Here is our pick of the most exciting new hotels that hotel fanatics and frequent fliers worth their salt should not miss in the new year.
AFRICA
Zambia: Anantara Kafue River Tented Camp
With just 12 luxury tents including a 6,000 sq ft Presidential Villa, the Anantara Kafue River Tented Camp located on the banks of the Kafue River in Western Zambia is an exclusive retreat. Fully suspended 3.5m above the ground, the camp is bookended by two islands. When the camp opens early this year, it will immerse guests in the heart of the Kafue National Park which at 24,400 sq km is teeming with wildlife. Each tent also comes with its own plunge pool and the use of a boat and skipper.
Kenya: andBeyond Suiyan Lodge
When andBeyond Suiyan Lodge opens in the third quarter in the 16,200 ha Suiyan Conservancy in Laikipia, Kenya, it will be the only luxury lodge and tented camp operator in the national park. As a nod to the kopjes, the small rocky hills that dot the landscape, the 14 sculptural suites are built in thatch and stone. Samburu art pieces adorn the interiors. From the private plunge pool and viewing deck of each suite, guests can enjoy views of Mount Kenya; and if they are lucky, spot reticulated giraffes, lions, cheetahs, and some of Kenya’s black rhino population, half of which live in Laikipia.
NORTH AMERICA
United States of America: Waldorf Astoria New York
For over a century, the grand dame dominated New York high society until it closed for a major facelift in 2017. Come spring, Waldorf Astoria New York will reclaim its status. This is a shoo-in, especially when its refreshed spaces include a new opera-inspired Grand Ballroom, a 30,000 sq ft spa and a signature restaurant led by internationally acclaimed Chef Michael Anthony, a well-known chef in the the New York City dining scene. Waldorf Astoria loyalists need not fret. Despite these changes and rooms that seamlessly blend modern comforts with subtle Art Deco accents, iconic elements of the hotel like the famous Waldorf Astoria clock remain.
ASIA
China: Salt of Anji
In the second quarter, The Lux Collective will debut in China with Salt of Anji, a 108-key hotel. Anji, a county in Huzhou in northwestern Zhejiang province is known for its white tea and bamboo forests. A 2.5-hour drive away from Shanghai, the hotel designed by South African architect Peter Rich by Catalan is set in a collection of Gaudí-inspired showstopping structures. Launched in 2018, Lux’s sister brand, Salt, seeks to enrich modern explorers’ travel through meaningful travel experiences, sustainability and connections to local communities.
China: Avani+ Xinyi Guangdong
Blessed with a wealth of natural attractions including a sprawling alpine meadow, the largest bamboo forest in western Guangdong, a spectacular mountain lake and hot springs, Xinyi is an up-and-coming ecotourism destination. Slated to open in the first half of this year, the 96-key Avani+ Xinyi Guangdong Resort sits in the midst of this verdant beauty, surrounded by a bamboo forest in the mountains above Ma An Village. In the hotel, guests will get to enjoy authentic Gaoliang cuisine, Xinyi’s first infinity sky pool and cutting-edge amenities.
China: Waldorf Astoria Shanghai Qiantan
The Waldorf Astoria enjoys such popularity in the chic city of Shanghai that it is opening a second one. Located in the New Bund area, Shanghai’s brand-new CBD, Waldorf Astoria Shanghai Qiantan will afford guests peerless panoramas of the Huangpu River while showering them in the glamour of a bygone age. The Art Deco inflections in the dazzling interiors pay tribute to Shanghai in the 1930s, the city’s golden age.
Japan: Capella Kyoto
Designed by Kengo Kuma, the 92-key Capella Kyoto is poised to become a landmark when it opens in the historic Higashiyama district. While it is within walking distance to the popular Kiyomizudera temple and the picturesque streets of Gion where geishas and maikos dwell, the hotel is designed to be a luxury retreat. The rooms and suites are furnished with soothing hues and sumptuous textures. A Japanese garden courtyard in the centre of the property provides the perfect space for guests seeking mindfulness and rest.
Japan: Kai Hakone (Reopening)
Well-loved onsen ryokan, Kai Hakone located an hour away from Tokyo in Hakone Yumamoto, an onsen village with 1,200 years of history, will reopen on August. It had closed last September to upgrade some rooms and improve communal spaces. The 12-year-old hotel managed by Hoshino Resorts, will introduce a new teahouse in its courtyard. Inspired by the teahouses of the Edo period and located among lush greenery, the new teahouse is a pretty spot for guests to relax after arrival or hangout with friends and family for postprandial chat.
Japan: Rosewood Miyakojima
With five openings in 2025, Rosewood has chosen the tropical islands of Okinawa for its Japan debut. The 55-suites only Rosewood Miyakojima on the largest island in the Miyakojima cluster is designed with local materials by Dutch architecture firm Studio Piet-Boon and Japanese studio Mitsubishi Jisho Sekki. Four different F&B concepts affording unrivalled views of soft sand and turquoise sea will leave guests spoiled for choice.
Japan: Risonare Shimonoseki
Scheduled to open in the south of Japan in Shikoku, the smallest of Japan’s main islands this December, Risonare Shimonoseki will command unparalleled panoramas of both sunset and sunrise. Taking advantage of its location on the waterfront, all 187 rooms will afford ocean views of the Kanmon Strait and passing ships. To draw guests closer to the Kanmon Strait for a deeper sense of place, the hotel will have an infinity pool filled with seawater pumped from underground.
