We're only a short way into the year so far, but it already looks set to be a bumper one for blow-the-budget hotel openings, with some seriously seductive properties already opening around the world – and many more to come. From idyllic island retreats and high-design hideaways to ultra-glam boutique boltholes and palatial residences, here are some of the hot new places to stay in for luxury lovers.
Click through the gallery to discover this year's most exciting luxury hotel openings...
Home to monumental tombs carved into sandstone mountains, UNESCO World Heritage site Hegra is found in AlUla, northwest Saudi Arabia. Visitors to this awe-inspiring Nabataean city can now sleep within it, ensconced in 5-star luxury with breathtaking desert surroundings. The painstakingly constructed Hegra Boutique Hotel, which will rebrand to the Chedi Hegra a few months after completion, is expected to open in the first quarter of 2024. There will be 35 guest rooms and three fine dining restaurants, which have been cleverly and beautifully integrated into several existing (and untouched) original structures, including an old railway station and Hegra Fort.
Ras Al Khaimah is one of the lesser known of the seven Emirates, but that looks set to change as its luxury offering appears on the radar of high-end travellers. Open since January, Anantara’s new uber-luxe eco-resort has begun luring more luxury lovers north of Dubai airport (just 45 minutes away). Surrounded by lagoons and mangroves, it sits on a sandy beach on Mina Al Arab Island. There are 174 rooms, suites and overwater pool villas, designed to be nature-friendly with an onus on sustainability. And of course it has all the luxuries you’d expect of Anantara: infinity pool, spa, kids’ clubs, watersports and destination restaurants (showcasing produce from the island’s own chef’s garden).
Finally breathing new life into the former Whiteleys department store in Bayswater, Six Senses London will open in early 2024 with 110 rooms and suites, along with 14 branded residences. As part of a £1bn overhaul of the long-since scruffy site, which includes retail and restaurants, the historic bones of the Art Deco landmark remain intact. Below ground the Six Senses Spa, including a large pool, will soothe any city stresses, while Six Senses Place on the second floor will be a social club “where wellness and community meet”.
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Expect over-the-top opulence and off-the-scale sultry glamour at the second outpost of boutique adults-only hotel House of Gods which opens in Glasgow in early 2024. The original outpost, located in Edinburgh Old Town, is all about the more-is-more mentality with its eclectic mix of decor and design (think drapes, tassels, velvet and animal print) and enticing cocktail bars. Happily, the west coast offering looks set to do the same. With a cheeky addition of a rooftop bar, this is going to be one helluva place to hole up for a hedonistic urban weekend.
It's adults only at this 12-room rural idyll in the rolling hills of Mallorca's Serra de Tramuntana, and all the more relaxing for it. Open since February as part of It Mallorca’s boutique hotel collection, Hotel Valldemossa occupies parts of the 19th-century Royal Charter Palace. As well as lashings of character, its spa and gastronomy are top notch. Japanese and Peruvian cuisine with a Mediterranean twist is on the menu at De Tokio a Lima, outpost of a Palma restaurant. If traditional tapas and island wine is more your vibe than ceviche and pisco sours, Valldemossa village and its restaurants are a short and scenic stroll from the grounds.
Expect to see Grand Velas Boutique Los Cabos gracing A-list Instagram profiles soon. An adults-only coastal escape in starry Los Cabos, seclusion, space and style are sure to lure celebs to its 79 suites. Along with plunge pools and firepits on private terraces, it will have a tranquil cactus garden, infinity pool and private beach where guests can bask on Balinese beds before bathing in the Sea of Cortez. Aged tequilas, reposados and artisanal mezcals can be appreciated in the Agave Tasting Room and there’s a choice of onsite restaurants or those at nearby sister property, Grand Velas Los Cabos.
Due to open in the wetland wilderness of the Okavango Delta in March, this 100% solar-powered safari camp has serious luxe and eco credentials. It will feature eight large safari tented suites, all with private plunge pools, indoor-outdoor showers and private decks, and two family suites. Along with 5-star facilities like a wine bar, spa and pool, Atzaro aims to connect guests with the land and community. It will have an African art gallery and Ancestral Boma, a central space that aims to share the history of the area and the tribes and peoples that lived here.
