Following two years of tourism slump for many destinations, when some hoteliers feared opening new properties, 2023 is going to see a hotel boom across the board. From mega-luxe London pads in some of the city’s most expensive neighbourhoods to bohemian Bali beach villas and sustainable Costa Rican hideaways, here are the stays that should be on your radar for next 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 spring’s London opening trifecta is Mandarin Oriental Mayfair, bringing 50 elegant bedrooms, an Akira Back restaurant and next-level urban spa to Hanover Square.
In the summer, 1 Hotel Mayfair adds 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, described by designer Martin Brudnizki as “Seventies hedonistic disco pop, meets your eccentric godmother’s townhouse”, and Six Senses’ London debut – with 100 rooms, 14 residences, spa and co-working space with a wellness slant – will open.
Elsewhere in England, The Signet Collection is set to continue its winning hotel streak with 46-room Barnsdale Lodge, in the spring. 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 with 12 rooms and a yoga studio. Meanwhile, popular Holm restaurant in Somerset will, to foodies’ delight, add seven rooms this summer overlooking a new kitchen garden.
Scotland
Scotland’s also all go. Hot on the heels of its Edinburgh debut, Virgin Hotels will open in Glasgow, offering 240 chambers and suites – many with River Clyde views – and a coworking space. Later, in May, 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. Plus 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
Paris has heaps of head-turner openings, in springtime no-fuss arty favourites CitizenM will hit Paris Opera with an 84-room property on Rue du Croissant, packed with social-first communal spaces. Plus 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). This winter, Hôtel Dame des Arts will open in St-Germain-des-Prés, with 109 rooms, décor influenced by Nouvelle Vague films, and a host of foodie experiences.
In Rome a spring opening of The Rome EDITION, with 93 rooms, Punch Room bar and rooftop terrace, and the spa-focused Six Senses Rome set inside an 18th-century Palazzo, will be followed by a summertime opening of Bulgari Hotel Rome, in the Campo Marzio neighbourhood with Il Ristorante, by chef Niko Romito. Elsewhere, the Italian island of Capri will re-cement itself as Italy’s see-and-be-see isle in spring with the opening of landmark Hotel La Palma. Placed close to the Piazzatta and the Blue Grotto, with 50 rooms, a rooftop restaurant and authentic Italian food by Gennaro Esposito.
Most exciting in The Netherlands is De Durgerdam, a small inn opening on the shore of Ijmeer Lake, just east of Amsterdam in March. Big on coastal charm, the restored 17th-century building in whitewashed timber will be 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.
Also pegged for a 2023 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 will have 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 late spring. 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 never disappoints on the showstopper hotel front. Arriving 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 in spring is Penny Williamsburg – a hybrid 188-room hotel-meets-student accommodation, with kitchenettes, a jungle-inspired rooftop, and partnerships with community arts organisations. Come autumn, it’s all about Tribeca. It’s here that Firmdale Hotels (behind Midtown’s The Whitby Hotel and London’s Ham Yard Hotel) will open Warren Street Hotel in Tribeca, transforming the site of a former car park into one of its print-loving, maximalist properties. It’s set to have 57 rooms, 12 residences, and an appealing Orangery, bar and restaurant.
For tropical escapism, Hawaii’s The Wayfinder Waikiki will open 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. Also set for a 2023 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.
Elsewhere, other interesting Stateside properties include February’s 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. Spring in South Carolina will herald the arrival of The Pinch, a boutique hotel with 25 rooms, The Quinte, a turn-of-the-century style oyster bar, and hyperseasonal restaurant while Palihotel San Diego will open in the city’s Gaslamp District, offering 122 rooms with a distinctive nautical meets preppy style. Towards the end of the year, Oetker Collection will bring Mediterranean Revival architecture and tropicool energy to The Vineta in Palm Beach.
Asia
In Japan, ever-appealing Tokyo will add The Bulgari Hotel Tokyo (spring) and The Tokyo EDITION Ginza (summer), alongside a 30-room boutique number from hip, community-minded TRUNK Hotels 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 has a flurry of new island openings. In the spring there’s eco-focused Cap Karoso on Sumba: centred on community and connection, it’ll have 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 will open: Innit Lombok, with seven Lumbung-style beach houses designed by Andra Matin (creator of Potato Head Bali) and Somewhere Lombok, with 20 boho luxe villas looking out to Are Guling Bay. 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.
Elsewhere, in February, Sri Lanka specialist Resplendent Ceylon will debut 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 will have soulful rooms, a Bawa-inspired restaurant and a spa moments from the Indian Ocean. In Nepal, Bill Bensley will bring his flamboyant style to the Himalayas with 29-room Shinta Mani Mustang, in the mountains’ Lower Mustang area come May. 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. 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
True to ritzy form, Dubai will raise the opulence bar even higher. In spring, Atlantis The Royal will open, with 795 rooms inside a mind-bending deconstructed skyscraper with 90m skybridge. Superlative central, it’ll be 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 summer, 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. Come wintertime, the Za’abeel District will see two big-hitting openings – the arrival of One&Only One Za’abeel and 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
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. 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. 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
Making waves in Mexico this year is Hotelito by MUSA, opening in tropical surrounds close to Zihuatanejo. As well as 13 rooms that champion hand-crafted and natural materials, there will be 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.
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.
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
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 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.
Set to bring a paintbox flush of colour to Wellington’s Cuba Street in the new year is Naumi Wellington. The latest opening from the affordable luxe brand – known for its vivid paintbox interiors – will have 62 bedrooms, minibars stocked with New Zealand treats and a top-notch SE Asian restaurant, Lola Rouge.
