That’s why we here at T+L spend months obsessively tracking new openings and major overhauls, consulting our trusted network of travel pros and jet-setting writers, and traversing the globe in search of the most memorable, game-changing hotels of the year for our annual It List.

This year, our guide to the essential openings (and re openings) of the past year took us to 32 countries in pursuit of the unforgettable. Over the course of 2019, T+L writers and editors have trekked to a remote West Texas escape that feels like a supersize Donald Judd sculpture, hooked trout at a fly-fishing retreat in remote Patagonia, and soaked in the spring-fed baths of a Taiwan resort until their fingers went pruney — tough work, but we’re just that committed to the cause. This isn’t merely a list of the most high-end resorts, nor is it a who’s-who of major hotel chains, though you’ll find both splurgey stays and familiar brands in the mix. Instead, we’ve aimed to showcase the properties that are at the top of their game and adding something new to the conversation, whether they’re century-old stalwarts fresh off a major reno or intimate family-run boutiques that hit the sweet spot between hotel hospitality and vacation-rental hominess.

Ahead, you’ll find a stay for every style and mood. There’s a Loire Valley château, reborn as a grande dame for the modern era. A sleek beach retreat in Asbury Park challenges the notion that the Jersey Shore is merely a regional summer hang for the tri-state area, and in Queens, the converted TWA terminal has thrown down the gauntlet for airport hotels the world over. We’ve got end-of-the-world escapes in Bolivia and Namibia, chic city hotels in Cape Town and the UAE, and wellness resorts that will suit both hardcore health nuts and the merely spa-curious. Read on for all 72 properties on the 2020 It List — your next vacation spot awaits.

View the full list here.