit. Natural materials are a hallmark of the seven rooms, but what indelibly forges a link to the location is the smart use of vast windows. The massive panes of glass rise from the floor to the high ceiling, and at times, guests might easily be forgiven for thinking that they are outside.

In the Kalahari desert, close to Botswana, this safari reserve houses guests in three camps. Loapi presents guests with luxe tents, while Moste and Tarkuni visitors experience a more typical lodge set-up. While the options differ, they all bring travelers into the heart of Tswalu's terrain — expansive grassy plains, craggy mountains, and dunes of rust-colored sand. 

Guests of any of the camps can also opt to stay for a night, or more, at Malori, Tswalu's version of an authentic camping experience. Malori, which means "dreamer" in Tswana, is a canvas tent among the arid dunes, where the bathroom is open to the elements, and the deck lets guests take in the night sky. Guests can slumber in their king-size bed under the canvas roof, or have it placed on the raised deck, with the stars and night sky as their ceiling.

A collective of 60 lodges and camps in eight African countries, Wilderness offers properties in a wide range of environments. Visitors can stay in the wetlands of Botswana's Okavango Delta, or lodges that look like avian nests in the volcanic terrain of Rwanda. Many of the properties in the portfolio offer star beds, so guests can sleep out under the glimmering night sky. But Wilderness Little Kulala differs a little from the properties that survey grassy plains, or bustling waterholes. 

It is located close to Sossusvlei, a desolate area of towering red dunes and stark salt pans. The arid desert is the view in front, while the night sky glows up above. The spare environment is easily seen from the beds in the camp's 11 suites, as they can be wheeled out onto the deck. When day morphs into night, the desert landscape warms, with tinges of pink and orange burnishing the expanses of sand. The sparseness of the scenery only adds to the brilliance of the stars.

We pulled on various sources to find the best hotel rooms that give guests the sense of being out in the open. We consulted with blogs like The Luxury Travel Expert, and Smarter Travel to start on the list. In addition, we pulled on our knowledge from decades in the travel industry, including places that we've known about for years. Many hotel rooms can make guests feel connected to nature, but we chose ones that really blur the link between indoors and outdoors. Whenever possible, we found accommodations that literally placed guests out among the elements.