From luxury safari camps to city boutique hotels, and groundbreaking flagships, here are the most exciting new hotels to hit the scene in 2018.
Shinta Mani Wild, Cambodia
Opening October
Redefining the wilds of Cambodia with a few creature comforts, Shinta Mani Wild (pictured above) will be a new luxury camp experience that combines world-class design, hospitality, and conservation. Another new property for acclaimed designer Bill Bensley (who recently unveiled ten sumptuous villas at the Shinta Mani Angkor in Siem Reap), Shinta Mani Wild is located in a vital wildlife corridor between the Bokor and Kirirom national parks, and will protect this pristine corner of Cambodia in a ground-breaking partnership with Wildlife Alliance, Fauna & Flora International, The Royal University of Phnom Penh, and the Cambodian Government.
The camp’s 16 100sqm custom-designed tents will be perched on a swift-moving river, which can be explored on the property’s Bensley-designed luxury expedition boats. After adventures on the water or in the rainforest, make for the Landing Zone Bar, which is located on the edge of the sanctuary’s largest waterfall, or dine at the Waterfall restaurant, which will serve local dishes with ingredients foraged from the surrounding forest.
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Zuri Zanzibar, Tanzania
Opening May
Located on the breathtaking northern coast of Unguja, the Tanzanian archipelago’s main island, Zuri Zanzibar boasts an idyllic setting on 300m of private beach. The Design Hotels member property will feature 55 bungalows, suites, and villas, nestled in tropical gardens with uninterrupted views over the glittering turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean.
While six suites offer semi-private access to the beach and private jacuzzis, it’s the 500sqm Ocean Front Luxury Villa that will impress, with its private beach and pool, and three bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms. Designed by Prague- and London-based studio Jestico & Whiles, the new resort will incorporate traditional African touches and craftsmanship, including thatched roofs and East Coast artwork, to emulate a traditional Zanzibari village.
Leave time for an intimate dinner at Maischa, which specialises in dishes cooked in a traditional Josper oven; and a trip to visit the turtles of the Tambatu Marine Park.
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Como Uma Canggu, Bali
Opening February
Baliophiles will rejoice with the opening in February of the newest Como retreat. Located on the island’s south coast, Como Uma Canggu will feature 119 rooms, suites, and residences, including a breathtaking three-bedroom duplex penthouse with a rooftop pool. Steps from some of Bali’s best surf breaks, the new luxury hideaway has been created by designers Koichiro Ikebuchi and Paola Navone, with landscapes by Trevor Hillier.
Look out for world-class ‘new world cuisine’ packed with local produce; surfing classes from Tropicsurf; and Asian-inspired treatments in the seven suite Como Shambhala Retreat, the resort’s signature spa. Check out our review of the property here.
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The Datai Langkawi, Malaysia
Reopening June
Located amidst Malaysia’s ancient rainforest, The Datai Langkawi, one of Asia’s grand dame resorts, will re-open this summer after an extensive multi-million dollar renovation. