You’ve probably seen these hotels before. Some are amazing. Some are mostly hype. And two of the biggest Instagram hotel stars are overpriced tourist traps.
1. Burj Al Arab Jumeirah, Dubai
With around 2.5 million hashtags, the Burj Al Arab is comfortably the most mentioned luxury hotel on Instagram. Surely everyone who tagged Burj Al Arab didn’t actually stay there?
They give you an envelope with your bill that says “the world’s most luxurious hotel.” But there is absolutely nothing here to justify spending €3000 a night. It doesn’t even have a beach.
Want Real Holiday Advice?
The breakfast must rank as the worst in the whole of Dubai. The interiors are certainly unique, kind of bizarre Russian luxury. We don’t like them but hey, that’s subjective.
It is super famous. We’ve had clients specifically requesting to stay in this hotel. All said they would never repeat their experience. One client left halfway through his stay! Burj Al Arab does not match our criteria for outstanding service. In fact, it doesn’t really offer any kind of service. Butlers with your room? That’s a lie. You’ll be lucky to see any butler at his station throughout your stay.
We do like Jumeirah hotels though. Stay opposite at Jumeirah Al Naseem instead. It’s better value, has genuine five-star service, a beautiful beach, and great views onto the Instagram overhyped hotel.
2. Soneva Jani, Maldives
It’s easy to pause on the Maldives when you’re scrolling Instagram. Photos of these islands don’t need a filter. Turquoise ocean. Blue skies. White sands. Overwater villas. Tropical paradise…or is it?
Yes it is. We’re happy to tell you that the iconic slides and overwater villas of Soneva Jani are trending for a reason. Our private consultant Tomas Safarik says:
Soneva Jani is home to probably the best overwater villas in the world. They come with private lagoon access from the bathroom and a waterslide on the second floor. The only real downside is the price.
Soneva resorts are also world leaders in sustainability. We think Soneva Jani deserves more than its half a million hashtag mentions on Instagram. Not only will your followers fall in love and envy of your holiday. You’ll also have an amazing time.
3. Calilo, Greece
Dreamy swimming pool and swimwear photo alert. Nowhere does it better or as often as Calilo. It’s a newcomer to the five-star hotel scene in Greece and already has 280k Instagram followers.
It’s trending because of the unusual design, overwater beds, swings and very nice beach. But mostly because very beautiful people share posts of themselves in the pool, by the beach, even in bed at Calilo.
On the island of Ios, this is a very unique luxury resort, with 30 individually designed rooms. Each room has a ceiling made from 72,000 pieces of local marble. Most suites have their own pool. Some even have a waterfall.
Don’t just check it out on Instagram. Go check it out. We think you’ll like it.
4. Azulik, Tulum, Mexico
The whole of Tulum is an Instagram trap and there’s nowhere worse than Azulik. They have 2.3 million followers and we unfollowed them after experiencing just how bad it is in reality. They must spend all their money on influencers and nothing on the basics. Like service. Or electric lights in your room.
Don’t believe the hype this place is a trap. The biggest travel trap on Instagram.
Sure, it looks romantic to have candles in your room. But that’s very impractical anytime between sunset and sunrise. Sure, the jungle villas look cool with their eco boho chic design. There’s no AC. The bathrooms don’t even have showers, just small tubs to wash in. Apparently all this is to minimise the ecological impact. So why do Azulik serve water in plastic bottles and give shower gel and shampoo in single-use plastic bottles?
Mexican people are so friendly. The service at top Mexican hotels is usually among the best in the world. At Azulik it’s nonexistent. The only thing they do well is control their Instagram feed. If you want to use your camera they charge a fee of $350 a day! They blast loud music at 6am to wake guests up for yoga. And all those cool places you see on their Instagram feed – you need to buy tickets to access them, on top of a $700 room without a shower.
5. Chalet al Foss, Dolomites, Italy
This is a four-star hotel that’s been dominating social media for a long time now. The design is definitely photogenic. And they post beautiful people walking through the snow in their swimwear to hot tubs overlooking the snowy Dolomites in Italy. Chalet al Foss really does make you stop and watch.
So what is it really like? Actually, we don’t know. We’ve heard it’s good but we’ve never had a client stay here. Typically we only focus on five-star hotels. But the design in some of the rooms does excite us. Have you been? Tell us what you think!
6. Four Seasons Bora Bora
Like Azulik, Four Seasons Bora Bora shares envy-inducing posts of tropical paradise. Like massages with monoi oil, 24-carat gold flecks and an ocean view. Except with this hotel the hype is real.
This is the best hotel on Bora Bora, a true Polynesian classic.
In 2019 they updated 100 overwater villas and the beachfront villas to the tune of $30 million. All villas provide space, luxury, privacy and exceptional amenities. What’s different to other top trending hotels on Instagram is that Four Seasons Bora Bora is extremely family friendly, not just for young couples with hot bodies wanting their gram shots.
7. Cavo Tagoo, Mykonos, Greece
The views. That infinity pool. Omg. Cavo Tagoo is extremely popular on Instagram for good reason. Really, what you see is what you experience. And you also want to be seen here – it’s the hotel celebrities flock to in Mykonos.
If you go by 1.8 million Instagram followers then this is the place to be in Mykonos. Cave-like rooms, dazzling pools, unique design, the Aegean Sea – the hype is huge and this five-star hotel is very high quality.
But…there is a reality Instagram doesn’t show you. Cavo Tagoo Mykonos doesn’t have a beach. You need a shuttle to reach the beach and it’s a 15-minute drive to visit the beach clubs.
Images of couples lounging in the solitude of a jacuzzi or swimming pool are definitely real. Most rooms feature these. But they pump out loud music all day long at the main pool. So if you are looking for quiet solitude this is not the place. If you want to party and do the trendiest Mykonos stay then yes, Cavo Tagoo is fantastic.
Your Favourite Hotel on Instagram
We love Instagram for all the travel inspiration. And we always want to explore beyond the pretty photos, so we can recommend the best hotels from personal experience, not just what looks good.
Did you visit a hotel that’s hot on Instagram but cold in reality? Do you know an amazing hotel that’s yet to get any hype on Instagram? Maybe you have photos that will make us all envious – share them with us!
