The Best New Hotels in Australia and Asia: 2025 Hot List
We've spent the last 12 months sleeping, eating, and sailing our way around the globe in order to bring you the 29th edition of the Hot List, our carefully curated annual collection of the best new (and reborn) hotels, restaurants, and cruise ships in the world, and we had a ton of fun doing it. How could we not when it involved activities like zip-lining to dinner in the Maldives, sleeping in an actual tree house in Kenya, and eating a truly memorable meal in a converted auto body shop in Mexico City? The through line of this year’s list is joy—something we could all use a little more of in our lives. These are the 2025 Hot List winners.
Click here to see the entire Hot List for 2025.
This story appears in Condé Nast Traveler's Hot List issue. Never miss out when you subscribe to Condé Nast Traveler.
Anantara Hotels & ResortshotelAnantara Ubud Bali Resort
$$$ |
Hot List 2025The magic in Anantara's newest property on Bali isn't necessarily on-site, despite the sweeping terrace that sits like a nest atop the jungle canopy on a mountain, the individual bungalows carved into the hillside, the fantastically delicious cuisine that makes you realize Indonesian food should rival Italian on the world stage. Anantara knows that, in a place like Bali, unprecedented access is the biggest luxury. Which is why it has focused on bringing its guests to the heart of the true Bali, one undisturbed by the hordes of travelers on the coast. This means private sessions with Hindu high priests, guided tours through lesser explored water temples, and immersive visits to isolated mountain villages. But of course, it's nice to know that after a day of trekking through rice paddies and going on cultural explorations, the hotel's signature spa will welcome you back with a full massage, with native birdsong just audible through the large windows overlooking that gorgeous jungle. From $576. —Erin Florio
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Shoayb KhattabhotelDar Tantora The House Hotel — AlUla, Saudi Arabia
Hot List 2025During my stay at Dar Tantora The House Hotel, more than 1,800 candles blazed to life after sundown, creating a romantic atmosphere that whisked me away from the new millennium to some bygone era when Scheherazade herself might appear and tell tales until the break of dawn. This transportive hotel in the ancient oasis town of AlUla, Saudi Arabia, was installed across 30 abandoned mud-brick dars, or houses, in a restoration project led by the Egyptian architect Shahira Fahmy, creating an immersive property where organic shapes and textures abound. The resulting mood has a homeyness to it while bearing the weight of AlUla’s antiquity; whenever my feet touched the carpet or my hands grazed the bricks, I almost physically felt the past. There’s a simultaneous sense of disconnection and connection here; the former from the chaotic whirl of modernity, and the latter with the historically fascinating and environmentally rich landscape of this corner of the Middle East. From $600. —Matt Ortile
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Anson Smart/Melbourne PlacehotelHyde Melbourne Place — Australia
$ | Hot List 2025This striking rust-colored 191-room hotel built from local bricks, concrete, and hardwood is a distillation of what makes this thrumming city tick. The debut hotel by sought-after Melbourne-based architecture and design studio Kennedy Nolan, is chock-full of head-turning details, which start at the linen-draped check-in desk with its supersized video-art installation by Australian artists and continue upward to the guest lounge blanketed in a retina-popping fuchsia carpet. The suites are light-flooded showstoppers tricked out in timber, burnt orange, and terrazzo with triple-height floor-to-ceiling windows and outdoor terraces with immense views of the cloud-busting peaks of skyscrapers. The rooftop, with its bar and retractable-rooftop restaurant Mid Air, is encased by a soaring brick wall and feels like a floating fortress with dramatic portholes that look like giant eyes watching over the city. It's here where everyone from guests to locals gather, casually lounging on sofas and seated at tables, with some of the best views across the city. From $205. —Chloe Sachdev
Anna Pihan/Il DelfinohotelIl Delfino Seaside Inn — Yamba, Australia
$$ | Hot List 2025This lo-fi chunk of coastline on the North Coast of New South Wales has been causing ripples thanks to newcomer Il Delfino. Perched on the cliffside and peering over the Pacific Ocean, the original 1940s wave-lashed building has been transformed into a chic seaside inn that feels snatched from the Mediterranean. Each of the accommodations has been named after glittering Italian seaside settings—Ravello, Ischia, Portofino, Cinque Terre, and Scopello—with charming details like vintage Italian lamps, one-off ceramics, knick-knacks, and hand-painted murals on the walls. Crisp white linens, playful striped daybeds, and views across the frothy ocean guarantee a dose of il dolce far niente—the sweetness of doing nothing—in this go-slow fishing town. From $575. —Chloe Sachdev
Robert Rieger/Janu TokyohotelJanu Tokyo
