The art of extraordinary: Redefining luxury in the modern age

Luxury today is less about excess and more about essence – meaning, connection and design that feels rooted in place. From rewilded resorts to design-led voyages and culinary storytelling, these destinations and brands reveal what modern luxury truly looks like

This feature highlights several of the properties, restaurants, cruise lines and operators who are finalists the 2025 Luxury Travel Gold List Awards. Each has been chosen by an esteemed panel of judges for their leadership in progressive design, luxury service and sustainability practices.

A new language of luxury

For decades, luxury was measured by scale: the biggest suites, the longest wine lists, the most exclusive locations. But as travel matures, so too does its meaning. The world’s most visionary hotels and brands are reimagining indulgence as something quieter – an experience of belonging, of purpose, of transformation.

On the volcanic shores of Sumba, Cap Karoso redefines sustainable island living through local craftsmanship and community-led design. In Bali, Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve blends Balinese healing traditions with a deep environmental ethos, while Six Senses Fiji operates on renewable energy and reef restoration. These resorts show that environmental sensitivity can sit comfortably beside exquisite architecture and service.

Where design tells a story

Across Australasia, design itself has become a form of narrative. In Sydney, Capella Sydney and The EVE Hotel embody the city’s architectural evolution – an aesthetic that honours local heritage with a residential-inspired, contemporary sensibility. COMO The Treasury in Perth and The Ritz-Carlton, Perth continue to set the benchmark for urban calm, while W Melbourne and W Sydney inject the brand’s signature playful edge into city luxury.

These hotels are increasingly bold in their design choices, favouring a distinct aesthetic that reflects their brand over the safe, inoffensive beige design templates of previous decades – now left firmly in the past. The adoption of design-led spaces by major hospitality groups, once reserved for independent and boutique hotels, speaks to the growing expectation among travellers for spaces that lean boldly into design to tell a story and leave a lasting impression. 

Journeys with meaning

The art of extraordinary isn’t confined to resorts. On the rivers of Southeast Asia, boutique cruise line Aqua Expeditions blends adventure with design-led intimacy, while luxury hotel brands have ventured onto the water to bring hotel-level refinement to the high seas with launches like Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, Four Seasons Yachts and Aman yachts. Back on dry land, explorers can trace cultural stories through Walk into Luxury in Western Australia or connect to place with Wintjiri Wiru at Uluru – experiences that prioritise connection over consumption, prioritising journeys with meaning that stay with you long after arriving home.

Flavour and feeling

Culinary creativity is also now part of luxury’s vocabulary. At Warabi in Melbourne and Mi Xun Teahouse in Chengdu, dining becomes cultural storytelling; at Sugarloaf at Flockhill, a remote New Zealand estate, the landscape itself shapes the plate. Even aboard ships such as Explora Journeys, menus trace oceans through flavour, underscoring that the truest indulgence is authenticity.

CAST YOUR VOTE

Reader voting is now open. Explore the world’s most extraordinary hotels, cruise lines, tours and experiences in the 2025 Gold List Awards shortlist and cast your vote here.