If you’re stuck for inspiration for your next deluxe hotel stay, consider this list a gold mine.
It’s Conde Nast Traveller’s Gold List 2023, an annual guide to the most ‘outstanding’ hotels and resorts for ‘discerning travellers’ to visit around the world in 2023.
A former shooting lodge on Scotland’s Isle of Skye, a Hawaiian retreat where Ernest Hemingway once honeymooned, and an ‘extraordinary’ lakeside ranch in New Zealand are among the hotels to get the golden seal of approval.
Conde Nast Traveller’s Global Editorial Director Divia Thani says: ‘Our editors around the world – from California to Mumbai to London – have come together to spotlight some of the most sophisticated, innovative and extraordinary resorts and experiences around the world.
‘The list is designed to showcase the places our global network of editors feel most passionately about, and it will surely ignite the wanderlust among our audiences… who are still making up for lost time.’
Below are a handful of the swoon-worthy properties that make the cut. Scroll down to the very bottom to see the list in full…
HALEKULANI, WAIKIKI, OAHU, HAWAII: ‘Halekulani transports guests back to Hawaii’s golden era when honeymooners like Ernest Hemingway would come for sunset daiquiris at House Without A Key, the hotel’s restaurant and bar,’ declares Conde Nast Traveller. The hotel, which underwent a renovation during the pandemic, holds nightly mele (music) and hula and is home to a ‘renowned’ art collection. ‘Attentive staff always at the ready with sunblock or another hula punch make it hard to pull yourself away from the sparkling pool (above),’ the publication adds. Rooms from about £539. Visit www.halekulani.com
LE MEURICE, PARIS, FRANCE: This ‘masterpiece’ of a grand dame hotel is nestled right in the heart of Paris, and for all the ‘marble-lined grandeur’ of the property, it offers a ‘surprisingly cosy and contemporary’ stay, says Conde Nast Traveller. It reveals that guests can embark on private art tours, during which they pay a visit to the Belle Etoile penthouse for a view ‘almost identical’ to Monet’s 1876 study of the Tuileries Gardens. Rooms from £800. Visit www.dorchestercollection.com
THE SAVOY, LONDON: Conde Nast Traveller says that this lauded hotel, which opened in 1889, is a ‘gorgeous bundle of stylistic contradictions – high Victorian, plush Edwardian, flapper-tastic Art Deco – that adds up to much more than the sum of its parts’. It notes: ‘Before he returned to Florence to start his little luggage business, Guccio Gucci worked as a porter at The Savoy.’ In 2021, the Royal Suite (above) was restyled with ‘irresistible flair’ by the eponymous brand that Gucci went on to establish. Doubles from about £630. Visit www.thesavoylondon.com
THE NEWT IN SOMERSET, ENGLAND: This hotel, opened in 2019 on an 800-acre estate, is ‘so much more than 42 beautifully pitched rooms’, says Conde Nast traveller. It’s home to an interactive museum, a ‘corker’ of a spa, and a gelateria, and offers guests bee safaris and honey tastings. Gourmands are in for a treat, as ‘estate-to-plate food zings with freshness’, says the publication. It also recommends trying the hotel’s own cyder, made from apples from the walled garden. Rooms from about £433. Visit thenewtinsomerset.com
VILLA IGIEA, A ROCCO FORTE HOTEL, PALERMO, ITALY: This ‘graceful’ retreat was ‘bought as a private estate by the Florios, once one of Italy’s wealthiest families, but then converted in the early 1900s into a wellness retreat that was popular with royalty’, Conde Nast Traveller reveals. It says that hotel brand Rocco Forte revived the property in 2021, and now it feels like a ‘glitzy clubhouse of sorts for European dynasty families’. As for the decor, expect ‘whimsical frescoes and grand staircases’. Rooms are priced from around £472. Visit www.roccofortehotels.com
