The Most Luxurious New Hotels of 2023

Travel + Leisure’s 2024 It List.

The biggest hotel price tags of 2023 include two all-inclusive stays — a wellness retreat in Mexico and a safari lodge in Kenya — as well as a private island getaway in Australia, a Hawaiian resort that used to be a favorite of Steve Jobs, and a 13th-century convent turned luxe Amalfi Coast hotel. Here, the best new stays starting at $1,300 a night or more.

Anantara Convento di Amalfi Grand Hotel, Italy

Housed in a 13th-century Capuchin convent, Anantara Convento di Amalfi's church has been meticulously maintained, as have its Arab-Norman cloisters, where a Franciscan friar leads walking meditations and luxury wedding ceremonies between the cliffs and the sea. Inside, convent benches still line simple, dimly lit halls, inspiring quiet moments of contemplation, though the bougainvillea-draped exterior corridors are just as appealing. Convento is built high into a cliff overlooking one of the most beautiful sections of the Amalfi Coast, serving a sparkling blue view that’s best enjoyed by day from the infinity pool or a table at La Locanda della Canonica, where pizza by legendary Neapolitan pizzaiolo Gino Sorbillo is plated on colorful ceramics. By night, yachts light the dark waters below, adding to the romance of fine-dining restaurant Dei Cappuccini, where chef Claudio Lanuto creates tasting menus using fresh seafood and vegetables from the on-site monks’ garden. The sea is also on display from the outdoor gym and each of the 52 beige-and-white rooms and suites — where reflections of the sapphire Mediterranean offer the only pop of color, save for bowls of bright yellow Amalfi lemons. The only exception is the Suite del Priore (formerly home to the convent prior), with a ceiling covered in preserved frescoes above the four-poster bed. The serene neutral color palette extends to the spa, which includes a hammam and uses Valmont skin care products. Amalfi’s town center is a short walk away, and the hotel arranges some of the area’s most breathtaking excursions, from private sunset cruises and scenic hikes to helicopter tours. From $1,401/night. Accessible hotel. — Nina Ruggiero

Angama Amboseli, Kimana, Kenya

In the south of Kenya, everybody looks for elephants, but it’s the birds you notice first: lilac-breasted rollers, grey-crowned cranes, turacos, kingfishers, and hornbills. The wildlife is as varied and eye-catching as the landscape, which is dominated by the spectacular Mount Kilimanjaro. No wonder high-end safari operator Angama chose this spot for its new lodge, a follow-up to the game-changing Angama Mara, which opened in 2015. The new property, with its 10 spacious suites, sits in the private Kimana Sanctuary, a 5,700-acre tract filled with wildlife, including antelope, buffalo, elephants, giraffes, impalas, and warthogs. With an infinity pool, excellent farm-to-fork cuisine, and a bar lounge, Angama Amboseli makes for a plush home base for forays into Amboseli National Park. From $1,650 per person, all-inclusive.​ Accessible hotel. — Paul Brady

Bulgari Hotel Tokyo

“We bring the art of Italian living wherever we go,” Silvio Ursini, executive vice president of Bulgari Hotels & Resorts, told me at the opening of the Bulgari Hotel Tokyo. The 98-room property, which occupies the top five floors of the 45-story Tokyo Midtown Yaesu tower, is the eighth in Bulgari’s small, luxurious portfolio (a ninth, in Rome, opened in June). It feels like a Roman holiday in Japan — where both arigato gozaimasu and grazie mille are completely acceptable ways to thank someone for a glass of Champagne. Guests can choose from an Italian restaurant helmed by Niko Romito, an acclaimed chef born and raised in Italy, or an eight-seat omakase counter from chef Kenji Gyoten, known for his Michelin three-starred restaurant in Fukuoka, Japan. The hotel’s design is a pastiche of Japanese artistry. In my room, the ceilings were hand-painted with five layers of gold paint by local craftspeople and were second only to the alluring black granite bathtub. My favorite Italian design piece was the one I visited each morning, when I would take the elevator to the 40th-floor and plunge into the spa’s 15,000-square-foot pool. Its floor is breathtaking, made of mosaic tile and Venetian glass in an entrancing shade of green that glimmers gold when natural light shines through the water. From $1,700/night. Accessible hotel. — Maya Kachroo-Levine

