Courtesy of Few & Far Luvhondo
Well, 2024 was quite a year for five-star hotels. Take London, which was a clear hotspot (and will continue to be, for some time): Mandarin Oriental opened its second spot in the capital, barely minutes in a limo from its existing Knightsbridge perch, while Maybourne’s soon-to-be aggressive expansion was teed up by the arrival of the sleek Emory. Rival the Dorchester Collection counterpunched with its equally modern Lana hotel in Dubai, and Malta’s Corinthia hotel group jostled for similar prominence with the first of its high-profile new sites, a complete overhaul of New York City’s Surrey.
But even in lesser trafficked spots, there were noteworthy debuts: takeOdera on Tinos, the hotel we teased would transform that lesser known Cycladic island—and were the first to visit when it did last summer.
Likewise, we were thrilled to see that Bom Bom, the latest addition to the roster of eco-minded hotels that billionaire Mark Shuttleworth’s deploying as part of his efforts to bolster the economy of Sao Tomé and Principe finally reopened too after we teased its re-emergence a couple years earlier.
But there’s plenty more to be excited about for 2025, and we’ve scoured the globe again for the most noteworthy new openings earmarked for this calendar year. There’s everything from the rebirth of an Italian classic with new, souped-up amenities to a gut renovation of a banner spa spot in Germany, plus a new lease of life on America’s former embassy in London, that modernist masterpiece from Eero Saarinen. In France, come thirsty as there’s a great new spot in an underserved wine region and One&Only, that benchmark for luxe worldwide, will make its foray stateside in an unexpected location (though one that’s a typically canny choice).
Get ready to start planning out the next 12 months of globe-trotting now, and pass along the list to your travel agent as a cheat sheet where to see and be seen in 2025.
-
Aman Rosa Alpina
Image Credit: Courtesy of Aman Location: Dolomites, Italy
Expected launch: Q2
Rates: TBARosa Alpina has been a fixture of the social circuit here since it opened in the heart of the Dolomites in 1939. The Pizznini family, who run the spot, decided to bring in a new partner to help bolster its luxury bona fides; they chose Aman. In turn Aman, tapped their go-to designer, Jean Michel Gathy, to mastermind the project (he was also behind the creation of Aman New York out of the historic Crown Building). One particular focus: space, with the key count reducing to 50 to allow for larger rooms—though the best of all remains its Chalet Zeno, the completely private, six-person 3,000 sq foot hideout. Come here in winter for access to almost 750 miles of slopes, and in summer to hike, bike or climb the mountain terrain.
-
Brenner’s Park Hotel & Spa
Image Credit: Courtesy of Brenner’s Park Hotel & Spa Location: Baden Baden, Germany
Expected launch: Q2
Rates: TBABrenner’s Park has been a fixture of this spa town since the 1870s, but has earned worldwide accolades for its medical wing which Dr. Harry König has run for the last decade. In 2025, it will reopen after a gut renovation that’s set to transform the 105-room property. “It’s going to turn heads, and for good reasons, it’s fresh off a needed facelift,” says Black Tomato’s Sunil Metcalfe. Scott Dunn Private’s Jules Maury agrees. “It has that amazing medical wing, and such wonderful gardens—it’s worth a long weekend visit, or a Christmas market stop.” Thank the Oetker family for the investment; the hoteliers operate a clutch of top tier properties worldwide, but this was their first purchase as they built out their empire, and remains a family favorite.
-
Britannic Explorer
Image Credit: Courtesy of Belmond Location: UK
Expected launch: July
Rates: Doubles from £5,800 per person for three nights, based on a couple sharing a cabinRetro-glam train specialist Belmond is expanding its network with this, the first luxury sleeper train in England and Wales. It will offer three different, three-night journeys all originating in London: pick from the rugged beauty of Cornwall, the serene landscapes of the Lake District, or the wild countryside of Wales. Days will be programmed with excursions, while nights will focus on socializing and sleeping right on board. It’s a distinctly British affair: the 18-cabin train has been designed by London-based studio Albion Nord, while the food will come from L’Enclume’s Simon Rogan, whose forthright championing of British cuisine has earned him eight Michelin stars. There will also be an onboard wellness suite—don’t call it a spa—for massages and other pampering moments.
-
Capella Kyoto
Image Credit: Courtesy of Capella Location: Kyoto, Japan
Expected launch: Q4
Rates: TBAThe four-story, 92-room hotel is a Kengo Kuma-designed would-be landmark from the upstart luxury operator that’s had a major impact on the sector (including scoring the #1 spot in the World’s 50 Best hotels in 2024 for its Bangkok property). Standouts here include the Japanese courtyard garden, which is primed for guests to experience what’s known as ichigo-ichie (think of it as seizing or treasuring the moment), filled with bamboo and Japanese maple. It will sit in the Miyagawa-chō or Shrine River district, one of Kyoto’s most charming and historic, where geishas can still be spotted strolling along the street—no other hotel can claim such a superb advantage.
