For the last few months, travel has been but a dream. But the world is slowly starting to come out of lockdown and it's time to start dreaming up some plans. There's no better place to start than with T&C's second annual list of the world's best new hotels.

The 65 hotels and resorts we chose (out of some 140 considered) are arranged geographically below. They include wellness sanctuaries, urban retreats, natural havens, and beach escapes. And remember: While travel is and always has been a luxury and a privilege, it is also an unparalleled form of education and a great force for good. More than 330 million jobs worldwide depend on it, and the revenue travel generates also helps fund countless conservation projects.

Here's to recovery, everyone. The world is waiting.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Europe | The Americas | Africa and the Middle East | Asia | The Indian Ocean

Our Criteria

The properties must have opened in the last two years or been completely renovated. They must, in one way or another, be game changers in their destinations. The sorts of places--be they large resorts or four-room retreats--that make us feel starry-eyed: about their location, or their beauty, or their design, or just their je ne sais quoi.

Our Methodology

We culled the winners from our own travel experiences and from the recommendations of a roundtable of the world's top travel specialists, who know the properties well, have personally checked them out or stayed in them, and/or have sent satisfied clients there. (In short, trust us on these recs.)

Our Specialists

We recommend that you contact these travel specialists for more details and for planning everything from day trips to longer itineraries (where else to go, what to do, where to eat, and so on). They are also invaluable for advising you about where and when you'll actually be able to go in these uncertain times. (Remember that cancellation policies are extremely generous and flexible these days.) Search Our List


EUROPE

Move to a village in France, feel euphoric in Greece, feast your eyes on Italy, go glam in Monaco, luxuriate by the fjords in Norway, stay in a museum in Poland, live like Count Rostov in Russia, sweat it out in Sweden, watch East meet West in Turkey. And more.

United Kingdom
heckfield place
Heckfield Place, Hampshire

At this majestic Georgian country house amid 400 acres of ancient woodland, there’s everything from cozy guest rooms stuffed with eye-catching artworks to screening rooms and greenhouses. But it’s the dining that’s the biggest triumph here, thanks to chef Skye Gyngell’s inventive take on the estate’s organic farm-to-table produce. Hard to believe you’re just 30 minutes from Heathrow.

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Courtesy Heckfield Place
the newt, somerset
The Newt, Somerset

Less than an hour from London and six years in the making, this rustic-chic Georgian farmhouse and destination spa sets the bar high for sustainable living. As with its famed sister property in South Africa, Babylonstoren, wildly ambitious gardens are the centerpiece. Take a garden tour with a horticulturist, then work out the kinks in the indoor-outdoor hydrotherapy pool, and drift off in your luxuriously contemporary room (no chintzes).

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Courtesy The Newt
the fife arms, braemar
The Fife Arms, Braemar, Scotland

The grand opening of this 1850s coaching inn turned art hotel was newsworthy enough for Prince Charles to attend. An astounding 12,000 pieces of contemporary art fill the romantic 45-room hotel, including works by Picasso, Lucian Freud, and Louise Bourgeois, which reside comfortably alongside antiques and oriental rugs. Guestrooms, done up in unique themes, are so inviting you may forget the spectacular Scottish Highlands are just outside your door.

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Sim Canetty Clarke
France, Monaco, and Switzerland
lily of the valley
Lily of the Valley, French Riviera

St.-Tropez has seen a lot, but nothing quite like this: a 20,000-square-foot “well-being village” designed by Philippe Starck in a park overlooking the beaches of Gigaro, with naturopaths, dietitians, therapists, sports coaches, a hammam, two saunas, and an ice fountain. Crave a pair of Tropeziennes from the shop Bardot put on the map? The hotel’s shuttle takes you downtown in 20 minutes.


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Courtesy Lily of the Valley
hotel de paris, monaco
Hôtel de Paris, Monte Carlo, Monaco

After a $280-million, four-year renovation, this iconic hotel has been updated with contemporary touches, but nothing is understated here: not the rooftop spa, with spectacular views across the entire principality, nor the wine cellar (the largest in the world, with miles of racks), or the heaps of luxury cars outside. For the ultimate stay, book 3,000-square-foot Princess Grace Suite, with personal memorabilia and letters.

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Courtesy Hotel de Paris
la reserve eden au lac
La Reserve Eden Au Lac, Zurich, Switzerland

The venerable 111-year-old Hotel Eden au Lac has been brilliantly transformed by Philippe Starck into something resembling a yacht club, with red-wood panelling, large picture windows, nautical blue-and-white-striped awnings, even floors sloping ever so slightly. What hasn’t changed is the panoramic views from the exceptional Japanese-Peruvian restaurant La Muña (decked out as a harbourmaster’s office), encompassing the whole sweep of Lake Zurich, from the spires of the Old Town to the Alps on the horizon.

