The best new hotels in the world: 2025 Hot List
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We've spent the last 12 months sleeping, eating, and sailing our way around the globe in order to bring you Hot List, our carefully curated annual collection of the best new (and reborn) hotels, restaurants, and cruise ships in the world, and we had a ton of fun doing it. How could we not when it involved activities like zip-lining to dinner in the Maldives, sleeping in an actual tree house in Kenya, and eating a truly memorable meal in a converted auto body shop in Mexico City? The through line of this year’s list is joy – something we could all use a little more of in our lives. These are the 2025 Hot List winners.
GEORGE APOSTOLIDIShotelMandarin Oriental Mayfair, London, UK
Mandarin Oriental’s second London opening, in a corner of the capital’s most sought-after neighbourhood, was the talk of the town long before the doors opened. Leading designers captured the brand’s Asian heritage in haute couture hideouts in emerald green, with considered splashes of turquoise and sheeny metallic finishes throughout. Kaleidoscopic floral arrangements greet guests in the lobby, who range from families utilizing interconnecting room arrangements to suited visitors dropping in for fizzy informal meetings. Signature suites are Mayfair pieds-à-terre, where hand-painted de Gournay wallpaper lines the walls, Natura Bissé products scent the bathrooms, and classic English novels adorn the coffee tables, ready and waiting for Champagne-sipping, kimono-wearing guests. On the lower ground level, Akira Back’s lofty ambitions are no secret – rightly so, as stealthy chefs slice through seafood and an attentive team glides around pairing fine wine and umami morsels in one of the capital’s prettiest dining rooms. ABar Rooftop is an elegant spot for pre-supper cocktail sipping with panoramic views that extend as far as Hampstead Heath. Experienced hands soothe aching muscles in the subterranean spa’s cosy treatment rooms as other guests break a sweat on the gym’s Technogym equipment. Signature wellness packages include “Tranquillity of Mayfair,” a four-hand massage involving two masseuses, free-flowing oils, and a binaural vibroacoustic session using advanced touchless technology to calm the mind. Beside the 82-foot pool, the hustle and bustle of Oxford Circus feels a million miles away, rather than the stone’s throw it is. From £994. Connor Sturges
hotelThe Emory, London, UK
It would be easy to walk straight past this glass box of a hotel that overlooks Hyde Park and not realize that it’s perhaps the starriest hotel in London. One of the last projects of the late great architect Richard Rogers, London’s first all-suite hotel is a departure of sorts for the Maybourne Group, best known for heritage classics like Claridge’s and The Connaught. It enlisted an all-star cast: Jean-Georges Vongerichten for the lightly airy ABC Kitchen; Tracy Anderson for the fitness studio in the 21,573-square-foot, longevity-focused Surrenne spa; and a handful of big-name interior designers, such as Rémi Tessier, who designed the entire ground floor and entrance along with the Emory Rooftop Bar and Cigar Merchants and all four floors of Surrenne. Others include André Fu (Claridge’s Spa), Pierre Yves Rochon (The Savoy), Alexandra Champalimaud (Raffles Singapore), and Patricia Urquiola (Six Senses Rome). While there's nowhere else like this hotel in London, thanks to the Damien Hirsts dotted about and helicopter transfers with larger suites, there's also nowhere quite as discreet. From £985. Toby Skinner
Anna Batchelor/The Cavendish HotelhotelThe Cavendish Hotel at Baslow, UK
A jaunt through sylvan parkland to Britain’s most aesthetic stately home, Chatsworth House, this Peak District coaching inn owned by Chatsworth’s Devonshire family has had a glow-up. Interiors maestra Nicola Harding, Beaverbrook’s secret weapon, worked alongside Laura Burlington, the estate’s current custodian. Paintings from the family collection line the walls, from American portrait artist Elizabeth Peyton to Turner Prize winner Jeremy Deller. Almost all 28 bedrooms and suites have bucolic views framed by sash windows. Deep, comfortable coral pink corduroy armchairs and stout feather-stuffed cushions invite you to sink into them and delve into memoirs and books on art, gardening, and local lore. Quiet good taste is the order of the day, with block-printed wallpaper, whipped-cream ceilings, wainscots, framed botanicals, and emerald green felt-upholstered doors. The eau-de-nil-hued Gallery Restaurant is filled with estate drawings, gilt-framed etchings, and sumptuous landscapes, including two by Irish painter Oliver Comerford. It’s the perfect setting for executive chef Adam Harper’s upmarket menu of oysters, mackerel parfait, shellfish bisque, ham hock, and beef Wellington. The Garden Room opens onto a terrace and has a breezy decor of pinks and magentas with rattan chairs and brick floors. It offers relaxed brunch choices too, like garden soups, prawn cocktails, English asparagus, and farm roasts. Produce hails from the beehives, mushroom emporiums, kitchen gardens, and game on the estate and from suppliers within a 10-mile radius. From £193. Lydia Bell
Rupert PeacehotelOne&Only Kéa Island, Greece
One&Only is the first major hotel group to open on Kea, a little-known Cycladic island not far from mainland Greece. The design emphasizes locally sourced stones, with lots of open, mottled-concrete structures that let the natural cove setting speak for itself. Tranquility is key; rooms are more like individual villas, and have private patios, secluded balconies, and 24- and 29.5-foot infinity pools. For such a contained resort, there's a lot on offer. At the foot of the valley is the tree-shaded Bond Beach Club, which serves Mediterranean-Asian fusion cuisine, and behind that is the spa, the largest within the One&Only group, where guests can indulge in bespoke treatments from Subtle Energies. Then there’s its kids club and sports centre, with a tennis court and a paddleball court, and guests can book in for scuba diving and day trips on its 1967 wood yacht. At the peak of the hilltop is the central lobby and main restaurant with almost panoramic views across the Aegean and to the temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounio beyond. From £1,415. Charlotte Davey
Martha VosdouhotelGundari, Folegandros, Greece
The first luxury boutique resort on the Greek island of Folegandros is an authentic refuge from its energetic neighbours in the Cycladic archipelago. With no airport or cruise terminal plugging it into the tourism circuit, this is the donkey-straddling Greece of old: rugged, unspoiled landscapes and quiet villages that nurture their age-old traditions. Gundari’s 27 earthy limestone suites and villas are perched on cliffs that soar above secluded beaches lapped by sparkling Aegean waves. With private infinity pools, a swim-up bar, and cuisine overseen by Lefteris Lazarou, guests can disconnect from the world in style. From £504. Noo Saro-Wiwa
Rupert EdenhotelPalacete Severo, Porto, Portugal
This recent opening on Porto’s granite streets comes with a storied past. Palacete Severo was built by architect Ricardo Severo in 1904, displaying different stylistic elements from all over Portugal, making it something of a museum of details. Today the yellow-walled house has been immaculately restored by designer Paulo Lobo to offer 20 rooms in the main house as well as a new building across the garden. There is a spa with plant-based Olivier Claire products, a sleek swimming pool, a bistro in the lovely internal tiled courtyard, and a restaurant helmed by chef Tiago Bonito, who earned a Michelin star for his work at Largo do Paço in Portugal, and sommelier Sara Godinho. Modern art overlaying the restored 20th-century stained glass and stuccoed ceilings comes from French owner Géraldine Banier’s Perspective Gallerie. From £281. Mary Lussiana
Guillaumede LaubierhotelBrach Madrid, Spain
