How will you travel in 2023? Discover new secret locations
Mallorca, an island located in the Mediterranean Sea, offers a rustic charm similar to Tuscany's but with a modern twist and fewer tourists. United Airlines recently began offering nonstop seasonal flights from Newark to the capital city, Palma, making it more accessible to travelers from the United States. The Son Net hotel is a 17th-century estate managed by Spanish hotelier Finca Cortesin and boasts 31 rooms. It is expected to be a luxurious country-house hotel situated in the Tramuntana Mountains, making it a great choice for outdoor enthusiasts. The area is known for having some of the best biking trails in Europe and raw, natural beauty, featuring a mix of old and new architecture, including the Tower Suites housed in a 15th-century fortification.
In Africa, small luxury hotels are gaining popularity. For example, Angama, an independent safari company based in Kenya's Maasai Mara, will open a second location called Angama Amboseli with just 10 rooms. Located in the Kimana Sanctuary, known for its super tusker elephants and lack of nearby luxury accommodations, Angama prides itself on supporting local communities by hiring a Kenyan general manager and partnering with families in Amboseli to create a hotel concession. In Botswana, the North Island Okavango will consist of only three tented suites situated directly on the Okavango Delta, a region that will be home to a wide variety of dry-season wildlife. Experts say that the majority of bookings for the North Island Okavango will be for full buyouts rather than single rooms.
Bhutan has a reputation for low-density, high-end tourism with a focus on minimal impact. In late 2023, a Johannesburg-based company will bring a safari-style operation to Bhutan with the Punakha River Lodge, featuring six luxury tents and two villas located along the river. The lodge will offer a range of activities such as river rafting, kayaking, swimming, and birdwatching, and will emphasize exploration, physical activity, and conservation. In Indonesia, the 67-room Cap Karoso resort on one of the country's most pristine beaches offers larger-than-average rooms and opportunities for snorkeling and diving in a beautiful reef right off the beach. Hotelier James McBride, who first brought luxury travel to Sumba Island, is also expected to open the Nihi Rote and Nihi Flores properties in Indonesia in 2024.
Japan recently reopened to unchaperoned travel, and several hotels that were prepared for the spotlight during the Olympics are now welcoming tourists. One such hotel is the Bellustar, a 97-room luxury hotel located within a skyscraper in Shinjuku with rooms that measure almost 3,000 square feet. According to Jonathan Goldsmith, the Bellustar will offer a unique experience for a city hotel in Japan.
Several new luxury cruise lines and ships are set to launch in the coming years. Explora Journeys, owned by MSC Cruises and managed by a team with experience in luxury hospitality, is positioning itself as a floating hotel with itineraries that allow for longer stays in port. Another notable entry is the Seabourn Pursuit, which will have two submersibles for underwater excursions in the Antarctic, and the Diana from Swan Hellenic, a company known for combining exotic sailings with excellent service.
Basically, travelers don't have to go overseas to find luxurious isolation. In rural Tennessee, the Coffee Ridge resort will offer villas on 300 acres for adult travelers, with nightly rates starting at $6,500 including all activities like horseback riding and helicopter transfers. The resort is set to debut in the fourth quarter of the year and is expected to be popular due to the current popularity of the Smoky Mountains.
