Summer brings steamy days, balmy nights and, with so many exciting hotel openings, the call for a vacation. But with so many possibilities, where to go and perhaps, more importantly, where to stay? Maybe southern Spain, for a round of golf with Gibraltar shining in the background, or Osaka, for a drink at an F. Scott Fitzgerald-inspired speakeasy.
No matter your whim, this group of just-opened hotels (and some soon-to-debut stunners) has you covered. So, mark your calendars and compose your away messages because these fresh properties have finally opened up their booking pages.
Newly Opened Hotels
Waldorf Astoria New York
When Waldorf Astoria New York closed for renovations in 2017, a part of Manhattan shut down with it. Tourists who dreamed of visiting the fabled address for a refined, luxury-filled getaway had to look elsewhere. And locals who frequented Peacock Alley for elevated pours and people-watching were forced to find another bar to do so.
But the iconic property finally reopened July 15, flaunting renovated interiors from architecture firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and designer Pierre-Yves Rochon. While exciting new treats highlight the opening — 375 of Manhattan’s most spacious accommodations, a reimagined Park Avenue Lobby and kaiseki-inspired restaurant Yoshoku — the inclusion of timeless touches (the restored Waldorf Astoria Clock, the spruced-up Peacock Alley) also help usher in the hotel’s new era of quiet grandeur.
Rosewood Amsterdam
The Rosewood Hotel Group has again excelled at what it does best: offering luxury hospitality that is deeply rooted in place. Take what it’s done in the Netherlands, for example. Rosewood, with help from the Dutch design firm Piet Boon, converted a stately, 16th-century building that once served as the Palace of Justice, into a new hotel — all while preserving the originally tiled staircases, crown moldings and other details of Old World charm in the process.
The May 1 opening revealed 134 ornate rooms and suites with subtle design accents (the pleated headboards evoke the folds of judicial robes); a 1924 refurbished teak and mahogany saloon boat; and a lobby inspired by Amsterdam’s iconic Rijksmuseum, with 10,000 pieces of art curated around the hotel.
Fairmont Golden Prague
In 1974, Czech architect Karel Filsak designed the former InterContinental Prague in the Brutalist architectural style that dominated the day. Fairmont Golden Prague gave the historic building a careful restoration, while also celebrating Czech artistry within its walls, as seen in the curated art installations, heritage ceiling carvings and locally made glassware displayed throughout the 320 guest rooms and common spaces.
The tranquil, steady presence of the Vltava River can be felt everywhere you turn, including the window seats in guest rooms, Prague’s only heated outdoor pool and the spa’s riverside relaxation garden.
Hard Rock Hotel London Ontario, Canada
This new Hard Rock Hotel embraces the bold. A 32-foot metallic guitar sculpture out front reveals as much. Music is the unquestioned focal point here, with the hotel in Canada’s largest indoor entertainment complex and in the country’s first designated UNESCO City of Music. However, the 164-room hotel centers around much more than a stage for screaming rock stars; instead, music is thoughtfully integrated into every element of a guest’s stay.
The brand’s signature Sound of Your Stay program provides expertly curated playlists, an in-room Victrola record player and the opportunity to have a top-of-the-line guitar delivered to the room for a jam session during your visit. Tunes are also incorporated into the hotel’s wellness offerings, from the high-energy tracks played in the underwater pool to the on-demand yoga flows paired to a mellow soundtrack.
Waldorf Astoria Osaka
When this Waldorf Astoria opened in April, it marked the storied hotel brand’s debut in Japan. The team wisely tapped Hong Kong-based architect André Fu, whose resumé includes Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star Shangri-La Tokyo, to infuse Waldorf Astoria’s iconic look with Japanese techniques and materials. The result is stunning and simultaneously subtle. A keen eye will spot clever peacock motifs, the Waldorf’s signature calling card, seamlessly woven into geometric designs.
This intriguing blend of art deco opulence and Japanese-style minimalism shines in the 252 rooms and suites, some of Osaka’s largest, which all come with spa-inspired bathrooms and floor-to-ceiling windows with automated drapes and linen curtains controlled from the bed. The Osaka rendition of the signature Peacock Alley is stunning, boasting panoramic views. Still, it’s the speakeasy-style bar, Canes & Tales, that represents the best fusion of East and West. Step behind an unmarked green door to find yourself transported back to a Jazz Age bar mixing cocktails inspired by F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Orient Express La Minerva
The Orient Express is often credited with ushering in a new era of luxury train travel, and this reputation carries over to the Accor brand’s first venture into stationary accommodations — a 93-room hotel in Rome. Embodying the company’s timeless elegance, the history-rich property is next to the Pantheon in a building that dates back to 1620, which later served as a popular destination for high-society travelers embarking on the Grand Tour.
