Pink Sands Club, Photo Credit: Pink Sands Club
As you might imagine, we’re bombarded with press releases for hotel openings around the globe. Some of these new properties promise the best views we’ve ever seen. Others insist their food offerings are the finest our mouths have ever tasted.
And it all may very well prove to be true. But until we’ve had the opportunity to see the places with our own eyes, we’ll rely on our own insider information to formulate this list. From a breathtaking new addition to Beverly Hills to a tropical wonderland along the sands of Belize, these are the 13 fresh faces we’re most excited to meet this year.
Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club, Surfside, Florida
This March-opening Miami hotel takes everything about tire tycoon Harvey Firestone’s legendary private club in Miami and amplifies it about 10 times.
The Richard Meier-designed hotel (which will be flanked by two residential towers) promises 77 rooms of white-marbled, glass-terraced beachy goodness from the mind of interior architect Joseph Dirand.
Consider the holistic spa, Five-Star chef Thomas Keller’s first South Florida eatery and the grand gardens as added touches that not even Firestone could have fathomed during his day.
Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, Photo Credit: Hilton Worldwide
Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills
La La Land and Moonlight may be the darlings of Hollywood right now, but when this 12-story, 170-room stunner on Wilshire Boulevard opens its doors come June, that will certainly change.
Waldorf Astoria’s first foray in Los Angeles, the property will surely turn heads with amenity-filled rooms and a Jean-Georges Vongerichten-helmed restaurant. Cameras won’t help but zoom in on the dreamy three-level lobby. And who knows which movie star will be the first to get red-carpet ready at the 5,000-square-foot Spa by La Prairie?
The St. Regis Dubai, Al Habtoor Polo Resort & Club
In the world of biggest and tallest, newest still carries weight in Dubai. The St. Regis brand’s first polo resort opens in mid-February and it will be a much-ballyhooed showing of opulence (hand-tufted rugs, textured walls) and extravagance (riding school with 500-plus stables).
The 159-room playground won’t threaten any world records with its size, but its six restaurants, eight meeting spaces and state-of-the-art polo academy will impress you.
The Line D.C.
The White House is far from the only D.C. address starting anew in 2017. The Line, which has garnered quite the reputation in L.A. for its modern, simple edginess, will bring a similar panache to the Adams Morgan corner of town.
When you check into the converted 110-year-old church, expect to see custom furniture and 55-inch TVs in each of the 220 rooms. Another promise: D.C.’s trendiest set will regularly fill up the three restaurants (notably James Beard award-winning chef Spike Gjerde’s A Rake’s Progress and James Beard finalist Erik Bruner-Yang’s Spoken English), two bars and coffee shop.
Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square, Photo Credit: Four Seasons Hotels Limited
Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square
Located in the heart of London, this new entry from the Four Seasons brand blends the modern with the classic to make a chic destination that gives easy access to points of interest like Westminster Abbey and the Tate Modern.
Four Seasons Ten Trinity Square boasts 89 well-appointed rooms and 11 luxurious suites. Architecture aficionados will appreciate the details — like the plasterwork and 16-foot ceilings in the Heritage Suites — that remain from the building’s former incarnation as the Port of London Authority.
While tons of fantastic restaurants are within walking distance, save your appetite for the hotel’s La Dame de Pic from chef Anne-Sophie Pic.
Murray by Niccolo, Hong Kong
New luxury brand Niccolo (a sister to Marco Polo Hotels) debuted with a hotel in Chengdu, China, in 2015 and plans to add more to its roster of urban properties. The splashiest opening will be its Hong Kong flagship, Murray, tucked between the Central business district and Hong Kong Park.
Spread through 27 floors, the October-opening hotel will have 336 modern rooms outfitted with stone and leather. Among the five restaurants and bars, the hot spot will undoubtedly be the rooftop bar that overlooks the skyline and Victoria Peak.
Pendry San Diego, Photo Credit: Pendry Hotels
Pendry San Diego
Following the trend of established hotel companies creating younger, hipper offshoots, veteran luxury brand Montage Hotels & Resorts came up with Pendry.
The premier Pendry entry, the San Diego hotel is poised to capture the right crowd when it opens its doors in February. Situated in the Gaslamp entertainment hub, it will feature an alfresco rooftop pool lounge with DJs spinning in the evenings, brews at Nason’s Beer Hall and nightlife at Oxford Social Club.