A barefoot guardian, barefoot assistant and private chef are just some of the perks guests can expect at Soneva Secret, an 'ultra-bespoke' resort from the people behind A-list favourites Soneva Fushi and Soneva Jani. The far-flung island enclave will start welcoming elite travellers from March into its 14 island and overwater villas. Will it be a Crusoe Villa, set on a lagoon and only accessible by boat, or perhaps the Castaway, the Maldives' first floating villa? Like its sister retreats, a high-end design aesthetic allows the natural beauty of the Indian Ocean archipelago to awe with features like sliding roofs to reveal the night sky.
Edinburgh’s famed thoroughfare Princes Street welcomes the intimate and exquisite 100 Princes Street hotel this March. The first Scottish property from the Red Carnation Hotels’ group, the historic Royal Overseas League building has been carefully restored to its former glory and will feature just 30 bedrooms. As well as boasting enchanting views of Edinburgh Castle, the boutique hotel will be the epitome of Scottish chic, with interiors by the design team behind sister hotel Ashford Castle. Picture custom tartan, bespoke artworks by local creatives and roaring fires where wee drams of rare whisky await.
Bris-Vegas is owning its mantle in 2024 as the Queensland capital welcomes four luxury hotels this year as part of its shiny new entertainment precinct, the Queen’s Wharf. The hotly anticipated new district by Brisbane River includes repurposed heritage buildings and gleaming new contemporary architecture like the two arc-shaped towers, one of which will be occupied by The Star Grand. Opening in April, it will have 340 seriously stylish rooms and a show-stopping Leisure Deck with three pools perfectly positioned for ogling the river and South Bank.
Picture a jaw-dropping location on a sugar-soft sand beach, overlooking nothing but endless Caribbean Sea views and you have an idea of what Six Senses' new opening in Grenada is all about. In what’s set to be a big year of new openings for the luxury hotel brand, Six Senses La Sagesse will open in May in the southern part of the Spice Island. Set across over 38 acres with a layout inspired by a traditional fishing village, it has 56 two-level pool suites and 15 villas built from repurposed, natural materials. Guests in one of the five four-bedroom villas set out on a bluff will snag the best views with a 270-degree vantage point.
Palm Springs isn’t short of chic places to stay and its style credentials continue to grow as Thompson Hotels opens its second Californian property this May in the desert enclave’s downtown Design District. The brand’s signature sleek decor will be complemented with earthy hues and vivid pops of colour with an overarching Rat Pack-era style vision. It’s a biggie, with 168 "bungalow-inspired" rooms and suites, 35,000 square feet (3251sqm) of dining and retail space (including a vast Napa Valley wine tasting room), a gym, ballroom and spa. Balconies and a pool area will offer the classic Palm Spring views of the San Jacinto Mountains to pose by.
Folegandros might be one of the sleepiest Cyclades islands but it has some seriously dreamy rustic-chic hideaways. This May, its first 5-star offering will open for the season. Rambling over a rugged clifftop in the southeast, close to the little village of Petousis, the Gundari Resort is quite simply gorgeous. Spa sessions or island adventures by e-bike or private boat will appeal to the relaxed or the adventurous. Along with all-encompassing Aegean views, Orizon celebrates Cycladic produce with a contemporary Greek menu designed by Michelin-starred chef Lefteris Lazarou. Guests hungry for more can master Folegandros specialties in cooking classes.
Secluded sun-warmed beaches, wildflower-strewn cliffs and verdant vineyards: the Algarve is delightful in spring. There’s even more reason to set a route to the Portuguese province at that time of year as Viceroy Hotels & Resorts will throw open the doors to its latest European property. Sprawling across gentle undulating hills like an upmarket, white-washed village, Viceroy at Ombria Algarve will have 76 guestrooms and suites and 65 branded residences. There will be a spa, 18-hole golf course and eight restaurants and bars, while walking and biking trails will wind around the extensive gardens and orchards.
