19 hotels you’ll want to book just for the incredible bathtub

MSN has partnered with The Points Guy for our coverage of credit card products. MSN and The Points Guy may receive a commission from card issuers.

Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.

There are plenty of reasons to book one hotel over another. Perhaps you want to find the lowest room rate, or you’re searching for a property in a specific location. There are points-specific incentives too, such as the loyalty program in which a hotel participates, the availability of award nights and whether your elite benefits will be honored.

Then there’s the bathroom.

Many hotel bathrooms are simply sterile, tiled rooms with bad lighting and even worse water pressure. But some of the world’s best hotels view their bathrooms as high-design hideaways where travelers can luxuriate as they wash the stress of travel away. Even better, some hotel bathrooms boast the best views in the house.

These hotel bathtubs have views ranging from cityscapes to ocean vistas so picture-perfect, you might not even want to leave your room at all. Some are just so striking, we’d be remiss not to put them on the list (looking at you, Rosewood London).

Sadly, many of these bathtubs are in hotels that either do not participate in points programs or are in specialty rooms or suites that are not eligible for award redemptions. Of course, we still have a few tips and tricks for maximizing your spending and earning in case you do decide that a sumptuous soak in one of these tubs is worth making a splash.

For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.

© The Points Guy
(Photo by Nick Ellis / The Points Guy)

Sexy, modern, white-on-beige interiors make the Times Square Edition a calm retreat at the Crossroads of the World. Though the standard rooms will only have a stand-up shower, guests who splurge on a suite (or snag a complimentary upgrade with Marriott status) can enjoy the cityscape while soaking in a gorgeous freestanding tub. The stone bathrooms are also stocked with Le Labo bath products in the brand’s signature fragrance.

How to book: Reserve this Category 7 property (from 50,000 to 70,000 points per night) directly on Marriott’s website and pay with the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card. Besides earning 6 points per dollar spent at participating Marriott properties, you also earn perks like up to $300 in statement credits each year for Marriott purchases, including room rates, complimentary Marriott Gold status, a free award night (worth up to 50,000 points) after your account anniversary each year, and more. The card comes with a $450 annual fee (see rates and fees).

© The Points Guy
(Photo by Kathleen Porter Kristiansen/The Points Guy)

This resort is a TPG favorite thanks to its gorgeous villas, an incredible overwater spa, delicious restaurants and fun activities like scuba and deep-sea fishing. For the best bathtub views, book an overwater villa.

How to book: This Category 8 Marriott Bonvoy property costs 70,000 points on off-peak dates, 85,000 on standard nights and 100,000 during peak nights. Like almost all resorts in the Maldives, this property comes with steep taxes and fees on top of your points redemption, as well as a cash copay for certain rooms. Plan for a pricey stay even if you can cover the cost of the room entirely with points.

Related: The award traveler’s guide to Marriott Bonvoy

© The Points Guy
(Photo by Melanie Lieberman / The Points Guy)

There are few hotel amenities quite like an oversized soaking tub. After all, how many of us have time to take baths in real life? And the bathtub at The Cape — a feature available in all but the deluxe double queen and superior king rooms — is perfection on all fronts. From the freestanding copper-leaf tub, guests can watch television or gaze out through the wall-to-wall windows. Noken Porcelanosa monoblock taps included an oversized faucet and a handheld showerhead, and a sliding wood bathtub tray is stocked with DS & Durga amenities.

How to book: The Cape is officially part of the World of Hyatt program, standard king rooms (480 to 498 square feet) at this Category 6 property can be booked from 25,000 points per night. And, since Chase Ultimate Rewards points transfer to World of Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio, it’s easy to amass the points you’d need for a free stay. Rooms at the deluxe level and above can’t be booked online with points.

Related: How to make your home feel like a five-star hotel

© The Points Guy
Photo courtesy of Fairmont Hotels.

