From a barefoot-bohemian idyll in Bali to carefree chic on the French Riviera, lounging by the waves never felt so luxurious.
Beach clubs are multifaceted. By day, they are places to seek shade beneath raffia awnings or in breezy cabanas, where lost afternoons are spent swimming and sipping rosé to an ambient soundtrack. Think Café del Mar vibes, perhaps a little yoga thrown in for good measure. But as the sun dips into the sea, the tempo dials up a notch with headliner DJs, barefoot dancing and cocktail drinking under the stars. Whether you’re into low-key luxury, golden hour glamour or both, these are the hottest beach clubs of 2025. It's worth noting that though many accept walk-ins, booking in advance is always recommended.
Faena Miami Beach
@faena
(Image: Peter Jackson)
Behind Faena hotel’s Art Deco-style facade, you’ll find a visual wonderland. Think the golden age of travel meets glossy maximalism meets The Great Gatsby (filmmaker Baz Luhrmann and his designer wife Catherine Martin were creative consultants). The flamboyance spills over into the beach club, where the candy-striped parasols and crimson chaise longues fight for attention against the sugar-white sand. Beach butlers? Of course. They'll bring you truffle sliders, shrimp tacos and palomas as you soak up the South Beach sunshine; they even provide a freshwater foot wash.
Cone Club, Sardinia
@coneclubsardinia
Costa Smeralda has long been a magnet for the jet set and you’ll likely spy them disembarking at Cone Club’s private jetty. The club, part of the 7Pines Resort Sardinia, has been taking the glitterati from day-to-night since 2022. Giant loungers are for working on your tan, while watersports (flite-boarding, sea scooters, SUP, water bikes) keep the energetic happy, before everyone convenes on the beach for late-into-the-afternoon lunches. As dusk falls, you’re invited to join in the Sunset Ritual before champagne corks pop and the dancing starts.
Gitano Beach, Tulum
@gitano
(Image: Gitano)
Gitano Beach club in south Tulum is a joyously jungly hangout, set on a quiet stretch of white sand that nudges the Sian Ka’an nature reserve. Giant palms frame the entrance, recognisable by the signature neon Gitano sign, while a huge disco ball twinkles above the smart black beach furniture. A Mexican all-day menu offers a fine line in guac, tostadas and tacos, washed down by a mezcal concoction or two – served either on your lounger or in the open-air restaurant to the gentle sound of the Caribbean Sea.
Casa Jondal, Ibiza
@casajondal
(Image: Daniel Balda)
Ibiza is the spiritual home of the beach club and relative newcomer Casa Jondal, on the White Isle’s southern coast, doesn’t let the side down. The decor is wild beauty meets rustic bohemia, all rattan furniture, relaxed linens and jute rugs artfully arranged beneath the twisting Sabina trees. Rafael Zafra (previously at El Bulli) helms the kitchen, serving up a fresh-from-the-sea menu – finish with one of the legendary desserts before sleeping it off on the beach. This is Balearic slow living at its best.
Casa Amor at Mandarin Oriental Jumeira, Dubai
@mo_jumeira
Mandarin Oriental Jumeira, Dubai is an oasis in the dazzling city, thanks to its Arabian Gulf shoreline setting. It’s all about low-fi luxe here, so you’ll likely find guests – clad in designer pareos and Vilebrequin shorts – kicking back in Casa Amor, a spin-off of the beach house and restaurant in Saint-Tropez. Designed to echo the free-spirited soul of Tulum, it also channels French Riviera joie de vivre, seducing guests with its earthy, eco-chic decor, ambient playlist and Chef Zouhair’s French-Latin menu.
Macakizi Beach Club, Bodrum
@macakizihotel
(Image: Christopher Kennedy)
When Macakizi first opened in 1977, it was a bed and breakfast – now a 73-room hotel, it sits in one of the most charming spots on the Bodrum peninsula, hugging a little bay with sparkling Aegean views. Little wonder its beach club is a favourite with supermodels (Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell have visited), rock stars and oligarchs, but it’s not flashy. This place has lost none of its original, chilled-out charm – bag a daybed on the deck down by the water’s edge, order a plate of lobster pasta and soak up the sun-drenched bonhomie.
La Reserve a la Plage, French Riviera
@lareserve_plage
(Image: Gregoire Gardette)
For seaside elegance, make it La Reserve a la Plage in Pampelonne,m near Saint-Tropez. Not many beach clubs have been given a makeover by luxury brand Loro Piana. The maison’s signature sandy hues pop against the azure backdrop of the Med, while fine linens and soft cashmeres bring a sumptuousness to the restaurant. It may be chichi, but the atmosphere is carefree. Afternoons are spent snorkelling, nibbling on tapas and browsing the boutique. After pressing pause for a few hours, this is the place to get in the Saint-Tropez party mood.
Uxua Praia, Trancoso
@uxua
(Image: Chris Caldicott)
There is luxury in authenticity – and this is definitely the case at Uxua Casa Hotel & Spa. Perched on a hilltop in Trancoso, Brazil, the multi-hued casas date back centuries, exquisitely updated by designer Wilbert Das. A winding path takes guests through mangroves and over a tiny bridge to the beach lounge, where the old fisherman bar is made from a salvaged wooden boat topped with a thatch roof. Fresh fruit cocktails and Bahian fusion snacks are the order of the day, followed by a capoeira lesson on the beach.
Potato Head Beach Club, Bali
@potatoheadbali
Bali is a beauty, not least at cocktail hour when the sky is streaked with fiery oranges, pinks and reds. Potato Head in Seminyak, a seafront desa where music, art, design, food and wellbeing combine, is just the place for a spot of sunset appreciation. With its infinity pool and uninterrupted Indian Ocean views, the beach club – aka 'Good Times HQ’ – is one of the main draws. It’s a total bliss-out as smiling staff weave between the daybeds, ferrying poke bowls, sweet potato fries and mojitos to supine guests.
Soho Beach Yas Island, Abu Dhabi
@sohogardendxb
This brand-new beach club on Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island is an offshoot of Dubai’s grown-up playground Soho Garden. Whether you arrive on your own yacht or use the club's speedboat service, it promises to be a scene-y and be-seen experience. Relax on oversize daybeds until the sun is low over the Persian Gulf; then the atmosphere ramps up, with well-known DJs inviting the cool crowd to dance the night away. After all, tomorrow it’s back to the lounger…
Header image credit: Gitano
