In with the new: 8 boutique hotels for your 2025 wish list

The new year brings a renewed sense of adventure, with fresh hotels to check into and wish-list-topping destinations to discover. Our latest additions will have you looking (and bookmarking) ahead to game drives across Tanzania’s wild plains, sailing down the Nile, and getting under the skin of New York, Porto, Bangkok, and more.

1. Siringit Serengeti Camp, Tanzania

Journeying to this luxury campsite in the heart of the Serengeti is part of the adventure, with a chance to spot roaming wildlife as you wing your way across the Seronera Airstrip or approach from Naabi Hill Gate (by the Ngorongoro conservation area). The stylish tents at Siringit Serengeti Camp are kitted out with African textiles, game-viewing verandas, and ensuite bathrooms with all the creature comforts you’ll need after exploring the national park. Break for a picnic beneath the shade of an acacia tree on the vast plains, or head back to camp for fine dining under the stars.

4. Storia the Dahabeya, Egypt

Step aboard Storia the Dahabeya and seek out your cabin, one of just a handful on this exclusive vessel which glides between Luxor and Aswan. Egyptian cotton linens (what else?) and a refreshing breeze rippling across the Nile keep the temperatures balmy as you take in the river views and history-steeped surroundings from one of the three decks (including a terrace, solarium and plunge pool). With a completely tailorable itinerary, the crew are on hand to organise land-based activities too — from discovering ancient temples and tombs to dining by candlelight along the banks of the Nile.

8. Oriental Residence Bangkok, Thailand

Set within one of Bangkok’s most buzzing districts, Oriental Residence Bangkok houses serviced apartment-style suites which combine classic style with contemporary comfort. Striking Bangkok vistas unfold from each of the one-, two- and three-bedroom residences, and there’s a cabana-flanked pool up on the fourth floor for skyscraper level swims. When Bangkok beckons, you’re a short stroll from Lumphini Park, Sukhumvit Road, and the overground Skytrain for zipping over to street food stalls, night markets, and must-visit temples from the comfort of air-conditioned carriages.

Previous

Independent Minds: Snow Yang, The Dawn Luxury Hotel

Next

Where to go on holiday in 2025

Latest stories

The new boutique hotels for August bringing destinations to life

This month’s edit of new boutique hotels focuses on places with stories to tell, from historic estates in the likes of Ireland and Romania and a family-owned vineyard in Champagne to a remote retreat in Ladakh shaped by local traditions.

New boutique hotels to inspire your next city, safari and countryside escape

From a hillside retreat in Rwanda and a restored Himalayan chalet to a Tuscan wine estate, a beachfront escape in Cabo and a design-led city stay in Shanghai, this is our pick of six boutique hotels to check into this month. Discover a former family home filled with contemporary African

Small Luxury Hotels of the World Sky View

Solar eclipse: where to spot it and the best places to stay

Few natural phenomena inspire travel quite like a solar eclipse. Occurring when the moon passes directly between the earth and the sun, these rare celestial events transform familiar landscapes into moments of extraordinary stillness. On 12 August 2026, the eclipse will be best experienced from Iceland and Spain, including the

Independent Minds: Juan Tonconogy, Casa de Uco Vineyards & Wine Resort

For Juan Tonconogy, a love of wine has formed part of his story since childhood. Youthful summers spent in Mendoza left him captivated by the alchemy of winemaking, as he observed how the essence of the rugged Uco Valley, with its wide skies, Andean backdrop and sun-drenched vineyards, could be