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Courtesy La Reserve Eden au Lac
Italy
hotel de la ville, rome
Hotel De La Ville, Rome

After an exuberant renovation by Rocco Forte Hotels, everything about this historic place perched atop the Spanish Steps (in three of Rome’s hand­somest 18th-century palazzi) feels like a Grand Tour film set: Carrara marble, handmade wall­paper, digitally printed mosaics. Take in the views of the Eternal City from the rooftop, then bed down in the 1,100-square-foot Suite de la Ville, which has two vast ter­races.


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HOTEL PHOTOGRAPHY SRL
st regis venice san marco
St. Regis Venice San Marco, Venice

Following a two-year renovation, the former Europa & Regina feels more intimate, family-run hotel than international chain. All the amenities are here—a spa (a rarity in the centro storico), expansive bar, and fitness center—but you won’t need a degree in IT to turn on the lights, and the art-filled public areas are made for intimate conversation. Two aspects remain unchanged: the unbeatable location and that incredible St. Regis service.

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Niall Clutton
villa igiea
Villa Igiea, Palermo, Sicily

Palermo, and Sicily generally, have lacked a 5-star hotel for decades—until now. This 19th-century palazzo, with frescoes in the vaulted bar and a mirrored ballroom, has been restored by Rocco Forte to its Art Nouveau glory, with antiques alongside local Sicilian tile and marble; lush gardens tumbling down to the sea, and a waterside spa—enough to make the likes of King Edward VII and Sophia Loren wish they could return.

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HOTEL PHOTOGRAPHY SRL
lefay resort  spa, the dolomites
Lefay Resort & Spa, The Dolomites

No quaint alpine lodge, this architecturally dramatic hotel—the most awaited new hotel opening in Italy in 2019--has pyramidal windows, large suites, stone fireplaces, and a 54,000-square-foot spa, the largest in the Italian Alps. Located in the Madonna di Campiglio ski resort, it also gives you room to roam, with 93 miles of ski runs, hiking, biking, climbing, and a year-round indoor/outdoor pool.

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Courtesy Lefay Resort & Spa
Croatia and Malta
palace elisabeth
Palace Elisabeth, Hvar, Croatia

Named after Empress Elisabeth “Sissi” of Austria, who ordered the palace’s construction in 1898 during Habsburg rule, this intimate 45-room luxury hotel on the main square is hands-down the best on Croatia’s famous island. There are divine harbor views from almost every bedroom, a ground-floor indoor pool opens up to a sun-drenched terrace overlooking the sea, and you can arrive Sissi-style via private speedboat from Split airport.

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Courtesy Palace Elisabeth
iniala, malta
Iniala, Malta

Fittingly for an island that’s been a cultural crossroad for centuries, each of the four historic townhouses that make up this 23-room luxury hotel overlooking Malta’s famous Grand Harbour has its own distinctive style, from edgy minimalism to understated Baroque. The country’s first lodging with serious hotel cred, Iniala boasts round-the-clock butler service, cake and flowers for birthdays and anniversaries, and sunset cruises on its yacht.

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Courtesy Iniala
Greece
four seasons astir palace, athens riviera
Four Seasons Astir Palace, Athens Riviera

Sand and ruins—the gods are rejoicing! Athens finally has a great beach hotel, on 75 acres on the pine-covered Vouliagmeni peninsula 30 minutes from downtown. It has 303 spare modernist guest­rooms and bungalows, 2,000 artworks, eight bars and restaurants, and three private beaches, not to mention (natch) an Olympic-size pool. There’s no better way to beat the withering heat of an Athenian summer.

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Richard Waite
euphoria retreat
Euphoria Retreat, The Peloponnese

Think Canyon Ranch spread on four levels over a pine-and-cypress-covered mountainside and surrounded by important ancient sites. This haven for well-being combines tailor-made programs enriched with age old Hellenic and Chinese practices, and including everything from beauty treatments to water therapies, specialized diets, meditation, and yoga sessions, all amid Byzantine art and Zen minimalism. No surprise that the word euphoria derives from the Greek.

