Travel + Leisure Named Five Mass. Hotels Some of the Best in the World

Five new hotels from Martha’s Vineyard to the Berkshires landed a spot on the 2021 list.


The Edgartown Inn on Martha’s Vineyard / Photo by Read McKendree

It’s been an especially trying year for the hospitality industry. Non-essential travel virtually stopped for a few months at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and tourism is only now starting to bounce back. But despite the difficulties, new hotels have continued to pop up everywhere. Accordingly, the travel experts at Travel + Leisure have released the magazine’s annual “It List” of the best new hotels in the world, and five Massachusetts properties (yes, five) have earned themselves coveted spots.

Out of the 73 new hotels awarded the publication’s honor of “best in the world” in 2021, Massachusetts can proudly boast that it’s home to a good handful of them.

The publication included the Edgartown Inn and Harbor View Hotel on Martha’s Vineyard, Life House on Nantucket, the Newbury in Boston, and Miraval Berkshires in Lenox on its list. However, the list isn’t in ranked order—because let’s face it, you can’t go wrong with any of these dazzling spots.

The Edgartown Inn, owned by luxury boutique hotel company Lark Hotels, is a remodeled classical coastal captain’s home. T+L notes the farmhouse and flower garden-inspired design as one of the hotel’s most enticing details, as well as each stay’s amenities like beach bags, sand chairs, and complimentary daily breakfasts. The Harbor View Hotel, also in Edgartown, has been an island favorite for over 130 years, but a recent $15-million renovation qualifies the hotel as “new.” The historic building’s chic, contemporary update and breathtaking views of Edgartown Harbor aren’t something you want to miss.

One island over on Nantucket, Life House is another renovated captain’s home. The home was built circa 1833, but thanks to some updates, T+L’s “It List” points to the beautifully designed, tropical-like details at the boutique hotel, including a lush garden sanctuary and flora-filled guest rooms.

Back in Boston (at the former home of the Ritz-Carlton), The Newbury‘s “top-to-toe” renovation offers contemporary design for a new generation of guests. Plus, it boasts some of the best views of Boston around.

Last, but certainty not least, Miraval Berkshires also landed a spot on the publication’s “It List.” The adults-only wellness retreat—with almost 400 acres of land, ample booze, and active wellness experiences—is “more summer camp than boot camp,” according to T+L. Although on the pricier end, it’s all-inclusive stays warrant a spot amongst the best new hotels in the world.

After traveling to 29 countries in search of the best vacation properties in the world, the team at Travel + Leisure found Massachusetts deserving of five prized spots on their 2021 list (and rightfully so). Although MA has made it on the list before (a Somerville Hotel was named one of the best two years ago), this year we cleaned up.

By our standards, this means we have bragging rights for the foreseeable future.