Whether it's a picture of you standing in an infinity pool, gazing out along the white sandy beach of Tulum, Mexico at sunset, or perched on a balcony in the Amalfi Coast, as the sun kisses your freckled shoulders before you head down the cobbled steps to dine at Ristorante Chez Black in Positano, Italy, you always needs a willing Instagram husband/girlfriend/accomplice to take several shots of you for your carefully curated Instagram holiday album.

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'Just one more, I promise,' you say, after viewing your other half's horrific attempt at a portrait shot, before scuttling back to your chosen Instagram spot as you pretend not to notice onlookers laughing at your best 'Bella Hadid on holiday' poses.

Look, we know it's pretty embarrassing to plan your holiday around your Instagram photos but, when you have several colleagues and Facebook friends swanning off to the likes of Cuba, Venice and Ibiza every other weekend this summer, we're all guilty of wanting to join in on the 'Insta holiday action' and make everyone else that wee bit jealous of our escapades à l'étranger.

If you can't beat 'em – join 'em, right? And while you're at it, make it as beautiful, sandy beach and vista-filled as possible.

With that in mind, here's our top pick of the world's best Instagram destinations this year:

Jade Mountain, St. Lucia

Situated in St. Lucia's south-western Caribbean coastline lies the 600 acre beach front resort of Anse Chastanet, Jade Mountain Resort.

With 24 infinity pool santuaries – yeah, not rooms, but sanctuaries – and five sky jacuzzi suites, the bedrooms celebrate unparalleled views of the Piton World Heritage Sight and the Caribbean Sea, each swimming pool feature 15ft high ceilings and are designed with the 4th wall open to the views of the surrounding area to give you the illusion of diving into the view.

Each sanctuary is connected by bridges, with bedrooms appearing to float out onto platforms from the hotel. Like the sanctuaries, the hotel bathrooms are individually designed to best capture the surrounding landscape and are equipped with rain shower and chromatherapy whirl pool tubs.

In the evening, guests can enjoy live entertainment on selected evenigns, ranging from one of the island's foremost jazz musicians to a classical acoustic guitarist. During the day, you can also visit the hotel's boutique St. Lucia spa, Kai en Ciel, or enjoy complimentary yoga classes and private yoga lessons.

Meanwhile, thrill seekers can head down to the coast to take part in private snorkeling, scuba diving and bird watching tours. Oh, and with no radios, televisions or telephones in the sanctuary suites, technophiles will be addicted to taking photographs of the stunning views.

Find out more here.

Mahali Mzuri, Kenya

Mahali Mzuri is the Richard Branson-owned glamping utopia, nestled hillside, in a valley of the famous Maasai Mara.

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Image Courtesy of Mahali Mzuri

If you're Africa uninitiated, then Kenya is the place to start, for its warm hospitality and safe inland refuges. And if you're animal obsessed, then you've basically no option but to visit the Maasai Mara, for if you miss out and you speak to anyone that has been, you'll be so besieged by jealousy that you might never get over it.

Mahali Mzuri, Kenyapinterest
Mahali Mzuri

And, if you plan to do the Maasai Mara in exquisite style, with so many million Insa-worthy snaps to choose between that you'll be doing throwback posts for months, then you haveto stay at Mahali Mzuri.

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Mahali Mzuri

An exclusive set of just 12 luxuriously decked out 'tents' (we're using single quotes because you basically get given a hillside house, complete with bath overlooking the plains), plus a well-stocked bar and a staff that waits on you hand and foot, anticipating your every need from sun cream to mojito - Mahali is a world apart.

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Mahali Mzuri

Their current 'Romance' offer, for those travelling with Insta-husbands, includes three nights' stay, all food catered for, unlimited champagne (literally, is this place for real?!), twice daily game drives, a picnic, a private dinner and a spa treatment each, starting from £3749. Find out more about Mahali Mzuri here. For more info about Kenya, click here.

Le Sirenuse, Positano

In 1953, writer John Steinbec once wrote: 'Nearly always when you find a place as beautiful as Positano, your impulse is to conceal it.' Personally, I think that's an understatement. Now, while you might never want to leave this on-earth paradise, you'll certainly want to scream and shout about your experience on social media and you'll find no place better to do this than at the five-star hotel, Le Sirenuse. In 1953, writer John Steinbec once wrote: 'Nearly always when you find a place as beautiful as Positano, your impulse is to conceal it.' Personally, I think that's an understatement. Now, while you might never want to leave this on-earth paradise, you'll certainly want to scream and shout about your experience on social media and you'll find no place better to do this than at the five-star hotel, Le Sirenuse.

