© Iniala

Malta Modern

Long a cultural crossroads in the heart of the Mediterranean, the tiny island nation has emerged in recent years as a must-visit destination on the itineraries of clued-up jet setters – and not just because it’s one of Europe’s most favourable spots to register private jets and superyachts. Contemporary art space MICAS opened in 2024, further burnishing the burgeoning creative credentials of its capital, Valletta, where Iniala  – whose expansions this year include two more spaces and a new Simon Rogan restaurant – has long been the most stylish spot to stay. Now, competition has announced itself in the form of two properties: the just-unveiled Casa Bonavita and Romègas. The former, a refined 18th-century residence in the chic village of Attard, has now been lovingly transformed into a celebration of modern-day craft by owners Suzanne and Christopher Sharp, who used their connections from the textile world (they founded The Rug Company) to create this 17-key feast for the senses. Meanwhile, central Valletta’s Romègas opens in a 500-year-old palace freshly restored with only 23 rooms this summer.

© White Desert

Antarctica Now

The White Continent may be bone-chillingly cold – even in summer – but that doesn’t mean visitors have to be uncomfortable. At White Desert’s new Explorer Camp, for instance, the six guest “pods” boast endless views of breathtaking terrain – plus, there’s a cinema for evening entertainment. (Also check out its sister company, Dr Jones, which offers throwback glamour on journeys beyond Antarctica.) For those going the more traditional sea route, The Cormorant at 55 South will open later this year as the world’s most southerly hotel, a stopover on Navarino Island in southern Chile developed by Silversea cruise company for exclusive use by its passengers.

© Hedges Inn

American Beauties

America’s most famous road – Route 66 – is celebrating its centennial this year, but perhaps the most interesting, nostalgia-inducing destinations for international travellers are three landmark properties across the nation. In Miami Beach, longtime standout the Delano is emerging from a six-year renovation that’s rendered the nearly 80-year-old property more stunning than ever. A parallel revival is afoot at legendary San Francisco stay The Huntington Hotel, which also closed during the pandemic and is now, following a tip-to-toe refurb, serving up a dose of retro pizzazz in California’s most forward-looking city. And the heritage-steeped Hedges Inn has reopened in East Hampton after a refresh by new owners Sarah and Andrew Wetenhall, the same pair behind another beloved American hotel – The Colony Hotel in Palm Beach.

The Chairman's Train (photo: Stephen Hayward)

Train Dreams

Done right, slow travel requires a certain mindset and – at its best – more than a soupçon of old-world glamour. The re-emergence of luxe rail carriages has been one of the defining features of travel in the 2020s, from the relaunched Eastern and Oriental Express in Southeast Asia and the spruced-up Golden Eagle Silk Road Express, which offers the most comfortable way to travel along the ancient trade route from which it takes its name, to the forthcoming new carriages on The Ghan, which will offer the first high-end rail journey across Australia. But Europe is still firmly in the lead when it comes to indulgent experiences on and along the rails, starting with the Express La Dolce Vita Orient Express, whose itineraries range from truffle tours and excursions to Tuscan vineyards to grand tours from Rome to Istanbul. In Britain, The Chairman’s Train, a privately owned jewel box of a train, is now bookable by the public for the first time. Available only as a full charter, its delightfully retrophilic carriages have been spruced up for the launch this summer. Not to be outdone, the British Pullman has just unveiled a jaw-dropping carriage co-designed by Baz Luhrmann with the film director’s characteristic theatrical verve.

© Wheels Up

Flexible Flying

What if you could combine the efficiency and ease of a private jet with the more manageable price tag of a business- or first-class ticket? This is the remarkable promise of Wheels Up. Uniquely positioned – thanks to its relationship with Delta (the membership-based company’s largest shareholder) – to offer seamless hybrid journeys that take advantage of the best aspects of both private and commercial travel, Wheels Up members can book trips on a fully integrated platform, connecting a premium commercial transatlantic flight with, say, a private jet to the final destination. The outfitter’s capability to deliver such streamlined journeys (members can even book Delta commercial flights with Wheels Up Funds) is, at the moment, unique in the world – though it’s sure to inspire imitators.

© The Revery

Back to Camp

Glamping may be déclassé, but tents themselves are all the rage, especially when paired with raw natural beauty – and, of course, all the creature comforts one might expect from a five-star hotel. Take The Revery in Crete, whose clifftop perch makes for striking views all the way down to the beach (and those who prefer a bit more stability can opt to stay in the nearby stone-and-glass suites). There are no bricks-and-mortar options at Africa’s most extravagant new safari camps – not that you’d want them anyway: &Beyond has just opened Sandibe and Nxabega camps in the Okavango Delta in Botswana, each with just three tents, ensuring exclusivity as well as connection to the bush. A world away, on Koh Phangan in Thailand, just north of Koh Samui, new hospitality brand Kaia, the latest project from the developers behind the acclaimed Capella and Four Seasons in Bangkok, will inaugurate its first property later this year.

© Capella Kyoto

Kyoto Confidential

Japan’s erstwhile capital is back in the spotlight, thanks to two new hotels that showcase different aspects of the ever-evolving city. The Imperial Hotel  – the first new opening from the celebrated Tokyo-based brand in 30 years – is set in a historic former theatre, while Capella Kyoto is a Kengo Kuma-designed new build in the central Miyagawa-cho district, just steps from the city’s oldest Zen Buddhist temple.

Zannier Île de Bendor (Photo: Pierre Lucet-Benato)

Riviera Renaissance

Some places never go out of style. The South of France – perhaps the most perennially chic place on the planet – is having a banner year once again, headlined by three properties that meld historic legacies with contemporary panache. The creation of Zannier Île de Bendor was a passion project: a private island off Bandol, it was initially developed by pastis pioneer Paul Ricard in the 1950s, and its new incarnation comes by way of growing French hospitality brand Zannier, which has introduced a sprawling, village-like hotel to the island, along with an expansive wellness centre and an array of bars and restaurants. Back on the mainland, COMO Le Beauvallon is a 42-key Riviera classic, looking out over the Gulf of Saint-Tropez to the latter’s namesake town. The Belle Epoque palace has been newly reconceived and now boasts the culinary nous of Yannick Alléno at its waterside restaurant. Farther along the coast, between Nice and Monaco, La Réserve de Beaulieu’s recent renovation, completed last year, has sharpened the timeless allure of the dramatically set hideaway along the glittering Beaulieu-sur-Mer coastline.

© Dan Aluinn

A Place in the Country

Of the hundreds of historic mansions across Britain and Ireland now operating as hotels, how many still feel like real homes? Three newly reimagined estates are aiming to pair grand old bones with heartfelt contemporary hospitality. At Ballyfin, in County Laois, southwest of Dublin, 21 guest rooms are individually decorated with nods to the Regency-era manor’s past, while the Michelin-star restaurant spotlights local produce. In Scotland, the formerly exclusive-hire-only Dun Aluinn has just been renovated, and its nine rooms, now available to book separately, are prime home bases from which to explore Perthshire and the Highlands. A £25m makeover has brought a renewed sense of regal splendour to Dumbleton Hall, set in a charmed corner of the Cotswolds between Stratford-upon-Avon and Cheltenham.