Since the 2020 pandemic quarantine, many of us haven’t had as much time to travel and jet set as we would have wanted, but we’re keeping our fingers crossed that the summer of 2023 will change that. It appears that 2023 will be a boom year for tourism as several countries loosen their travel constraints, many new, opulent capsule hotels open, and others undergo marvelous revamps and enhancements.
We’ve included some of the world’s most famous hotel brands alongside up-and-coming designers and architectural studios to bring you a comprehensive list of the best hotel designs ever. Even if you’re staying in a budget hotel, there’s nothing like checking into your room after a long day of travel and being away from home.
Miwo Hotel / AT DESIGN. ©Yusong Zeng
How Have Environmental Trends Affected the Hotel Designs?
Only a select few hotels have managed to keep their authentic appearance in this day and age, as the vast majority of establishments in this sector have undergone significant transformations since we last encountered them. To what extent, then, have changes in environmental trends influenced hotel designs?
- Balance
Balance is one way environmental trends influence hotel designs. Hoteliers are balancing technology and environmental impact. They calculated how much they could save by reducing and recycling. This saves money and reduces environmental damage. Examples include waste disposal, clean air, sewage systems, and environmentally friendly cleanliness. Additionally, energy, water, and raw materials must be balanced. We can preserve water, land, and air if more people do this.
- Construction
Construction is another environmental trend that affects hotel designs. This is crucial. To build a hotel that meets environmental standards, hoteliers, architects, and engineers must collaborate. These include construction supplies, equipment, landmass, and animal habitats. It also covers handling toxic waste and how to prevent it from contaminating the environment.
- Location
There will come a moment when the planet is so sick that life as we know it cannot survive unless we drastically alter our lifestyles. Therefore, it is essential to pick a site that won’t ruin the environment for various animals. It’s excellent that architects and designers try adapting the structure’s aesthetic to the surrounding natural features.
- Guests’ Pleasure
Architects also consider the target demographic and guests’ preferences when designing a hotel. Guests’ comfort is as important as the hotel’s desire to reflect its natural surroundings. Honestly, we usually leave a hotel happy if we like how it looks inside and out. The lighting, furnishings, amenities, detail, cuisine, amusement, and scenery are all top-notch criteria we base our review.
Also Read: 9 Emerging Architectural Trends to Keep an Eye on in 2023
Top 25 Best Hotel Designs in The World in 2023
Hotels and tourism businesses nowadays must compete with short-term rentals like Airbnb by offering guests more than just a comfortable bed and a hot shower. Look through the best hotel designs and daydream about the unforgettable trips you could have in 2023.
1) Six Senses (Rome, Italy)
©Six Senses Rome
The hotel will open in the spring of 2023 and will be Italy’s first Six Senses property. The hotel, designed by Patricia Urquiola of Milan, will revitalize the 18th-century Palazzo Salviati Cesi Mellini, just off the lively Via del Corso. The rooftop bar surrounded by plants is sure to become a popular hangout for Romans and tourists alike, but the main attraction will be the enormous spa designed in the style of ancient Roman baths.
2) Kalesma Mykonos (Greece)
©Kalesma Mykonos
Kalesma is the only place in the world to carry designs by Rick Owens, and that’s just the beginning of the designer’s exclusive collection. The aesthetic of Kalesma is influenced by Mykonian heritage, with natural materials like wood, marble, and stone providing a modern update to traditional Cycladic design.
3) Chablé Sea of Cortez (Mexico)
©CG Verón
Thanks to the hotel’s eco-friendly design, every accommodation at the Chablé Sea of Cortez in Mexico has a panoramic sea view. The resort’s expansive spa, exclusive beach, and oceanfront pool contribute to the property’s general well-being theme.
4) Hotel La Palma (Capri, Italy)
©Citalia
This exquisite Oetker Collection hotel, designed by Francis Sultana, is guaranteed to be the talk of Capri once it opens. The hotel, which opened in 1822 as Capri’s first, will be renovated to its former glory with modern accents and classic furnishings reminiscent of the island’s Dolce Vita era of the 1950s, including murals by Roberto Ruspoli and tapestries by Allegra Hicks.
You can take advantage of the 50 guest rooms and suites, the rooftop bar and restaurant, the outdoor pool and spa, and the exclusive beach club, all together Launching in the spring of 2023.