-
Casina Cinquepozzi
Image Credit: Courtesy of Casina Cinquepozzi Location: Puglia, Italy
Expected launch: Q2
Rates: from roughly $35,800Jewelry designer Thelma West and her partner, longtime Apple exec Stefano Liotta are the duo behind the reimagining of an 18th-century farmhouse in Italy’s heel that’s likely to bring even more buzz to the region: Casina Cinquepozzi. “It’s in Putignano, Puglia’s best-kept secret,” says Black Tomato’s Sunil Metcalfe of the 10-room hotel, which sits on 40 acres of land. “It’s a fusion of both co-owners’ backgrounds, with gorgeous tiles and adornments plucked from Nigerian textiles and ergonomic wicker lighting that give it a breezy, coastal Italian touch.” The couple’s also bottling their own regeneratively grown organic rosé, and has an onsite artist’s residence flat where they plan to invite chefs and other creatives.
-
Chancery Rosewood
Image Credit: Courtesy of Rosewood Location: London, UK
Expected launch: Q3
Rates: Doubles from $2,000The modernist masterpiece that was once the American Embassy on Mayfair’s Grosvenor Square was built by starchitect Eero Saarinen in 1960. Then, seven years ago, the US government decamped to a different site, freeing up the building for this gut-reimagining by David Chipperfield and his team. When it opens as the Chancery Rosewood, there will be 144 rooms carved out of those former government offices, as well as eight bars and restaurants. Watch for the European debut of Major Food Group’s buzzy Carbone, as well as the return of London’s much-missed society fixture Le Caprice in a brand-new home.
-
Château de la Commaraine, Hotel Spa & Cuverie
Image Credit: Courtesy of Château de la Commaraine Location: Burgundy, France
Expected launch: Q3
Rates: Doubles from $892Philanthropist Denise Dupré has been renovating this 10-acre estate for more than four years. It sits at the heart of Burgundy, and dates back almost a thousand years when it was first built as a fortified manor in 1112. There’s a dearth of high-end accommodation in the region, and the deep-pocketed Dupré has resolved to change that via her 37-room hotel close to Pommard, renowned for its Pinot Noir. She’s installed a bar in a 14th-century tower, and award-winning chef Christophe Raoux in the kitchen of the two new restaurants here. Scott Dunn Private’s Jules Maury calls it “a game changer” and has already started booking clients in for the summer opening.
-
Corinthia Bucharest
Image Credit: Courtesy of Corinthia Location: Bucharest, Romania
Expected launch: Q1
Rates: TBAThe Corinthia started out as a luxury hotel in the heart of Malta in the town of Attard, before opening a satellite spot in central London. Now, the family behind the chain, the Pisanis, are aggressively pursuing global expansion for the brand, adding new locations around the world from New York to Rome, but retaining their signature attention to detail (and spectacular spa). What intrigues Black Tomato’s Sunil Metcalfe most among them: the upcoming Corinthia Bucharest, a 30-suite property in a once-faded grande dame hotel known as the Grand Hotel du Boulevard where Sarah Bernhardt was among previous guests. Black Tomato’s just launched its first itinerary to the country, and this will be a fixture on it. “Romania is long overdue a renaissance,” he says.
-
Kazazian
Image Credit: Courtesy of Kazazian Location: Siwa, Egypt
Expected launch: November
Rates: TBACazenove & Loyd’s Christopher Wilmot-Sitwell is keen to champion this offbeat opening in Egypt from high-end Nile cruise specialist Kazazian, whose modernist, all-white boats are sleeker, better alternatives than creaky dahabiyas. It’s planning a 10-room hotel on 620 acres, to open late next year, too. It won’t sit on the Nile’s banks, though, but in the Siwa oasis, in Egypt’s far west, where the ruins of the Oracle of Amun sit. “It will be serviced by its own runway, cutting the journey time from Cairo by road, which is around nine hours,” he raves. “The land is an ancient seabed and the hotel will be constructed using ancient white coral from the local area. It will be one of the most exclusive hotels in Egypt.”
-
andBeyond Suyian Lodge
Image Credit: Courtesy of andBeyond Suyian Lodge Location: Laikipia, Kenya
Expected launch: July
Rates: Doubles from $1,500Kenya’s Laipikia plateau is one of the last game-rich areas in the country that isn’t yet fully stocked with safari camps, allowing for a wilder, more rugged experience than you might encounter now in, say, the Mara. Now, andBeyond will open a new, 14-tent lodge in the 44,000-acre Suyian Conservancy here next summer, offering a chance to spot a raft of rare and endangered mammals—Grévy’s zebra, for example, as well as reticulated giraffes. It will offer the chance to engage with local communities, including the Samburu and Pokot pastoral tribes, as well as explore the varied landscapes here, which range from savannah to dense vachellia woodland.
-
The Newman
Image Credit: Courtesy of The Newman Location: London, UK
Expected launch: June 2025
Rates: Doubles from $800Fitzrovia is an arty, often overlooked neighborhood wedged between better known Marylebone and Bloomsbury: quieter and more local than both its neighbors, it’s an ideal central London perch that’s within walking distance of most major West End spots. When the Newman opens there next summer, the 81-room hotel will embrace the bohemian history here with a whiff of art déco to the interiors. It’s the first salvo in hospitality from Kinsfolk & Co, a new group with an impressive pedigree. It includes seasoned GM-turned-CEO Paul Brackley and Rachel Fearon, the former global sales head of Firmdale, the British chain which operates the rival Charlotte Street hotel in this same ‘hood.
