From Paris to Tassie, here are the top-rated hotels of 2025
From the wilds of Tasmania to the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, these are the stays our writers rated as the best of the year.
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- ★★★★★
A spectacular hotel in one of the wildest places on Earth
There’s good reason this property – now part of Baillie Lodges’ portfolio – is consistently awarded as one of the best in Latin America.
- March 5, 2025
- Julie Miller
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- ★★★★★
This fort-like Tassie stunner is not your average holiday house
A fairytale location and luxury make this private Tasmanian stay the ultimate couples retreat.
- January 2, 2025
- Emily McAuliffe
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- ★★★★★
A five-star home away from home on Australia’s most exclusive island
This private Lord Howe Island getaway is like having your own private luxury getaway – with all the best bits that a hotel can provide.
- June 23, 2025
- Jane Richards
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- ★★★★★
This stopover stay in a neighbour beats bustling Dubai
This outstanding outpost of the venerable Mandarin Oriental brand impresses even more than most.
- February 8, 2025
- Anthony Dennis
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- ★★★★★
The knock-out stay that will ruin all future safaris
From the wreck of a tsunami, one of Botswana’s most prestigious camps was born.
- May 19, 2025
- Justin Meneguzzi
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- ★★★★★
Greek seaside stay isn’t luxe but you’ll feel like you won the lottery
In a town of sleek, boutique options, the charming family-run Hotel Marianna in Nafplio stands out for old-style hospitality, where nothing is too much bother.
- July 23, 2025
- Kate Armstrong
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- ★★★★½
Like being in Beverly Hills: The verdict on Sydney’s coolest new hotel
This inner-city oasis offers a fun and fabulous vibe. But the left-field location may not be for everyone.
- February 19, 2025
- Ute Junker
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- ★★★★½
This Singaporean hotel makes for a showstopping stopover
You’ll need longer than a fleeting stopover to get the most from this salubrious five-star Singaporean hotel, which has it all under one chic action-packed roof.
- August 19, 2025
- Anthony Dennis
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- ★★★★½
On Australia’s deepest lake, this is a truly memorable place to stay
Wild weather only serves to highlight the rich, warm interiors of this beautifully designed getaway.
- October 22, 2025
- Anthony Dennis
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- ★★★★½
Show-stopper Paris hotel is walking distance from the Eiffel Tower
The new Sax hotel has style and sex appeal, a Parisian dream in one of the city’s most sought-after neighbourhoods.
- November 3, 2025
- Ben Groundwater
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- ★★★★½
In a multicultural patch of Melbourne, new hotel is the ultimate base
Holiday Inn Dandenong, in one of Melbourne’s most culturally diverse suburbs, is a great option for those on their way to Gippsland.
- February 21, 2025
- Julietta Jameson
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- ★★★★½
Historic former Salvos building in Melbourne now a classy hotel
This is a genuinely smart and superbly situated addition to Melbourne’s five-star hotel stock.
- January 15, 2025
- Anthony Dennis
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- ★★★★½
No kids, no cars at this fun, hidden Barcelona hotel
The only clue to the entrance to this boutique hotel down a dead-end alley is the discreet doorman outside.
- March 8, 2025
- Jane Richards
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- ★★★★½
Love it or hate it, you’ll never forget a stay at these grandiose digs
Abu Dhabi’s sprawling Emirates Palace hotel is another world but due to its size, it can also feel a little like a lost world.
- April 10, 2025
- Anthony Dennis
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- ★★★★½
Near-perfect hotel overlooks one of the most remarkable ancient sites
Athens is one of Europe’s most walkable cities, but the rooftop pool at this polished oasis will make you want to swim instead.
- May 17, 2025
- Jenny Hewett
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- ★★★★½
Can you still chill in overcrowded Byron? At this perfect spot you can
A multimillion-dollar overhaul has turned this guesthouse into the ultimate hideaway in one of NSW’s buzziest tourist towns.
- April 30, 2025
- Katherine Scott
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- ★★★★½
Behind the queues at the bakery, this Vienna boutique hotel is perfection
Pastries so exquisite people queue up outside are just the start of what makes this whimsical hotel so special.
- July 13, 2025
- Natasha Bazika
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- ★★★★½
Avoid the overtourism at this beautiful Barcelona escape
With a deceptively appealing location in El Born, Borneta is a smart choice. Its time has truly come.
- July 12, 2025
- Anthony Dennis
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- ★★★★½
This terracotta cube is home to one of Bali’s most stylish stays
Visit a more peaceful precinct of the island hotspot Canggu for a stay with serious design kudos.
- August 9, 2025
- Jenny Hewett
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- ★★★★½
The new must-book Paris hotel with rooftop bar and Eiffel Tower views
A design-led hotel in a locals’ neighbourhood with excellent food and a vibey rooftop bar? Tick, tick, tick...
- August 13, 2025
- Trudi Jenkins
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- ★★★★½
Converted Gothic mansion stay a symbol of vibrantly renewed Newcastle
An imaginatively restored Newcastle mansion is adding a burst of colour to a once steely-grey city.
- September 13, 2025
- Anthony Dennis
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- ★★★★½
South Australia’s luxury safari hotel a game-changer
A bold new hotel at a free-range zoo near Adelaide gives new meaning to “creature comforts”.
- August 25, 2025
- Anthony Dennis
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- ★★★★½
It’s more than 1000 years old, but this European hotel is still cutting edge
The converted palace was constructed when Spain was under Muslim rule.
- September 10, 2025
- Jenny Hewett
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- ★★★★½
Ultimate island stay leaves nothing to be desired – except more time
The whole point of this remote Tasmanian destination is that you don’t leave. I happily followed that memo.
- October 15, 2025
- Riley Wilson
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- ★★★★½
When check-in is accompanied by a lion’s roar
The Selinda Explorers Camp site was hand-picked by seasoned wildlife documentary makers.
- March 21, 2025
- Justin Meneguzzi