When choosing where to travel next, the hotel or resort itself might end up being the attraction that draws you in. There are some impressive vacation accommodations in the world, and mid-2023 to early 2024 will be delivering a handful. Check out these spectacular hotels on the list. They might inspire you to book a faraway trip.
Art’otel London, England
In 2022, the city of London launched its ambitious project to reuse the idle Battersea Power Station, decommissioned in 1970, by transforming it into a hub for shopping, dining, and entertainment. Now, the old power station is getting an accompanying hotel—and not just any hotel, but London’s first Art’otel. The Art’otel is award-winning Spanish artist and interior designer Jaime Hayon’s brainchild. It represents a perfect blending between art—the bold, colourful kind—and luxury living.
Bulgari Hotel Tokyo
The Bulgari Hotel brings a touch of contemporary Italian glamour into central Tokyo. This hotel exudes the luxury and refinement of Italian style, without losing its connection to Japanese culture. Occupying the 40th to 45th floors of the Tokyo Midtown Yaesu skyscraper—no doubt offering great views—and boasting a number of Japanese dining experiences, the hotel is a merging of beloved global superpowers.
Six Senses Rome
The developers of Six Senses Rome decided they absolutely had to honour the rich history of Rome in their design of the “urban oasis,” all with the aim of creating a hotel that encourages the wellness of its guests. The design makes a nod to the Roman mythological entity “genius loci,” a spirit that was believed to guard places. Visitors can relax in spas inspired by ancient Roman bathhouses. In a bid for sustainability, the rooms and suites are constructed with traditional building blocks of Italian architecture, Cocciopesto plaster and Travertine limestone, which are free of plastics and industrial chemicals.
Longfellow Hotel Portland, Maine
The people behind the Longfellow Hotel want you to leave feeling better than you did. Everything in the hotel—which borrows from the “rugged charm and the natural splendour of Maine” and combines aspects of traditional New England design with a Nordic-inspired spa—has been put in place to promote well-being and produce joy. The hotel’s mission is you. If you feel right at home and check out feeling alive again, the hotel has worked its magic.
The Bolder Norway
The Bolder’s four lodges spring from the cliff sides as if they’re about to fly across the water between them and Norway’s iconic, awe-inspiring fjords. The view from the floor-to-ceiling windows of these homes away from home is nothing short of breathtaking. The Bolder was designed to blend into the scenery, practically disappearing into nature and becoming one with the environment. The lodges, as a result, become a place where you can get away from it all and reconnect to your roots.
St. Regis Kanai Resort Riviera Maya
Constructed in an expanse of connecting circles of white concrete and sparkling crystal, this resort looks out of this world, which is fitting given its design was inspired by the Pleiades constellation. The vacation spot is like a dream come true. With the resort being cloaked inside a reserve of heavenly mangrove trees at the edge of the Yucatan Peninsula, you’ll swear you’ve reached paradise.
Waldorf Astoria Seychelles, Platte Island
Platte Island off Seychelles, East Africa is getting its own Waldorf Astoria, a branch of luxury Art Deco-Inspired hotels and resorts owned by Hilton. Currently there are only four other Waldorf Astoria locations in the world. Platte Island has been selected as a premium destination for its pristine nature and diverse native wildlife—including Hawksbill turtles, whale sharks, and corals—which Hilton hopes to respect. The 59 seafront villas will use renewable solar energy and surround a marine conservation discovery centre.
Angama Amboseli Kimana Sanctuary, Kenya
The Kimana Sanctuary is home to some of the most majestic animals in the world, including Super Tuskers—elephants with tusks reaching the ground—and you can be right in the centre of this safari during a stay at the Angama Amboseli lodges. The 10 canvas and concrete tent-style suites face beautiful Kenyan landscapes where you’ll have a chance to spot elephants, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, African birds, and possibly even big safari cats.
Banyan Tree Al-‘Ula, Saudi Arabia
The desert landscape of Ashar Valley around the Banyan Tree resort has an otherworldly quality about it. Time in these tented villas, surrounded by nothing but sand and rock formations, is like time on another planet. This seems to be as far from Earth as you can get while still being on Earth. You can uncover a new perspective in the stillness and emptiness of the surroundings, especially at night beside your villa’s roaring fire pit.
The Colony Palm Beach, Florida
Technically not this hotel’s first year of life. The Colony has been around since 1947, so 75 years. Being around for so long, it was time for a revamping of the guest rooms—and the unveiling of the fresh designs will occur on the hotel’s 75th anniversary this year. The Colony, also known as the “Pink Paradise,” has made quite a name for itself with its pastel old-world charm, hosting such stars as Judy Garland, John Lennon, Frank Sinatra, and President JFK.
Jacob Carmichael | Contributing Writer
