The best beach clubs in the world for summer 2022
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2. Republiek Bloemdaal, The NetherlandsRather like Comporta, Bloemendaal aan Zee is one of those curious European hotspots that is not a hotspot at all. While the main town, four miles away, may be one of the most affluent in the Netherlands – thatched-roof villas; children cycling to hockey practice; Volvos with golf clubs in the boot – this shoreline is low-key: a stretch of sand, a few places to eat, that’s it. Somewhere for locals and in-the-know Haarlem weekenders. Republiek Bloemendaal has been here for years as a summer-season beach club, but more recently reopened as a permanent pavilion after an impressive renovation. With 16ft windows, it has unbeatable views across the North Sea – even if you have to stay inside because of blustery autumnal weather. Designer Anne Claus, who also had a hand in the owners’ Amsterdam hotel Morgan & Mees and restaurant Van’t Spit, has warmed the space with sandy, tonal walls and fabrics, plus striking Fredericia chairs and lights by PSLab. Families in matching organic-linen dungarees head here to eat banana-pancake breakfasts, while couples with dachshunds come for spelt-risotto suppers. A very cool find. Pauline Egge
Address: Republic Bloemendaal, Zeeweg 94 BLM 1, 2051EC, Overveen, North Holland
Website: republiekbloemendaal.nl
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3. Scorpios, Mykonos, Greece
If all beach bars have started to feel strangely familiar, whether you’re in Canggu, Cartagena or Comporta, blame it on Scorpios. This self-styled ‘lifestyle commune’ sparked a craze for organic-with-a-dash-of-ethnic styling when it jump-started the Mykonos comeback in 2015. The driftwood daybeds, sepia-toned plaster walls and wicker lampshades might look effortless, but a whole lot of euros have been sunk on those oversized ceramics and macramé hammocks. Sassy melon Margaritas and chunky wooden trays piled with avocado tzatziki, smoked aubergines, and wood-fired prawns laced with chilli and coriander don’t come cheap either. There are close encounters with musicians, mystics, dancers and DJs who lead sunset rituals – euphoric gatherings that might include Zoroastrian mantras, ethno-electro jams, group breathwork and whirling dervishes. If this all sounds like a neo-hippie nightmare, it’s not. Think of it more like a grown-up version of the island’s notorious party scene; an evolution from all-night raves to all-day chilling (even if the photogenic waiters have a little too much swagger). Soho House, another brand that taps into the global creative community, took over Scorpios in summer 2020, together with Soho Roc House – the gorgeous San Giorgio hotel just along the coast. Scorpios promises to be the first of several Soho House beach hangouts worldwide. Rumour has it Ibiza, Miami and Tulum are next up. Rachel Howard
Address: Scorpios, Paraga, Mikonos 846 00, Greece
Website: scorpiosmykonos.com
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Eight years ago, when hit-maker James Gardner launched Gitano, a tropical restaurant with late-night jungle raves, he kickstarted the Tulum party scene. And after dreaming of a coastal counterpart (he since introduced New York and Miami outposts), in 2020 he opened Gitano Beach, a 10-minute drive north of the original. Set within the protected Mayan-ruin-studded Parque Nacional, it is on a private cove with a pristine swatch of white sand licked by shallow turquoise water. While minimalist black-and-white striped tipis shield daybed-loungers from the scorching afternoon sun, Gardner designed the rustic space to be totally outdoors. Under a giant thatched-roof palapa, a stylishly unkempt Burning Man crowd in earthy-hued Caravana threads sips zero-waste cocktails made with burnt pineapple and salvaged lime husks (Padraig Confrey, of Mexico City’s trailblazing Pujol heads up the mixology). The soundtrack is an eclectic blend of drum-forward world music meets disco. But the beach vibe here is more chilled than at Gitano’s. This is a day club after all, and it’s the open-hearth menu with which it has really hit a home run. Alexandros Gkoutsi left Mykonos to helm the kitchen at Gardner’s new, nearby Greek restaurant Meze, but he also had time to shape Gitano Beach’s clean, fired-up Mexican menu with a Mediterranean twist. Local fishermen drop off the day’s catch for vibrant cabbage- and coriander-spiked tacos, but dishes such as lemony quinoa tabbouleh and a refreshing feta and watermelon salad hint at the chef’s past. It’s a surprisingly mellow hideout – Gardner has brought his gypsy-disco spirit to the beach. Kat Odell
