Top New Boutique Hotels For The Curious Traveller

World-renowned dive sites shimmering beneath the water’s crystal surface. Lush forests home32 to the precious Philippine tarsier. The rich brown tones of the undulating Chocolate Hills. Between the embrace of the Bohol Sea and the lush cathedral of coconut groves, this new boutique hotel in Panglao offers front-row access to the organic and tranquil beauty of the Philippines’ first UNESCO Global Geopark. 
 

The 188 rooms are layered stories told through texture: handcrafted furnishings, locally made amenity boxes, rugs created using native techniques. Each element is a quiet testament to Boholano craftsmanship, connecting you to the soul of the island. 

13Gastronomy at this new boutique hotel is a celebration of Bohol’s deep agricultural roots and its maritime bounty. At Tiya’s House, the resort’s signature restaurant, step into a reimagined ancestral home where Southeast Asian dishes grace convivial gatherings. Playfulness arrives at Manja, a vibrant, family-friendly venue filled with laughter, colour and Mediterranean crowd-pleasers. 
 

Drawn to the romance of the shoreline? UMA offers open-air dining beneath the stars, complete with private market stalls serving fresh seafood and harvests from the island. Beyond the restaurants, bespoke experiences, from sunset picnics to curated tastings and beachside barbecues, invite you to savour flavours as vivid and textured as the island itself.

Wellness at South Palms encapsulates the island’s calm, peaceful spirit. At Lola’s Sanctuary, an open-air spa nestled in the garden canopy, ocean sounds mingle with the scent of local botanicals, guiding you into a deeper stillness. Hydroponic gardens, herbal trails and rice paddies offer spaces for wandering and reconnecting with the earth. Each sunrise brings yoga sessions painted in soft gold, while the resort’s luxury gym offers a modern complement to these ancient rhythms.

Events here unfold across a range of striking indoor and beachfront venues. The Acqua Pavilion, a 100-sqm venue inspired by the fluid geometry of sea creatures, offers an intimate setting for up to 50 guests. For larger occasions, the Marcela Ballroom welcomes up to 100 guests. Dreaming of sky above and sand below? The 500-sqm events lawn connects seamlessly to a rooftop space via a sweeping grand staircase, creating a captivating stage where weddings, soirées and golden-hour celebrations become theatrical under tropical stars.

This new boutique hotel is a 307-room haven that pays homage to both its coastal surroundings. Here, on the calm shores of Brighton Le Sands, step into a sanctuary of understated coastal luxury, and experience the best of Sydney’s energy right at the water’s edge. 

Fine Mediterranean dining or casual waterside grazing. Laid-back golden hour drinks or an exclusive adults-only space. Wherever the mood takes you, there’s a venue at our Botany Bay boutique hotel. At hatted restaurant Ammos Brighton, Executive Chef James Roberts and renowned Chef Peter Conistis reimagine Mediterranean tradition through an Australian lens. Waterfront views and a breezy terrace at Sands Bar invite you to sip a signature Saywell Martini: a quietly complex tribute to Botany Bay that is equally timeless and elevated. For a more effervescent vibe, Coco’s on the Beach captures the shoreline’s glowing spirit with bar bites, artisanal beers and live sport. Or settle into summer at our adults-only Beach Club, perfect for celebrating milestones or simply easing into a long weekend. 

Wellness at The Brighton is about connecting with both your inner self and the surroundings. The outdoor pool catches the bay breeze while the indoor heated pool offers year-round sanctuary for quiet laps. Desire functional movement? Brighton Active, the light-filled fitness centre, houses state-of-the-art cardio equipment, Peloton bikes and free weights, while the spacious sauna and steam room provide the perfect transition from exertion to relaxation afterwards. 

With 11 versatile spaces and two showpiece ballrooms including the breathtaking Brighton Ballroom, events here transcend the ordinary. Minutes from the airport and steps from the sea, this new boutique hotel brings the ease of a resort experience into the heart of Brighton. Boardroom meetings. Beachfront weddings. Corporate retreats. Everything flows seamlessly with flexible configurations and modern finishes, so that your guests can move from conferencing to accommodation to leisure all in the same, effortlessly elevated space. 

A scenic 30-minute seaplane journey from Malé sets the tone for this sliver of paradise in the South Ari Atoll: turquoise lagoons stretching towards the horizon, coral gardens glowing beneath the surface, sunlight shimmering like liquid gold. 
 