Smack-dab on Gran Vía, Evok Collection’s second opening outside France is leading the third hotel wave in the Spanish capital – unsurprising given that one of the men who invented the boutique hotel helmed the design: Philippe Starck. The elegant, belvedere-topped seven-story building finished in 1922 now tucks in 57 bedrooms, including four suites. With the reception upstairs, the ground floor houses the bar, restaurant, and patisserie, which segue into each other, fostering a clubbable brasserie feel. The low-lit restaurant has woven-leather ceilings hung with double lampshades and mahogany-panelled walls lined with interesting limited-edition hispanophile books and vivid art. Chef Adam Bentalha’s recipes roam the Med, from the Middle East (croissant-fluffy challah; za’atar-drenched suckling lamb shoulder) to the Iberian peninsula with Spanish produce (red tuna, Bellota ham). Rooms and suites, a few with sun-trap terraces, have jatoba-wood joinery and are warmed by pinks and oranges, terra-cottas, and flashes of moss green. The La Capsule spa is decked with white and floaty curtains (very Delano Miami à la 1990s) and has a 65-foot pool clad in cream marble; a suite of biohacking gadgetry that includes a hyperbaric chamber; and a menu ranging from facial electrostimulation to Chinese massage Chi Nei Tsang. From £466. Lydia Bell
MarugalhotelDunas de Formentera, Spain
I was barefoot the first time I checked into what was then known as Las Dunas Playa, a sandy-floored, bare-bones beach resort with a crescent slip of a swimming pool. My now husband and I sipped cañas at an open-air bar and slept in a pared-back beach bungalow among scrubby sand dunes, the crash of waves just meters from our bed. I’d never seen stars so bright. Las Dunas became our offshore escape when Ibiza hit peak midsummer mercury. Sixteen years on, it is smartening up, and though Formentera fiercely protects its dunes, forbidding new constructions, hotelier turned sustainability pioneer Pablo Carrington and his peerless Marugal group are experts at treading lightly. Today, the hotel has been restored and renamed Dunas de Formentera, retaining the stripped-down vibes but in more salubrious surroundings, with service that is discreet and chatty. In the capacious bedrooms – some of the island’s largest – daybeds and limewashed Balearic walls are the perfect foil to sabina-pine-framed Mediterranean views. Split-level outdoor terraces are shaded by banana plants and lavender, while meandering walkways lead back to that same crescent pool and soaring bar. Restaurant tables and raffia chairs cluster beneath resinous evergreens. As we wander down the silvery boardwalk that links the beach bungalows with the hotel itself, we stumble across our first-night casita. Despite a creamy micro-cement makeover, elegant terra-cotta styling, and a smart terrace, it still echoed with the crash of the waves. And by night, those stars shine just as bright as the first time I saw them. From £327. Maya Boyd
Michelle ChaplowhotelFairmont La Hacienda Costa del Sol, Spain
Fairmont aims for La Hacienda Costa del Sol to be the top golf and beach resort in southern Europe. The resort spans over 990,000 square feet and includes an award-winning golf club and direct access to a two-and-a-half-mile beach. With beautiful views of Morocco and Gibraltar, it sits in a less-traveled area of the Costa del Sol, near Sotogrande, ideal for those seeking relaxation, water sports, gastronomy, and culture. Guests can enjoy golf, dolphin watching, and visits to cozy small villages and verdant forests. The resort’s design by Daar Studio features tiered buildings and independent villas, maximizing sea views and blending with the landscape. The decor, by Studio Ibu, includes natural materials and earthy tones for intimacy. The 153 rooms and suites, plus 47 villas, vary in size and come with private gardens (the luxury ones with pools). The Spanish chef Benito Gomez oversees the Dalmar restaurant, focusing on relaxed dining with shareable high-quality dishes. From £336. David Moralejo
hotelCasa de las Artes The Meliá Collection, Madrid, Spain
The Meliá Collection has opened its first hotel in Madrid, called Casa de las Artes, with the aim of redefining luxury through a focus on modernity, art, and culture. Located in the Barrio de las Letras, the hotel is in a Beaux Arts-style building that once housed the General Association of Railway Employees. Inside, original Dalí lithographs decorate the walls, and a midcentury corridor leads to an indoor swimming pool and creatively designed meeting rooms. The 137 rooms include unique illustrations of Don Quixote, warm furnishings, Nespresso machines, and luxury bath products by Carner. The hotel's restaurant, Maché, serves classic Madrid tapas alongside a variety of fish and meats, while a cozy cinema named Miró pays tribute to the private projection rooms of the golden age of Hollywood. From £258. David Moralejo
hotelMaxx Royal Bodrum, Turkey
Not a year goes by without a glitzy new arrival along Turkey’s Turquoise Coast, so it takes something particularly special to turn heads, and superyacht bows, in these parts. Maxx Royal Bodrum Resort, the group’s third after Kemer and Belek, did just that in spring 2024, having called on celebrated Turkish architect Mahmut Anlar to blend a futuristic resort between iridescent azure seas and verdant hills. There are suites, gargantuan villas, sleek lagunas, and terraces that flow into shared infinity pools in which minutes soon turn to hours. Resorts along the Bodrum Peninsula tend to not shout about their culinary offerings, but Maxx Royal is doing things differently. The food consumed in the restaurants is just as crucial as the treatments that extract toxins in the Maxx Wellbeing Centre. Linen-clad hotel guests start with poolside iced lattes and, once little ones are whisked off to a ludicrously fun kids club, the rosé sipping commences; some choose instead to embark on the 90-second walk to Scorpios’ beach club nestled in the same horseshoe cove. This is one Aegean hangout that’s got rival hoteliers scratching their heads – and scribbling over their plans. From £869. Connor Sturges
Giulio Ghirardi/Hôtel du CouventhotelHotel du Couvent, Nice, France
There’s a deep sense of contemplation about this former nunnery turned hotel in Nice’s Old Town. In 2014, Valéry Grégo began collaborating with Studio Mumbai and Studio Méditerranée for the architecture, and Festen Architecture for the interior design to transform the abandoned shell (deconsecrated in the 1980s) into the South of France’s most soulful place to stay. The result is movingly beautiful: the 88 bedrooms include carefully conjoined nuns’ cells, airy conversions of chapter rooms, and those in a sensitively added new wing – all lime plaster, muted linens, and antique finds. The subterranean circuit of thermal pools is inspired by the ruins of Roman baths nearby; a herbalist dispenses custom-blended teas from his apothecary tucked along one of the cloisters. In the three restaurants, many of the ingredients come straight from an organic farm in the Var valley. This restorative refuge is a heavenly study in simplicity and a slower side to the oft-glitzy Côte d’Azur. Fiona Kerr
Mr. TRIPPERhotelExperimental Chalet Val d'Isère, France
The Experimental playbook – playful design, serious food, deadly serious cocktails – may be familiar, but there’s still a frisson when the brand brings its signature hedonism to fresh locales. Ever-smarter Val d’Isère is Experimental’s 11th location, and second in the Alps after Verbier in late 2018. Brand-darling interior designer Dorothée Meilichzon has brought her straight-line-phobic haute whimsy to this 113-key property in what used to be L’Aigle De Neige, a tired wood-and-stone four-star. Stucco walls and features like the old Savoyard stone fireplace add a touch of Alpine nostalgia, but the bon vivant lifestyle remains central: from the louche, 70s-inspired Experimental Cocktail Club to the airy neo-bistro L’Aigle D’Or and cosier, more trad L’Aigle, where slabs of comté and gruyère are melted for unctuous fondues by a bulbous open-fire oven. With a subterranean spa and ski hire place, it’s instantly Val’s most fun place to stay. Toby Skinner, Doubles from about £270, winter season only.