Address: Gitano Beach, Carretera Ruinas Tulum 33, 77780, Tulum, Q.R., Mexico
Website: gitano.com -
Gregoire Gardette6. La Reserve a La Plage, Ramatuelle, France
By the close of summer 2020 – when protecting endangered sea daffodils in the sand dunes was a hot political issue – the village of Ramatuelle emerged triumphant: their crackdown on Pampelonne’s private beach clubs had been well worth the sweat. Reconstructed or designed from scratch, the 23 new establishments, which were built with sustainable flat-pack materials for winter storage, were a roaring success. Not to be outdone by his neighbours, Michel Reybier, who heads up the La Réserve hotel group and whose South of France retreat is only a moment’s speedboat whizz away, teamed up with Philippe Starck to create La Réserve à la Plage. A rickety snack shack it is not: amid a joyous jumble of burnt-orange-and-white striped cushions, mismatched rattan and canvas chairs, long tables and a thatched hut with fringed straw light fixtures, the mood is decidedly unpretentious. Better yet, the food by the chef of La Réserve Ramatuelle’s two-Michelin-starred La Voile restaurant, Eric Canino – stuffed courgette flowers, fish tartare, fried octopus, hunks of barbecued beef, custard-laced tarte tropézienne – is as playfully elegant as the black-and-white panda-marble bathrooms. After sunbed napping, everyone drifts back to the bar, rosé in hand, where the late-afternoon cranked-up decibels attract both locals and the Club 55 spillover crowd to watch the yachts float by. The sun-seeking regulars, who initially grumbled about the proposed changes, have found their summer playground pepped up and perkier than ever. Lanie Goodman
Address: La Réserve à la Plage, Route de l’Epi-Pampelonne, 83350 Ramatuelle
Website: lareserve-plage.com -
Emily Lab
7. Le Sereno al Mare, St Barth's
On the windswept and wilder shores of the island is where, after a short drive down a path lined with swaying coconut palms, you’ll find Le Sereno hotel, on Grand Cul de Sac; a civilised and minimal structure of smooth, pale-blonde wood designed by Christian Liaigre. It’s blissfully removed from the more obviously fashionable and raucous spots near the capital Gustavia, and its natural beauty is giddy-making – a cerulean marine reserve packed with turtles, stingrays and coloured coral. On the beach, Al Mare restaurant serves something you won’t find anywhere else in this French outpost – Italian feasts. It’s a place unlike anywhere else: no supermodels in extreme thong bikinis taking selfies or paunchy billionaires expostulating loudly, just locals in elegant, multi-coloured Johanna Ortiz dresses, drinking crisp Tuscan wines (there are cocktails but the execution is Bar Hemingway at the Ritz Paris, rather than Manhattan nightclub). It’s somewhere to idle dolce vita-style, against a soundtrack of laconic tunes that will lull you into a sense of wellbeing. The star here is what’s on the plates. Chef Andrea Cimino’s offering is very haute, very pretty, but light as a feather and utterly exquisite. The cacciucco alla livornese, a traditional fish stew, and the tomato spaghetti ai cinque pomodori are the stuff of dreams. And the best bit? The exclusively Italian staff who resolutely converse in their native language. Vassi Chamberlain
Address: Le Sereno, 97133, St Barthélemy
Website: serenohotels.com
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8. Atzaro Beach, Ibiza, Spain
It’s the irrepressible spirit of the 1970s that’s been woven into the refurbishment of Atzaró Beach, which sits just above the busy shores of Cala Nova. Arguably Ibiza’s most formative decade, this was a time when locals and draft dodgers, Hollywood stars and free-spirited musicians lived tolerantly side by side; when cries of ‘make love, not war’ echoed among farmlands and dancefloors alike. The project was overseen by the Guasch family, Ibicenco natives who count Agroturismo Atzaró and the delicious inland restaurant Aubergine By Atzaró among their other feats, so it was perhaps inevitable that Atzaró Beach would also revisit the island’s roots. The redesign is, interestingly, worlds away from what you might call typically Balearic. Instead the emphasis lies on a