The 15 Greatest New Lodges of 2023

Each day at AFAR, we expect deeply about what makes a lodge expertise actually extraordinary. The lodges we love don’t simply wow us with their excellent places, design, and repair. They’re frequently trying to scale back their carbon footprint, profit communities in significant methods, and join company to biodiverse landscapes. We showcase these values annually on our Keep Record, AFAR’s compendium of the world’s greatest new lodges. The 15 properties featured right here—vetted by our trusted community of editors, writers, and journey advisors—vary from an idyllic farm retreat in upstate New York to a palatial, regionally run lodge on Italy’s Lake Como. With decisions like these, which is able to you guide first? —Jennifer Flowers

Courtesy of andBeyond/Andrew Morgan

andBeyond Grumeti Serengeti River Lodge

• Location: Serengeti Nationwide Park, Tanzania
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The andBeyond Grumeti Serengeti River Lodge reemerged in 2022 after a stem-to-stern renovation and a conscious rethink: Its 10 rebuilt canvas-walled rooms function sustainably sourced native hardwood and regional kitenge materials, and the property now runs on 80 % renewable vitality. It sits by a seasonal hippo pool the place lions continuously come to drink and is close to a serious river crossing for the Nice Migration of wildebeests. However viewing wildlife from a safari automobile isn’t the one exercise—staff-led experiences deliver company deeper into nature in sudden methods. That may imply recognizing elephants on a strolling safari with head ranger Nadhir Waziri or visiting fishing communities on close by Lake Victoria to grasp the native financial system. No matter you select, it’s only a quick drive away. —Jennifer Flowers

Photograph courtesy of Vacation spot Canada

Klahoose Wilderness Resort

• Location: British Columbia, Canada
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One luxurious of this wilderness retreat owned by the Klahoose First Nation is its location. Accessed through a 60-minute seaplane experience from Vancouver or 45-minute boat switch from Lund, B.C., the resort is surrounded by greater than 2,500 acres of Klahoose territory that the neighborhood has protected for hundreds of years. Right here, glacial waterfalls plummet down snowcapped mountains and evergreens border the Homfray Channel. The 4 lodge rooms and three cedar cabins all face the ocean, the place company would possibly glimpse humpbacks blowing at dawn. Actions embody Indigenous-led grizzly bear excursions, wood-carving classes from Klahoose interpreter Klemkwateki Randy Louie, and—maybe essentially the most significant expertise—a participatory smudging and brushing ceremony round a hearth. —Kathryn Romeyn

Photograph courtesy of Coulibri Ridge

Coulibri Ridge

• Location: Petit Coulibri, Dominica
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Coulibri Ridge units a brand new sustainability commonplace for the less-visited Caribbean isle of Dominica. The 14-suite off-the-grid lodge, located on the southern tip of the island, makes use of photo voltaic panels and wind generators for electrical energy, and pure rainwater is harvested and filtered on website. (Guests can study extra on a tour across the property.) Close by Martinique is seen from the rooms, which embody full kitchens, terraces, and recyclable or renewable supplies of their decor, comparable to hand-chiseled stone on the partitions and recycled teakwood lighting fixtures. The 285-acre resort affords countless methods to commune with nature, whether or not by stargazing from chlorine-free infinity swimming pools or having fun with yoga within the open-air pavilion surrounded by tropical crops. —Kristin Braswell

Flockhill

• Location: Canterbury, New Zealand
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Among the many pastures and dramatic peaks of New Zealand’s Southern Alps lies Flockhill, a novel homestead that’s additionally a gateway to one of many nation’s most secluded landscapes. A 90-minute drive from Christchurch, the four-bedroom property is ready on a 36,000-acre, high-country sheep station. The limestone flooring are juxtaposed with welcoming plush sofas from Kiwi designer Simon James, tables constituted of native timber, and, in a nod to the environment, sheepskins and lambswool throws. New Zealand–born chef Craig Martin emphasizes native components in his meals: Périgord black truffles foraged in Canterbury one evening, adopted by fresh-caught hapuku from Rakiura the subsequent. Even with these luxuries, the retreat’s greatest asset is its entry to adventures. Guides can take company snowboarding on the close by Damaged River and Craigieburn ski areas or fly-fishing in Winding Stream. —Jessica Beresford

