A modern Mediterranean summer has long meant white, glassy beach homes, all sleek lines, and glitz that could appear anywhere (is this Mykonos or Los Cabos or Phuket?). But this season the hottest arrivals on the coast boast design philosophies that offer a deep sense of place by centering local craft histories and heritage materials. From an old Malta palazzo turned boutique bolt-hole to a hotel that encompasses an entire island on the French Riviera, these openings demonstrate hospitality’s growing investment in architectural preservation and, in the age of artificial intelligence, human-made artisanship as the ultimate luxury. Check in to one of these debuts and you’ll discover a love of the local community and a respect for history woven into every linen blanket, fired into every charming ceramic mug, and carved into every antique door and slab of limestone.
Casa Bonavita, Malta
Opened in May, this escape is the brainchild of Christopher and Suzanne Sharp, the founders of The Rug Company. She was born on the island, they bought the 18th-century palazzo together in 2010, and he spent the years since filling the gardens with jasmine and bougainvillea. In the way that Malta has long lived at the crossroads of Europe, so too does the characterful 17-room property. Hand-painted pottery from nearby ceramics studio Villa Bologna (owned by Sharp scion Sophie) share rooms with Sicilian marble tables and glass fixtures from Murano.
Don’t miss: Antique embroidered Maltese linens, sourced over the years from local artisans and family homes, used throughout the property