First opened in 1951, this Neapolitan family hotel is a 58-room resort and has been frequented by the likes of Sienna Miller, Anne Hathaway, Eddie Redmayne and Reese Witherspoon. (I once saw George Clooney on a private yacht from my balcony here, so you know it's pretty A-list). First opened in 1951, this Neapolitan family hotel is a 58-room resort and has been frequented by the likes of Sienna Miller, Anne Hathaway, Eddie Redmayne and Reese Witherspoon. (I once saw George Clooney on a private yacht from my balcony here, so you know it's pretty A-list).

The hotel is located 70 metres above the sea and has unbeatable views of the centre of the Amalfi Coast. During the day, you can hire the hotel's private boat, the Sant'Antonio, explore other areas along the Coast including Naples, Pompeii, Ravello and Capri or sit back and enjoy the view from the hotel's champagne and oyster bar on the terrace, the candle-lit, Michelin-star Ristorante la Sponda or nestle yourself under the lemon trees at the swimming pool bar. The hotel is located 70 metres above the sea and has unbeatable views of the centre of the Amalfi Coast. During the day, you can hire the hotel's private boat, the Sant'Antonio, explore other areas along the Coast including Naples, Pompeii, Ravello and Capri or sit back and enjoy the view from the hotel's champagne and oyster bar on the terrace, the candle-lit, Michelin-star Ristorante la Sponda or nestle yourself under the lemon trees at the swimming pool bar.

Luxury says what? Find out more here.

Amanwella Resort, Sri Lanka

How does the sound of coconut palms dancing on the golden sandy beach at sunset while you sip an ice-cold glass of Sauvignon Blanc on the terrace of one of Sri Lanka's untouched tranquil hideaways on the south coast?

Amanwella | ELLE UKpinterest
Amanwella

In the seaside town of Tangalle lies Amanwella resort – a spectacular five-star resort that could pretty much be the definition of 'luxury' if you looked it up in the dictionary. On arrival, guests are treated to a mint passion fruit beverage, before enjoying a traditional Sri Lankan welcoming blessing called 'Ayubowan' (meaning 'may you enjoy a long life' in Sri Lankan) by the hotel's expert staff.

Amanwella | ELLE UKpinterest
Amanwella

Minutes later, a buggy arrives to take your company to one of the resort's outstanding contemporary suits – we suggest the ocean view villas - with uninterrupted views of the sea, beach and coconut grove, a plunge pool in a private courtyard, a private terrace with sun loungers, an open-plan bathroom with a free-standing bathtub and twin vanities, daily-filled personal bar and biscuit jars and a toilet with a glass wall that looks out onto the ocean.

Amanwella | ELLE UKpinterest
Amanwella

Once checked in, guests can make their away down to the hotel's private beach or swimming pool where glasses of ice water await their arrival, or enjoy in-room spa treatments ranging from a traditional warm-oil Abhyanga massage or one-hour facial (our top pick, FYI). Feeling rejuvenated after a long hard day by the pool, visitors are invited to sit down at the Restaurant's terrace, above the pool with views across the palm-fringed bay, and dine on the catch of the day from local fishermen's boats, traditional Sri Lanka cuisines such as coconut sambal and curry, as well as more western delights like risotto.

Amanwella | ELLE UKpinterest
Amanwella

For those wanting a more private dinner, you can request to dine on the beach amid the coconut grove for the most Instagrammable dining experience of your life. With an on-site library, lounge bar, and beach club, you'll find it hard not to fall in love with Amanwella – trust us. Find out more here.

Amàre Beach Hotel Marbella

Amàre is a glamorous, adults-only hotel in Marbella, set just back from the white sand beach, with stunning views out over the Costa Del Sol.

​Amàre Beach Hotelpinterest
​Amàre Beach Hotel

Marbella is no longer the Marbs of Towie fame. Always a popular spot for UK holidaymakers, parts of it are now decidedly upmarket, with beautiful ambiance, luxury touches, great service and delicious food. And if you want Insta snaps in front of the best sea view in the whole region, Amàre Beach Hotel is the place to stay.

The rooftop bar serves exotic and unusual cocktails, (with typically generous Spanish measures) and has the bluest views you can imagine. Glass walls allow you to look out over the Med, while shielding you from the sea breeze - and the deck is the very definition of a sun-trap.

Food and drink is one of the key highlights of a stay at Amàre, and fortunately as much effort is put into creating beautifully-plated dishes as to the flavour of them. The best options are the traditional Spanish fare, made fresh with local ingredients and with a totally Insta-friendly attention to detail.

Rooms at Amàre start from £200 on a bed and breakfast basis,including complimentary daily sunbeds, use of the Technogym and WiFi.

