The best hotels to book in 2023

By Kris Fordham | CNN

The coming year is looking to be a promising one for travel, with restrictions disappearing in many countries, new flight routes launching, and the hotel industry bringing its A game after two years of uncertainty.

From next-level luxury escapes in Dubai, Mozambique and the Maldives to hip urban hideaways in Paris, Sydney and Palm Springs, this year’s exciting array of new hotels has something for every traveler (and budget!).

We’ve handpicked 20 incredible hotels with openings in 2022 and 2023 for you to stay at — or dream of — in the new year.

Starting rates are included where available.

andBeyond Punakha River Lodge, Bhutan

Known for its beautiful African safaris, the luxury travel company andBeyond will be launching its first lodge in Asia with the opening of Punakha River Lodge in Bhutan in September 2023.

The lodge will feature just six safari-style tented suites, plus two villas with private plunge pools and hot tubs (depending on the season). With its spectacular location on the banks of the Mo Chhu River deep in the Punakha Valley, each suite boasts stunning 360-degree views over the surrounding Eastern Himalayas.

Other diversions include nature hikes, temple visits, paddy field lunches and traditional Bhutanese hot stone baths.

andBeyond Punakha River Lodge, Punakha Valley, Bhutan

Emerald Faarufushi Resort & Spa, Maldives

Situated on a lush tropical island on a glittering turquoise lagoon in the Raa Atoll, Emerald Faarufushi is the literal definition of paradise. Here, guests can choose from 38 castaway-chic beach villas, or 42 equally luxe overwater villas, perched on stilts above the ocean, each with its own private plunge pool.

There’s also a sprawling spa, a dive center, one of the biggest kids’ clubs in the Maldives and five restaurants (which you’ll enjoy even more knowing the resort is all-inclusive). Emerald Faarufushi, a member of The Leading Hotels of the World, opened in October 2022.

Rates start from $1,378 all-inclusive.

Emerald Faarufushi Resort & Spa, Faarufushi Island, Raa Atoll, Maldives

Hoshino Resort KAI Yufuin, Japan

It doesn’t get much more scenic than KAI Yufuin, a luxurious hot spring ryokan nestled between Mount Yufu and the famous rice fields of Oita. The stunning property — opened in August 2022 — was designed by Kengo Kuma (named the world’s most influential architect in 2021 by TIME) and features just 45 rooms hidden amidst cascading rice terraces.

What you’re really here for, though, are the onsen (hot springs) — there are three on site for guests to enjoy. But for the ultimate relaxation, book yourself a suite with its own outdoor onsen, so you can soak in the healing, mineral-rich waters in total privacy.

Rates start from $250.

Hoshino Resort KAI Yufuin, 879-5102 398 Kawakami, Yufuincho, Yufu-shi, Oita

Conrad Los Angeles, California

When luxury hotel group Conrad made its first foray into California, it spared no expense: the Frank Gehry-designed Conrad Los Angeles opened in summer 2022 and features 305 plush rooms framed by floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the City of Angels.

Highlights include not one, but two signature restaurants from celebrity chef José Andrés: San Laurel, an upscale Spanish-Californian eatery and the rooftop Agua Viva, which serves up cocktails and Latin-Asian bites.

There’s also a luxurious, 7,000-square-foot spa that offers guests the latest in wellness technology — think circulation-boosting compression boots and wearable bio-hacking discs that deepen relaxation. Next-level stuff.

Rates start from $490.

Conrad Los Angeles, 100 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, California

The St. Regis Kanai Resort, Riviera Maya, Mexico

The St. Regis Kanai stuns from the outset with its otherworldly design, drawing inspiration from the geometry of local mangroves and the constellation Pleiades, a star cluster with significance to Mayan culture. The resort, hidden in a 620-acre nature reserve along Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, is split into intersecting circles, built from white concrete and reflective crystal.

All 124 guestrooms and 20 suites will have ocean views; there are 32 additional villas with private plunge pools. There’s also a spa, two golf courses and five restaurants (including a tequila and mezcal bar, naturally). The St. Regis Kanai is slated to open in May 2023.

Rates start from $1,015.

The St. Regis Kanai Resort, Paseo Kanai 15, Solidaridad, Playa Del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico

The Ritz-Carlton Melbourne, Australia

With a high-speed elevator that whisks guests straight up to the 80th floor lobby, The Ritz-Carlton is set to be Australia’s tallest hotel when it opens in March 2023. The “sky lobby” — and the hotel’s 257 rooms and suites — will boast unparalleled views of the Yarra River, Marvel Stadium and the city skyline.

Other hotel highlights include an infinity pool framed by floor-to-ceiling glass windows (indoors and heated, of course, in a nod to Melbourne’s notoriously erratic weather) and a sprawling wellness center featuring a yoga studio, a sauna, two vitality pools and six treatment rooms.

Rates start from $450.

