Nothing makes us more excited to get up and go than putting together our annual Hot List, now in its 27th year. This curated collection of the world’s best new hotels, cruises, restaurants, cultural destinations, and transportation projects is a labour of love for our global team, who spend the year researching, visiting, and vetting the entries to bring you a definitive directory of new standards for hospitality. This year, we changed up our approach to destinations, anointing a list of places around the world that appear in multiple Hot List categories – including hotels, restaurants, cruises, museums, and more. The result is a tight, dynamic collection of places you should travel next. Here's where in the world of travel you need to go now, according to our 2023 winners.
Click here to see the entire Hot List for 2023.
Oslo
When it comes to big Scandinavian cities, Oslo often plays understudy to foodie Copenhagen or stylish Stockholm. But we think this is the year for Norway’s capital to really take centre stage. One reason is the new, buzzy Sommerro hotel. Located in the heart of the city’s Frogner neighbourhood, the 231-room stay channels the building’s 1930s origins, tapping into the period’s glamour with hand-knotted rugs, inlaid wooden headboards, and Deco chandeliers. With seven smart bars and restaurants, including Tak Oslo, a Nordic-Japanese spot and the city’s only rooftop restaurant, the hotel has become a lodestar for the city’s cool crowd. Adding to Oslo’s fresh shine is the new National Museum, which brought the collections of the former National Gallery, the Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Norwegian Museum of Decorative Arts and Design together in one very large, minimalist-mod building. The museum spotlights Norwegian art through the ages – think Edvard Munch’sThe Scream – but also shines a light on Indigenous Sámi artwork.
New York
It’s hard to imagine a year that New York couldn’t top a destinations Hot List, but there has likely not been a better year in a while than this to do so. New York swept across the categories this year, with three hotel openings – a reborn classic in the Hotel Chelsea, a graceful international addition in the Aman New York, and fun addition of legacy brand Ritz-Carlton in a neighbourhood defined by hotel cool; NoMad. Our New York editors practically fought over which of the top restaurant openings city-wide to include, but Brooklyn’s Place des Fetes has introduced a refreshingly non-showy approach to wine and nibbles that ultimately earned it a spot as one of the world’s hottest restaurant openings. Nearby, Masalawala & Sons from Indian chef of the moment Chindan Pandya continues to be one of the hardest reservations to score in town. And back in the heart of Manhattan, the new Broadway Museum brings visitors closer than ever to the stories of the Great White Way. And to sweeten it all, getting there just got a lot more comfortable: terminals in both LaGuardia and Newark have been completely redone.
Dubai
There seems to always be plenty of reasons to drop into this emirate at the crossroads of the world. But this year, a single Dubai hotel makes that case alone: Atlantis the Royal, the sexy, splashy, appropriately over-the-top mega hotel opened in January with a Beyoncé performance that became the talk of the globe. It ups the wow factor for a place that is already setting the standard for luxury. And yet for all its dazzle, quieter projects delivered with heart and talent now have an equal hand in shaping the place. Case in point for this year is the opening of Jun’s, from celebrated ex-pat chef Kelvin Cheung, whose international approach means dishes featuring tempura, chaat, and avocado all in one.
Sydney
This time last year, Australia still had its borders closed to the world. Upon reopening, it has exploded with fresh ways to explore the country, including a focus on community-driven sustainability. Sydney is definitely the place to begin any trip there. This year, the Emerald City opened the landmark Sydney Modern Project, which focuses on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art, as the largest expansion to the 150-year-old Art Gallery of New South Wales. And helping the city continue its expansion of hipper, less corporate hotels, the Ace Sydney arrived in creative Surrey Hills, bringing its trademark party scene, here tapped by a cool rooftop restaurant and all-day bar in the lobby.
Argentina
This South American country is perennially popular. But a pair of openings plays to both its urban and bucolic appeal: In Mendoza, the country’s first female enologist, Susana Balbo, opened SB Winemaker’s House and Spa Suites inside a 100-year old property with art, exceptional cuisine, and a hyper-focus on wine. It may just be a game changer in terms of places to stay in this area. And back in Buenos Aires, the revolutionary Kōnā Corner is from acclaimed Argentinian chef Narda Lepes and her passion for all things Japanese. Standout dishes include agedashi tofu, Hanetsuki gyoza, tonkatsu, miso beurre blanc trou, and f*ckusai.
Bangkok
Bangkok is, of course, one of Southeast Asia’s biggest, busiest cities. It’s hot, humid and hectic – in the best of ways. It’s a city of minimal-sleek luxury hotels, gilded Buddhist temples, and some of the best street food in the world. But what we find so intoxicating about this city – and why it’s one of our Hot List destinations – is its ability to surprise us. This past year saw the arrival of the bright and boldly decorated The Standard Bangkok Mahanakhon, which brought a new sense of playfulness to the city’s hotel scene. Chef Prin Polsuk, one of Bangkok's most decorated Thai chefs, opened Velas, where he delivers exciting dishes that defy culinary borders. And just when we think we have the brief on this most urban of metropoles, the Benchakitti Forest Park, an expansive green space with 100 acres of tropical trees and trails, opens bang in the centre of the city.
Antarctica
It feels like a pretty major statement to say that Antarctica is one of the global destinations that we’re most excited about this year. It feels like an even bigger deal to announce that, for the first time in the 27-year history of our annual Hot List, we’ve included a hotel located in Antarctica. That honour goes to the adventure-chic Echo Camp, with itssix freestanding, futuristic pods that look out at the dramatic mountains of Queen Maud Land. Further proof that this destination is more appealing than ever: three of our Hot List cruise ships – Silversea’sSilver Endeavor, Aurora Expedition’sSylvia Earle,and Seabourn’sVenture – all sail to the seventh continent.
