At Ambiente Sedona in Arizona there exist 40 cube-shaped pods. Photo / Jeff Zaruba
At Ambiente Sedona in Arizona there exist 40 cube-shaped pods. Photo / Jeff Zaruba
It’s a dog-eat-dog world we live in, but it’s advantageous for the humble traveller. While hotels and accommodation play one-upmanship, we – the guests – benefit from better-than-ever places to stay.
Ambiente Sedona, Arizona US
Deep in the Arizona Desert, where hoodoos reign supreme and the landscape is a post-apocalyptic red, there exist 40 cube-shaped pods. Shining in all their bronze-tinted glory, these futuristic atriums are part of Ambiente Sedona, the first “landscape hotel” to land in North America. For the uninitiated, this relatively new concept refers to accommodation that seamlessly blends into the environment, like a slinky desert chameleon. Albeit striking, guests will no doubt notice the landscape first, while the gleaming hotel façade - somehow - plays second fiddle. An adults-only resort with a minimalist design that screams child-free, almost every cube features a rooftop deck with daybeds and firepits for languid stargazing, and floor-to-ceiling windows that cleverly blur the line between indoors and out. ambientesedona.com
Ambiente Sedona in Arizona features a rooftop deck with daybeds and firepits.
Photo / Jeff Zaruba
Do you have a love-hate relationship with technology? Love your wireless gadgets but hate the never-ending “recharge” merry-go-round. Fortunately, there’s CABN. Based in South Australia and set to branch out to Queensland in 2024, these sustainable (you guessed it) cabins are sprinkled across the state, offering a completely off-grid, eco-friendly experience. With a minimalist design, the latest offering is a new selection of Kuitpo Forest cabins, 45 minutes south of Adelaide. Hidden in the forest, like a trio of secret Scandi-style pods, enjoy a front-row view of the native surroundings from huge windows. Firepits and indoor fireplaces make it year-round cosy and if extra snugness is required, you can even take your dog. cabn.life/
Cabn in Kuitpo Forest: Hidden in the trees, 45 minutes south of Adelaide. Photo / Supplied
Moxy Downtown Los Angeles
Gone are the days when hotel new-builds could rely on a cookie-cutter design and a Bible in the top drawer. Oh no, it’s 2023 and punters expect to be dazzled - something Moxy Hotels took note of when creating Moxy Downtown Los Angeles, set to open early April this year. Firstly, it’s Tinsel Town, so boring simply won’t cut it. Fortunately, the city skyline – much like its inhabitants – demands guests to “look at me”, and Moxy has accommodated with floor-to-ceiling windows. The urban views also stretch to the pool deck and four outdoor terraces. And just in case you didn’t fancy frequenting an LA dive, followed by a 3am drive-thru, the hotel boasts 13 restaurants, bars and clubs. Anything but dull, the only basic thing about Moxy is the price; guestrooms are surprisingly reasonable. marriott.com/en-us/hotels/laxox-moxy-downtown-los-angeles
Moxy Downtown Los Angeles has floor-to-ceiling windows and skyline views. Photo / Supplied
Movenpick Cebu, Philippines
It’s Movenpick, of Swiss restaurant and hotelier fame, but we’re bypassing the obvious chocolate-lashed incentives and heading straight to the pool, specifically the adjoining Ibiza Beach Club at Movenpick Cebu (the entire hotel is Mediterranean-inspired) for startling sunset views and the area’s best nightlife. Located on the island of Mactan in Cebu, this Movenpick outpost enjoys ocean views and a small but seductive curve of private beach. The onsite Ibiza Beach Club coaxes the bikini-clad from far and wide, with all-day cocktails, 8pm entertainment and a 15-course grill. As well as the daily “chocolate hour” that Movenpick is internationally famed for, Movenpick Cebu is decidedly slick. Think all-white courtyards and wooden ledges with floor hammocks that jut out over the seawater. In other words, it looks good. Instagram good. movenpick.com/en/asia/philippines/cebu/hotel-mactan-island-cebu
The onsite Ibiza Beach Club at Movenpick Cebu coaxes the bikini-clad from far and wide. Photo / Movenpick Resort Cebu
Maridaallah Retreat, South Australia
These days, most boutique accommodations know that the full quota of luxuries are of utmost importance to modern guests: polished rooms, fire pits, swimming pools and deluxe bathtubs. At Maridaallah Retreat, you also get a billabong at the end of the property and seven varieties of wine from the Mclaren Vale region. Located in Inman Valley, an hour’s drive south from Adelaide and designed with extended families in mind, the property sleeps eight guests across four bedrooms. We’re not talking about bunk beds in the box room. Every suite has matte-black fixtures and windows that are, in some rooms, so extensive, there’s no distinction between the end of your carpet and the start of the bucolic hillside. It’s a landscape worth protecting, hence the property’s cutting-edge water collection and solar system. maridaallah.au
At Maridaallah Retreat, suites have matte-black fixtures and enormous windows.
Photo / Victor Harbor Real Estate Photography
The Aurum Catskills, New York state
Hold your horses, this one’s still under development but is expected to open later in the year. If you’re someone who’s always viewed the Roman Empire with mild envy, then it’ll be worth the wait. Clinging to the mountainside in Mount Tremper in New York state, The Aurum Catskills lifts and shifts the ancient bathing rituals of Rome and creates a re-envisioned bathing experience for the modern-day hotel-goer. In other words, the on-site spa will be fit for the gods. Expect a Turkish-style hammam – the first of its kind in the region – and high-end bathhouse facilities with distinctly Roman roots. It’s already one of the most anticipated hotel-openings of 2023, but it’s all rather hush, hush right now so you’ll have to stay tuned. theaurum.com
Hotel Calimala, Florence
It’s a tough job being a hotel in Florence, even a boutique one. How to compete with a city that’s so effortlessly beautiful and iconic at once? Somehow, Hotel Calimala holds its own. Firstly, the facade, in all its frescoed glory, is enough to make you pack up your life and move to Italy. Good design will do. Once indoors, bare stone walls and shuttered windows clash perfectly - as only the Italians could achieve - with Art Deco aesthetics and a pop of bold colour.
At Hotel Calimala stone walls and shuttered windows clash perfectly with Art Deco aesthetics and a pop of colour.
Photo / Supplied
The property was designed by Alex Meitlis and features artwork by Ivo Bisignano so you’re well within the realm of creative genius. The piece de resistance, to steal from the French for a moment, is the hotel’s rooftop hideaway. ANGEL Roofbar and Dining hosts a Southern-Mediterranean restaurant, two bars, a plunge pool and secret garden, all overlooking one of the most famous and central shopping streets in the city. hotelcalimala.com
ANGEL Roofbar and Dining is the piece de resistance at Hotel Calimala in Florence. Photo / Supplied