Travellers looking for a truly transformative escape will do well to put Banyan Tree Veya, Valle de Guadalupe on their hit list. Opening in spring on Mexico’s northern Baja peninsula, the wellbeing resort will be the second outpost of the Banyan Tree Group's wellness-focused brand, Veya (the first is in Thailand). That’s not to say you can’t indulge, though: the secluded sanctuary-like space – with 30 exquisite villas designed by acclaimed Mexican architect Michel Rojkind – is set on a winery. As well as wellness, the local wine heritage is celebrated with a winemaking laboratory, underground cellar and tasting room – all organic and biodynamic, naturally.
Another dreamboat from the stable of five-star luxury resorts, Domes is poised to open on Santorini’s northwest coast this spring. The 52-suite-and-villa Domes Tholos Santorini will be the brand’s first property on the sought-after Cyclades Isle. Expect its signature blend of stunning location, classic luxury and effortless opulence with some distinct Santorini design touches (thanks to the use of the local volcanic stone). After pool and spa sessions, Makris restaurant is the place to be. Sat above a rooftop garden, guests can gaze west to witness the isle’s renowned sunsets.
As if we needed another reason to add the Amalfi Coast to our must-visit list... Ara Maris Sorrento is set to lure guests to the seaside city when it opens on the lemon-scented coastline in spring. A short hop from Sorrento’s pretty Piazza Tasso, the 49-room hotel – part of Preferred Hotels & Resorts’ L.V.X. Collection – will have some of the best views in town. All rooms have a balcony for enjoying sun-drenched views across the deep blue Bay of Naples and brooding Mount Vesuvius. Its rooftop Lumi Sky Lounge will be the place to be at aperitivo time.
Sitting pretty on a private, pine-fragrant peninsula on the bay of Golturkbuku, this 294-room hotel from Turkey’s Maxx Royal Resorts brand is set to become Bodrum’s hottest new hangout when it opens in summer 2024. Suites and villas of varying sizes will pepper large, landscaped grounds, as will no less than six pools – outdoor, indoor, seawater and heated – and a whopping spa. There will be a sceney beach club, seven restaurants (including an outpost of Caviar Kaspia), 14 bars, a kids’ club and teen zone too.
Always dreamt of living the life of an Italian fashionista? Live out your fantasies at Rocco Forte House Milan – a dream collaboration between award-winning design company Paolo Moschino Ltd and Olga Polizzi of Rocco Forte Hotels, in Europe’s fashion and design capital. Combining the swish service and style of a luxury hotel (butler service on request and breakfast delivered to your apartment) with the privacy and space of a Milanese home, you can book one, two or three-bedroom apartments, all with access to the rooftop. Plus, you’re a catwalk stride away from the area's designer boutiques, art galleries and elegant cafes.
Dedicated followers of fashion will adore this retro-fashion inspired hotel from The Concept Hotels group, on track to open this summer. A Sixties Palm Springs aesthetic meets blissed-out Balearic feels at the pastel-hued Los Felices Ibiza to pleasing effect. It’s far from an identikit fit out, with each of its suites and villas individually designed by a different fashion designer. Set on San Jose Bay, it will have a pose-worthy pool area and see-and-be-seen restaurant, along with a boutique selling fashion magazines and style books.
Slated for completion in spring, this new all-villa island hideaway from One&Only will be one of the Cyclades’ most sought-after spots this summer. The secluded villas are built above the beach on a hillside, all positioned to enjoy uninterrupted views of the bay. Romance is very much encouraged with private pools, terraces, courtyards and fireplace. Inside, interiors are elegant but muted to let the dazzling views of the Aegean Sea take centre stage. A beach club and sun-dappled waterside eating spots will no doubt lure the private yacht set to One&Only Kea from Athens, just a 30-minute sailing away.