-
NIHI Rote
Image Credit: Courtesy of NIHI Rote Location: West Timor, Indonesia
Expected launch: October 2025
Rates: TBANihi Rote is an offshoot of the sister property in Sumba, and is again overseen directly by entrepreneur Chris Burch and hotelier James McBride. “It’s going to focus again on two things: world-class surfing, and privacy,” says Travel Master John Clifford of International Travel Management. “The Crystal cave with a nine-meter deep pool is as pristine as you’ve ever seen.” With 23 thatched roof pool villas, it’s even more remote than the original, sitting on Rote Island, an outpost of Indonesia barely 300 miles north of Australia. “No expense has been spared,” says Black Tomato’s Metcalfe. “Nihi excels at splendid isolation, though not somewhere that’s tremendously difficult to access.” (The island is a two-hour flight from Bali or Jakarta). Even better, this property will also support a new hospitality academy, offering vocational training to local youth so they can benefit economically from the arrival of the five-star spot.
-
One&Only Moonlight Basin
Image Credit: Courtesy of One&Only Moonlight Basin Location: Big Sky, Montana
Expected launch: Q3
Rates: TBAThere’s plenty of hype around the arrival of this ultra-luxury resort chain from Dubai. It picked Big Sky Montana for its debut here, in a 190-acre ranch-resort it has dubbed Moonlight Basin. It’s primed to appeal to all “Yellowstone” obsessives with 73 rooms designed by Seattle-based architect Olson Kundig. It will operate year-round, with a summertime focus on horse riding, hiking and fly-fishing, while in winter, it will run a gondola directly connected to the summit and have ski-in, ski-out access. Whatever the season, don’t miss the hidden moonshine shack tucked away in the nearby woods. Black Tomato’s Sunil Metcalfe’s eyeing the area in general for his travelers. “The area’s on-mountain experience will be elevated more than ever through the ‘Blue Sky 2025’ project which will open pedestrian access to Lone Mountain’s summit via a new gondola and tram connectivity,” he says.
-
Rosewood Amsterdam
Image Credit: Courtesy of Rosewood Amsterdam Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Expected launch: February
Rates: Doubles from roughly $950The erstwhile Palace of Justice will re-emerge in late winter as Rosewood’s 134-room foray into the Netherlands, perfectly located in the UNESCO-protected Canal District right near the high end shopping of P.C. Hoofstraat and easily walkable to De Pijp, the hippest ‘hood right now. “They didn’t just roll in with a new lick of paint, but worked in tandem with local authorities to ensure the heritage and character are not only intact but amplified,” says Sunil Metcalfe. “What we especially love is most of the rooms and suites boast spectacular views across two interconnected canals, peeping into stunning courtyards and neighboring townhouse rooftops.”
-
Six Senses London
Image Credit: Courtesy of Six Senses London Location: London, UK
Expected launch: Q2
Rates: Doubles from $1,250Whiteleys in Bayswater was once one of London’s grandest department stores, a worthy rival to Selfridges (and eventually acquired by the latter during the 1920s). By the 1990s, the extraordinary, wedding cake-like building had been repurposed as a generic mall on a trafficky throughway, but it will soon return to its former glory via this reimagining from spa-driven five-star specialist Six Senses. It will re-emerge as a 109-room high-end hotel a few minutes’ walk from Hyde Park (the only thing they couldn’t transform: that site on a busy road). It will also be the site of the first Six Senses Place, a new private members’ concept for the brand focused on wellness that it hopes to roll out to other locations worldwide soon.
-
Son Ermità & Binidufà
Image Credit: Courtesy of Son Ermità & Binidufà Location: Menorca, Spain
Expected launch: June
Rates: Doubles from $1,018In Spain, the Madera Fernandez family has been busy building the Vestige Collection. Its mission is simple: snap up significant, but careworn, historic sites around the country and infuse them with thoughtful panache. Its latest project, Son Ermitá & Binidufá, is on the upscale island of Menorca. The estate unites two old farms—one at the top of a hill, the other in a lush valley— into a single 22-room property set on a sprawling property that’s almost 2,000 acres. Stay at Binidufá, and you’ll be nestled in a palm-filled valley, nurtured by nature, or book a room at Son Ermitá to enjoy a dramatic perch with eye-popping views out across the water. Jules Maury predicts that as Majorca becomes overrun with international chains, the appeal of such agrarian retreats will only increase.
-
ROKI Collection Queenstown
Image Credit: Courtesy of ROKI Collection Queenstown Location: Queenstown, New Zealand
Expected Launch: July
Rates: from roughly $1,200 to $15,000 per night.A gateway to the rugged natural splendor of New Zealand’s South Island, Queenstown is getting a luxurious new pre- and post-adventure relaxation hub. ROKI (a Te Reo Mãori word for tranquil) is a 15-suite, five-level resort overlooking Lake Wakatipu and the ski fields of the Remarkables. Their top room is the nearly 8,062-square-foot, seven-bedroom Grand ROKI Suite; but there are an additional 10 one-bedroom suites, as well as two-, three-, and four-bedroom rooms. Fine-dining is the focus with a buzzy 40-seat restaurant simply dubbed The Dining Room, by chef Paul Froggatt (formerly of Huka Lodge and Robertson Lodges) that will be open to the public. Expect old-school tableside services like carving, serving, sautéing, as well as local ingredients like venison, lamb, crayfish, and crab. After dinner, head back to the fireplace roaring in your room, finish that bottle of wine and soak up the serenity.