rustic, easygoing aesthetic that blends with the surrounding environment. Driftwood tables are shaded by straw parasols, swinging bamboo seats contrast with peacock chairs and a minty scent wafts from the eucalyptus-clad pergola, carried on the breeze. Dreamcatchers and cacti add a carefree kick, and a freshly painted wooden llaüt boat nods to the rich fishing heritage. Mediterranean-leaning sharing plates – paellas, prawn carpaccio, Buddha bowls – are as lovely as the views, and supersized daybeds at the front lead down towards the golden sand. It can’t claim to be on the prettiest cove of the island but the Atzaró gang are certainly giving a good show. Abigail Lowe
Address: Atzaro, Playa, Av. Cala Nova, s/n, 07849, Balearic Islands, Spain
Website: atzarobeach.com
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9. Azura Peri-Peri Beach Club, Mozambique
This rustic Robinson Crusoe hangout is, unsurprisingly, the Bazaruto archipelago’s only beach club. It was rustled up by Stella and Christophe Bettany, the owners of Azura Retreats, for guests of their eco-lodge on Benguerra Island, less than a mile down the beach. Mozambique’s Portuguese roots show up in a seafood-strong menu and decorative blue-and-white hand-painted tiles at the thatched open-air bar with its swing seats and wide-smile barmen, Pedro and José, who make the best frozen Margaritas. All the rough-hewn furniture was made on the island from recycled wood. Order a magnum of Château Pas de Loup rosé from the Bettanys’ French château to go with grilled prawns peri-peri, fried calamari, stuffed crab shells or fish skewers that you can barbecue over hot coals at your table. Go easy on the house-made chilli sauces and have a ‘doshem’ 2M beer handy to quell the heat. Post lunch, retreat to the sea-view salas or settle into a board game or paperback thriller, dip in the swimming pool or slope off for a massage in the spa treehouse. Laidback Peri-Peri always feels like a private party, although visiting boats from neighbouring islands, and guests from &Beyond a few dunes over, swell the numbers, especially on Sundays when the chilled playlist is usually followed by beach cinema under the stars. This opening has turned up the heat, and the African reggae tunes. Jane Broughton
Address: Azura Peri-Peri Beach Club, Benguerra Island, Mozambique
Website: azura-retreats.com
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10. Nammos, Dubai
In an emirate hellbent on innovation, Nammos brings a glint of old-school island charm and traces of a traditional Greek taverna. The Mykonos original, on high-octane Psarou beach, is something of an institution, so when this outpost opened at the Four Seasons, an expectant crowd of Emiratis and expats was waiting. It is a design U-turn from the inflatable flamingos and wiggle-shaped in-water loungers that populate the rest of Dubai’s waterfront. Instead, Mykonos’ aquamarine-striped parasols have been transplanted here, shading neat rows of teak sunbeds, Arabian Sea views replacing Aegean ones. Stone steps lead from the sand to a bamboo-canopied terrace and lofty dining room, both styled by London-based design firm Elastic Interiors. Bleached wood, natural linens and pale walls recall Greek isles while also bouncing around the searingly bright Middle Eastern sunshine. Tall arches afford a glimpse of the Marrone-fitted kitchen, where a Mediterranean menu is whipped up – almost monochrome millefeuilles of crisped aubergine and creamy feta, mezze, sea-bass ceviche. Service is authentically Greek, with staff flown in from the homeland, and all-day feasting to a bossa nova lounge soundtrack, with bottles of Santorini Sigalas, is the focus. The glammed-up brunch scene is on a par with that of its bigger sister. Sarah Hedley
Address: Nammos, Four Seasons Resort, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Website: nammos.gr
11. Ftelia, MykonosFtelia has long been famous: archaeologists believe a Neolithic settlement uncovered beside the bay to be the tomb of the Homeric hero Ajax. A far more recent but sure-to-be-a-hit addition to the beach on Mykonos’ wild northern shore is this club, huddled into a sheltered corner. Its unexpected burnt-orange palette was conceived by designer Fabrizio Casiraghi when he flew over the island for the first time and admired the contrast between the terracotta roof tiles and the white architecture below. The club spills down, amphitheatre-like, towards the sand.
