2023 promises to be a great year for travel and there are new luxury hotels aplenty, so what better way to celebrate than by taking a look at our favourite European newbies for the coming year.
Anantara Convento di Amalfi Grand Hotel, Italy
After a significant refurbishment, the Anantara Convento di Amalfi Grand Hotel will be joining the ranks of Europe’s most picturesque and luxury hotels in April. The building dates from the 13th century, when it was built as a monastery and is located atop a sheer 80m cliff, from which, of course, the views are second to none (or nun, if you like). With two high-end restaurants and a sumptuous Anantara Spa on site, it might take the free shuttle to tempt you into Amalfi town (even though it’s a five-minute walk!), especially if you’re staying in the one-of-a-kind Dell’Eremita Suite, with your own private terrace with jacuzzi… With the golden hour light bouncing off the sea and your pre-dinner spritz, this is as close as a hotel can get to a religious experience…
Six Senses Crans-Montana, Switzerland
This long-awaited addition to the Alpine landscape of Crans Montana is set to open early in 2023. With sleek décor that seems to have drawn its colour palette from the birch trees of the surrounding mountains, this high tech, high design hotel is right on the piste. With designer brand boutiques and high end restaurants all very close by, Six Senses Crans-Montana offers all the trimmings for a luxury ski resort, from the traditional wood fire at which to warm your toes to an open air cinema. Best of all, you can hit the amazing Six Senses spa to recover your mojo after a day on the slopes; as well as the usual treatments and sauna, the spa offers an Alchemy Bar Workshop, where you can create your own bespoke, locally-inspired products, and a Biohack Recovery Lounge, where the latest tech is employed to get you into tip top condition!
Mandarin Oriental Costa Navarino, Greece
Situated on the south west coast of the Peloponnese, the Mandarin Oriental Costa Navarino is the group’s first property in Greece, but definitely one to watch once it opens this summer. With suites and villas only, many with private pools, the hotel is arranged across a gentle slope into which the accommodation is built. As such, many of the suites and villas enjoy spectacular views of the bay beneath and the aesthetic is part futuristic Bond-villain complex, part Hobbiton-inspired eco-retreat (trust me, this is a winning combination!). This hotel goes beyond its lovely luxury spa and clutch of F&B options to offer a range of unique experiences that draw on the traditions of Ancient Greece, such as a Philosophy Walk, an Astronomy Night and Young Archaeologists activity for the kids so you’ll be spoilt for choice!
Raffles London at the OWO, United Kingdom
We were expecting this one at the end of last year, but Raffles London at the OWO will be worth the wait! OWO stands for Old War Office, the Whitehall building in which many of the decisions were made that shaped Britain’s military history. This is Raffles’ first property in London, with 120 rooms, nine restaurants, three bars and a Guerlain spa. A further collaboration with wellness brand PILLAR will contribute training, health and gym facilities. An extensive project has lovingly restored the centuries-old architecture of the building, while adding those luxury touches for which Raffles is best known. Don’t miss the opportunity to dine in Churchill’s old room or admire that epic marble staircase…
Hotel Vermelho, Portugal
The region of Alentejo always impresses me with its incredible landscapes, delicious wine and food, and intriguing little villages, but it’s not somewhere I would expect to find a hotel created by Christian Louboutin, he of the red-soled fashion footwear. On the coast in Alentejo, Melides is a town known for its tranquillity and simple life, but Louboutin has distilled the essence of Portuguese art into this property, assembling a dream team of Mediterranean designers and filling it with intricate tile work, rich fabrics, opulent fittings and hand-painted walls. Hotel Vermelho is one for people who might usually be drawn to big cities with packed galleries and eclectic architecture but want to take in a more peaceful beauty. Leave your phone at home and breathe clean air in this high-design haven.