$$$ | Hot List 2025It’s not easy being the Aman brand’s new little sister, whose minimalist temples set the benchmark for escapist luxury. Yet when Janu Tokyo, the inaugural flagship, launched in Japan last year, it quickly made its mark with a playful, sociable spirit and—something of an anomaly in the Aman cosmos—splashes of color in the interior. The hotel, whose name means “soul” in Sanskrit, rises up to the 13th floor of a new tower in the heart of Azabudai Hills, a major new urban development in Tokyo. It’s home to a culinary constellation of eight food and drink venues, including relaxed Italian Janu Mercato and intimate sushi spot Iigura, a vast four-level spa that spans over 43,000 square feet and 122 guest rooms with serenely minimalist decors that hint at its Aman DNA. From $1,068. —Danielle Demetriou
Mandarin OrientalhotelMandarin Oriental Qianmen — Beijing
$$ | Hot List 2025 
Readers' Choice Awards 2025The Mandarin Oriental Qianmen offers a unique blend of luxury and tradition in Beijing’s historic hutongs. Staying here, within private courtyards inspired by classic siheyuan architecture, immerses you in the city’s cultural essence. Rooms feature interconnected or separated layouts, some with dedicated tearooms for added charm. This is Mandarin Oriental’s second Beijing property, and it thoughtfully transforms historic hutong houses into modern spaces while preserving their heritage. Dining highlights include the Cantonese and Chaozhou cuisine at Yan Garden, Italian restaurant Vicini (in a converted textile factory), and the vibrant bar Tiao, where cocktails pay homage to local folklore. Don’t miss the sensory delight of the Quicksilver cocktail. Located near Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, and the Temple of Heaven, the hotel provides bicycles for exploring nearby streets. With welcoming service, ties to the local community, and Xu Bing’s fan design in the lobby, this hotel is a cultural and luxurious gateway to Beijing. From $1,775. —Shawn Ong
Himanshu LakhwanihotelThe Oberoi Vindhyavilas Wildlife Resort — Bandhavgarh National Park, India
The jungles of central India have long drawn wildlife lovers, most in pursuit of the tiger. Just in time for the summer safari season, the Oberoi group has arrived on the scene with this resort on the fringes of Bandhavgarh National Park, a landscape where elephants trundle through the grasslands. The rich culture of the region is as much of a draw and inspiration. The grand wooden entrance has been hand-chiseled by Gond artisans—one of the two main Indigenous communities—who also painted murals for the 21 tents and embroidered canopies with motifs of spotted deer and the distinctive mahua tree. Sliding doors open onto a veranda and a garden scattered with purple petals from the kachnar tree, whose leaves, flowers, and buds are used in many of the dishes. Executive chef Sachin Kumar spent time learning recipes of the erstwhile Baghel kingdom, within which Bandhavgarh was located (the Royal Baghelkand dinner is of jackfruit dumplings with a delicate mahua kulfi for dessert, served on tiger-embossed brass crockery). It’s the group’s second foray into wildlife tourism after Oberoi Vanyavilas in Ranthambore, and the team is led by naturalist Ratna Singh, who grew up around these forests, or by those trained by her. On safaris, guests might encounter mama sloth bears, Indian bison, blink-and-you’ll-miss-them leopards, or—star of the show—a tiger sprawled across the trail. Other activities take you into neighboring farms and fields to learn to identify bird calls. Immersive is an overused word, but this is a fascinating showcase for a region often overlooked by international travelers. From $550. —Malavika Bhattacharya
Himanshu Lakhwani/Raffles JaipurhotelRaffles Jaipur — India
$$$ | Hot List 2025 Readers' Choice Awards 2025The 50-key Raffles Jaipur, on the outskirts of the city, takes its design cues from the palaces of its erstwhile queens. In keeping with this idea, the hotel unfurls the farther you walk in, much like the secluded ladies’ quarters of yore. The main wing of the hotel is built around an atrium that’s adorned with the brand’s signature palm trees, where a changing roster of musicians play ragas in the evenings. While it might be among the smaller hotels in the brand’s portfolio, Raffles Jaipur is replete with an inherent opulence that is a throwback to the hotelier’s first outing, in Singapore in 1887. Inlay work, mirror art, intricate carvings, giant chandeliers, and marble fountains channel old-world Rajput royalty and, in combination with the Raffles aesthetic, bring a modern-day palace to life. And this version of the royal life includes a spa with hot and cold mineral water baths, cocktails like the very pink Jaipur Sling customized for the Pink City at the stunning Writers Bar, lavish Indian food presented in a contemporary format, and the promise of sundowners on a rooftop embellished with minarets and chhatris. From $570. —Diya Kohli
Amit Pasricha/Ran BaashotelRan Baas The Palace — Patiala, India
