Why lounge on a beach when you can luxuriate in a majestic luxury resort instead? Pick your next vacation destination using an entirely new set of criteria: the most stunning hotel views in the world. Here are our top 12 for your viewing pleasure.

De L’Europe Amsterdam

Luxury getaways in Amsterdam? Try the De L’Europe

Nestled on the tranquil waterfront of the Amstel River, De L’Europe has the kind of picturesque views that most likely have inspired a Dutch Master or two to pick up a paintbrush. Fittingly 23 of the hotel’s rooms are stylized as artists’ suites, adorned with replica paintings of famed works housed in the Rijksmuseum.

Quaint water taxis and ferries trundle past through the canals below, and the city’s historic heart unfolds before you. De L’Europe was the setting of Hitchcock’s thriller Foreign Correspondent – perhaps he chose it for an excuse to book a luxury waterfront room.

Take in the sights! Search for a room at De L’Europe Amsterdam with momondo.

Jade Mountain Resort St Lucia

Wake up in paradise at the Jade Mountain Resort, St Lucia

You’d be forgiven for wondering if your eyes are deceiving you. Heavenly positioned way up on the hillside for maximum viewing pleasure, St Lucia’s Jade Mountain Resort overlooks the turquoise glory of the Caribbean Sea.

Take a dip in a private infinity pool, sip away at a cocktail and marvel at the light-spangled water, pale beaches, and greenery-smothered peaks rising up into the endless sky. If you’re a romantic, this resort’s panoramic splendor will have you weak at the knees. And if you’re not, the sights on offer here will undoubtedly give you a change of heart.

Check out those views! Search for a room at the Jade Mountain Resort with momondo.

Shangri-La Hotel Paris

Where should you stay in Paris? Try the Shangri-La Hotel.

One of the finest hotels in Paris, the Shangri-La offers sweeping views of the City of Lights – they’re so beautiful you’ll want to toast to them with a glass of vintage Moët.

Reward yourself with a piece of petit four confectionery for every landmark you pick out from your balcony window, they’re all within view. There’s the River Seine, just half a mile away, and the Jardins du Trocadero. And then there’s La Grande Dame herself: stunningly lit at night, the Eiffel Tower is so close it barely looks real – splurge on a two-storey duplex suite to see it in all its glory.

Marvel at the vistas! Search for a room at the Shangri-La Hotel with momondo.

The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise Alberta, Canada

Luxury resorts don’t have to break the bank, and the Fairmont Chateau is a semi-affordable gem for an Alberta getaway!

O, Canada. How can a country so beautiful be so famously humble? Sublimely positioned on the banks of Lake Louise, The Fairmont Chateau serves up a majestic mix of vistas:

There’s the emerald beauty of Lake Louise herself, the spectacular Victoria Glacier, and the awe-inspiring Bow Valley mountain range with its peppering of alpine trees and caps of snow.

Indulge in a famous afternoon tea at the chateau’s restaurant, and peer wonderingly through the floor-to-ceiling windows. The luxurious rooms feature a wealth of amenities including cable TV, but you’ll be too engaged by the views to look for the remote.

Be inspired by the sights! Search for a room at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise with momondo.

Explora Patagonia Hotel Salto Chico Torres de Paine, Chile

Wake up to stunning vistas with a stay at this great Parque de Nacional Torres del Pain retreat.

The Village People encouraged you to go west, but let’s try on the south for size instead. As far south as possible – until we reach the chilly Patagonian tip of Chile.

A minimalist white structure anchored on the banks of the turquoise Lake Pehoe, the Explora Patagonia hotel is palced right by the mouth of a waterfall in the heart of the Parque de Nacional Torres del Pain. It hardly gets more picturesque.

Breath-taking glaciers, pristine lakes, and snow-smothered jagged mountains form a ring around the hotel. If sighing at them out of your window isn’t enough, try a guided hike or a horseback trek, both ideal for exploring this untamed, untouched region.

Marvel at those breath-taking views! Search for a room at the Explora Patagonia Hotel Salto Chico with momondo.

Le Sirenuse Positano, Campagnia

Le Sirenuse, Positano, offers gorgeous views of the Amalfi Coast.

Le Sirenuse is aptly named, this siren will draw you right in. High on a cliffside overlooking the quaint village of Positano and the idyllic Amalfi Coast, it’s family-owned, boutique luxury amid life’s simple pleasures.

Tiny fishing boats and ferries scatter across the water by day, while by night the combination of the star-studded sky and the lights of the terraced, hillside town make for a truly charming backdrop.

As if the exterior views aren’t enough, the ones inside will impress as well: antique furnishings and decor handpicked by the family patriarch prove that Italy’s sense of style doesn’t stop with Milan.

Enjoy the sights! Search for a room at Le Sirenuse with momondo.