The Fairmont Pacific Rim offers stunning views of the city, Vancouver Harbour and the snow-covered peaks of the Canadian Rockies in the distance. But guests who book a Signature Ofuro Room get the chance to enjoy the vistas from the comfort of a jetted, square-shaped Japanese ofuro tub in their own marble bathroom — when they’re not enjoying the hotel’s other amenities like the Willow Stream Spa or the seasonal menus at its restaurant, Botanist, that is.

How to book: Fairmont is part of Accor, so you can use Accor points to offset the cost of your stay. The conversion rate is 2,000 points to 40 euros ($46). Rates for Signature Ofuro Rooms this spring start at around 330 euros ($376). If you had 6,000 points saved up, for instance, you could redeem them for 120 euros ($137) off the room.

© The Points Guy
(Photo courtesy of Hilton / © 2020 Hilton.)

The Conrad Koh Samui has long been one of points collectors’ favorite Thai resorts thanks to its magnificent setting in a rainforest along the Gulf of Thailand and plentiful award availability. The main selling point in terms of bathrooms here is that most rooms have at least some view from the tub, even in starter categories like one-bedroom pool villas. The views get better the nicer the room or suite, though.

How to book: Room rates start around $560, and award nights are available from 95,000 points each. If you have a co-branded Hilton American Express card, this is a great way to put one of your complimentary free night certificates to use.

© The Points Guy
Photo courtesy of Rosewood London.

One of London’s most iconic luxury hotels should be a bucket list stay for all bathtub connoisseurs. The bathrooms in the 263 guest rooms and suites are filled with Italian marble and hand-beaten Alpaca silver — but the room to book is the residential one-bedroom Manor House suite. Here, guests will discover a circular soaking tub carved from a single, solid piece of Carrera marble.

How to book: Rates at the hotel for rooms with bathtubs start around 600 British pounds ($750) but the hotel is also a member of the Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts program. If you have The Platinum Card® from American Express or The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, you can book a paid stay through that portal and enjoy perks like free daily breakfast for two, a space-available room upgrade, late check-out and early check-in (when available) as well as a $100 property credit.

Related: How Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts can land you elite-like benefits at top hotels

© The Points Guy
(Photo by Andre Klotz / courtesy of Four Seasons.)

Everyone who comes to Bora Bora wants a perfectly framed shot of the jagged, jungle-covered slopes of Mount Otemanu. Luckily, views abound at this tropical retreat that remains a favorite among celebrity jet setters like Jennifer Aniston and Halle Berry. Book an overwater bungalow for bathtub outlooks of the lagoon and Otemanu while you relax after a day of snorkeling and sun.

How to book: Rates start at $1,400 — book through the Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts program for additional perks, including upgrades (when available) and 4 p.m. check-out. The hotel is also currently running a promotion where you can receive a complimentary fourth night and daily breakfast for two through April 2021.

Related: Maldives vs. Bora Bora: Which remote island chain should you visit?

Video: 5 luxury hotels that offer a bucket-list-worthy breakfast (INSIDER)

5 luxury hotels that offer a bucket-list-worthy breakfast

Click to expand

UP NEXT

© The Points Guy
(Photo courtesy of Grifco PR / Jade Mountain.)

No two bathrooms at this resort on St. Lucia are alike, but all are equipped with chromotherapy whirlpool tubs for two. They’re even mounted on a pedestal so you can avoid uninterrupted views of the Piti and Gros Pitons and the Caribbean Sea. Book one of the Sanctuary-level suites and you’ll be able to split your time between the bathtub and your own private infinity pool.

How to book: Earn bonus points by paying for your reservation using a card such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve or Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, or use your fixed-value miles to wipe the travel purchase from your statement if you pay with a card like the Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card.

Related: A beginner’s guide to visiting Tokyo: Everything you need to eat, see and do

© The Points Guy
(Photo courtesy of the Silo Hotel Cape Town.)

