From a cenote-inspired spot in Mexico City to an architectural stunner that reshaped the Sydney skyline, here are the 20 most exciting hotels to debut in the past year
For Refined Revelers
The Singapore Edition, Singapore
Studio 54 cofounder Ian Schrager and Marriott International opened the latest chapter of the glitzy Edition hospitality chain just off Singapore’s Orchard Road in November. It comes with many of the brand’s trademarks, including a lobby bursting with potted plants, a marble pool table, and an outpost of the Punch Room signature lounge. The hotel’s beating heart is the dashing restaurant, Fysh at Edition, where the dining room is a riot of jade velvet banquettes, Antico Verde marble, and 14-carat-gold-leaf etching. Australian chef Josh Niland’s creative menu jazzes up regional seafood with dishes such as yellowfin-tuna merguez sausage.
editionhotels.com
For Desert Denizens
Our Habitas Atacama, San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
The eco-minded Habitas brand is definitely a fit in this rugged corner of northeastern Chile, the driest non-polar desert on earth, which is beloved for its abundant stargazing opportunities. The hotel leans into its arid surroundings with 51 rooms that feature adobe walls, thatched roofs, handcrafted wooden furnishings, and local textiles and ceramics from Indigenous Atacameño artisans. Desert botanicals factor heavily into the programming, whether in the coca-leaf welcome ceremony (to help with the altitude, as the property is 8,000 feet above sea level), the spa’s Willka Kuti Purification treatment, or the menu at the restaurant, Almas.
ourhabitas.com
For Serenity Seekers
Shisui, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Nara Nara, Japan
The ancient capital of Japan is beloved for its serene temples and tame sika deer (which eat right out of people’s hands), and that sense of calm extends to this 43-room hotel, the design of which was conceived by starchitect Kengo Kuma. The reception area, lounge, and restaurant incorporate a 102-year-old former governor’s residence, but the real treat is the grounds, which include a traditional garden that was once part of the Kōfukuji temple. The property’s name is derived from the surrounding flora—shikan suiyou, or “purple trunks and green leaves”—and many rooms include open-air hot spring baths for onsen-style relaxation.
marriott.com
For Global Gourmands
One&Only One Za’abeel, Dubai
For its third location in the largest city in the United Arab Emirates, One&Only is looking skyward. This “vertical urban resort” is part of a two-towered skyscraper complex that’s shaped a bit like a 1,000-foot-tall capital “H.” The only thing at this property with loftier ambitions than the architecture (the horizontal section of the “H” is the longest cantilever in the world) is the culinary program: The chefs with on-site restaurants—including Anne-Sophie Pic, Tetsuya Wakuda, and Dabiz Muñoz—hold 20 Michelin stars between them.
oneandonlyresorts.com
For Bauhaus Buffs
Mollie Aspen, Aspen, Colorado
The posh mountain town of Aspen loves its Bauhaus, thanks to the presence of the Aspen Institute, and that design movement is the aesthetic jumping-off point for this 68-room hotel. Radiata pine cladding, concrete floors, and white oak millwork provide a clean-lined canvas for vintage 1960s furniture and contemporary art pieces (such as Rachel Snack’s textiles, inspired by Bauhaus legend Anni Albers). Throughout the property, even the simplest details are high-design: Think Coyuchi robes, Parachute Egyptian cotton bedding, Fellow electric kettles, and L:a Bruket toiletries.
mollieaspen.com
For Design Devotees
Hotel Volga, Mexico City
The Brutalist aesthetic pops immediately at this stylish hotel, designed by the Mexico City firm JSa Architects, in CDMX’s trendy Cuauhtémoc neighborhood. What lingers, though, is the feeling of being in a cenote, the famed limestone sinkholes of the Yucatán Peninsula. Guests enter at the bottom of a cavernous atrium with plants growing out of the concrete walls and light streaming in from above. Opt for a swim, however, and you’ll get the opposite experience: You won’t be taking a dip at the bottom, as in a cenote, but rather at the jungle-like rooftop pool.
hotelvolga.mx
For French Connectors
Le Grand Mazarin, Paris
Occupying a 14th-century building in the Marais, this boutique hideaway takes its cues from the literary salons of yore. Appropriately, the decor bursts with go-grande-or-go-home conversation pieces: lobster and paisley wallpaper, seashell-lined carpets, and beds topped with draped tapestries. The pastel palette makes it feel as if you’re walking through a box of macarons. Public spaces include Boubalé (chef Assaf Granit’s ode to the cooking of Ashkenazi Jewish grandmothers) and a vaulted-ceiling pool with a whimsical fresco inspired by Jean Cocteau.
