It’s my job at Afar to scout extraordinary hotel experiences that enrich travelers and take them beyond what they night expect to experience in a place. So unsurprisingly, I’ve been researching a number of exciting retreats that are new or majorly refurbished for 2025. And what a year it’ll be: There are grande dames poised for a new chapter, beloved hotel brands establishing themselves on new continents, and other lodgings that immerse us in the most beautiful corners of the planet. If you’re not already planning your travels around some of these new places to stay, I urge you to reconsider.
I’ve already shared my excitement about the Waldorf Astoria New York, an art deco masterpiece in the heart of Manhattan that’s set to unveil a top-to-bottom overhaul later this year. It’s one of the year’s biggest openings and should be a must for anyone interested in history and legendary hospitality. And now I present 11 more hotels that are so special they’re worth the trip alone.
Hotel del Coronado
The restored lobby of the Hotel del Coronado
Courtesy of Hotel del Coronado
- Location: Coronado, California
- Opening date: Victorian building debuts June 2025
The 19th-century Hotel del Coronado, a National Historic Landmark that has hosted presidents and celebrities, is as handsome as a grande dame can be. And it’s about to complete a multi-year renovation. Already completed are an upgrade to the original Victorian lobby, 75 new villas, and refreshed outdoor spaces, including the pool area and veranda. The hotel has also debuted new dining concepts, such as the seafood-forward Serẽa restaurant.
The project culminates in a $160 million restoration of the hotel’s Victorian building that will be completed in June 2025. Guests can start checking into the new rooms—which nod to the building’s history with curving headboards and tasteful floral wallpaper—as early as February 15. But you might want to wait till the spring debut of Nobu del Coronado, an oceanfront restaurant with an outdoor patio serving the signature dishes of chef Nobu Matsuhisa, including black miso cod and yellowtail jalapeño. From $565
The Vineta Hotel
The Vineta Hotel in Palm Beach, Florida
Courtesy of the Vineta Hotel
- Location: Palm Beach, Florida
- Opening date: Fall 2025
European hoteliers Oetker Collection are making their U.S. debut with a full renovation of the century-old Vineta Hotel, and I’m here for it. The handsome Palm Beach building (formerly the Chesterfield boutique hotel) features a light pink Mediterranean revival exterior that evokes nostalgia among longtime regulars. It reopens in fall 2025 on a palm tree–lined street only a short walk from the beach. Oetker tapped Tino Zervudachi of London firm MHZ for the interiors. The 41 accommodations will be brightened with a muted color palette of blues and greens, while the public spaces aim to lure locals with menus approved by the head chef of sister hotel Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in France. Rates TBD
One&Only Moonlight Basin
One&Only Moonlight Basin in Montana
Courtesy of Rupert Peace/One&Only Moonlight Basin
- Location: Big Sky, Montana
- Opening date: Fall 2025
I keep a close watch on One&Only Resorts, the luxury hotel group that continues to grow globally in a thoughtful way. (The group won me over with its design and service at One&Only Gorilla’s Nest in Rwanda.) This fall, it launches its first-ever U.S. property with One&Only Moonlight Basin. It immerses travelers in the alpine beauty of Big Sky, Montana, whether they’re looking to hit the slopes in the winter or explore the landscape around Yellowstone National Park in the summer. The resort, designed by Seattle-based Olson Kundig and set on 190 acres, will have 73 guest rooms and 19 villas. The interiors are my cup of tea because they seem to harmonize so well with the epic setting—think natural woods and floor-to-ceiling windows with views of evergreens for days. From $1,000
Collegio alla Querce, Auberge Resorts Collection
A guest room at Collegio alla Querce, Auberge Resorts Collection
Courtesy of Stefano Scatà/Collegio alla Querce, Auberge Resorts Collection
- Location: Florence, Italy
- Opening date: March 2, 2025
I lived in Florence for a year during my university days, and whenever I return, I seek the quieter corners of the city away from tourist hot spots. Last fall, I was the first journalist to tour the forthcoming Collegio Alla Querce, Auberge Resorts Collection, and I was thrilled to discover it offers the lesser-known side of Florence I crave. As Rome-born general manager Francesco Ascani showed me around the hillside retreat—a 16th-century former school a 40-minute walk from the centro storico—I found an inner peace gazing at nearby orchards and olive groves with the Renaissance city in the distance.
The same views are on display through enormous windows in many of the 83 guest rooms—among them the 2,300-square-foot Quercia Suite (book it for your own rooftop terrace and plunge pool). The five dining outlets include signature restaurant La Gamella, which will serve Italian classics based on the seasons, while Bar Bertelli, the former headmaster’s office, will soon serve cocktails and small bites. From $1,660
Kilchoan Estate
A guest room at Kilchoan Estate in Scotland
Courtesy of Kilchoan Estate
- Location: Knoydart Peninsula, Scottish Highlands
- Opening date: Summer 2025
One of the world’s most exciting rewilding efforts is happening in Scotland, and for that reason, I’ve been longing to explore the country’s remotest corners. That’s why I perked up when I heard about Kilchoan Estate, opening summer 2025 on a rugged peninsula in the Western Highlands. The project is from the same team behind Dunton Hot Springs in Colorado, an old mining town in the San Juan Mountains that became a luxury retreat designed to connect guests with the great outdoors.
Located on 13,000 acres, Kilchoan embraces that same philosophy of natural stewardship, while also offering elegant accommodations and such activities as river fishing and ranger-led hikes along bays and in woodlands. The one- to five-bedroom cottages will be housed in restored stone cottages, which will use energy-efficient temperature regulation systems. From $1,100
Nihi Rote
Relax poolside at Nihi Rote.