The Silo helped transform Cape Town’s waterfront when it opened in March 2017 in a defunct grain silo dating to 1924. Architect Thomas Heatherwick oversaw the transformation that included the Zeitz MOCAA museum on the bottom, and this 28-room, six-floor hotel on the top levels. The hotel has a spa and three restaurants, including a rooftop bar by its pool. The enormous bathrooms are as lavishly decorated as the rooms themselves, and many offer uninterrupted views of iconic Cape Town landmarks like Table Mountain and the V&A Waterfront through their unmistakable geodesic windows. Even if you’re not staying at the hotel, it’s worth grabbing a drink at the bar for the views alone.

How to book: Unfortunately, there’s no way to book a stay here inexpensively since room rates routinely cost over $1,000 per night. However, if you have the Citi Prestige® Card, this might be the time to put one of its two annual fourth-night-free benefits to use to save up to 25% on your stay.

The information for the Citi Prestige card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

© The Points Guy
(Photo by John Athimaritis / Six Senses Kaplankaya.)

This ambitious resort project north of Bodrum, Turkey opened in 2018 with a sprawling 107,000-square-foot spa and fitness center. But you can enjoy a spa-like experience without even leaving your room. Guests can admire views of the Aegean Sea, the surrounding olive groves and rugged hillside while bathing in a deep soaking tub, which looks out beyond the marble bathroom through floor-to-ceiling windows.

How to book: Bathtub rooms can drop as low in price as $322 during off-peak dates, but can easily double during the summer season. Soon you’ll be able to use IHG points to book your stay here since the chain acquired Six Senses in 2019.

© The Points Guy
Photo courtesy of Delta Hotels.

You might think this is simply a run-of-the-mill business hotel in Canada’s largest city. And for the most part, you’d be right — except for its Corner Skyline Soaker rooms, so named for the enormous soaking tubs situated right up against the floor-to-ceiling windows. Sit back, relax and enjoy the view of Toronto’s famous CN Tower across the street.

How to book: Marriott acquired Delta Hotels back in 2015, so you can earn and redeem points on stays at this Category 5 property. Unfortunately, award rates of 30,000 points per night on off-peak dates are only available for standard rooms, so you’ll end up having to pay more for rooms with bathtub views.

© The Points Guy
Ventana Big Sur’s Vista Hot Tub Suite. (Photo courtesy Alila Hotels)

If you prefer your ocean views with a side of mountain and forest, this iconic coastal California standout is calling your name. The adults-only resort reopened in 2017 as part of Alila Hotels after a massive, multimillion-dollar renovation. Its 59 rooms and suites have all been updated, and each features a private balcony or patio plus fireplaces for romantic evenings in and deep soaking tubs for enjoying the views.

How to book: Last year, Hyatt integrated Alila Hotels into its World of Hyatt collection. You can now book rooms at this Category 7 property for 30,000 points per night. If you have a stash of Chase Ultimate Rewards points you’re sitting on, this is a good opportunity to transfer them to World of Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio.

© The Points Guy
(Photo courtesy of the Intercontinental Danang)

At this Bill Bensley-designed beach resort, rooms cascade down the steep hillsides of the Sun Peninsula to the tranquil waters of a private bay, offering postcard-worthy panoramas of Vietnam’s central coast.

How to book: Even standard King Resort Classic Rooms offer bathtub views, and they start at $350 per night or 50,000 points. Book through Amex FHR, though, and you might be able to get free daily breakfast and a $125 food and beverage credit, among other benefits, while still enjoying your IHG Rewards earning and elite perks.

© The Points Guy
(Photo courtesy of Hotel Punta Tragara)

Set along a dramatic cliff overlooking Capri’s famous Faraglioni rocks, the Hotel Punta Tragara is an understated Italian classic. Sure, you could stake out a seat at the pool, or hike the island’s many trails, dodging the tourists that flock here in summer. But why not simply avoid the crowds altogether by booking the Art Suite? Here, you can enjoy one of Capri’s most famous views perfectly framed by a semi-circular window while enjoying a dip in its oversize tub.