SAO LOURENCO DO BARROCAL, ALENTEJO, PORTUGAL: Set on a 2,000-acre estate, this 40-room hotel and organic working farm is home to ‘humble, whitewashed farm buildings’ that have been ‘sensitively transformed into sophisticated suites’, Conde Nast Traveller reveals. Food is a highlight, with ‘polished takes on traditional dishes’ served with local wines. During their stays, guests can enjoy beekeeping lessons, foraging, and stargazing, as the region is a Dark Sky Reserve. Doubles from around £352. Visit barrocal.pt
THE GORING, LONDON: Describing this property, Conde Nast Traveller says: ‘From the scarlet-coated concierges to the antiques-filled rooms, proximity to Buckingham Palace, and a dining room that was a favourite of both Margaret Thatcher and the Queen Mother, this is a true icon of the [UK] capital’s hotel scene.’ It adds that ‘discretion is everything’ when it comes to the service, and if you’re lucky enough to dine there, you ought to try the ‘legendary’ lobster omelette. Rooms from £549. Visit thegoring.com
MARBELLA CLUB, MALAGA, SPAIN: Conde Nast Traveller says that this seaside property, which offers the ‘intimacy of a members’ club’, has been ‘synonymous with unassuming luxury’ since the 1950s. Here, guests will discover a ‘rare combination of bohemian charm and specificity of service’, the publication notes. However, the resort’s ‘greatest triumph’ is the kids’ club, where ‘there are exhaustive activities, gorgeous free-flow creative spaces, and engaging, energetic staff who work subtle magic’. Doubles are priced from around £377. Visit www.marbellaclub.com
DEPLAR FARM, TROLL PENINSULA, NORTHERN ICELAND: ‘Though it almost looks like just another black timber farmstead on the drive up the valley, the 32-guest lodge is a lair of pure-grade hedonism,’ says Conde Nast Traveller of this Icelandic retreat. Indoor perks include a shuffleboard table, hidden game consoles and a movie projector, while guests can also enjoy outdoor pursuits such as ‘heli-skiing [transferred by helicopter] in the surrounding mountains’ and ‘fly-fishing for char in nearby Lake Miklavatn’. Rooms from around £2,781. Visit elevenexperience.com
KINLOCH LODGE, ISLE OF SKYE, SCOTLAND: Formerly a ‘run-down, whitewashed shooting lodge on ravishingly pretty Loch na Dal’, this 18-room retreat has been revamped with ‘sensitivity, flair, and discreet contemporary flourishes’. Conde Nast Traveller says that there’s ‘an heirloom-forward, country-house grandeur about it, but zero pomposity’. Adding that the hosts take ‘proper care of their guests’, it notes that Kinloch Lodge is ‘one of a kind’. Doubles from around £348. Visit kinloch-lodge.co.uk
NOMAD LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, U.S: This ‘classic boutique hotel’ occupies the top four floors of the Park MGM on the Las Vegas Strip. Conde Nast Traveller says: ‘A NoMad guest-only elevator transports you to rooms whose freestanding tubs (some right in the bedroom), velvet draperies, and dressing tables accessorised with crystal glassware feel a bit like they should have a view over the Champs-Elysees – not T-Mobile Stadium.’ Above is the ‘lavish’ Library restaurant, inspired by the Royal Cabinet of Reading in Rio. Rooms from about £221. Visit www.thenomadhotel.com
SINGITA KWITONDA LODGE, MUSANZE, RWANDA: Guests of Singita Kwitonda Lodge are equipped with hiking gear and nourishing food for visits to the adjacent Volcano National Park, an area known for both its volcanoes and its gorilla population, Conde Nast Traveller reveals. The hotel’s interiors, which ‘champion local crafts’, are made from volcanic rock, bamboo, and eucalyptus. Rooms feature books, art supplies, a wood-burning outdoor fireplace and ‘offer views of the volcanic peaks protruding from the cloud forest’s mists’. Rooms from about £1,835. Visit singita.com
