Hotels are forever upping their game, which means our luxury hotel bucket list keeps getting longer. How is yours looking? Here are some of the best new hotels in the world for 2025, the ones that are dazzling the rest with design, sustainability, amenities and a deep understanding of what it means for a guest to stay somewhere special.

1. Palazzo Talia – Rome, Italy

A short stroll from the Trevi Fountain, this luxurious Renaissance hotel has the grandeur to match the fountain itself, with its Baroque-style Carrara marble sculpture of Neptune in a shell chariot. Beneath impossibly high frescoed ceilings, guests rest, sleep and eat among Roman busts and Italian artworks. The rooms have a modern sensibility, though, with ancient marbles rubbing up happily against geometric tiles, straight lines and clean edges. The top-floor Talia Suite is a sprawl of splendor, wildly unique even among the best hotels worldwide, but every room is a box of treats. Our Ultimate Italy journey begins in Rome – arrive in town early for some palazzo time before we begin.

Credit @palazzo.talia on Instagram

2. Regent Santa Monica Beach Resort – Los Angeles, USA

Of all the best new hotels in Los Angeles, it’s this one that has the industry abuzz, because it’s exactly the beachfront oasis LA has been crying out for. This is a SoCal stay like no other, with sparkling views out to the Pacific, palm tree skylines, vivid orange sunsets, plus illustrious breakfasts on the terrace (lobster benedict, cinnamon toast crunch, for instance) and long, luxurious Hollywood-standard facials in the Guerlain spa. Rooms and suites are light, bright, breezy spaces that let the ocean do the talking. The hotel is a few sandy steps from the iconic Santa Monica pier.

Credit @regentsantamonica on Instagram

3. Six Senses at the Whiteley – London, UK

We like to keep our accommodations classic on our British Royale and Castles and Kingdomsjourneys but we always have an eye on the best new hotels in London. Among them this year is the London debut from one of the pioneers of luxury hotels. The building is a restored art deco emporium (it was London’s first department store 130 years ago). Upstairs, there are 109 rooms and 14 residences, each decorated in soothing tones and adorned with sumptuous furniture, frondy ferns and wonderful ‘sensory showers’. And downstairs is the spa, inspired by old underground stations, but blessed with saunas, steam rooms, plunge pools, aerial yoga, cryotherapy and flotation. This will be one of the top hotels for slowing down in one of the world’s fastest cities.

Credit @sixsenseslondon on Instagram

4. Rosewood Schloss Fuschl – Austria

On the alpine shores of Salzburg’s Lake Fuschl, one of the best new hotels this year graces the lush skyline like a fairytale castle. The building itself is a centuries-old retreat historically visited by royals and cultural luminaries looking for peace and divine inspiration. Now, it emerges as one of the world’s top hotels, thanks to elegant chalets with lake views and butlers, sunrise yoga, paddleboarding, authentic Salzkammergut cuisine, and Rosewood’s unblemished record for creating gorgeous spas. The interiors celebrate the Old Masters, with Renaissance paintings adding to a dreamy atmosphere. Sustainability efforts include the Schloss Fuschl bee colony, which supports local honey production. Our Harmony of Central Europe journey – through Hungary, Slovakia, Austria and the Czech Republic – features a stay in Salzburg.

Credit @rwschlossfuschl on Instagram

5. Maison Barrière Vendôme – Paris, France

There are just 26 rooms, suites, and apartments at this quietly luxurious hotel between Place Vendôme and the Jardin des Tuileries, and each of them is dedicated to an iconic muse. The three Vendôme Apartments embody the free and daring spirits of Nina Simone, Bette Davis and Agatha Christie with their brilliant views of cinematic Paris, while the Grande Suite Marlene Dietrich is bathed in a golden Hollywood glow. It’s a chic, restful place, and one of the best new hotels in Paris for sheer personality. The restaurant, Frida, brings much-needed color, candlelight, drama and guacamole to central Paris.

Credit @maisonbarriere.vendome

6. Brach Madrid – Madrid, Spain

In the heart of magnificent Madrid, on the epic Gran Via, Brach is the latest of a clutch of luxury hotels designed by Philippe Starck. His story for the hotel is of a man with such longing for a woman that he fills every space with sentimental objects – so there are little surprises scattered throughout, and every fabric, pattern and material has been selected to tell a story of love. Rooms and suites are divine treasure troves and the La Capsule spa is a true sanctuary in the city. The Parisian patisserie lures passers-by from the pavements, with its classic Paris-Brests, and with French pastries given a Madrileño twist (almond, honey, turron).

7. Ran Baas The Palace – Patiala, India

We adore our visits to Maharaja palaces on our Imperial Rajasthan journey, so this one was firmly on our radar before it opened. Originally, Ran Baas was a royal guesthouse occupying one wing of the 10-acre Qila Mubarak complex. Now, it’s one of the best new hotels in the world – and its uber-white facade is incredible to behold. Within, there’s more white, but also marble floors from Rajasthan with black marquina inlay work, gilded frescoes, silk carpets and crystal chandeliers. It feels sumptuous and smooth. Breakfast is a lavish treat to be savored: tea, pastries, fruit, cheese and ceramic jars of fruit murabbas.

