These hotels not only offer top-notch guest services but also unique character, local flavor and posh amenities.
While travel has been disrupted by Covid-19, travelers are still looking for luxury experiences. According to LTI – Luxury Travel Intelligence (a members-only organization that provides digital reporting for affluent travelers who wish to make informed travel decisions), these are the top 15 new luxury hotels that opened last year.
1. Bvlgari Hotel Paris, Paris
Not only is this Parisian hotel overlooked by the Eiffel Tower, but the design by world-renowned Italian architects Antonio Citterio and Patricia Viel features low ceilings, muted colors and seductive lighting. The huge bedrooms are a plus, as are the travel-trunk mini-bars.
2. Airelles Chateau de Versaille, Le Grand Contrôle, Paris
This former treasurer’s mansion outside of Paris is located on the grounds of the Château de Versailles and offers only 14 guest rooms. The airy accommodations feature period furniture, while the spa and candlelit Alain Ducasse restaurant enchant the senses.
3. Beaverbrook Town House, London
Beaverbrook’s passionate owners (including chocolate-family heir Joel Cadbury) have brought one of Britain’s best country house hotels to West London. With only 14 accommodations, the hotel offers an intimate feel complemented by playful fabrics, fittings and furnishings sourced from classic London suppliers. There’s also a Japanese fine-dining restaurant, dubbed The Fuji Grill.
4. Cheval Blanc, Paris
This new Parisian maison is LVMH Hospitality’s fifth hotel in 16 years. Occupying the iconic Samaritaine building, this first urban Cheval Blanc matches its four fabulous forebears. The centrally-located hotel features four restaurants, Paris’s longest pool and a Dior Spa.
5. Mandarin Oriental Ritz, Madrid
A luxury Belle Époque palace located in the famous Golden Triangle of Art of Madrid, the Mandarin Oriental Ritz, Madrid has hosted royalty, dignitaries and some of the most distinguished guests from around the world for more than 110 years. The meticulous restoration by Mandarin Oriental features a roaring 20’s vibe (as seen in the the leafy Palm Court and gilded showpiece restaurant Deessa).
6. Kisawa Sanctuary, Mozambique
Royal princess Nina Flohr is behind this 750-acre sanctuary on beach-lined Benguerra Island, and she has made sustainability a top priority. The 12 stylish one, two and three-bedroom bungalows feature interior design elements made by skilled artisans from Benguerra Island as well as 3D printing technology. The hotel offers Mini Mokes for freeform exploring, a zero-waste restaurant and a sister marine research facility.
7. The Woodward, Geneva
This five-star hotel from the Oetker Collection seamlessly blends the brand’s rural properties’ ultra-luxe facilities with the intimacy of a small, classy city hotel. Enjoy majestic Mont Blanc views over Lake Geneva, Joël Robuchon fine-dining and a 3,600-square-foot Guerlain Spa.
8. Borgo Santandrea, Italy
The Amalfi Coast is romantic in and of itself, but this boutique hotel overseen by two Italian families take the romance up a notch. Discover chic interiors, sea views from all cliffside rooms (29 full-service rooms and 16 luxurious suites) and three restaurants from Executive Chef Crescenzo Scotti featuring regional ingredients.
9. Patina, Maldives
This bold new addition to the archipelago is the inaugural Patina resort (a more progressive offshoot of Singapore’s Capella Hotels & Resorts). In addition to beachcombing, swimming in a crystalline lagoon and relaxing in overwater villas, be sure to visit the Marine Village to shop and visit galleries. The resort also features vegan fine-dining and a dolphin-spotting superyacht.
10. Villa Nai 3.3, Croatia
This adults-only retreat on the off-the-beaten island path of Dugi Otok, Villa Rai 3.3 features eight bright rooms that have been carefully carved into hillsides to minimize disruption to the surrounding olive-oil estate’s landscape. Check out the sunsets from Veli Rat’s lighthouse; try the gourmet restaurant and bar; book a treatment at the spa; and take a dip in one of the two pools.
11. Raffles Udaipur, India
Raffles’ first Indian outpost occupies a 21-acre private island on Udai Sagar Lake, framed by ornamental gardens. Every suite has its own pool, while an impressive spa, flexible all-day dining and dreamy temple views magnify the experience.
12. One&Only Portonovi, Montenegro
One&Only has arrived in Europe with a truly spectacular debut. One&Only Portonovi is nestled beachside by a new marina-resort on glittering Kotor Bay. Impressive touches include a modern-Venetian entrance lobby, a Chenot Espace spa, barrel-aged cocktails and food by Giorgio Locatelli, and a lavender-infused infinity pool.
13. Kalesma, Mykonos
This hotel’s exemplary design is tastefully modeled on a typical whitewashed Greek village, including lattice work referencing local dovecotes and the same marble used to build Athens’ Parthenon. Every wood-beamed villa boasts a private heated pool for a truly relaxing getaway.
14. Six Senses Shaharut, Israel
Situated in the untrodden Negev Desert, this luxury hotel is situated between rocks and dunes but combines typical Six Senses amenities. Think high-caliber visiting spa practitioners, a yoga studio, an outdoor cinema, rich Israeli food, cacti-lined living quarters and even a camel farm.
15. V Villas, Phuket
Accor’s swanky new MGallery addition features views across Ao Yon Bay; a jungle-canopy spa; creative European and Thai-seafood cuisine; a lounger-lined rooftop bar; 19 glassy, private-pool villas; and butlers on speed dial.
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