Courtesy of Raffles Udaipur

Raffles Udaipur

Udaipur has loads of palatial stays, however the Raffles Udaipur captures the opulence of this historic kingdom, whereas giving company a possibility to completely unwind. A go to begins with a zero-emission boat experience to the property, situated on a personal island in the midst of Udai Sagar Lake. Grand structure and interiors welcome company, with particulars together with 16-foot-tall hand-painted murals, manicured gardens which can be house to 30 chicken species, and a lavish spa. The 101 spacious lake-view rooms function marble-inlay cabinets and complex woodwork. Pay shut consideration to the menu at Sawai Kitchen, the place dishes together with masaledaar bharwan kachhe tamatar (inexperienced tomato in Rajasthani spices) and dhungaar murgh (nation rooster cooked with complete spices) are a lesson on regional heirloom recipes.—Sarika Bansal

Muir Lodge

• Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
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Whereas trendy Halifax has grown past its nautical roots, the 109-room waterfront Muir—a member of Marriott’s Autograph Assortment of unbiased lodges and a part of the town’s new $200 million Queen’s Marque district—affords a peek into its maritime previous. Within the foyer, partitions of glass from an artwork set up glow like a lighthouse, and extra works proceed the theme all through. Rooms are outfitted with midcentury trendy–impressed furnishings and custom-designed tartan blankets that nod to the province’s Scottish historical past. The restaurant serves Nova Scotia classics comparable to hodge podge, a hearty stew, and the lodge’s speakeasy BKS references the area’s rum-running previous in cocktails like Her Majesty’s Displeasure. —Aislyn Greene

Photograph by Stefan Giftthaler

Villa Passalacqua

Napoleon Bonaparte, Winston Churchill, and Italian composer Vincenzo Bellini had been all company at Lake Como’s neoclassical Villa Passalacqua lengthy earlier than it was reborn as this beautiful 24-suite lodge. Proprietor Valentina De Santis—whose household has run the area’s Grand Lodge Tremezzo for 49 years—reimagined the terraced property for the twenty first century all the way down to the slightest element, from {custom} Bottega Conticelli steamer trunks within the visitor rooms to the curated vintage oil work adorning the hallways. Have breakfast at midday overlooking the 18th-century gardens, laze away a whole day by the pool below a colourful parasol designed by Milan’s J.J. Martin, or cozy up in a velvet chair within the wood-clad library with a guide and a spritz.—Jackie Caradonio

Courtesy of Nayara Resorts

Nayara Bocas del Toro

• Location: Frangipani Island, Bocas del Toro, Panama
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Nayara Bocas del Toro makes a surprising impression: 16 overwater bungalows and two tree homes all hovering above a turquoise-blue sea on a deep-green personal island in a Central American location that you simply won’t anticipate—Panama. However the extra spectacular story is behind the scenes: The resort is 100% rainwater provided and largely runs on photo voltaic vitality. There’s even a seashore constructed on stilts to safeguard the natural world, the place you may sip rosé from a chaise or descend the steps to drift within the heat protected waters. For extra energetic endeavors, company can kayak to spy starfish among the many isle’s mangroves, zoom to the bay with a personal captain to observe dolphins play at sundown, and swim with bioluminescent plankton at evening.—Billie Cohen

Photograph by Kleinjan Groenewald

Habitas AlUla

• Location: Ashar Valley, Saudi Arabia
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Irrespective of the hour, while you arrive at Habitas AlUla, a desert retreat within the Ashar Valley of northwest Saudi Arabia, a welcome ceremony commences. “We’re brothers and sisters now,” a workers member will let you know. “Welcome house.” Right here, “house” is considered one of 96 villas nestled in a canyon of rust-red sandstone cliffs. Every room makes use of natural materials—bamboo, canvas, and responsibly sourced hardwood—that blends into their environment. “Celestial” villas every have their very own telescope, evoking the Bedouin expertise of stargazing within the Arabian desert. However the actual draw is the encompassing space’s deep cultural historical past: Excursions can be found to AlUla’s tombs, historic marketplaces, and archaeological websites, together with Hegra, components of which date to the first century B.C.E. —Laura Dannen Redman

Courtesy of IHG Lodges & Resort

Intercontinental Khao Yai Resort

• Location: Pak Chong, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand
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This new lodge affords one other compelling cause to discover the realm round biodiverse Khao Yai, Thailand’s oldest and third-largest nationwide park situated three hours north of Bangkok by automobile. In a lake-dotted patch of former farmland the place company can spot hornbills and large fig timber, the InterContinental Khao Yai’s 45 rooms are unfold over three buildings. Famend designer Invoice Bensley took inspiration from the close by Nineteenth-century Pak Chong railway station, adorning every lodging with wall-mounted baggage racks and clerestory ceilings to imitate prepare cabins. However the resort’s French restaurant, spa, and 19 villas and suites (5 with personal swimming pools) ship the upcycling masterstroke: Each is ready in a meticulously renovated railway automobile salvaged from junkyards throughout the nation. —Chris Schalkx