Blanket Bay Lodge Glenorchy, Queenstown, New Zealand

Looking for luxurious Glenorchy accommodation? Try the Blanket Bay Lodge. © Traveloscopy

With Mount Earnslaw on one side – and the greenery-clad Lake Wakatipu and the Humboldt Range mountains on the other – Glenorchy’s Blanket Bay Lodge is sandwiched by beauty.

It’s set amid the unspoiled and tranquil pastures of a vast high-country farm, offering endless swathes of New Zealand’s famed rugged charm. Private balconies, cozy hot tubs and a striking infinity pool all offer majestic lake views, and the Southern Alps are never out of sight.

If you’re the adventurous type, take advantage of the lodge’s helipad and book a flight-seeing trip over the stunning Fiordland National Park and Milford Sound.

Take in the scenery! Search for a room at Blankey Bay Lodge with momondo.

The View Hotel Monument Valley, UT, USA

A Star Wars film set? Nope, it’s The View Hotel, the best spot for Monument valley Lodging. © gee

Cast yourself in a real-life western with striking views – offered by the Wild West-themed View Hotel in Utah’s Monument Valley. A Navajo-owned property, the hotel is painstakingly designed to complement the natural beauty of the landscape. And with its Mars-like soil, pockets of desert grasses and awe-inspiring rock formations carved over millennia by the winds, the scenery’s nothing short of staggering.

Sit on your cabin porch and admire the tranquillity of the valley by day, then … continue to do the same when the sun goes down and the Milky Way blazes across the huge expanse of the sky. It’s wild.

Wonder at the view! Search for a room at The View Hotel with momondo.

Cocoa Island Resort Maldives

Wake up in paradise at Maldives’ Cocoa Island Resort.

Water, water everywhere – and what a view it makes. Cocoa Island Resort is quite literally a resort island. Think vividly white beaches, curving palm trees, a turquoise lagoon brimming with tropical fish, and wooden boardwalks connecting a series of 33 luxury overwater suites.

Spend your days relaxing on your private terrace gazing out at the sparkling water and the distant horizon. Spot stingrays and turtles from your vantage point on the boardwalk, stroll the powdery sand of the island barefoot, or step straight out from your suite into the lagoon to explore the magnificent house reef below.

Check out the scenery! Search for a room at the Cocoa Island Resort with momondo.

Das Central Hotel Sölden, Austria

Das Central Hotel. If it’s good enough for 007, it’s good enough for us.

With nothing short of sublime views of the Alps, Das Central Hotel better be licensed to thrill. Little wonder that this luxury hotel, along with its adjoining mountain resort, Ice Q, features so heavily in the New James Bond movie, Spectre.

Positioned way up high in the renowned ski resort town of Sölden, the hotel offers vivid views of the snow-topped summits from every vantage point. Decorated in cozy alpine style, it’s a perfect setting for watching the snowline gradually creep down to cover the craggy peaks and lushly forested landscape. Even James Bond thinks so.

See the views! Search for a room at Das Central Hotel with momondo.

PARKROYAL on Pickering Singapore

Have a futuristic luxury getaway at the PARKROYAL on Pickering. © Aussie Assault

Singapore is synonymous with city – except where PARKROYAL is concerned. A lush oasis in the center of this bustling metropolis, this luxurious beauty is distinguished by unique sky gardens that form rings around each of the hotel’s levels.

A stay here offers serene views of Hong Lim Park, it’s a small pocket of tranquillity and calm away from urban life. All four floors teem with greenery, with lushly organic expanses stretching across walkways, balconies and throughout the hotel’s interior.

Try an upgrade for access to the spectacular rooftop lounge, which offer 360-degree, light-studded views of the entirety of the city.

Enjoy the vistas! Search for a room at the PARKROYAL on Pickering with momondo.

InterContinental Porto – Palacio das Cardosas – Porto, Portugal

Fit for a king: The Porto InterContinental looks out onto the historically rich Liberdade Square.

Live like royalty in an 18th century Portuguese palace in the historic heart of Porto. Brimming with heritage and opulence, Palacio das Cardosas is rich with decadent textiles, gleaming marble, and vast chandeliers.

Pour a glass of red and stand on your wrought-iron balcony admiring the views of the famed Avenida dos Aliados, a sloping boulevard lined with cafés and shops – and capped with the Town Hall at one end and Liberdade Square at the other. With hot spots like the Bolhao Market, and the striking Clérigos Church just a stone’s throw away, you can map out tomorrow’s sightseeing right from your window.

Make the most of the sights! Search for a room at the InterContinental Porto – Palacio das Cardosas with momondo.

Looking for more travel inspiration? Check out the momondo blog for tips and advice on how to get the cheapest hotel deals or check out what the hotel star ratings really mean.