Mattia AquilahotelLe Dune Piscinas, Sardinia, Italy
Those familiar with Costa Smeralda will find Sardinia’s southwest coast a surprise. But then again, everyone will find it a surprise. It’s one of Europe’s last wildernesses, where crooked juniper bushes jut from billowing dunes. The hotel was once a warehouse for the nearby ironworks, which was inherited by an Italian colonel who made it into a simple hotel before the current owners spent three years transforming it. Lined by an art installation of LED candles that flicker as you pass, a stone-hewn tunnel used by mine carts now leads to the spa. In the bar Negronis are mixed beneath wooden beams taken decades ago from a medieval tower, while behind an aquarium-like window, chefs prepare octopus and polenta. The surrounding hillsides and eerie mining relics can be explored by e-bike or quad bike, but mainly guests walk down the boardwalk to the empty sands or slouch by the pool with a glass of Vermentino, later gathering on the piazza for the sunset show. A total original. From £305. Rick Jordan
Chris Dalton/Romeo Roma is a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the WorldhotelHotel Romeo, Italy
When you step into Romeo Roma, you will immediately find yourself in a truly unique place. That’s partly thanks to Zaha Hadid – there’s Carrara marble honed into bold curves, Macassar ebony, and a design reminiscent of a spaceship from the future. But also because it all takes place in a 16th-century palazzo where ancient artefacts were found, such as the marble head of Livia Drusilla, wife to the emperor Augustus. Only a few steps away from Piazza del Popolo, on Via di Ripetta, some of the 74 rooms and suites are decidedly futuristic, while others have original frescoes as a counterpoint to the modern bathrooms and the warmth of the Krion, the white material of the freestanding bathtubs in the middle of the rooms. And then there’s Alain Ducasse’s restaurant, the French chef's first major experiment since the launch of the sister hotel in Naples and the only part of the property open to the public. (The hotel will introduce a membership program to access the gym, the spa, and other on-site common areas.) Monsieur wins not just with his platter of oysters and artichokes and with puntarelle, a cult vegetable in Rome, but also with breakfast, a spread of rare refinement, prepared à la minute at the table. Try the omelette; splendid and as fluffy as a feather. Unmissable experience: the Sicilian salt detox chamber in the spa by Sisley Paris. From £1,927. Maddalena Fossati
Palazzo Talìa is a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the WorldhotelPalazzo Talìa, Rome, Italy
In Call Me By Your Name director Luca Guadagnino’s movies, houses are less locations than leads. The Italian aesthete set up his own interior design studio in 2017. For his first hotel project, he applied his talent for “dimensional storytelling” to the museum-like public spaces of 26-room Palazzo Talìa. It’s an ambitious renovation of a storied 16th-century Renaissance palazzo that, as Rome’s most prestigious patrician school, produced over three centuries of cardinals and dignitaries. The Talìa entrance is now a door into a singular cinematic world conjured by Guadagnino’s contemporary dialogue with the building’s past. The overall mood is curiously futuristic. A three-metre-high 1940s chandelier provides an interface of silvery light between old and new. Moquettes outfitted in berry pinks, hematite red, and Verona-green prints are modern reflections of frescoed ceilings. The modular armchairs on the 17th-century marble floor of the assembly hall recall 2001: A Space Odyssey. All that’s missing is the script. From £526. Stephanie Rafanelli
Stefano ScatàhotelPalazzo Durazzo, Genoa, Italy
More than a hotel, Palazzo Durazzo is the signature project of Emanuela Brignone Cattaneo and her husband Giacomo Cattaneo Adorno, whose family own the Palazzo. It’s aligned with a larger citywide regeneration effort that aims to return Genoa to its status as one of Europe’s great capitals. In the same family for 400 years, this Baroque pile on the waterfront has been rescued and elegantly adapted into a lavish boutique hotel that sets a new standard for luxury in a city that was in dire need of a refresh. With 12 suites furnished with museum-quality antiques, a number of which are adorned with knockout Baroque frescoes, Palazzo Durazzo is more than sumptuous accommodations – it tells the history of a city that was once a maritime and banking power rivalled in grandeur only by Venice. From £332. Brendan Shanahan
Alex MolinghotelEriro Alpine Hide, Ehrwald, Austria
Until last year many skiers and hikers exploring the Wetterstein mountains would stay near the base of Ehrwalder (it neighbours the Zugspitze, Germany’s highest peak). But that was before Eriro, which, at 5,085 feet, stands out, not just for its ski-in, ski-out location but also for the extraordinary craftsmanship that showcases the raw beauty of local materials. Inside, the chalet-style building is all contrasts: bouclé sheep-wool rugs cover stone floors, and rough spruce-burlap lattice panels and smooth curved-back seats adorn the restaurant. All nine rooms have the same detail-driven feel – bedside lamps made of rocks, tree-trunk bathtubs – and constantly shifting light. The food is rooted in its surroundings (suppers range from family-style to six courses), while spa treatments use oils made from foraged medicinal herbs. There’s also a yoga studio, a creative space for painting and pottery, and a program of outdoor activities including meditative walks and snowshoeing. This is somewhere to connect with nature, on every level. From £1,280. Emma Love
Julius HirtzbergerhotelThe Hoxton Vienna, Austria
The Hoxton group used to be about cool-hunting the most happening neighborhoods, but these days it’s more about finding the right building and then creating a scene-stealing buzz around it. In Vienna, that meant a mid-century classic by Bauhaus-trained architect Carl Appel and formerly the Austrian Chamber of Commerce. It’s a lot sexier than it sounds. The entrance where homburg-wearing businessmen once gathered is now a café terrace that twirls with parasols and spritzes in the summer; the terrazzo-floored lobby is draped with greenery and embellished with lipstick-red Fifties sofas, while the Cuban-inspired rooftop bar has locals queueing by the lifts for rum cocktails while guests cool off in the adjoining pool. In a city a little too in thrall to Lobmeyr chandeliers and Viennese classicism, this is a hotel that thinks outside the box. From £161. Rick Jordan
RosewoodhotelRosewood Schloss Fuschl, Salzburg, Austria
The view from the terrace stretches over two and a half miles to the opposite shore of Austria’s Lake Fuschl. The majestic mountain slopes rise up along both sides of the lake. No hotel in the Alps offers a better panoramic view than the Rosewood Schloss Fuschl. If it sounds like something out of a film, you’re right: the castle was actually the location for the first movie in the famous Sissi trilogy from the late 1950s. The original castle was built in 1461 and it was turned into a hotel in 1947. Since Rosewood’s lavish restoration, it has become an international hot spot. In the summer, the lake club (a huge wood jetty over the water with plenty of loungers) attracts guests from all over the world; in the winter, they can be found at the Asaya Spa (with indoor and outdoor pools, three saunas, and a gym with lake views). There are historic suites in the old tower and contemporary rooms in the new building. The cuisine is mainly local, with regional specialities such as Leberkäse (a beef, pork, and bacon loaf), schnitzel, and Kaiserschmarrn pancakes. Salzburg, the birthplace of Mozart and home to one of the best festivals for classical music and performing arts, is just 16 miles away. From £525. Dennis Braatz
hotelThe Brecon, Adelboden, Switzerland
