It’s going to be a big year for luxury travel. Pack your bags in anticipation of our hot list of the world’s most sensational new hotels – each poised to open their doors in 2024
Discerning travellers are spoilt for choice on the hotel front this year, with a string of must-stay global launches from some of the sector’s leading lights gleaming bold and bright on the horizon. With the lingering shackles of the pandemic now firmly shaken off, the world is ripe for discovery. So, whether you’re looking for far-flung escapism, off-grid adventure, a luxury layover or a culture-rich weekender, 50 Best has done the legwork to bring you the need-to-know addresses for 2024. All you have to decide is: ‘where to next’? Passports at the ready…
Janu Tokyo, Tokyo
Janu Tokyo will be the Aman-sibling hotel brand's first location
Estimated opening: March 2024
Urbanites and archi-lovers are already lining up to see the doors unlocked at the long-awaited flagship from Aman’s spirited sister brand, Janu. Rising tall in Azabudai Hills, visionary architects Pelli Clarke & Partners are behind the scene-stealing Residence A Tower to which Janu lays claim, with 112 light-drenched rooms offering fantastic views from private balconies.
Within, Jean-Michel Gathy has lent his deft hand to an artistic display of modern Asian-inspired luxury. A cutting-edge 4,000sq m wellness centre and spa is a real draw, with a hydrotherapy area, oxygen therapy chamber, boxing ring, spinning studios and sociable lounge pool all on the agenda. In contrast to Aman’s hushed seclusion, Janu is all about conviviality and on the food front, eight globetrotting restaurants are in the offing for guests and locals alike. With 12 further global projects in the pipeline, a new family of ‘Janu Junkies’ is about to be born.
@januhotels
janu.com
Also on the radar: Bangkok’s hotel scene continues to raise the stakes with the autumn arrival of urban sanctuary Aman Nai Lert. Amid the leafy oasis of Nai Lert Park, it’s designed around a dramatic central atrium, with 52 rooms and two spas celebrating the city’s cultural tapestry.
Soneva Secret, Maldives
Each of Soneva Secret's 14 villas will come with its own private chef
Estimated opening: February 2024
When trailblazing hoteliers Sonu Shivdasani and Eva Malmström Shivdasani get behind a new project, you know something spectacular is on the horizon. Enter Soneva Secret. Promising soulful sanctuary and setting the benchmark for new-wave, private-island escapism, it’s a boutique affair of just 14 ultra-luxe, oversized villas – each with their own private gym, private spa and second bedrooms for children and guests – found amid tropical flora on Haa Dhaalu (the Maldives’ furthest flung atoll).
Cranking up the dial on all the usual Soneva hallmarks – cutting-edge sustainability protocols, neo-nautical aesthetics, superlative culinary outposts and adventures aplenty – there’s lots to get excited about. Notably, that you can zipline across the lagoon to Out of this World: a tower replete with a glass-floored wine cellar and an observatory with arguably one of the most powerful telescopes in the Indian Ocean.
One-of-a-kind experiences will be curated by a villa staff of three – including a private chef – and there’s the option to tack on a day on Soneva in Aqua, sailing to or from Soneva Fushi.
@discoversoneva
soneva.com
Cheval Blanc Seychelles, Seychelles
Cheval Blanc Seychelles marks the group's African debut
Estimated opening: Autumn 2024
If the thought of waking up in a chic tropical hideaway to the sound of lapping waves sounds like a bit of you, then Cheval Blanc’s sixth ‘maison’ could be your ticket to paradise. Perched on Mahe’s languid Anse Intendance beach, the enveloping blue palette may scream ‘Indian Ocean’, but the haute-couture blueprint speaks the transnational language of modern luxury.
Daubing the beachfront and hemmed by jungle, Jean-Michel Gathy has set out to render an elevated homage to Creole tradition across 52 pool villas. A bespoke collection of world-class art – from sculptures to frescoes – bolsters it further. Across the resort, pleasure seekers will get a kick out of the Guerlain spa, surf stimulator and on-trend padel courts, while five restaurants including the signature French fine-diner Le 1947 are a box-tick for foodies. The jet set crowd are going to be all over this one.
@chevalblancofficial
chevalblanc.com
One&Only One Za’abeel, Dubai
The One&Only group is bringing its signature understated luxury to Dubai (Image: Rupert Pearce)
Estimated opening: January 2024
A gleaming duo of skyscrapers spliced by the world’s longest cantilever – it could be a scene from a futuristic movie. Making its mark on the Dubai skyline close to Zaabeel Park, One&Only One Za’abeel is a bold expression of innovation and grandeur devised as the group’s first ‘vertical urban resort’.