-
The Cooper
Image Credit: Courtesy of The Cooper Location: Charleston, South Carolina
Expected Launch: Fall
Rates: Doubles from $895A new and rare waterfront five-star resort comes to hospitality-obsessed Charleston this year. Perched along its namesake river, which hugs the east side of the city, this six-story, 191-room, 20-suite, Champalimaud designed hotel comes with all the luxury trimmings. There’s a 7,000-square-foot wellness spa, an infinity pool, five culinary hotspots (including a signature seafood restaurant), and boutiques. Other top hotels have those things, too. What makes the Cooper stand out is its private marina. Check in by boat, or enjoy an afternoon aboard one the luxury cruising vessels in the hotel’s fleet; or hop on a water taxi and be delivered to happening Daniel Island. For dinner, a custom yacht conducts cruises. It’s all very splashy.
-
Aman Nai Lert Bangkok
Image Credit: Courtesy of Aman Nai Lert Bangkok Location: Thailand
Expected Launch: Q3
Rates: TBAThe oldest park in Bangkok is getting the city’s newest luxury hotel: a 52-suite Aman. Located in Nai Lert—the namesake park and historic home of the influential developer—this latest Aman will again be designed by Jean-Michel Gathy and feature traditional Thai stylings drawn from Lert’s nearby 1915-built teak bungalow. Expect a massive wellness center, an omakase restaurant, a teppanyaki restaurant and Arva, the brand’s signature Italian dining concept. Fans of the New York property—and hep cats off all stripes—will be pleased to find a fresh outpost of Aman’s jazz bar. Another synchronicity with its Manhattan sister property are the branded residences: There will be 39 here, situated on floors 11 to 36.
-
Rosewood Mandarina
Image Credit: Courtesy of Rosewood Mandarina Location: Riviera Nayarit, Mexico
Expected launch: April 1
Rates: Doubles from $1,100Riviera Nayarit on Mexico’s Pacific coast is already a hub of hotel splendor, but its latest arrival is bringing fresh buzz. Rosewood’s fourth property south of the border, the all-suite Madarina offers 134 luxury rooms with individual plunge pools, outdoor terraces, and designer decor created with local artists and artisans. Come for the lush vegetation, lagoons and volcanoes and stay for horseback riding, surfing, polo matches and Japanese restaurant. Resort amenities will include four pools, a fitness center, the signature Asaya Spa (with 10 treatment rooms), and the Rosewood Mandarina Explorers Club—which features immersive programming for kiddos.
-
Kindred Resort
Image Credit: Courtesy of Kindred Location: Keystone, CO
Expected Launch: Q2
Rates: TBAThe latest from RockResorts—the legendary Colorado-based hotel brand founded by Laurance Rockefeller (now owned by Vail)—the new family-friendly Kindred debuts as Keystone’s premier luxury hotel and residential hub. After adding 500 acres of ski slopes last season, the resort’s River Run Village will be home to the new ski-in/ski-out, 107-room hotel. Designed by OZ Architecture, the Kindred will house 25,000 square feet of retail, restaurants and skier services, as well as 95 for-sale residences. For apres fun there’s an outdoor pool, two oversized hot tubs, ski valet, meeting and event spaces, kids club, fitness center, spa—even a private club (if you can get in). The hotel will also house the Keystone Ski & Ride School, so wannabe hot-doggers welcome.
-
Nekajui, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve
Image Credit: Courtesy of Ritz Carlton Location: Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica
Expected Launch: Q1
Rates: TBAPositioned on a cliff overlooking the Pacific, Costa Rica’s sexy Peninsula Papagayo is getting Ritz-Carlton Reserve’s eighth property, Nekajui. Meaning “lush garden” in the local dialect, the estate resort is 1,400 acres of dry tropical forest with 107 rooms and suites (its top room is a four-bedroom villa), as well as three treetop tents. Like it so much you want to buy it? No problem. There will also be 36 private residences for sale. The resort is centered around a 27,000-square-foot Nimbu Spa and Wellness hub, home to Latin America’s largest hydrotherapy pool. Eating it up? Good. Chef Diego Muñoz is behind the resort’s main restaurant Puna, which serves modern Peruvian cuisine. For something more exclusive, book the six-seat Japanese-Peruvian omakase or try to find the resort’s hidden speakeasy.
-
Salterra Resort & Spa
Image Credit: Courtesy of Salterra Location: Turks & Caicos
Expected Launch: February
Rates: TBAWith a new direct flight from Miami to South Caicos, there is another fresh reason to ditch the crowds of Grace Bay. South Caicos will soon be home to Salterra, a 100-room resort and spa that’s all about salt, sand and wellness. A true eco-resort (expect solar energy, no plastic and a robust reef conservation program), the property will be home to six dining concepts (its fine-dining hub is Brine). The top room here is the Premier’s Penthouse Suite, and it’s a perfect perch from which to explore the island’s shallow reefs by scuba, snorkel, paddle board or kayak.
-
ROMEO Roma
Image Credit: Courtesy of ROMEO Roma Location: Italy
Expected Opening: January
Rates: Doubles from roughly $2,500Glitz, high-design and haute-cuisine are married at ROMEO Roma, a historic palazzo in the Campo Marzio neighborhood that has been reimagined by Zaha Hadid Architect Studio. With 75 rooms and suites (a few of which incorporate 16th-century frescos) and an Alain Ducasse Neapolitan-inspired bistro, the ROMEO brand’s second property is one of the most head-turning hotels to arrive in Rome—even after a bevy of new luxury openings over the last two years. Other highlights will include a Sisley Paris, rooftop lounge and bar, a serious art collection and a glass-bottom pool built over ancient ruins. Talk about la dolce vita.