Today, visitors will find warm, sumptuous woods and luxurious fabrics in each unique room imagined by Franco-Mexican artist-architect Hugo Toro, who also crafted all the furniture. In a city known for its rooftops, Gigi Rigolatto Roma has an enviable seventh-floor perch with a view of terra-cotta rooftops, the Pantheon’s dome and St. Peter’s Basilica. A stop by the Bellini Bar offers a picture-perfect toast.
Fairmont La Hacienda Costa del Sol
Andalusia, the southernmost region of Spain, where the Mediterranean meets coastal mountains, has remained a well-kept secret until now. At Fairmont La Hacienda, which opened in the spring, Spanish architecture firm Daar Studio used earth tones and landscaping to make the 311-room resort blend seamlessly with the Andalusian terrain. Most of the Studio Ibu-designed rooms have uninterrupted vistas of the sea and all feature abundant natural materials, as well as private terraces.
Besides the stunning scenery, the resort also delivers two award-winning golf courses with views of Gibraltar and Africa. The other big draw is internationally renowned Spanish chef Benito Gómez’s restaurant, Dalmar, which celebrates the culinary flavors of Andalusia’s coast with modern flair.
Mandarin Oriental Qianmen, Beijing
Mandarin Oriental Qianmen gives guests a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in a neighborhood of hutongs, or traditional narrow streets. The luxury hotel group has renovated 42 courtyard houses, modernizing the interiors while maintaining the classic siheyuan (courtyard house) architectural style. The result is an utterly charming escape to another world.
The Beijing hotel features elevated food and beverage options, including Cantonese and Chaozhou cuisine at Yan Garden by Chef Fei, all-day Italian dining at VICINI, historically inspired cocktails at the lively two-story TIAO cocktail bar and afternoon tea at Maple Lounge. And if you’re in need of some relaxation, spend the day at the hotel’s spa, a 10,000-square-foot escape that promises traditionally inspired treatments in a sleek, modern setting.
Soon-To-Open Properties
Faena New York
When Faena New York opens in August, it will bring a touch of the playful, art deco decadence to West Chelsea that has characterized the brand’s Five-Star Miami Beach property for the past decade. The Argentina-based hospitality group plans to infuse the new hotel with Latin flair, with help from South American chef Francis Mallmann, known for his work on Chef’s Table and Miami’s Four-Star Los Fuegos. Mallmann’s new open-fire cooking restaurant, La Boca, is named after a vibrant neighborhood in Buenos Aires.
Additionally, the 17,000-square-foot South American-inspired wellness sanctuary, Tierra Santa Healing House, promises total rejuvenation through a combination of traditional rituals and advanced treatments.
The Ritz-Carlton, Masai Mara Safari Camp
Imagine waking up in a tented suite with a view of the Sand River and golden savannahs stretching as far as the eye can see and having a front row seat to one of nature’s most dramatic phenomena: the Great Migration. When The Ritz-Carlton, Masai Mara Safari Camp opens in August in the 580-square-mile Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya, this dream of seeing millions of wildebeests, zebras and other animals on their annual trek will be a reality.
The “camp” consists of 20 architecturally unique tented suites, each with a private deck, plunge pools and butler service. Days will consist of guided safaris in the open-air Land Cruiser at sunrise, listening to a symphony of more than 500 species of birds and dining by firelight under the expansive night sky.
Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur
This towering Kuala Lumpur property promises to elevate luxury to the highest level, thanks to its positioning of guest rooms on floors 100 to 112 in the world’s second-tallest building (behind the Burj Khalifa), the 118-story Merdeka 118. The 252-room hotel, scheduled to open in August, will be a food and beverage destination with its 75th floor, which will house Merdeka Grill, a sleek, modern grill; Park Lounge, an all-day restaurant; and Cacao Mixology & Chocolate, the city’s first chocolate-themed bar and its highest bar.
Guests can try circadian treatments at The Spa at Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur, a sanctuary on the 99th floor. Inspired by Malaysia’s rich cultural traditions, the hotel’s interiors from G.A Group (which has done the design for Atlantis The Royal and JW Marriott Hotel Nara) are minimalist and elegant, allowing the breathtaking views from the massive windows to take center stage.