Credit @ranbaasthepalace_patiala on Instagram

Nothing gets the food-motivated among us gossiping, plotting and planning quite like a galaxy of new Michelin star restaurants. Here, we introduce you to a few of our favorite newly starred spots of 2025, so you can get your reservations in ASAP, and adjust your travel plans accordingly.

1. Chishuru – London, UK

Of the 12 new Michelin star restaurants in London in 2025, Chishuru is a firm favorite. This west African restaurant in glitzy Fitzrovia started life as a pop-up neighbourhood spot in Brixton, south London, winning diners over with flavor and care. The name Chishuru refers to the hush that falls over the table when the food is so good nobody wants to speak. The modern Michelin star incarnation lives in a space that’s soft and sleek, with cosy carved wood, golden light, peachy terrazzo tables and a very inviting atmosphere. Chef Joké Bakare is a formidable chef, a force for deliciousness. If our British Royale or Castles & Kingdoms itineraries are on your horizon, make your reservations now.

Credit @chisuru on Instagram

2. Vaisseau – Paris, France

In the 2025 Michelin Guide, the Île-de-France region (which encompasses Paris) had the highest number of new Michelin star restaurants. In Paris, other new stars went to Aldehyde, where young chef Youssef Marzouk fuses French traditions with Tunisian flavors and Hakuba, a Japanese restaurant with an all-star cast of chefs. Our pick here, Vaisseau, is French TV chef Adrien Cachot’s monochromatic, youthful space for flexing his interest in unconventional ingredients and unexpected pairings, like lentils with coffee or spider crab with anise. A signature dish is the cacio e pepe mochi. If you’ve booked the Ultimate France journey with us and want your Paris sojourn to include an adventurous tasting menu with tons of personality, Vaisseau is the one to book.

Credit @adriencachot on Instagram

3. Vineria Modi – Taormina, Italy

Across Italy, there were 36 new Michelin star restaurants in 2025. Vineria Modi is located in the impossibly gorgeous historic centre of Taormina, on the east coast of Sicily. Taormina is where the second season of White Lotus was filmed – true to those scenes, it’s a place that oozes beauty and glamor. Vineria Modi started as a wine bar and remains a wonderful choice for wine aficionados, thanks to a thrilling wine list and enthusiastic, knowledgeable staff. Now, chef Dalila Grillo will prepare six or seven intricate courses to enjoy alongside your wine, each plate with beauty to befit its surroundings. Every dish is laced with Sicilian flavor, and the chef’s own personality. Grillo’s brother oversees the front of house.

Credit @vineriamodi_taormina on Instagram

4. MAE – Barcelona, Spain

In a modern, pale pink and green dining room, three friends are doing something special at one of the hot new Michelin star restaurants in Barcelona. The name MAE is taken from a Costa Rican colloquial term for ‘friend’, a perfect encapsulation of the concept, which draws on the cultures, tastes and experiences of the trio – Mariella Rodríguez (Costa Rica), Diego Mondragón (Colombia) and Germán Espinosa (Spain). The Grand Mae menu is an intensely wonderful journey through 16 plates featuring seamless, dreamy fusion dishes like cuttlefish tartare with jalapeno gazpacho, asparagus with smoked eel and green mole, and fermented strawberries with tepache (a fermented drink made from the peel and the rind of pineapples).

Credit @mae.restaurant on Instagram

5. Crizia – Buenos Aires, Argentina

In Argentina, the culinary scenes of Buenos Aires and Mendoza are thriving – there were three new Michelin star restaurants across the two cities this year. At Crizia, chef Gabriel Oggero is famed for sourcing from producers across the country and for his deft preparation of seafood. Consequently, the Crizia oyster bar is a thrill: beautiful oysters from Patagonia, served Rockefeller (gratinéed with parmesan, spinach and cream), or tempura (in brioche buns with radish cream and seaweed caviar), or raw with yuzu. You can then choose from appetisers from the ocean and appetisers that are farm-raised or orchard-grown, before you move on to mains from the wood oven. There is plenty more exceptional dining on our Classic South America journey, which visits Argentina, Brazil and Chile.

Credit @criziarestaurant on Instagram

6. Texture – Copenhagen, Denmark

There is incredible technical precision at play at this calming little French fine dining restaurant in central Copenhagen. As the name suggests, chefs focus on texture as well as flavor here; from the glassware and linens to the silky, velvety, crunchy textures of the food itself – everything has been considered. Plates are intricately balanced – there are lobster and crab doughnuts with imperial selection caviar, langoustine tartare with lavender cream and clams, cold tomato consomme with rose. Chef Karim Khouani hails from Marseille, with an Italian mother and a Moroccan father, so you may notice these influences, too. The petits fours plate includes an orange blossom tart that is reminiscent of Khoani’s childhood in Marseille – and is reason alone to book a table.

