[category]
[title]
It’s always exciting to welcome a new kid on the block, especially when that ‘kid’ is a hotel that quite literally is the block. The past 12 months have been a blockbuster year for hotel openings across Australia, with Queensland in particular booming as it prepares for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics. While our editors have been busy tracking all the hottest new stays in our own backyard, Travel + Leisure has been monitoring the international scene to shortlist the 100 best new and renovated hotels around the world.
Australia made an impressive showing on this year’s ‘It List’, featuring a stylish city stay in Sydney, an affordable luxury hotel in Melbourne and two dreamy beach resorts in Queensland. They were chosen from nearly 250 properties across 40 countries that the Travel + Leisure team visited and vetted, each of which opened or underwent a significant renovation between February 2025 and February 2026. So, where should you be checking in?
First up in the Best City Hotels category is the personality-packed 25hours Hotel The Olympia Sydney, located on Paddington’s iconic Oxford Street. As the cult European brand’s first Australian outpost, the property is bold and playful, with clever nods to the historic building’s cinematic past seen throughout. The 109 guest rooms are divided into two distinct vibes – Dreamers and Renegades – while the hotel’s dining scene is already a local favourite, starring rooftop bar Monica and Mediterranean restaurant The Palomar. Guests who book the hotel directly also get to enjoy a 1pm check-out, and the snacks and non-boozy drinks in the mini bar are complimentary. Game changing!
Australia also secured a spot in the Affordable Luxury category (for stays under $350 a night), thanks to the eco-driven 1 Hotel Melbourne. Like 25hours, this marks the brand’s Australian debut, bringing its signature blend of sustainability and beautiful biophilic design to the Yarra. Nature is the guiding principle across all 277 rooms, with more than 7,000 plants dotted throughout the property. Acclaimed Sydney chef Mike McEnearney’s all-day restaurant, From Here By Mike, embraces a low-waste ethos, while the wellness floor – featuring an indoor pool, thermal spa, Finnish sauna and steam room – is the undeniable showstopper.
Two dreamy Queensland escapes were spotlighted in the Best New Resorts category, including the stylish, 24-storey Mondrian Gold Coast and the breezy, boutique The Sundays on Hamilton Island. Both properties serve up laid-back luxury, with private pool facilities, exceptional waterfront dining and front-row seats to the Pacific. What more could you want?
Wanna know what else is making waves in the hotel world right now? You can check out Travel + Leisure’s full list of the 100 Best New Hotels of the Year here.