Travel came back—to a certain extent—in 2021, and with it came a host of new hotel openings. And that pipeline shows no sign of slowing down, as projects that were delayed, or even initiated, during the lockdowns of 2020 are continuing to come online. Spanning from Australia’s Gold Coast to the savannahs of Tanzania, this list of 45 hotly anticipated luxury openings includes a couple holdovers that were expected to launch this past year, but the majority are shiny new spots that have us excited for all the travels that 2022 will (hopefully) bring. Note that both opening dates and starting rates are subject to change.
100 Princes Street
Edinburgh, Scotland
Expected launch: June 2022
Rates from $400 per night
From its perch on famed Princes Street, this 30-room hotel—the family-owned Red Carnation Hotel Collection’s first in Scotland—has been meticulously designed to celebrate the destination. Not that you’ll forget where you are, since views of the famed Edinburgh Castle can be spied from all of the suites and the Club lounge. Other flourishes include a gorgeous central staircase hand-painted with murals depicting 11 Scottish explorers, custom-made tartan by designer Araminta Campbell and bespoke furnishings inspired by the style of Alexander McQueen. Best of all, the residents-only Explorers Club lounge will feature a wall lined with fine wines and Scottish whiskies, while the nearly two-to-one staff-to-guest ratio will ensure impeccable service.
Aqua Mare
Galapagos Archipelago
Expected launch: May 2022
Rates from $9,450 per person for a 7-night, all-inclusive itinerary
Francesco Galli Zugaro’s ultra-luxe cruise line will add the Galapagos to its existing expedition itineraries that take in the Mekong and Amazon rivers. Aqua is a rarity among operators like this, truly delivering on its claim to offer a superyacht-style experience onboard: This new 164-foot vessel, with just seven cabins and room for only 16 guests, was built by Italian yacht maker CRN. The best perch is undoubtedly the largest cabin that will cruise the archipelago, the 860-square-foot Owner’s Suite. With two full-time naturalists onboard and enough crew to offer a one-to-one ratio with guests, expect service to be exceptional, whether at sail or on excursions.
andBeyond Grumeti Serengeti River Lodge
Western Serengeti, Tanzania
Expected launch: June 2022
Rates from $1,080 per person, per night
Originally opened in the ‘90s, this Tanzanian retreat was flooded when the Grumeti River burst its banks in 2020. Luxury safari brand andBeyond took the opportunity to completely overhaul the place and relaunch it as a sustainable new lodge with more stylish and contemporary interiors by Fox Browne Creative and architectural designer Jack Alexander. Local influences will still abound, though: The form of the buildings is reminiscent of the circular homesteads of the nomadic Maasai; the color palettes reflect the beaded necklaces and kitenge fabrics of Tanzania; and all structures have been placed to flow with the natural contours of the river and best take in the spectacular setting. The expanded guest suites will now feature soaking tubs, higher ceilings and plunge pools—the latter are great spots from which to watch the bathing hippos.
Atlantis The Royal Dubai
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Expected opening: Q4 2022
Rates from $860 per night
Next to the Palm, that man-made mascot for this Emirate, think of the new 795-room resort as more like a city within a city. Everything will be gloriously over the top, luxury upon luxury: three towers reaching 43 stories; 17 restaurants including outposts from blue-chip chefs like Heston Blumenthal and Jose Andres; a 32,000-square-foot spa; a 295-foot infinity sky pool; and the largest private beach in the country. Come here for shameless indulgence, and don’t worry what anyone thinks.
Banyan Tree Ilha Caldeira
Ilha Caldeira Island, Mozambique
Expected launch: Q4 2022
Rates from $1,079 per night
For its very first property in Africa, Banyan Tree Group is heading off the coast of Mozambique, to the private island of Ilha Caldeira. Part of the Primeiras and Segundas Archipelago—Africa’s largest marine reserve and home to a large percentage of Mozambique’s intact living corals—the island was previously uninhabited, making this new resort a true ultra-exclusive getaway. The 100-percent solar-powered resort will house 40 villas, each with a private pool and views of the Indian Ocean. A fish-and-seafood-market restaurant, which will offer 270-degree views of the ocean, will be located on the property. There will also be Banyan Tree brand signatures such as an in-house spa, as well as the chance to go whale watching, snorkeling, kayaking and more.
