The world’s most enticing new hotel openings

This month’s newest hotels take travellers on a global voyage. Feel at home at a boutique bolthole in Milan, bed up in a Zaha Hadid architectural feat on the coast of Malta, or head further afield to embrace barefoot luxury in Mexico and beachfront living in Seychelles. For those focused on health and wellbeing as the year winds down, a serene wellness retreat nestled in Vietnam’s lush Nipa palm forest offers the perfect restorative escape.

New hotel openings for December 2024

Cheval Blanc Seychelles, Mahé Island

Cheval Blanc has once again joined forces with Jean-Michel Gathy to create its sixth maison on Mahé Island in Seychelles. Gathy looked to traditional Seychelles architecture to imagine 52 villas – 24 on the beach and 28 hidden in the green hills – with high, sloping roofs and wide entrances to blur the boundaries between outside and in. Gathy’s ‘casual chic’ philosophy informed a sophisticated palette of white, sand and greige, which helps emphasise the panoramic natural views, perhaps best enjoyed from the villa’s private pool. Facilities include five distinct restaurants, which range from the Seychellois Creole flavours of Le White to contemporary Japanese cuisine at Mizumi and Spa Cheval Blanc, which, in partnership with Guerlain, offers treatments rooted in the island.

Cheval Blanc Seychelles is located at Anse Intendance, Mahé Island, Intendance Rd, Quatre Bornes, Seychelles, chevalblanc.com

Hotel Calimala Milano, Milan, Italy

After overseeing the original Hotel Calimala in Florence, architect and designer Alex Meitlis was tasked with creating a distinct new look for the brand’s sister property in Milan. Meitlis used the city as his mood board for the 88 designer rooms, which come stylishly dressed with sleek, clean lines, shades of clay pink, citrus orange and mint blue and finished with bespoke furnishings and light fittings crafted from local, traditional materials. On the ground floor, a wine and coffee bar comes with an outdoor terrace for people-watching whilst, on the rooftop, it’s all about admiring the city from the restaurant and bar, which sits alongside one of the few rooftop swimming pools in town.

Hotel Calimala Milano is located at Via Melzo, 7, 20129 Milan, Italy, calimalamilano.com

Hotel Humano, Puerto Escondido, Mexico

Mexican hotel group Grupo Habita set its sights on the world-renowned surfing spot Zicatela Beach for its latest opening, Hotel Humano. Architect Jorge Hernández de la Garza and the designers at Plantea Estudio embraced the coastline’s laidback surf spirit to create a collection of concrete and clay structures filled with locally crafted furnishings that celebrate Oaxaca’s artisanal design. The 39 rooms exude Mexican warmth, from the tropical wood furnishings to the bespoke dark-orange textiles and handmade wine-coloured bathroom tiles, all accessorised by drawings from artist Lucio Muniain. In the centre of the hotel sits a lush courtyard and pool, whilst above is the rooftop bar and restaurant headed up helmed by chef Saúl Carranza and chef Marion Chateau, previously of Marseille’s La Relève.

Hotel Humano is located at Alejandro Cárdenas Peralta S/N Colonia Brisas Zicatela, 70934 Brisas de Zicatela, Mexico, hotel-humano.com

Me Malta, St. Julian’s

Meliá has made a strong debut in Malta with the opening of its latest Me address, which sits on the coast in the seaside town of St. Julian’s. Located inside the striking Mercury Towers development, one of the last designs personally signed off by Zaha Hadid, the 20-storey hotel welcomes guests into the 7th-floor lobby with a sculptural staircase, an abstract beaded ceiling decoration, and floor-to-ceiling views of the Mediterranean that continue into the 113 rooms and 27 suites. Crowning the property is the almost futuristic rooftop, home to the poolside ‘beach club’ Cabana Club, kitted out with plush cabanas and loungers, and the signature Me by Meliá Radio Rooftop bar, which serves up Asian sharing plates to a DJ session soundtrack.

Me Malta is located at Saint George’s Road, Triq Gort, St. Julian’s, Malta, melia.com

Namia River Retreat, Hội An, Vietnam

Sitting on a tranquil islet overlooking the Thu Bồn River, Namia River Resort is a wellness retreat that immerses guests in nature through both its design and therapies. Bioclimatic architecture specialists T3 Architects worked with Kanopea Architecture Studio to create 60 timber villas inspired by the traditional architecture of the fisherman and country houses that sit around the resort. Open plan interiors dressed with neutral hues and layers of natural materials lead directly onto private pool terraces shaded by the verdant Nipa palm forest, and sunken bathtubs have been thoughtfully placed to offer a view across the river. In the spa, the design team favoured soft organic shapes to create a serene environment for the retreat’s healing treatments, which have been inspired by Vietnamese herbology and tradition.

