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

In the mid 2010s, premium economy was the class cabin of concern – these were the seats that airlines were pouring their investment into. It looked as though first class might face extinction, making business class seats the most sought-after seats on the plane. But then, something switched, as elite travelers went in search of one-of-a-kind, ever more luxurious experiences, and consequently many airlines have had a first class glow-up in recent years, with the gap between business and first class appearing to widen. We’re exploring the upper echelons of air travel below, just in case you’ve ever wondered: first class vs business class – what exactly is the difference?

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1. What is the highest class in a plane?

First class is the highest category of ticket you can buy. But between airlines, first class varies enormously and numerous airlines have added even more premium and unique options to the repertoire, such as Etihad’s The Residence. One airline’s business or first class offering can also vary massively between routes.

2. Which seat is better: first class or business class?

Business class seats tend to be the most luxurious version of what you get in economy and premium economy cabins, in that they are still actual seats, whereas first class seats tend to be within larger suite-like spaces, with full beds and privacy curtains or doors. Business class seats still have privacy, usually as a result of clever seat configuration, and they always have plenty of space, usually enough for lie flat seats.

3. Which food and drink is better: first class or business class?

There is a clear shift in the dinner service between these classes. In business class, you will usually enjoy restaurant-style plating with cloth napkins, ceramics, glassware and cutlery and you may be able to pre-select your meals or dine on demand, depending on your airline. In first class, things go up a notch; airlines are aiming to give you an actual gourmet experience, with elevated fine dining presentation, rare vintage wines, more choice and exclusive menus designed by Michelin star chefs.

4. What are the other key differences in amenities?

Essentially, first class is looking to provide a luxury hotel experience in the air, whereas business class is looking to make your flight as smooth and comfortable as possible. So, in business class, you’ll have more control over your personal space than in economy or premium economy (temperature, lighting), and you’ll have bedding to transform your seat into a bed. Business travelers will have easy access to plug sockets and WiFi and everything they need to get on with their work or take a break from it.

In first class you’ll have this, plus perhaps a personal minibar, access to a shower, a flat screen TV and space for another passenger to come and dine with you. There are luxurious amenities in both classes – Emirates works with Bulgari on their amenity kits, and Turkish Airlines works with Ferragamo, for instance. As a first class vs business class case study, Air France’s La Premiere passengers get embossed boxes in Air France red or pearl grey, with hand cream, eye contour balm, serum and moisturizer by Sisley, whereas the equivalent business class bag includes two Clarins moisturizers.

5. What’s the difference on the ground?

Like everything in the world of luxury travel, no two airport lounges are created equal. Generally, business class and first class passengers will have access to airport lounges, with extra special first class lounges available in some circumstances, for the most elite first class fliers. For instance, at Singapore Changi airport, Singapore Airlines has gold and silver lounges, as well as The Private Room, with a maximum capacity of just 78. As well as lounge access, first class passengers often receive additional perks like chauffeur-driven cars to and from the airport and dedicated jet bridges so they don’t have to board the plane with everyone else.

6. Is there an industry standard for airline classes?

Broadly speaking, business class is an enhanced experience, designed for your comfort, with wider seats and more amenities than economy or premium economy and first class is the highest level of luxury and service. But the reality is more complex; airlines have different priorities and different seat configurations on different routes, and they’re making updates to their fleets all the time.

7. Is it worth upgrading from business to first class?

You are never going to be uncomfortable on a business class flight, so this question comes down to what you are prepared to pay for. In the battle of first class vs business class, there is much to consider. How long is the flight you’re taking? For domestic flights, the difference in service will feel small, and you won’t have much time to make use of the amenities. Will you feel the benefit? Have you checked specifically which seats are available on your route and your airline? Not to mention, it’s often quadruple the price to travel in first class. We found an Emirates business class ticket from NYC to Dubai for $5,537 while the equivalent first class ticket cost $21,967.