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@emiliebiartlannes / Instagram
13. Basil's Bar, Mustique
This shabby, endlessly talked-about, perennially loved over-water Caribbean party shack has been totally renovated – surprisingly, by Philippe Starck. Villa owners and islanders had every right to be wary. And yet you can still nurse a beer while the children snorkel with turtles in the bay. Still flop into bleached-teak rocking chairs watching superyachts at anchor.
Still arrive sea-soaked and sandy-footed for a Rum Runner while Bon Jovi and Bryan Adams take turns on the mic. In fact, anyone who’s never been before wouldn’t know that the clusters of straw hats along the beams weren’t legitimately lost property, nor have any inkling that the Mustique Company poured millions of dollars in, because it still looks and feels like the real deal.
Old hands can appreciate the addition of the open-sided kitchen where new head chef and ex-Gordon Ramsay protégé Luke Ferguson toils with his team; the sweet boutique selling surf kit; and the clever walkway from which you can spy rays gliding around under the deck. It’s just that the overhanging thatch is a bit neater, the painted wood lighter and the dance floor more inviting. Ask Basil what his verdict is while he’s mixing you a Hurricane David (you should still definitely only have one, though). basilsbar.com
Address: Basil's Bar, St Vincent and the Grenadines
Website: basilsbar.com14. Assaona, Mallorca
While most clubs around the bay of Palma – Purobeach, Nikki Beach, Anima Beach – veer towards a particular sort of bright, Champagne-popping, leather-beds flash, Assaona offers something different, picking up a more boho vibe by riffing on the smartened chiringuitos that have lined Ibiza’s shores for years but seem to have eluded Mallorca until now. Rough-hewn wooden tables, swinging oversized basket lights and straw-fringed parasols have transformed the old Nassau Beach site.
Of course the setting – that amazing spot at the edge of the sandy beach at Portixol, with soaring views of the cathedral – hasn’t changed. The food is also on point: baby turbot sashimi, Iberian pork loin, seabass in a salt crust, all served by staff in pressed desert-coloured linen to match the fat cushions on the benches, the canvas sail shades, Gervasoni sofas and seagrass rugs. Assaona marks a shift for this part of the island – a move away from the booming music and plastic wine glasses of high-summer high-jinks and towards a lovely, low-key destination that has resonance year round.
Address: Assaona, Passeig Portitxol, 07006 Palma, Illes Balears, Spain
Website: assaona.com
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15. Raes, Byron Bay
It may be part of Raes on Wategos – Byron Bay’s original hotel hideout – and just steps from the biscuity sand, but those aren’t the only draws at this new joint. With a steady stream of locals coming in from the surf, and Zimmermann-clad guests spilling down from the open-air restaurant, it’s difficult to imagine this was, until more recently, the building’s cellar. In-demand Sydney designer Tamsin Johnson led the recent makeover, turning the tiny space into a finger-licking-pretty seaside watering hole with clean sloping lines offset by playful taffy-striped cushions and small sculptural tables.
At noon, a handful of large calico umbrellas and calypso-blue chairs convert the driveway into a chilled-out terrace, signalling to those in the know that the bar is open for business. By mid-afternoon, lo-fi beats are turned up for the late lunchers to kick back with spiked spritzes and seriously good classics such as just-shucked oysters, fish sandwiches and potato scallops dusted with seaweed. With its walk-ins-only policy, it’s a refreshingly laid-back addition to this very exclusive pocket of Byron Bay.
Address: Raes Cellar Bar, 6–8 Marine Parade, Byron Bay
NSW 2481, Australia
Website: raes.com.au16. Sugar Beach, Talpe, Sri Lanka
Talpe’s coves and bays are where some of the island’s most elegant tucked-away villas are found, and now there’s a daytime hangout to match. South-coast regulars will recognise this as the old Zazou Beach Club. But funky, home-spun brand Sugar, known for its buzzy restaurants in Colombo and Galle, took over in late 2018, and brought a loyal following. Not a huge amount has changed – some subtle branding, canvas butterfly chairs and a row of deep-cushioned day-beds – but it feels fresh, and opened just in time to host a big New Year’s Eve bash.