Namia River Retreat is located at 232 Trần Nhân Tông, Cẩm Thanh, Hội An, Quảng Nam, Vietnam, namiariverretreat.com

New hotel openings for November 2024

Bab Al Shams New Desert Villas, Dubai, UAE

After opening its doors in 2004, Bab Al Shams has received an update to its 115-room desert retreat in the form of eight private poolside villas. Design team Anarchitect imagined each of the one- and two-bedroom properties as a minimalist circular beige structure to blend harmoniously with the desert surroundings. The pared-back aesthetic continues inside, with rooms dressed in sandy neutrals and softly curved wood furnishings that mirror the villa’s round exterior. Each comes with its own outdoor terrace, fireplace and private pool. Guests, of course, have access to the resort’s facilities and choice of desert adventures, from dining in Anwā restaurant and switching off in the soothing spa to hot air ballooning or heading out on camelback across the desert.

Bab Al Shams New Desert Villas are located at Al Qudra Road, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, babalshams.com

Hotel Bellevigne, Chambolle-Musigny, France

French hotel group Les Hôtels (très) Particuliers tapped Jordane Arrivetz to reimagine a former manor house built over a wine storehouse into its latest address, Bellevigne, in the heart of Burgundy wine region. Arrivetz has put a contemporary twist on country style, blending the original Burgundy stonework and rustic beams with minimalist black four-poster beds and warm shades inspired by the colours of wine and the nearby vineyards. Furnishings are a mix of antiques and bespoke, such as the standout glossy green desk in the reception. Naturally, facilities centre around food and wine, with a restaurant, wine bar, oenophile library and tasting cellars stocked with more than 300 local wines, which can be balanced out with time in the outdoor pool and spa.

Hotel Bellevigne is located at 7 Rue de l'Église, 21220 Chambolle-Musigny, France, bellevigne-hotels.com

Melbourne Place, Australia

As its name suggests, Melbourne Place brings together all the best cultural aspects of the city into one destination address. Australian design firm Kennedy Nolan took inspiration from the city’s vernacular architecture to create a new build featuring a brick, concrete and stone facade. Inside, guest rooms and suites come dressed in Australian-inspired palettes of deep green, blue, gold, and brown – all linked through layers of oiled Jarrah wood, warm textiles, and furnishings sourced from local Australian artisans. On the ground floor, restaurant Marmelo serves Portuguese and Spanish flavours in front of an open kitchen. On the rooftop, at Mid Air, rising star Nick Deligiannis dishes up a Mediterranean menu which champions local ingredients. Guests can also cap off the evening with a nightcap at the late-night supper club, Mr Mills.

Melbourne Place is located at 130 Russell St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia, melbourneplace.com.au

Palm House, Palm Beach, USA

Palm House has made a splash in Palm Beach. The British owners, L+R Hotels, aimed to infuse a fresh vibe into the island’s traditional aesthetic with their first U.S. property in the USA under the Iconic Luxury Hotels collection. They enlisted architects Cooper Carry and the interior design studio Muza Lab to craft a lively design centred around the concept of fun. The design team embraced the vintage pinks and greens synonymous with Palm Beach, featuring stunning elements like three coral Murano-glass chandeliers and a pink marble counter at the Palm Bar. The vibrant colour scheme carries through to the guest rooms, which showcase coral-hued headboards and sea-green furnishings. The hotel’s highlight is the retro Sunset Pool Deck, boasting a sunken heated pool surrounded by pastel pink striped cabana beds and lush palm trees.

Palm House is located at 160 Royal Palm Way, Palm Beach, FL 33480, United States, palmhouse.com

Saltmoore, Whitby, UK

Sitting between the sea and the North Yorkshire Moors, the luxury nature retreat Saltmoore cocoons guests from the elements. Designers Sapin Studio drew inspiration from the natural surroundings to imagine the 72 guest rooms, which are housed across two hotels: Saltmoore House and The Beach House. Nature-inspired palettes range from earthy browns that nod to the nearby moors to pale ocean blue and greens, accessorised with country chic roll-top baths, tactile upholstered headboards and contemporary four-poster beds. Sculptures by local artist Emma Stothard can be found dotted around the property – look out for the standout chandelier in the lobby as the finishing touch. Saltmoore’s two restaurants and three bars also champion local producers, whilst the spa offers treatments courtesy of nature-inspired beauty brand Wildsmith Skin.

Saltmoore is located at Sandsend Road, Whitby YO21 3ST, saltmoore.co.uk

W Prague, Czech Republic

The Art Nouveau style of the former Grand Hotel Evropa underpins the W Prague. AvroKO’s London design studio blended original details such as decorative stucco and curved wood panelling with a contemporary riff on nature-inspired design movement, think sinuous lines decorating the bar in the W lounge and a collection of peacock feather printed armchairs. The 161 guest rooms and suites are a contemporary contrast to the old-school glamour of the public spaces, with immaculate white walls jazzed up with circular glass headboards and pops of blue and yellow velvet. The opening has also brought impressive facilities to the Czech capital’s city centre, including the Above Rooftop bar with sweeping city views, a destination restaurant, an underground cocktail lounge, and an Away Spa.

W Prague is located at Václavské nám. 826/25, 110 00 Nové Město, Prague, Czech Republic, marriott.com