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Courtesy Euphoria Retreat
parilio hotel
Parilio Hotel, Paros

The beguiling, under-the-radar island of Paros is finally on the map for travelers accustomed to jetting off to well-trod Mykonos or Santorini. Thirty-three understated white-block suites arranged around a large outdoor pool blend seamlessly with the araucaria tree–filled grounds and impossibly blue Aegean beyond, a Cycladean sanctuary befitting the gods. And in keeping with heavenly ambrosia, its Mr. E was just voted best hotel restaurant in Greece.

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Courtesy Parilio Hotel
Norway and Sweden
britannia hotel

Long the launchpad for Arctic explorers, this fjord-country city is one of Europe’s emerging gourmet destinations, with three Michelin-starred restaurants. The renovated 1870 Britannia fits right in, with six restaurants and a 10,000-bottle wine cellar with hundreds of vintage wines by the glass. Billionaire owner Odd Reitan spared no expense: Carrera marble at every turn, a palatial mirrored dining room, and a 1,400-meter spa with pool.

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Courtesy Britannia Hotel
arctic bath, lapland
Arctic Bath, Lapland, Sweden

The first wellness center in the Swedish arctic has just six chic, ­minimal rooms and a striking bath, sauna, and treatment center that resembles a giant nest made of tree trunks floating on the Lule River. Go for the plunges in the 39°F water and the sustainable meals of reindeer and fish, plus dog­sledding, hiking, visiting the local Sami people, and, between August and March, the Northern Lights.

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Courtesy Arctic Bath
Poland and Russia
raffles warsaw
Raffles Europejski Warsaw, Poland

With nearly 500 contemporary Polish art works—the largest private collection of its kind—the restored, 106-room Europejski is now the best hotel in the capital. Housed in an 1857 building along the so-called Royal Route, across from the Presidential Palace and steps from the Old Town, it has a Michelin-recognized restaurant, the signature Raffles butler service, a world-class spa, and a beautifully lit bar where the city’s beau monde congregates.

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Courtesy Raffles
metropol hotel, moscow
Metropol, Moscow, Russia

This restored Belle Epoque beauty opposite the Bolshoi Ballet is the country’s most historic hotel. Built in 1905, it survived the Russian Revolution and World War II, stars in Amor Towles’s best-seller A Gentleman in Moscow, and is the best way to have a truly Russian experience in a city dominated by chain hotels. The opulent public spaces have stained glass windows and original Russian oil paintings. Count Rostov would approve.

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Yuri Palmin
Turkey
the edition hotel
The Edition Hotel, Bodrum

This hip Ian Schrager hotel overlooking one of the loveliest bays in all Bodrum feels isolated yet is minutes from lots to do. Terraced white rooms spill down to a private sandy beach (actually crushed marble, to ward off the heat) amid olive trees and bougainvillea. Spend the day by the infinity pool or in a cabana overlooking the Aegean, then (pandemic permitting), dance till dawn at the hotel’s private nightclub.

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Courtesy The Edition Hotel
six senses kocatas
Six Senses Kocatas Mansions Istanbul

This replica Ottoman mansion with superb Bosporus views is located away from the tourist crowds amid six lush acres in a quiet residential area. The Belle Epoque–style property includes 45 spacious guestrooms, indoor and outdoor pools, and a boat on standby to shuttle you to Istanbul’s sites. And since Six Senses is all about East meets West, there’s no better place for a traditional Turkish bath.

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Courtesy Six Senses
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The Americas: The United States, Caribbean, Mexico, and Central and South America

Exhale on Anguilla, drop out on St. Barth, live the eco dream in the BVI, study with a shaman in Costa Rica, feel prehistoric in Panama, follow jaguars in Brazil, live in a UFO in Utah. And more.

The United States
ritz carlton miami beach
Ritz-Carlton South Beach, Miami, Florida

The landmark 1953 Morris Lapidus Art Deco building recently reopened after 18 months and a $90 million renovation. Its 375 rooms have a nautical vibe that’s both relaxed and refined; its public spaces are bright and whimsical; its swanky Lapidus Bar transports you to the days of Miami glamour; and its pool—unlike those of many resort buildings here—gets sun until 5 p.m.

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Courtesy Ritz-Carlton
equinox hotel new york
Equinox Hotel, Hudson Yards, New York City

Yes, a hotel from a gym and fitness company. And what a hotel: contemporary, sexy, ultra-luxe, with rooms masterminded to help you sleep—padded walls, individual duvets (no hogging), and black-out blinds on the 10-foot windows. And the wellness: a 60,000-foot gym complimentary for guests and a 15,000-foot spa. Your gym clothes are cleaned daily and your personal training profile will follow you to any Equinox around the world.

