What is the elite traveler in the mood for in 2023? Think Mallorca: the Balearic island is the embodiment of the current trend for “small places, incredible places with fabulous views that are a little bit away from everything,” says Jules Maury, head of Scott Dunn Private.
Mallorca has the rustic charm of Tuscany but fewer people and a newer feel. United Airlines recently introduced a seasonal non-stop flight from Newark to the capital, Palma, unlocking easy access from the United States for the first time. Maury’s choice is the 31-room Son Net, a 17th-century estate opening in April under the auspices of Spanish hotelier Finca Cortesin, with the GM shuttling between the two properties. “It will be a grande dame, the most fabulous country hotel,” he says. Dear Gray, of private travel specialist Gray & Co., agrees, noting that the property’s location in the foothills of the Tramuntana Mountains makes it ideal for outdoorsy types. “The cycling is some of the best in Europe and it’s very raw,” he says. “That’s what people are looking for lately.” Later this summer, Virgin Limited Edition will add another property to the island: Son Bunyola. The amalgamation of an old finca with contemporary additions sits on an 810-acre estate; the best of the 26 rooms will be the Tower Suites, one of which is housed in a 15th-century fortification.
Even small is beautiful in Africa. In November, independent safari provider Angama, from Kenya’s Maasai Mara, will add a second site, Angama Amboseli, with just 10 rooms. It is located in Kimana Sanctuary, a park famous for its supertusker elephants but also for having little luxury nearby, until now. Angama is the brainchild of industry doyenne Nicky Fitzgerald, who retired in March (her daughter, Kate, remains head of business development); it is known for supporting local communities in practical ways, whether by appointing a Kenyan-born GM or working with families in Amboseli to create a self-contained hotel concession. In Botswana, North Island Okavango will consist of just three tented suites sitting right on the delta of the same name, which will be teeming with dry-season wildlife when it debuts in June. “I’d be surprised if it was easy to book a single room,” says Jonathan Goldsmith, of Cazenove + Loyd. “The vast majority of bookings will be acquisitions.”
Bhutan, meanwhile, has long focused on low-density, high-end tourism as a model for luxury travel in Asia, keeping numbers low for minimal impact. Johannesburg-based &Beyond will offer an even rarer riff on this approach when it imports its safari-style operation to the country in late 2023 with Punakha River Lodge, featuring six luxury tents and two villas located along the river in an area known for its rice paddies and chilli farms. “It will bring together that philosophy of exploration, exercise and conservation,” says Jack Ezon of Embark Beyond, highlighting the local rafting, kayaking and swimming, as well as lots of bird watching. And though the 67-room Sumba resort in Indonesia, Cap Karoso, is larger than most high-end properties, its location is one of the most pristine stretches of sand in the country. “If you want to dive or snorkel, Maldives style, you can do it right from your room on the beach,” says Ezon. “It’s one of the most beautiful coral reefs in the world.” (Also watch out for the new Indonesian island properties of hotelier James McBride, who first put Sumba on the luxury travel map and is expected to open Nihi Rote and Nihi Flores, likely in 2024.)
Elsewhere in Asia, Japan just reopened to unaccompanied travel later this year, so many of the hotels primed for the Olympic-era spotlight are following suit. Jonathan Goldsmith names Bellustar, a 97-room five-star hotel atop a skyscraper in Shinjuku, with rooms exceeding nearly 3,000 square feet. “Japan is really a new experience and for a city hotel it will be interesting,” he says.
There’s also a slew of new luxury cruise lines and liners arriving around the world. Explora Journeys is poised to be a disruptor: Owned by cruise giant MSC, it’s largely run by a team that has defected elsewhere to luxury hospitality. “They’re selling it as a floating hotel, with itineraries that involve longer stays in port, maybe three nights, so you can go down and dine in port,” says Embark Beyond’s Ezon. “It’s not about controlling things.” Also look out for new expedition vessels, including Seabourn Pursuit, with two submersibles to head under Antarctic water, as well as Swan Hellenic’s Diana, from the firm renowned for combining far-flung sailings with first-rate service.
But don’t think abroad is the only option for finding an invigorating break in luxurious isolation, says Cari Gray. Coffee Ridge, in rural Tennessee, will welcome adult travelers to its 15 villas on 300 acres; nightly rates when it debuts in the fourth quarter will start at $6,500, including all activities, like horseback riding and even helicopter transfers. “It’s riding the tide of Blackberry Mountain,” adds Gray. “The Smokies are seething right now.”