This is a mellow alternative to Unawatuna’s backpackery bars: expat families, nomadic surfers and a savvy down-from-the-city crowd rub shoulders over lunches of sesame-crusted tuna, prawn curry and passionfruit Daiquiris. Later in the day, beach sunsets are toasted with two-for-one Mojitos, and the bar remains open until the last customer leaves. At weekends groups gather for the Soul Therapy vinyl sessions and to listen to jazz (Sugar’s owner, Gehan Fernando, set up the Colombo Jazz festival). And by early next year, there will be eight beachfront rooms next door to crash out in.
Address: Sugar Beach, 1048 Matara Rd, Talpe, Sri Lanka
Website: facebook.com/sugarbeachtalpe
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Silia Potioudi @findsilia
17. Krabo, Athens Riviera
In 1960, a doctor named Giagkos Stavridis built a complex of holiday apartments in Vouliagmeni, a pine-fringed finger of land curling into a deep-blue bay 12 miles from the Acropolis. He called it The Margi, after his two daughters, Maria and Gina. That same year, the Astir Palace hotel opened around the headland. And just like that, the Athens Riviera was born. Sixty years later, Vouliagmeni is still the capital’s most refined seaside enclave, with its yacht club, Matsuhisa restaurant and high-rolling beach scene. The Astir Palace has just reopened as Greece’s first Four Seasons.
And The Margi is still in the same family. In summer 2020, architect-owner Giagkos Agiostratitis and his brother Theo snapped up a simple taverna on nearby Zoska Bay and in its place created next-step-up Krabo, a Scorpios-inspired beach bar where the marinated king crab comes with corn bread and salmon roe, and the Aperol Spritz is infused with watermelon syrup. It’s as close as you’ll get to Mykonos without leaving Athens – cheeky prices, patchy service and glammed-up crowd included.
Address: Krabo, Zoska Bay, Thespidos Street,Vouliagmeni, 16671, Athens Riviera, Greece
Website: krabo.gr18. Four Seasons, Ile Aux Cerfs, Mauritius
Local fishermen deliver the catch of the day straight to this new little bar and grill on Ile aux Cerfs, the tiny off-shore private island that has some of the best beaches in Mauritius. Referencing the rustic shacks where islanders go for barbecued seafood with their families, it has rope swings hanging by the shiplap counter, Phoenix beers in the fridge and sunbeds clustered under straw umbrellas on the sand and in the shade of the filao trees. And the only way to get here is via the Four Seasons at Anahita, as a hotel guest, taking a boat across the glittering lagoon.
Leave espadrilles and flip-flops on board, have a swim in the Indian Ocean, then dig into tuna ceviche with mango and avocado or rock lobster with fiery Creole sauce, plus pineapple dipped in chilli flakes and tamarind sauce for pudding. An authentic island set-up? Not quite – how could it be? But for Mauritius, it certainly comes closer than anything else its big-name hotels are offering.
Address: Four Seasons, Ile aux Cerfs, Coastal Road, Beau Champ, Mauritius
Website: fourseasons.com
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19. La Brisa, Bali
Peeling-paint canoes transformed into plant-filled cabinets line paths leading to thatched treehouses, a turquoise pool with comfy daybeds and seats for sundowners looking over the surf. La Brisa feels like Robinson Crusoe sipped a few rums and jazzed up his shacks into a barefoot beach escape. There are nautical nods with chairs made from old barrels and antique buoys fashioned into twinkly lights. This place is more than artfully distressed though; the wood used to build it came from 500 disused boats. The result? Plenty of upcycled touches, accompanied by scorching sunsets, Basil Beauty cocktails (vodka, passion fruit, pineapple and herbs) and locally caught seafood. Service is laid-back, but with surroundings this funky, an island-time approach is forgiveable.
Address: La Brisa, Jl. Pantai Batu Mejan, Canggu, Kuta Utara, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361, Indonesia
Website: labrisabali.comCONDÉ NAST TRAVELLER, TABITHA JOYCE, AND SARAH JAMES
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