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Courtesy Equinox Hotel
lodge at blue sky, utah
Lodge At Blue Sky, Auberge Resorts, Utah

Take a western ranch (3,5000 private acres of land with horseback riding, fly fishing, mountain biking, and clay shooting), cross it with a contemporary luxury resort (minimalist wood, stone, and marble, floor-to-ceiling windows, a spa, pool, organic farm, and a renowned chef manning the kitchen), et voila: the 46-room Lodge at Blue Sky. Additional benefits: closeness to Salt Lake City’s airport, a helicopter to take you heli-skiing in winter or 10,000 feet up in warmer weather for mountaintop yoga. And the air smells of sage.

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Courtesy Lodge at Blue Sky
camp sarika
Camp Sarika By Amangiri, Utah

A short drive from Amangiri itself, this “wilder” extension of the main resort—just 10 tented canvas-topped pavilions poised like so many UFOs amid a magnificent landscape of mesas, canyons, and rust-colored sand—brings over-the-top glamping luxury to one of the most geologically dramatic places on earth. The camp has its own pool and restaurant, each pavilion comes with a private firepit, and there are two-bedroom options that are great for families.

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Courtesy Camp Sarika
Caribbean
belmond cap juluca
Belmond Cap Juluca, Anguilla

This jetset haunt on Maundays Bay is more alluring than ever following a $120 million renovation that has updated the 108 Moorish-inflected guest­rooms and villas, and added a new spa and fitness center, infinity pool, and restaurants, including Cip’s by Cipriani. The fabulous Anguilla-friendly staff hits just the right note of professional, but the real star is the beach. On a bright day it will take your breath away.

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Richard James Taylor
cheval blanc, st barts
Cheval Blanc St-Barth, St. Bart’s

On beautiful Baie des Flamands, an ambitious expansion by LVMH of this celebrity hideout excels in every way, from Jacques Grange’s soothing blue-and-white interiors to the lush gardens by Madison Cox to the inspired French West Indian cuisine ­created by star chef Jean Imbert. Twenty rooms have been added, along with a second beachfront pool and restaurant, yet the vibe of this 61-room property remains as exclusive and chic as ever.

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V.MATI
rosewood little dix bay
Rosewood Little Dix Bay, Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands

A $200 million overhaul has transformed Laurance Rockefeller’s fabled yet frayed resort into a luxe Caribbean gem on 500 acres abutting a half-mile of pristine beach. Rockefeller’s commitment to sustainability is reflected in the 80 wood and stone guestrooms, suites, and villas, the on-site farm, the cliffside spa, and the resort’s ban on single-use ­plastics—enough to feel guilt-free about all those imported rum Pelican Smash cocktails.

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KEN HAYDEN PHOTOGRAPHY
eden rock st barths
Eden Rock St. Barth’s

This longstanding jet-setter favorite, owned by Pippa Middleton’s in-laws and dating to the 1950s when Howard Hughes and Greta Garbo would stay, is more fabulous than ever after a two-year rebuild. There’s 37 art-filled rooms and suites (most with private pools), a spa built into the rocks, and a Jean-Georges outpost. There’s no better place to take in the laid-back Europeanized beach glamour of St. Barts.

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Laurent BENOIT
Mexico, Panama, Bolivia and Brazil
four seasons los cabos
Four Seasons Los Cabos At Costa Palmas, Mexico

The first Four Seasons foray into Baja knocks it out of the park, with a location far from the tourists that mixes rugged desert beauty with two miles of swimmable white sand beach—unheard of in Los Cabos. Sleek rooms with large terraces blend into the sere landscape, and beyond await four pools, 18 holes of golf, a huge gym, a spa, and the Sea of Cortez, a marine marvel that Jacques Cousteau called the “world’s aquarium.”

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CHRISTIAN HORAN PHOTOGRAPHY
islas secas
Islas Secas, Gulf Of Chiriqui, Panama

This untouched 14-island archipelago 33 miles from the nearest town could have been the setting for Jurassic Park. The resort sleeps just 18 in secluded bohemian-chic casitas (with plunge pools, sprawling decks, and spa treatments). Just as crucially, it’s surrounded by Pacific waters teeming with marine life—including migrating humpback whales 9 months of the year. It’s 100 % solar powered, and nearby Coiba National Marine Park is a treasure.