Courtesy of Nihi Rote
- Location: West Timor, Indonesia
- Opening date: November 2025
When Nihi Sumba opened in its current iteration more than a decade ago, it wasn’t just another beautiful beach resort. It was the antidote to the crowds of Indonesia’s more popular island of Bali. (It was also a surfer’s dream, within easy reach of a legendary wave break only a handful of people have access to every day.) But what impresses me the most is the resort’s dedication to Sumbanese culture and well-being, which it continues to support with employment and skill building through the Sumba Foundation.
In November 2025, this socially responsible hospitality philosophy is arriving on a secluded beach with the launch of Nihi Rote, located on Rote Island in West Timor, Indonesia, a two-hour flight from Bali or Jakarta. The 21 villas will have thatched roofs, carved wood details, and private pools, plus another wave break that will entice surfers. In keeping with Nihi hospitality, the resort will launch alongside the Rote Hospitality Academy by Nihi, which will offer vocational training to island residents who would not otherwise have such opportunities. Rates TBD
Oberoi Vindhyavilas Wildlife Resort
A tented accommodation at Oberoi Vindhyavilas Wildlife Resort
Courtesy of Amit Mehra/Oberoi Vindhyavilas Wildlife Resort
- Location: Bandhavgarh National Park, India
- Opening date: March 1, 2025
When I’m not obsessing over great hotels, I moonlight as a wildlife lover who wouldn’t hesitate to plan an entire trip around an encounter with a single species. Opening on March 1, 2025, Oberoi Vindhyavilas Wildlife Resort just gave me a very compelling reason to go to Bandhavgarh National Park in central India, which has one of the highest densities of tigers in the world (not to mention elephants, leopards, and sloth bears).
Hospitality standard setters Oberoi Hotels & Resorts is raising the bar for luxury with an opulent retreat next to the park with accommodations that take their inspiration from royal caravans, with hand-woven rugs and tented ceilings. The retreat also offers guests a way to understand what it’s like to coexist with tigers with a visit to meet locals at Sarmaniya, a nearby village. Rate TBD
Orient Express La Minerva
The facade of Orient Express La Minerva in Rome
Courtesy of Orient Express La Minerva
- Location: Rome
- Opening date: April 1, 2025
The name Orient Express is synonymous with luxury train travel. And in April 2025, under the custodianship of hospitality company Accor, it’s launching its first luxury hotel with the debut of Orient Express La Minerva near the Pantheon in Rome. Named after one of my favorite piazzas in the Eternal City (known for its ancient elephant obelisk), the hotel is located in a 17th-century palazzo and will have 93 guest rooms (36 of them suites) with art deco flourishes, dark wood details, and marble bathrooms. Also in the works: a Turkish hammam and a rooftop restaurant. From $1,040
Park Hyatt Tokyo
A rendering of a renovated suite bedroom at the Park Hyatt Tokyo
Courtesy of Park Hyatt Tokyo
- Location: Tokyo
- Opening date: October 2025
It was love at first sight when I saw the Park Hyatt Tokyo in Lost in Translation. I stayed at the hotel on my first reporting trip to Japan, and I clearly remember my delight at the harmonious mix of Western-style service with inflections of Japanese hospitality. My mother and I stayed at the hotel one last time a couple of years ago, right before it closed before a major renovation, and while we knew the hotel needed a facelift, we couldn’t imagine the elegant interiors by John Morford going away.
That’s why I’m thrilled to hear that the 17-month refresh by Paris-based Studio Jouin Manku intends to keep Morford’s original design mostly intact, while adding subtle changes (lighter carpets, refinished surfaces, double vanities) and a new suite category. And, of course, the famous New York Grill & Bar on the 52nd floor will continue to offer perfectly mixed cocktails to patrons enjoying music and skyline views. Rates TBD
Capella Taipei
A rendering of a suite bedroom at the Capella Taipei
Courtesy of Capella Taipei
- Location: Taipei, Taiwan
- Opening date: April 1, 2025
The dynamic Taiwanese capital is fascinating at every turn, with everything from skyscrapers to street food and green landscapes ideal for hiking. I’m longing to experience the city through the lens of Capella Taipei, which opens in April 2025 on a tree-shaded boulevard in the central Songshan district. The latest debut from Capella Hotels and Resorts, the group behind head-turning properties like Capella Bangkok and Capella Ubud in Bali, the hotel was designed by Hong Kong–born André Fu to feel like contemporary mansion-style residences. Public spaces are filled with art deco shapes, silk panels, and landscape murals. The 86 guest rooms and suites are primed for rest, with natural woods and hues of brown and gray. From $625
andBeyond Suyian Lodge
A common area at andBeyond Suyian Lodge
Courtesy of andBeyond Suyian Lodge
- Location: Laikipia, Kenya
- Opening date: July 2025
Travel company andBeyond has a special place in my heart for its conservation-minded approach to hospitality. (It won an Afar Travel Vanguard award in 2023.) The company signed a long-term lease in partnership with conservation group Space for Giants to operate andBeyond Suyian on a concession in the Suyian Conservancy in Kenya’s culture- and wildlife-rich northwestern Laikipia region. (My inner wildlife enthusiast wants to spot one of the area’s rare black leopards, along with the endangered African wild dog.) Accommodations in the works range from a tented camp to mobile camping, so guests can experience the landscape in different ways. From $1,500 per person
