Finch Bay Galapagos Hotel

Most visitors to the Galapagos sleep on boats, moving quickly from one island to another. Finch Bay Galapagos Hotel, located on the beach on the southern shore of Santa Cruz Island, offers a slower pace, and the chance to wake up in the same place each day, wading out into the water at dawn and relaxing on the sand at sunset. This luxury hotel’s design is built around the natural landscape, with a terrace facing the sea and wooden walkways threading past volcanic rocks and tropical foliage.

The rooms and suites are sunny and bright, and constructed with natural materials, from dark stone to native wood; modern and contemporary furnishings are accompanied by whimsical tortoise artwork, modern glass-encased showers, and blackout curtains. The suites all have private balconies with direct ocean views, while the rooms open onto shared porches or balconies equipped with hammocks.

There’s a spa as lavish as many a luxury hotel, and a stylish pool just yards from the beach. Also within walking distance is Las Grietas, home to some of the finest snorkeling in the Galapagos. Tortuga Bay Beach and the Charles Darwin Research Center are both an easy drive away, as are the Santa Cruz highlands and their giant tortoise reserve. Meanwhile, Finch Bay’s restaurant employs organic ingredients from the hotel’s garden.