The world’s best hotels opening in 2023
It’s an absolutely bumper year for exciting new lodgings. Hotel expert Ianthe Butt shares the hottest properties welcoming guests this year
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Your support makes all the difference.As the tourism industry is finally on the path to recovery after the effects of Covid, people are once again looking for new and exciting travel experiences.
While the destination is always important, the setting and quality of your hotel plays a crucial part in any successful trip. Often, it can even be the focal point of the trip itself.
Those looking to travel in style this year will have their pick of additions from boutique hoteliers, well-established names and newcomers, offering new openings in destinations the world over as part of a slew of new openings in 2023.
Looking to stay within the UK? There are mega-luxe London pads in some of the city’s most expensive neighbourhoods, sustainable cabins on the Isle of Skye, and a supremely stylish coastal retreat in Margate all in the mix. Or look further afield, with bohemian Bali beach villas and sustainable Costa Rican hideaways.
Whatever your taste, here are the stays that should be on your radar this year.
England
London’s not messing around, with a bumper crop of big-brand openings in spring. Set to become the capital’s latest “it” afternoon tea spot, The Peninsula London will open overlooking Hyde Park and Wellington Arch, taking inspiration from Belgravia’s architecture and the Royal Parks. It’ll have 190 rooms, a colonnaded lobby, Cantonese restaurant, 25m pool, and a fine dining restaurant on the rooftop.
Also fresh for spring is Raffles London at the OWO, giving a fresh personality to the storied former Old War Office on Whitehall. With 120 rooms – with key suites in the former offices of Churchill and Profumo, as well as some in turrets – expect restored mosaic floors, chandeliers and oak panelling. There’s also a wellness space and nine restaurants, including one from Mauro Colagreco.
Completing London’s opening trifecta is Mandarin Oriental Mayfair, bringing 50 elegant bedrooms, an Akira Back restaurant and next-level urban spa to Hanover Square.
This summer, 1 Hotel Mayfair willl add a dash of sustainable luxury to Berkeley Street, with biophilic design touches and bedrooms featuring flooring made from fallen local trees, as well as a Bamford spa and Tom Sellers restaurant.
Towards the end of the year, The Broadwick Soho – an “independent luxury hotel created by a group of friends” – will open on Broadwick Street. It’s been described by designer Martin Brudnizki as “Seventies hedonistic disco pop, meets your eccentric godmother’s townhouse”.
Six Senses’ London debut – with 100 rooms, 14 residences, spa and co-working space with a wellness slant – will open later in the year near Canary Wharf. It will also offer a “cozy lobby bar and lounge”, an all-day dining restaurant and courtyard seating.
Elsewhere in England, The Signet Collection is set to continue its winning hotel streak in the spring, with 46-room Barnsdale Lodge. As well as fantastic views of Rutland Water, there’ll be a conservatory, croquet lawn and a hefty dose of culinary wow.
As for new seaside stays opening in the summer, there’s 21-room No. 42 Margate, set to be packed with coastal character, in-room record players, and drapery inspired by Victorian bathing machines.
Over by the shingly shore in New Romney, the team behind The Gallivant will launch The Gallivant Littlestone Beach, packing 1920s East Coast American style into its 12 rooms and a yoga studio. Not far from the original in Camber Sands, guests here will reportedly “be called downstairs by a gong for a pre-dinner cocktail, before dining at their own table or the house dining table with others”.
Meanwhile, popular Holm restaurant in Somerset will, to foodies’ delight, add seven rooms this summer overlooking a new kitchen garden. Opening in July after a crowdfunding project, the original features of the 1830s building will soon stand alongside contemporary artworks and mid-century furniture.
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Scotland
Scotland’s also all go. Hot on the heels of its Edinburgh debut, Virgin Hotels will soon open in Glasgow, offering 240 chambers and suites – many with River Clyde views – a coworking space, terrace, restaurant and bar.
Later this month, House of Gods, known for its “more is more” marble and velvet-packed interiors, will also open in Glasgow.
Over in Edinburgh, summertime will see The Hoxton’s contemporary cool spread across 10 Georgian townhouses, including some three-bed “Hox homes”, which will be ideal for Fringe stays.
Long-anticipated 100 Princes Street will open in the former premises of the Overseas League, cutting a dash with 30 rooms with an Alexander McQueen-style brand of gothic luxuriousness.