Botanika Osa Peninsula
Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica
Expected opening: April 2022
Rates from $440 per night
Another high-end option in the eco-tourism haven that’s Costa Rica—this time from Hilton’s Curio Collection. The 106-key spot is perched next to both the 164-square-mile Corcovado National Park, the country’s largest, and the Golfo Dolce, a Pacific Ocean inlet. It’s a nature lover’s bucket list location, with more than one in 40 of the world’s plant and animal species living within this tiny corner of the earth. Each of the rooms at the hotel, from studios to three-bedroom residences, has oversized terraces and a there’s private rooftop lounge that’s primed for daytime sunbathing and nighttime stargazing.
Cali Mykonos
Mykonos, Greece
Expected opening: June 2022
Rates from $1,689 per night
If you’re craving glamour, but not glitz, in the Cyclades, head to this 40-villa resort which sits on its own private beach in Kalafatis, reassuringly secluded on the eastern edge of Mykonos. Even better, it’s wedged between two mountains, which doesn’t just confer privacy but also baffles the winds that can be brutal here even in midsummer. There’s a saltwater infinity pool at the resort’s heart, but who wants to swim there when you can dip in your own private plunge pool at your villa? As for the name, it’s not a nod to the Left Coast, but instead to the Ancient Greek muse Calliope, known for her beautiful voice; look for the subtle note motif in the decor which nods to her.
Cashel Palace Hotel
Tipperary, Ireland
Expected opening: March 2022
Rates from $278 per night
In the heart of County Tipperary, in Ireland’s center, Cashel Palace is housed in an extraordinary Palladian manse built in 1732 and named after the Rock of Cashel, a limestone outcrop that was once the seat of the local kings and is still dotted with a superb assortment of medieval buildings. “It’s going to be another trophy on the luxury hotel landscape,” says Embark Beyond’s Jack Ezon, likening the horse country here to Middleburg, Virginia. The property has been painstakingly restored into a new five-star resort, with an emphasis on the outdoors; the three-acre gardens feature lush, rolling lawns and an assortment of ancient trees. And, of course, there’s an onsite Guinness Bar for anyone who wants to toast with the country’s national drink.
Conrad Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Expected launch: March 2022
Rates from $595 per night
For its first foray into California, Conrad (which is part of the Hilton family of brands) is going big with this 28-story tower set in the heart of the Grand LA, the much-anticipated downtown mixed-used development designed by Frank Gehry. The hotel will offer 305 contemporary guest rooms—many with views of the Walt Disney Concert Hall and beyond—plus a spa, indoor-outdoor lobby and 16,000-square-foot rooftop terrace with a private pool deck overlooking the cityscape. In addition to the in-house bars and restaurants, guests will find plenty of hangouts in the Grand complex, along with free arts programs, live concerts and other events.
Cosme Hotel
Paros, Greece
Expected opening: May 2022
Rates from $650 per night
The marble mines of Paros in the Cyclades helped supply the fine stones that formed the façades of many of the ancient Athenian buildings, and the rocky heart of the island is how the moonscape-like Kolymbithres Beach, an Insta-staple, was formed. That took millennia, but the newest hotel has been added here at warp speed, a brand new 40-room property on the seafront at Agioi Anargyroi beach, within walking distance of Naoussa, the anchor village on the island’s northern reaches. It’s the latest project from luxe Greek hoteliers Kanava, which also operates the Vedema and Istoria hotels on Santorini, among others.