Expect rooms with knockout city vistas that will be among Dubai’s largest, while glossy interiors – think gentle hues, abundant art and dune-like motifs inspired by the desert surrounds – are the work of Jean-Michel Gathy. Sitting at a lofty 100m, The Link is set to become a destination in its own right, with restaurants headed up by notable chefs including Bo Songvisava and Dylan Jones, Anne-Sophie Pic and Tetusya Wakuda. Crowning it is a cabana-flanked infinity pool and ‘beach club’. The perfect complement to the beachy One&Only The Palm and palatial opulence of Royal Mirage.
@ooonezaabeel
oneandonlyresorts.com
Also on the radar: Overlooking Dubai Creek, glamourous The Lana will launch as The Dorchester Collection’s inaugural Middle East address in February, with Jean Imbert and Martín Berasategui at the helm of two of the seven restaurants.
Singita Milele, Grumeti Reserve
Wildlife, serenity and stunning sunsets are on the menu at Singita Milele
Estimated opening: May 2024
If ultra-luxe escapism and off-grid adventure are top of your 2024 hit list, the brains behind Singita Lodges – winner of the Flor de Caña Eco Hotel Award 2023 – are on hand. Delving deep into wilderness, this idiosyncratic private retreat ensconced in Tanzania’s Grumeti Reserve will open just in time for guests to pull up a front-row seat to the captivating Great Migration.
Taking a plum spot on a hilltop overlooking the evocative expanse of the savannah, it’s an immersive ode to Africa championing a level of exclusivity that sits outside the usual remits. Leaning in on local craftsmanship, creative high design that breaks down the barriers between guests and nature leads over five inviting, uniquely styled rooms.
Rest assured, this isn’t a case of style over substance. Shining a spotlight on high-level personalised service, a butler, private field guides, a private chef, a host of activities and full use of game vehicles at guests’ leisure are a given.
@singita_
singita.com
Royal Mansour, Casablanca.png)
Royal Mansour Casablanca will join its original iconic Marrakech location (pictured)
Estimated opening: Early 2024
Breathing fresh life into Casablanca’s slightly staid hotel landscape, the maestros behind Marrakech’s lauded Royal Mansour are about to reveal their second property. Residing in a landmark Art Deco-style building – est. 1952 – it’s set to become the first bona fide luxury hotel in the Ancienne Medina.
Close to the White City’s port, it's a veritable ode to the golden age of travel, with upper floors housing scaled-up suites akin to private apartments and top-floor rooms revealing ocean-stretching panoramas. Embodying the spirit of past and present, a sumptuous-yet-serene design vernacular merges original heritage tropes, artisan craftsmanship and modern refinement.
While the team is somewhat tight-lipped on specifics, if the revered original is anything to go by, considered attention to detail and exemplary hospitality is guaranteed. A standout spa and food offering to match that of the acclaimed chefs at the Marrakech hotel are also on the cards.
@royalmansour
royalmansour.com
Also on the radar: Launching around the same time, the polished Four Seasons Rabat at Kas al Bahr is set in an old summer palace overlooking the ocean.
Collegio alla Querce, Florence
Collegio alla Querce promises all the hallmarks of stellar Italian hospitality
Estimated opening: Summer 2024
For a grown-up getaway in timeless Tuscany, look no further. Auberge Resorts Collection – the outfit responsible for The Lodge at Blue Sky, recipient of the Lavazza One To Watch Award 2023 – is extending its foothold in Europe with the incoming Collegio alla Querce.
Set in the rolling hills outside Florence, the hotel sprawls across a trio of Renaissance buildings – a former boarding school, chapel and theatre. Framed by an expanse of terraced baroque gardens with romantic views over the terracotta cityscape to one side and undulating chianti vineyards on the other, sense of place is more than just a mantra here. Indeed, the 81 relaxed-yet-refined suites have homed in on a sense of modern heritage, with regional finery front and centre. Alongside a spa and large outdoor pool, an art gallery, enoteca and Tuscan restaurant pull in further reference to local colour. The ultimate country-pile escape for 2024.
@aubergeresorts
aubergeresorts.com
Also on the radar: Keep eyes peeled come April for the stunning One&Only Kéa Island in Greece. Offering 73 capacious pool villas, it salutes the sea on an unsung patch of the Cyclades, just a quick hop from Athens.
