Bryon Bay hospitality group Raes is expanding its footprint, forging a new partnership with property developer Podia to launch a new luxury development in the Northern NSW coastal town.

Waldorf Astoria Cancun, a 173-key luxury resort set among the verdant mangroves of the Yucatan Peninsula offering panoramic ocean views and world-class dining, has opened as the first Waldorf Astoria hotel in the Mexican Caribbean and second Mexico. 

The Ritz-Carlton, Melbourne has named Executive Chef Michael Greenlaw, in partnership with Culinary Advisor, Mark Best, will lead the brand-new luxury hotel’s culinary team. Both have a shared vision to deliver hyper-local, innovative and inspiring cuisine.

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has inked a deal for its third property in Vietnam. Mandarin Oriental, Bai Nom will comprise a new resort with branded residences in the Phu Yen province, one of Vietnam’s coastal regions.

Marriott International has taken further steps to ramp up its luxury All-Inclusive by Marriott Bonvoy platform in Mexico, signing three new resorts with AB Living Group.

Crete is a fantastic choice for a family holiday. While almost every corner of the island is suitable for families, if it’s a combination of authenticity and luxury you are looking for then Blue Palace, a Luxury Collection Resort located at Elounda, tops the list.

It’s reckoned about 8,000 Australians play croquet these days. Partly thanks to the 30-year old Australian Croquet Association ACA, which launched its new ACA Academy in 2020, is more and more becoming an all-ages sport. Many youngsters, indeed, will be practising hard for the Under-21 Golf Croquet World Championship, scheduled for 8-12 February 2023 at New Zealand’s Mount Maunganui. This is the time, indeed, for Asia Pacific to show it can get through those hoops.

Nobu Hospitality and the UAE’s Aldar Properties have confirmed plans to create the 5-star Nobu Hotel, Restaurant, and Residences in Abu Dhabi.

Capella Hotels and Resorts is partnering with The Bentley Group on the landmark Brasserie 1930 restaurant set within Capella Sydney, preparing to launch in March 2023.

The ultra-luxury Raffles Doha and luxury Fairmont Doha – which herald the entry of the aspirational Raffles Hotels & Resorts and Fairmont Hotels & Resorts brands to Qatar – have opened exclusively to FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ guests and the VIP delegation.

Borgo Santandrea has been open for less than a year and has already taken out a string of awards during its first season. From National Geographic Traveller, Condé Nast Traveller and Monocle in the UK, to Travel + Leisure and Hospitality Design in the US, this addition to the fabled Amalfi Coast has wowed guests and judges alike in 2022, but already plans are underway to further enhance the guest experience in 2023.

Israel’s Negev Desert might not be as big as the 348,750 sq km Great Victoria Desert but even at a mere 13,000 sq km it deserves to be taken seriously – as does its premier resort, Six Senses Shaharut. It’s a unique oasis, four hours’ drive south of Tel Aviv. In a 360-degree empty panorama, palest pink with uninterrupted blue sky over. You’re emotionally lost in another world even before you arrive.