We all make New Year’s resolutions. The luxury hotel industry is no different. But rather than center its goals around diet changes or finding love, the sector has seemingly joined forces to accomplish one thing in 2020—to show you, the well-traveled guest, that when it comes to having memorable overnight experiences, the best is yet to come.
Whether you’re seeking staggering structures in the heart of a big city or intimate wine country escapes, the coming year will spawn an impressive roster of real estate. Of course, with all the tidying up you’ve resolved to do in your life, you don’t have the time to look into every resort on the cusp of opening its doors. Luckily, Forbes Travel Guide’s editors have donned the hard hats, looked over the renderings and constructed this list of 20 hot spots you’ll be hearing the most about in 2020.
Pendry West Hollywood
We already adore West Hollywood for its eclectic shops and farm-to-fork eateries, but with this cool entry, we have a fresh reason to hang out on Sunset Boulevard. Beyond 149 Martin Brudnizki Design Studio-conceived units, the property will offer 40 Pendry residences, a rooftop pool, a live entertainment venue, a bowling alley and more.
Capella Bangkok
A brand that has sprinkled polished, memorable experiences across Asia and Europe since 2002, Capella is extending its reach to Bangkok in early 2020 with a 101-suite-and-villa beauty that will feature four stylish dining options, an Auriga Wellness spa and countless magical views over the Chao Phraya River.
Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok At Chao Phraya River
Situated on the same riverbanks as Capella Bangkok (and having the same owner), this 299-room wonder is generating its own wave of excitement prior to its early-2020 unveiling. One look at the stunning indoor-outdoor public spaces, seven dining and drinking outlets and riverfront infinity pool, and you begin to see why.
Six Senses New York
It takes a lot to turn heads in Manhattan. Needless to say, with its twisting tower design, contemporary stylings and enviable location between the High Line and Hudson River, the first Six Senses in North America will have little trouble getting attention when it opens in 2020.
Virgin Hotels Las Vegas
Richard Branson spends a lot of his time trying to figure out how to get people into other orbits, but endeavors like this amenity-filled wonder assure us that his feet are still firmly planted here on Earth. Once Hard Rock Hotel and Casino closes in February, the space will be re-envisioned with 1,500-plus rooms, 60,000 square feet of gaming and a five-acre pool area.
Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi
With 193 rooms and suites soaring into the clouds (the hotel takes up the top six floors of a 39-story structure), five regal restaurants and bars and a top-floor spa worthy of a queen, Tokyo’s second Four Seasons (its first, in Marunouchi, feels more like a boutique property) seems well-suited to face the Imperial Palace.
Bvlgari Hotel Paris
With a designer name like “Bvlgari” on the marquee, you can expect nothing less than chic when the Italian luxury brand makes its Paris debut in 2020. The 76-room Avenue George V hotel will charm with a see-and-be-seen restaurant and bar and an Instagram-worthy courtyard garden.
The Londoner
An unusual new build in the heart of London’s West End, this 350-room property will be one of the world’s deepest buildings (it has six subterranean levels) when it opens in June. A spa, two private screening rooms and a rooftop bar round out this sustainably focused stay.
Nobu Hotel London Portman Square
Joining its sister property in Shoreditch—the second eponymous hotel from renowned Japanese chef Nobu Matsuhisa and film heavyweights Robert De Niro and Meir Teper—will open its doors in the West End in the spring. The sleek and simple hotel will offer the brand’s staple Japanese-Peruvian fusion restaurant alongside 249 Make Architects-designed accommodations.
100 Princes Street
U.K.-based The Red Carnation Hotel Collection makes its Scotland debut with the refurbishment and reopening of this former Edinburgh private members club. While much is still unknown about the future boutique address (opening in late 2020), we do know that uninterrupted views of the city’s famed castle will come standard.
Montage Healdsburg
Sonoma’s verdant wine country serves as inspiration for this future Northern California retreat where 130 bungalow-style accommodations will blend seamlessly into the 258-acre property. A 11,500-square-foot spa and a France-meets-California, farm-to-table restaurant add extra elements of luxury.
The Langham Nymphenburg Residence, Munich
Though it’s touted as a residence, this recently refreshed 490-acre estate can be your regal home-away-from-home just outside Munich. Debuting in February, this three-story Bavarian beauty will boast four bedrooms, three living rooms, two wine cellars, a home cinema, an elevator and gorgeously landscaped gardens complete with storybook Nymphenburg Palace views.
Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection
A former royal escape gets a contemporary upgrade with the opening of this 32-acre Big Island resort. From the locally sourced seafood and Hawaiian-art-adorned accommodations to the onsite Hale‘I’ike (“House of Knowledge” cultural center), nearly every aspect of the Kona property immerses you in island life.
Four Seasons Resort and Residences Napa Valley
Soak up the experiences in Napa’s first resort in a working winery (overseen by respected vintner Thomas Rivers Brown). Participate in the winemaking process, savor tastings or dine in the barrel room. Then retire to your modern farmhouse-style accommodations, outfitted with a wine refrigerator, cozy fireplace and terrace or balcony.
One&Only Mandarina, Riviera Nayarit
Nestled in the Mexican jungle along white sand, this One&Only blends into the landscape with its 104 wood-filled treehouses and clifftop villas (all have private pools). Embark on water adventures from the hotel’s jetty, dine on fare from a soon-to-be-announced celebrity chef and catch the sunset among the trees at The Plateau’s alfresco bar.
Le Guanahani, St. Barts
Hurricane Irma destroyed this St. Barts favorite, but it has big plans for its reveal next October. Expect new offerings, including beachfront suites, an outdoor area with an infinity pool, a Kid’s Club with educational programs and a restaurant with panoramic island views. Plus, the spa will introduce new treatments and a gym.
Zadún, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Los Cabos
This just-opened hotel reaches for the same high points as other Ritz-Carlton Reserves: fetching design (wood and stone rooms punctuated with handmade Mexican art and textiles), a tucked-away location amid desert dunes and a destination spa. (The 29,535-square-foot Spa Alkemia has Casa Privada, a spa-within-a-spa with its own plunge pool, massage studio, steam room, beauty annex and lounge.)
J.K. Place Paris
The Left Bank is the city’s artistic enclave, but it’s becoming a luxury destination, first with Hotel Lutetia’s 2018 reopening and now with J.K. Place’s first property outside of Italy. Set in the former European Consulate, the 29-room hotel will honor its roots (warm Italian service, share-plates restaurant Casa Tua), but also embrace its surroundings (furniture includes a midcentury Hermès desk lamp, along with some pieces from Parisian flea markets). French brand Sisley oversees the spa.
Cheval Blanc Paris
Cheval Blanc built its luxurious reputation in beach (St. Barts) and ski (Courchevel) towns, but it’s branching out with its first city hotel. Near the Pont Neuf, the property will be in La Samaritaine (a landmark undergoing a renovation that will include a department store) and have an Arnaud Donckele restaurant, a Dior Spa Cheval Blanc and rooms with vistas of the Seine.
One & Only Portonovi, Montenegro
This Boka Bay retreat marks Dubai-based One&Only Resorts’ first foray into Europe. With six mountain-view pools, four distinct dining and drinking venues, and Venetian-inspired interiors spotlighting Adriatic Sea vistas, the opening promises to be grand.