Credit @restaurant_texture_ on Instagram

7. LYLA – Edinburgh, Scotland

Our Castles & Kingdoms voyagers will also adore this elegant new Michelin star restaurant within a Georgian townhouse. LYLA’s tasting menu is a vibrant celebration of the wonderful line caught fish and sustainable shellfish available across the Scottish Isles. But before that, an unforgettable evening at LYLA begins upstairs, with views over the Firth of Forth, with Champagne and snacks (Peterhead lobster with pickled kohlrabi and sake, for instance). Only then are guests seated for 10 courses in the main dining room, beneath coffered ceilings and ornate cornicing, with all eyes on the open kitchen.

Credit @lylaedinburgh on Instagram

We take for granted that we can skip across our 50 fine states, but who do you choose to do it with again and again? Are you brand loyal or do you share the love? Are frequent flier points your raison d’être? Airline rankings tend to take into account things like: value for money, ticket flexibility, comfort on board, customer service, baggage allowance (and of course any mishandling of that baggage), flight delays and cancellations, loyalty programs and availability of WiFi but different things are important to different people – consider your criteria. Perhaps you live for a good snack menu, or cannot abide poor punctuality.

The main domestic airlines in the United States (sometimes called the Big Three) are “legacy carriers”, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines – and Delta consistently outperforms the other two. Many travelers seem to see Delta as a safe pair of hands. But let’s have a look at how the others stack up – these are our best domestic airlines right now.

JetBlue

It started its life as one of the low cost airlines though it was never as stripped back as some, always offering free drinks and snacks and a free carry-on. Nowadays, JetBlue serves over 100 airports in the United States, offering a reasonable economy fare whether you’re flying LAX to JFK or making a “short” hop from Miami to Washington DC. The airline is beloved of travelers who eschew being taken for a ride – the economy fare is straightforward, with few frustratingly hidden extras, other than checked bags (but domestic airlines almost never include free checked bags these days). JetBlue also scores highly for cabin features thanks to seatback screens, free WiFi and relatively generous legroom.

Read Next: Best Flight Meals in the Sky: Airlines That Serve Gourmet at 30,000 Feet

Delta Airlines

Why are American travelers so loyal to Delta? It seems to be about consistency. It’s not that Delta wins out in every category, just that Delta is consistently strong. The quality of the in-flight service is high, and (as a result of such extensive coverage – over 200 airports nationwide), the amenities on the ground are impressive, with Sky Clubs for premium cabin passengers at major airports and a dazzling new $4 billion terminal at LaGuardia. Delta is also one of the best domestic airlines for its business class offering, which includes access to Delta One lounges, Missoni amenity kits and a 180-degree flatbed seat.

Alaska Airlines

Alaska knows how to keep its frequent fliers happy and at least part of that is the range of snacks and drinks, which definitely works a little harder than the average. On the menu: Straightaway Nitro Espresso Martinis (made with espresso from Portland-based Stumptown Coffee Roasters), an exclusive Cloud Cruiser IPA from Fremont Brewing (Seattle-based) and wines from WA-based Browne Family Vineyards. These are just some of the markers of what frequent fliers say is a pleasant all-round experience, with friendly staff, reliability and a sense of ease. The Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan has a lot of fans, too and the airline’s range of partners includes the oneworld alliance.

Read Next: The Airlines With the Most Luxurious First Class Bathrooms Have Been Revealed

Tradewind Aviation

Consistently named one of the best domestic airlines by readers of Conde Nast Traveler, Tradewind Aviation is a private and scheduled service in the Northeast, Southeast, and the Caribbean, known for flying to luxury destinations like Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard and St. Barths. Tradewind flies out of private air terminals which is helpful for eliminating TSA delays and means passengers don’t need to check in more than 60 minutes before take-off, rather than the traditional two hours. Conde Nast Traveler readers say Tradewind staff are helpful and generous, and that the experience is stress-free.

Hawaiian Airlines

One of the best domestic airlines hands down for being on time (which is almost everything in this game), Hawaiian was unbeatable on punctuality for 18 years but was knocked off the top spot by Delta in 2023. Still, frequent passengers cite reliability as well as an excellent safety record, Hawaiian spirit, n0 change fees, comfy seats, free Wi-Fi and island-themed refreshments (furikake chips, macadamia popcorn, craft beer from Maui Brewing Company), among the reasons they fly Hawaiian Airlines whenever they get the chance. There’s also lie-flat seating in the premium cabin on longer flights.

Southwest Airlines

No longer serving merely its namesake region, Southwest serves over 110 airports across Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, as well as the United States. It’s one of the lower cost airlines and the only one we’re aware of still offering free checked bags. As well as having the most reasonably priced seats in the clouds, Southwest is considered one of the best domestic airlines thanks to its culture of great hospitality, attention to smaller cities, flexible policies and straightforward booking processes.

Read Next: Airplane Etiquette: Your Ultimate Guide

American Airlines

Let’s end on another of the Big Three. American Airlines is the world’s largest airline in terms of fleet size and number of scheduled passengers. The extensive network is a huge boon for frequent fliers, as is the AAdvantage loyalty program, particularly as American Airlines is a founding member of the oneworld alliance. American, of course, has all the modcons: comfortable lie-flat business class seats, good in-flight entertainment and spacious seats. American Airlines continues to invest in enhancing its routes, too.