The lazy days of summer bring languorous lunches and long afternoons spent beachside, where see-and-be-seen restaurants blend with laid-back coastal atmospheres. From a Capri icon to an island hot spot in Croatia, Indagare rounds up the world’s best beach clubs.
Contact Indagare for assistance planning a trip to one of these destinations. Our dedicated trip designers can match you with the best hotels and restaurants and secure reservations at exclusive beach clubs.
La Fontelina Beach Club, Capri
Only accessible by boat or a steep cliffside path, La Fontelina is a secluded gem, where locals and high-profile Italians dive off of Capri’s limestone rocks into the dazzling Tyrrhenian Sea. La Fontelina, the beach club’s lunchtime restaurant, is even more popular, thanks to its stunning views and delicious Italian fare.
Related: Capri Destination Report
Mykonos Beach Clubs
A less flashy version of Nammos, the beach club Scorpios quickly became the hotspot in Mykonos upon opening in 2015. The luxurious beach lounge features a boutique and restaurant, where well-heeled patrons can enjoy such fresh fare as arugula and watermelon salad, tuna tartare, grilled octopus and pasta. Days are spent lounging on daybeds shaded by thatched roofs, but nights are a more lavish affair with DJs and dancing into the early hours. This season’s newcomers on Mykonos include Ftelia Beach Club, opened on Ftelia Bay by the owner of the popular Interni restaurant and drawing inspiration from the French and Italian beach clubs of the 1960s and ’70s.
Related: Mykonos Destination Report
Carpe Diem Beach Club, Croatia
For those looking for a Nikki Beach or Club 55-type experience in Croatia, Carpe Diem Beach Club is the place to be for Champagne lunches and cabanas filled with beautiful people from yachts. The club commands a cove on a small island across the bay from Hvar town. It opens for lunch around noon, and throughout the afternoon offers massages in spa huts and volleyball games under pine trees. It shuts down around 5 p.m. to refresh before reopening at midnight, when revelers from Hvar return to party until dawn.
Related: Croatia Destination Report
PuroBeach, Mallorca
South Beach meets Ibiza at Mallorca‘s PuroBeach. It’s easy to spend the whole day at this glowing white beach club, restaurant and spa, which juts out into the bay like a small peninsula. Make sure to arrive early and reserve a lounge chair, then have a leisurely poolside breakfast or a light lunch. Before cocktail hour, sign up for an open-air massage at the spa.
Related: Mallorca Destination Report
Ku De Ta, Bali
One of Bali’s most prominent hot spots, Ku De Ta offers around-the-clock fine dining, a stunning beachfront location and a roster of big-name international performers.
Related: Bali Destination Report
St.-Tropez Beach Clubs
One of the most famous beach destinations in the world, St.-Tropez has a strong beach club culture, and it’s impossible to see just one when visiting. Club 55 is the most renowned, with a star-studded clientele that arrives by yacht, helicopter or Bentley, while Nikki Beach hosts world-class DJs and attracts a young, sexy crowd. This season welcomed two new hotspots: the upscale La Réserve à la Plage, which brings the high-touch service and attention to detail of La Réserve Ramatuelle to the Pampelonne beachfront, as well as Byblos Beach, serving delicious Mediterranean fare in a relaxed setting with beach-chic décor and pops of the Hôtel Byblos’ signature orange.
Related: St.-Tropez Destination Report
Coccaro Beach Club, Puglia, Italy
Located on a sprawling stretch of private beach on the Adriatic Sea in Puglia, Coccaro Beach Club offers a spa, seafood restaurant and fashion boutique, as well as private gazebos for lounging and a private yacht that can be rented. Thanks to its gorgeous location and rustic-chic décor, it’s a popular spot for travelers in the region, especially families (there is a mini kids’ club with babysitters on site).
Related: Puglia Destination Report
The Coral Casino, Santa Barbara, California
Built in 1937, this historic establishment has been a glamorous escape for Hollywood stars for decades. With Art Deco architecture and interiors designed by Peter Marino, the club is a favorite of locals and guests of The Four Seasons Resort Biltmore, thanks to its 160-foot pool overlooking Butterfly Beach and the Pacific Ocean.
Related: Santa Barbara Destination Report
The Gecko Beach Club, Balearic Islands, Spain
The stunning Gecko Beach Club promises a serene escape from Ibiza on the uncrowded sands of Migjorn Beach on Formentera. Attached to the Gecko Hotel, the hangout offers a large pool on the hotel’s sprawling lush lawn and ocean-side yoga classes.
Related: Ibiza Destination Report
Eden Plage Mala, Cap D’Ail, France
The private beach at Eden Plage Mala, south of Monaco and nestled in a beautiful bay with views of dramatic, pine tree–covered cliffs, offers myriad amenities, including fitness classes, massages and a boutique.
Related: Monaco Destination Report
Contact Indagare for assistance planning a trip to one of these destinations. Our dedicated trip designers can match you with the best hotels and restaurants and secure reservations at beach clubs.
