If you've been keeping up with Who What Wear Travels, you know we're tapped into the best of the best when it comes to must-visit destinations. All summer long, we've been keeping you up-to-date on everything from complete destination guides to the hottest vacation trends of the season. Depending on where you set your vacation sights, the options for luxury accommodations can be downright dizzying. As fashion people, we have a high standard when it comes to where we'll stay, and not just any hotel will do. We look for tastefully designed interiors, a rich history, unique dining experiences, and, most of all, an A-list guest list.
All year, we've been clocking the coolest stays and earmarking the places where celebs and fashion people are checking in. Now that we've reached peak travel season, it's about time we review some of the buzziest and most Pinterest-worthy hotels of 2023 so far. Ahead, you'll find our edit of eight standout stays that boast guests such as Gigi Hadid, Dua Lipa, and fashion editors at Vogue and Harper's Bazaar. Consider this your download on the most exciting new and on-the-rise hotels of the year.
Palm Heights, Grand Cayman
Situated on the immaculate white sand of Seven Mile Beach on the island of Grand Cayman is one of the most glamorous destinations for the style set right now. Palm Heights, a 52-suite hotel and resort, is a magnet for A-listers, and its guest list reads more like the model call sheet for a Proenza Schouler show. Bella Hadid, Chloë Sevigny, and Emily Ratajkowski are all repeat visitors, though you won't find much evidence among the hotel's tagged Instagram photos. For its buzzy clientele, Palm Heights is not something to shout about, lest its secluded feel lose its luster. Founded by Gabriella Khalil in 2019, every last detail of the property is tastefully curated, down to the sunny-yellow striped loungers and interiors decorated in '60s and '70s mid-century style. The hotel boasts everything from a world-class spa and wellness programs curated by best-in-business trainers from Nike and Forma Pilates to its on-site boutique, Dolores, featuring collaborations with Christopher John Rodgers, Bode, Tekla, and more, making it a true destination for the fashion set.
What to Wear
Shop the matching Embellished Bikini Bottoms ($213).
Hotel Chelsea, New York
New York's iconic Hotel Chelsea is simply brimming history from every corner. Andy Warhol, Mark Twain, Bob Dylan, and Patti Smith are just a few of the artists and musicians who roamed its halls and gleaned inspiration from its Victorian Gothic architecture in the '60s and '70s. Despite its status as the city's cultural landmark, the hotel actually hadn't booked a single guest for the past decade. Now, a year after its highly-anticipating reopening by the team behind downtown favorite like The Ludlow and The Bowery, "the Chelsea" as many of its bohemian residents affectionally referred to it, is once again serving as the backdrop to the city's most fashionable creatives and noteworthy celebrities. Whether you stay in one of its suites lined with rich velvet draping or head to its sprawling lobby bar to sip on a martini, stepping into the space is confirmation that a certain old New York glamour is alive and well.
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Cali Mykonos, Greece
Set away from the nonstop nightlife that has earned Mykonos its party-island reputation is the immaculate Cali hotel, a serene antithesis to the rest of the island's bass-thumping beach clubs and already called one of the best new hotels in the world by Travel + Leisure and the best hotel for the fashion crowd by Vogue. The property is an assortment of sleek, minimalist suites nestled in an exclusive corner of the island and boasts a private beach just for guests. But perhaps the most photogenic of the hotel's endlessly Instagrammable corners is the dramatic cliff-top infinity pool and largest on the island.
"I've had the privilege of staying in some pretty spectacular accommodations during my editorial career, and it's not hyperbole when I say that my experience at Cali Mykonos was simply best-in-class" shares Victoria Hoff, a brand strategist and contributing writer and a former colleague of mine. "My room was outfitted with a private pool and outdoor shower that opened up to a jaw-dropping, panoramic view of the Aegean. The property is situated on a quiet cliffside, which was a nice respite from the party atmosphere of Mykonos (which was still accessible by a quick boat ride when the mood struck). Even the toiletries (by Naxos Apothecary) were to die for—I immediately ordered full-size bottles when I returned home."
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GoldenEye, Oracabessa Bay, Jamaica
The resort that was once home to James Bond author Ian Fleming now boasts a vacation experience fit for Bond himself. This is GoldenEye, a collection of beach huts and villas on a sprawling 25-acre property on Jamaica's famed north coast. Lipa and The Attico co-founder Gilda Ambrosio are among its star-studded guests already this year.
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Octavia Casa, Mexico City, Mexico
"Octavia Casa is extremely special," beams Who What Wear Editorial Director Lauren Eggertsen. "It's a peaceful oasis tucked away in the La Condesa region of Mexico City that has only 7 rooms which makes the entire stay feel very intimate. Octavia Casa originates from the Mexican clothing brand OCTAVIA, so taste is exuding from every corner of this minimally designed space. The hotel serves a stunning small breakfast every day in the lobby and drinks and snacks in the evening. You might be thinking this sounds like a bed and breakfast, but I can assure you the atmosphere here is much more refined and private than what you would expect, especially due to the size of the property. The staff is extremely friendly, the location could not be more idyllic, and your camera rolls will definitely thank you since every corner of this property is wildly photogenic."
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Forestis, Dolomites, Italy
"I recently went to the Dolomites in Northern Italy during the offseason," Monica Mendal, a contributing fashion, travel, and lifestyle editor at Vogue shared with Who What Wear. "High season is, of course, during the winter, as it's a popular ski region, but it's pretty spectacular to visit in late spring and summer. There are beautiful hikes and tons of scenic lakes, and there's a Michelin-starred restaurant and a winery at every turn, so you eat and drink exceptionally well. I stayed at the luxurious Forestis Dolomites, which was full of honeymooners (the spa is insane!), so I guess the secret's out now."
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Villa Mabrouka, Tangier, Morocco
Transformed from the private home of Yves Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Bergé as the final residence of the designer, Villa Mabrouka is undoubtedly one of the most exciting hotel openings of the year. Immersed in one of Tangier's largest and most enchanting gardens, the intimate 12-room estate is a haven of tranquillity and calm. It's located in a beautiful 1940s modernist house, offering sweeping views of verdant green, blue sky and glittering sea from every turn.
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Parco dei Sesi, Pantelleria, Italy
Although Sicily is experiencing a spike in international buzz this year, its neighboring island to its south, the volcanic and Tunisian-influenced Pantelleria, has managed to remain an insider destination that stylish Italians keep all to themselves. When they opened boutique hotel Parco dei Sesi, owners Margot and Massimiliano wanted to imbue the pillars of slow living that define the island into their space which is also home to an organic farm and an artist residency. The result is a 13-bedroom stay that TikTok describes as "rugged but luxurious" and where you can easily abandon your grasp on time and reality while you take in the panoramic views of the Mediterranean and north Africa.
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Next: I Visited These 5 Chic Destinations in the Past Year—Here's What to Do and Pack