SANTA MARINA, A LUXURY COLLECTION RESORT, MYKONOS, GREECE: This five-star haven – the only resort on Mykonos with its own private sandy beach – is owned by the same local family that opened it four decades ago, Conde Nast Traveller reveals. It adds: ‘Santa Marina includes 101 sea view rooms and suites with private plunge pools, plus a selection of 13 sprawling villas, a cove-nestled beach club shielded from the mighty Cycladic winds, and two infinity pools to mix up the lounging scenery.’ Watching megayachts pass by as you sunbathe is a highlight, the publication notes. Rooms from about £382. Visit santa-marina.gr
LAKE HAWEA STATION, SOUTH ISLAND, NEW ZEALAND: This ‘part working farm, part high-design retreat’ – made up of several properties – lies outside the resort town of Wanaka. All energy on the ranch is renewable, and guests can spend their days chilling by the pool, drinking in ’knockout’ views of Lake Hawea or watching shepherds round up merino sheep nearby. Conde Nast Traveller says: ‘Waking up before the day starts from its centrepiece Lake House (above), an impossibly chic landscape villa with glass walls, and sipping coffee as the rising sun slowly reveals the still-as-glass lake, edged by the snow-dusted Southern Alps and jagged hills, is simple and extraordinary.’ Rooms are priced from £233. Visit lakehaweastation.com
THE MARK, NEW YORK CITY: Praising this hotel, Conde Nast Traveller says: ‘What The Mark lacks in ostentation it makes up for in subtle, glowing sophistication, from the tiled floor in the very discreet lobby to the sparse hallways that dimly light the way to each pale-blue door, with just the right splashes of commissioned art displayed throughout.’ It adds that the hotel offers guests ‘classic New York touch points, but fancied up a notch’, such as its hot-dog stand with a menu designed by Michelin-starred chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Above is the elegant Penthouse Suite where Meghan Markle celebrated her baby shower. Doubles from about £1,065. Visit www.themarkhotel.com
THE CONDE NAST TRAVELLER GOLD LIST FOR 2023
La Mamounia – Marrakech, Morocco
Babylonstoren – Simondium, South Africa
Singita Kwitonda Lodge – Musanze, Rwanda
Jabali Ridge – Ruaha, Tanzania
The Datai Langkawi – Malaysia
Ceylon Tea Trails – Hatton, Sri Lanka
Oberoi Udaivilas – Udaipur, India
The Leela Palace Bengaluru – India
Mandarin Oriental – Bangkok, Thailand
Hoshinoya Kyoto – Japan
Raffles – Singapore
The Chedi Muscat – Oman
One&Only Royal Mirage – Dubai, UAE
Nihi Sumba – Indonesia
Amansara – Siem Reap, Cambodia
The Upper House – Hong Kong
Six Senses Punakha – Bhutan
The Jaffa – Tel Aviv, Israel
Lake Hawea Station – New Zealand
PumpHouse Point – Tasmania, Australia
Ocean House – Rhode Island, USA
The Mark – New York, USA
Malibu Beach Inn – California, USA
1 Hotel South Beach – Florida, USA
Commodore Perry Estate – Texas, USA
Halekulani Hotel – Waikiki, Oahu, Hawaii
Cheval Blanc St-Barth – St Barts, Caribbean
Jumby Bay Island – Antigua
Clayoquot Wilderness Resort – Vancouver Island, Canada
Hotel Esencia – Xpu-Ha, Mexico
Tierra Patagonia – Chile
Uxua Casa – Bahia, Brazil
Jardin Escondido – Buenos Aires, Argentina
Kinloch Lodge – Isle of Skye, UK
The Savoy – London, UK
The Goring – London, UK
The Newt in Somerset – UK
Marbella Club – Malaga, Spain
Santo Mauro – Madrid, Spain
El Palace Barcelona – Spain
Belmond Cipriani Hotel – Venice, Italy
Belmond Caruso Hotel – Ravello, Italy
Grand Hotel Tremezzo – Como, Italy
Villa Igiea – Palermo, Italy
Sao Lourenco do Barrocal – Alentejo, Portugal
Hotel de Crillon – Paris, France
Le Meurice – Paris, France
Hotel du Palais – Biarritz, France
Beau-Rivage Palace – Lausanne, Switzerland
Deplar Farm – Iceland
Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam – The Netherlands
Four Seasons Sultanahmet – Istanbul, Turkey
Santa Marina – Mykonos, Greece
Kyrimai – Mani, Greece
The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort – South Carolina, USA
NoMad Las Vegas – USA
Jumeirah Al Qasr – Dubai, UAE
Source: Conde Nast Traveller
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