The David Kempinski Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv, Israel
Expected opening: February 2022
Rates from $550 per night
“There’s nothing like it here—it’s on the sea, and it has a special floor with its own pools,” says Scott Dunn Private’s Jules Maury of this new high-rise hotel right on the city’s beachfront promenade. She’s talking about the 14 suites which will have exclusive access to their own 34th-floor outdoor pool complex with sunbeds, cabanas and a full restaurant, creating a VIP hotel within a hotel. The room to book is the 4,000 square-foot David Penthouse Suite, the city’s largest so far, a triplex two-bedroom that has its own infinity pool so you don’t even need to share.
The Edge of Wildness Tented Camp
Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Expected opening: Q1 2022
Rates from $1,500 per night
Don’t think of this as a hotel, but rather as a far-flung riff on an invitation-only members’ club. Only those who’ve already logged time at Nihi Sumba, its sister hotel in Asia, will be invited to book one of the four, two-person safari-style tents on Costa Rica’s northwestern coast. For any adrenaline-chasing vacationer, it’s the ultimate locale: surf Witch’s Rock, one of the prime spots for experienced wave riders, or go horseback riding, trekking and snorkeling. This camp is intended as a teaser for owner James McBride’s next project in the country, Nihi Santo Tomas, a permanent hotel which is slated to open nearby next year and will be funded in part by his new business partner, fashion executive Christopher Burch.
El Vicenç
Mallorca, Spain
Expected opening: April 2022
Rates from $510 per night
We told you to keep an eye on the Balearic Islands, the one-time mass-market party spot that has seen a major pivot to premium travelers in recent years. Another sign of that shift is this 35-room hotel set on a bay on the northern coast, right by the beach and at the foot of the Tramuntana mountain range, a UNESCO-endorsed area of notable beauty. While here, take your pick between swimming, biking or hiking. The best option, though, might just be to spend the day gazing out over the mountains while lounging around the hotel’s rooftop pool.
Etéreo, Auberge Resorts Collection
Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico
Expected opening: January 2022
Rates from $1,299 per night
Hopefully, this resort in the Kanai development 30 miles from Cancun airport will live up to its name, which means “ethereal” or “too perfect for this world.” It’s a big ask, but the basics are promising: Every single one of the 75 rooms or suites (starting at 875 square feet) will have a view of the water and a private plunge pool, plus design features that nod to the area’s Mayan heritage created by the Abstract Expressionist artist Manuel Felguérez, who died last year. There’s a fistful of onsite restaurants, too, including one where the focal point is a centuries-old tree.
The Fifth Avenue Hotel
New York, New York
Expected launch: Q2 2022
Rates from $600 per night
Rooms at this NoMad neighborhood spot will be split between two buildings: There are 129 of them in a soaring new 24-story skyscraper, but the real lure is sure to be the 24 suites inside the former Second National Bank Building, a McKim Mead & White original design which the Gilded Age’s favorite architects completed in 1907. It’s undergone a painstaking reboot that should see it reborn in typically glamorous but understated style from Martin Brudnizki, who earned his reputation designing exclusive bars and restaurants like the Ivy in London. Operated by Flâneur Hospitality, the property will be helmed by experts who’ve previously worked at luxury hotels like the Ritz Paris and the Lanesborough in London.
Finniss River Lodge
Northern Territory, Australia
Expected opening: May 2022
Rates from $1,200 per person, per night
In the Top End—the nickname for the farthest reaches of Australia’s Northern Territory—this six-room property is both a working cattle station and a luxury lodge, with a mineral pool overlooking the grasslands, superb birdwatching, exceptional barramundi fishing and the chance to immerse in the indigenous culture at nearby Litchfield National Park, a 20-minute hop by helicopter. Enthusiasts can even sign up to help push a mob of cattle up through the floodplain.