The Emory, London
The Emory will be the fourth London location from the Maybourne Group (Image: Robin Forster)
Estimated opening: April 2024
Hot on the heels of 2023’s biggest launch – Raffles at the OWO – London’s keeping up the pace with the arrival of The Emory, from the venerable Maybourne Group. Ten years in the making, it’s the fourth London property from the heroes of hospitality, joining distinguished city stalwarts Claridge’s, The Connaught and The Berkeley. Set in a quiet enclave of Knightsbridge, with its own discreet entrance, it’s conceived to deliver the same sense of intimacy as a residential address.
A masterful display of architectural excellence by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners frames the nine-storey haven of design, with each floor curated by an acclaimed tastemaker – including André Fu of The Upper House fame – to create a layered-yet-cohesive aesthetic. Sixty light-filled suites are to be complemented by a guest-only rooftop designed by Rémi Tessier, with a private bar and cigar room. A restaurant headed up by Jean-Georges Vongerichten and subterranean pool and wellness space rounds things off.
@theemorylondon
the-emory.co.uk
Also on the radar: Mandarin Oriental’s second London hotel will open in Mayfair this spring. Expect an art-filled expression of contemporary wonder featuring 50 rooms, complete with a rooftop bar, holistic spa and adventurous culinary programme from Korean chef Akira Back.
Six Senses La Sagesse, Grenada
The new Six Senses location is set to be one of the Caribbean's hottest openings
Estimated opening: May 2024
Need a dose of vitamin sea? Resplendent on a verdant headland on Grenada’s southern coast, Six Senses is dipping a toe into the Caribbean with the launch of its first hotel in the region. Set between two beaches, La Sagesse’s design mimics that of a local village. Paying due reverence to the Spice Island’s traditional architecture, it sits simpatico to its surrounds, with no building rising higher than a palm tree.
A paragon of sustainability, pathways made from cocao skins and nutmeg shells will connect 56 split-level pool suites and 15 modern, open-plan villas. Offering a fresh coastal aesthetic, each is made from natural, repurposed and renewable materials. Elsewhere, the world-renowned Six Senses Spa is pegged to offer treatments using indigenous ingredients, while a range of activities will run the gamut from sailing and forest bathing to cooking classes.
@sixsenseslasagesse
sixsenses.com
The Vineta Hotel, Palm Beach
Palm Beach's iconic Chesterfield hotel has been fully redesigned to become The Vineta
Estimated opening: Autumn 2024
You have to go some to stand out from the crowd in Florida’s saturated hotel scene. With a reputation preceding it that includes the lauded Le Bristol, Hotel Du Cap-Eden-Roc and Eden Rock, that shouldn’t be an issue for the Oetker Collection.
Taking a Palm Beach icon – the 100-year-old Chesterfield hotel – under its wing and giving it a head-to-toe redesign, The Vineta is the brand’s first foray into the US. You’ll find it a couple of blocks from the buzz of Worth Avenue, its chalky-pink, palm-flanked facade belying the spruced-up splendour promised beyond.
Brought bang up to date for the modern traveller and channelling Palm Beach’s ebullient spirit, the bright and breezy space has been reimagined by Paris-based Tino Zervudachi to showcase a vision of laid-back elegance. The boutique appeal of just 41 rooms is complemented by all-are-welcome dining options and a vibey pool area that evokes the timeless glamour a bygone era.
@thevinetahotel
oetkercollection.com
Four Seasons Cartagena, Cartagena
The waterfront Colombian city will play host to the new Four Seasons property
Estimated opening: Late 2024
For those looking for an authentic hit of culture alongside sun-soaked adventures, Four Seasons is on track to deliver with the unveiling of a new property in the vibrant port city of Cartagena. Doing what the brand does best – and injecting some five-star fabulousness into proceedings – the hotel will comprise a collection of revitalised 16th-century buildings including four theatres and the Cloister of Saint Francis.
The focus will be on showcasing an authentic expression of the locale through its culinary offerings, considered design and first-class hospitality. A total of 131 rooms and suites are anticipated, alongside two rooftop pools, a signature spa and four diverse restaurants.
Located in the Getsemaní neighbourhood, on the cusp of the Unesco-listed old town, it’s a great jumping off point for exploration, with the Caribbean coast and the famed Islas Corales del Rosario archipelago within striking distance.
@fourseasons
fourseasons.com
Also on the radar: Inspired by its agave-farm pitch, modern hacienda-style Four Seasons Cabo San Lucas opens in Cabo Del Sol, Mexico in early 2024.
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