Capella Marigot Bay
Photo Courtesy of Capella Marigot Bay
Just in time for fall, Forbes Travel Guide has rounded up some of the hottest new hotels to book for your next vacation. From a pied-à-terre in New England to a luxury room with a view in the City of Light, these are the recently opened places you should be checking into over the next few months.
Hotel Plaza Athénée, Paris
After a 10-month, $268 million renovation and expansion, the iconic Hotel Plaza Athénée — located on Paris’ Avenue Montaigne near couture houses such as Chanel, Dior and Louis Vuitton — re-opened in August with a fresh look and six new rooms, eight suites, a 170-seat ballroom and three function rooms. Looking for sleeping quarters with direct views of the Eiffel Tower? There are now 15, as well as more than 40 rooms with at least a peek of the landmark from the balconies. The units themselves have been updated while retaining the signature French couture style (crystal chandeliers, period furniture and textiles featuring velvets, brocades and satins). On the beds, new Beltrami Italian threads practically guarantee a sound night’s sleep, while small luxuries, such as Mako cotton towels, also ensure a sumptuous stay. On the ground floor, Le Bar du Plaza Athénée has also been redone, complete with bar master Thierry Hernandez’s new signature cocktail, the Rose Royal (champagne, fresh raspberry juice), to mark the occasion.
Capella Marigot Bay, St. Lucia
Tucked away on a tranquil inlet on the island of St. Lucia, a dreamy Caribbean getaway awaits at the new Capella Marigot Bay. Starting in September, you can wake up in a large, canopied bed in a spacious bay-view suite (1,345 square feet) to stunning vistas of the lush grounds and multi-million-dollar yachts moored at the adjacent marina. Spend the afternoon under the sun in your private plunge pool or at the freshwater infinity pool, where you can swim up to the bar and sip cocktails while seated in the water. At Auriga Spa, choose from indoor (the tension-taming Volcanic Stone massage) and outdoor (steam inhalation room) indulgences. Adventure seekers can escape to myriad activities nearby, including snorkeling, kayaking, deep-sea fishing, hiking and more.
The Broadmoor Cloud Camp, Photo Courtesy of The Broadmoor
The Broadmoor Cloud Camp, Colorado Springs
Perched atop Cheyenne Mountain, some 3,000 feet above Five-Star The Broadmoor, Cloud Camp has opened on the historic 1924 site of Broadmoor founder Spencer Penrose’s original Cheyenne Lodge. Overlooking Pikes Peak to the north and the Colorado Rockies to the west, the intimate lodge (seven guest rooms and 11 nearby cabins) sleep 56 guests in quarters decked out with wood flooring and hickory-paneled walls. If you can make your way out of your custom-designed bed, you’ll find a host of activities just outside your door, including hiking, archery and stargazing. On the dining front, Cloud Camp’s cuisine is inspired by Penrose’s life during the 1920s. Expect to nosh on reimagined interpretations of that period’s standards, such as beef Wellington and duck à l’orange, while sipping on a signature spiced rum punch.
White Elephant Loft, Nantucket Island
Just a short walk from Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star White Elephant Village is the White Elephant Loft, a 2,500-square-foot, three-bedroom apartment that opened in late July in the heart of Nantucket. Located on the second floor of a historic brick building on Main Street — the rental of another loft on Easy Street includes the usage of a BMW X5 — the new unit is mere steps from the downtown shops and restaurants. The open floor plan features 50-foot picture windows that manage to bring the outdoors in with soft natural lighting. Lovely green foliage complements the interior of cream and soft blue. A state-of-the-art kitchen, complete with a Sub-Zero refrigerator and separate wine cooler, is also included. For a family getaway, the king-size beds in each room can be split into twins, while the master includes a rainfall shower, soaking tub and Turkish cotton towels.
The August-opened, $400 million Park Hyatt is the epitome of sleek luxury. Staffers are decked out in architectural uniforms from designer Narciso Rodriguez. Rooms, designed by Yabu Pushelberg, are minimalistic, spacious and quietly elegant. A 65-foot indoor pool beckons guests from the 25th floor, while the 13,000-square-foot Spa Nalai offers respite from the clamor of the city with private outdoor terraces and panoramic views from the hotel’s top three floors. As if that weren’t enough, the hotel’s dining room, The Back Room at One57, is overseen by none other than Sebastien Archambault, most recently of President Obama favorite Blue Duck Tavern at Park Hyatt Washington.
The Peninsula Paris has re-emerged, after a four-year, $566 million renovation, with all the splendor befitting its storied past and landmark location. Situated near the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs Élysées, this 200-room wonder welcomes you in the main lobby with an ambitious crystal art installation from the Lasvit group fashioned to look like 800 sycamore leaves. Equally stunning guest rooms are tailored with sophistication (spacious closets, bathrooms kitted out in black and white marble) and convenience (phone calls can be made worldwide for free). There’s an underground spa and pool with a waterfall. You can also try LiLi, a high-end Asian restaurant featuring Cantonese cuisine. Should you ever desire to leave the premises, a chauffeured fleet of BMWs and Rolls-Royces can take you around the city.
This new Waldorf ambitiously combines six 17th-century canal townhouses into one uber-luxe Dutch property and, from the exterior, the results are nothing short of stunning. Once you get inside, you can tell that the same care was taken in the conception and execution. Refurbished to its palatial standards, Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam provides a pristine marble lobby leading to the bright Peacock Alley restaurant. Ninety three rooms, lofts and suites are decorated in pale white, indigo and green to emulate the works of Holland’s own Johannes Vermeer, while modern amenities such as flat-screen TVs and gratis Wi-Fi throughout the hotel befit our times. The personal palaces also include canal or courtyard garden views, grand over-mantel mirrors and generous bathrooms. Dining is, of course, a highly regarded affair at Librije’s Zusje Amsterdam, an establishment helmed by chef Sidney Schutte with a menu of local favorites and tasty international selections — much like its famed modern sister restaurant, De Librije, in Zwolle. As for post-meal pampering, Guerlain Spa offers treatments (the hot-oil- and ice-powered Fusion Experience) that employ the namesake’s full suite of products.
