There are sand dunes, and then there are the mighty kahunas you’ll find in Oman.
Like the Ramlat Jadilah, a 455-metre peak that’s the tallest in the world.
Magic Camps is the closest to an oasis you’ll likely ever get. And by that we mean a luxury glamping experience in a world-renowned location NOT meeting the Gallagher brothers somewhere in the desert.
You can choose to stay at the permanent campsite in the Wahiba Sands region, or opt for an even more intrepid experience by choosing your own location to explore. Pretty cool.
On Aman New York’s website they give ‘how to get here’ directions from Teterboro Airport. An airport that only serves private jets…
And private jet people are exactly the sort of people that are gonna be frequenting the Aman, which has been dubbed ‘the most expensive hotel in New York’ at an eye-watering AU$3,400 per night.
What does this price get you? Absolute total luxury in Manhattan’s famous Crown Building (around the corner from Central Park), including a spa which takes up three entire floors, and suites of extreme opulence that look straight out of HBO’s Succession.
The former winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race has turned a run-down old motel in Palm Springs, California into a queer paradise—the Trixie Motel.
The refurbished mid-century motel contains seven rooms of whimsical, Barbie-style fabulousness, located in the heart of inimitable Palm Springs.
Until it’s time to sashay away, guests can enjoy over-the-top everything from wild wallpaper and art installations, to retro furnishings like flamingo lampshades and heart-shaped beds, all of which make you feel as if you’re actually on a RuPaul set. The neon motel sign, which is visible from the road, would normally be the loudest thing at a motel, but remarkably, it feels almost understated here.
Somewhere Lombok is a vague, if accurate, name for a hotel that opened on an Indonesian island that’s long been a favoured haunt by Aussies.
Located somewhere on Lombok, Somewhere Lombok is somewhere between luxurious villa, art aesthetic and surf hut.
It is located near a famous break for a start, but to call it a surf stay would be to downgrade the place of its lovely, earthy aesthetic, simple and airy, and making you want to go there right now, whether you surf or not.
Somewhere is the brainchild of two sisters with Indonesian roots. For any wave loving traveller with a bit of extra coin, we can’t imagine you’ll find too many places better than this in 2023.
Like that talented mate at high school—smart, attractive, a natural at sport, pop-culture reference expert and part-time DJ—some places on earth are just blessed.
Set on 200-acres of lush Dominican wilderness, 14 extraordinary suites overlook a mountainous ocean landscape to one side and the Sulfur Spring Valley to the other. Want to relax? Sulfuric mineral hot springs are just minutes away from your suite. Fancy an adventure? You can hike to either the Atlantic Ocean or the Caribbean Sea in just a day.
The design of this complex is at the intersection of epic and mindful. The whole resort is off-grid, using sun as power and rain as water, and is completely genuine in its eco-credentials.
In fact, Coulibri Ridge took its creators 20 years to build—20 years well spent, in our humble opinion.’
WunderLocke is a series of expansive suites with arty vibes done in a cool, German way. Not in a pretentious, Moe from The Simpsons way.
The suites are in Sendling, a borough of Munich blessed with the best of both worlds. AKA access to green spaces and the rivers of Bavaria (hello urban roof garden) and proximity to a U-Bahn, meaning hustle and bustle whenever you feel like it.
Inside the complex you can find restaurants, a fitness studio, a leafy chill-out area, and a pool. In most rooms there’s a freestanding bath that overlooks Munich’s alps—not a luxury you get in every European city. Wunderbar.
ONOMA Hotel has a manifesto posted on their website, pledging: “We are against any boring old type of hotels that include all their clients needs in one common package of services”.
Whether you’re sporty, a businessman, a gamer or just someone looking to sprinkle a little chilli into their love life—this is a hotel that will customise your stay to suit you.
ONOMA staff set your room up based on the kind of stay you’re after. A specialised gaming area? Done. A room that’s perfect for a dating app profile photoshoot? Sorted. There’s even a 50 Shades Of Grey themed room which, due to its spicy nature, we are unable to reveal the details of. Plus! A basketball-themed stay that includes a one-of-a-kind basketball court (big Jamie XX vibes) that’s good for shooting—hoops AND photos.
There is a heavy tech focus throughout, with ultrafast wi-fi internet, tablets in every room for smart management, wireless charging and self-check-in and check-out. It feels a lot like ONOMA is in 2050 while the rest of us are faffing around in 2023.
Bawah Reserve is the recently reopened paradise in the Anambas, an archipelago in northern Indonesia.
A series of six secluded private islands play host to 35 luxury suites, all boasting panoramic views of the ocean. Overwater bungalows and beach suites are the go here—the sort of barefoot luxury you dream about from your desk at 3pm every Thursday.
There’s access to an ‘Aura Spa and Wellness Centre’, plus hiking, snorkelling, stand-up paddle boarding, stargazing, a beach cinema and an unquantifiable number of places to swim. There’s even a chance to sail off into the sunset on an island cruise.
Ishigaki, Japan (set to be completed May 2023)
It’s not a hotel, only it is, but not yet.
Ishigaki is an island in the Yaeyama chain, at the very, very south of Japan (technically it’s closer to Taiwan than mainland Japan). Slated to open mid-2023, the design has certainly set tongues wagging—we’re to expect a circular building with an infinity pool, plus a rooftop lawn and pond, all of which blend seamlessly into the landscape.
Designed for one group (of up to ten people), the tranquility of both the island and the building itself will set it apart from other spaces. We can easily imagine a writer penning their debut novel here, or a bunch of mates using it as basecamp as they surf the more or less unheralded waves nearby.
Picture this: it’s a delightful 25 degrees outside, and you’re hiking through a pleasant forest in France’s east…
Fast forward an hour and you’re cooling off by jumping off your own private pontoon, into what feels like your own private lake.
A little while later you’re enjoying drinks in the minimalist, but full-equipped teardrop-shaped treehouse you’re calling home.
As night falls, you can drink a red wine from Burgundy either on your balcony or while soaking in your Nordic bath tub. This is life at Coucoo Cabanes des Grands Lacs, on the banks of Lake Bonnal. And life is good.
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