Curtain Bluff, Antigua

Tucked away on Antigua’s southwest end, this 72-room property recently unveiled a multimillion-dollar renovation that combines old-school elegance with modern flair. It’s evident in the details: the rattan chairs from the ‘80s that have been re-lacquered; the classic turquoise and green bedding now juxtaposed with contemporary tiling. This delicate dance between welcoming the new and continuing the legacy of late founders Howard and Chelle Hulford is what makes Curtain Bluff one of the most coveted resorts on Antigua. The resort’s new two-story state-of-the-art wellness center is a hideaway, complete with an infinity pool overlooking the ocean, an expanded fitness center, and a yoga pavilion. After your massage, retreat to the upper balcony to take a dip in the cliffside Jacuzzi. The resort’s most popular suites have been outfitted with marble soaking tubs and large walk-in showers that leave you feeling energized and ready for the day. Guests will still find all the familiar amenities that make Curtain Bluff so special: four full-size tennis courts, delicious Caribbean-French dishes at restaurants Sea Grape and Tamarind, and a host of sports and water activities for families. Be sure to carve out time to sample the resort’s international wine cellar during a tasting with head sommelier Glouster St. Ville. From $1,850/night. Accessible hotel. — Jasmine Grant

Kona Village, A Rosewood Resort, Island of Hawaii

Kona Village, once a celebrity haven on Hawaii’s Big Island, shuttered in 2011 after an earthquake off the northeastern coast of Honshu, Japan, generated a devastating tsunami, and reopened this past summer as part of the Rosewood Hotels & Resorts’ portfolio. When my husband and I arrived eight days into Kona’s new chapter, we met return guests — the old resort amassed a hefty cult following, counting Steve Jobs among its biggest fans — eager to revisit their old rooms. Sure enough, you can still book the six legacy hales that survived the tsunami, though along with the 144 new stand-alone villas, these have been upgraded by designer Nicole Hollis with improvements that include palapa-shaded decks, outdoor showers, and Hawaiian accents such as fans, hats, paddles, and kapa-printed pillows. We spent one afternoon on a sailing canoe, gliding three miles out into the Pacific, and followed that with a soak in the 82-foot Shipwreck Pool. At around 3 p.m. a cart brimming with bright-green coconuts came around, which we drank from in a sumptuous black-stone hot tub. We feasted at the four restaurants and bars — each of which has its own mai tai recipe, by the way — starting our day with Hawaiian malasada donuts at Moana and ending it with wood-fired local ahi tuna at Kahuwai Cookhouse, our toes in the sand as we watched the sunset. From $1,800/night. Accessible hotel. — Maya Kachroo-Levine

North Island Okavango, Botswana

North Island Okavango’s greatest luxury is its exclusivity. Set amid tall ebony trees on the edge of a lagoon frequented by elephants and hippos, the idyllic camp has just three tents — and it’s really a stretch to call them “tents,” though their roofs are indeed made of canvas. Each luxurious suite has 850 square feet of indoor space — living room, bar area, one-and-a-half bathrooms — and 650 square feet outside. They all have indoor and outdoor showers as well as a soaking tub with lagoon views. While the furnishings are carefully chosen, the decor — contemporary African baskets, fine woodwork, flat-weave rugs — never steals attention from the stunning surroundings. That all-too-rare feeling of immersion in nature continues when you’re out on safari. North Island, part of the Natural Selection portfolio of camps and lodges, sits in a section of the Okavango with few other safari camps, so you’ll rarely see other tourists. Wildlife is plentiful — on my trip, I spotted not just lions and leopards, but also sitatungas, an unusual amphibious antelope. And because of North Island’s prime location in the Okavango Delta’s neck, there are year-round opportunities to travel both on land and by water, either by the local dugout canoes called mokoro or by motorboat, which are ideal for viewing hippos, crocodiles, and birdlife. The solar-powered camp’s design honors its environment in other ways, too: North Island Okavango’s tents and the network of decks on which they sit can be totally deconstructed, with no permanent trace on the fragile ecosystem. And because the surrounding concession belongs to a community trust, a portion of the revenues directly supports five nearby villages. From $1,395 per person per night. — Jeff Chu