After a rural retreat? The Bracken Hide will open on the Isle of Skye in the spring, serving up stylish wilderness vibes with 45 sustainably clad timber cabins, views of Loch Portree, Nordic saunas, a whisky bar and wild swimming pond.
Europe
France
Paris has heaps of head-turner openings. No-fuss arty favourites CitizenM have hit Paris Opera with an 84-room property on Rue du Croissant, packed with social-first communal spaces.
The latest from Maisons Pariente, behind Provencal charmer Crillon Le Brave, Le Grand Mazarin will bring a 61-room flourish to the Marais (think frescoe’d headboards and salmon pink and olive colour licks).
Hôtel Dame des Arts has opened in St-Germain-des-Prés, with 109 rooms, décor influenced by Nouvelle Vague films, and a host of foodie experiences. It also possesses excellent views over parts of the City of Light.
Italy
In Rome, the spa-focused Six Senses Rome is set inside an 18th-century Palazzo and has just recently opened, offering an exceptional rooftop terrace in the centre of the city – not far from the Piazza Venezia – and minimalist decor in its impressive rooms.
A spring opening of The Rome EDITION, with 93 rooms, Punch Room bar and rooftop terrace, makes it the latest five-star hotel in the Eternal City, less than a mile from the centre and half a mile from the Trevi Fountain, for a luxury base between sightseeing trips.
That opening will be followed by a summertime opening of Bulgari Hotel Rome, in the Campo Marzio neighbourhood with Il Ristorante, by chef Niko Romito. The celebrated fashion house’s second Italian offering boasts an indoor pool to go with an impressive terrace, while each room reportedly has city views.
Elsewhere, the Italian island of Capri will re-cement itself as Italy’s see-and-be-seen isle in spring with the opening of landmark Hotel La Palma. It’s placed close to the Piazzatta and the Blue Grotto, with 50 rooms, a rooftop restaurant and authentic Italian food by Gennaro Esposito.
Netherlands
Most exciting in The Netherlands is De Durgerdam, a small inn that has opened on the shore of Ijmeer Lake, just east of Amsterdam, in March. Big on coastal charm, the restored 17th-century building in whitewashed timber is managed by Aedes – the Amsterdam-based property company who’ve helped develop Amsterdam’s Soho House and The Hoxton outposts. Expect a destination restaurant, De Mark, 14 rooms and warm-hearted hospitality rooted in the Dutch sentiment gezelligheid.
Portugal
Another recent opening is Hotel Vermelho, a 13-room boutique hotel in Portugal’s Alentejo region. Dreamt up by shoe maestro Christian Louboutin, the property in Melides has unashamedly maximal interiors and plenty of accents in the designer’s signature crimson colour.
Further offshore, on Azorean island São Miguel, Solar Branco Eco Estate, an eight-bedroom eco property in a sensitively restored 19th-century country estate, will open in June. As well as a “green pantry” restaurant, and an invite-only speakeasy, Senhor Raposa’s, there will be bedrooms that display energy use in real-time to discourage waste, and recommendations on ways to explore this wild-at-heart island in a sustainable manner.
USA
New York
New York never disappoints on the showstopper hotel front. Freshly opened in March is The Fifth Avenue Hotel in Madison Square Park. The first opening from Alex Ohebshalom, it combines a grand Renaissance palazzo and brand new glass tower, and an atmosphere of Gilded Age glamour, thanks to a marble lobby, antique mirror-panelled walls, and Murano glass chandeliers.
A new arrival for Brooklyn is Penny Williamsburg – a hybrid 118-room hotel-meets-student accommodation, with kitchenettes, a jungle-inspired rooftop, and partnerships with community arts organisations.
Hawaii
For tropical escapism, Hawaii’s The Wayfinder Waikiki opened in Honolulu in April, bringing together Brutalist architecture, 228 floral bright rooms, a B-Side coffee shop, a poolside speakeasy and poke joint Redfish Waikiki.
Another recent opening is 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay, serving up a vast, sustainable spa and wellness centre on the Hawaiian island of Kauai, with views out to Mount Makana on its north shore, along with ocean-to-table restaurants.
Texas
Elsewhere, other interesting Stateside properties include Hotel Lucine in Galveston, a revamped seaside motor court with mid-century spirit and “the heart and soul of a good house party”, plus The Fancy restaurant offering American “fine-ish” dining.
