In Best of the Best, we honour the brands and people behind the most covetable products. Here are the best of the best in travel that warrant a visit in 2025
Safari game-changer: Singita Milele, Tanzania
Milele’s views will stop you in your tracks. It sits in an extraordinary location, perched on the slopes of Sasakwa Hill overlooking the 141,640-hectare Grumeti reserve, which bleeds into the Serengeti. The five-suite property, primed for buyouts, is elevated even for ultra-luxe operator Singita.
The accommodation is swathed in earthy tones, with woven-grass wallpaper and textured furniture; those cork chairs and lampshades were designed by South African studio HK. Mornings and afternoons are spent in a 4×4 romping in the bush, scouring for lions and elephants with your private safari guide. A midday meal is usually served on the sun-dappled deck where bright watermelon and zippy green salads are spread across a James Mudge-designed dining table.
In the evenings, gather your group for fireside stargazing (there’ll be telescopes on hand) and a glass of pinot noir from the wine cellar. If the weather turns, don’t worry: there’s a private cinema room, too.
Urban Revolution: Royal Mansour, Casablanca, Morocco
The aptly named Royal Mansour, owned by King Mohamed VI, has been a fixture of Marrakech for 15 years, but the brand is aggressively expanding around the country. If this, the first satellite outpost in the White City, is a benchmark, that’s welcome news.
An art deco-era skyscraper (far enough from the Grand Mosque that it has been granted a liquor licence, unlike its only neighbourhood rival, the Four Seasons) was rebuilt from the ground up over eight years. The result is a five-star fun palace oozing maximalist glee that doesn’t skimp on finicky details. To wit: there’s a watch winder in every closet.
Standout among the 149 rooms are the private apartments, based around themes such as music and literature, with books to browse and quirky decorations including a turntable and plenty of vintage vinyl. Make sure to spend one supper at La Grande Table Marocaine, which has rapidly become a see-and-be-seen spot for the locals.
Alpine Interlude: Eriro, Austria
Be prepared for a sensory feast when you arrive at this nine-room, adults-only mountain hideaway by ski lift—and not just because every room faces west, offering spectacular sunset views over the Alps.
There’s a tactile experience to be had at every turn. Some rooms have bathtubs hewn from whole tree trunks, while the whimsical Do Not Disturb signs are made from rock and string. The massage oils used in the spa are produced in town using herbs from the mountains, and the superb no-menu dining concept—which dreams up dishes like baked Jerusalem artichoke or porridge topped with crispy corn—is equally seasonal and local.
When you inevitably find yourself luxuriating in the spa, equipped with two saunas, pause to look at the poured-concrete floor. The irregular pattern comes from the footprints of a neighbourhood fox, who became a mascot of the site during construction. The owners decided to preserve its contribution to the design, the ultimate nod to nature nearby.
Ocean Sojourn: Explora Journeys
Explora Journeys, a luxury travel brand, goes beyond traditional cruising—its ships, inspired by private yachts, offer a resort-like experience at sea. Explora II, launched a year ago, is the second in a series of six luxury ships; the first set sail in 2023, with the remaining vessels scheduled to launch progressively until 2028.
With a deliberately smaller passenger capacity, Explora II creates an intimate, retreat-like atmosphere, enriched by a wide range of wellness experiences designed to nurture the mind, body, soul, and skin. Dining is equally refined: meals are freshly prepared and personally served—buffets are intentionally excluded. The suites are a standout feature, frequently likened to five-star hotel accommodation on land. All the expected cruise amenities are present—and elevated.
Wellness Retreat: Revīvō Wellness Resort, Bali, Indonesia
Tucked into a quiet stretch of Nusa Dua and enveloped by lush, manicured greens, Revīvō Wellness Resort Bali doesn’t ask much of its guests—except that they slow down. The 3.5-hectare resort is built around the idea of restoration, with 22 suites and villas, each with traditional Balinese alang-alang roofs, arranged to feel like an intimate village.
Every stay begins with a detailed wellness questionnaire and a consultation with an in-house expert, who then curates a personalised programme. Guests choose from six retreat paths, each aimed at achieving a specific goal, including weight loss and rejuvenation. To achieve these results, guests combine daily movement—stretching, yoga, breathwork—with a calibrated meal plan. Diets are restrictive by design, but satisfyingly local, with dishes like scrambled tofu, tempeh satay, or a broth infused with medicinal herbs.
Still, it’s the Vitality Centre—a dedicated wing for next-generation wellness—that anchors the experience. Here, guests can opt into biohacking therapies like intravenous infusions, oxygen modulation, and neuro-relaxation sessions, alongside medical-grade assessments that measure resting metabolic rate and stress response.
Throwback Glamour: Villa Beatrice, Portofino, Italy
Villa Beatrice was never meant to be discreet. Built in 1913 for shipbuilding magnate Attilio Odero, it rises above Portofino’s coast with a turreted tower, arched loggias, and layered gardens that overlook the Gulf of Tigullio. Designed by Gino Coppedè, the house blends gothic revival and art nouveau—an architectural style that never shies from expressing its theatrical flair.
Now under Belmond, the villa has been restored and opened as a private residence. Reimagined by Swedish architect Martin Brudnizki, its interiors retain the original frescoes, grit marble floors, stucco mouldings, and wrought-iron railings. These are paired with palissandro blue marble, scagliola, Vienna straw inlay, and hand-finished textiles from Ligurian artisans, materials that feel rooted in the period and chosen to accentuate the retro allure of the house’s early years.
Ceramics from Albisola also appear throughout, worked into lighting fixtures and tabletops, alongside antique and custom furniture sourced from the region.
The main house holds five suites, with a sixth in the guesthouse, La Casetta, which includes its own plunge pool and a small grove of lemon trees. The turret crowns the upper floor, while a curved terrace wraps around the facade, offering views toward Portofino’s harbour and the wider arc of the coastline.
Personal Concierge: Scott Dunn Private
There’s a common assumption that handing over your travel plans means giving something up. With Scott Dunn Private, the opposite is true. The white-gloved, invite-only service is built around one thing: making each trip feel entirely your own.
Each member is paired with a dedicated relationship manager who takes the time to understand your preferences in full: how you like your days to unfold, what comfort looks like to you, and the patterns that will cocoon you in opulence. It’s a relationship that deepens with every journey.
Every itinerary is informed by first-hand knowledge. The team has spent years on the ground, staying in the places they recommend, and getting to know the people behind them. That network extends globally, offering access to experiences that are often behind closed doors. From fully private museum tours and exclusive wine tastings to intimate meals at the most-booked restaurants in the world, each moment is meticulously arranged to feel as though it was always meant for you.