The people behind Byron Bay’s original luxury hotel, Raes on Watego, are set to launch a good-looking new accommodation offering at the end of the year. Working with developer Podia and the architects behind Brisbane’s cool The Calile Hotel, The Bonobo by Raes will be a coastal cool hotel-apartment complex. Under construction on Jonson Street, it will have 41 two, three and four-bedroom apartments – all airy, ultra-luxe with design-led features. Along with state-of-the-art kitchens, there will also be onsite dining, a rooftop pool and wellness venues.
Promising barefoot luxury by the brilliant blue shores of the Indian Ocean, Cheval Blanc Seychelles will be the sixth Cheval Blanc Maison (a LVMH-owned brand) when it opens later this year. Set on the sugary-white Anse Intendance beach (pictured) on Mahe Island’s southwest coast, the boutique beach hotel is the work of architect Jean-Michel Gathy, who is seeking to capture the country’s Creole heritage in the design. Flawless facilities including a stunning spa and five dining venues are on the agenda for this tropical enclave, which will also have 52 large villas, with a beach, hillside or jungle setting and private pools.
A new chapter is opening for this storybook 15th-century castle on the wooded banks of Lake Fuschl in the Salzburg province. After a major two-year renovation, the former royal country residence, which became a hotel in the 1950s, will reopen. Now under management of Rosewood Resorts & Hotels, Schloss Fuschl will once again reign as one of Europe’s grand castle hotels with 98 guestrooms, including 46 suites and six chalets, and a raft of destination restaurants and opulent lounges. Guests can amble around its extensive grounds and unwind in Asaya, Rosewood’s signature wellbeing space.
Straight out of a White Lotus set, the Belmond’s reimagining of '60s-era beachside Hotel Romazzino will be a magnet for the uber-rich on this exclusive stretch of Sardinia’s coastline. Private pools and beach, curated experiences and elegant waterfront rooms, sophisticated suites and secluded seafront villas are all in the offing for those checking into this stunning Costa Smeralda hotel.
It’s not surprising that hotel group Ennismore has set its sights on Barcelona’s hip 22@ district for the first European outpost of its SLS brand. Slated to open in the revitalised old industrial area of Poblenou in the second half of 2024, the striking 471-room SLS Barcelona will combine SLS’s signature cool and cheeky style with seaside Med vibes. Water views are a given as each room will have a balcony and there will be three pools and two restaurants. The large rooftop sky bar and a spa will be a high point, as will direct access to the beach.
Mere steps from a white sand beach with a lush jungle backdrop, Our Habitas’ first Costa Rica property is a style-conscious surfer’s dream. It is set to open on the Nicoya Peninsula in the surf town of Santa Teresa by the end of the year. True to the brand, its design and ethos is rooted in sustainability and local community empowerment. It will have 45 low-impact, earth-inspired rooms and a clutch of luxury tents. A social feel extends to its chilled bar and surf shack, while Suawe champions a farm-to-table ethos. Activities encourage guests to embrace nature, from surfing world-class breaks and beach horse rides to mountain biking in the jungle, al fresco meditation sessions and sunset bonfires.
Healing in a heavenly setting is on offer at KAI Akiu, a ryokan (inn) with a soothing minimalist design in Akiu, a historic hot spring destination close to the city of Sendai. Everything about this 49-room ryokan exudes a sense of calm, from river gazing from the rooms’ sitting areas to soaking in the restorative mineral-rich waters of its baths (which will be fed by two onsite hot springs). The food is bound to lift spirits too with multi-course Kaiseki menus. Following forested hiking trails to nearby waterfall Akiu Otaki and open-air rock baths in the Natori River are also encouraged.
Poised to open at the end of the year or the start of 2025 in a purpose-built forest close to bustling Bangkok, this leafy luxury escape from Six Senses is sure to make tree huggers swoon. With 60 guest rooms, 27 residences, restaurants and a co-working space, Six Senses The Forestias will be centred around a woodland lagoon. Wellbeing and nature are central to the design, which aims to have a 'therapeutic and calming effect' on guests. Along with the latest health and wellness facilities, its forested grounds will be laced with trails.