Let the 2025 holiday daydreaming begin… It’s been a mega year for Australia’s hotel scene, with dazzling new stays swinging open their doors from the east coast to the west. While we’re busy dreaming about our next getaway, the expert editors at Travel + Leisure have been scooping out the world’s best new and renovated properties for their hotly anticipated 100 Best New Hotels of the Year list. From top-tier city breaks to affordable luxury stays, their round-up covers all bases and budgets – and three standout Aussie properties made the cut.
The latest addition to Byron’s five-star hotel portfolio, Basq House, was the first best new hotel opening in Australia. I was lucky enough to stay here on my last trip to the boho beach town, and ended up naming it my favourite NSW stay of 2024. Designed to feel like a home away from home, the free-flowing property features plenty of communal spaces, including an eclectic lounge filled with board games, books, a bar and a fireplace, and a centrepiece magnesium pool inspired by a traditional Moroccan riad. During my stay, I spent hours ‘basqing’ in the sun on comfy loungers by the pool, making the most of complimentary snacks from the self-service bar, and sinking into the plush bed in my light-filled room. Take me back!
Also tipped by us as one of the most anticipated openings of 2025, The Eve Hotel Sydney was the next Aussie hotel included on the list. This stunning boutique hotel opened in Sydney's new Wunderlich Village lifestyle precinct in February. The Eve seamlessly blends the glamour and grunge that Redfern is known for, featuring 102 boutique rooms, a rooftop deck with a 20-metre pool, lush greenery and a European-style lobby bar. Guests will also be within walking distance of some of Sydney’s best new dining venues, including Olympus, a bustling Greek taverna, and Island Radio, a high-energy Southeast Asian eatery. We’re itching to check in ASAP!
Completing the line-up of Australian hotels on the best new openings list is the effortlessly cool Melbourne Place. There’s a lot to love about this 16-storey brick hotel – its artfully warm design, locally made contemporary artworks, signature woody black tea fragrance, Mediterranean-leaning rooftop bar, and 192 spacious rooms with complimentary mini bars. Our Time Out Melbourne Food Editor, Lauren Dinse, particularly loved Melbourne Place’s circular windows and mirrors, calling them “sunlit portals to the surrounding city life.” Sounds pretty dreamy to us!
Planning an international getaway? You can explore the full 100 Best New Hotels of the Year here.