Had history’s fickle ways played out differently, the Alpine village of Adelboden would be as well known as Gstaad, where Loro Piana rubs shoulders with Moncler on the high street. But after a flurry of fame in the Edwardian era, when Henry Lunn brought the first package group of British skiers here, it settled into affable obscurity, livened up by the annual World Cup giant slalom. One loyal regular, though, was Welsh-born Grant Maunder, whose family holidayed here in the 1970s and ’80s and who repaid the village’s hospitality by opening the Cambrian hotel about 15 years ago. This is the follow-up, and it’s an altogether more considered project, swerving away from the usual Alpine clichés in favour of a clubby midcentury look assembled by Dutch-based design studio Nicemakers. Behind the classic chalet façade, the ground-floor living space, which flows from breakfast tables to dining room and bar, ripples with texture – bouclé fabrics here, Nordic Knots rugs there, crazy paving underfoot – and showcases vintage furniture alongside woodcuts and brutalist sculptures. Easy to imagine Tony Curtis here, resplendent in a roll-neck and perusing a ’60s copy of Esquire. The intention was to make it all feel as much of a private home as possible, with bedrooms clear of hotel clutter and a sense of relaxed, “just drop by” warmth. It’s adults only and, unusually, fully inclusive (from feasts of salmon and mountain cheeses to the old-fashioneds), a concept at which some may baulk – until they remember their last restaurant bill in Switzerland. Maunder refers to The Brecon’s aesthetic as “Swelsh,” and, when you’re dallying in the terrace pool, with the flanks of the Bernese Oberland rising operatically above, it all feels pretty wonderful. From £650. Rick Jordan
Jonathan Maloney / Inga Beckmann for What The Fox StudiohotelCorinthia Grand Hotel Astoria Brussels, Belgium
This being the hometown of intrepid Belgian reporter Tintin, it’s easy to picture Bianca Castafiore – that redoubtable, jewel-encrusted opera singer – performing in the grand palm court here. But think of all the broken glass. If her voice can shatter a Champagne flute at a hundred paces, what would it do to the magnificent roof above, painstakingly assembled from 100,000 individual pieces? The Grand Hotel Astoria was Belgium’s big comeback story for 2024: originally opened in time for the Brussels World Fair in 1910, it has hosted guests as diverse as Dalí and Emperor Hirohito, but fell into decline and retired nearly two decades ago. Corinthia has spent the past four years restoring it, and nostalgic Bruxellois who came here for afternoon tea are now flocking back to see it, including the Belle Epoque stained-glass corridor on the first floor and the neoclassical columns of the breakfast room, complete with musicians’ gallery and surely the grandest place in town to eat a pain au chocolat. It’s topped by a new floor of penthouse suites, while the basement has been carved out to accommodate two pools and an extensive spa – one of the largest in the city. But the biggest draw is the tag team of assembled Belgian culinary talent, with a flamboyant fine-dining menu from David Martin (dishes such as poached oysters with green peppers arrive on artfully designed ceramics) and Le Petit Bon Bon from local hero Christophe Hardiquest, who has fun with classics such as shrimp croquettes and a sardine spread that comes in a neatly rolled tin. A newly-arrived cocktail bar is serving drinks under the direction of Hannah Van Ongevalle, one of the Belgian cocktail scene’s leading lights. Add to that a concept shop next door showcasing young designers, and this place is set to become as much of a social hub as its London outpost. From £555. Rick Jordan
Jiri LizlerhotelW Prague, Czech Republic
Prague’s been having something of a hotel moment recently, with Andaz landing in a former sugar-insurance HQ and Fairmont moving into the old InterContinental digs. Arguably, though, this new opening has the best setting of all: behind the gold-embossed façade of the Grand Hotel Europa, whose winsome Art Nouveau details would doubtless thrill a certain pastel-jacketed film director. Some may be surprised to see the W logo above such a landmark building, but the group has matured of late (see its palatial Budapest outpost), and the careful restoration here – chandeliers replaced, mahogany panels repaired – is impressive. It’s not just a period piece, though: The Grand Café now hosts the steak-savvy Le Petit Beef Bar, the spa fizzes with hydrotherapy experiences, and in the new wing the lounge revels in futuristic surrealism with mushrooming columns and a fixture above the bar that resembles eyelashes. The W may be more grown-up but still knows how to have fun. From £259. Rick Jordan
Jonathan Maloney / Inga Beckmann for What The Fox Studio / The SurreyhotelThe Surrey, a Corinthia Hotel, New York City, USA
Originally built in New York City in 1926, The Surrey is a historic Art Deco gem that was once a residential hotel frequented by celebrities like JFK and Bette Davis. It has since been completely renovated and now operates under the management of the global luxury hotel group Corinthia. But despite its new conglomerate boss, the hotel has retained its famous residential ambience. Guests are immediately welcomed by stylish doormen into what looks like the lobby of an elegant Manhattan townhouse (complete with a Museum Mile-worthy art collection). These Easter egg odes to The Surrey’s fabled past are in part thanks to interior designer Martin Brudnizki, mastermind behind The Beekman and the Fifth Avenue Hotel, among other properties. Instead of the colourful maximalism Brudnizki is best known for, The Surrey favours subtle geometric details and muted pastels, with a light touch of the designer’s signature patterns and textures sprinkled throughout. It all feels expensively zen and secretly high-taste, as is the Upper East Side way. Hannah Towey
Chris Mottalini/The MannerhotelThe Manner, New York City, USA
Drenched in shades of ochre and warm reds, with varied textures of ceramic, cement, and tile throughout, The Manner in Manhattan’s SoHo is a “nostalgic utopia” – as its architect Hannes Peer puts it – combining Gio Ponti-esque Milanese midcentury modernism with glamorous New York flair. But what does that actually mean? It’s sexy. In the same way, a really good jazz song is. And its guests play their roles accordingly. From 20-somethings attending Fashion Week parties to chic married couples reading by the fire, everyone here is either good-looking, interesting, or both. Or maybe it’s the hotel itself that instils its inhabitants with this mysterious cinematic aura. Whichever is the case, the sex appeal of this place isn’t one that’s intimidatingly aloof, or exclusive, or weirdly dark-lit. To quote the film Crazy, Stupid, Love, it’s the perfect combination of sexy and cute – a home base where you can rest your head after dancing late into the night or tuck in early with a burger and a book. From £618. Hannah Towey
The HensonhotelThe Henson, Hudson Valley, USA
In such close proximity to Manhattan, the Hudson Valley provides a necessary haven from the constant buzz of city life – one such haven is The Henson thanks to its elegance-meets-cosy-inn vibe and an atmosphere that’s at once quiet and chic. The rooms feature design-forward touches, and common areas are straight out of a design magazine, with a chunky bouclé sofa, only the coolest coffee-table books, and a crackling fireplace. The property’s restaurant, Matilda – from two notable New York City chefs – is a destination in and of itself too. While The Henson is well within driving distance to other pockets of the Catskills, you probably won’t feel any urge to stray far. From £215. Emily Adler
The RanchhotelThe Ranch Hudson Valley, Sloatsburg, New York, USA
It is five o’clock in the morning and a Tibetan chime is ringing just outside my door. The usual bleary nausea of such early rises is absent, shooed away by sobriety, exercises, and fruits and vegetables. By 5.30am I’m joining the group downstairs for a guided stretch, and as the sun rises I share breakfast around a long table before setting off to hike. This is the Ranch Hudson Valley, which opened its doors last spring in upstate New York, an East Coast outpost of the famed Malibu original. Housed in JP Morgan’s former slate-and-stone mansion, the retreat sits on 200 acres of wooded lakefront. The highly regimented five-day mind and body reset program is built around health treatments, plant-based eating, and extensive hiking – guests get about three hours of it each day. Ranchers work out together and suffer together, cold-plunging in a single file and schvitzing in a windowed sauna. I had expected to reward myself at the end with a burger and cigarette, but found I could not stomach them. My brain had been dipped in change, and I wanted to maintain what I’d started to build. From £1,745. Charlie Hobbs