$$ | Hot List 2025Luxury in India comes in a thousand notes and combinations, but even so, Ran Baas stands out as something special. Once a guesthouse of the royal family of the kingdom of Patiala, this 35-suite hotel nestled in a 10-acre fort complex is now a suave orchestration of vintage and modernist, austere and extravagant. Statement chandeliers, hand-painted de Gournay wallpapers, and quirky interiors add a wash of 21st-century luxe to the stately courtyards, high-ceilinged halls burnished with Belgian stained glass, and the white stucco façade crowned by cupolas. Breakfast in a hall decorated with old frescoes and cocktails by candlelight reflecting off floor-to-ceiling mirror-work are both surreal and decadent, and morning walks around the old fort are steeped in a monumental solitude and peace. From $460. —Chandrahas Choudhury
Six SenseshotelSix Senses Kyoto — Japan
$$$ | Hot List 2025Kyoto—both old and new—takes center stage at Six Senses Kyoto, a modern sanctuary (and the brand’s Japan debut) in the culture-rich Higashiyama district. After crossing a shrinelike threshold, you’ll swap busy streets for a sun-soaked lobby with biophilic curves, a ceiling that resembles origami, and a wall of 504 handmade tiles that overlooks a tree-wrapped pond. Kyoto history are woven into the light contemporary décor, from animal artworks inspired by a 12th-century scroll (Japan’s first manga) to recycled washi-paper fox heads outside 81 guest rooms. Serene and crafted, guest rooms have signature wall dividers, copper lighting, and minimalist white moon paintings (hiding giant TV screens). In an expansive wellness space, modern science meets traditional healing and ancient Kyoto wisdom amid woods and stones. Seasonal ingredients shine bright at Sekki, a laid-back restaurant that spills into the green courtyard, where a sunken table is the perfect spot to both start and end the day. From $1,131. —Danielle Demetriou
Stevie MannhotelSoneva Secret, Maldives — Kulhudhuffushi
$$$ | Hot List 2025After having defined the Maldives for a generation of switched-on travelers, how could Sonu and Eva Shivdasani possibly raise the bar? Well, for a start, the design is even more open to the elements than at Soneva Jani or Fushi: Those who wish can sleep with their doors open to the sound of waves seemingly lapping up toward their toes. A different private chef each night brings a rotating global menu to the table—though nothing beats zip-lining down to the restaurant out at sea. Anyone looking for Maldives one-upmanship, meanwhile, will be thrilled by the movable “floating” villa on stilts in the ocean. Seven nights full board from $18,325 per person, including flights and transfers. —Divia Thani
Yota SampasneethumronghotelThe Standard, Singapore
$ | Hot List 2025Tucked off buzzy Orchard Road, the Standard, Singapore, gives midcentury modern a tropical twist by setting the scene with bold colors, retro-inspired decor, and lush greenery. Art pops everywhere, from Eric Tobua’s surreal reception-desk diorama to Samuel Xun’s larger-than-life floral courtyard sculpture. The 143 rooms keep it playful with bright yellow tiled bathrooms, timber-ribbed canopies, and fun, personalized touches like handwritten messages on your mirror. Nicholas Cheng, the chef of Kaya, a modern izakaya, spotlights low-waste cuisine with a punchy menu built around pickling and fermentation, while Kaya Bar serves Asian-inspired cocktails. With its planned cultural talks, fashion takeovers, and poolside parties, the Standard, Singapore, is a stylish playground for the country’s cool crowd. From $202. —Shamilee Vellu
Uga HalloowellahotelUga Halloowella — Norwood, Sri Lanka
$$$ | Hot List 2025High up in the clouds, this elegant colonial bungalow in the Tea Country of Sri Lanka is Uga Escapes’ latest addition. Transformed by Geoffrey Bawa’s protégé, Channa Daswatte, the original pinewood walls and satinwood floor remain, but now there are six super-spacious suites, with four poster beds, plump floral sofas, and claw-foot baths. Mornings unfold with breakfast on the terrace overlooking mesmerizing Castlereagh Reservoir. During the day, enjoy spa treatments in the garden gazebo, loll by the infinity pool, or ramble along the Pekoe Trail. At night, gather beside the crackling fire in the drawing room, with its sleek teak furniture, before tucking into superb Sri Lankan food in the bold palm-muraled dining room. From $1,125. —Harriet Compston
YoruyahotelYoruya — Okayama, Japan
$$ | Hot List 2025Forget Tokyo-skyscraper bling. Yoruya, located in the time-capsule southwestern city of Kurashiki, offers an understated vision of Japanese luxury. This contemporary reimagining of a 110-year-old former kimono merchant's residence, comprising 13 guest rooms, a restaurant, and a bar, is the perfect crafted blend of past and present. The interiors by Simplicity Design Studio balance heritage-rich architecture with a sense of stillness—serene sweeps of white, softly curved corners, bespoke black oak furniture, light-filtering washi, curated crafts. Rooms are scattered across two old and two new buildings, and some face an inner garden with white walls, abstract rocks, and a pink flowering tree. Highlights include hidden bathtubs in stone courtyards and a taste of the micro-seasons at the restaurant’s U-shaped hinoki-cypress counter. The crafted beauty of the quiet and peaceful Yoruya is deeply rooted in place. From $500. —Danielle Demetriou
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