Melissa Hoyer
Travel + Leisure has just unveiled its coveted 2025 It List — the definitive guide to the 100 best new hotels in the world, handpicked by editors and reporters after firsthand stays.
And Basq House Byron Bay has earned a spot, one of just three Australian hotels to make the cut — a major nod to the boutique newcomer’s growing international profile. And by the look of it it is complete heaven – Fusion of total comfort and eclecticism. That is perfect when you are in a travel state of mind.
As soon as I saw the images and the vibe: I knew exactly it was the kind of hotel that had me written all over. (!) Which makes me ponder… I must get there one day.
This is global recognition reserved for properties that set new benchmarks in design, hospitality, and guest experience.
Opening in April 2024 in the heart of Byron Bay, the 32-room hideaway blends a Moroccan-inspired aesthetic with a distinctly local soul, offering a serene sanctuary complete with a magnesium pool, speakeasy-style lounge, and newly launched Scandinavian-style bathhouse.
Making the It List signals more than just buzz — it places the elective Basq House in the company of the world’s most remarkable stays. The It List is featured in the magazine’s May 2025 Hotels Issue.
Basq House, the new boutique hotel redefining coastal luxury in Byron Bay, has been named on Travel + Leisure’s prestigious 2025 It List of the 100 Best New Hotels in the World.
Featured in the magazine’s May 2025 Hotels Issue, Basq House is one of only three Australian properties to receive this global recognition.
Travel + Leisure’s annual It List spotlights the most exceptional new and renovated hotels worldwide, chosen by the magazine’s editors and reporters based on firsthand stays. Each hotel on the list has made a memorable impression for outstanding hospitality, design, and guest experience.
David Jones, Director at Jones & Jones, the hotel’s operators, said “From the very beginning, we knew Basq House was something special — a property that would capture the spirit of Byron Bay while offering a world-class guest experience.
Being named to Travel + Leisure’s It List is a proud moment for the entire team, and a testament to the passion and care that has gone into every detail.”
Located in idyllic Byron Bay on Bundjalung Country, the 32-room boutique hotel is a discrete haven for travellers in the heart of Byron’s village centre, offering guests an oasis of calm and sophistication, and a hotel from where you can explore the vibrant restaurant scene, renowned beach-culture and bucolichinterland.
Designed to feel like a welcoming home-away-from-home, BasqHouse was developed by Melbourne-based friends Matt Walsh and Shane Wilkinson, who enlisted StudioFab’s Matt Dalby for the architectural design and local interior designer Léo Terrando to create its richly textured interiors.
Inspired by the grandeur of Moroccan riads, many of the rooms overlook a temperature-controlled magnesium pool, offering a contemporary sanctuary. The property embraces a distinct indoor-outdoor aesthetic, free-flowing communal spaces — including a speakeasy-style Lounge Room and an intimate Library.
In April 2025, Navia Bathhouse launched in the development,expanding Basq House’s wellness offering. The Scandinavian-inspired sanctuary features a Finnish sauna, hot pools, cold plunges, and serene relaxation areas. A new meeting room has also been added, catering to guests seeking a stylish venue for private events or work retreats.
For booking and more details visit https://basqhouse.com.au/ Get thee to the Basq!
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