Mark Mediana/The Boca RatonhotelBeach Club at The Boca Raton, Florida, USA
There is travel, and then there is the lazing bliss of vacation. And when you check into the Beach Club at The Boca Raton, you check out of reality. The sumptuous escapism is largely thanks to the butler-like service: the toughest decision you’ll face will be whether to lounge at the pool, beach, or spa. In December 2024, the Beach Club completed a $130 million renovation, including 210 redesigned guest rooms and suites, two new restaurants, and a completely refreshed lobby featuring a new bar and café. With natural marble, limewashed plaster walls, and cerused woods, the design emulates a serene coastal feel – sans in-your-face tropical embellishments. Pro tip: if there’s a place to splurge on an ocean view, it’s here. I stayed in a seventh-floor balcony room and in the morning, we would open the floor-to-ceiling windows to watch the sun rise over the water before we momentarily fell back asleep to the ocean breeze, as if floating on a cloud. From £845. Hannah Towey
The Dunlin, Auberge Resorts CollectionhotelThe Dunlin, Auberge Resorts Collection, South Carolina, USA
Auberge Resorts Collection’s Lowcountry debut centres the coastal charm of the sparkling South Carolina sea islands. Transformative wildlife immersion abounds over 2,000 acres that include a marshfront pool and dining, in-room soaking tubs overlooking the water, and an on-site farm fueling craving-worthy Southern food. There are dolphin and seabird safaris amid the towering piles of massive oysters that make up the meandering coastline (those bivalves will be fresh on your plate come dinnertime), and 72 summer-cottage-style rooms with coastal-grandma-chic design: scalloped sun umbrellas, wicker furniture, and mint-hued gingham make every inch of the place feel like an ethereal yet timeless summer home. Aptly named for the region’s plover sandpiper, The Dunlin, Auberge Resorts Collection is the perfect marriage of Southern sophistication and nature’s bounty. From £425. Shannon McMahon
hotelBanyan Tree Veya Valle de Guadalupe, Mexico
In the vast northern Baja California peninsula, Valle de Guadalupe has long been a favourite for in-the-know West Coast travellers. But now the “Napa of Mexico” has entered the global spotlight thanks to the July 2024 opening of Banyan Group’s wellness hotel Banyan Tree Veya Valle de Guadalupe – the first international luxury property in the area. Designed by acclaimed Mexico City-based architect Michel Rojkind, it features 30 earthy pool villas, five restaurants, and a slew of regionally inspired spa treatments. But in true Valle de Guadalupe fashion, the shining star just may be the property’s private winery, Pictograma. Purists may wonder whether a wellness retreat is the right place for a winery. One glass of post-hydrotherapy red will erase any doubts. From £261. Annie Daly
Joe Thomas/Four SeasonshotelFour Seasons Resort and Residences Cabo San Lucas at Cabo Del Sol, Mexico
Just when you thought Cabo couldn’t possibly need another top-shelf resort, the Four Seasons opens on a sweep of pristine coastline between the towns of Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo and proves you wrong. Of course, it has the requisite Baja building blocks – excellent fish tacos, Pacific views, and a chic pool scene – but what sets it apart is that it stays true to its location and history while feeling thoroughly grounded in the present. Like its updated take on a traditional Mexican village square, including a cobblestone drive and whitewashed buildings but also a buzzy artist-in-resident studio and a gourmet deli with great coffee and regional wines and spirits. Or its excellent Nikkei-inflected restaurant Cayao from Mexican-born chef Richard Sandoval. Or the stunning Tierra Mar spa that marries Indigenous healing modalities with cutting-edge technology. Perhaps Cabo didn’t need just any luxury hotel – it needed this one. From £1,063. Rebecca Misner
Nekajui, A Ritz-Carlton ReservehotelNekajui, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Liberia, Costa Rica
On Costa Rica’s Papagayo Peninsula, the preexisting situation of symbiotic luxury has just gotten richer with the arrival of Nekajui, which sits like a bird of paradise brooding atop its nest on the hill. From this vantage point, you’ve got a clean view of the densely wooded, monkey-populated hillside that slopes straight down to the beach and Pacific Ocean beyond (we recommend taking the funicular to and from). The moment you pass through the heavy wood doors of the entry casita and stand in the gaslit courtyard’s centre beneath the ceiba tree (the branches of which are thought to reach heaven), you’ll feel like you’ve made it there yourself or, at least, to the cultivated estate of a particularly prosperous friend. The highlight to end all highlights every day is the sunset, which can be enjoyed from just about any spot in this western-facing enclave: the suspension bridge, the terrace with a cocktail, your balcony. Stay long enough to see it from at least a few different angles. From £1,847. Charlie Hobbs
The Potlatch ClubhotelThe Potlatch Club, Governor's Harbour, Bahamas
Travellers who want to feel like they’re summering at a friend’s beachfront estate will thoroughly appreciate the laid-back vibe of the Potlatch Club on the isle of Eleuthera. The lush property has only 11 keys on 12 acres, a seamless service team who’ve worked together for more than 20 years at other hotels, and a cluster of storied structures, some of which date back to 1923. In the 1950s, after the property was purchased by a trio of socialites, it became a private hideaway for celebrities like Paul McCartney, who honeymooned here with Linda in 1969. Current owners Bruce Loshusan and his business partner Hans Febles began work on the resort in 2016; Loshusan recruited Nassau-based interior designer Amanda Lindroth to help produce the dreamy, relaxed atmosphere that encompasses what people find enchanting about island life: white shiplap ceilings, pink coral stone floors that extend to the bathrooms, and cosy wooden porches with rattan daybeds and chairs. From £600. Alexandra Sanidad
Peter Island ResorthotelPeter Island, British Virgin Islands
From the moment the resort’s yacht glides into the serene waters of Yacht Harbor in Sprat Bay, the transition from passenger to prized guest is practically instantaneous. Peter Island is the largest private island in the British Virgin Islands, yet the resort has managed to capture an utterly intimate vibe. In 2017, Hurricane Irma tragically destroyed homes and upended lives throughout the Virgin Islands. The resort strives to be as sustainable as possible; it has a reverse osmosis water purification plant and two wind turbines that can generate up to 75 per cent of the island's power. And yet Peter Island still doesn't mess with what works, and leans into a familial flavour of hospitality that feels like you’re at your favourite aunt and uncle’s for the holidays. From £775. Kat Chen
John Athimaritis/Six Senses La Sagesse GrenadahotelSix Senses La Sagesse Grenada
The tiny volcanic island of Grenada is both an unexpected and obvious choice for Six Senses’ foray into the Caribbean. Compared to big-hitting neighbours like St Lucia and Antigua, it has been overlooked by travellers to the region. But this means that it remains largely uncrowded and retains a more rustic version of tourism. Six Senses has done well to anchor itself to that: here, your welcome ritual begins with a sensory spice “tour”; its 56 suites and 15 villas are stylish but designed to sit unobtrusively on the landscape; and its curated excursions – rainforest hikes; Rastafarian farm visits – spotlight the best of Grenada’s natural bounty. In classic Six Senses style, wellness is a key protagonist, and you can seek out everything from aerial yoga to sleep therapy, as well as treatments like the Caribbean Cleansing Ritual that nod to the surroundings. It’s very tempting to stay put, heading to the spa or sipping rum cocktails poolside, but you’d do well to pair off with one of the property’s community hosts and head out: to spice-laden markets in its photogenic capital or for a bit of beachside limin’ (defined locally as “kicking with friends”), a beloved national pastime. From £775. Arati Menon
