Our founder, Robert Atkinson, loved exploring the world, but too often, he noticed that a promised paradise turned out to be a letdown. He started writing the Hideaway Report in 1979 to share reviews of places truly worth traveling for. We carry on his mission, circling the globe incognito, because today, the trickle of exaggerated claims has become a waterfall. We’re all awash with influencer fluff, AI-doctored photography and pay-to-play “reviews” that are nothing more than thinly veiled advertorials.

As Andrew Harper editors, we’ve developed keen noses to sniff out mediocre places masquerading as fabulous. But ever the optimists, hoping that what we’re seeing and reading is true, we inevitably encounter disappointments. These awards highlight the most ignominious of 2025.

Biggest Waste of Potential: Peter Island Resort
British Virgin Islands

Once something of a secret treasure in the Caribbean, Peter Island was forced to close in 2017 after Hurricane Irma. Now reopened, it still looks as glamorous as ever, with idyllic beaches and unspoiled tropical landscapes, but that, unfortunately, is where the magic ends. Throughout our stay, the spectacularly amateurish service consistently amazed us: Our “private island host” couldn’t remember my name, housekeeping arrived unannounced, and the receptionist-concierge stayed glued to her phone. The low point? Fishing a metal staple out of my guacamole shortly after a raucous day-tripper knocked my drink over at the Drunken Pelican (this resort is a hot spot for young seafarers looking to party). Even the purported eco-ethos is lost amid a sea of plastic straws and water bottles. Once a paradise in the British Virgin Islands, Peter Island is now almost a parody. I felt deeply disappointed, especially knowing how effortlessly polished it once was.