The Grand Bohemian Lodge Greenville
Greenville, South Carolina
Expected opening: May 2022
Rates from $299 per night
A new sister property to other Bohemian hotels across the south, this is a 187-room rustic luxe lodge in the heart of the city, close to downtown’s 32-acre Falls Park and overlooking the Liberty Bridge, the 350-foot suspension single cable bridge that spans the natural waterfalls. Expect a cozy vibe—think timber balconies and overstuffed sofas—and an impressive roster of onsite amenities, from a spa and fitness center to an art gallery and a network of hiking trails that quilt the grounds.
The Homestead
Nambiti Reserve, South Africa
Expected launch: Q1 2022
Rates from $3,500 per person, per night
Located about two-and-a-half hours from Durban and four hours from Johannesburg, the Nambiti Reserve is an ambitious conservation project in which you can spot Big 5 game and over 50 species of wildlife in a malaria-free environment. In this singular setting, overlooking a lush escarpment, the eco-conscious, ultra-luxe Homestead—the last lodge that will be allowed to be built in the Reserve—will offer tailored game drives, cooking classes, birding walks, visits with community elders and more, along with state-of-the-art sustainable operations, restaurants and bars and the main swimming pool. Of the 12 guest suites, six will be designed for couples or solo travelers, with touches like private infinity pools, while the other six will be made with families in mind and can be connected to accommodate groups. The overall design will mix contemporary additions with pieces of the original 19th-century homestead structures.
Hôtel Barrière Fouquet’s New York
New York, New York
Expected launch: Summer 2022
Rates from $800 per night
Some 16 years after the opening of its beloved five-star hotel on Paris’s Avenue George V, the Barrière group is heading across the Atlantic to another stylish neighborhood—this time, New York City’s Tribeca. Blending Parisian panache with NYC cool, Hôtel Barrière Fouquet’s New York will feature 97 rooms and suites envisioned by renowned designer Martin Brudnizki, who chose art deco as the main inspiration and lavender as the primary color. (Look out for the custom lavender toile de jouy wallpaper—an homage to the decor at the brand’s flagship hotel in Normandy—printed with Tribeca-appropriate motifs like women carrying Birkin bags and Robert DeNiro in full Taxi Driver mode.) Amenities will include a plush screening room, a rooftop terrace, a glam pool, the Spa Diane Barrière and multiple drinking and dining options, including an outpost of the historic French brasserie Fouquet’s.
Hotel de Len
Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy
Expected opening: January 2022
Rates from $519 per night
This 22-room property is a welcome addition to one of the most glamorous ski resorts in the world in Italy’s Dolomite Mountains—home to the 1956 Winter Olympics, and soon the 2026 edition, too. Its name is a nod to the natural, sustainable materials used to construct the minimalist design, meaning “made of wood” in the local dialect. The oversized rooftop spa, with views out across the Cortina slopes, is a perfect après-ski hideaway.
Hotel La Compañía, Casco Antiguo
Panama City, Panama
Expected opening: Q1 2022
Rates from $325 per night
There’s a glorious mishmash of styles at this Central American property carved out of a 1680s-era Jesuit Mission— look for religious artifacts dotting around the property in tribute to its heritage, and 88 rooms spread over three wings that each embody a different vibe; take your pick from Spanish Colonial, French Colonial and American Beaux-Arts. The location’s superb, right on a peninsula in the Casco Viejo section of Panama City, which was built in one sweep on the site of an earlier colonial city destroyed during a pirate attack.
Hotel La Palma
Capri, Italy
Expected opening: April 2022
Rates from $975 per night
This 200-year-old hotel has just spent over a year undergoing a gut revamp by luxury chainlet Oetker, which slimmed the room tally down from 80 to 50, boosting the square footage and bolstering the number of suites. and also upgraded the rooftop pool and other social spaces. It’s set to be a swoon-worthy jet-set spot this summer and the ideal romantic break, as Oetker CEO Dr. Timo Gruenert will attest: He proposed to his own wife on the island four years ago.