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Michael Turek
kachi lodge
Kachi Lodge, Uyuni Salt Flats, Bolivia

This seven-domed ecolodge that looks like it belongs on Mars is the first to tame the 4,000-square-mile sea of white known as the Uyuni salt flats. Not that it’s really roughing it: Kachi’s ATV excursions, mountain biking, pre-Columbian mummy tours, and phenomenal star gazing are easily enjoyed thanks to the bubbles’ cashmere blankets, en suite baths, wood-burning stoves, and, at 12,000 feet, oxygen if you need it.

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Courtesy Kachi Lodge
trijuncao pousada
Pousada Trijuncao, Goias, Brazil

Talk about remote: On a private farm deep in Brazil’s savannah region, this 8,200-acre retreat is playing a vital role in the conservation and monitoring of the endangered maned wolf and jaguar. Astonishingly given its location, the 7 suites showcase Brazilian design at its best, with beautiful tapestries, a pool and steam room, and (conveniently) an airstrip for the hour’s flight to and from Brasilia.

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Courtesy Trijuncao Pousada
Costa Rica
kasiiya papagayo
Kasiiya Papagayo, Papagayo Peninsula

You can’t get more privacy—or more immersion in nature—than at one of these five gorgeous, spacious, sustainably-built tented suites on the edge of an exclusive 123-acre tropical forest with two private beaches. Kayak, snorkel, fish, hike (there are trails for all levels of fitness), watch wildlife, practice yoga, and—the pièce de résistance—sign up for a session with the resident healer.

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KENNY VIESE
nantipa
Nantipa, Santa Teresa

The beachy, laid-back town of Santa Teresa is in one of the world’s five Blue Zones (a UNESCO designation for areas where people live longer) and has been an under-the-radar hot spot for years. Missing was an upscale beach hotel—until now. With 18 understated bungalows, this resort is the epitome of wellness and sustainability, combining local furnishings and cuisine with private yoga, meditation, and beachside sound therapy sessions.

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Courtesy Nantipa
nayara tented camp
Nayara Tented Camp, Arenal Volcano National Park

Glamping comes to Central America with these 1,700-square-foot luxe tents in the shadow of Arenal Volcano, designed by the team behind Botswana’s Belmond Savute Elephant Lodge. Botanical murals, linkable tents for families, and private plunge pools fed by nearby hot springs are the hallmarks of this “Safari in the Rainforest,” within easy access of the area’s hanging bridges, canopy tours, and whitewater rafting. Don’t miss the spa’s volcanic mud massage.

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BRICE FERRE STUDIO
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Africa and the Middle East

Run with wild dogs in Botswana, play solitaire in Namibia, gaze at gorillas in Rwanda, track big cats in Tanzania, sleep in history in Israel, ditch the glitz in Dubai. And more.

Botswana
jao camp, botswana
Jao Camp, Okavango Delta

Nothing beats Botswana for the sheer number of animals drawn to its inland waterways. Now, after a multi-million-dollar rebuild, it also has the new Jao Camp—just five suites and two villas, each with a huge deck and private pool. It is 100% solar powered, 85% of staff are from local communities, and its tiered, elevated public areas—especially a two-story museum/library —are stunning.

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Courtesy Jao Camp
tuludi camp, botswana
Tuludi Camp, Okavango Delta

Sometimes you want full-on luxury (soaring ceilings, butlers, and so on)—and sometimes you don’t. This lovely lodge, in 800-square mile Khwai Private Reserve, harkens back to a more traditional safari—all comforts are provided in the airy, high-pitched tented rooms (even plunge pools), but the public spaces are intimate and the focus is on the exceptional wildlife: dense, varied, and including even the elusive wild dogs, which often hunt under the decks of the dining area.

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Courtesy Tuludi Camp
Namibia and Kenya
shipwreck lodge, namibia
Shipwreck Lodge, Skeleton Coast, Namibia

There is nothing in the world like it: The only lodge on the remarkably remote, rugged, and aptly named coast of Africa, strewn with bleached whale bones and the decaying hulls of doomed ships and populated with birdlife and desert-adapted elephants and lions. Each of its 10 huts sits high on the dunes and inside is delightfully cozy, with faux fur throws and velvet daybeds. The ultimate getaway for the intrepid.


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Michael Turek
beyond sossusvlei desert lodge
&Beyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge, Namibia

There are 10 stone and glass suites with plunge pools in this stunningly rebuilt property where what you will feel above all is the immensity and startling silence of the earth’s oldest desert, the Namib. Explore the red dunes and when you’ve had your fill of adrenaline, there are retractable skylights above each bed for stargazing (Africa’s only International Dark Sky Reserve is nearby). The best property in Namibia.