Photograph by Joe Thomas (left) and Eric Medsker (proper)

Lodge Chelsea

The Lodge Chelsea has all the time been greater than a spot to sleep. Earlier than it shuttered in 2011, it had performed host to a few of New York Metropolis’s most colourful company and residents for many years—a lot of them cultural icons. Inside these storied partitions, Andy Warhol filmed Chelsea Women, Dylan Thomas penned poetry, and Intercourse Pistols bassist Sid Vicious allegedly stabbed his girlfriend Nancy Spungen. Now, hoteliers Sean MacPherson, Ira Drukier, and Richard Born have launched a brand new chapter for this 139-year-old establishment. Within the 155 visitor rooms, cheeky particulars tie previous to current: Digital keys dangle from red-tassel fobs, automated curtains are speckled with punk-rock holes, and tiger-print chairs pop subsequent to regally fringed sofas. (You additionally would possibly find yourself with one of many lodge’s decades-long tenants as your neighbor; their residence doorways stand out with shiny paint or stickers.) Downstairs, the Foyer Bar is a throwback to the town’s Gilded Age, with traditional cocktails impressed by different celebrated lodges of the world, such because the Singapore sling and Dukes martini. —Billie Cohen

Sommerro

The Thirties headquarters of Oslo’s electrical firm has been sustainably revamped to serve the town another way: Sommerro isn’t solely a 231-room lodge with neoclassical and artwork deco trimmings but in addition an city social hub the place locals and vacationers mingle. They’ll chat over a raspberry and elderflower cocktail or a reindeer udon noodle bowl at TAK (the lodge’s Nordic Japanese fusion restaurant) or go to the constructing’s public cinema, theater, and rooftop pool (Oslo’s first). Afterward, when Oslovians head house, lodge company can unwind in considered one of Sommerro’s lofts and suites, designed with wealthy woods and jewel-toned accents. —Amanda Ogle

Photograph by Francisco Nogueria

Pa.te.os

• Location: Melides, Alentejo, Portugal
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Designed by the Lisbon-born structure star Manuel Aires Mateus, Pa.te.os’s 4 brutalist concrete homes seamlessly invite the encompassing oak grove in: Big glass doorways disappear on the contact of a button and pateos (Portuguese for “patios”) are stuffed with crops to deflect the winds coming in off the Atlantic. Inside, skylights within the bogs permit for starlit bathing, and rooms are furnished in a Scandinavian-inspired type (assume gentle woods and pale linens) that will help you deal with what’s outdoors. One home has a well-equipped kitchen, the place a personal chef can put together Alentejo-inspired feasts, together with fresh-caught fish with couscous. —Lisa Grainger

Buahan, a Banyan Tree Escape

Within the thrumming jungle 40 minutes north of Ubud, Buahan is reshaping the high-end lodge expertise into one with out partitions. Nature is the star attraction on this distant, crowd-free a part of Bali, the place company keep in considered one of 16 open-air bales, or villas. Every room is encircled by flowing curtains (worry not—ample house between the bales ensures loads of privateness), features a personal infinity pool and hammered-copper bathtub, and incorporates wooden salvaged from boat jetties within the Kalimantan area of the island of Borneo. Company can go to the property’s waterfall, firefly nursery, and open-air spa, then finish the day with a meal ready by Bali born chef Eka Sunarya utilizing foraged components and produce from the on-site farm and native growers. —Kathryn Romeyn

Courtesy of Auberge Resorts Assortment

Wildflower Farms, Auberge Resorts Assortment

• Location: Hudson Valley, New York
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Wildflower Farms is only a 90-minute drive north of Manhattan, however due to its location on a former tree farm under the Shawangunk Ridge, it feels worlds away. Company staying in one of many 65 freestanding cottages adorned with native mementos (like custom-made quilts) have entry to a few miles of trails and a farm that gives seasonal greens—plus wildflowers in summer season—to the on-site fine-dining restaurant, Clay. The Thistle spa affords facials and massages utilizing native, hand-harvested oils and scrubs. However wellness right here is greater than only a spa remedy (or two). It’s additionally an opportunity to attach with the rhythms of the environs round you, whether or not you’re forest bathing down close to the Shawangunk Kill or choosing your personal eggs from the rooster coop for breakfast every morning. —Lyndsey Matthews