2025 Esquire Best New Hotels: The World's Top Openings

Outpost Inn is a strong Highlands pick for couples or celebration trips that want a quieter boutique stay rather than a resort-heavy setup. Esquire and MICHELIN hotel recognition add confidence, but value depends on whether you need amenities: choose Old Edwards Inn and Spa for a larger luxury experience, or Trailborn Highlands for a more casual mountain-hotel alternative.

Book Palm House if the trip calls for a design-led Palm Beach stay with credible luxury recognition and a polished special-occasion feel. Cross-shop The Breakers for resort scale, The Brazilian Court Hotel for classic quiet, Colony Palm Beach or The Colony Hotel for a livelier social base.

Book Nekajui, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve if the resort itself is the point of the Guanacaste trip. Its Michelin 2 Keys, Forbes Recommended status, Virtuoso partnership, hotel-awards recognition make it a strong luxury play, but value-seekers should compare it with Four Seasons and Andaz before committing.

Six Senses Kyoto is worth booking if the hotel itself is a major part of the trip: wellness, quiet atmosphere, a slower Higashiyama base are the draw. It is less compelling for travelers who only need a room between packed sightseeing days. Michelin 1 Key recognition and major hotel-list inclusion make it a serious luxury contender in Kyoto.

Beach Club at The Boca Raton is the right call for a beach-first Boca Raton stay, especially for families who want resort time with fewer daily logistics. The awards profile is strong enough to justify a serious look, but compare room style and setting against other Boca Raton peers before paying a premium.

The Potlatch Club Boutique Hotel is a strong choice for a quiet Eleuthera celebration stay, especially if privacy and room quality matter more than resort scale. Recent 2025 recognition gives it a credible quality signal, but compare room categories carefully before paying for a suite-level upgrade.

Kimpton Bem Budapest is the right call if you want a newer, design-led Buda-side hotel with serious recognition, including a Michelin 1 Key in 2025. Compare the live rate carefully: it is strongest when priced near boutique peers, less automatic if it rises toward Budapest's grander luxury hotels.

Compared with quieter West London hotels, Virgin Hotels London Shoreditch is the better pick for travellers who want an easy-to-book East London base with current design recognition. Families should choose it for older kids or teens who will like Shoreditch's pace, not for a silent, resort-style stay.

ROMEO Roma is a strong pick for travelers who want a central Rome base with recent third-party recognition, including Small Luxury Hotels of the World membership, MICHELIN hotel selection, Esquire Best New Hotels notice. It makes the most sense when booked through a channel that can improve value with perks, rather than as a purely price-led stay.

Château de Théoule is worth shortlisting for a Théoule-sur-Mer stay where coastal setting, hotel recognition, potential loyalty value matter. Book early, compare eligible program and direct rates, choose it over Cannes-based peers only if a quieter Riviera base is part of the plan.

Four Seasons Hotel Toronto is the right Yorkville choice when the stay needs to run smoothly: anniversaries, executive trips, polished weekends where service matters more than novelty. It is less compelling as a value play, but its Michelin 2 Keys, Forbes 5-Star, AAA 5 Diamond, La Liste recognition support the premium positioning.

The Nevada is worth a serious look for a York, Maine stay built around the beach and town rather than resort amenities. Its 2025 hotel recognition gives it credibility, but the smart move is to compare the quoted rate against larger coastal properties before committing.

Populus is the Denver pick for travelers who care about a newer design-led stay and can plan ahead for a hard booking. Choose a standard room for short business or event trips; consider a suite only if the room will anchor the stay. The 2025 Michelin 1 Key and major hotel-award recognition make it a credible splurge, not an automatic value play.

Regent Santa Monica Beach is the splurge pick for travelers who want a polished beach-based Los Angeles stay rather than a city-hopping hotel. The suite upgrade makes sense only if the room will get daytime use; otherwise, book a standard category and spend the difference on dining or experiences.