-
Few & Far Luvhondo
Image Credit: Courtesy of Few & Far Luvhondo Location: Limpopo, South Africa
Expected Opening: January
Rates: Doubles from $1,800Perhaps the most ambitious new safari concept to land in years, Few & Far Lavhondo is all about getting guests out of the jeep. With just six cliffside suites, the boutique camp within the Soutpansberg Mountains (one of the most biologically diverse regions in the world), expect outside the box excitement like a “solar-powered aerial experience inspired by the weaver bird nests,” and a one-of-a-kind cable car system with 40 kilometers of game-viewing. Food is the other focus, with a “Tranquility Amidst Nature + Sensational Safari Dining” program. That means farm-to-table fine dining in the bush with South African wine pairings, as well as authentic Boma Braais and even foraging excursions. This one’s hard to ignore.
-
White Elephant Aspen
Image Credit: Courtesy of White Elephant Location: Colorado
Expected Opening: Fall
Rates: TBAThey conquered Nantucket and Palm Beach, now White Elephant is heading for Aspen. Set in the mountain resort’s West End neighborhood, the resort will house 54 rooms all designed to connect into multi-bedroom family hideaways. Or keep it simple and book the 1,660-square-foot Penthouse Suite, with three bedrooms, three-and-a-half bathrooms, a kitchen and a 1,600-square-foot private balcony (mountain views included). Eschewing Aspen’s log cabin cliches, Boston-based architectural firm EMBARC has been tapped to inject a taste of modern New England sophistication into the property mixed with more rugged complimentary materials like leather, wood and stone. The brand is partnered with BMW, so expect swish whips as house cars in addition to the slope shuttles.
-
Corinthia Rome
Image Credit: Courtesy of Corinthia Rome Location: Italy
Expected Opening: Summer
Rates: Doubles from roughly $1.050Corinthia is on an expansion spree with a new opening in New York (dubbed The Surrey), and another 2025 debut in Bucharest (early spring). Its new Rome property will join and compete with a growing number of 5-star openings in the Eternal City that have arrived over the last two years (Six Senses, Bulgari, ROMEO, etc.). Like those other 5-stars, it too will occupy a heritage building: the grand former seat of the Central Bank of Italy in the equally central Campo Marzio area, with 60 guest suites and bedrooms (39 bedrooms, 21 junior suites & suites). But it will stand out with a hidden underground spa by 111Skin London and Essenzialmente Laura that includes three treatment rooms and two plunge pools. Chef Carlo Craccois is running the hotel’s food and beverage scene, including the hotel’s ground-floor interconnected dining venues, which include a Garden Lounge, a specialty, fine-dining restaurant, Cracco’s Saloni, and cocktail spot Gold Bar.
-
Hotel Ancora Cortina
Image Credit: Courtesy of Hotel Ancora Cortina Location: Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy
Expected Opening: May
Rates: TBABuilt in 1826, Ancora Cortina is an institution sitting at the center of Corso Italia, the main street of the so-called “Pearl of the Dolomites.” Soon, this old hotel will be reborn. The two-year-long renovation has created 38 rooms (18 of which are suites) designed by Vicky Charles, ranging in size from 312 to 1,100 square feet. That largest room is The Renzo Rosso Suite, which features a private terrace overlooking the snow-capped mountains. The reno also adds an exclusive club, a gym, a 180-seat “Italian-meets-the-world” restaurant and a bar.
-
Driftwood Ranch Resort
Image Credit: Courtesy of Driftwood Ranch Resort Location: Catskills, NY
Expected Opening: Q2
Rates: Doubles from $1,000.Ninety minutes north of NYC, a slice of the wild west has come to Sullivan County. Driftwood Ranch Resort is the brainchild of three-time circuit champion of the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association, Steve Dubrovsky, who wanted to bring a taste of Montana to the Catskills. Set on over 200 acres located in White Lake, the property features seven large accommodations that include a two-story Cattle Drive Suite, a Museum Suite (with relics pulled from the 1992 exhibit, “My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys,” at the Rochester Museum of Science and Nature); and a four-bedroom Bunk House.
-
Hermes Galapagos Catamaran
Image Credit: Courtesy of Hermes Galapagos Catamaran Location: Puerto Ayora, Ecuador
Expected Opening: April
Rates: TBAIt’s a hotel at sea and the first ultra-luxury catamaran to sail in the Galapagos Islands. With a cap of just 20 guests and a crew to guest ratio that is 1 to 1, this will be one of the most private and exclusive ways to see the biologically unique isles that made Darwin say “bingo!” This “mega” catamaran has just 12 suites located on the main and upper decks of the vessel. They feature ensuite bathrooms, air conditioning, walk-in closets, mini bars, floor-to-ceiling windows, private balconies, and jacuzzis. Onboard, snorkeling equipment, wetsuits, kayaks, and stand-up paddleboards are all up for grabs. Better still unpacking service, and 24/7 butler service are also included. Book a massage, knowing that you’re contributing to the conservation of Galapagos’ wildlife through the Endemic Reforestation Program on Santa Cruz Island. Also know that the ship is not, ahem, affiliated with a certain French fashion brand.