How to book: This is another time your Citi Prestige® Card fourth-night-free might save you big, given rates start at 2,800 euros ($3,000) for the Art Suite (it is 700 square feet and has its own private outdoor terrace, too). The hotel is a member of Small Luxury Hotels, which means you should be able to earn and redeem World of Hyatt points there.

Related: I’m planning a trip to Italy after the coronavirus outbreak.

© The Points Guy
Photo courtesy of Urban Cowboy Lodge by Ben Fitchett.

There are tubs that you bathe in, and then there are tubs that you look at, admire and photograph for your Instagram. The clawfoot tubs at the new Urban Cowboy Lodge in the Catskills are both. Book one of the Alpine suites so you can soak in your elegant bronze bath alongside a potbelly fireplace, or opt for a Walden Bathing Suite with an outdoor cedar tub for two.

How to book: Maximize your points haul with a credit card that earns multiple points per dollar on travel, like the Chase Sapphire Reserve (3x) or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x).

© The Points Guy
(Image courtesy of Atlantis, The Palm.)

You might think the best views in Dubai would be of its ever-growing skyline — but you’d be wrong. You can sleep (and bathe) with all 65,000 fishes that live in the Ambassador Lagoon aquarium at the Atlantis, The Palm hotel if you book either the Poseidon or Neptune underwater suite.

How to book: Sleeping underwater isn’t cheap. Rates for these suites start at around $3,400 per night. Again, you’ll want to earn the most points possible with a credit card that earns multiple points per dollar on travel, like the Chase Sapphire Reserve (3x).

© The Points Guy
The andBeyond Tengile River Lodge. (Photo courtesy of andBeyond)

Stepping away from traditional tented camps, this lodge in South Africa’s Sabi Sands Game Reserve, near Kruger National Park, is modern and sleek, with sustainable elements like salvaged railway stones incorporated into the flooring and sand from the site itself used to insulate the roofs. The nine rooms are among the largest in the region thanks to expansive open-air decks complete with private plunge pools. The rooms “float” on stilts set just back from the Sand River banks, so guests can have a bath with a view of elephants and buffalo doing the same in the waters below.

How to book: Another instance where you will want to use a credit card that earns you multiple points per dollar since rates here start at 20,500 ZAR ($1,200) per person per night. Unfortunately, safaris are excluded from the Citi Prestige® Card fourth-night-free benefit. Protect your trip by using a credit card with comprehensive travel delay, interruption and cancellation protections.

© The Points Guy
Photo by Nick Ellis / The Points Guy

Bathrooms at Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve property on the northern shore of Puerto Rico, seamlessly blend the lush, tropical surroundings with the resort’s contemporary interiors. With indoor and outdoor showers, double sinks and a separate water closet the bathrooms here are phenomenally spacious. There’s also an oversized soaking tub against a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows.

How to book: You’ll have to pay cash no matter what, so consider booking through Amex’s Fine Hotels & Resorts program, as it entitles you to a room upgrade and a special amenity, which is usually a food-and-beverage or spa credit. The room upgrade alone could go especially far at a resort like this: It could land you in a room with a private plunge pool. Rates vary depending on the season, but usually start around $1,000 per night.

© The Points Guy
(Photo courtesy of Becca Manheimer/The Points Guy)

Nihi Sumba by Chris Burch is a honeymooner’s paradise, with private villas and sprawling estates, all of which feature incredible one-of-a-kind bathtubs. There are massive basins fit for two with water features, gold-lined tubs on the deck overlooking the ocean; and outdoor bathtubs beneath a palapa. If you’re celebrating a special occasion (like when TPG’s director of marketing and communications, Becca Denenberg Manheimer, stayed here for her honeymoon) expect over-the-top extras, like floral bath arrangements.

How to book: Nihi Sumba is not bookable with points. You can, however, take advantage of the fourth-night-free perk that comes with the Citi Prestige® Card at this resort to cut down the cost.

Related: TPG beginner’s guide to planning a honeymoon of a lifetime

For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex card, click here.

Additional reporting by Melanie Lieberman. 

Featured photo courtesy of andBeyond.