Hotel Bardo Savannah is the right Savannah pick if the stay needs a polished, resort-minded base rather than just a room near the Historic District. Families and first-timers get the clearest value from the pool, spa, Drayton Street setting; couples focused mainly on restaurants and bars should compare smaller or more centrally nightlife-oriented hotels first.

Siro One Za'abeel is a strong Dubai choice for a polished city stay, especially for celebrations, business travel, short trips where a central Za'abeel address matters. Choose the room category by how much time will be spent in the room; upgrade for an occasion, not just for status.

The Strand works if Cooper Jack Bay privacy matters more than Grace Bay convenience. Its Leading Hotels of the World membership and Esquire Best New Hotels recognition give it credible luxury signals, but value depends on whether the quieter location fits the trip better than Rock House, The Palms Turks and Caicos, or The Somerset on Grace Bay.

Tu Tu' Tun Lodge is the Gold Beach pick for a quiet Rogue River stay with serious hotel recognition, including Esquire Best New Hotels and MICHELIN Guide Hotels Selected in 2025. It is worth booking when the property itself is the reason for the trip; travelers needing city convenience should compare alternatives first.

Park Hyatt London River Thames is worth shortlisting if you want a newer, service-led London hotel with a calmer Nine Elms riverfront setting. It is less ideal for first-timers who want instant access to Mayfair, theatreland, or historic St James's, but a sensible choice for travellers prioritising polished hotel operations over doorstep atmosphere.

Pendry Natirar is the Peapack pick for a special-occasion hotel stay where the property is the point. The suite upgrade works for couples or celebration weekends, especially when the premium is modest, but city-focused travelers should compare it against Conrad New York Downtown or The Ritz-Carlton New York, Battery Park.

Twin Farms is the Barnard splurge for travelers who want privacy, countryside space, a stay built around the property rather than the town. It works well for a high-end Vermont reset or small executive retreat, but it is not the practical choice for frequent off-property meetings or value-led travel.

Thompson Palm Springs is a strong fit for business travelers who want a polished, central Palm Springs base rather than a tucked-away resort. Recognition from Conde Nast, Esquire, Virtuoso helps justify the attention, but the main reason to book is practical: downtown access, a current-hotel feel, less friction on short stays.

Seven Beach Lane is the practical Westhampton Beach pick for travelers who want a current boutique hotel base with easy booking pressure and strong village access. Choose it over broader Hamptons options when location matters more than resort programming; compare Shou Sugi Ban House for wellness and Topping Rose House for a larger East End base.

The Surrey, A Corinthia Hotel is a strong Upper East Side pick for special occasions and service-sensitive business travel. Choose it for a quieter residential address and recognition-backed luxury; compare The Carlyle for old-New York ceremony, The Mark for a more social uptown stay, The Lowell for deeper discretion.

The Henson works for a polished Hensonville stay, especially for a date weekend or small celebration where recent hotel-award recognition matters. It is a weaker fit if the trip depends on confirmed pool, spa, dining, loyalty, or price details before booking.

Hotel Hana works if you want a central Right Bank boutique stay with recent hotel recognition, not a palace-scale service machine. It suits couples, solo travelers, business guests who value location and design cues over loyalty-program certainty or a large amenity list.

Hotel Yellowstone at Jackson Hole is a stronger fit for quiet luxury, business travel, special-occasion stays than for travelers who want immediate downtown energy. Cross-shop Amangani for a bigger splurge, Hotel Jackson or The Cloudveil for town access, Anvil Hotel if value matters more than polish.

The Manner works for a design-led SoHo stay, especially if this is a repeat New York trip built around downtown restaurants, shopping, galleries. Its 2025 Esquire and MICHELIN hotel recognition give it credibility, but choose it for atmosphere and location rather than loyalty perks or resort-style scale.

FORTH Hotel Atlanta is worth prioritizing if the trip calls for a newer, design-forward Atlanta stay with credible luxury recognition. Book early, especially for high-demand weekends, compare it against Hotel Clermont for character or Hotel Indigo Atlanta Midtown by IHG for a simpler Midtown base.

