Today, I’d like to share the travel plans I’m most looking forward to making in 2023. Martin Luther King Jr. said it best: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.” This is a powerful reminder to keep in mind in these trying and divisive times.
Only love can conquer hatred, so let’s spread some of that around, shall we? Looking back on my favorite trips of 202, I reflected on the year’s end. But now that 2023 has arrived, I can look ahead and tell you about the 10 amazing trips I have planned for the upcoming year and can’t wait to tell you about in my Wednesday blog posts.
Please use the space below to give me feedback on my upcoming travels and any advice you may have.
WEEKEND AT THE RENOWNED ADLON HOTEL IN BERLIN, NO. 10
In the spring of 2023, I plan to visit Berlin, Germany, to see Damien Rice, a musician whose music I greatly admire, perform live. In honor of the event, I’ve booked a room at Berlin’s historic Hotel Adlon Kempinski. One of Europe’s most renowned hotels once stood where the current Hotel Adlon stands.
It first opened in 1907, but by the end of World War II in 1945, it had been reduced to rubble, save for a small section that stayed open until 1984. The current hotel opened in 1997 and was modeled after the historic structure.
The Kempinski-managed hotel’s prime location at Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate ensures that it has remained the country’s most desirable address ever since it reopened. The hotel has 307 guest rooms, including 78 suites, and two restaurants: the two-Michelin-star Lorenz Adlon Esszimmer and the one-Michelin-star Quarré, serving traditional fare from around the country and the world. (While in town, I’ll be dining at both establishments.)
9. UNITED AIRLINES’ POLARIS BUSINESS CLASS
Formerly a United Airlines passenger, I now prefer Delta’s Delta One suite for transatlantic flights (which I reviewed here).
While I’ve flown United’s Boeing 777s and Dreamliners a dozen times, I’ve never had the opportunity to experience the airline’s new Polaris Business Class seats.
In 2020, 2021, and 2022, I was scheduled to fly to New York on a United Boeing 787-10 with the new Polaris seats, but those flights were canceled due to the COVID19 pandemic. In the near future, I will be flying to San Francisco on United’s flagship B777-300ER, outfitted with the airline’s “new” Polaris service. Polaris is marketed as a “reimagined, sleep-enhancing, departure-to-landing experience,” fitting for a product named after the North Star. Each suite-like pod has a “do not disturb” sign, mood lighting, one-touch lumbar support, multiple storage areas, an HD entertainment screen, direct aisle access, a 180-degree flat-bed recline, and electronic privacy dividers.
8. RESERVING A ROOM AT THE RENOWNED BURJ AL ARAB HOTEL IN DUBAI
In 2023, I plan to visit Dubai, and while there I intend to stay at the Burj Al Arab, the flagship property of the Jumeirah Hotel Group and, according to its own website, the most luxurious hotel in the world.
Even though I have my doubts about the hotel’s value, I have always been fascinated by its reputation and the unique sail-shaped silhouette it presents in the middle of the Arabian Gulf as a symbol of contemporary Dubai.
The hotel’s website boasts that guests staying at the Burj Al Arab can relax in “spa-like bathrooms with Jacuzzi, mosaic floor, and full-size Hermes products” and “oversized suite-only accommodations” on separate floors connected by a marble staircase.
The hotel has two pools, a restaurant, and a bar on its recently opened North Deck, an artificial outdoor area. I can’t wait to keep track of my time here and provide you with a detailed report.
7. EXPERIMENTING WITH The NEW Business Class Suite on British Airways
The airline’s Business Class product and mediocre service were quickly outclassed by some of its competitors, despite British Airways having introduced the first fully lie-flat seat and an innovative “Ying/Yang” seat plan to the world two decades ago.
However, British Airways has made great strides in recent years to improve its onboard experience, which now rivals the best in the skies thanks to better catering (from DO&CO), excellent bedding, and stylish amenity kits.
A new suite concept was introduced in 2019 on the airline’s A350 planes and some refurbished B777 aircraft, providing passengers with direct-aisle access, a suite door for increased privacy, luxurious flat-bed seats in a 1-2-1 configuration, 18.5-inch entertainment screens, and 40% more storage space per seat.
After having my flights on British Airways’ A350 to and from the Maldives both in 2021 and 2022 canceled due to a pandemic, I am looking forward to experiencing the airline’s suite product for the first time in 2023.
6. Aman’s Caribbean and New York trip
The fact that I am a serious “Amanjunkie” is not hidden from anyone (in addition to being a Soneva addict). With 34 ultra-luxurious hotels and resorts in 21 different countries, Aman has earned the reputation as the most prestigious hotel chain in the world.
In 2023, I intend to visit not one but two different Aman resorts. My first stop will be in the Dominican Republic at the Amanera outpost. The resort, which is situated along Playa Grande and boasts 25 individual Casitas, each with a spacious terrace and a view of the ocean, as well as a private garden and a biodiverse roof, is the first fully integrated Aman Golf Course.
Flying in from the DR, I plan to spend my time in New York at the recently opened Aman New York, located in the Crown Building on Fifth Avenue and offering stunning views of Central Park. The Aman group has finally brought the tranquility suggested by the Sanskrit origins of the name Aman to the heart of Manhattan, with 83 suites and 22 residences.
