21 for 2021 :: Most Anticipated Hotel Openings
Let's look forward, shall we?
These are the hotel openings happening in 2021 that I am the most excited for! Let's survey the world and see what's up, going up and opening up.
North America - Northeast
1 | Aman, New York City - I have to start with the new Aman opening in NYC this spring. This property features a wine library. Need I say more?! The hotel is in The Crown Building - the original home of the Museum of Modern Art! There'll be a gorgeous spa with the most stunning indoor pool I've ever seen - surrounded by fire pits and daybeds. Its doors open in Spring 2021, and this Manhattan hotel will provide all the splendor with the spirit of New York. p.s. There's an underground Jazz Club too!
Photo courtesy of Aman Hotels & Resorts
2 | Hutton Brickyards, Kingston, New York - This new hotel looks spectacular! I went to college in the Hudson Valley, so I may be biased. Still, these 73 acres of rolling hills and lush meadows overlooking the river are a natural wonder and a perfect locale to solidify a strong connection to nature. The 31 cabins afford privacy and space with spectacular views of the river and wildlife. Inspired by the Shakers, the indoor luxury embodies casual elegance with nostalgic touches. You can do archery, play croquet, tell stories around the fire pits or go biking, hiking, kayaking, paddle-boarding, outdoor yoga, snowshoeing, cross country skiing, or check out the bee-keeping. It's like a luxury camp for adults! The riverfront spa features glass-fronted saunas overlooking the mighty Hudson along with their full range of luxury wellness offerings.
3 | Six Senses, New York City - Six Senses is a longtime innovator in the wellness hospitality space, so this opening is excitedly anticipated (and not just by me!). Opening late 2021, this Six Senses will be an integral part of The XI - two unique, twisting towers designed by world-renowned architect Bjarke Ingels on the West Side. Six Senses Spa offers an original layered approach to wellness with treatments that are an intuitive mix of science and human awareness. The cuisine is fresh with local produce and ingredients. And my favorite part, of course, is the spa and wellness areas with a vibro-acoustic meditation dome, bathhouse and magnesium pool, Holistic Anti-Aging Center, fitness center, and a yoga studio. I can’t wait for this hotel to open!
Photos courtesy of Six Senses New York
4 | The Chatwal Lodge, Bethel, New York - This hotel features Ayurvedic wellness treatments and includes a steam room, a heated swimming pool, a sauna, and a jacuzzi. Opening in April 2021, the stunning lodge encompasses only 12 rooms that are very beautiful with pine, stones, and other timber. Perched on sixty acres of untouched beauty, the property sits along the wooded shores of the 1,000-acre Toronto Reservoir. A world-renowned French chef will craft a farm-to-table menu and suggest wines to match too.
North America - South
5 | The Columns, New Orleans, Louisiana - Jayson Seidman, a hotelier, bought this property, which is currently under renovation. A wealthy tobacco merchant originally built this Italianate-style mansion in the late 1880s. Converted to a boarding house in the early 20th century, by the 1950s, the building settled down to its true destiny - a hotel. The setting for many movies, this classic New Orleans hotel, embodies so much of NOLA's essence. Seidman is sure to bring his inimitable style and flair to his refresh of this spectacular property as he did with another of his hotels in New Orleans, The Drifter, which made Architectural Digest magazine's "chic motel" list.
6 | Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans, Louisiana - Situated along the shores of the Mississippi River in a building now recognized on the National Register of Historic Places, the Four Seasons painstakingly restored this landmark tower designed by modernist architect Edward Durell Stone. And wow - the stunning views really make this property stand out. You can also take in a private concert for you and your friends at Preservation Hall or climb aboard your own private streetcar to ride through the picturesque Garden District with a local historian who'll share stories (and ghost stories) and secrets of famous landmarks.
Photo courtesy of Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans
7 | Life House, Chattanooga - Historic Pullman Train Cars transformed into private suites - need I say more? As one who loves the classic age of train travel, this new hotel's design is genuinely cool. I used to sing Chattanooga Choo-Choo as a kid! All. The. Time. Rami Zeidan's latest boutique style hotel sits in a historic terminal with a wine bar and restaurant that celebrates jazz music and musicians from the 1920s. I may need to travel to Tennessee to stay here!