legrandmazarin.com
For Digital Nomads
Palihouse Hyde Park Village Tampa, Florida
The latest entry in Tampa’s hotel boom is this new Palihouse property, which is tucked away in the historic shopping district of Hyde Park Village. Hallways lined with framed vintage Hermès scarves lead to 36 oversize rooms that give off the quirky confidence of an artistic friend’s studio apartment. The comfortably stylish decor in your room—brass chandeliers, gingham couches, floral headboards—makes it the kind of place where you wouldn’t mind posting up for a few hours with your laptop and an iced coffee. Craving communal time? The wood-paneled lobby bar serves sophisticated drinks, including a cocktail of the day that’s only $10 during happy hour.
palisociety.com
For Rat Pack Romanticists
Fontainebleau Las Vegas, Las Vegas
In December, 16 years after its groundbreaking, this much-delayed resort finally opened its doors on Sin City’s suddenly scene-y North Strip. The 67-story stunner was worth the wait: There’s a two-level spa with snow showers and salt caves, restaurants from Evan Funke and Gabriela Cámara, and a six-acre pool deck. The best bit of branding is the bow-tie logo—a nod to Morris Lapidus, who 70 years ago designed the Miami Beach sister property, a favorite retreat of the Rat Pack. The shape appears in marble floor inlays and in the Bleau Bar chandelier, which is made up of thousands of crystal bow ties.
fontainebleaulasvegas.com
For Architecture Enthusiasts
W Sydney, Sydney
The Sydney waterfront isn’t wanting for iconic structures, but last fall the skyline got even more jaw-dropping thanks to the debut of the largest W hotel in the world. The landmark building from Aussie architecture firm Hassell looks a bit like a round-edged wave or a shark fin, while the imaginative interiors, designed by London’s Bowler James Brindley, draw liberally from local flora and fauna. (The “W” sign in the lobby, for instance, is inspired by the waratah flower, the floral emblem of New South Wales.) The 588 guest rooms, for their part, have rippling walls that mimic the billowing sails you might see in Darling Harbour outside.
wsydney.com
For Oenophiles
The Hazendal Hotel and Spa Stellenbosch, South Africa
The Cape Winelands area is among the most glorious wine regions in the world, and this 34-room hotel sits at the gateway of the Stellenbosch Wine Route, just a 30-minute drive from central Cape Town. While the larger estate dates to 1699, the design of the hotel is contemporary, with indoor flower beds, skylights, and wall-size windows. (For traditionalists, a 1790 Cape Dutch homestead is also available.) Aside from the tasting opportunities in the wine lounge, the property boasts a bar that serves cocktails made with grape-based spirits and a cigar lounge that trades masculine clichés for riotously bright botanical wallpaper.
hazendal.co.za
For Bavarian Traditionalists
Rosewood Munich, Munich
The first luxury hotel to debut in Munich in 16 years is in many ways dedicated to the classic culture of the Bavarian capital. Rosewood has merged two restored historic buildings—an 18th-century palace and a Baroque bank—and imbued the interiors of the 132 apartment-style rooms and suites with sapphire and emerald fabrics inspired by the local countryside. The serene Asaya Spa incorporates longstanding German healing practices, and Brasserie Cuvilliés serves wonderful Wiener schnitzel. Don’t mistake traditionalism for staidness, however: Bar Montez has emerged as the city’s hippest night spot.
rosewoodhotels.com
For Lively Londoners
The BoTree, London
Befitting its location at the nexus of three stylish neighborhoods—Marylebone, Mayfair, and Soho—this 199-room-and-suite hotel is equal parts luxurious and fun-loving. The design by EPR Architects features an undulating lattice facade and an interior adorned with lots of greenery, flowers, and floral print. The locale’s fashionability really becomes apparent at the property’s restaurant, Lavo, from the always au courant Tao Group: The only things better-looking than the made-to-order Negroni in your glass and the 20-layer chocolate cake on your plate are the attractive young couples at the tables around you kicking off a night on the town.