Natelee CockshotelDelano Dubai, UAE
Delano’s Middle Eastern debut on Bluewaters Dubai, a man-made island also home to the world’s largest observation wheel, has the potential to be as disruptive as the original Delano in Miami. An antidote to the city’s marble and chandelier-laden five-star hotels, the interiors here are pared back, the scale reassuring. Forget your run-of-the-mill “standard” and “sea view” – rooms here have romantic-sounding monikers like Rising Light and Waking Eclipse, references to the sweeping horizon and vistas of the water, more of a rarity in Dubai than you might think. Rose Bar may not offer the same Hollywood A-list-spotting opportunities as its Miami counterpart, but it does a good job of capturing its decadent speakeasy vibes, and homegrown hospitality group Rikas Hospitality Group is behind the resort’s intriguing restaurant concepts, which include coastal Anatolian cuisine at Blue Door and French Slavic at Maison Revka. From £579. Selina Denman
Jack JohnshotelNujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia’s Ummahat Islands are one of the most unvisited archipelagos on earth – the perfect setting, then, for the first-ever Ritz-Carlton Reserve in the Middle East. Nujuma (inspired by the word nujum, which means “stars” in Arabic) opened here last year and is giving the Maldives a run for their money. Its spheroid Foster + Partners –designed overwater villas are secluded and connected by an eye-catching circular walkway elevated above a Red Sea that teems with dugongs, giant stingrays, hawksbill turtles, spinner dolphins, and pristine coral. Saudi heritage is infused into many aspects of this resort, from the cuisine inspired by Arabian traditions to balmy stargazing sessions led by an astronomer who recounts traditional tales of the constellations. From £1,836. Noo Saro-Wiwa
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Shoayb KhattabhotelDar Tantora The House Hotel – AlUla, Saudi Arabia
During my stay at Dar Tantora The House Hotel, more than 1,800 candles blazed to life after sundown, creating a romantic atmosphere that whisked me away from the new millennium to some bygone era when Scheherazade herself might appear and tell tales until the break of dawn. This transportive hotel in the ancient oasis town of AlUla, Saudi Arabia, was installed across 30 abandoned mud-brick dars, or houses, in a restoration project led by the Egyptian architect Shahira Fahmy, creating an immersive property where organic shapes and textures abound. The resulting mood has a homeyness to it while bearing the weight of AlUla’s antiquity; whenever my feet touched the carpet or my hands grazed the bricks, I almost physically felt the past. There’s a simultaneous sense of disconnection and connection here; the former from the chaotic whirl of modernity, and the latter with the historically fascinating and environmentally rich landscape of this corner of the Middle East. From £462. Matt Ortile
Stevie MannhotelSoneva Secret, Maldives
After having defined the Maldives for a generation of switched-on travelers, how could Sonu and Eva Shivdasani possibly raise the bar? Well, for a start, the design is even more open to the elements than at Soneva Jani or Fushi: those who wish can sleep with their doors open to the sound of waves seemingly lapping up toward their toes. A different private chef each night brings a rotating global menu to the table – though nothing beats zip-lining down to the restaurant out at sea. Anyone looking for Maldives one-upmanship, meanwhile, will be thrilled by the movable “floating” villa on stilts in the ocean. Seven nights full board from £14,170 per person, including flights and transfers. Divia Thani
Roman Réglade / Courtesy Cheval Blanc SeychelleshotelCheval Blanc Seychelles
LVMH’s much-anticipated sixth property, Cheval Blanc Seychelles, sits on the southwest coast of the Indian Ocean archipelago’s largest island, Mahé. Its 52 private-pool villas, designed by architect Jean-Michel Gathy, are scattered along Anse Intendance beach and up into the thickly forested hillside that hides its Guerlain Spa. Inspired by Creole architecture, villas have high vaulted ceilings and sliding glass doors, designed to pull the outdoor deck and infinity pool into sharper focus. Palatial beds sit on a dais for no-need-to-move ocean or treetop views, while a palette of textured artworks, fabrics, and ceramics balances the vivid natural landscape. An intuitive butler-slash-personal assistant or majordomo is on call 24/7, and wait staff are relaxed, thoughtful, and discreet. Five restaurants serve myriad cuisines from Japanese to French haute cuisine to Italian classics to Creole dishes. Many guests will be happy dialling room service; however, determined to enjoy Cheval Blanc’s triple promise: exclusivity, exceptional service, and privacy. From £1,498. Clare Dight
Uga HalloowellahotelUga Halloowella, Sri Lanka
High up in the clouds, this elegant colonial bungalow in the Tea Country of Sri Lanka is Uga Escapes’ latest addition. Transformed by Geoffrey Bawa’s protégé, Channa Daswatte, the original pinewood walls and satinwood floor remain, but now there are six super-spacious suites, with four poster beds, plump floral sofas, and claw-foot baths. Mornings unfold with breakfast on the terrace overlooking mesmerizing Castlereagh Reservoir. During the day, enjoy spa treatments in the garden gazebo, loll by the infinity pool, or ramble along the Pekoe Trail. At night, gather beside the crackling fire in the drawing room, with its sleek teak furniture, before tucking into superb Sri Lankan food in the bold palm-muraled dining room. From £948. Harriet Compston
Anantara Hotels & ResortshotelAnantara Ubud Bali Resort, Indonesia
The magic in Anantara's newest property on Bali isn't necessarily on-site, despite the sweeping terrace that sits like a nest atop the jungle canopy on a mountain, the individual bungalows carved into the hillside, the fantastically delicious cuisine that makes you realize Indonesian food should rival Italian on the world stage. Anantara knows that, in a place like Bali, unprecedented access is the biggest luxury. Which is why it has focused on bringing its guests to the heart of the true Bali, one undisturbed by the hordes of travellers on the coast. This means private sessions with Hindu high priests, guided tours through lesser-explored water temples, and immersive visits to isolated mountain villages. But of course, it's nice to know that after a day of trekking through rice paddies and going on cultural explorations, the hotel's signature spa will welcome you back with a full massage, with native birdsong just audible through the large windows overlooking that gorgeous jungle. From £445. Erin Florio
Shinsui OharahotelYoruya, Okayama, Japan
Forget Tokyo-skyscraper bling. Yoruya, located in the time-capsule southwestern city of Kurashiki, offers an understated vision of Japanese luxury. This contemporary reimagining of a 110-year-old former kimono merchant's residence, comprising 13 guest rooms, a restaurant, and a bar, is the perfect crafted blend of past and present. The interiors by Simplicity Design Studio balance heritage-rich architecture with a sense of stillness – serene sweeps of white, softly curved corners, bespoke black oak furniture, light-filtering washi, curated crafts. Rooms are scattered across two old and two new buildings, and some face an inner garden with white walls, abstract rocks, and a pink flowering tree. Highlights include hidden bathtubs in stone courtyards and a taste of the micro-seasons at the restaurant’s U-shaped hinoki-cypress counter. The crafted beauty of the quiet and peaceful Yoruya is deeply rooted in place. From £385. Danielle Demetriou
Six SenseshotelSix Senses Kyoto, Japan