8 | W Nashville, Tennessee - Speaking of Tennessee, the W lands in Nashville. I used to stay at the W in Union Square and in Fort Lauderdale. As typical, the property's centerpiece is an expansive 9,700-foot WET Deck pool and bar and, yes, a yoga space too. Their whatever/whenever concierge service truly is whatever you wish and whenever you wish. Overlooking the Gulch, the W Nashville is within walking distance of this premier neighborhood's hotspots, which offers museums, shops, music venues, a night market, and more.
9 | Amrit Ocean Resort & Spa, Singer Island, Florida - Located on Singer Island in Palm Beach County, Amrit's Wellness Spa creates bespoke experiences based on the five pillars of wellness - Mindfulness, Nutrition, Fitness, Relaxation, and Sleep. An exclusive experience is the Aayush Hydrothermal Circuit, the 'elixir of life,' along with hydro-reflexology, an arctic chill fountain, a salt inhalation chamber, sauna, and steam room, along with a private spa lap pool. Right on the ocean, the natural beauty and fresh sea air will further help you unwind. Cooking classes, ocean water sports, and more are also available.
North America - West
10 | Bishop's Lodge, Santa Fe - A new addition to the Auberge Resort Collection, this beautifully located lodge will wow you with the landscape bordering the Santa Fe National Forest in New Mexico. Their tagline is The Art of Adventure and The Adventure of Art, perfect for such a property in Sante Fe, home to a vibrant culture of exploration and expression. In addition to fabulous collections of visual arts, Sante Fe is also a place for trying ancient healing arts. Turquesa Healing Arts Studio on the property features healing gem therapy, chakra balancing practices, and crystal bowl sound therapy. A deep tissue massage after your horseback ride amid the abundance of scenery is the perfect end to the day.
Photo courtesy of Bishop’s Lodge, Auberge Resorts Collection Sante Fe
11 | Fairmont Century Plaza, Los Angeles, California - This mid-century modern hotel in Century City underwent a 2.5 billion dollar renovation. And it shows. There's a stunning pool that overlooks Los Angeles. Then, there's the 14,000 square-foot spa, beautifully designed with natural wood and stone elements. The spa features a Turkish hammam, a sanarium, a Himalayan salt room, and luxurious massage treatments. (btw a sanarium is a moderate temperature sauna with increased humidity for maximum comfort). What I love is how they dive deep into aromatherapy; they even have an aromatherapy steam room.
12 | The Cloudveil, Jackson Hole, Wyoming - With the Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks, Jackson Hole is reliably a source of renewal and awe. They say something unique happens there: nature changes the person as much as people shape the place. Majestic mountain ranges and sparkling rivers surround the area. At Cloudveil, the outdoors is brought inside in many ways - especially in the design. Aspen trees in the lobby rise through the ceiling into the meeting space above. A grand staircase climbs from the lobby to the rooftop deck looks like it was carved out of a mountain, and a 3,000-pound boulder serves as the reception desk.
Photo courtesy of Cloudveil
Europe
13 | Kalesma, Mykonos - The Mykonian region of Aleomandra is named after the sacred Delian stables that, according to myth, provided shelter to the Olympian Apollos' horses. 'Kalesma' means 'inviting' in Greek, a word aligned with this privately-owned luxury boutique hotel's ethos. You can cruise to a hidden cove or get a guided tour of the sacred island of Delos. You can stroll through the alleys of Chora or do a night-walk around the Windmills, Little Venice (yes, “Little Venice” - it’s one of the most charming places on the island). Guests can also experience yoga, pilates, scuba diving, and more. The hotel will open its spa in 2022.
Photo courtesy of Kalesma Mykonos
14 | Cheval Blanc, Paris, France - This Paris addition to Cheval Blanc hotel line is long-awaited. The spa is by Dior, so Dior in Paris - what more could there be? A lot more! They have a tab in their navigation bar labeled - "Emotions." !! Cheval Blanc caters to the senses and features an exquisite level of service. This hotel is in the heart of Paris in the 1st arrondissement, just steps from the Louvre. And the interiors are designed to feel like a well-appointed Parisian apartment. There's also a majestic swimming pool with handcrafted mosaics by Michael Mayer.