The Inn at Mattei's Tavern, Auberge Resorts Collection
Los Olivos, California
Expected opening: Spring 2022
Rates from $650 per night
This property has a deliciously only-in-California history: It started out as a stagecoach stop during the Gold Rush, then was owned by a namesake Swiss hotelier before morphing into a Volstead-era speakeasy and finally rebooting as a luxury, 67-room hotel under the Auberge auspices. Just a two-and-a-half-hour drive from LA in the heart of the Santa Ynez Valley, the getaway will emphasize the outdoors, with a coffee bar porch and an open-air restaurant.
JW Marriott Jeju Resort & Spa
Jeju Island, South Korea
Expected opening: Q2 2022
Rates from $600 per night
Jeju is synonymous with vacations for countless Koreans, a mainstay of their summers thanks to its balmy temperatures, surf-friendly seas, lava tubes and the haenyeo, women divers who make a living harvesting wild mollusks. The arrival of JW Marriott on the island is likely to draw tourists from farther afield than its traditional domestic audience. When they get here, will find a Bill Bensley-designed, 198-room property on the south coast with an infinity pool and Korean-style sauna.
La Valise San Miguel de Allende
San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
Expected launch: Spring 2022
Rates from $338 per night
Following its buzzy success in Mexico City and Tulum, La Valise is bringing its signature mix of eclectic design and elevated service to the arts-focused colonial city of San Miguel de Allende. Located downtown, among the cobblestoned streets and colorful historic buildings, the intimate property will feature just six opulent suites, each outfitted with artisan textiles, colonial-era artifacts and contemporary Mexican furnishings. Head to the back of the home to find an urban oasis with a garden, pool, patio and installation by surrealist artist Pedro Friedeberg.
The Langham, Gold Coast and the Jewel Residences
Gold Coast, Australia
Expected launch: March 2022
Rates from $447 per night
Part of the first new luxury build on Gold Coast in 30 years, the striking central tower of the Jewel development will house the 169 rooms and suites of the Langham hotel, as well 170 Jewel Residences by the Langham—a collection of two-, three- and four-bedroom serviced apartments that can be rented for longer stays. No matter which you pick, you’ll find sweeping views of the city, Surfer’s Paradise and the Pacific Ocean, plus access to amenities like a lobby lounge, beachfront café, pool bar and sky terrace (with another oceanview bar). Langham brand signatures will abound, including the Chuan Spa—complete with indoor and outdoor pools, treatments rooms and a fitness center—and the award-winning T’ang Court Cantonese restaurant. Top tickets are sure to include afternoon tea service—another Langham staple—and the 18 suites, each with 180-degree vistas.
Maison Delano Paris
Paris, France
Expected opening: October 2022
Rates from $570 per night
You won’t have to tote your purchases far after a day of retail therapy on the exclusive Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in the 8th arrondissement in Paris—just book a room or a suite at this 56-key hotel, housed in an 18th-century courtyard building. It’s the first urban property for Delano under the auspices of Accor, the giant hotel group which snapped up the Ian Schrager-originated brand (along with sister spots like the Mondrian) and has teed up aggressive expansion plans; city center sites like this will operate under the new Maison Delano name.
Mantis Kivu Queen uBuranga
Lake Kivu, Rwanda
Expected launch: Q2 2022
Rates from $990 per person, per night
The lush lake which hovers on Rwanda’s western borders has long been a getaway for locals from Kigali and around. Now, visitors can take to its waters on this ultra-luxe 10-cabin vessel with its own spa, splash pool and restaurant-bar; though it’s diesel-propelled, its eco-footprint is reduced by relying in part on solar power. It will make nature-focused pit stops on the lake’s edges, and is an ideal, indulgent pause between the chimpanzee-focused safari in the west and the gorilla-heavy trekking in the northeast. Delayed from 2021, the boat is expected to finally debut this summer.