thebotree.com
For Cocktail Connoisseurs
The Celestine New Orleans
Tennessee Williams penned parts of A Streetcar Named Desire in the 1791 French Quarter building that houses this boutique hotel, but the historic figure who better captures the spirit of The Celestine is onetime resident Antoine Peychaud, the Haitian immigrant who invented Peychaud’s Bitters (a key ingredient in a Sazerac). The bitters pioneer’s old parlor is now a nationally recognized bar that bears his name. Some of the hotel’s 10 guest rooms overlook the courtyard, with its central stone fountain and crawling jasmine vines; among these is the Suite Madeline, which has a Juliet balcony above the patio, as well as windows facing lively Toulouse Street.
thecelestinenola.com
For Sun Seekers
The St. Regis Kanai Resort, Riviera Maya Playa del Carmen, Mexico
The Riviera Maya is one of the hottest destinations on Earth—and the recent opening of the Tulum International Airport is only making it more so. Unsurprisingly, the Yucatán has seen a boom in hotel construction, including this St. Regis, located in the master-planned Kanai resort community. Built amid an oceanfront natural mangrove forest, with architecture inspired by the Pleiades, the 124-room-and-suite property combines its natural setting with luxurious amenities such as a spectacular spa with Mayan-inspired treatments and a restaurant from star chef Richard Sandoval.
marriott.com
For Urban Sophisticates
The Fifth Avenue Hotel, New York City
The corner of Fifth Avenue and 28th Street in Manhattan has lived a lot of lives: The site was the home of Gilded Age socialite Charlotte Goodridge, a fine-art gallery, and a landmark bank building. Now, it boasts a 153-room-and-suite hotel that combines a century-old Renaissance-style palazzo, a 24-story glass tower, and an interior that has the feel of an eclectic private museum, thanks to the work of designer Martin Brudnizki. As with just about any hotel in NYC, the biggest draws are the public spaces—Café Carmellini, from James Beard Award-winning chef Andrew Carmellini, and The Portrait Bar, an artwork-lined cocktail spot.
thefifthavenuehotel.com
For Glampers
Ulum Moab, Moab, Utah
Under Canvas practically invented the glamping trend, and last year the outdoor hospitality company upped the level of luxury by debuting a new brand, Ulum. The first of these safari-inspired properties is located on 200 acres of Utah desert, with views of Looking Glass Arch and the unearthly landscape that surrounds it. Not that you’ll feel particularly lost in the desert, as the 360-square-foot Suite Tents feature king-size beds, Parachute linens, and en-suite bathrooms with rain showers. As much as you may want to avail yourself of these amenities at the end of a day of activities, one look up toward Moab’s star-spangled skies will convince you to keep your eyes wide open.
ulumresorts.com
For Art Lovers
21c Museum Hotel St. Louis St. Louis
“Hotel art” used to be the worst thing you could say about a painting, shorthand for bland landscapes and glib abstractions. Since 2006, however, Louisville, Kentucky–based 21c has been turning that pejorative into a compliment. At the brand’s newest hotel, a renovated YMCA in the heart of St. Louis, world-class works exist everywhere: in the 173 rooms; in the Spanish-inspired restaurant, Idol Wolf; in the attached 6,000-square-foot museum, featuring a large Kehinde Wiley piece presiding over a converted basketball court; and in the lobby, where guests are greeted by a water-filled orb from Serkan Özkaya that, fittingly, turns the world upside down.
21cmuseumhotels.com
For Intrepid Explorers
The InterContinental Auckland, Auckland
Is there a better location in the City of Sails than right across from the Ferry Terminal in Waitematā Harbour? A stay at this sophisticated, waterfront InterCon is an invitation to explore: to go wine-tasting on Waiheke Island, hiking on Rangitoto, or birdwatching on Tiritiri Matangi. All manner of urban attractions are also at your doorstep, from the shops on Queen Street to the Auckland War Memorial Museum. Once you’ve seen the sights, return to your room, featuring woven panels from the Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei collective, coffee pods from Auckland’s Kokako Roasters, and those gorgeous water views.
intercontinental.com
For Boston Brahmins
Raffles Boston, Boston
Guests arriving at the first Raffles hotel in the U.S. are immediately swept up 17 floors to the Sky Lobby, where they’re wowed by a bevy of orchids, a three-story floating staircase, and stunning views of Beantown. The 147-room property makes tony Back Bay that much more luxurious, providing a butler who will attend to every whim, from pouring you a Boston Sling (a cranberry-tinged take on the original Singapore hotel’s classic house cocktail) to securing you a table at Amar, the Portuguese restaurant from star chef George Mendes. Savor Maine lobster with Azoran pineapple and, once again, those views. Boston never looked so good.
rafflesboston.com
