Made for Traveling: The Best Designed Hotels in 2021

1. Camp Sarika in Canyon Point, Utah

Ten tented pavilions brilliantly engineered by Tom Avant at Iron Rock Engineering and fabric engineers Tenthouse Structures create what Camp Sarika refers to as “the first all-weather, year-round luxury camp in North America.”

Situated on 78 acres of desert (just down from the ultra-exclusive sister property Amangiri), the design team of Graeme Labe, Anomien Smith, and interior designer Idalina Silva of Luxury Frontiers has created a “seamless aesthetic connection between the architecture and surrounding landscape.” Selldorf Architects created the minimal lobby to house a glass and marble statue by Maya Lin.

Local blacksmith Iron Maegan hand-forged the vanity mirrors, while Idalina Silva of Luxury Frontiers designed much of the bedroom furniture. Outdoor furniture is a mix of DEDON, the Nomad Chair (We Do Wood), and the Chaise Lounge from Christian Liaigre. Black outdoor shower faucets by Brizo.

Opened in July 2020

 

2. Paragon 700 in Puglia, Italy

Under the eye of interior designer Pascale Lauber, the former 17th-century red palace was transformed into an incredible boutique hotel and spa, making it one of the best designed hotels in 2021. The 11-bedroom hotel is the product of three years of careful handiwork and restoration.

The Pompeii red facade is a nod to history, as it was popular in the 18th century as a status symbol, and the extraordinary private garden dates back to the late 17th century. Original majolica tiles and some of the oldest, most intriguing parts of the building can be seen everywhere from hearths to frescoes.

Opened in June 2020

 

3. Six Senses in Shaharut, Israel

Six Senses Shaharut is architect Daniela Plesner’s modern interpretation of nomadic structures used more than 2,000 years ago by the Nabatean community of the Negev desert. The 60 outward facing villas with private pools aim to highlight the expansive desert, not hide from it.

Daniela’s palette of stone, wood, copper, and fabric is mixed with reclaimed boats, houses, and bridges from the area, and the walls are tadelakt—a waterproof plaster common in Moroccan architecture. Ceramic artist Rachel Elimelech Urbach created Nabatean-era inspired decorative plates for each room, and textile artist Erez Nawi designed the bed runners.

Opening in March 2021

 

4. Can Ferrereta in Santanyí, Mallorca

This 32-bedroom boutique hotel in rural Mallorca is a getaway fit for a royal family. Built inside a restored 17th-century mansion, this vacation spot maintains local authenticity with rustic wooden beams, original stone, and a large collection of contemporary art, mainly by local and Spanish artists.

Together with design studio WIT, BASTIDAS Architecture incorporated two restaurants, two bars, an outdoor pool, a gym, and a spa. The hotel’s sleek furnishings and airy touches emphasize its luxurious essence as a grand summer house. Just slightly inland from the coast, Can Ferrereta’s location in the “gold-stone village” of Santanyí offers easy access to a nature park and some of Mallorca’s most beautiful beaches.

Opening in Spring 2021

 

5. Habitas Namibia in Windhoek, Namibia

Situated on more than 123,000 acres of nature and wildlife, Habitas Namibia offers safari suites and private villas designed to bring us closer to nature. As a conservation project, Habitas prioritizes connection and sustainability in every aspect of the retreat’s design and goals. Up on hilltops, large private suites designed with sustainable materials, decorative local crafts, and custom furnishings offer views of the bush and wildlife.

Opened in early 2021

 

6. Rosewood Little Dix Bay in Virgin Gorda, BVI

Following a full renovation spanning four years, Rosewood BVI emerges as a contemporary tropical oasis in Little Dix Bay. OBMI designed the resort to sit nicely within the topography of the area and emerge to the eye with unmistakable conical roofs from the original resort.

Aside from the central pavilion and pool, 42 guest rooms and 35 suites designed by Meyer Davis offer luxury inspired by location. The Tree House Suites take after the original resort’s stilt houses, and the beachfront rooms open generously toward the water. Every element of the space, from natural color palettes to the layout, is intended to draw guests outside to enjoy the sand and sun.

Reopened in December 2020

 

7. Explora El Chaltén in El Chaltén, Argentina

One of the best designed hotels in 2021, Explora El Chaltén is an all-inclusive adventure resort in Argentinean Patagonia. Near the mountains, glaciers, lakes, and rivers of the Los Huemules Reserve, the hotel boasts views to the Electric Valley and Marconi Glacier.

Inside, the lodgings take after the traditional estancias (cattle ranches) with warm wood paneling and comforting hues of orange and brown that complement the vibrant blues and greens of the natural landscape outside. Explora offers guided expeditions into the gorgeous Argentinean Patagonia to make those beds feel even more luxurious at a long day’s end.

Opening in 2021

 

8. Eleven Chile’s Rio Palena Lodge in Patagonia, Chile

This adventure retreat offers all of the comfort of a luxurious lodge and all the excitement of the Patagonia wilds. On the banks of the Rio Futaleufú, this remodeled lodge offers seven guest suites with ensuite bathrooms suited for double or single occupancy.

During the day guests can enjoy just about every adventure activity known to man: standup paddle boarding, rafting, hiking, biking, fishing, skiing, even riding in a helicopter, all with gear provided by Rio Palena. The lodge’s rustic charm merges with the natural beauty of the river and Patagonian mountains to form a breathtaking vacation spot complete with a sauna and two wood-fired hot tubs.

Opened in 2020

 

A version of this article originally appeared in Sixtysix Issue 05 with the headline “Coming Soon.” Subscribe today.