Grange Estate is the better pick for a quiet, design-led Dundee wine-country stay than for a service-heavy resort weekend. Its Esquire Best New Hotels recognition in 2025 gives it a real credibility signal, but travelers who prioritize spa depth should compare The Allison Inn & Spa, while town-focused visitors should look at Atticus Hotel or Tributary Hotel.

Miiro Borneta is worth booking for a design-minded Barcelona stay when the rate sits below the city's heavier luxury names. Choose it for a Born-area base and easier booking; cross-shop The Barcelona EDITION, Grand Hotel Central, Mercer Hotel Barcelona if service depth, rooftop focus, or heritage character matters more.

Arev Saint-Tropez is worth shortlisting for a polished celebration stay with credible luxury-hotel recognition, especially if the hotel experience matters as much as the room. Do not book it solely for a restaurant-first trip unless the dining format matches what you want; cross-shop Hotel Byblos, Pan Dei Palais, Hôtel des Lices, Villa Cosy for a clearer Saint-Tropez fit.

100 Princes Street is worth prioritising for a polished central Edinburgh stay where location and recent luxury-hotel recognition justify the booking effort. It suits couples, solo travelers, short city breaks better than space-hungry family trips. Compare Eden Locke for apartment-style value and InterContinental Edinburgh The George for a larger full-service setup.

The Emory is worth pricing carefully: its awards place it in London's serious luxury set, but value depends on timing and how it compares with The Berkeley, The Lanesborough, The Peninsula London for your dates. Book it for a discreet Knightsbridge-Belgravia base and a calmer atmosphere, not for a loud scene or dining-led stay.

The Leinster is a strong Dublin 2 pick if you want a contemporary city hotel with credible 2025 recognition and an easier booking path than the grander luxury names. Book it for location and hotel polish; look elsewhere if the trip depends on a confirmed spa focus or a destination restaurant inside the hotel.

Anna and Bel is the Philadelphia pick for travelers who want a Fishtown boutique stay with serious recent recognition, including Michelin 1 Key in 2025. Book it for neighborhood character and hotel atmosphere; cross-shop Center City or Old City if loyalty benefits, corporate convenience, or a restaurant-led stay matter more.

Hotel Saint Augustine is the right Houston pick for travelers who want a quieter, design-led stay near the Museum District rather than a large downtown hotel. The 2025 Michelin 1 Key and Esquire 2025 recognition make it a safer bet than many style-first openings, but fixed-date travelers should plan early.

Choose this for a polished Cabo Del Sol stay where space, service, family ease matter more than an all-inclusive price structure. It is a stronger fit for celebrations and multigenerational trips than for bargain hunting, with Forbes 4-Star, Esquire Best New Hotels, Star Wine List recognition supporting the premium positioning.

Maison Albar - Le Victoria is a strong Nice choice for travellers who want a polished, calmer city base and are willing to plan ahead. It makes the most sense when rates sit below the bigger waterfront luxury peers; if price climbs, compare Anantara Plaza Nice, Hyatt Regency Nice Palais de la Mediterranee, Boscolo Nice before deciding.

Longfellow Hotel is the Portland pick for travelers who want a calmer, design-led stay with credible hotel recognition rather than a waterfront-default choice. It is better suited to couples and style-conscious visitors than guests who need a familiar loyalty setup, confirmed dining detail, or a long amenity checklist before booking.

Casa Loma Beach Hotel is a strong Laguna Beach pick for couples, celebrations, design-led coastal stays where atmosphere matters more than resort sprawl. Its Esquire Best New Hotels recognition in 2025 gives it a credible quality signal, while easy booking makes it more practical than many occasion-trip hotels. Cross-shop Surf & Sand for a fuller resort feel.

Book The Dunlin, Auberge Collection if the goal is a quiet Johns Island luxury retreat rather than a downtown Charleston base. Its Michelin 1 Key and 2025 hotel recognition support the splurge, but the value is strongest when choosing a room category that captures the setting without overpaying for space you will not use.