Kyoto – both old and new – takes centre stage at Six Senses Kyoto, a modern sanctuary (and the brand’s Japan debut) in the culture-rich Higashiyama district. After crossing a shrinelike threshold, you’ll swap busy streets for a sun-soaked lobby with biophilic curves, a ceiling that resembles origami, and a wall of 504 handmade tiles that overlooks a tree-wrapped pond. Kyoto history are woven into the light contemporary décor, from animal artworks inspired by a 12th-century scroll (Japan’s first manga) to recycled washi-paper fox heads outside 81 guest rooms. Serene and crafted, guest rooms have signature wall dividers, copper lighting, and minimalist white moon paintings (hiding giant TV screens). In an expansive wellness space, modern science meets traditional healing and ancient Kyoto wisdom amid woods and stones. Seasonal ingredients shine bright at Sekki, a laid-back restaurant that spills into the green courtyard, where a sunken table is the perfect spot to both start and end the day. From £873. Danielle Demetriou
Robert RiegerhotelJanu Tokyo, Japan
It’s not easy being the Aman brand ’s new little sister, whose minimalist temples set the benchmark for escapist luxury. Yet when Janu Tokyo, the inaugural flagship, launched in Japan last year, it quickly made its mark with a playful, sociable spirit and –something of an anomaly in the Aman cosmos – splashes of colour in the interior. The hotel, whose name means “soul” in Sanskrit, rises up to the 13th floor of a new tower in the heart of Azabudai Hills, a major new urban development in Tokyo. It’s home to a culinary constellation of eight food and drink venues, including relaxed Italian Janu Mercato and intimate sushi spot Iigura, a vast four-level spa that spans over 43,000 square feet and 122 guest rooms with serenely minimalist decors that hint at its Aman DNA. From £1,239. Danielle Demetriou
Himanshu LakhwanihotelRaffles Jaipur, India
The 50-key Raffles Jaipur, on the outskirts of the city, takes its design cues from the palaces of its erstwhile queens. In keeping with this idea, the hotel unfurls the farther you walk in, much like the secluded ladies’ quarters of yore. The main wing of the hotel is built around an atrium that’s adorned with the brand’s signature palm trees, where a changing roster of musicians play ragas in the evenings. While it might be among the smaller hotels in the brand’s portfolio, Raffles Jaipur is replete with an inherent opulence that is a throwback to the hotelier’s first outing, in Singapore in 1887. Inlay work, mirror art, intricate carvings, giant chandeliers, and marble fountains channel old-world Rajput royalty and, in combination with the Raffles aesthetic, bring a modern-day palace to life. And this version of the royal life includes a spa with hot and cold mineral water baths, cocktails like the very pink Jaipur Sling customized for the Pink City at the stunning Writers Bar, lavish Indian food presented in a contemporary format, and the promise of sundowners on a rooftop embellished with minarets and chhatris. From £475. Diya Kohli
Rahul Kizhakke VeettilhotelRan Baas The Palace, Patiala, India
Luxury in India comes in a thousand notes and combinations, but even so, Ran Baas stands out as something special. Once a guesthouse of the royal family of the kingdom of Patiala, this 35-suite hotel nestled in a 10-acre fort complex is now a suave orchestration of vintage and modernist, austere and extravagant. Statement chandeliers, hand-painted de Gournay wallpapers, and quirky interiors add a wash of 21st-century luxe to the stately courtyards, high-ceilinged halls burnished with Belgian stained glass, and the white stucco façade crowned by cupolas. Breakfast in a hall decorated with old frescoes and cocktails by candlelight reflecting off floor-to-ceiling mirror-work are both surreal and decadent, and morning walks around the old fort are steeped in a monumental solitude and peace. From £335. Chandrahas Choudhury
Himanshu LakhwanihotelThe Oberoi Vindhyavilas Wildlife Resort, Bandhavgarh, India
The jungles of central India have long drawn wildlife lovers, most in pursuit of the tiger. Just in time for the summer safari season, the Oberoi group has arrived on the scene with this resort on the fringes of Bandhavgarh National Park, a landscape where elephants trundle through the grasslands. The rich culture of the region is as much of a draw and inspiration. The grand wooden entrance has been hand-chiseled by Gond artisans – one of the two main Indigenous communities – who also painted murals for the 19 tents. Hand-embroidered pale cream canopies, with motifs of spotted deer and the distinctive mahua tree, take inspiration from local art and murals. Sliding doors open onto a veranda and a garden scattered with purple petals from the kachnar tree, whose leaves, flowers, and buds are used in many of the dishes. Executive chef Sachin Kumar spent time learning recipes of the erstwhile Baghel kingdom, within which Bandhavgarh was located (the Royal Baghelkand dinner is of jackfruit dumplings with a delicate mahua kulfi for dessert, served on tiger-embossed brass crockery). It’s the group’s second foray into wildlife tourism after The Oberoi Vanyavilas Wildlife Resort in Ranthambore, and the team is led by naturalist Ratna Singh, who grew up around these forests, or by those trained by her. On safaris, guests might encounter mama sloth bears, Indian bison, blink-and-you ’ll-miss-them leopards, or – star of the show – a tiger sprawled across the trail. Other activities take you into neighbouring farms and fields to learn to identify bird calls. Immersive is an overused word, but this is a fascinating showcase for a region often overlooked by international travellers. From £425. Malavika Bhattacharya
Mandarin OrientalhotelMandarin Oriental Qianmen, China
The Mandarin Oriental Qianmen offers a unique blend of luxury and tradition in Beijing’s historic hutongs. Staying here, within private courtyards inspired by classic siheyuan architecture, immerses you in the city’s cultural essence. Rooms feature interconnected or separated layouts, some with dedicated tearooms for added charm. This is Mandarin Oriental’s second Beijing property, and it thoughtfully transforms historic hutong houses into modern spaces while preserving their heritage. Dining highlights include the Cantonese and Chaozhou cuisine at Yan Garden, Italian restaurant Vicini (in a converted textile factory), and the vibrant bar Tiao, where cocktails pay homage to local folklore. Don’t miss the sensory delight of the Quicksilver cocktail. Located near Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, and the Temple of Heaven, the hotel provides bicycles for exploring nearby streets. With welcoming service, ties to the local community, and Xu Bing’s fan design in the lobby, this hotel is a cultural and luxurious gateway to Beijing. From £1,482. Shawn Ong
Yota SampasneethumronghotelThe Standard, Singapore
Tucked off buzzy Orchard Road, the Standard, Singapore, gives midcentury modern a tropical twist by setting the scene with bold colours, retro-inspired decor, and lush greenery. Art pops everywhere, from Eric Tobua’s surreal reception-desk diorama to Samuel Xun’s larger-than-life floral courtyard sculpture. The 143 rooms keep it playful with bright yellow tiled bathrooms, timber-ribbed canopies, and fun, personalized touches like handwritten messages on your mirror. Nicholas Cheng, the chef of Kaya, a modern izakaya, spotlights low-waste cuisine with a punchy menu built around pickling and fermentation, while Kaya Bar serves Asian-inspired cocktails. With its planned cultural talks, fashion takeovers, and poolside parties, the Standard, Singapore, is a stylish playground for the country’s cool crowd. From £156. Shamilee Vellu
hotelVoaara, Madagascar
As a professional traveller, Philippe Kjellgren has visited 150 countries and more than 2,000 hotels. So when he opened his first hotel, seasoned globe-trotters took note. The resort, on 100 acres of Nosy Boraha, off Madagascar’s east coast, fulfils every island cliché, from its tropical forests to its pale aquamarine bays. The seven buttermilk-coloured thatched bungalows and a three-bedroom beach and pool villa are simple but filled with life-affirming treats: a cooling Naturalmat bed, bottles of rich coconut oils, and driftwood tables and pillars. The Med-meets-Asian meals conceived by Spanish chef Aleixandre Sarrion include fresh prawns and fish with well-dressed salads and wicked flans, and are enjoyed beachside atop a starlit top-deck “Bird’s Nest” or in the veg garden. Two thatched bandas serve as massage rooms; one of two boats can be chartered for expeditions, and bikes are available to explore the island, whose fabric-adorned cemeteries are a reminder of the Malagasy’s unique culture. From £847. Lisa Grainger
