It’s time to think about travels for the year 2024. Will we return to our old favorites? Or will we try something new? Will we venture to places we never imagined, just to stay at a new hotel whose appearance we love? CNN has selected the most «sexy» hotels worth visiting in 2024.
Anantara Mina Al Arab Ras Al Khaimah Resort (UAE)
The hotel will open in January on the shores of the Persian Gulf, less than an hour’s drive from Dubai in the northernmost emirate of Ras Al Khaimah on the border with Oman. It focuses on natural and adventure tourism, distributing visitors between mountains, deserts, and beaches. Despite its proximity to civilization, it is located in a mangrove lagoon surrounded by protected wetlands where turtles, dolphins, and flamingos frolic. Its 174 rooms are adorned with recycled fabrics and plastics, as well as environmentally friendly wood, and the overwater villas are the first in the emirate.
Cost: From $525
One&Only Za’abeel (UAE)
At the third resort of One&Only in Dubai, which opened its doors on January 5th, there are no fewer than six Michelin-starred chefs working in 11 restaurants, as well as the longest landscaped pool in the UAE.
The «vertical urban resort» is part of One Zaabeel, a complex of twin towers, two skyscrapers of which are connected by a glass corridor 320 feet above the ground. One&Only calls this corridor the «boulevard of the future,» filled with a bar, Michelin-starred restaurants, and a rooftop pool with olive trees for shade.
As for the rooms, they are bright and sunny thanks to the glass walls that let in the Dubai sun, colorful drapes around the beds, and carpets skillfully scattered on the floor.
Cost: From $470.
Romeo Roma (Rome, Italy)
Opening in spring, «Romeo Roma» is one of the last projects of the star architect Zaha Hadid before her death in 2016. It is located near Piazza del Popolo in Rome, in a palace built in the 17th century, and combines Hadid’s signature touches, such as the fluid-like staircase and furniture flying like mercury, with original frescoes and Italian marble weaving.
Gundari (Folegandros, Greece)
The hotel, with just 25 luxury suites, is located within a natural reserve teeming with birds. Forget about the dazzling whiteness of traditional Greek island hotels — this one creates a more international atmosphere: plaster-colored walls, characteristic bed headboards, abundance of local wood and stone, as well as private landscaped pools overlooking the Aegean Sea. There’s a cocktail bar at the edge of the cliffside pool, a wine bar, and an underground spa center carved into the rocks, blending ancient Greek traditions with island herbs.
Cost: From $554.
The Residence Douz (Tunisia)
Fifty whitewashed villas with flat roofs are spread around the area amidst palm trees, their décor inspired by local traditions: minimalist canopies with wooden frames, brass lantern-shaped lamps, leather sofas, and simple wooden chairs. There are two restaurants (or they can arrange a private dinner in the desert upon request), as well as a hammam and spa in case lazing around in the desert becomes too hard. We recommend exploring the surroundings — by jeep, quad bike, or camel — including the salt lake and desert hot springs. The semi-underground cave dwellings of Matmata are within a day’s drive, as is Tozeur, known for its handmade carpets.
Cost: From $313