As curators at COZY, we’ve seen a growing shift in how travelers define luxury. It is no longer only about access to the rarest suites or the most exclusive amenities. Today, luxury is also measured by presence: by the ability to pause, disconnect and return to oneself.
The hotels below have embraced this movement with intention. They are not simply places to stay, but sanctuaries where stillness feels abundant and every detail draws you deeper into the experience.
Eremito, Umbria
Italy has long been a place of pilgrimage, and Eremito carries that tradition into the present. Nestled in the Umbrian hills, this property was once a 13th-century monastery, now lovingly restored as a retreat for modern travelers.
Rooms are lit by candlelight, with stone walls that hold the weight of centuries. Meals are served communally at long wooden tables, following a “table d’hôte” tradition, encouraging conversation between strangers who quickly become companions. There is no Wi-Fi, no television, only the resonance of silence interrupted by birdsong or the rustle of the forest outside.
It is a place where doing nothing feels like everything, and guests often describe leaving with a sense of renewal, as if they had re-learned how to breathe.
Mandapa, Ubud
Ubud has always been Bali’s spiritual heart, and Mandapa honors that legacy. Designed as a traditional village, the resort flows with rice paddies, bamboo groves, and the steady presence of the Ayung River.
Here, rituals are woven into the daily rhythm. Guests might begin the morning with yoga or meditation guided by local healers, then walk barefoot through the rice fields before retreating to an open-air bale. In the evenings, temple offerings and gamelan music frame the transition into night.
Technology slips into the background naturally, not by force, but because the energy of the place draws attention elsewhere. Mandapa is less about disconnection and more about realignment with nature, with tradition, with self.
Post Ranch Inn, Big Sur
Few landscapes rival the drama of California’s Big Sur coastline, and Post Ranch Inn is perched right at the meeting point of redwoods and Pacific cliffs. The architecture itself is a study in harmony, with structures built from reclaimed wood and copper, designed to dissolve into the horizon.
Televisions are absent by design, replaced with activities that pull guests outward: stargazing with resident astronomers, guided hikes through the surrounding groves, or sunrise meditation overlooking the ocean. Every vantage point seems to insist on stillness, and the longer one stays, the more nature dictates the pace.
It is a retreat that reminds us of scale, how small we are against the expanse of sea and sky, and how comforting that smallness can be.
One&Only Nyungwe House, Rwanda
At the edge of Nyungwe National Park, one of Africa’s oldest rainforests, lies a lodge that places immersion at the center of its philosophy.
Days here begin with tea harvesting alongside local farmers, grounding guests in Rwanda’s traditions and agricultural heritage. Later, canopy walks offer a bird’s-eye view of the forest alive with colobus monkeys and a chorus of birds. Evenings are marked by lanterns glowing beneath ancient trees, with fireside storytelling that echoes Rwanda’s communal spirit.
What makes Nyungwe House distinctive is its seamless integration into the landscape. It does not separate guests from the forest but invites them to live within it. The result is not so much a retreat from technology as a reawakening of the senses, where every sound, scent, and sight sharpens.
Sage Lodge, Montana
In the American West, Sage Lodge offers a different kind of silence: wide, untamed, and open to the horizon. Just outside Yellowstone National Park, the property becomes a base for adventure as well as rest.
Guests spend their days canoeing across clear rivers, fly-fishing with local guides, or hiking trails that thread through mountain valleys. For those seeking stillness, a chair facing the Absaroka Range is enough. The shifting light across the peaks is its own form of theater.
Unlike many resorts, Sage Lodge does not pressure its visitors to fill their time. The essence here is freedom, whether to embrace wilderness exploration or to simply sit and let the landscape unfold.
The New Luxury
Together, these retreats illustrate how luxury is evolving. It is no longer tied solely to abundance but to the richness of time itself. To step away from screens and constant connection is not a deprivation, it is an offering.
In that quiet, travelers find something lasting: the chance to listen inward, to rediscover presence, and to carry that presence long after returning home.
Let us curate a retreat that helps you slow down and reconnect. Contact COZY to begin your journey.