Taiwan: Capella Taipei
The opening of the 86-key Capella Taipei in the Songshan district of Taipei this winter is highly anticipated as it is the first international luxury hotel to be launched in the Taiwanese capital since the pandemic. Designed by Andre Fu to be a “modern mansion”, the hotel offers bon vivants well-curated experiences by their signature Capella Culturists, and also four F & B concepts from French-inspired to Japanese.
SOUTHEAST ASIA
Thailand: Aman Nai Lert
After its successful opening in New York in 2022, Aman’s latest hotel opening in Bangkok is a much anticipated one. Featuring 52 suites, the Aman Nai Lert Bangkok will boast state-of-the-art Aman wellness facilities and well curated dining and recreational options including a jazz bar. Designed by Jean-Michel Gathy of Denniston, the hotel’s interiors will evoke elements of Thai culture while staying true to the Aman’s signature design aesthetics of clean lines and neutrals.
Indonesia: Regent Canggu
Located near Echo Beach in Canggu, Bali, the Regent Canggu designed by WATG occupies prime position on a coveted stretch of Canggu coastline that is popular with surfers. Eschewing the traditional Balinese design theme that is common among many Bali villas, this 150-key resort takes cues from contemporary Indonesian fashion and culture for its interiors. Guests can take their pick among five restaurants and bars for F & B, but an upgrade to a Regent Club accommodation means access to a well-appointed private lounge as well.
EUROPE
Italy: Casina Cinquepozzli
Come spring, Casina Cinquepozzii, an 18th century manor reimagined into a hotel with 55 keys on a 16 ha estate in Puglia, Italy, is likely to beckon creatives and the well-travelled who want to stay under the tourist radar. Guests will love the personal touches in the interiors by the current owners, a jewellery designer and her partner who had dedicated two years to restoring the house. Guests will get to sip their owner’s own organic rosé stash from their pigsty-turned-wine cellar alongside delicious nosh created by guest chefs and other creatives who will be hosted in an on-site artist residence flat.
Portugal: ME Lisbon
When it opens this year, the ME Lisbon will boast prime location in a historic neighbourhood with iconic landmarks like the Marquês de Pombal a stone’s throw away. With 213 rooms, the ME Lisbon will offer the perfect combination of design, service and comfort for modern travellers, perfectly complemented by a choice of innovative dining and wellness concepts. A destination spa will provide guests with everything they need to disconnect, such as an indoor pool, sauna, Turkish bath or massage cabins.
Greece: Four Seasons Resort Mykonos
This summer, the famous Greek island of Mykonos well known for unrivalled views of the Aegean, white cubic architecture with whitewashed courtyards and garden paths will welcome the Four Seasons. The 94-key Four Seasons Resort Mykonos on the coastline of Kalo Livadi Bay, is being developed in the Cycladic style that is synonymous with Mykonos, with a focus on sustainability. An exciting variety of F & B options including a modern Mykonia Kafeneio (café) awaits guests.
United Kingdom: Six Senses London
Housed within the former art deco department store, The Whiteley in Bayswater, West London, the Six Senses London is both an epicentre, and an escape from the hustle and bustle of city life. When opened, Six Senses London will boast 109 rooms and suites, 14 branded residences, a variety of dining destinations, the renowned Six Senses Spa, and the brand’s debut membership concept – Six Senses Place. The new private member’s club will operate with the brand’s mantra that wellness is anything and everything that results in mental, physical, spiritual and emotional happiness.
United Kingdom: Britannic Explorer
Not quite a hotel in the traditional sense, but this locomotive accommodation will appeal to travellers who are seduced by the romance of train travel. Debuting in the third quarter, the Britannic Explorer, a Belmond train, will take slow travel seekers through the vast, rolling landscapes of Great Britain in three routes: Cornwall, Wales and The Lake District. In the day, join guided tours of renowned Hauser & Wirth Somerset gallery and trek through bucolic Wales. At sunset, imbibe cocktails and spirits inspired by Victorian apothecaries.
MIDDLE EAST
United Arab Emirates: Lux* Al Jabal
Lux* Al Jabal, one of two inaugural Lux* hotel launches in Sharjah, UAE, in the fourth quarter, will boast views of the Gulf Oman and jagged mountains, access to a private beach, a destination spa and world-class dining options. As Sharjah is recognised by UNESCO as the Cultural Capital of the Arab World’ of its array of museums, mosques and cultural sites including the Al Madam ghost town, hotel guests will be offered a huge selection of cultural activities by the hotel. The crown in the jewel of this 45-key hotel is the Royal Suite which comes with its own pool.
THE PACIFICS
Palau: Hotel Indigo Palau
By year end, a Hotel Indigo by IHG Hotels & Resorts will open in Malakal island, one of over 300 islands that make up Palau, a paradisiacal country in Micronesia. Harnessing the natural beauty of the island and the marine wonders that surround it, the 200-key Hotel Indigo Palau will offer access to vibrant coral reefs, diving spots and marine wonders. Avid divers and water babies will love it.
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