Where you stay during a vacation can make or break how you experience a destination. We asked experienced travelers to share where they stayed during trips to Iceland, Thailand and Zanzibar and you’ll want to remember these hotels for your next getaway.

 

Christabel on Iceland: I stayed at the Hotel Island. Quite frankly, I find that finding a great hotel in Reykjavik isn’t the easiest, but this was a good hotel with amazing service. Everyone was so helpful there and always ready to help with anything, even at late hours. I chose this hotel mainly based off reviews online and the location. It is very close to the city center, only less than 15 minutes walk away, very clean spacious rooms, with an amazing spa. I think the spa was what I loved about the hotel most and it is open late, so it felt good to know that after a very long day of touring the city, you get to come back and relax.

 

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Wendy in Zanzibar: This particular solo trip was all about luxury and I actually spent two days in the Stone Town and another five days in South Eastern Zanzibar. In Stone Town, I stayed at Park Hyatt where Zanzibar’s Omani influence is very distinct in the architecture and decor. The story behind the old wing which dates back to 1847 (and is a good example of a traditional Zanzibar mansion) was also pretty interesting. In the South East Coast, I stayed at three all-inclusive hotels with some really amazing tropical cocktails. The first, Zawadi, is an intimate collection of six upscale villas with an infinity pool that would have been perfect for an afternoon dip with a lover, which only rubbed in the fact that I was traveling solo. They had an awesome local band during dinner that left me nostalgic with their Swahili taarab music.

 

 

I then stayed at The Palms which has only six villas and was therefore very intimate and personalized, followed Baraza Resort & Spa whose architecture is reminiscent of the palaces of Omani Sultans who ruled Zanzibar in the 1600s. Their spa, which resembled a Moorish harem, was decked in gold and white and was hands down the most opulent I have ever seen.

 

 

Desiree on Thailand: I stayed at three different locations in Thailand: Vibe 2 Hotel, Amari Watergate and Amari Phuket. All were absolutely amazing.