South Carolina
Spring in Charleston has heralded the arrival of The Pinch, a boutique hotel with 25 rooms, The Quinte, a turn-of-the-century style oyster bar and hyperseasonal restaurant.
California
Palihotel San Diego has opened in the city’s Gaslamp District, with a central location offering 122 rooms with a distinctive nautical meets preppy style.
Asia
Japan
In Japan, ever-appealing Tokyo added The Bulgari Hotel Tokyo in April. The brand’s eighth hotel offering brings “contemporary Italian style and glamour” to the Japanese capital, occupying six floors in the Tokyo Midtown Yaesu skyscraper.
The Tokyo EDITION Ginza will open in the summer, following the success of the first opening– Tokyo EDITION Toranomon – in 2020. It’s located on Chuo Street, part of the city’s upscale entertainment district, and will have 86 rooms, a rooftop bar and a state-of-the-art fitness centre.
Hip, community-minded TRUNK Hotels has opened a 30-room boutique number in Yoyogi Park, with a swish rooftop pool and park views.
Come winter, well-heeled travellers’ gazes will swivel to Toranomon-Azabudai for the opening of Janu Tokyo – sister brand to Aman – which will offer the ultimate rebalance in the country’s largest spa.
Adding architectural wow to tropical Okinawa by the end of the year is the Sou Fujimoto-designed “NOT A HOTEL ISHIGAKI”. The 350sqm, four-bedroom circular villa will have an undulating meadow-topped roof and ocean views. Part of a hybrid hotel/villa collection, which can be bought on a timeshare basis, it will be available to rent by the public when not occupied.
Indonesia
Indonesia has a flurry of new island openings. In the spring, eco-focused Cap Karoso opened on Sumba: centred on community and connection, it has 47 rooms and 20 villas, interiors by Jakarta-based Bitte Studio, a beach club and organic farm.
On nearby Lombok, two slick Design Hotels properties have opened. Innit Lombok has seven Lumbung-style beach houses designed by Andra Matin (creator of Potato Head Bali).
Somewhere Lombok, meanwhile, is home to 20 boho luxe villas looking out to Are Guling Bay, each with a balcony and mountain views. There’s also a scenic pool and terrace area.
In winter, a twin-island private hideaway The Pavilions Anambas will open 12 villas, constructed in Bangkirai hardwood, run on 100 per cent sustainable electricity in the pristine Riau Archipelago.
Sri Lanka
Elsewhere, in February, Sri Lanka specialist Resplendent Ceylon debuted the Reverie brand with two boutique properties on Sri Lanka’s sunny south coast. At relaxed beach house Ahu Bay, rustic, recycled and rattan are the design watchwords, while Kayaam House in Tangalle has soulful rooms, a Bawa-inspired restaurant and a spa moments from the Indian Ocean.
Nepal
In Nepal, Bill Bensley will bring his flamboyant style to the Himalayas with 29-room Shinta Mani Mustang, in the mountains’ Lower Mustang area. The mountain lodge will have views of some of the world’s highest snow-capped peaks, modern Nepalese food at Nilgiri restaurant, and top-notch private guided experiences, from trekking to archery.
Bhutan
Another option for well-heeled Himalayas fans comes from conservation-focused brand &Beyond, who make their Asian debut with Punakha River Lodge in Bhutan in late 2023. Sitting on the banks of the Mo Chu River – ideal for hiking to Khamsum Yulley Namgyal Chorte. Six tented villas and two suites will celebrate Bhutanese artistry with gilded woodwork, brass-clad bathtubs and snuggly woollen blankets.
Middle East
Dubai
True to ritzy form, Dubai will raise the opulence bar even higher. Atlantis The Royal opened in spring, with 795 rooms inside a mind-bending deconstructed skyscraper with 90m skybridge. Superlative central, it’s home to Dubai’s largest privately owned stretch of beach, eight celebrity-chef helmed restaurants (including Dinner by Heston Blumenthal and Jaleo by José Andrés), fire-breathing fountains, sky pools and a 3,200sqm spa.
In the winter, the Dorchester Collection’s Middle Eastern debut, The Lana Dubai, will open Downtown, in a Foster + Partners’ tower with rooms designed to capitalise on Burj Khalifa and sunset views, right down to windowside bathtubs.
The Za’abeel District will also see two big-hitting openings. The arrival of One&Only One Za’abeel is the opening of the company’s first ultra-luxury urban resort in Dubai; a vertical resort home to Michelin-star eateries, revolutionary designs and the world’s longest cantilever.