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Courtesy &Beyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge
mara nyika
Mara Nyika, Naboisho Conservancy, Kenya

Talk about privacy: This 4-tent camp, done up in Great Plains’ delectable Out of Africa style, has exclusive access to a 50,000-acre conservancy bordering the Masai Mara. Sustainability is also top of mind, and each guest’s stay supports Masai families and helps conserve this remarkable ecosystem. Soon to open: the 2-bedroom Jahazi Suite, with a private butler, chef, vehicle, and safari guide—exclusivity squared.

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Courtesy Mara Nyika
Rwanda
singita kwitonda
Singita Kwitonda Lodge, Volcanoes National Park

There’s the extraordinary location of this ultraluxe ecolodge, at the foot of three volcanoes. There’s the elegant contemporary design of its eight suites and four-bedroom private villa, Kataza House, all with floor-to-ceiling windows, indoor and outdoor fireplaces, and heated pools. The food and wine? Outstanding. The idea? A cozy sanctuary in which to reflect on the life-changing encounters for which one comes here—with Rwanda’s mountain gorillas.


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CrookesAndJackson
africa rwanda
Magashi, Akagera National Park

The gorillas in Rwanda are a must, as is the Kigali Genocide Memorial. But now a scenic new tented lodge in the country’s remote Akagera National Park lets you round out your trip with sightings of the Big 5, species which have rebounded here. Akagera is managed by the acclaimed NGO African Parks—it is they who repopulated the park with rhinos, elephants, lions, buffalos, and leopards.

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gorilla's nest
One&Only Gorilla’s Nest, Volcanoes National Park

The newest haven for gorilla trekkers in Rwanda, set in a forest of eucalyptus trees, is at the entrance to the national park with the top-notch service and attention to detail the luxury brand One&Only is known for. You’ll return from your gorilla encounter to a flute of champagne, a massage (they are stellar), and a lunch sourced from the local markets and the in-house garden. Ideal for multi-generational groups.

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Courtesy Gorilla's Nest
Tanzania, Zimbabwe, and South Africa
cheetah plains, south africa
Cheetah Plains, Sabi Sand Game Reserve, South Africa

This is no traditional safari lodge, but 3 modernist, 4-suite houses, each an amalgam of timber, metal, and stone, designed by the Cape Town-based architectural firm ARRCC. Each house has every imaginable luxury, including heated pool, wine cellar, and private chef and butler, and works by major South African artists adorn the walls. The reserve abuts wildlife-rich Kruger National Park and whisper-quiet electric game drive vehicles whisk you to this oasis.

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Courtesy Cheetah Plains
namiri plains
Namiri Plains, Serengeti, Tanzania

Completely rebuilt, this is now one of the most beautiful and sophisticated small camps in this vast park, a showcase of contemporary African design in canvas, stone, and wood. It’s also in the Serengeti’s remote eastern corner. The area was closed for 20 years to allow cheetahs to rebound. And have they ever. Venture out with your guide in the morning, then return to the privacy and silence of Namiri. Heaven.

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Courtesy Namiri Plains
mpala jena
Mpala Jena, Zambezi National Park, Zimbabwe

This sumptuous, Relais & Châteaux haven from Great Plains Conservation--just 4 tents and a 2-bedroom suite (think leather couches, four-poster beds) in a private concession within the park--has superb wildlife viewing, an environmentally innovative design (it runs on a Tesla solar battery system), and a level of luxury that has been missing in Zimbabwe. Victoria Falls is within easy reach.

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Andrew Howard Photo
Middle East
the jaffa, tel aviv
The Jaffa, Tel Aviv, Israel

This new 120-room hideaway, in a 19th century building (a former French hospital and monastery) and incorporating a former chapel and a 13th century Crusader wall, gives Tel Aviv/Jaffa what it has always lacked: a luxury hotel near the beach but within walking distance of fashionable old Jaffa’s many cultural attractions. Plus a state of the art spa and fitness center. We love the lush, atmospheric inner courtyard.

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Amit Geron
chedi al bait, uae
Chedi Al Bait, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

The special new hotel in the Emirates isn’t in Dubai or in Abu Dhabi, but in the tiny emirate of Sharjah, an emergent art destination 10 miles from Dubai’s airport (and a short drive to the glass and glitz of Dubai). Built partly on the foundations of the region’s historic homes, the 53-room retreat feels like a walled village, atmospherically lit, scented with frankincense, and within walking distance of such cultural attractions as Sharjah’s annual Biennial, international book fair, and the Museum of Islamic Civilization.

