Meet our partners: Alila Hotels and Resorts

Alila is an award-winning collection of boundary-pushing hotels and resorts that has been wowing guests and other players in the luxury hospitality industry since 2001. In fact, Alila translates to ‘surprise’ in Sanskrit, making it a fitting name for this hotel group. Due to Alila’s admirable success in creating sustainable, refreshing, and innovative properties in unique locations, the hotel group was acquired by the giant Hyatt Hotels Corporation in 2018. With this extra might behind it, Alila continues to craft truly authentic destination experiences, where guests have the chance to recreate the local cuisine, rejuvenate through ancient healing arts, and even take part in thrilling adventure sports. Keeping the spotlight on the locale are the harmony and minimalism that lie at the foundation of the hotels’ design and architecture. As well as being attuned to their natural settings, Alila hotels comply with stringent EarthCheck standards that measure and regulate the environmental impacts of energy use, water use, emissions, community engagement, waste management, and more.

Stay at an Alila hotel, and you’ll get much more than just an exquisite room and five-star facilities for your money. Alila creates authentic destination experiences that provide you with the opportunity to interact with a fascinating place and its locals. Tailored activities are designed to integrate the traditional culture, local community, and indigenous nature so that you can gain a meaningful insight into what makes the destination. The hotels themselves are contemporary reimaginations of their destinations, incorporating the likes of cultural artifacts and traditional materials into their design.

Eco-conscious travelers will be glad to know that Alila is a champion of sustainability. Almost all the brand’s resorts are constructed in line with the standards set out by EarthCheck, the world’s leading program to assess environmental sustainability. Often, Alila far surpasses its goals. For example, it has successfully implemented a Zero Waste to Landfill policy in Bali, an initiative it intends to replicate across its 18 properties.

As you might expect from a hotel brand that takes sustainability so seriously, Alila puts diversity, inclusion, and equality at the forefront of all its values and business processes. Through Hyatt’s Change Starts Here commitments, the brand outlines key policies and procedures regarding who it supports and works with to ensure equality across its organization.

Hyatt is committed to supporting and advocating for the LGBTQ+ community and its allies. Hyatt recently scored 100% on the 2023 Corporate Equality Index (CEI) by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), marking the 19th year in a row that company has been honored as a “Best Place to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality”. Speaking of awards, Hyatt was the winner in the Lodge/Ranch category at the 7th annual GAY Travel Awards in 2022, was named one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” on the FORTUNE 2022, and has been a proud International LGBTQ+ Travel Association Global Partner since 2009.

Fostering environments of understanding and inclusion aligns with the vision of Hyatt and Alila – to provide guests from all backgrounds with a place where they can be their most authentic self. In celebration of understanding, inclusion, equality, and diversity, Hyatt extends an annual Pride promotion for LGBTQ+ travelers during the annual Pride festivities. In 2023, this promotion included a free breakfast, $50 dining credit, a round of curated drinks, and more.

If you want to stay at an enchanting retreat amid some of the most beautiful vineyards in California, we recommend the Alila Napa Valley, which occupies a historic property with refined aesthetics that bring the outdoors in, designed by renowned studio Yabu Pushelberg. The hotel’s 64 luxuriously appointed guest rooms and suites feature bespoke furnishings, premium Italian linens, and floor-to-ceiling Italian marble spa-like bathrooms, plus either wraparound terraces with fireplaces or oversized balconies, many offering sweeping views over the neighboring wineries. We should note that this stunning abode is for adults only.

Offering even more tranquility and seclusion is Alila Villas Uluwatu in Bali, located on one of the highest planes in Indonesia. From this clifftop location in one of the property’s private villa sanctuaries, you can take in sweeping views of the Indian Ocean while feeling as if you’re standing at the world’s edge. The contemporary design of the resort complements the stunning surrounding nature, with open layouts and the use of natural materials.

Another of our favorite Alila hotels is the Alila Kothaifaru Maldives, an all-pool villa resort on the northern edge of the Raa Atoll in the Maldives. This 11.2-hectare private island retreat seamlessly integrates into its surrounding idyllic landscape, which consists of stunning ocean and mostly uninhabited islands that host some of nature’s most incredible wonders. While you’re here, you can dive near coral reefs with marine experts, embark on dolphin-watching trips, relax on paradisaical beaches, stargaze, and much more. You can also simply unwind in your luxurious overwater or beachfront villa and indulge in cocktails and fresh seafood at the resort’s assortment of fine dining options.