One&Only Aesthesis, Greece

On the Athens Riviera, 10 miles from the city center, Greece’s first One&Only seems to float along the tranquil Saronic Gulf. Spacious “residences,” designed for families and groups of friends, unfold onto private stretches of beach, and waterfront bungalows have wooden docks and ladders that descend to the water. The stay is more akin to a Mykonos vacation than a city break, yet I could get to the Acropolis in less than an hour. Though the tavernas and wine bars of Athens beckoned, I was reluctant to miss any meals at the resort, where chef Paco Morales — known for the Michelin three-starred Noor, in Córdoba, Spain — has a pop-up that serves chicken croquettes topped with ras al hanout mayo and delicate, flash-fried calamari stuffed into a brioche. The food wasn’t the only luxury: The country’s first Guerlain Spa, where I indulged in an ultra-hydrating facial, made it even harder to leave the resort. From $1,620/night.​ — Maya Kachroo-Levine

Pelorus Private Island, Australia

The Indigenous Manbarra people, custodians of Australia’s Palm Islands for millennia, believe this small, northeastern archipelago was formed when the Rainbow Serpent emerged from the Queensland tablelands and lay down in the ocean. The islands, strewn across the Coral Sea, are the vertebrae of its spine. On the northernmost island, known as Pelorus, North Palm, or Yanooa, an $8-million property with five lavish residences has opened, promising the most exclusive – and inclusive – accommodation on the Great Barrier Reef. Access to this isolated idyll is by helicopter (30 minutes) or motor yacht (five hours) from the Queensland city of Townsville. At the southwestern tip of a 1,000-acre tropical island, guests are greeted with chilled towels and Champagne before hosts Grant Logan and Kate Hawkins settle them into their reclusive hideaway. The modernist pavilion-style building features an infinity pool and generous interior spaces of neutral tones and native timbers to ensure the eye is always drawn to the saturated blues and greens of your playground: the Coral Sea. Days are as active or sedentary as you desire, with every imaginable water toy – Jet Skis, Seabobs, water bicycles, and a motorboat – at your disposal for island or outer reef explorations. Craving company, a spa treatment, or a quick lesson in marine science? Sibling resort Orpheus Island Lodge, a short speedboat ride across the strait, has a restaurant, day spa, and marine research center. From $13,067 per night for two people. Accessible hotel. — Kendall Hill

Sha Wellness Clinic Mexico

Wellness culture reaches its apex at Sha Wellness Clinic, open since January 2024 in Costa Mujeres, Mexico, just north of Cancun. The 100-room property, with 35 privately owned residences, offers an all-inclusive, immersive wellness experience in four- to 21-day programs. Guests engage in wellness therapies, ranging in scope from the medical – intravenous oxygenation, for instance – to the therapeutic, like Shiatsu massage. Upon arrival, each traveler receives a state-of-the-art evaluation, assessing everything from body composition to vascular age to muscular strength, to determine specific wellness needs. My own four-day Rebalance & Energize program included sessions with a Chinese medicine specialist for acupuncture and energy healing; a consultation with a head nutritionist for a meal plan; various overall health assessments with the clinic’s physicians; a Tibetan sound bowl session; and a water-based treatment called the hydroenergetic detox, in which I was wrapped in seaweed and massaged by machine. Shamadi, the nutrition-focused fine-dining venue, serves sophisticated, multicourse menus both inside and outside, on a terrace overlooking the sea. (A second restaurant, Earthy, focused on live-fire cooking, is set to open soon.) When they aren’t meeting with the clinic’s trained professionals, guests are also welcome to use the property’s hydrotherapy circuit, infinity pools, and fitness facility, or snorkel at the largest coral reef in the Northern Hemisphere. During my stay, a swim with a school of stunning barracuda, shimmering in Caribbean sunlight, proved particularly restorative. Four-night program from $5,600, all-inclusive. – Hannah Selinger