St Regis Resort, Bora Bora

Unleash your inner Baywatch run at the St. Regis Bora Bora – a private-island resort with 44 acres of the most breath-taking French Polynesian landscapes you'll ever bare eyes on. The hotel features the ultimate choice of private villas, ranging from 1,550 square feet to whopping 13,000 square feet accommodation, where guests can indulge in private terraces, gazebos, whirlpools, private gardens, plungepools and private beach access.

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St Regis

If that's not enough, guests can enjoy the Miri Miri Spa by Clarins, water activities including snorkeling and diving, and dine on the likes of such, Italian specialities and booze on cocktails at the resort's several eateries including Sushi Take Japanese, Far Niente Ristorante and the Aparima Bar. If that's not enough, guests can enjoy the Miri Miri Spa by Clarins, water activities including snorkeling and diving, and dine on the likes of such, Italian specialities and booze on cocktails at the resort's several eateries including Sushi Take Japanese, Far Niente Ristorante and the Aparima Bar.

However, if you're in need of even more privacy, you can contact the Romance Concierge (yup, that's a job) to request a bespoke, personalized candlelit dinner across secluded locations in the resort. With crystal-blue oceans and views of Mount Otemanu, we don't blame you if you want to stay forever. Find out more, here.

Hotel Salto Chico, Chile

Situated in the centre of Patagonia's 598,000–acre Torres del Paine National Park (a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve) is Hotel Salto Chico or, better yet, what we like to call 'real-life Narnia', set amid a biosphere of waterfalls, glaciers, forests and granite pillars that reach 2,000 metres above the Patagonian steppes. Situated in the centre of Patagonia's 598,000–acre Torres del Paine National Park (a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve) is Hotel Salto Chico or, better yet, what we like to call 'real-life Narnia', set amid a biosphere of waterfalls, glaciers, forests and granite pillars that reach 2,000 metres above the Patagonian steppes.

Overlooking Lake Pehoe and the the granite peaks of the Torres del Paine ridge, the 49 rooms – equipped with massage baths and without televisions – celebrate nature in their architecture, with wood furnishings from species such as lenga, cypress and almendrillo running throughout the building. Overlooking Lake Pehoe and the the granite peaks of the Torres del Paine ridge, the 49 rooms – equipped with massage baths and without televisions – celebrate nature in their architecture, with wood furnishings from species such as lenga, cypress and almendrillo running throughout the building.

Connected by a sloped wood path lies the hotel spa, massage room and pool area, with views over to the Paine river. Elsewhere, guests can sit at the Explorer's Bar and discuss the site's 40 exploration tours, horse expeditions with 26 breeds of horses, treks to theprimitive rock paintings at Lago Sarmiento and boating excursions on Lake Pehoe.

Find out more here.

Plaza Athénée, Paris

No visit to La Belle Villeis sufficient without a stay at Plaza Athenee. Established in 1913, this Parisian haven is a well-known favourite among royalty, celebrities, and politicians and boasts 154 rooms and 54 suites, each designed with a quintessentially, traditional Parisian idea in mind. is sufficient without a stay at Plaza Athenee. Established in 1913, this Parisian haven is a well-known favourite among royalty, celebrities, and politicians and boasts 154 rooms and 54 suites, each designed with a quintessentially, traditional Parisian idea in mind.

With Louis XVI inspired decorate and of the Eiffel Tour, guests are invited to enjoy the rooms' Italian marble bathrooms, the hotels' five restaurants on site – all of which are overseen by multiple Michelin-starred chef, Alain Ducasse – as well as Europe's only Dior Institut, offering the world's best spa treatments. Elsehwere, guests can enjoy the hotels' famous La Cour Jardin – an private garden space with greenery and the site's signature red parasols while dining on beef tartar, artichoke risotto and raspberry and rhubarb dessert. With Louis XVI inspired decorate and of the Eiffel Tour, guests are invited to enjoy the rooms' Italian marble bathrooms, the hotels' five restaurants on site – all of which are overseen by multiple Michelin-starred chef, Alain Ducasse – as well as Europe's only Dior Institut, offering the world's best spa treatments. Elsehwere, guests can enjoy the hotels' famous La Cour Jardin – an private garden space with greenery and the site's signature red parasols while dining on beef tartar, artichoke risotto and raspberry and rhubarb dessert.

However, our favorite spot in the Plaza Athénée has to be the hotel dining room, designed by Patrick Jouin and Sanjit Manku, with a decor that feels like you've stepped inside the pearl of a clam, with opulent white furnishings and twinkling chandeliers. However, our favorite spot in the Plaza Athénée has to be the hotel dining room, designed by Patrick Jouin and Sanjit Manku, with a decor that feels like you've stepped inside the pearl of a clam, with opulent white furnishings and twinkling chandeliers.

Even the most grumpy of 'Instagram husbands' won't be able to say 'non' to a photo here. Happy (Instagram) holiday!

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Katie O'Malley
Site Director

Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.