Ever experienced a moving balcony? It may not be a traditional balcony but the Observation Deck aboard the Eastern & Oriental Express is where passengers on the luxury train that travels through Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Laos can go to take in the best views on the epic journey. The Observation Deck is located at the very end of the train and offers unobstructed views of the beautiful landscapes. It's a great place to take photos of the scenery and experience the sights, sounds and scents of South East Asia while on the move!
The balcony of The Fairmont San Francisco's Penthouse Suite is such a stunner that it was chosen as the setting for a scene in Sean Connery's film The Rock. Apart from spectacular views of San Francisco, it has a table and chairs, a pretty water feature and beautiful Moorish design with Persian tiles. The Penthouse Suite also provides a gorgeous setting for a wedding for up to 100 people and has three bedrooms, four bathrooms, a living room, formal dining room, library and billiard room - just in case the impressive balcony isn't enough for you!
The bedroom balconies at the Grand Hotel Kempinski High Tatras in Slovakia boast views of some Europe's most breathtaking scenery taking in the snow-capped mountains, lake and valleys surrounding the hotel. Check in to a Deluxe Room Lake View where you can draw back the curtains and admire the vistas of the idyllic alpine lake and High Tatra Mountains or take tea on the balcony to really enjoy the picturesque scenery.
We're in love with the balcony views from the One&Only Cape Town in South Africa, where you can see the fascinating Table Mountain in a luxury setting. The best feature is the telescope that you'll find on the balcony of the suites allowing you to enjoy star gazing and get a closer look at Table Mountain. Book a stay in the One-Bedroom Marina Suite for unrivalled views of the harbourside and Table Mountain that you can experience from the balcony or king size bed.
The Italians have proved they're excellent at designing iconic balconies, with Juliet's house in Verona being home to one of the most famous balconies in the world. Further south in Sorrento, the five-star hotel Bellevue Syrene, which was originally a mansion, has an elegant reception that used to be a balcony overlooking the sea. Today it's been glassed in and makes a lovely spot for checking in, with its balustrade still intact and magnificent views of the Gulf of Naples and Mt Vesuvius. We love that every guest at the hotel can enjoy this balcony without having to book a room with the feature.
Sometimes the most simple and rustic hotels can be the most inviting and in Florida Keys, the balconies of the Tranquility Bay Resort overlook the idyllic Gulf of Mexico and are designed in a distinct Florida Keys beach house style with distressed wooden floors, chairs and a table for you to enjoy the views from a relaxed setting. Each of the beach houses have French doors that lead to spacious porches so you can check out the views from the ground floor too.
This Spanish gem of a hotel in Loja, Granada has a romantic balcony and terrace that guests staying in Barcelo La Bobadilla's Large Presidential Suite can enjoy. The palatial-style room's outdoor space isn't just for dining and taking in the magical views, as it has a panoramic Jacuzzi with steps leading directly onto the balcony where you can spend your evenings watching the sunset from outside or from the Jacuzzi.
At Atlantis The Palm, they really know how to make good use of a balcony and don't just offer brilliant views of the man-made Palm, but treat guests staying in the Bridge Suite to a personal masseuse who will give you a massage on the balcony while you take in the views of the Arabian Sea and Dubai Skyline. You also get your own 24/7 butler and two sun terraces. Bliss!
Can't stomach a boat trip on the Nile but still want to experience the famous river? At the Sofitel Old Cataract Aswan in Egypt, the room and restaurant balconies boast unique views over the Nile and the hotel balconies were specifically designed to offer you the best possible vistas, so you can watch the beautiful sunset from them in the evening. The hotel is majestically situated on pink granite offering views from a height and when it comes to dining, you must sample the fine food at the Terrace while you watch the sunset over Upper Egypt.
Enjoy the buzzing French city of Bordeaux from the wonderful balcony of the Royale Suite at the Grand Hotel de Bordeaux & Spa with its panoramic views of Bordeaux, the Garonne River and the Place de la Comedie square, plus a Jacuzzi and spots for sunbathing, lounging and dining. The private rooftop terrace is accessed by a pretty spiral staircase from the Royale Suite and is an outdoor retreat with a secret garden style, real orange displays and is the perfect setting for watching the stars at night.
The sprawling terrace balcony of the La Suite at the Shangri-La hotel is so close to the Eiffel Tower it looks as though you could reach out and touch it. If the view wasn't enticing enough, the one bedroom suite also comes with a marble bathroom, Jacuzzi, living room and separate pantry. Overlooking one of the most romantic stretches of the Parisien skyline, the stately Shangri-La is fit for a king, well, for a price at the very least as it was once the residence of Napoleon Bonaparte's grand nephew, Prince Roland.
Imagine waking up and walking a few steps out onto your balcony and seeing this view: endless cobalt skies, indigo waters and jade-forested peaks...paradise. The Jade Mountain resort is set above 600 acres of beach in St Lucia and each of its individually-designed infinity pool sanctuaries offer panoramic views of the volcanic Pitons and Caribbean sea. Leave your phones and laptops at the door though as this is a techno-free relaxation retreat.
The view from the french-windowed balcony in the one-bedroom villas at Uma by Como is, to say the least, spectacular. Think impossibly green, steaming jungles, rushing rivers, plunging gorges and towering peaks and you are half-way there. The vibrant terracotta-coloured villas nestle in clumps of wild rhododendrons and hydrangeas and come equipped with dressing rooms, living rooms and, of course, stunning valley vistas.
This is not exactly Il Sogno di Giulietta's (Juliet's dream) hotel balcony, however, the hotel does overlook the most recognisable and celebrated balcony in the world: the balcony that inspired Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Il Sogno is set in the courtyard of Juliet's house in the heart of Verona and the room balconies overlook this iconic stone outcrop. The sumptuous rooms are decked out in cream, scarlet and gold and provide the perfect setting to enact your own epic love story...O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo?
Blanket Bay in Glenorchy, Otago claims to be New Zealands best luxury lodge and, with views like these from their suites, it's hard to argue with them. As well as having the shores of Lake Wakatipu on your doorstep, each lodge has stone fireplaces, steam showers and walk-in wardrobes. Sir Ian McKellen - the great Gandalf himself - also calls it his favourite hotel...enough said.
It's just you and the big, wide blue of the Indian ocean at the deluxe lagoon villas of the Taj Exotica. The villas stand above the crystal-clear, azure sea and all have plunge pools, private balcony decks and ladders leading you into the turquoise depths beneath. There's also a personal bar stocked with organic treats and an in-room butler service.