Nobu Marrakech
Marrakech, Morocco
Expected launch: Q3 2022
Rates from $400 per night
The hotel chain—whose owners include actor Robert de Niro and chef Nobu Matsuhisa—has taken over the former Pearl Marrakech hotel and set about overhauling it in a major way. The result will be a 71-room property complete with several dining outlets, rooftop lounges, indoor and outdoor swimming pools and a nearly 22,000-square-foot spa and fitness hub. The location in the Hivernage district makes it easy to wander around the souks and alleys of the medina.
Olinto
Atlas Mountains, Morocco
Expected launch: Q2 2022
Rates from $560 per night
After selling his legendary La Maison Arabe hotel in Marrakech just before the pandemic, Fabrizio Ruspoli decamped to the foothills of the Atlas Mountains, where he and his assembled team of all-stars are turning a former mid-level property into a true five-star getaway. The place will open with nine suites, each set apart (so you’ll feel like you’re in your own villa) and equipped with complimentary mini-bars, pillow menus, underfloor heating and private gardens, patios and rooftop lounges; three of the suites will also have private heated pools. Elsewhere you’ll find a bar, restaurant, gym, main pool and a spa with a Moroccan hammam and locally sourced beauty products. The location makes it easy to go on hikes or horseback rides, or you can take it slower with garden walks and yoga backed by mountain views. In addition to having a keen sense of design, Ruspoli is also passionate about music, and has plans to host recitals, masterclasses and musicians’ retreats both at the hotel and his home next door. Email info@olintomorocco.com to learn more.
One & Only Aesthesis
Athens, Greece
Expected opening: Q4 2022
Rates from $586 per night
Glyfada is one of the tonier beachfront strips on the Athenian Riviera, a fitting spot for One & Only to import its ultra-luxury know-how via this new resort set on a 51-acre beachfront site (plus 14 acres of forest for its use, too). Most of the 127 rooms here will be villas with their own private pools, and there will also be an onsite spa from wellness pioneer Chenot, a partner in multiple One & Only properties. Expect the design vibe to consciously channel Greece’s Jackie O-anointed modern heyday.
Park Hyatt Jakarta
Jakarta, Indonesia
Expected launch: Q1 2022
Rates from $320 per night
The first Park Hyatt in Indonesia will occupy the top 17 floors of the new 37-story MNC Land Tower in the heart of the capital city. Taking its cues from Jakarta’s cultural diversity and its balance between the urban and natural worlds, the hotel will feature sophisticated interiors by Conran+Partners, five eclectic drinking and dining venues, an outdoor pool and 35th-floor fitness center with sweeping views of the city. The 220 rooms and suites will have deep-soaking marble baths and custom Le Labo products.
Passalacqua
Lake Como, Italy
Expected opening: June 2022
Rates from $1160 per night
The family behind Lake Como’s legendary Grand Hotel Tremezzo has commandeered a second lakeside site for a 24-room sister hotel sitting on land that was originally owned by 17th century Pope Innocent XI, and in a house that was once owned by a wealthy Italian nobleman after whom the hotel is now named. The hoteliers promise a playful luxury hideaway, complete with hidden bars and secret tunnels, a swoony rose garden for romantic walks at dusk, an antique orchard packed with centuries-old trees and even a private dock from which vintage boats will take visitors out on the waters.
Pendry Park City
Park City, Utah
Expected launch: January 2022
Rates from $395 per night
This January, Park City will be welcoming both the new year and its newest luxury hotel. Located in Canyons Village at Park City Mountain, the ski-in, lift-out Pendry Park City will take a modern approach to the alpine lodge, with 152 rooms and suites decked out with floor-to-ceiling windows, curated artwork and contemporary furnishings. The hotel will also offer the only rooftop pool and bar in the area, as well as four bar and restaurant choices; the latter will include a Japanese-American spot serving steaks and chops along with sushi and ramen, as well as a central après lounge and a pizzeria. Both hotel guests and owners of the Pendry Residences (also in the building) will have access to a rec room stocked with arcade games, an eight-room spa, a fitness center and a kids’ club.