The Ritz-Carlton Melbourne, 650 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne, Victoria

The Homestead, Nambiti, South Africa

This new eco-conscious luxury safari lodge is what bucket list dreams are made of: it’s tucked in the heart of the wildlife-rich Nambiti Private Game Reserve and features 12 suites that are as sustainable as they are plush.

While many safaris focus solely on game drives, The Homestead will offer a range of experiences, such as animal photography classes, biking excursions, cooking with local ingredients and taking part in sustainable initiatives. For the more relaxation-inclined, there’s also an infinity pool with views out onto the savannah, perfect for lounging with a G&T in hand. The Homestead is slated to open in late 2023.

The Homestead, Nambiti Private Game Reserve, Ladysmith, 3370, South Africa

1 Hotel Hanalei Bay, Hawaii

1 Hotels is bringing its distinct brand of sustainable luxury to Hawaii with the opening of its Kauai outpost in February 2023. Its 252 rooms will feature reclaimed wood furnishings, beds dressed with organic cotton linens and plenty of native greenery.

Like all 1 Hotels, the resort is LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Certified and carbon neutral, and will limit single-use plastics and work closely with local farmers and fishermen to provide ingredients for their restaurants.

Sustainability aside, the hotel’s biggest draw is its location. Nestled on the shore of Hanalei Bay beneath the lush, soaring cliffs of Makana Mountain, it offers some of the most breathtaking views in Hawaii from the hotel’s sweeping Sunset Terrace.

Rates start from $1,164.

1 Hotel Hanalei Bay, 5520 Ka Haku Road, Princeville, Kauai

Ace Hotel Sydney, Australia

Known for its chic boutique hotels in Brooklyn, Palm Springs and Kyoto, Ace Hotels’ latest outpost in Sydney (its first and only hotel south of the equator) might just be its coolest one yet.

The sleek 264-room property sits at the heart of hip Surry Hills, flanked by cafes, bars and art galleries. In a nod to its eclectic address, its rooms feature exposed brick walls, handwoven wool blankets, vintage record players and acoustic guitars.

Hotel highlights include a killer Australian art collection scattered throughout the property and rooftop restaurant Kiln, which serves up thrilling contemporary Aussie fare — with views to match.

Rates start from $350.

Ace Hotel Sydney, 47/53 Wentworth Ave, Sydney

Viceroy at Ombria Resort Algarve, Portugal

Though Viceroy Hotels is best known for their sleek oceanfront hideouts in Saint Lucia, Los Cabos and Santa Monica, its newest outpost in Portugal will be nestled amidst 150 acres of lush, hilly countryside.

The 76-room hotel makes for the perfect country escape, flanked by miles of citrus groves, small farms and quaint cobblestone villages. But don’t let its pastoral surroundings fool you: in signature Viceroy style, the property is as plush as any resort in Capri or St. Tropez — complete with infinity pools, a sprawling spa and an 18-hole golf course.

Viceroy at Ombria Resort Algarve, Rua Miguel Bombarda, Nr 3, 8100-746 Loulé, Algarve, Portugal

Atlantis The Royal, Dubai

There’s luxury, and then there’s Atlantis The Royal: a jaw-dropping feat of architecture that boasts 795 lavish rooms, 44 suites with infinity pools, 17 restaurants and bars (including eight helmed by celebrity chefs like Heston Blumenthal, Nobu Matsuhisa and José Andrés) and a 295-foot-long Skypool on the 22nd floor that will have guests feel like they’re swimming in the clouds.

In case all of that weren’t enough to make it stand out, the extravagant hotel is also home to the world’s largest jellyfish aquarium, a water fountain that “breathes fire” and its own private beach. It’s slated to open in early 2023.

Rates start from $1,443.

Atlantis The Royal, Crescent Road, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Naviva, A Four Seasons Resort, Mexico

If it’s a far-flung nature escape you’re after, you can’t beat Naviva, an unspoiled nature retreat hidden amid 48 acres of lush forest in Riviera Nayarit. The retreat, which opened on December 1, 2022, is Four Seasons’ first tented resort in the Americas and one of its smallest resorts in the world, with only 15 tents.

Of course, each tent has its own pool and deck with a hammock and outdoor shower — this is a Four Seasons, after all. But what sets this resort apart is its exploratory nature.

From discovering fire pits hidden by the edge of the ocean to experiences like moonlit forest bathing, everything at Naviva was created to help guests connect more deeply with their natural surroundings.

Rates start from $3,950 all-inclusive.

Naviva, A Four Seasons Resort, Lote H-2, México 200 Km 19.5, 63734 Punta Mita, Nayarit, Mexico

Hotel Cerro, San Luis Obispo, California

Nestled in the heart of downtown San Luis Obispo, Hotel Cerro is the most charming new boutique hotel on California’s Central Coast. It’s got just 65 loft-style rooms, including 14 suites with soaking tubs, fireplaces and private terraces outfitted with firepits.

It’s sustainable to boot: the LEED-certified hotel has limited single-use plastics and offers complimentary water bottles to guests, with filtered refill stations positioned on every floor. The hotel also has its own edible organic gardens that grow seasonal fruits, vegetables and herbs that are used daily in the hotel’s restaurant, SLO Brasserie.