After a night of carousing, retire to one of the 317 rooms, which have an ocean-hued palette, Fili D’Oro linens, 42-inch LCD televisions and Nixon Bluetooth speakers.
Itz’ana Resort and Residences, Belize
Named after the Mayan god of day and night, Itz’ana in Belize certainly has enough amenities to keep you busy. Its perch on the Caribbean coast in Placencia, nestled between reef and rainforest, makes it an amenable environment for activities from sailing and snorkeling to hiking and ziplining.
While this slice of waterfront heaven goes heavy on the nature, it’s no slouch in the creature comforts department, either. Mara Jernigan’s seaside Limilia offers fresh, seasonal dishes, and The Rum Room’s sommelier will take you on a taste-tour of the region’s best rums.
Okada Manila
The latest showstopper in Manila Bay officially opened in December 2016 in Entertainment City, the Philippines’ answer to Las Vegas.
There’s no shortage of space to stay or play at Okada Manila. The opulent casino-resort behemoth features 993 suites and villas that boast views of the bayfront or the hotel’s elaborate 400,000-square-foot dancing fountain.
For entertainment, head to World of Wonders for performances that blend technology and art into stunning spectacles. Cove Manila, the dome-covered club/concert venue, provides weatherproof views of the harbor as you party the night away. By day, the space turns into an indoor beach club, complete with cabanas, infinity-edge Jacuzzis, a swim-up bar and imported white sand for that authentic beachy feel.
NOPSI Hotel, New Orleans, Photo Credit: Salamander Hotels & Resorts
NOPSI Hotel, New Orleans
NOPSI stands for “New Orleans Public Service Inc.,” a nod to the brick building’s former power company tenant. The Salamander property attempts to retain some of the industrial elements (cast-iron rails, stone walls) while adding luxurious touches (reportedly the most spacious showers in town).
The New Orleans hotel’s 217 rooms carry a refined, classic look with furniture inspired by the 1920s era. But for a relaxing option, book one of the four Spa Suites on the ninth-floor rooftop, where you’ll also find a bar, gym and pool with skyline panoramas.
Another place that will emanate elegance is the courtyard garden, where you can linger over a sazerac with a fountain bubbling in the background.
Bellagio Shanghai
Shanghai seems to be going through another hotel growth spurt, with luxury hotels popping up all over. But we are eagerly awaiting the first Bellagio hotel outside of North America, which will land along the city’s Suzhou River.
As with its Vegas sibling, the luxury hotel will dazzle with décor. The exterior will blend in with the classical buildings surrounding it, and inside, the 165 spacious rooms will showcase modern Art Deco.
Don’t miss the amenities: The Italian restaurant Lago from chef Julian Serrano will have a large terrace overlooking the river and the Pudong cityscape. And the hotel’s 22,000-square-foot Shopping Square will be the place to do some browsing.
Las Alcobas, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Napa Valley, Photo Credit: Marriott International Inc
Las Alcobas, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Napa Valley
Napa’s newest hotel couldn’t ask for a better location: Las Alcobas sits next to Beringer, one of California’s oldest wineries. It means most of the hotel’s 68 rooms will have excellent vineyard vistas from their terraces.
Similar to its Mexico City sister property, the first U.S. Las Alcobas outpost will also focus on style. Expect Yabu Pushelberg-designed rustic-chic interiors with loads of light wood and white and sliding glass doors that look out at the vineyards.
Aside from the views, we look forward to trying chef Chris Cosentino’s fine-dining Acacia House, where more wine awaits.
Pink Sands Club
After the October 2016 debut of Pink Sands Club, one thing is clear: This brand-new resort stuns at all angles. With only 26 suites and six villas, each featuring unobstructed ocean views, the secluded Canouan Island property is shaping up to be a go-to Caribbean getaway.
There are plenty of excursions to become acquainted with the tropical island, from exploring Mount Royal via jeep tours and guided hikes to setting out to the Tobago Cays in a catamaran or yacht.
But no one could blame you for staying resort-side . The 1,200-acre property houses an infinity-edge pool with a three-tier sundeck. And you may want to spend all your free time relaxing in one of the two overwater palapas at the spa for glass-bottom views of the lagoon.