Inspiring Luxury Hotel Destinations for 2023 — Tina Ramchandani - Luxury Interior Design Firm

If travel is on your 2023 to-do list, we’re right there with you. We spent the second half of 2022 traveling and it was incredibly inspiring. From St. Maarten to Bangkok, Jaipur to Los Angeles, Charleston to San Juan, we took in art and architecture, celebrated with family and friends — and realized just how deeply we had missed all of it.

As we mentioned in our Simple, Modern, Minimalist Bedroom Design post, hospitality interiors were the catalyst for our love of interior design. Traveling through Europe, India and around the world — and experiencing what restaurants and hotels looked like in those different places — was extremely influential and still serves as inspiration to this day.

What We Look for in a Luxury Hotel

When searching for the perfect hotel, our priorities are similar to that of our clients for whom we design pieds-à-terre — we want a great location, breathtaking views and luxury linens. When traveling for both business and pleasure we like to have ample room for getting ready and cozy spots for lounging at the end of a long day. And, in a perfect world, every hotel we stay at would employ a concierge who feels like a close, personal friend; someone to make sure our room is perfectly appointed and share spot-on recommendations as needed.

Other nice-to-have items are motorized black-out curtains, on-site or nearby fine dining options and farm-to-table restaurants, seasonal amenities and activities and an amazing art collection. We don’t necessarily expect all of these at once, but it sure is nice when that happens.

Hospitality Style

Travel is also a great opportunity to try on different design styles. Like our clients, we love warm, modern interiors. Staying at hotels that capture this style is always a lovely experience, but it can also be fun to stay at a rustic ski chalet, an ornate Old Hollywood hotel or a historic European castle. Take note of the architectural lines, color stories and textures that appeal to you during your stay; you never know how they could be incorporated into a future home design scheme.

Speaking of which, we also love to look to hotels for guest space inspiration. Our various stays at properties around the world have inspired private powder rooms and en-suite, coffee bars and even suitcase storage.

Worth the Trip: Hotels to Inspire

As we set our sights on 2023, we want to make sure not to take the ability to travel for granted. With that in mind, we’ve put together a list of spectacular locations that will satisfy a number of interests. If you’ve visited one of the below properties, we’d love to her about it!

Dust Off Your Passport

Mandarin Oriental Bangkok — Those looking for the quintessential five-star hotel experience exemplifying service and style will find it here. Opened as simply “The Oriental” in 1876, the flagship property has been catering to royalty, celebrities and discerning travelers of all [ilks/kinds] for over 145 years. The impressive property is home to the only 5-star spa in Thailand by Forbes Travel Guide. Renovated in 2017 by Chapman Taylor, “The design was influenced by the hotel’s colonial-era style, drawing strong references from the region and adding some traditional upcountry Thai touches.” With more than a dozen dining options, including multiple fine dining restaurants, as well as afternoon tea, cocktails and cakes and pastries, you might find yourself torn between staying on site and enjoying one of the hotel’s many arts and culture experiences like a visit to the flower markets, a tour of the Backwater Sanctuaries or ‘Old Town,’ or a cruise on the Chao Phraya river. We can attest to Bangkok being one of the world’s most exciting cities and touring it with guides from The Mandarin Oriental will ensure that you enjoy more than many of its residents have ever seen.

Country Roads, Take Me Home

Blackberry Farm — Referred to as “one of America's greatest hidden treasures,” Blackberry Farm is located at the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains in Walland, Tennessee. The beautiful, bucolic hotel and resort, which is located on a pastoral 4,200-acre estate, offers an escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Accommodations range in size from traditional guest rooms to entire houses located around the property. Guests can enjoy culinary events and tasting (like the one we recently spied on hospitality legend Will Guidara’s Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/p/Cf-EiKFgSWT/?igshid=YWJhMjlhZTc=), which he co-hosted with his wife Christina Tosi the award-winning Chef/Owner of Milk Bar), wellness retreats and musical experiences. Draped in snow or bathed in the light of the setting summer sun, we think Blackberry Farm is positively majestic. Plus, it’s a pet-friendly destination, so our beloved Figaro could even join us on our adventure!

*Blackberry Farm “exterior lawn chair mist”*

This Desert life

Amangiri — Each of the 34 Aman Resorts are nothing short of spectacular, but there is something about the Amangiri that draws us in. Maybe it’s the picturesque desert views, or the secluded suites complete with outdoor lounges, fireplaces and, in some cases, a private pool or roof terrace. It could also be the design, which focuses on clean lines and natural materials like white stone floors, concrete walls, natural timbers and fittings in blackened steel. Dream design aside, this is the kind of place you go when you want to feel the vastness of the universe. Nature lovers, photographers and Instagrammers alike will relish the opportunity to be inspired by — and photographed in — the slot canyons of the Navajo Nation. After a day of exploring, city slickers like ourselves can enjoy a visit to the Aman Spa for “massages, beauty treatments and restorative therapies inspired by the holistic wellbeing traditions of the Navajo.” Sign us up!

Waking in a Winter Wonderland

The Lodge at Blue Sky — In an area known for skiing, how does one resort stand out from the rest? The Lodge at Blue Sky, part of the Auberge Resort Collections, has set itself apart both literally and figuratively. Located in Wanship, Utah, the 3,500 acre property is about 20 minutes from world-class ski resorts Park City Mountain and Deer Valley. Originally launched as an adventure destination — heli-skiing, anyone? — the resort also offers more mellow wintery pursuits like snow shoeing, cross-country skiing and horse-drawn sleigh rides. Guests can choose from three unique accommodation styles and locations: Sky Lodge, Earth Suites, or Creek Houses. Each of which, according to the website “celebrates the unique elements of the natural environment on which they are situated, and are located within a 3-minute walk from the main amenities of the resort.” Not much of a skier? Explore the spa, have the concierge arrange for a helicopter ride, marvel at the massive amount of elk that inhabit the property or enjoy a fondue dinner in a private yurt. Trust us, you will not be bored. With write-ups by Vogue and Travel + Leisure, this posh property plays host to the stylish set year-round.

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Travel Goals: 2023 Edition