-
Mbamba
Image Credit: Courtesy of Mbamba Location: Northern Okavango Delta, Botswana
Expected Opening: April
Rates: from $1,495This new camp is hidden on a vast 220,000-acre concession with an array of animal-packed ecosystems—from grasslands to ancient woodlands. Designed by Uncharted Africa Safari Company co-owner Ralph Bousfield, Mbamba will have 12 canvas tents, with en-suite bathrooms and private verandas, that are packed with plush fabrics, mahogany sideboards, and Persian rugs. This camp is all about design and features two lounges, a library, and a swimming pool—but you’ll have come for the game drives, mokoro boat rides, and helicopter trips over the Tsodilo Hills. That’s why they’ve tapped the best guides in the business to help you spot rare species like the sable antelope. The camp also boasts one of the highest concentrations of lions in the Delta. Birders can try and spot all 350 recorded species (including the endangered wattled crane and the striking African fish eagle).
-
J’nane Rumi
Image Credit: Courtesy of J’nane Rumi Location: Marrakech, Morocco
Expected Opening: February
Rates: TBAA fresh, creative hotel in Marrakech’s La Palmerie district, J’nane Rumi is just 11 en-suite bedrooms and a full-length swimming pool. And naturally that makes it ideal for buyouts. Inside, it’s all about art. Casablanca-based painter and sculptor and appointed Artistic Director of the property, Samy Snoussi, has curated an eclectic collection (look for works by photographer Delphine Warin, Mous Lamrabat, or M’barek Bouhchichi). Meanwhile, painter Roberto Ruspoli (of Soho House Paris fame) has created three frescoes on the property. Another large piece by Louis Barthélemy fills the living room. But by the time your party checks in that all may have changed, as the artwork in this bohemian perch is on rotation.
-
ENVI Sisini Mara
Image Credit: Courtesy of ENVI Sisini Mara Location: Northern Serengeti, Tanzania
Expected Opening: February
Rates: Doubles from $2,800 to $4,000 (based on season).A front row seat to the world-famous Great Migration, ENVI Sisini Mara is a new permanent tented camp located on a two-square-kilometer concession in the northern Mara region. And although you may not have been here yet, you’ve likely already seen it, as the camp’s main river crossing is frequently featured in nature documentaries. Expect millions of wildebeests, zebras, and antelopes dodging hungry crocs, but also the non-mass-migratory members of the Big Five on the savanna. The camp itself consists of just nine luxury tents and one two-bedroom retreat, as well as a restaurant, spa, lounge and bar, and swimming pool.
-
The Retreat at Hotel Jackson
Image Credit: Courtesy of Hotel Jackson Location: Jackson, Wyoming
Expected Opening: June
Rates: Doubles from $1,200.The Hotel Jackson was already a boutique affair with just 55 luxury rooms. But if that wasn’t private enough for your crew, head next door to The Retreat. This newly constructed sister property is made up of just nine suites, a 7,000-square-foot spa and wellness center (infinity pool, salon, etc.), and a 2,000-square-foot rooftop bar and lounge with massive views of Snow King Mountain. At that size, it’s obviously ideally suited to buyouts. Don’t like eating out? No problem. Chef Malyna Si (known for the Michelin-starred Capa at the Four Seasons Resort Orlando) is behind The Retreat’s signature restaurant—a sexy 150-seat Basque inspired steakhouse.
-
Silversea’s Puerto Williams
Image Credit: Silversea Location: Chile
Expected Opening: Late 2025
Rates: TBAAntarctica continues to be (ironically) one the world’s hottest travel destinations. Now, Silversea is putting down roots with a hotel in Puerto Williams, the southernmost city on earth in the subAntarctic zone of Patagonia. The hotel will allow guests to fly directly to Puerto Williams from Santiago for a frictionless journey south that skips the nausea-inducing Drake Passage. Designed to blend into the environment, the hotel will have 150 rooms overlooking the Beagle Channel within a pine forest. It will host a large restaurant, a bar and lounge, fitness center and gift shop packed with handicrafts and art by local artisans.
-
Aqua Expeditions
Image Credit: Courtesy of Aqua Expeditions Location: Seychelles and Tanzania
Expected Opening: December
Rates: TBAAqua Expeditions is expanding its fleet with new sailings in the Seychelles and Tanzania (including Zanzibar). It’s offering four new itineraries ranging from five to 14-nights. “It has always been a dream of mine to venture into East Africa,” says the luxury cruise line’s CEO and founder Francesco Galli Zugaro. “I am excited to finally showcase the…Aldabra Atoll. Considered the Galapagos of Africa, this island group is home to hundreds of species, and to some of the most amazing marine life in the world.” Onboard, Aqua is promising a “super-yacht experience,” a one-to-one crew-to-guest ratio, personalized service, top chefs, and small group expert-guided excursions. The ship will visit spots like Aldabra, Cosmoledo, Astove, Farquhar Atoll, Kilwa Kisiwani, and Pemba—as well as rarely visited areas such as the African Banks.
