5 of the best hotels that opened in 2023 including the Six Senses Rome. Photo / Supplied
Some exceptional new hotels opened in 2023 and we were lucky to experience the best. Here’s a roundup of our favourite places.
The 4.5-star hotel that’s taken southern hospitality to new heights
Opened: Technically late 2022 but it has shone throughout 2023
In the heart of downtown Invercargill, just one block from the Invercargill Central (IC) retail and hospitality precinct and 10 minutes drive from the airport, exists The Langlands hotel. It’s bright and contemporary with touches of luxe brought out by rich velvet fabrics and creative lighting design.
The tallest building on Dee St at seven floors, it’s hard to miss the distinctly modern hotel amid more traditional buildings. The beautifully designed lobby is immediately welcoming, with clever use of seating and screening to make each space feel intimate. The legendary southern hospitality is very much on show here and you’re guaranteed a warm welcome.
A Junior Suite is by no means huge; with a king bed, two-seater couch, desk, luggage area, wardrobe and small tea and coffee bench but considering its central-city location, the room was quiet and comfortable. The spacious, glass-walled bathroom was a standout feature, with a free-standing bath taking pride of place, plus a recessed shower.
The windows along both walls offered views out across the Invercargill streetscape and countryside beyond, plus a peek of the nearby estuary, which is beautiful at sunset.
The hotel has an impressive five food and beverage venues, including Invercargill’s first “rooftop” bar, 360, on the seventh floor.
Valet parking is readily available, and there’s complimentary Wi-Fi, as well as a well-equipped gym, decent room service and the flash Invercargill Central shopping centre on the doorstep.
Price: From $275 per night.
Take a “tryp” to Wellington’s velvety Art Deco hotel
Opened: February, 2023
Situated on the lower end of Tory St, the hotel is extremely handy to Wellington’s Exhibition and Convention Centre, Tākina. It’s also on the doorstep of the city’s nightlife district, Courtenay Place, but is still a surprisingly quiet place to sleep.
TRYP transports guests back in time with the hotel’s Art Deco interior design. Think black and white tiles, velvet-style fabrics, and geometric mirrors. It’s a great re-fit for a building that’s heritage-listed and dates back to 1925. The lobby is not quite Great Gatsby glam but it is elegant.
A premium one-bedroom apartment comes with a fully equipped kitchenette. There’s also a dining room table and chairs, a desk, and a lounge area with a television. Everything is in keeping with the Art Deco theme including bold prints on the walls. There are 10 room types to choose from (including a penthouse).
The en suite is small but practical. There’s a shower, vanity, and toilet and the black tapware creates a sense of style. There’s also a stacked washing machine and dryer with laundry powder and liquid provided.
A complimentary light continental breakfast is provided in a lounge area adjacent to the lobby. A Nespresso coffee machine is on hand along with toast, pastries, muesli, yoghurt, spreads, cheese, and ham. There is also a lolly bar if you need a sweet treat. A range of teas, hot chocolate, instant coffee, and plunger coffee is also in the bedroom.
Price: Ranging from $299 to $2000 per night.
Five-star luxury fit for an emperor, complete with rooftop bar and Roman bath
Opened: March, 2023
Welcome to a seamless blend of ancient and modern, with a focus on sustainability and regeneration in the heart of Rome.
The hotel’s grand entrance is one to marvel over – parts of the original building date back to the 15th century, with its heyday being in the 18th century as a palazzo for three noble families. It has also been a bank, and housed a cinema – now it’s the first urban hotel in the Six Senses portfolio. The facade and the central staircase have been restored to their former glory, and the whole building has been carefully and expertly restored.
Spanish designer Patricia Uriquola is behind the look and feel of this hotel and she has excelled in creating an oasis of modern luxury, while never detracting from the building’s history and heritage.
Junior Suites are like a secret sanctuary – open the windows and peer down on to the ancient cobbled streets and the Trevi Fountain is just a five-minute walk away. Suites are divided into three spaces – the bedroom and bathroom at either end, with a living space in the middle. Enjoy Italian cotton sheets and an extensive pillow menu.
Executive chef Nadia Frisini is from Sicily and her influence can be felt at Bivium, the hotel’s piazza-style restaurant. Six Senses hotels have a focus on wellness as well as sustainability, so the menu has many healthy options without compromising on flavour. Local, sustainably sourced ingredients are non-negotiables.
On the hotel’s fifth floor, you’ll find Notos, a rooftop bar providing a glimpse of the city you won’t get from ground level.
As well as treatment rooms for massages, facials and the like, the spa boasts a Hammam (Turkish bath) and a Roman Bath. For €45, you get an hour to relax and move between the different facilities – three bathing pools, two steam rooms and one sauna.
Elsewhere in the hotel, there’s also a 24-hour gym, bookable fitness classes, workshops, and regular activities throughout the day – wine and olive oil tasting, the art of aperitivo, yoga sessions, and oysters and bubbles in the lobby.
Price: From €1300 ($2300) per night.
Farmland charm and Scandinavian style in an off-grid location
Opened: June, 2023
A few paddocks deep, near the Agrodome, lies PurePods’ Rotorua outpost: Pāmu.
Arriving at the address, guests follow a dozen small but unmissable “PurePod” logo signs nailed to fences, to a single-car car park.
There are complimentary raincoats and gumboots stored in a small shed should it be a muddy seven-minute walk down the earthy path, across farmland and past a brook, to the bottom of a grassy hill, where the pod is located.
The pod has been designed to rely almost entirely on sustainable energy sources and uses local water, which is filtered and then returned to the surrounding land.
In typical PurePod style, the accommodation looks like a tiny house built by a Scandinavian who loves glass. It’s all light wood and clean lines, balanced by a big plush bed.
The pod is open plan, so the bedroom is also the lounge as well as the kitchen, which albeit petite is kitted out with everything you need to cook up a storm. The shower, toilet and vanity are sectioned off by a door. Fitted out with floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors, the pod does have blinds but it seems counterintuitive to draw them (even in the toilet). The view out to the hills is beautiful, but the glass ceiling takes the cake.
There is no Wi-Fi but guests are provided with a USB speaker, picnic blanket, deck chairs, a pack of cards and other small games, as well as a telescope. Guests can opt for a food hamper (additional charge) containing both dinner items and breakfast.
Price: $690 per night for two guests.
The first five-star hotel in Byron Bay, complete with rooftop bar.
Opened: August 2023
The newest addition to Byron Bay’s hospitality scene is on a mission to show that the coastal town is not just for aspiring yogis, influencers or school trips - it’s a luxury holiday destination. Hotel Marvell is the first five-star hotel to open in the middle of town - next to shops and restaurants and a five-minute walk from the beach. It’s also an easy 45-minute drive from Gold Coast Airport.
The hotel has been built and fitted out with a big focus on using natural materials and local suppliers. The coffee pods for the Nespresso machine in each room are Australia’s first compostable pods, sourced from local growers Zentveld’s Coffee - and the mugs for your morning coffee are from local ceramics artist Brooke Clunie.
Each room has its own shaded balcony and a sense of privacy - and the decor is a welcome contrast to many five-star stays. No harsh white lighting or crunchy sheets here - it’s all linen, cloudy pillows, soft and generously sized towels, and lights that gradually fade with the help of a touch screen.
Easily the hotel’s biggest drawcard is its rooftop bar, the first in Byron Bay and the perfect spot to sip a cocktail and see the sunset. There’s also a pool up here for guests to use.
Price: Room from $699 per night, suites from $785 per night, 2 bedrooms from $890-$990 per night.
Don't return from that long-awaited break feeling burnt out.