Each of the 42 villas, whether floating above the lagoon or nestled along powder-soft shores, blends contemporary elegance with authentic Maldivian soul. Overwater sanctuaries offer underwater lights for nocturnal marine life ballets, while beachfront escapes include freshwater showers beneath the sky. Three-bedroom villas cater beautifully to families and friends, with private pools and terraces for sunset watching. 

Across three signature dining venues, you are invited into a world of refined taste and island elegance. Muraka perches above the lagoon on elegant stilts, offering exclusive tables for romantic à la carte dinners paired with selections from an award-winning wine list. Down on the beach, Dhonveli’s sand floor and open deck capture ocean breezes while serving vibrant international and local buffets from morning through evening. When golden hour arrives, AKOYA | Sea Lounge becomes a vibrant social hub, with the largest rum collection in the Maldives alongside handcrafted cocktails, light bites, fine wines and cigars. 
 

Behind the scenes, an extensive wine cellar cradles over 300 labels including rare vintages from both the Old and New Worlds, ready for private tastings or intimate celebrations. Seeking the ultimate in romance? Arrange a bespoke beachfront candlelight dinner – perfect for anniversaries, proposals or simply honouring love itself.

Surrounded by turquoise lagoon and tropical flora, V Villas Spa is a haven where nature and ancient healing traditions intertwine. Retreat into a couple’s treatment room with your loved one for personalised therapies, or choose a spa journey curated to restore balance and rejuvenate body and soul. Beyond the spa, join a complimentary morning yoga session led by professional instructors six days a week in the dedicated pavilion, or find stillness and harmony through sunset meditation, guided breathing and nature-inspired movement.

South Ari Atoll pulses with discovery. Set off on guided yacht journeys searching for whale sharks, spotted year-round in these waters. Dive over 40 renowned sites where vibrant coral walls host mantas, sharks and turtles, or discover the house reef, teeming with life just steps from shore, with the resident marine biologist. At sunset, embark on traditional dhoni cruises, Champagne in hand as the sky transforms. When darkness falls, explore constellations, planets and galaxies through the resort’s powerful 11-inch telescope. A memorable celestial experience in the heart of the Maldives.

Nestled between Île d’Oléron's national forest and the generous golden swathe of Plage de Gatseau beach, this whimsical resort is an homage to the serenity of the French Atlantic coast. Offering 102 terraced rooms and suites rendered in light wood and natural, beachy shades, the hotel is at one with its surrounding environment. Here, wide open ocean vistas and salt-laden breezes laced with the scent of pine act as an invitation to slow down and revel in life’s simplest and most authentic pleasures. 

With master chef Pierre Gagnaire as the composer, dishes at OYAT Cuisine des Dunes are a serenade to seasonal, small-batch ingredients produced by the island’s fishermen, farmers and market gardeners – not to mention the hotel’s own in-house bakery. Together, they celebrate the meeting point of land and sea with Île d’Oléron’s world-famous oysters often taking centre stage. Dine beneath striped awnings on the restaurant’s sun-bathed, seaview terrace or order directly to your deckchair at the Beach Bar. The latter is a luxurious spot for indulging in coastal-themed cocktails as the afternoon slips seamlessly into evening beneath a canopy of twinkling stars.

At Bel Hôtel Oléron Thalasso & Spa, the boundary between ocean and forest, inside and outside, is always shifting and often intangible. Treatments draw deeply upon the healing properties of marine algae and salt water and may take place in one of 27 unique spa cabins or out in the open air. The pool, with its lap lane and massage jets, is indoors yet open to astonishing Atlantic views. In the hammam and sauna, transparent walls encourage a similar connection to the restorative power of nature. Breathe deeply and surrender to the indulgence of a curated wellness experience tailored especially for you.

Perhaps your time on the island will be defined by moments of uninterrupted tranquility found during a forest sound bath or beach yoga session. For those who seek more active pursuits, a labyrinth of dune trails waits to be explored by bike or on foot, while the calm waters off Plage de Gatseau are ideal for stand-up paddleboarding. The resort’s M Moment is another opportunity to experience raw magic in the form of a sunset picnic set in a hidden clearing amongst the pines. Expect the romance of a Berber tent lit by softly glowing oil lamps and the watercolour hues of sky and sea glimpsed between the trees.