One of a kind yet wholly connected, each COMO hotel and resort reflects its unique place in the world while aligning the concepts of holistic wellness, healthful cuisine and inspiring adventure. The result is something all at once refined, relaxed and transformational. Spanning Indonesia, Maldives, Italy, Turks and Caicos, and Australia, we take a closer look at eight of the brand’s paradisiacal properties.
BALI, INDONESIA
Dense jungle, rice terraces, sandy beaches, active volcanos, vibrant culture—Bali packs so much into one island, it’s no wonder COMO has placed three spectacular properties here. While all the brand’s retreats incorporate wellness, COMO Shambhala Estate, named for the Sanskrit word for peace, especially centers itself around it. In the village of Begawan ensconced by forest and between two rivers, the destination wellness retreat of 30 breezy rooms, suites and villas offers an expert-led Integrated Wellness Program with personalized cuisine, therapy and activity schedules. Drawing from Asian and Western holistic treatment modalities, their menu includes Ayurveda, hydrotherapy, reflexology, yoga and Pilates. The water here is known for its healing properties, and the pinnacle is a Water Spring Blessing, washing in al Balinese attire beside a statue of the god Ganesha and emerging refreshed in mind and spirit.
Fifteen minutes away from Shambhala Estate, COMO Uma Ubud (shown left) was the first of its kind in Bali. Sanskrit for home or house, Uma properties follow a philosophy of “quiet comfort in culturally rich locations.” In the case of Uma Ubud, it’s nestled delightfully close to the restaurants, shops and museums in Ubud’s center. One of their most popular experiences is a tour up to the Mount Batur crater with a freewheel all the way down to Sebali. Back on the peaceful property, there are chef-hosted cookery classes to learn the techniques of a traditional Indonesian meal.
Dishing out the best of Bali beach culture is COMO Uma Canggu (shown right). On the south coast, a few sandy steps from a surf break, the resort partners with Tropicsurf to serve up wave-riding lessons for all levels. Whether it be lazy Sunday Brunching poolside at COMO Beach Club while the young ones are entertained at Play by COMO or relaxed dining by private butler service in one’s own impeccably designed residence, there’s plenty of laidback living too.
MALDIVES
Over to the truly away-from-it-all atolls of the Maldives, COMO has created a twin island experience in the archipelago with two different properties, just a wildly scenic Malé coral atolls, COMO Cocoa Island (shown above and below left) is an intimate water world of 33 Dhoni-inspired overwater villas, each reaching out from the island and into the lagoon by wooden walkways. The clear blue sea that surrounds is known for world-class diving, with a pinnacle natural wonder being a swim alongside a whale shark, one the ocean’s gentlest giants.
In the especially remote Thaa Atoll, the larger COMO Maalifushi (shown right) lets guests choose a multi-room villa either overwater or on dry sand enveloped by tropical flora. With coral reefs all around, there are to-dive-for experiences here too, along with a one-of-a-kind picnic to a sandbank to momentarily feel like castaways, albeit the most luxurious kind. Of course, both Maldivian properties have their own award-winning COMO Shambhala Retreat—Maalifushi’s is one of the most substantial—with a full menu of holistic treatments, complementary daily classes and, from time to time, special programs guided by visiting wellness experts.
TUSCANY, ITALY
Some 4,000 miles away as the crow flies, COMO Castello del Nero is perched above the rolling hills of Tuscany’s Chianti wine region. Old world meets new in this th–century castle with both Renaissance frescos and fresh interior design by Paola Navone. Along with the COMO wellness amenities one comes to expect, there is Michelin-starred dining at La Torre, which transforms local ingredients into artful, inventive Italian cuisine. Experiences delve further into this food and wine-rich land, from truffle hunting to pizza making. One can also get a bird’s-eye view of the bounty with hot air ballooning at sunrise.
TURKS AND CAICOS
Encompassing 1,000 acres of an idyllic private island in the Caribbean, COMO Parrot Cay is a hospitality icon with decades of accolades to prove it, most recently claiming our 2023 title for Best Beach Hotel. One of the brand’s first resorts, its enduring greatness is multifold, beginning with the delightful fact that every Keith Hobbs-designed beach house, villa and residence comes with its own private pool and direct access to the stunningly white sand—all recently renovated too. Days can be spent kayaking through the mangrove forest, chartering a private boat, taking yoga classes or doing very little at all. Along with painterly pastel sunsets, COMO Beach Club serves up cocktails and dance-worthy music which plays on well after the stars come out.
PERTH, AUSTRALIA
Down under, history and style converge at COMO The Treasury. Within a restored 19th-century State Building in Perth’s Central Business District, the boutique hotel is an ideal home base for exploring the city’s shopping, dining and special events or the wider wonders of Western Australia. Along with two onsite restaurants, farm and forage-focused Wildflower and osteria-style Post, there are the Cape Arid Rooms reserved for the refined tradition of Afternoon Tea. Down in the old vault, COMO Shambhala Urban Escape doles out the brand’s renowned wellness treatments, while atop the property a 20-meter indoor pool with floor-to-ceiling glass all around makes for one refreshing view. Then again, when it comes to COMO, it’s all refreshing.