5. A RETURN VISIT TO CAPE TOWN, MY ALL-TIME FAVORITE CITY
While exploring the globe in the 1580s, Sir Francis Drake remarked, “This cape is the most stately thing we saw in the whole circumference of the earth.” This was the Cape Peninsula. Almost 500 years later, the area is home to one of the world’s most beautiful cities, Cape Town, thanks to the area’s breathtaking coastal and mountainous scenery (Kaapstad in Afrikaans and Ikapa in Xhosa).
The city’s multicultural character can be traced back to many different people and events, including the indigenous Khoi and San peoples, local African tribes, European explorers, slaves from Malaysia, Indonesia, Madagascar, and Mozambique, and the transition from apartheid to democratic freedoms.
Hence, the city is called the Mother City. It’s hard to imagine a more picture-perfect city destination (and, frankly, you won’t find a better one) than this one, which is endowed with fabulous beaches, beautiful mountains, world-famous vineyards, and a plethora of hip bars and fine dining restaurants. While in Cape Town, I will be staying at a few of the city’s many five-star establishments, including the One&Only Cape Town, the Silo Hotel, and the Mount Nelson, a Belmond Hotel.
4. UNwinding in Mauritius
Mauritius, an idyllic island to the east of Madagascar, is home to pristine beaches and crystal clear waters, as well as a fascinating blend of European, African, and Asian cultures. It is one of the top four islands in the Indian Ocean for a relaxing tropical vacation (the other three being the Maldives, Zanzibar and the Seychelles).
Famous early visitors like Charles Darwin, Ernest Hemingway, and Mark Twain were drawn to the island because of its abundance of verdant vegetation, diverse wildlife, friendly locals, and azure lagoons. The island’s diverse landscape and natural beauty on land and sea continue to enchant visitors today, just as they did for many of these explorers.
The island of Mauritius is home to some of the world’s most opulent hotels, and I plan to experience four of them over the course of my trip: the One&Only Le Saint Géran, the Four Seasons Resort Mauritius at Anahita, the Oberoi Beach Resort Mauritius, and the Shangri-La Le Touessrok.
3. Traveling through the American Southwest by Car
The American Southwest is where I want to go on vacation next fall, so I’ll be hitting the road (Arizona, Utah and Nevada). The plan is to travel to the Colorado Plateau and check out some of the most famous national parks there. I’ll be staying at a few different five-star establishments along the way, including a couple that look particularly interesting.
Ambiente, a Landscape Hotel is one such establishment; it’s a brand-new building made to look like it belongs among the mysterious red rocks of Sedona, Arizona. Guest rooms at Ambiente are housed in one of forty cube-shaped atriums, each of which is supported by steel pillars and outfitted with floor-to-ceiling bronze-tinted glass, matte-charcoal and rusted metal, and other modern conveniences (the photos look stunning).
Amangiri, the legendary Aman resort in a secluded valley with panoramic views of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, is the second place I plan to stay. The breathtakingly beautiful resort, centered on a pool with breathtaking vistas, is harmoniously integrated into the dramatic landscape of deep canyons and towering plateaus. Camp Sarika, Amangiri’s upscale ‘glamping’ site, is connected to the main resort.
2. Having a great time in the Maldives
The Maldives is one of my top picks for a tropical vacation because of its luxurious overwater hotels, powdery white sand beaches, and breathtaking marine life. Located in the southwestern part of the Indian Ocean, the archipelago consists of 1192 coral islands and sandbanks (200 inhabited islands and 100 islands with tourist resorts).
These islands are the exposed peaks of an underwater volcanic mountain range that drops to depths of more than 3 kilometers at its outer edge (10,000 ft). Magnificent beaches and incredibly beautiful lagoons surround the tiny islands, which are bathed in crystalline waters and protected by reef structures.
Each resort in the Maldives is situated on its own idyllic tropical island, and all of the top hotel chains in the world compete to provide their guests with the most extravagant amenities and services. While I plan to return to Soneva Fushi and Soneva Jani in 2024, I’m excited to try out the brand-new Patina Maldives, The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Alila Kothaifaru Maldives, InterContinental Maamunagau Maldives, and Joali Being on my upcoming trip in 2023.
1. ANTARCTIC ADVENTURES
For as long as I can remember, Antarctica has been a must-see destination of mine. The traditional way to see Antarctica is on a cruise ship leaving from Ushuaia in Argentina, a trip that can take anywhere from two to four days (depending on the weather and sea conditions) and is restricted to the Antarctic Peninsula’s coast.
But in recent years, there has been another option for visiting Antarctica, and I’ll be taking advantage of it myself on a trip with White Desert Antarctica that departs from Cape Town, South Africa. White Desert Antarctica was founded in 2005 by world-record holding polar explorers and is the only company in the world to offer private jet travel from Cape Town into the heart of the Great White Continent.
In addition to its expeditions to see emperor penguins and the Geographic South Pole, White Desert Antarctica also runs the only three luxury eco-camps on the continent (Echo, Whichaway, and Wolf’s Fang), where guests can engage in activities like mountain climbing, yoga, and explorations of ice tunnels without sacrificing their environmental ethos.
The small group size (no more than 12 people) allows for a truly personalized journey that can be “as relaxed or as adrenaline-fueled as you wish.”
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