Here’s a look at the coolest new hotels opening around the globe in December and January, including two London properties peddling different types of luxury — and Starwood’s new venture on the Vegas Strip.
1. W Las Vegas
Location: On the far north end of the Strip in Las Vegas
Number of Rooms: 289
Three Interesting Facts: 1. The W Las Vegas isn’t an all-new build; rather Starwood has taken over, renovated and rebranded an existing tower of the SLS Las Vegas. 2. Not the sexiest amenity, but certainly a useful one, is the on-site rental car service that lets you pick up and drop off your vehicle right at the hotel. 3. The Extreme WOW Suite — the hotel’s largest at 2,382-square-feet — features art designed by Lenny Kravitz.
Loyalty Program: Starwood.
Price: From $126 or 12,000 Starpoints per night.
Book With: Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card from American Express (to earn up to 5x points on Starwood stays)
2. Las Alcobas, A Luxury Collection Hotel, Napa Valley
Location: St. Helena, Napa Valley, California
Number of Rooms: 68
Three Interesting Facts: 1. Las Alcobas, A Luxury Collection Hotel, Napa Valley is the younger sister of the Las Alcobas, A Luxury Collection Hotel, Mexico City. 2. Onsite restaurants include Acacia House, brought to you by Chef Chris Cosentino. 3. A complimentary shuttle whisks guests downtown to tasting rooms so there’s no need to be the designated driver while you’re on vacation.
Loyalty Program: Las Alcobas is a member of Starwood’s Luxury Collection.
Price: From $450 or 30,000-35,000 Starpoints per night.
Book With: Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card from American Express (to earn up to 5x points on Starwood stays)
3. Regent Chongqing
Location: Chongqing, an emerging economic powerhouse in southwestern China
Number of Rooms: 202
Three Interesting Facts: 1. The Regent Chongqing is the first of four Asian properties opening over the next two years; others are on deck for Xi’an, Harbin and Jakarta. 2. The property’s mixed-media in-house art collection celebrates materials traditional to Sichuan culture, like ceramic, jade, metal and lacquer. 3. Club Rooms have perks like 24-hour butler service, lounge access and complimentary airport transfers.
Loyalty Program: N/A
Price: From $130 per night.
Book With: Citi Prestige (to earn 3x points, 4th night free perk), Chase Sapphire Reserve (to earn 3x points on travel), Chase Sapphire Preferred (to earn 2x points on travel)
4. AC Hotel Portland
Location: Downtown Portland, Oregon
Number of Rooms: 204
Three Interesting Facts: 1. Marriott’s AC brand, a Euro import, is still relatively new to the US but tracked for fast expansion, with locations already open in Chicago, Boston and New Orleans; this will be the first AC Hotel in the Pacific Northwest. 2. The brand’s Spanish roots translate to egg tortillas, tapas and jamon Iberico at the property’s casual onsite restaurant, AC Kitchen. 3. The hotel has a great centralized location, putting guests within walking distance of the river and hometown favorites like Tasty n Alder, Stumptown Coffee Roasters and Voodoo Doughnut.
Loyalty Program: Marriott.
Price: From $205 or 30,000-35,000 Marriott Rewards points per night.
Book With: Marriott Rewards Premier Credit Card (to earn up to 5x points)
5. QT Museum Art Hotel Wellington
Location: Wellington, New Zealand
Number of Rooms: 160
Three Interesting Facts: 1. QT is a cheeky boutique brand with properties in Sydney and Melbourne, making this $8-million rebranding of the existing Museum Art Hotel its first outside Australia. 2. The hotel’s former owner amassed a collection of more than 150 works from mostly New Zealand artists and QT has made a deal with him to keep the art onsite for at least three years. 3. Swim all year round in the glassed-in lap room.
Loyalty Program: QT has its own loyalty program, Priority Guest Rewards, which functions similarly to Kimpton’s Karma Rewards in that you don’t earn or redeem points for stays but instead get access to benefits like special rates, free Wi-Fi and dining discounts.
Price: From $125 per night.