Portrait Milano
Milan, Italy
Expected opening: Q3 2022
Rates from $900 per night
The multitasking cobbling family, Ferragamo, has dominated its hometown hotel scene with a series of elegant, understated spots flagged under the Lungarno collection brand. Now it’s branching out beyond its Tuscan base with this flagship in Italy’s northwestern hub. The hideaway will be housed in a former seminary with a show-stopping Baroque entrance dating back to 1652. Expect sleek, functional rooms with knowing winks to the leather making owners.
The Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad
New York, New York
Expected launch: Q1 2022
Rates from $795 per night
Ritz-Carlton’s Battery Park location may have closed (it’s still got the Central Park location), but the brand will soon have another NYC outpost that continues the parkside theme. Set in a newly built tower that’s now one of the tallest buildings in the NoMad area, the hotel will hold 250 guest rooms and 16 branded penthouse residences, all with views of some of city’s most iconic sights, from the Empire State Building down to the Statue of Liberty. Eats will come courtesy of Michelin-starred chef José Andrés, whose Zaytinya will serve a menu inspired by Turkish, Greek and Lebanese cuisines. Andrés will also oversee the rooftop lounge—set 500 feet in the air—and an outpost of his Bazaar restaurant will open later in the year. Other amenities include a Club Lounge and a signature spa and fitness center.
Rock House
Providenciales, Turks & Caicos
Expected opening: Q2 2022
Rates from $850 per night
Rock House, the latest project from the Grace Bay team, is deliberately set apart from many of the luxury hotels on Providenciales, the country’s main island. Instead, it aims to become a destination in itself, on a 14-acre oceanfront site anchored by a 100-foot pool that’s perched on a 25-foot cliff. Refreshingly, rather than importing an architect from overseas, the project has been overseen by Coast, the top firm in the TCIs. Service should be exceptional from the outset, as it’s rumored the hotel poached several top staffers from the nearby Como Parrot Cay, the country’s current top choice. “The Caribbean doesn’t have many destination hotels, but this could be one of them,” says Scott Dunn Private’s Maury.
Sanctuary Tambarare
Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Kenya
Expected launch: June 2022
Rates from $650 per person, per night
For its 60th birthday, luxury travel company Abercrombie & Kent is giving itself the present of a stunning new retreat in Kenya, the country where their operations first began. Set in the foothills of Mount Kenya, Sanctuary Tambarare looks out at the 90,000-acre Ol Pejeta Conservancy, home to the Big Five—including the last two northern white rhinos on earth. After days spent tracking lions or riding horses among the herds, retreat to the lodge for gourmet eats, attentive service and overnights in the 10 luxe guest tents.
Sensei Porcupine Creek
Rancho Mirage, California
Expected launch: Q3 2022
Rates from $1,195 per night for two people, with a two-night minimum stay and retreat participation required; rates include wellness credits
Founded by tech pioneer Larry Ellison and physician Dr. David Agus, Sensei harnesses data, research, technology, nutrition and preventative health science to create customized wellness paths designed to help optimize everyday living. Following the success of the original Sensei retreat in Hawaii, the brand is coming to the mainland with this 230-acre California estate in the foothills of the Santa Rosa mountains. Here you’ll find an intimate number of guest rooms spread out between the former estate house and a collection of private villas. Along with a state-of-the-art diagnostic center and spa and fitness pavilions, there will be a swimming pool, yoga area and the signature Sensei by Nobu restaurant. This will be the first time that the formerly private Porcupine Creek will be open to the public, affording guests the chance to try out world-class tennis and golf facilities once only available to VIPs.