-
Ultima Promenade Gstaad
Image Credit: Courtesy of Ultima Promenade Gstaad Location: Gstaad, Switzerland
Expected launch: Q3
Rates: from $15,281Ultima Collection is a hotel chalet and villa group that has stealthily carved out a spot as one of the discerning luxury traveler’s favorite secret weapons, with spectacular properties in France, Greece and Switzerland. This latest addition will be the splashiest yet: an eight-bedroom chalet that’s more like a standalone private hotel in the ultimate luxe ski bunny destination, Gstaad. There’s not one but two expansive living rooms, with wrap-around terrace, its own disco and bar, a full wellness center including sauna and hammam plus a lap pool and gym.
-
Faena NY
Image Credit: Courtesy of DBOX Location: Manhattan
Expected Opening: Spring
Rates: TBASix Senses’ misfortune has become Faena’s big break. After the developer of a new Bjarke Ingles-designed tower along the High Line went bankrupt, scuttling plans for Six Senses’ American debut (the brand has found new digs elsewhere in the city), Faena and a new developer swooped in. Following founders Alan Faena and Len Blavatnik’s success in Buenos Aires and Miami, this New York outpost will open along 18th St. with 120 rooms. The Faena Design team is handling look and feel and while there may not be a gold-plated mastodon slated for this location, do expect art, events and more art. Juan Gatti, Studio Job, Gonzalo Fuenmayor, Alberto Garruti and Lizarrazo Studios are just a few of the names already confirmed for the project.
-
Ardbeg House
Image Credit: Courtesy of Ardbeg Location: Scotland
Expected Opening: Summer
Rates: Doubles from roughly $275 in the winter; $515 in the summer.Ardbeg is giving us something fresh and peaty to drink in: Ardbeg House. The smoky Islay scotch brand (owned by LVMH), purchased and reimagined the Islay Hotel, not far from its famed distillery in the Hebrides, with “quirky and luxurious” bedrooms and suites themed around local legends and “surprises.” Russell Sage Studio (designer of Glenmorangie House and Distillery and The Fife Arms Braemar) led the overhaul. Naturally, the social life at the hotel will be focused on the bar and restaurant, open to the public, where an exclusive Ardbeg whisky will be available.
-
Romegas Malta
Image Credit: Courtesy of Romegas Malta Location: Valletta
Expected Opening: Summer
Rates: Doubles from $350 with breakfast.After five-years of work, a 16th-century palazzo will debut as the Maltese capital’s best new hotel. The boutique Romègas will have just 23 rooms and suites, as well as a Maltese restaurant by local chef Marvin Gauci and rooftop pool. Named after Mathurin Romègas, a resident of the palazzo who was briefly Grand Master of Malta, the hotel’s interiors are by local designers Camilleri Paris Mode, which selected wooden panelling, wooden ceilings, and palladiana terrazzo flooring throughout. But most importantly, the redesign of the palazzo preserves its history. EM Architects worked with an archaeologist, a restoration contractor, and local craftsmen to bring its stone walls, rich façade and historic carvings back to life. The hotel will also act as a gallery for established and emerging Maltese artists, with work curated by Maria Galea.
-
Oberoi Rajgarh Palace
Image Credit: Courtesy of Oberoi Location: Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh, India
Expected Opening: Summer
Rates: Doubles from $1,000In the late 19th-century, the Maharaja Hinu Pat Shah of the Bundela Dynasty built a palace in the Managad Hills near Chandranagar and the 1,100 year old Khajuraho temples. Today, that palace sits just five miles from Panna National Park and Tiger Reserve, making it an ideal home for the latest Oberoi resort. The renovation of the palace preserved the heritage of the 66-room property, including its 70 acres of historic gardens, lush with ancient sal (Indian teak) and palash (Flame of the Forest) trees. Inside, distinctive Bundelkhand features blend with British colonial design and modern amenities—like an infinity pool, luxury spa and lakeside fine dining restaurant. It should make for a roaring good time.
-
Ciel Dubai
Image Credit: Courtesy of Ciel Dubai Location: UAE
Expected Opening: Late 2025It wouldn’t be a new hotel in Dubai if some sort of outrageous superlative wasn’t attached. For Ciel, part of the Vignette Collection, it’s: “tallest all-hotel tower in the world.” Rising 82-stories above the Dubai Marina, this skyscraper hotel will feature landscaped terraces and a 360-degree observation deck with views over the marina, Palm Jumeirah and the Arabian Gulf. What else? How about 1,000 rooms and suites, three restaurants, Dubai’s highest infinity pool, a spa, and a club lounge. Now that’s living on the top.
-
Shakti Himalaya’s Prana Lodge
Image Credit: Courtesy of Shakti Himalaya Location: Kumaon, India
Expected Opening: Spring
Rates: from $6,492 per person for five nights; from $8,048 per person for seven nightsJamshyd Sethna’s Banyan Tours specializes in taking travelers into remote India—think the mountains of Kumaon, Sikkim and Ladakh. Now, its experiential arm, Shakti Himalaya, is opening a new lodge, dubbed Prana. A rebuilt, relocated, reboot of the former 360 Leti lodge, Prana is perched at 7,000 feet above sea level, bordering Tibet and Nepal, offering massive views of Nanda Devi. Built from stone, glass, timber, and copper, the seven suite hideaway is all about quiet luxury. Expect guest chefs and yoga practitioners, as well as treetop meditation platforms, an outdoor yoga pavilion, and a sauna. Walking is a big part of your stay and you’ll get a private guide to lead you on hikes and overnight treks.