Book With: Citi Prestige (to earn 3x points, 4th night free perk), Chase Sapphire Reserve (to earn 3x points on travel), Chase Sapphire Preferred (to earn 2x points on travel)
6. SailRock Resort
Location: South Caicos, Turks and Caicos
Number of Rooms: 17
Three Interesting Facts: 1. SailRock sits on 8.3-square-mile South Caicos island, one of the least developed in the Caribbean archipelago and a 25-minute flight from Providenciales (PLS). 2. Accommodations are a mix of bright, airy suites and villas that start at 892 square feet. 3. South Caicos is home to the third largest coral reef in the world, which SailRock takes advantage of with tons of snorkeling and SCUBA excursions.
Loyalty Program: N/A
Price: From $400 per night.
Book With: Citi Prestige (to earn 3x points, 4th night free perk), Chase Sapphire Reserve (to earn 3x points on travel), Chase Sapphire Preferred (to earn 2x points on travel)
7. JW Marriott Singapore South Beach
Location: Singapore, within the new mixed-use South Beach development
Number of Rooms: 634
Three Interesting Facts: 1. This is Singapore’s first JW Marriott property. 2. The hotel features sky gardens (a popular feature in the vertical city) on its 6th and 18th floors. 3. The arched ceiling of the Grand Ballroom is illuminated by Forest of Lights, a Philippe Stark installation composed of more than 11,500 individual LED lights.
Loyalty Program: Marriott.
Price: From $231 or 35,000-40,000 Marriott Rewards points per night.
Book With: Marriott Rewards Premier Credit Card (to earn up to 5x points)
8. Hyatt House New York/Chelsea
Location: New York’s Chelsea neighborhood
Number of Rooms: 150
Three Interesting Facts: 1. Located on the corner of 28th Street and 6th Avenue, this is the first Hyatt House in Manhattan. 2. The “House” in the name speaks to this brand’s extended-stay amenities, including a kitchenette equipped with real plates, silverware and appliances — housekeeping will even food shop for you ahead of your stay and send up crock pots, blenders and board games if needed. 3. Book a “high floor” room for killer skyline views.
Loyalty Program: Hyatt Gold Passport.
Price: From $182 or 20,000 Gold Passport points per night.
Book With: The Hyatt Credit Card (to earn 3x points on Hyatt stays)
9. Four Seasons London at Ten Trinity Square
Location: City of London
Number of Rooms: 100
Three Interesting Facts: 1. The new Four Seasons occupies the former Port of London Authority’s headquarters, a dramatic building with soaring columns and a stone front staircase everybody will be Instagramming from when the hotel opens at the end of January. 2. Anne-Sophie Pic, the only French female chef to be awarded three Michelin stars, is in charge of the hotel’s 87-seat signature restaurant, La Dame de Pic. 3. The property’s location at the edge of the City (London’s financial center) makes the hotel well positioned whether you’re traveling for business or pleasure.
Loyalty Program: N/A
Price: From $503 per night.
Book With: Citi Prestige (to earn 3x points, 4th night free perk), Chase Sapphire Reserve (to earn 3x points on travel), Chase Sapphire Preferred (to earn 2x points on travel)
10. The Distillery
Location: Portobello Road in London’s Notting Hill neighborhood
Number of Rooms: 3
Three Interesting Facts: 1. This independent hotel’s founder is Ged Feltham, the man behind Portobello Road Gin. 2. There’s a 40-liter gin still in the basement, plus a forthcoming mini-gin museum, as well as the “Ginstitute,” where guests can blend their own bouquet of botanicals for a personalized bottle. 3. With rates starting at $155 a night, these rooms will be one of notoriously-expensive London’s best bargains.
Loyalty Program: N/A
Price: From $155 per night.
Book With: Citi Prestige (to earn 3x points, 4th night free perk), Chase Sapphire Reserve (to earn 3x points on travel), Chase Sapphire Preferred (to earn 2x points on travel)
Which of these new hotels are you most excited about? Let us know, below.
Featured image courtesy of the Sailrock Resort’s Facebook page.
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