Sommero
Oslo, Norway
Expected opening: Sept 2022
Rates from $289 per night
This 231-room hotel sits in Frogner, one of Oslo’s oldest neighborhoods, and is housed in an art deco 1930s building that was once the HQ of the city’s electrical company. The major draw for this property is that Norway’s small but charming capital has long lacked anywhere luxe to stay bookending any trip to the fjords—a problem solved when this opens in the fall. “It’s catching up with its Scandinavian sister capitals,” says Mollie Fitzgerald of Frontier Travel, who loves Norway year-round, “In the summertime, you’ve got 24 hours of daylight, and in the wintertime, awesome winter sports.” Hopefully, this fall, the weather will still be good enough to eke out some time at the rooftop pool and bar, a first for Oslo.
Southall
Franklin, Tennessee
Expected launch: June 2022
Rates from $659 per night
Famous for its impossible-to-book outdoor dinner events, this 325-acre working farm just outside of Nashville is taking things to the next level with an idyllic country hideaway. The 62 guest rooms and suites and 16 separate cottages will be dotted around the bucolic property, as will a spa, shop and more. Overseen by multiple James Beard Award-nominated chef Tyler Brown, both the main restaurant and overall culinary program will focus on ingredients grown, raised and foraged in Southall’s fields, greenhouses, forests and conservatories. Spend days exploring the outdoors with farm, adventure and wellness activities, and nights sipping drinks around the firepits.
Sungani Lodge & Kulandila Camp
South Luangwa National Park, Zambia
Expected opening: May 2022
Rates from $1,110 and $900 all inclusive per person, per night, respectively
These twin family-owned camps in Zambia’s wildlife-packed eastern reaches aim to offer complementary experiences. The seven tents at Sungani are 1,150 square feet and sit on raised decking at the edge of a huge lagoon, an ideal perch to watch crocs and hippos; look, too, for the Thornicroft giraffe, the rare subspecies which only lives in this valley. Kulandila is even smaller, with just four tents, each with an outdoor bath to soak in the landscape while you soak. This park is particularly known for walking safaris, and these lodges will operate several options so you can explore the landscape without being stuck in 4×4.
Vista Palazzo Verona
Verona, Italy
Expected launch: Q1 2022
Rates from $700 per night
Finally, a place in Verona worthy of a Romeo and Juliet level of love. Upping the five-star landscape in this fair city, Vista is set in the UNESCO World Heritage Site-designated historic center, in an elegant palazzo that has been renovated to reflect a mix of traditional and contemporary styles. The 16 spacious suites are furnished with pieces from top Italian designers, from the custom-made marbles sinks to fine cotton towels by Rivalta Carmignani. Can’t-miss spots include the rooftop terrace, with 360-degree views, and the serene spa, home to a pool, whirlpool, Turkish bath, saunas and a small gym that can be privatized. Head to the panoramic terrace to find the bar and restaurant, both looking out over the Verona rooftops and out to the vineyards just outside town.
Waldorf Astoria Cancun
Cancun, Mexico
Expected opening: July 2022
Rates from $500 per night
Sprawling across a 100-acre waterfront site with five restaurants and bars plus a huge spa, this is a mega-addition to the increasingly crowded luxury line-up along this coastline; indeed, its direct neighbor is another new spot, a sister, all-inclusive Hilton property. The big gimmick here is the availability of “swim up” rooms, which are equipped with outdoor terraces and their own private pools.
Wildflower Farms, Auberge Resorts Collection
Hudson Valley, New York
Expected launch: Q3 2022
Rates from $1,200 per night
Head just 90 minutes north of NYC to find the latest Auberge Resorts Collection property tucked among 140 acres dotted with orchards, gardens, a farm, grazing animals and—naturally—fields of wildflowers. Architects Electric Bowery and designer Ward and Gray have envisioned a place that blurs the line between indoors and outdoors, so you’ll find the 65 freestanding, natural light-filled accommodations outfitted with wood floors and ceilings, fireplaces and fire pits, wood decks and private patios from which you can take in views of white pines and native perennials. A 9,000-square-foot spa will have an indoor saltwater pool and outdoor hot tubs, while the central restaurant will be built around an open kitchen. Guests can learn about the land through hands-on farming and foraging experiences, cooking classes, picnics and more.