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Courtesy Chedi Al Bait
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Asia

Boost your endorphins in Bhutan, go Crusoe in Cambodia, feel the thrill of Hong Kong, live in the treetops in Bali, find your ski legs in Japan. And more.

China
rosewood hong kong
Rosewood HK, Kowloon, Hong Kong

A recent masterpiece by designer Tony Chi (in a 65-story tower in the new Victoria Dockside arts and culture district) will be the place to stay once Hong Kong reopens. The 413 suites and 186 residences feel like the platonic ideal of a luxe home, the many dining options are memorable, there’s a large outdoor pool, and the full-on view of boat-crossed Victoria Harbor, against a backdrop of Hong Kong Island’s skyscrapers and Victoria Peak, is among the world’s best.

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Courtesy Rosewood Hong Kong
sangha retreat, china
Sangha Retreat, Suzhou

Once we start traveling to China again, this 47-acre retreat on Yangcheng Lake near the historic city of Suzhou just might be the cutting-edge destination for a reset. Integrating Eastern and Western medical practices, with state-of-the-art facilities (including a 65,000-square-foot “healing spa”) and an international team of doctors and wellness experts, it offers a parade of treatments, lectures, and classes, and has a special focus on nutrition, with a culinary school and, yes, a world-class wine cellar.

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Courtesy Sangha Retreat
Indonesia, Bhutan, and Cambodia
capella ubud
Capella Ubud, Bali, Indonesia

Bali like you’ve never seen it: 23 canvas tents have been fashioned by the flamboyant Bill Bensley into fantasy-like jungle lodgings, accessed via a network of wobbly suspension bridges and built around tangled palms and banyan trees to limit the camp’s impact on the rainforest and rice fields. Go trekking with an in-house ranger, soak in your saltwater plunge pool overlooking the tenchnicolor-green forest canopy, and have sundowners around a campfire.

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DEWANDRA DJELANTIK
six senses bhutan
Six Senses Bhutan

The world’s only carbon-­negative country is now a true wellness mecca with the opening of Six Senses’ five luxurious new lodges. Perched on hills in Paro, Thimphu, Punakha, Gangtey, and Bumthang, all overlook Himalayan valleys and are built of wood and stone with elements of Bhutanese craftsmanship. They have superb staff, food, spa, yoga, and pools, and are dedicated to sustainability and supporting local communities. (And not a plastic bottle in sight.)

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Courtesy Six Senses Bhutan
mani wild
Shinta Mani Wild, Cardamom National Park, Cambodia

One of the most applauded openings last year, designed by Bill Bensley and sitting on the banks of a rushing river in an 865-acre private nature reserve. The 15 palatial tents have indoor-outdoor spaces decorated with wild colors and rich textiles, the spa offers traditional Khmer medicinal treatments, and check-in is adrenaline-pumping: via zipline. All around is wildlife (elephants, cats, gibbons), and Angkor Wat is just 30 minutes away by plane.

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Courtesy Mani Wild
six senses koh krabey
Six Senses Koh Krabey, Cambodia

Cambodia’s beach scene is about as lost-in-paradise as it gets, and this new wellness retreat—40 villas with pools tucked in among vegetation with tropical birdlife flying overhead—is Robinson-Crusoe-esque to the max yet only 15 minutes by speedboat from the port of Sihanoukville. The spa programs focus on sleep, detox, or fitness (and include aerial yoga), there are kaleidoscopic coral reefs offshore, and the two-bedroom Beach Retreat villa is ideal for families.

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KIATTIPONG PANCHEE
India
raas chhatra sagar
Raas Chhatra Sagar, Rajasthan

A revival of the famous rural Rajasthani camp atop a river dam—quite a sight—which attracts a huge variety of birdlife. The tents are now luxurious structures furnished with stone and teak furniture and traditional textiles; the food alone, based on family recipes and cooked over open fires, is worth the trip; and the peace and tranquility of the setting—surrounded by flamingos, pelicans, Indian black buck, and open farmland (think surprise sundowners, long evenings around the fire—are sublime.

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Courtesy Raas Chhatra Sagar
the oberoi
THE OBEROI, NEW DELHI

A Midcentury Modern Delhi classic built in 1965 and recently renovated for $100 million might not be the fort or palace of your India dreams. But you’ll get plenty of those later. In the excellence of its rooms (designed by Adam Tihany), spa, pools, staff, even technology (such as its state-of-the-art air purification system), this place is in a league of its own. The rooftop bar? Amazing, with views over Humayun’s tomb, precursor of the Taj Mahal.

