You know you’re at a great resort—or a posh pool party—if the beach towels are that ideal combo of thick, soft and long enough even for tall guys. While it’s not quite summer yet, it’s not too early to think about investing in some proper beach paraphernalia now before you venture to the closest sandy shore or invite family and friends (finally!) for a dunk. Unlike their bathroom brethren, beach towels are typically a bit thinner, so they’re a bit less absorbent, and they also dry faster. Plus, they’re often much longer, so there’s plenty of room to sit back and relax on one underneath the sun. Perhaps most importantly of all, they’re more colorful and fun than most towels you’d use to dry off after a shower. The beach towel you pick matters a fair bit, then, as you’ll be competing with friends and others around you for who has the most stylish—and cozy—threads. Here, nine of our favorites.
The editors of Robb Report scour the globe (and the Internet) for the best of the best and only endorse products we love—and think you’ll love, too. If you purchase a product or service through a link in this story, we may receive a small commission.
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Serena & Lily Mallorca Beach Towel
Image Credit: Serena & Lily The fringe on Serena & Lily’s towel gives it a bit of a boho look. Made of plush Turkish cotton, it’s plenty soft, and the thick stripes are available in many different colors, from yellow to light blue.
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Hermés Raye Beach Towel
Image Credit: Hermés No stranger to the home goods biz, Hermés’ towel is made of 100 percent cotton and woven in France. Its design is equal parts colorful and minimalist, featuring a series of bright yellow lines—also available in pink—running along it from top to bottom. The yellow will make it easy to spot after a stroll down the beach.
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Frette Lido Beach Towel
Image Credit: Frette The age-old Italian brand is best known for its high-thread-count sheets, but Frette has broken into other luxury textile spheres as well over the years. Made of a double layer of terrycloth, this towel is both incredibly soft and incredibly absorbent—plus its simple design comes in a few different colorways. We love the wide border.
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Four Seasons Beach Towel Set
Image Credit: Four Seasons For fans of the Four Seasons hotels and resorts, buying the brand’s signature pillows, sheets and even mattresses has become a cinch. But their range of take-it-with-you textiles extends beyond the room to the pool deck. While checking into a Four Seasons–or any hotel for that matter–has been pretty difficult this past year, the hotel shop has you covered with this 100 percent cotton velour towel set. Naturally, it has the Four Seasons logo stitched into it, so you’ll remember past trips to the resort.
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Stone Island Logo Beach Towel
Image Credit: Farfetch A beach towel with a big logo emblazoned on it may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but there’s something to be said for standing out on the surf with a pink, certifiably-Stone-Island towel. You might want to snag a few resort wear pieces from the brand to go along with it.
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Missoni Home Chevron Beach Towel
Image Credit: Neiman Marcus Like most everything from the Italian brand, Missoni’s chevron towel is both beautiful and well made. Its main fabric is a cotton terry velour, and its multicolor, chevron design is bold without being too showy. Great for catching some rays in style.
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Michael Aram Beach Towel
Image Credit: Neiman Marcus Not everyone wants bright, beachy “I’m here!” towels. There’s an artistic flair to this Michael Aram piece that makes it a real standout, without drawing too much attention. It’s made of cotton, and the ombre effect gives it the look of a watercolor painting—only way cozier.
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Brooklinen Beach Towel
Image Credit: Brooklinen The inspirations for this wavy towel’s design are fairly obvious: sand, waves, water… you get the picture. What makes it great is the contrasting color palette, plus the materials—a balance of soft velour and absorbent terry.
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Frescobal Carioca Beach Towel
Image Credit: Farfetch Those looking for a less-is-more poolside look can stick to this linen towel from Frescobal Carioca, which has a few gray-and-white stripes… and that’s pretty much it. Unfussy to a fault, it’s a great gift for a friend who wants a no-frills option for their summer vacation.
