Every day at AFAR, we think deeply about what makes a hotel experience truly extraordinary. The hotels we love don’t just wow us with their outstanding locations, design, and service. They’re continually looking to reduce their carbon footprint, benefit communities in meaningful ways, and connect guests to biodiverse landscapes. We showcase these values each year on our Stay List, AFAR’s compendium of the world’s best new hotels. The 15 properties featured in the following pages—vetted by our trusted network of editors, writers, and travel advisors—range from an idyllic farm retreat in upstate New York to a palatial, locally run hotel on Italy’s Lake Como. With choices like these, which will you book first? —JENNIFER FLOWERS
Tanzania
andBEYOND GRUMETI
SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK
The andBeyond Grumeti Serengeti River Lodge reemerged in 2022 after a stem-to-stern renovation and a mindful rethink: Its 10 rebuilt canvas-walled rooms feature sustainably sourced local hardwood and regional fabrics, and the property now runs on 80 percent renewable energy. It sits by a seasonal hippo pool where lions frequently come to drink and is near a major river crossing for the Great Migration of wildebeests. But viewing wildlife from a safari vehicle isn’t the only activity—staff-led experiences bring guests deeper into nature in unexpected ways. That