Shinta Mani Mustang, Nepal

There are still wildly beautiful and enchanted pockets of the world to discover, and this new property — imagined by celebrated interior designer Bill Bensley — is right in the heart of one: the ancient Kingdom of Mustang in Nepal, close to the border of Tibet. From the outside, this U-shaped structure, built using local Baglung stone, resembles a monastery. But inside, thanks to Bensley’s historical research and taste for rich color and pattern, it feels like an elegant, colorful palace. Large public spaces are appointed with a mix of antique Mustang treasures, lampshades decorated with cascading yak hair, and pops of orange and yellow. When not on daily excursions to nearby temples and villages, guests can visit the resort’s spa, which is overseen by a doctor of traditional Tibetan medicine. Each of the 29 rooms has a spacious bathroom — many with deep tubs — as well as woven tiger rugs on the polished black wood floors, and felt blankets from a Nepal-based workshop that supplies Hermes. But none of it can begin to compete with the view of Mount Nilgiri through the floor-to-ceiling windows. From $1,800/night, with a five-night minimum. Accessible hotel. — Gisela Williams

Singita Mara River Tented Camp, Serengeti, Tanzania

The most low-key property in Singita’s illustrious East African lineup is also the most exclusive. Singita Mara River Tented Camp is one of only a few permanent camps in the sought-after Lamai wedge, a spit of savanna sequestered from the vast Serengeti National Park by the Mara River. Reopened after a complete rebuild that saw infrastructure from the old camp cleverly repurposed, the camp is sexy and sustainable, and channels the adventurous spirit of a mobile operation — while still providing every imaginable creature comfort. Over 20 African designers and makers were commissioned to add their creative stamp to the new camp. The six well-spaced tents have king-size beds, outdoor tubs, and beaded Maasai artworks by Sidai Designs, an Arusha-based female collective. The chic but utilitarian interiors are done in bold blues and reds, inspired by traditional Maasai blankets. Compact design solutions like mobile wardrobes add to the clutter-free vibe; there’s even a canvas-clad mini-bar stocked with local beers, homemade fruit cordials, Champagne, and vegan chocolate. Like all Singita lodges, the hub of the camp is a bar where smoothies, cappuccinos, and craft cocktails are served by the 100-percent Tanzanian staff. The camp’s prime riverfront site guarantees front-row seats to all the predator-prey action during migration season, but sightings remain impressive year-round, thanks to plentiful resident plains game, including herds of buffalo and elephants, and all the big cats. Suites from $2,045 per person per night. — Jane Broughton