5) Krugar Shalati (South Africa)
©Business Jet Traveler
A restored antique train serves as the structure for Krugar Shalati, a one-of-a-kind hotel built on a bridge above the Sabie River. The long-term parked train includes access to the amusement park, which features regional artwork and furniture.
6) Warren Street Hotel (New York City)
©Firmdale Hotels
The 11-story Firmdale hotel, set to rise from the location of the former parking lot, will feature a variety of amenities such as a drawing room, eatery, bar, and Orangery. What’s the catch? The huge windows in every room offer breathtaking views of Manhattan below.
7) andBeyond Punakha River Lodge (Bhutan)
©andBeyond Punakha River Lodge
The verdant Punakha Valley in Bhutan is the location of the first andBeyond luxury safari resort, set to debut in September. On the border of vast agricultural land and the Mo Chhu River, you’ll find tents and a lodge built in the traditional Bhutanese manner. It’s designed to be an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise, providing activities like rafting, kayaking, fishing, and hiking.
8) Fasano Itaim, São Paulo
©Even Construtora e Incorporadora
In April 2023, Fasano Itaim will be the second luxury hotel for the Fasano brand to open in Sao Paulo. Studio MK27 designed the 16,000-square-foot skyscraper in the middle of the business center and will feature restaurants, bars, and apartments with a modern Brazilian theme.
9) Soho House (Mexico City)
©Soho House
Nothing indicates whether or if the Soho House opened in the early months of 2023 as planned. When it finally opens, the Soho House in Mexico City’s Colonia Juárez will be the first in Latin America. To achieve this, the design team expanded a once-private Baroque mansion into a spacious creative hideaway with a pool, outdoor courtyard, and numerous sitting areas.
Their interior design division, Soho Home, outfitted the property with original pieces made by regional artisans and more than a hundred artworks by Mexican artists.
10) Habitas, San Miguel
©Habitas / Instagram
Only ten minutes from San Miguel’s old downtown, this new Habitats retreat debuted in January 2023. The 60 rooms here are decorated in muted earth tones and look out over the valley of Valle de Los Senderos. Hot springs will be available to guests as part of a health resort.
11) Tierra Chiloé Hotel & Spa (Chile)
©Tierra Hotels
This charming luxury hotel is perched high on the Chilean archipelago’s main island. Guests can enjoy the ocean-view lounge, underground spa, and expansive dining space.
Studio Mobil Arquitectos created the hotel’s three stories to reflect the natural scenery seen from each story: the ground floor features a comprehensive view, the second level is decked out in wooden tiles, and the third floor is reminiscent of stone caverns. In homage to the native temple architecture, hardwood tiles adorn the upper floors of the building.
12) The Lana (UAE)
©Dorchester Collection website
The Lana is the initial Dorchester Collection hotel to open in the area. Located next to the Marasi Pier in Dubai’s Burj Khalifa district. French architects Dorothea Boissier and Patrick Gilles designed the hotel’s striking interior, while British firm Foster + Partners conceived the building’s exterior.
Each of the 225 rooms offers stunning panoramas through floor-to-ceiling windows. The best view, however, can be seen from the rooftop pool terrace, which is transformed into a lively lounge when night falls.
13) Innit Lombok (Indonesia)
©Tiket.com
Innit Lombok is a collection of seven beach cottages on the island of Lombok, east of Bali. Debuted in March, the seven cottages are styled after indigenous rice-storage huts called a lumbung. The bedrooms contain local furniture designers produce using Lombok and Sumbawa woods, terrazzo, and rattan. At the same time, the living spaces and eating areas on the ground floor utilize sand as flooring.
14) Isla Brown Chania Resort & Spa (Crete, Greece)
©Brown Hotels
The Isla Brown Chania Resort & Spa, which will open in May with stunning views of the Mediterranean Sea, has been designed to mirror its natural surroundings through its minimalistic and genuine aesthetic. The beachfront resort will feature 148 guestrooms and suites, many of which will have swimming pools, three eateries, a poolside bar and lounge, a spa, and a fitness center.
15) JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge (Kenya)
©Mariott.com
The JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge opened in February 2023 as Marriott’s first effort into excellent safari lodging in Africa, placing guests in an immersive environment along the shores of the Talek River. Each 20-pitched bungalow features a private patio with spectacular Masai Mara wildlife reserve views. The interiors, designed by Kristina Zanic Consultants, are tranquil and nature-inspired.
16) Capella Sydney (Australia)
©Timothy Kaye
The 192-room Capella Sydney, which opened in March, can be found behind the gleaming façade of the former Department of Education building in Sydney’s Sandstone Precinct.
This place is a melting pot of the old and the new: For example, after passing through the renovated marble lobby, you’ll find yourself in the Aperture restaurant, which features a green wall that’s about 23 feet high, a glass ceiling, and a sculpture by Studio Drift. Meanwhile, copper-lined antique lanterns illuminate the wellness center’s atrium.
17) Mamula Island Hotel (Bay of Kotor, Montenegro)
©mamulaisland.com
The Mamula Island Hotel opened in March on a formerly abandoned island that had been the site of a 19th-century fortress and combined historical elements with contemporary renovations such as a glass-covered courtyard, spa, and memorial. The native Cevsky stone, aged brass, oak, and organic textiles will be included in the design scheme with lighter tones, works by local artists, and materials that pay homage to the area’s heritage.
18) The Peninsula Istanbul (Turkey)
©peninsula.com
Four buildings comprise the Peninsula Istanbul, all located along the Bosphorus Strait. Three of these buildings are historical sites that date back to the early 1900s. The hotel’s 177 rooms and suites all feature balconies, terraces, or picture windows overlooking the water. Their luxurious interiors are furnished with wood and mother-of-pearl decoration, kilim rugs, and Turkish marble bathrooms.
19) The St. Regis Kanai Resort (Riviera Maya, Mexico)
©Auberge Resorts Collection, By Nikki Ekstein
As part of a 620-acre ecological preserve on the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico, the St. Regis Kanai Resort premiered at the beginning of the year. The hotel has eight different dining options, including five restaurants, a tea and chocolate room, and a St. Regis Spa, all inspired by the local habitat and wildlife.
20) Treehouse Hotel Sunnyvale (California)
©RIOS
With its Sunnyvale hotel, SH Hotels & Resorts introduces the Treehouse brand to the United States. The 254-room hotel, set to open later this year, will have a less carbon footprint thanks to its off-site, flexible structure. To further reflect the brand’s commitment to sustainability, local artists will use wood salvaged from trees removed during construction to create works of art.
21) Costa Navarino (Greece)
©Costa Navarino
The Costa Navarino hotel is one of three brand-new communities being built in Messinia, Greece. With its earth-sheltered architecture, the resort prioritizes preserving the surrounding environment. The villas are nestled into the hillside, each with a private pool and living roof.
©Costa Navarino
22) Montage Big Sky (Montana)
©Montage Hotels
There will be ski-in/ski-out convenience for the 5,800 skiable acres surrounding the property. During the warm months, golfers can play on a Tom Weiskopf–designed 18-hole course. Just an hour’s drive from Yellowstone National Park, this hotel bills itself as ultra-luxurious, with amenities fit for royalty.
23) The Bolder Starlodges (Lysefjorden, Norway)
©Elin Engelsvoll
The Bolder, located in Lysefjorden on the west coast of Norway, opened to the public in February 2023. It features four cabins, each created by the renowned firm Snøhetta in partnership with the Danish interior brand Vipp.
The timber cabins are designed to blend in with their natural surroundings, and their expansive windows provide breathtaking views of the fjord and the mountains beyond. The cabins feature a bedroom and bathroom on the lower level and a kitchen and eating area on the upper level. The hotel plans to open a high-end restaurant and bar in the coming years.
24) Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo Panama (Panama City, Panama)
©Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo
In January 2023, the Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo Panama welcomed its first visitors. This stunning hotel, once home to the Club Union Panama, is situated on a waterfront oasis that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and combines local culture with unmatched French warmth.
25) Banyan Tree AlUla (AlUla, Saudi Arabia)
©Banyan Tree
The beautiful rock structures and quiet desert surrounding the resort at Banyan Tree AlUla in Saudi Arabia make it feel like you’ve landed on another planet. One of the best hotel designs ever, the enigmatic and enchanting all-villa resort opened in the late fall of 2022 and is ready to greet visitors in 2023.