Other highlights include a spa that incorporates herbs and botanicals from the hotel gardens in its treatments, and a luxe rooftop pool deck that boasts dramatic 360-degree views of the city, surrounding hills and countryside.

Rates start from $305.

Hotel Cerro, 1125 Garden Street, San Luis Obispo, California

The Rome EDITION, Italy

The luxury lifestyle brand EDITION Hotels is set to open five new properties across the globe in 2023, but we’ve got our eye on its first Italian outpost, built within a beautiful historic building just steps from Via Veneto and Bernini’s Tritone Fountain.

The hotel will feature 93 modern, design-centric rooms and suites, including two penthouses, each with a private terrace. Other highlights include a craft cocktail bar, an al fresco restaurant and a scenic rooftop pool and terrace with sweeping views over the Eternal City.

The Rome EDITION, official address not yet available

Banyan Tree Ilha Caldeira, Mozambique

With just 40 thatched-roof villas scattered about a tiny tropical island off the coast of Mozambique, Banyan Tree’s newest resort might have you feeling like a castaway marooned on a remote island — albeit one with private plunge pools.

Besides soaking and sunbathing, the resort will offer activities like kayaking, snorkeling and scuba diving in the Primeiras and Segundas Archipelago, Africa’s largest marine reserve, of which Ilha Caldeira is part. In an effort to conserve its pristine environment, the resort is entirely solar powered, with all water desalinized on site. It’s slated to open in late 2023.

Banyan Tree Ilha Caldeira, Ilha Caldeira, Mozambique

Hôtel Dame des Arts, Paris, France

There are certainly flashier and fancier hotels in Paris, but chances are, they don’t have the heart and spirit of this new boutique hotel in Paris’ Latin Quarter. Hôtel Dame des Arts has just 109 rooms, but they’re thoughtfully decorated with bespoke furniture and bold original artwork (every room has its own unique collection). One third have private terraces with views of the Eiffel Tower.

There’s a lobby-level French fusion restaurant helmed by Mexican chef Othoniel Alvarez Castaneda, as well as a sleek spa and gym outfitted with Pelotons. But the hotel’s crowning jewel is its expansive rooftop bar, which serves up champagne, craft cocktails and 360-degree views over the City of Light. It’s slated to open in February 2023.

Rates from $305.

Hôtel Dame des Arts, 4 Rue Danton, 75006 Paris, France

Shinta Mani Mustang – A Bensley Collection, Nepal

Award-winning designer Bill Bensley has the vision behind this new lodge at the gateway of Mustang, a remote kingdom in Nepal that was forbidden to outsiders for centuries. Starting from May 2023, guests can book a stay in one of Shinta Mani Mustang’s 29 suites, modeled after a traditional Tibetan home and offering show-stopping views over the Himalayas.

Though there’s lots to do at the lodge — there’s a lovely spa and a Nepalese farm-to-table restaurant — guests are encouraged to spend time outside the grounds. Shinta Mani’s highly personalized guest experience program honors the traditions of Sherpa hospitality and offers guests everything from guided, off-the-beaten-path treks to leisurely gourmet picnics.

Rates start from $1,700 (all-inclusive).

Shinta Mani Mustang, Marpha-5, Jomsom, Mustang Nepal

Casa Cody, Palm Springs, California

If you’re after luxury that’s a little more low-key — and at a slightly more attainable price than many on this list — Casa Cody is the place to be.

Though the hotel was built in the 1920s, it was purchased by boutique hotel firm Casetta in 2017 and completely transformed and relaunched in 2022 with stylish new rooms, villas and a poolside eatery serving up cocktails, beers and artisanal dishes.

Its 30 rooms are scattered amongst acres of fragrant citrus trees (fruit pickers invite guests to help themselves) and intimate pools shaded by palm trees and lush bougainvillea. Added bonus: being located in always-balmy Palm Springs, Casa Cody offers travelers a summer escape all year round.

Rates from $199.

Casa Cody, 175 S Cahuilla Rd, Palm Springs, California

The Peninsula Istanbul, Turkey

With lush landscaped gardens and sweeping water views — it sits on the banks of the Bosphorus Strait — The Peninsula Istanbul is an oasis in the bustling heart of Turkey’s most famous city.

The property features 177 opulent guest rooms adorned with Turkish textiles, marble bathrooms and wide picture windows. It also boasts a sumptuous spa with hammam, a rooftop restaurant and two swimming pools — an outdoor pool perched on the Bosphorus waterfront, as well as a stunning indoor pool illuminated by dome skylights and flanked by Marmara columns.

The Peninsula Istanbul is slated to open in February 2023. Rates start from $653.

The Peninsula Istanbul, Karaköy, Kemankeş Karamustafapaşa Mahallesi, Kemankeş Cd. No:34, 34425 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Turkey

The Anam Mui Ne, Vietnam