Places to stay Explore our selections for surf.
Hotel Humano
HotelNorth America, Mexico
From $320
Hotel Humano is a 39-room hotel by Grupo Habita in La Punta Zicatela, the surf neighborhood of Puerto Escondido on Mexico’s Oaxacan coast, set on a pedestrian-only street a short walk from Playa Zicatela. Architect Jorge Hernández de la Garza designed a cluster of buildings in concrete, clay tiles, brick and tropical wood, while Plantea Estudio shaped interiors furnished by local artisans. Rooms flow between sleeping, bathing and lounging areas divided by freestanding walls and curtains, each one decorated with drawings by artist Lucio Muniain. A garden restaurant serves Oaxacan cooking, and the rooftop, with its sunset pool and fire pits, opens every late afternoon.
The Find
HotelAsia, Sri Lanka
From $290
The Find is a nine-room, adults-only hotel on the beach in Ahangama, on Sri Lanka's southern coast. Every room faces the Indian Ocean, and the interiors are kept minimal, in earthy browns and sand tones, with pieces by local artists and a few touches of gold. The hotel deliberately keeps its offer simple, with no packed schedule of activities, so days are shaped around the sea and the slow pace of the coast. Ahangama has become one of the island's quiet hubs for surf, art and small, independent stays, with well-known breaks like Midigama nearby, and the old Dutch fort of Galle is a short drive away.
Tukasa Surfhouse
HotelCentral America, Nicaragua
From $150
Tukasa is a surf house in Popoyo, on Nicaragua's Pacific coast, a two-minute walk from Playa Santana. It opened in early 2024, built from scratch by travelers who fell for the area during a trip through Latin America and decided to stay. Run by a Nicaraguan-British family, it describes itself as part of the local community rather than a surf camp business. Rooms are simple and stylish, with king-size beds and air conditioning, around an outdoor pool, a terrace and a bar, and breakfast is cooked to order. The Popoyo break is a ten-minute walk away, boats can be arranged to reach more remote waves, and board rental is just a few doors down.
Kuara Lombok
HotelAsia, Indonesia
From $250
Kuara is a boutique beachfront resort on the southern coast of Lombok, in the village of Mertak, about 45 minutes from the island's international airport. It opened in 2025 with just 16 villas, designed around the landscape, culture and slower rhythm of this part of the island. The resort sits on the beach, a short walk from Surga Beach, with an outdoor pool, a full-service spa and a restaurant and bar overlooking the sea. Days can include cycling, paddleboarding or snorkelling, and the surf breaks of south Lombok, from beginner waves to more challenging reefs, are close by, with lessons available nearby. Kuta and the Mandalika circuit are about 15 minutes away.
Vale Palheiro Earth Resort
VillaEurope, Portugal
From $250
Vale Palheiro is a small resort in a 280-acre valley near Aljezur, on Portugal's southwest coast, within the Costa Vicentina Natural Park. It was created by Pedro and Madalena Rutkowski, who moved to the area more than ten years ago. Madalena, an architect, designed its 13 villas, suites and casitas with Lisbon's Arkstudio, and they were built with local craftsmen using taipa, a centuries-old technique of compressing earth by hand into thick walls. Rooms have fireplaces and heated floors, and the houses are spread up the hillside above a stretch of the Aljezur River. Guests can go horse riding, forage for dinner, taste local wines or join a cooking class in the communal kitchen, and the surf beaches of Arrifana and Monte Clérigo are a short drive away.
Cape Weligama
HotelAsia, Sri Lanka
From $650
Cape Weligama occupies a 12-acre headland on Sri Lanka’s southern coast, with 39 spacious suites and villas, terracota buildings and a crescent-shaped infinity pool overlooking the Indian Ocean. Part of the family-owned Resplendent Ceylon collection and a member of Relais & Châteaux, the resort places particular emphasis on Sri Lankan cuisine, with locally sourced seafood, regional recipes and an intimate chef’s table experience. Beyond the hotel, guests can surf in Weligama Bay, explore the historic streets of Galle Fort or join naturalist-led whale watching excursions. Its combination of generous accommodation, serious food and one of the coast’s most memorable swimming pools makes it a particularly compelling address.
Tampah Hills
VillaAsia, Indonesia
From $650
Tampah Hills is a private villa resort on the green slopes above Lombok's south coast, about 45 minutes from the island's international airport. Each villa is designed by a different architect, using local stone, teak and reclaimed wood, and each comes with its own pool and a wide view of the Indian Ocean. Mornings start with breakfast cooked in the villa by a private chef. The rest of the day can be spent on the white sand beach below, at nearby surf breaks for every level, or on the resort's padel and tennis courts. It suits families and groups of friends looking for space, privacy and a slower pace than Bali, with five-star service close at hand.
Six Senses Laamu
HotelAsia, Maldives
From $1,400
Six Senses Laamu occupies its own palm-covered island in one of the Maldives’ most remote southern atolls, with 94 beach and overwater villas scattered between jungle, white sand and an exceptionally healthy house reef. The setting feels noticeably wilder than the country’s more developed resort islands: dolphins cross the lagoon, turtles and rays are frequently seen, and the famous Yin Yang surf break sits just offshore. Villas lean heavily on timber and natural materials, alongside a 700-square-metre pool, six restaurants, an overwater wine cellar, spa, marine-biology centre and some of the best reef access in the Maldives, snorkeling can begin only a few steps from the villa.
Swell Hotel
HotelOceania, Australia
From $295
Swell Hotel Byron turns a former roadside motel into a 16-room adults-only hideaway with a distinctly 1970s mood, combining earthy tones, curved forms, woven textures and tropical gardens. Rooms open towards greenery or the pool, while the shared spaces move between a mineral swimming pool, bar, infrared sauna, ice bath and wellness areas for yoga and treatments. Its location is unusually convenient for Byron Bay: the centre is only a couple of minutes away on foot and Belongil Beach is around four minutes away.