Cyrille Robin/Royal Mansour CasablancahotelRoyal Mansour Casablanca, Morocco
In the city Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart made famous to many Americans, the Royal Mansour Casablanca brings a distinct brand of glitz and glamour to this seaside destination. Though Royal Mansour is best known for its slow-paced, rose-toned Marrakech outpost, this location, which opened in April 2024, changed that tune. Picture a high-gloss, shiny marble entryway filled with florals fit for a royal wedding; a glittering restaurant where mirrors and gold decor glow during sunset, and tagines cover tabletops; a spa in which hammam treatments will renew and refresh even the most jet-lagged of visitors. (You won’t be surprised to learn that this 149-key hotel belongs to the Moroccan royal family itself.) Of course, this gleaming tower is merely a launchpad for exploring an overlooked city whose gargantuan mosques, sprawling medinas, and even Art Deco architecture beckon you outside. Ask the front desk to set you up with local guide Nyema, who will show you the ins and outs of this destination. From £467. Megan Spurrell
hotelBisate Reserve, Rwanda
Seeing Africa’s great apes has become a bucket-list travel experience. Which is why, last year, Wilderness launched the super-luxe Bisate Reserve on a hill adjoining its original Rwandan camp. The four capacious nest-shaped villas – which can be booked individually or together for exclusive use – are even more cosseting. Within palatial walls and beneath shaggy-style fibre thatch made from recycled plastic, the designers have combined expert local craftsmanship to create standout pieces, from hand-hewn furniture to embroidered linens, alongside treats such as wood-fired outdoor tubs, elegant walk-in wardrobes, and original African art. Friendly local staff deliver fabulous fresh food and imaginative drinks at a sinuous bar lit by a fabulous green recycled-glass chandelier. Every detail has been thought through: the wet-weather gear that guests can borrow; the design inspired by Rwandan royal palaces; the walks and talks with Rwandan guides; and the gift of a tree for every guest to plant. From £4,863. Lisa Grainger
Shaun S RitchiehotelKibale Lodge, Uganda
Standing on a ridge in Uganda's Western Region, with views over the Rwenzori Mountains and the Queen Elizabeth plains on a clear day, it’s a half hour from Kibale National Park and its world-renowned chimpanzee trekking. It’s the vision of Volcanoes founder Praveen Moman, whose childhood memories inspired him to return after the 1972 Ugandan Asian exile. Built from scratch, the eight wood-and-papyrus bandas (thatched rooms) have a lounge and outdoor (and indoor) bathrooms, while Afro-chic interiors and local fabrics add colour. Local chefs Loice Acom and Gad Hafashimana experiment with regional produce like matoke (green banana) and dodo (greens); the local traditional dish called Firinda, made with slow-cooked beans and eaten with steamed kalo (millet bread) or matoke and served with groundnut sauce. It’s easy to relax here with complimentary massages, a sauna, and an outdoor pool overlooking the lush landscape. Meanwhile, community initiatives through Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust include Roots and Shoots, a Jane Goodall Institute program empowering youth in wildlife conservation. From £775. Meera Dattani
Buluu PoppyhotelMara Toto Tree Camp, Masai Mara, Kenya
Toto means “baby” in Swahili, and this camp is small and intimate, just four suites suspended amid the foliage in a patch of forest along the Ntiakiatiak River in Kenya’s Masai Mara. Mara Toto Tree Camp is the 15th lodge from Great Plains, a pioneer in conservation-led luxury tourism in some of Africa’s most critical wilderness areas, launched by famed filmmaker-explorer duo Dereck and Beverly Joubert. Mara Toto’s suites were built at the same level as the tree line, in order to cause minimal disruption to the natural environment. Hours spent out on the plains are interspersed with massage treatments back at camp – in the room or on a private deck – followed by languid meals centred on seasonal, local, and organic produce sourced in the Masai Mara and Nairobi. Mara Toto is the place for conservation-conscious travellers wanting to explore the African wilderness with a lighter touch. From £1,238. Selina Denman
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hotelAtzaró Okavango, Botswana
Victor Guasch and Philip Gonda, who own properties in Ibiza and Indonesia, among others, are no strangers to tourism. Last year their dream of adding a safari camp was realized by partnering with Beks Ndlovu of African Bush Camps. Like their other Atzaró properties, the 12-suite camp bordering the Moremi Game Reserve is theatrical and lavish: an ultra-luxurious bush lodge where you can hang out by the 66-foot lap pool, stretch in the outdoor gym, indulge in marula-oil massages – or just stay in the cavernous tented rooms. The founders' love of travel is on display in the camp's interior decor: shell necklaces from Indonesia alongside wildlife prints, Zimbabwean baskets, and West African masks. Their chef’s inspiration is just as multicultural: there's traditional sweet chicken and Eastern-style soups, Mediterranean salads, and English afternoon tea. The nearest village is a 50-minute drive away and the closest airstrip two hours, so heli-transfers are popular. A colourful, reasonably priced spot for a bush holiday. From £531. Lisa Grainger
Natural SelectionhotelGweGwe Beach Lodge, South Africa
Set within a private concession of the Mkambati Nature Reserve, this intimate lodge provides a front-row seat to one of the most unspoiled stretches of the Wild Coast. Guests are miles from civilization yet cosseted with comforts such as wood-burning fires and South Africa’s top wines. A biodiversity hot spot, the area gives guests endless opportunities for adventure, including treks to dramatic waterfalls and kayak excursions to remote gorges. Nine rooms feature deep soaking tubs and private 16-foot pools, both of which afford views of the crashing waves and surfing dolphins. The lodge sits on land owned by local villages, and every stay benefits the community. From £296. Jen Murphy
hotelMelbourne Place, Australia
This striking rust-coloured 191-room hotel built from local bricks, concrete, and hardwood is a distillation of what makes this thrumming city tick. The debut hotel by sought-after Melbourne-based architecture and design studio Kennedy Nolan, is chock-full of head-turning details, which start at the linen-draped check-in desk with its supersized video-art installation by Australian artists and continue upward to the guest lounge blanketed in a retina-popping fuchsia carpet. The suites are light-flooded showstoppers tricked out in timber, burnt orange, and terrazzo with triple-height floor-to-ceiling windows and outdoor terraces with immense views of the cloud-busting peaks of skyscrapers. The rooftop, with its bar and retractable-rooftop restaurant Mid Air, is encased by a soaring brick wall and feels like a floating fortress with dramatic portholes that look like giant eyes watching over the city. It's here where everyone from guests to locals gather, casually lounging on sofas and seated at tables, with some of the best views across the city. From £170. Chloe Sachdev
Anna PihanhotelIl Delfino, New South Wales, Australia
This lo-fi chunk of coastline on the North Coast of New South Wales has been causing ripples thanks to newcomer Il Delfino. Perched on the cliffside and peering over the Pacific Ocean, the original 1940s wave-lashed building has been transformed into a chic seaside inn that feels snatched from the Mediterranean. Each of the accommodations has been named after glittering Italian seaside settings – Ravello, Ischia, Portofino, Cinque Terre, and Scopello – with charming details like vintage Italian lamps, one-off ceramics, knick-knacks, and hand-painted murals on the walls. Crisp white linens, playful striped daybeds, and views across the frothy ocean guarantee a dose of il dolce far niente – the sweetness of doing nothing – in this go-slow fishing town. From £443. Chloe Sachdev