Five Best: Poolside cabanas

Why fight for space on the beach when you can revel in a private tent?

Grand Hotel Son Net, Mallorca

You have uninterrupted views of the Tramuntana Mountains from the forest green cabañas at the Hotel Son Net. Once a grand country mansion dating from the 18th century, the hotel perches above the tiny village of Puigpunyent on Mallorca's west coast. The 25 cabañas cluster around the pool and along a Jacuzzi-lined terrace below. While away an afternoon sipping delicious cocktails made by resident poolside barman, Lewis.

Castillo de Sonnet, Puigpunyent, Mallorca (00 34 971 147 000; www.steinhotels.com/sonnet). Doubles start at €280 (£200). Cabaña rental costs €40 (£28) per day.

The Peninsula, Bangkok

Teetering on the edge of the Chao Phraya river in the heart of the Thai capital, the Peninsula Bangkok is a gleaming paean to pared-back Oriental chic. Its 12 teak wood pavilions surrounding the three-tiered pool exude the same understated glamour and offer a serene retreat when the bustle and heat of the city streets become too much to bear.

Peninsula Bangkok, 333 Charoennakorn Road, Klongsan, Bangkok, Thailand (00 66 2 861 2888; www.bangkok.peninsula.com). Double rooms from US$200 (£117) including breakfast. Cabañas are available free of charge.

Jumby Bay, Antigua

Jumby Bay is a private island fringed with the requisite powder-white sand beaches off the isle of Antigua. Its eight cabañas cluster around the 25m lap-pool. You can arrange for a butler to be on hand to cater to your every whim, a nanny to amuse your little darlings or an in-cabaña treatment from the spa. This also means guests have plenty of time to indulge in some holiday reading aided by the resort's "Hot Type" service - previews of future bestsellers from leading publishers, before they hit the bookshops' shelves.

Jumby Bay Island, PO Box 243, St Johns, Antigua, West Indies (001 268 462 6000; www.jumbybayresort.com). Double rooms from US$889 (£522) including all meals and cocktails. Cabañas are available free of charge for guests.

Hotel Cipriani, Venice

The Hotel Cipriani occupies a prestigious corner of Giudecca island with panoramic views of Venice and the Lagoon. Its new poolside cabañas are perfect for the numerous visiting A-listers and offer plenty of privacy from the eager eyes of fellow bathers. Needless to say, these are no ordinary cabañas; armchairs, sunbeds, mini-bars and fruit baskets are the norm, while the interiors are draped with pastel-coloured linen. Massages are also available from the wellness centre.

Hotel Cipriani (00 39 041 520 7744; www.orient-express.com). Double rooms start from €625 (£435) including breakfast. Cabaña rental costs from $200 (£145) per day.

Beverly Hills Hotel, Los Angeles

The double-decker tier of cabañas around the pool of the legendary Beverly Hills Hotel is a hive of activity in the run-up to the Oscars. Celebrities love to come here and have their treatments from the hotel's large La Prairie Spa, in the privacy of a cabaña. They also have their own flat-screen TVs, bathrooms and changing rooms and an endless supply of chilled towels and sorbets. At other times of the year, you can lounge and peep over your sunglasses to see if you can catch a glimpse of any of the visiting stars that like to call the Pink Palace their home away from home.

The Beverly Hills Hotel, 9641 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, California (001 310 276 2251; www.thebeverlyhillshotel.com), Doubles start at $410 (£241) room only. Cabaña rental from $100 (£59) per day.