The debut from newcomer fitness-focused SIRO Hotels. SIRO One Za’abeel, which has hired pro boxer Ramla Ali and British Olympian Adam Peaty in advisory roles, will offer tailored programmes to help unlock peak mental and physical health, cutting-edge workout facilities, with rooms kitted out with smart curtains aligned with guests’ circadian rhythms.
Africa
South Africa
A strong year for safari lovers, this summer The Homestead will open in South Africa’s Nambiti Private Game Reserve. A 12-room eco-lodge, it comes equipped with near-silent electric 4x4 vehicles for game drives, buildings made from local ironstone with roofs planted with indigenous grasses, and heaps of chances to spot the Big Five.
Botswana
Another summer opening, in Botswana’s Okavango Delta, comes from Great Plains. Their newest camp on Sitatunga Private Island – named for its resident antelopes – will feature accommodation reminiscent of fishing baskets set high in the canopy. With one family suite and two additional rooms, it’ll sleep eight and will – like all Great Plains endeavours – place conservation front and centre.
Uganda
Towards the end of the year, Volcanoes Safaris – who’ve pioneered gorilla and chimpanzee eco-tourism in Uganda and Rwanda for 25 years – will open a fifth lodge close to Kibale National Park in Uganda, which is home to one of Africa’s largest chimp communities. The sensitively built camp will have captivating views of the Queen Elizabeth plains and Rwenzori Mountains.
Latin America/Caribbean
Mexico
Making waves in Mexico this year is Hotelito by MUSA, which opened at the start of the year in tropical surroundings close to Zihuatanejo. As well as 13 rooms that champion hand-crafted and natural materials, there is an organic farm, beach club, pickle ball courts and salt water stargazing pools. Plus a recording studio will arrive later in the year.
Other big news is the reopening of Maroma, A Belmond Hotel, Riviera Maya after a top to toe refurb courtesy of Tara Bernerd, who’s worked with local artisans to ensure Mexican heritage takes centre stage. Indigenous materials sit at the fore, white stucco buildings are aligned to the sacred geometry of Mayan masonry, and turquoise volcanic stone pools are the same colour as the area’s cenotes.
Later in the summer, The Riviera Maya EDITION will also open in the swish Kanai development with six restaurants.
Costa Rica
After the roaring success of their recent Marrakech endeavour, experiential hospitality group Habitas will touch down in Costa Rica, with Habitas Santa Teresa. Set on the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula, marrying jungle and Pacific Ocean swells, it’ll have 45 low-impact rooms, a plant-based restaurant, beachfront infinity pool and adventurous excursions from waterfall visits to horseriding.
Cayman Islands
Adventure junkies should cast their eyes to the Cayman Islands come summer, when Vida Ocean Adventure Lodge will open on the fringe of Barker’s National Park on Grand Cayman. Founded by pro kitesurfer Jhon Mora, expect 18 laidback apartment-style rooms with watersports touches, plus plenty of kitesurfing, hydrofoiling and scuba diving.
Australasia
Australia
A 1970s-inspired surf hotel in New South Wales’s Crescent Head, from the creative team behind Bali hotel The Slow? Sign us up. Twenty-five room SEA SEA, opening in late May, will bring surf culture, fashion smarts and a focus on helping to foster creative connections in nature. As well as rotating art exhibitions, food and drink will see local farm produce as the stars of the plate.
Another heat-skipping Australian arrival is the welcome return of Baillie Lodge’s flagship property, Southern Ocean Lodge, on Kangaroo Island. The much-loved property, which was devastated in 2020’s bushfires, is set to be reborn towards the end of 2023. Its 2.0 reincarnation will have 25 suites with sweeping sunrise and sea views, dishes championing South Australian and KI produce, a suspended fireplace in the Great Room, and an “edgeless” pool. Significant hybrid solar and battery infrastructure will allow the lodge to run off-grid, plus investment in a larger reverse osmosis system has boosted water capture, and a boundary of fire-retardant native plants have been grown to create a natural buffer.
New Zealand
Bringing a paintbox flush of colour to Wellington’s Cuba Street is Naumi Wellington. The latest opening from the affordable luxe brand – known for its vivid paintbox interiors – has 62 bedrooms, minibars stocked with New Zealand treats and a top-notch SE Asian restaurant, Lola Rouge.
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