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Courtesy the Oberoi
Japan
park hyatt niseko
Park Hyatt Niseko Hanazono, Hokkaido

The first Western-style luxury hotel—100 rooms and 80 residences--in the world’s hottest ski resort. The rooms feel palatial for Japan, with floor-to-­ceiling windows looking out on Mount Yotei, in the Annupuri Range. You can ski in/ski out, there’s a ski valet and a kids’ club, and a huge spa—with pool and onsen baths—for après.

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Courtesy Park Hyatt
aman kyoto
Aman Kyoto

The vibe in this exquisite Aman, its third Japanese property, set in a 7-acre garden within an 82-acre protected forest, is nothing if not meditative. Six stand-alone pavilions house 26 minimalist, ryokan-inspired guestrooms with floor-to-ceiling windows, tatami-mat covered floors and luxurious ofuro bathtubs. There’s an onsite hot-spring-fed onsen and, just nearby, the treasures of Japan’s cultural capital.

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Courtesy Aman Kyoto
Myanmar
rosewood  yangon
Rosewood Yangon

It’s the luxury hotel Yangon has so far lacked: The 1927 New Law Courts building—a relic of British colonial days in the city’s historic neighborhood and just a half mile from the famed Sule Pagoda, has been transformed into 205 atmospheric rooms and suites with patios and balconies. There are many dining options—Chinese, Burmese, European—a spa, and a beautiful outdoor pool from which you can watch the sun set over the Irrawaddy.

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Courtesy Rosewood
wa ale
Wa Ale Resort, Mergui Archipelago

On an isolated island in the Andaman Sea off the southernmost coast of Myanmar (and part of the Lampi National Marine Park), lies this paean to sustainability and handcrafted tropical beauty. A lofty, open-sided main pavilion and 14 beachfront tented suites and treetop villas, built with no trees cut, are backed by 5,000 acres of wildlife-rich forest accessible by boardwalks where you can hike, kayak, and dive.

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Scott A. Woodward
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The Indian Ocean, Australia & New Zealand

Feel elevated in the Maldives, muster cattle in Queensland, space out on the South Island.

Indian Ocean
joali maldives
Joali Maldives

Dozens of new resorts seem to sprout every year in this archipelago nation, all proffering escapist perfection. But the 73-room Joali, in the Raa Atoll, stands apart with its exceptional attention to design (such as the manta ray–shaped welcome jetty, inspired by Zaha Hadid), the understated beauty of its villas, its star chefs, experienced staff, and works by major artists throughout. For extra privacy: cocoon-style chairs around the main pool.

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Courtesy Joali
raffles maldives
Raffles Maldives Merahhoo

If the Maldives stand for escapism, this resort—in remote Gaafu Alifu Atoll near the equator, with no other islands nearby—is escapism squared. Better yet, it has two “house reefs”—meaning you can dive and snorkel right there, amid a kaleidoscope of fish and green and hawksbill turtles. And while many Maldivian resorts have butlers, here they are especially trained “marine butlers”—your exclusive guides to the underwater world.

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Courtesy Raffles
Australia and New Zealand
mt mulligan lodge, new zealand
Mount Mulligan Lodge, Queensland, Australia

On this phenomenal 69,000-acre cattle station in Far North Queensland near the Great Barrier Reef, the untamed Australian Outback meets refined comforts. The 8-room lodge has rustic-chic decor, deep soaking tubs, and an infinity pool, and adventures include history tours, wilderness hikes, fishing, birdwatching, paddleboarding, scenic flights, even cattle mustering--a special window into sustainable life on the land.

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Courtesy Mt. Mulligan Lodge
the lindis, new zealand
The Lindis, Ahuriri Valley

This five-suite, three-“pod” space age ecolodge in the South Island’s Ahuriri Valley has more than enough architectural chops to match its spectacular Lord of the Rings setting. The pods’ one-way glass walls let you get a good look at some of the 4,500 merino sheep obliviously ambling by. In addition to horseback riding, hiking, ­e-biking, and paragliding, highlights include stargazing and fly-fishing—rated by anglers among the best in the world.

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PATRICK REYNOLDS



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This story appears in the Summer 2020 issue of Town & Country Subscribe Now

Headshot of Klara Glowczewska
Klara Glowczewska
Executive Travel Editor

Klara Glowczewska is the Executive Travel Editor of Town & Country, covering topics related to travel specifically (places, itineraries, hotels, trends) and broadly (conservation, culture, adventure), and was previously the Editor in Chief of Conde Nast Traveler magazine.