15 | Admiralty Arch Waldorf Astoria, London - I still remember when Princess Diana's carriage carried her through and under this arch. The Admiralty Arch on the other end of the Mall from Buckingham Palace is one of London's most recognizable and treasured landmarks. Commissioned by King Edward VII in memory of Queen Victoria, the renovated building will offer 96 truly great guest rooms and suites in this historic place. The spa features a swimming pool, treatment rooms, sauna, steam room, and a yoga/pilates room. The Admiralty Arch is also just minutes from the outside beauty of St. James's Park, enabling guests to exercise amid the majesty of the ultimate Royal Park. Initially slated for opening in 2021, delays due to Covid shut-downs may push that to 2022.
16 | The Woodward, Geneva - Located on Lake Geneva, Switzerland, The Woodward is the latest addition to the Oetker Collection. Aligned with their mission to revitalize architecturally classic buildings, this one dates to 1901. And inside the stylish interior is a perfect blend of old meets new. The views are spectacular - of Lake Geneva and of Mont Blanc. This historic transformation creates Geneva's first all-suite hotel. It features restaurants by Michelin-starred L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon and vegetable-driven Le Jardinier by Alain Verzeroli, as well as a Spa by Maison Guerlain, including a 21-meter indoor swimming pool.
17 | Villa Igiea, Sicily, Italy - Originally built as a private villa at the end of the 19th century by an English admiral, this hotel building features Gothic Revival-style architecture, popular throughout England at the time. The second owner turned the villa into a luxury hotel and named it after his daughter Igiea. A stay here is like stepping back into the Belle Époque of Europe. There's a ton of history in this hotel and in Palermo - from the classical opera house to ancient wineries.
18 | One & Only Portonovi, Montenegro - Forging an innovative and exclusive partnership, the pinnacle of holistic wellness, Chenot Espace joins One & Only Portonovi on the shores of the Adriatic. By harnessing both Chinese medicine and Western technology, Chenot Espace offers an approach to health with life-changing detoxifying programs. The hotel overlooks the turquoise sea, and the landscape features rocky mountain peaks and natural forests. This palatial resort is a stunning addition to the One&Only global offerings.
Photo courtesy of One and Only Resorts
Asia
19 | Hoshino Kai Kirishima, Japan - Hoshino KAI Kirishima is a hotel set on a beautiful mountainside in southern Japan. Every room has a clear view of Sakurajima, an active volcano situated south of the grounds. The decor includes paintings with a stucco-like texture, created with clays made from the white volcanic soil that composes much of the area's topography. And amid the stunning scenery, you can bathe indoors or out at this ryokan, 旅館, a type of traditional Japanese inn that typically features tatami-matted rooms and communal baths.
Photo courtesy of Hoshino Resorts
Latin America & The Caribbean
20 | Paradero Todos Santos, Mexico - Todos Santos has been designated a Pueblo Magico, or magical town, for its natural beauty, 300-year-old history, and cultural wonders. And Paradero opens their latest here. Designed to recenter guests in nature, visitors rekindle their childlike sense of adventure, farming, gardening, hiking, surfing, biking. The Ojo de Agua spa is a below-ground sunken oasis inspired by a secret watering hole in Todos Santos. Their wellness experts blend Mexican centuries-old wisdom and sacred rituals to promote healing.
Photo courtesy of Paradero Todos Santos
21 | Rosewood Le Guanahani, St. Barth's - I love the Rosewood line of hotels. The one here in DC is beautiful. They completely renovated their hotel in St. Barth's, which sits on a private 18-acre peninsula overlooking Marigot Bay and Grand Cul-de-Sac. The only full-service resort on the island, Le Guanahani offers water sports, hiking, sea and town excursions, a new pool, fitness center, tennis court, and of course, Sense, A Rosewood Spa. With only 66 rooms, you know you'll be treated like a star.
And I’ll wrap things up with one last honorable mention, with very exciting news that broke last week regarding the “crown jewel” - the Faena. I have stayed at both Faenas - the one in Buenos Aires in 2011 and the one in Miami in 2016 (click through to see the video!). And I guarantee you there’s nothing like else like it in the world. They are more than a hotel. They are cultural hubs that are just spectacular. Read all about out here.
Which hotel are you most eager to visit? Let me know and together, let’s plan your escape!