-
Pensione America
Image Credit: Courtesy of Pensione America Location: Forte dei Marmi, Italy
Expected launch: Q2
Rates: Doubles from $1,800Boutique hotelier Sara Maestrelli, who just made a splashy debut in Venice with her Violino d’Oro property, returns to her Tuscan roots with this 18-room, adults-only property in the Hamptons of Milan, Forte dei Marmi. Expect her signature painstaking attention to detail—hand-painted tiles from Sicily in every bathroom, and custom wicker furniture intended to evoke the region’s first, dolce vita-era heyday. The property started out as a private home, built by a pair of American artists in the 1890s, but became a pensione two decades later; she’ll offer both full- and half-board rates as a nod to that tradition. Make sure to pack your whites, too: she just acquired the historic tennis club next door, and plans to operate it as an offshoot of the hotel.
-
Mandarin Oriental, Vienna
Image Credit: Courtesy of Mandarin Oriental Location: Austria
Expected launch: Summer
Rates: TBAOne of Vienna’s charming Art Nouveau buildings is getting a ultra-contemporary luxury hotel. Located with the city’s famous Ringstrasse, the Mandarin Oriental, Vienna, will have 86 rooms and 52 suites (its best room will be known as the Royal Suite). The hotel will host both casual and fine dining, as well as a bar and lounge—but the emphasis here is on wellness. The Mandarin Oriental Spa will have eight treatment rooms (including a VIP treatment suite & hammam), a large indoor pool, large fitness center.
-
Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique
Image Credit: Courtesy of Waldorf Astoria Location: Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Expected launch: February
Rates: Doubles from $2,500This major addition to the luxe hospitality landscape on Costa Rica’s northwest coast is primed for immersive, eco adventures. Stay at one of its 188 rooms, and you’re perfectly based to roam to the 6,286-foot high Rincón de la Vieja Volcano, the most active in the region nicknamed the Colossus of Guanacaste, as well as hike through the jungle of tropical rainforest. The onsite restaurant, La Finca, will allow you to sample the best in Costa Rican cooking, and alongside a multi-level pool—hide out on the wooden deck among the treetops—there’s also Playa Penca, a white-sand beach ready to explore, Playa Penca. The temperate year-round climate makes it viable to enjoy swimming, paddleboarding and the like at any time.
-
The Vineta Hotel
Image Credit: Courtesy of the Vineta Hotel Location: Palm Beach, Florida
Expected launch: Q1 2025
Rates: TBAGerman operator Oetker, already busy with the rehab of its flagship Brenner’s Park, is finally making a sortie stateside. It snapped up the Chesterfield in Palm Beach and stripped it back to the studs (RIP the much-mourned Leopard Lounge) and early next year will reopen the property as the Vineta, a throwback to its earliest days in the 1920s (it opened in 1926 as the Lido-Venice hotel before being renamed as the Vineta and eventually becoming the Chesterfield in the late 20th-century). The room count at this Mediterranean Revival building has been reduced from 53 to 41, sacrificing quantity for quality of stay. “The Vineta is going to fill the space of chic nostalgia in a place where there is none,” says Jules Maury.
-
The Sundays
Image Credit: Courtesy of The Sundays Location: Queensland, Australia
Expected launch: Q2
Rates: Doubles from $891The Oatley family has driven high-end tourism to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, since patriarch Bob snapped up Hamilton Island in the Whitsundays for almost $200 million AUD two decades ago. Next year, they’ll add another resort at the northern tip of the barely two square mile spit of land. The 59-room Sundays is the first exciting opening there for some time, adds Christopher Wilmot-Sitwell of Cazenove & Loyd, “It’s a great luxury option for families who are into scuba diving, snorkeling and whale watching.” Its location on Catseye Beach means it’s easy to explore everything from the main reef to Heart Reef, which gains its name from the shape the coral has formed under the water.
-
Park Hyatt Los Cabos at Cabo Del Sol
Image Credit: Courtesy of Park Hyatt Los Cabos Location: Cabo San Lucas
Expected Opening: Summer
Rates: Doubles from $900.Smack-dab on the Baja California Sur coast, minutes from downtown Cabo San Lucas, Park Hyatt is opening a new 163-room luxury resort designed by the acclaimed Mexican architect Sordo Madaleno. It will have 19 villas and residences—as well as five pools; a 59,000-square-foot fitness and wellness center; five restaurants and culinary outposts (the signature spot is Mediterranean inspired); a beach club and event spaces. But you’ll probably come for the access to the tony, Tom Weiskopf-designed Cabo Del Sol golf course.
-
La Fondation
Image Credit: Courtesy of La Fondation Location: Paris
Expected launch: February 2025
Rates: Doubles from around $386NYC-based design darlings Roman & Williams were behind this new five-star property in the 17th arrondissement, just behind the Arc de Triomphe and close to the Parc Monceau. It’s the latest project from French real estate firm Groupe Galia, which already operates sites like the boutique Maison Breguet in the Marais, but is an impressively large project in a refreshingly unexpected spot. This corner of the capital remains distinctly Parisian and overwhelmingly residential—indeed, the onsite gym with its own climbing wall and pool will be a membership-based for locals. (Don’t miss the chance to explore the village-like enclave of Batignolles, around the Place de Clichy here). There’s a rooftop bar-restaurant and 58 rooms, including three oversized suites.
