We all know 2020 was a very rough year and are itching for 2021. And with COVID-19 restrictions in place, New Year's Eve celebrations are going to look a lot different this year. But there is a way to have still a splendid soirée that's also safe: buying out a hotel. Yes, there are properties across that globe offering packages where you can reserve every room to keep the celebrations just for your pod. From remote camps to private beachfront fireworks displays, here are 11 hotels you can buyout to ring in the new year.
Ithaafushi Private Island at Waldorf Astoria Maldives
Is there any way to stay away from others than to have your own private island? That's what you'll get at the Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi, an American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts property, which opened just over a year ago. The luxury resort, the first to debut near the capital city of Malé in the last decade, is letting guests truly take over the island by offering a buyout option this New Year for $80,000 a night. Up to 25 guests take over a three-bedroom beach villa, a two-bedroom overwater villa, and a four-bedroom residence while having unlimited access to five swimming pools and a private entertainment clubhouse. Make your first days in 2021 be paradisiacal.
Related: You Can Actually Rent Out the Entire Hotel as These 13 Luxury Boutique Properties
Kasiiya Papagayo in Costa Rica
We've probably all wanted to escape to a jungle at some point this year. Well, Kasiiya Papagayo makes that a possibility for the new year. The Keys to Kasiiya: The Buyout Experience was designed to let guests have a private getaway on Kasiiya's 123 acres of jungles, beaches, and coastlines. There are seven eco-luxury tents onsite that can accommodate up to 21 guests and a wide range of safely utilized services. At your disposal will be natural history guides, therapists, a chef, a dedicated driver, as well as access to sanitized snorkeling gear, stand up paddleboarding, and kayaks. The daily rate starts from $7,880 and includes a full board.
French Quarter Inn in South Carolina
The famous Charleston hotel goes all out for the holidays and wants guests to experience all the festive decor with no other guests in sight. Over New Year's, you can book all 50 rooms along with the seasonal Sleigh Bell Suite and privately enjoy a 15-ft sparkling tree, grand staircase adorned with tinsel and ribbons, in-room eggnog bar, and freshly-baked gingerbread cookies in the lobby. It's like having a grand mansion that feels like home for the holidays. You'll even get to hang up complimentary ornaments on the Christmas tree. The price per room per night starts at $269 per night.
Casa Palopó in Guatemala
Start 2021 right by celebrating in one of the most awe-inspiring places. Perched above Lake Atitlán, the private home turned boutique hotel offers 15 rooms available for a full buy out for $5,590 a night. Not only do you get uniquely decorated guest rooms and views of the lake and the volcanoes, but also a wish making session at sunset with fire sparklers, a locally inspired gourmet dinner, and cocktails on the terrace as fireworks light up the Lake Atitlan sky. On New Year's Day, a traditional tortilla bar brunch will start 2021 on a delicious note.
Hyatt Regency in Hawaii
After a two-year multimillion-dollar renovation, the Hyatt Regency Maui wants guests to experience the property privately. That's why they launched the Hyatt Regency Maui to Yourself package. For $1.5 million, you can have total access to all 810 guestrooms perched on a three-mile stretch of the famed Ka'anapali Beach for three nights. Not to mention you get access to restaurants and a water playground. The resort will even throw in a Hula dance lesson and lei making, a Hawaiian-inspired cooking class, an award-winning luau performance, paddleboarding lessons, a 60-minute meditation session on the beach, a Nighttime Tour of the Stars experience, and much more.
Urban Cowboy in Nashville
This 19th-century Queen Anne mansion is perfect for your pod to ring in the new year. There are just eight expertly appointed rooms that you can take over for $6,000 a night. Seven of the experiential rooms are located within the mansion, while the eighth is a freestanding suite in the back called The Cabin. It's perfect for some extra social distancing or just a little more private. Plus, that price tag comes with a private bartender and food from Roberta's—Brooklyn's iconic restaurant that's popped up on the property for winter.
Great Wolf Lodge
For those figuring out how to celebrate the end of 2020 with their kids after nearly a year of being at home with them, Great Wolf Lodge came up with the answer. At their properties in Pocono Mountains, PA; Williamsburg, VA; Atlanta/La Grange, GA; Grapevine, TX; Colorado Springs, CO; and Scottsdale, AZ, you can opt for the "Own the Park" package. This offer is a first for the properties as they've never before allowed guests to have exclusive use of the resort's expansive indoor water park after regular operating hours. Not only do you get full run of the famous water park, but also snacks and 10 family suites for $10,000.
The Bushcamp Company in Zambia
We've all wanted to escape 2020, and now you get in style by staying in one of the world's most remote and pristine wilderness regions. The Bushcamp Company, a small collection of eco-luxury camps in Zambia's South Luangwa National Park, is available for an exclusive buyout, where you can watch herds of elephants and go on safari with just your clan. Choose between Chamilandu and Bilimungwe bushcamps, and you'll enjoy a private guide and vehicle, gourmet meals from a personal chef, intimate yoga classes, and more. Chamilandu's three raised chalets overlook the Luangwa River, while Bilimungwe's four thatched chalets set around three prolific water holes to ensure that guests always have access to wildlife while enjoying limited interaction with people.
Related: Our Favorite Champagne on the Market Right Now
ÀNI Private Resorts Anguilla
ÀNI Private Resorts are already known for their uber-exclusive setup, and their Anguilla property is no different. The resort is only available to one group at a time--it can accommodate just 30 guests--and has a socially distant staff along with its incredible ocean views, infinity pool, and more. To make the end of 2020 extra special, the property will have a beachside fireworks display, festive dinner cooked by a Michelin-trained chef, detox on January 1st with restorative yoga, and a spa treatment.
Washington School House in Utah
The intimate, twelve-room Park City hotel offers a luxury buyout option (starting at $27,000 ) for travelers looking for a space that feels like a beautiful home with all the amenities of an opulent hotel. You'll get a space filled with cozy holiday decor as well as things like a 24-hour concierge and private chef. The team will even tailor off-site activities like fly-fishing, skiing, hiking, snowshoeing, and dog sledding and throw in gourmet packed lunches. Just find 33 pals and enjoy a homey New Year with plenty of adventure.
Inkaterra Hacienda Concepcion in Peru
After a year of Zoom calls, you'll probably want to disconnect for a while before entering 2021. At Inkaterra Hacienda Concepcion, located near the Tambopata National Reserve, you'll get the ultimate off-the-grid experience. In fact, the property is so remote you have to stay a minimum of two nights. But just because you're unplugged doesn't mean you won't have a lot of entertainment. During your stay (with up to 59 of your friends and family), you learn to make chocolate, go canoeing, and take a night walk through the rain forest. After a day of adventure, unwind with an Amazonian-style spa treatment like Cat's Claw foot therapy. Of course, all meals are provided along with excursions for $26,818.00 for the minimum two-night stay.