Southern Ocean Lodge, Kangaroo Island, Australia

When Southern Ocean Lodge first opened on an island off the coast of southern Australia in 2008, it set the bar for all-inclusive eco-lodges in Australia with its spectacular setting, striking design, and precise yet easygoing hospitality. But the resort burned to the ground in one of the devastating bushfires of 2020. Sheltering underground with smoke seeping into their bunker, longtime managers John Hird and Alison Heath vowed to rebuild. Their employer, Baillie Lodges, agreed, and the lodge reopened this past December. The 25 terraced suites have been updated to include soaking tubs, double vanities, and master controls for zoned lighting. Furnishings are smartly positioned — I could count the night stars through the floor-to-ceiling windows from bed — and the suites have also been angled to provide maximum privacy and views of the surf on the beach below. Chef Tom Saliba makes ample use of island ingredients, like hand-fed partridges, which he barbecues, and mushrooms for whipped tofu with panisse at breakfast. The lounge features a 1970s-style central fireplace and plenty of comfortable seating, but perhaps its greatest charm is a wide-open bar generously stocked with ingredients, a cocktail book that guests are encouraged to use to mix their own drinks, and bar accoutrements. The wine cellar is filled with southern Australian bottles to wander in and grab. The expanded spa now includes warm pools and cold plunges, plus a sauna, and those looking for adventure can book guided tours to spot fur seals and endangered sea lions. From $2,213/night.­ Accessible hotel. — Betsy Andrews

Tanda Tula Safari Camp, Greater Kruger National Park, South Africa

At this reimagined camp in the Timbavati, one of South Africa’s lesser-known private nature reserves, there are 180-degree views of the Nhlaralumi River, which is dry for much of the year, allowing for feet-in-the-sand sundowners and barbecues after immersive game drives. Part of the Greater Kruger region, the reserve is known for guaranteed, year-round sightings of leopards lurking in riverine thickets, large herds of buffalo, packs of wild dogs running free, and numerous prides of lions — including rare white lions. But perhaps the real luxury of choosing this intimate camp is that you’ll rarely bump into other safari cars while exploring the ecosystem, unlike reserves located inside Kruger that can be overrun with tourists. The interiors of the nine off-grid suites channel a strong sense of place through homegrown design that feels refreshingly modern, while still honoring the intricate patterns of traditional Tsonga motifs. Everything is steeped in the colors of the surrounding bush — including the deep aubergine of the purple pod cluster leaf, an indigenous tree. Sleek, statement bathrooms lead to open-air showers, private plunge pools, and incredible views. The service feels easy and intuitive, whether you’re arranging a massage in your suite or ordering lunch on your deck. Menus are in sync with the seasons and champion fresh produce grown by small-scale local farmers. Uplifting people is part of Tanda Tula’s DNA: through the work of the property’s foundation, your stay helps fund educational opportunities and scholarships for bright young minds, as well as an adult literacy program for staff. Suites from $1,338 per person per night. Accessible hotel. — Jane Broughton

The Peninsula London

The Peninsula brand, which operates a 96-year-old flagship in Hong Kong as well as properties as far-flung as Beverly Hills and Istanbul, spent 35 years looking for the right address in London. They found it on a prime corner overlooking Wellington Arch, in the heart of Belgravia. The eight-story building, its Portland-stone facade a nod to British craftsmanship, opened to the public in 2023. The timing couldn’t have been better — or worse — depending upon how you look at it, as the British capital is experiencing a luxury hotel boom. So what sets The Peninsula London apart? That location, for one. I was able to walk to Harrods and Buckingham Palace in 15 minutes, and yet still feel tucked away from the fray, thanks to the quiet courtyard, anchored by two 120-year-old Japanese maple trees, and the subterranean, forest-themed spa. The 190 rooms, designed by Peter Marino to soothe with their neutral, calming tones, start at a very generous 549 square feet. But the biggest perk might be the in-room technology, a Peninsula signature, so seamless I could charge all of my devices on a bedside table (some cord-free) without unpacking an adapter. If some parts of the hotel lean classic, others skew more whimsical, including the rooftop Brooklands Bar & Restaurant by Claude Bosi, themed around race cars and aviation (even if you don’t eat there, have a peek at the replica Concorde suspended from the dining-room ceiling). And Canton Blue, the formal Chinese restaurant, is a true feast for the eyes with its displays of suspended porcelain cups, plates, and antique musical instruments. Full from the excellent soup dumplings and Peking duck, I left my table at 11:30 p.m. — and the room was still abuzz. From $1,600/night. Accessible hotel. — Jacqueline Gifford

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