In a Barbie World: 12 Stunning Pink Hotels

A Gulf Coast fixture for almost 100 years, The Don CeSar has long welcomed sun lovers, including icons like F. Scott Fitzgerald and Clarence Darrow. (There’s a reason it’s on the National Register of Historic Places!) Situated on 11,000 square feet of seaside real estate, the Don CeSar boasts 241 recently remodeled guest rooms plus 36 amenity-filled suites, each with its own lovely view of the hotel’s picturesque surroundings. Lay out by one of the hotel’s two heated pools, grab a hammock on the beach, or spend the day at the resort’s expansive spa before heading to dinner at one of two restaurants on the property. Don’t forget to save room for a scoop or sundae because The Don CeSar even has its own ice cream parlor, Uncle Andy’s Market, on-site.

No list of pink hotels would be complete without The Madonna Inn. This kitschy pink hangout is located in San Luis Obispo, just a few hours’ drive north of Los Angeles. Each of the hotel’s 110 guest rooms is elaborately themed, meaning you can spend your evenings doing everything from channeling your inner caveman to getting bookish in a suite inspired by Harvard Square. Some rooms have rocky waterfall showers and cold craggy walls, while others, like Carin, are full pink fantasies. Don’t forget to grab dinner (and a couple of Instagram pics) in the hotel’s campy pink dining room, Alex Madonna’s Gold Rush Steak House, before retreating for a nightcap in the hotel’s equally photogenic cocktail lounge.

There’s a reason the Royal Hawaiian is known as the Pink Palace of the Pacific: With 528 luxurious rooms and 34 suites, this historic Moorish-style resort is most certainly palatial in its size and amenities. A Luxury Collection Resort, the Royal Hawaiian offers 5-star service, refined accommodations, and one-of-a-kind experiences, like their oceanfront Luau, Aha Aina, and both a secluded Malulani pool and private beach. If you’re thirsty, grab a cocktail at the beachfront Mai Tai Bar before heading over to the resort’s Abhasa Spa for a calming treatment in a secluded garden cabana.

The first hotel owned by a world-famous drag queen, the Trixie Motel is the deliciously pink and punny brainchild of RuPaul’s Drag Race winner Trixie Mattel. At just seven rooms, the motel isn’t huge by any means, but it still manages to offer a number of swaggy experiences and amenities, like custom-designed themed rooms and suites, a delightfully mod pink pool, and even a lounge bar. For those who want a glimpse inside the spaces before they decide which one to book, check out Trixie Motel on Discovery Plus, which chronicles the motel’s recent renovation.

Another historic hotel, La Valencia, has been open to tourists for more than 90 years. Set atop the La Jolla Cave cliffs, “The Pink Lady of La Jolla” offers 114 guest rooms, an ocean-view pool, sauna, shuffleboard court, and putting green. While the hotel’s panoramic view of the Pacific coastline is certainly nothing to sniff at, there’s also a lot of beauty to be had in the resort itself, which has been lovingly maintained for all these years and still retains its traditional Southern California Spanish architecture. Make sure to kick back and grab a cocktail in the hotel’s lobby bar, the La Sala Lounge, where you can gaze up at its hand-painted ceiling or just watch the sunset over the Pacific.

With rose pink pressed earth walls and luxe, Moorish-style architecture, Marrakech’s Amanjena resort certainly lives up to its name, which means “peaceful paradise.”  There are shady courtyards, fountains, and vaulted ceilings a-plenty, and each spacious guest room is situated in its own pavilion with its own garden and gazebo. (Some even have a private pool.) Take a hotel shuttle to a nearby souk for some shopping, just hang out on the property and bask in the resort’s Turkish-style hammam spa, two-story library, or grab a meal at one of the hotel’s three stunning restaurants. Bonus fun fact: The Amanjena has played host to a number of celebrities, including David Beckham, who celebrated his 40th birthday on site, and the cast of Sex and the City, who filmed part of their second movie alongside the hotel’s reflecting pool.

Another Palm Springs-area oasis, the Sands, is a must-stay for design lovers. With an interior crafted by celebrity favorite Martyn Lawrence Bullard, there’s always something lovely to look at in The Sands, where no detail has gone unnoticed. The resort’s 46 guest rooms all share a blend of Moroccan and mid-century styling, as do the on-site spa, pool, and Pink Cabana bar and restaurant. There’s even a private wedding garden that would make a stunning spot for a destination ceremony.

Located at the foot of Cape Town’s Table Mountain since 1899, The Belmond Mount Nelson Hotel is one of South Africa’s most luxurious and unique vacation destinations. First painted pink in 1918 as a form of celebration for the end of World War I, the Belmond Mount Nelson now has its own signature paint color custom crafted, so it fades to a certain tint between coats. The hotel offers not just nine acres of English-style gardens, colonial architecture, and a locally-inspired restaurant but also one-of-a-kind guest experiences, like a marine biologist experience that takes visitors through local kelp forests and lets them snorkel with friendly sharks.