The Best Resorts in the World: 2024 Readers’ Choice Awards

"When the catastrophic “black summer” bushfires of 2020 burnt down Southern Ocean Lodge, many thought it was the end of the story for one of Australia’s greatest luxury lodges. A fixture on Kangaroo Island’s sensational stretch of wild southwest coast, the resort was originally opened in 2008 by husband-and-wife duo James and Hayley Baillie, and it quickly became the soft-landing of choice to explore the “Australian Galápagos.” This story received a much-welcomed plot twist in December 2023, when the resort reopened as a near replica of its former sci-fi self, shaped like a low-flying saucer hovering above the Southern Ocean, with uninterrupted last-stop-before-Antarctica views across the sea. The resort now comprises 25 glass-fronted suites that extend across the limestone cliffs, each with midcentury-modern curves, sunken living rooms, fireplaces, and sliding doors that open to private patios and the fresh Antarctic breeze. On the western edge of the lodge, the four-bedroom Baillie Pavilion suite is a new addition—it sits like an amphitheater with an infinity pool, a plunge pool/spa, and views across the coastal cliffs. Another tweak is the now north-facing spa, complete with a chill-out lounge, small gym, sauna, three treatment rooms, and hot and cold plunge pools. The reoriented spa turns its back to the sea to give guests a glimpse of the 250 acres of nature reserve surrounding the resort, all while they’re being massaged and scrubbed with the island’s bounty of lavender, eucalyptus, and pure Ligurian honey." - CNT Editors