The Best 2024 Southern Europe Luxury Openings

Jack Ezon is the Founder and CEO of Embark Beyond, a Virtuoso luxury travel agency specializing in customized itineraries and special event hotels, resorts, and private island takeovers.

After joining DG Amazing Experiences for the best new hotel openings in Northern Europe, Asia-Pacific, Mexico and the Caribbean, and the U.S., Ezon is back to give us his top 16 openings in Southern Europe, including properties in France, Greece, Italy, and more.

1. Arev Saint Tropez (France)
2. One&Only Kéa Island (Greece)
3. Gundari Resort (Greece)
4. Santo Mine Oia (Greece)
5. Phaea Crete (Greece)
6. Manna (Greece)
7. JK Place Milan (Italy)
8. Romeo (Italy)
9. Auberge Collegio Alla Querce (Italy)
10. Casa Maitó Beach (Italy)
11. Siro Boka Place (Montenegro)
12. Viceroy at Ombria Algarve (Portugal)
13. Mandarin Oriental Punta Negra (Spain)
14. Four Seasons Mallorca (Spain)
15. The Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel (Spain)
16. Oku Andalusia (Spain)

1. Arev Saint Tropez (France)

This colorful new 24-room hotel is just a five-minute walk from the center of Saint Tropez village. Done up in bright, somewhat flamboyant nautical style, the Arev will feature a revival of The Strand restaurant. Meant to feel like a seaside villa, Arev offers revelers in St. Tropez what JK offers guests in Capri: a boutique experience with friendly service in a unique setting.

2. One&Only Kéa Island (Greece)

This colorful new 24-room hotel is just a five-minute walk from the center of Saint Tropez village. Done up in bright, somewhat flamboyant nautical style, the Arev will feature a revival of The Strand restaurant. Meant to feel like a seaside villa, Arev offers revelers in St. Tropez what JK offers guests in Capri: a boutique experience with friendly service in a unique setting.

3. Gundari Resort (Greece)

Set on the stark desert island of Folegandros, Gundari is a raw luxury resort embracing the dramatic desert tones of the island. Located one hour by boat or 10 minutes by helicopter from Santorini, the island has only 600 permanent residents and is wild and rugged, with soaring cliffs overlooking the Aegean. The 27 suites and villas are done up in a simple, sterile, earth-tone style in line with their surroundings, and they are the ideal place to connect with nature and disconnect with the rest of the world.

4. Santo Mine Oia (Greece)

Done in a Mid-Century modern style, this Santorini boutique resort of 37 rooms offers a usually colorful and eclectic option in the normally whitewashed Oia hotel scene. Each suite has its private pool or jacuzzi, and while it offers sunset views, it does not overlook the famous Caldera. Guests of The Villas by Santo Collection have access to their concierge service to organize private chefs, spa services, and exclusive excursions such as private yacht and helicopter tours. 

5. Phaea Crete (Greece)

With 47 bungalows, each with private pools, this resort is nestled on the sloped mountainside in Elounda, overlooking the dramatic island of Kalydon. Formerly the southern wing of the Blue Palace, Phaea now offers a highly personalized and private experience with beach access via funicular.

6. Manna (Greece)

A unique wellness retreat high in the Peloponnese mountains, this 32-room wellness and farm retreat includes mushroom hunting in the forest, canoeing in the river, mountain biking, or even horseback riding among the ancient fir trees.

7. JK Place Milan (Italy)

Michaele Bonan designs the new 38-room JK Place Milan in the heart of the city’s fashion district. The boutique hotel is set in the former Versace headquarters and includes a fitness center, small spa, and restaurant.

8. Romeo (Italy)

Located steps from the famed Piazza del Popolo in Rome, the Romeo will be the only centrally located hotel in Rome to have two outdoor pools. Set in a 16th-century palazzo, the hotel will have just 74 stunning rooms in a contemporary fusion of classic and modern art and design. It will also feature Il Ristorante Alain Ducasse with a 22,000-square-foot open-air courtyard called Il Cortile.

9. Auberge Collegio Alla Querce (Italy)

Florence’s former cultural institution and boarding school, the luxury hotel from Auberge, will encompass three adjacent 16th-century buildings, including an original chapel and theatre. It will offer 82 rooms, including 20 suites and a 2,250-square-foot signature suite. Amenities include an outdoor pool, wine tasting room, spa, and fitness center.

10. Casa Maitó Beach (Italy)

A new six-suite hotel in Forte in front of Casa Maitó Beach Club is ideal for people looking for an upscale hideaway in the buzzy local Italian beach town.

11. Siro Boka Place (Montenegro)

One&Only’s new sister brand, which opens near the Regent in Porto Montenegro, will focus on active and wellness experiences. The resort will feature an intensive fitness lab, boot camp workouts, intense biking or hiking experiences in nearby Durmitor National Park, and sailing courses along the bay.

12. Viceroy at Ombria Algarve (Portugal)

A modern golf resort community with 76 spacious rooms and suites, plus 65 residences, the Viceroy is ideal for golfers: an 18-hole on-site golf course and a sprawling spa, all about 10 minutes to the sea.  

13. Mandarin Oriental Punta Negra (Spain)

Mandarin Oriental comes to Mallorca with a sprawling resort with 131 rooms on a small rocky peninsula overlooking the sea (though no private beach) about 10 minutes from Palma, next door to the current St. Regis.

14. Four Seasons Mallorca (Spain)

Another banner property that enters Mallorca with the Four Seasons is a total makeover of a 110-room resort on the spectacular Formentor Peninsula in a posh enclave about one hour from Palma. The resort will have access to a beautiful beach, an estate vineyard, and extensive culinary experiences.

15. The Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel (Spain)

The Palace in Madrid will be relaunched as a Luxury Collection Hotel after a multi-million-dollar full-scale renovation across all guestrooms, public spaces, and food and beverage outlets led by renowned interior designer Lázaro Rosa-Violán. Located adjacent to the Prado, across from the Mandarin Oriental, it features one of the most desirable locations in the city.

16. Oku Andalusia (Spain)

A barefoot luxury hideaway, Oku will be a new beachfront resort on a secluded stretch of white sandy shores about one hour from Marbella (25 minutes from Finca Cortesin), just outside of Gibraltar. The property will offer a mix of swim-up suites, penthouse rooms with expansive terraces, and two-bedroom suites for families. The resort will have a contemporary, boho-chic, minimalistic style ideal for a more tranquil, remote resort option with a large spa and an oceanside adults-only beach club.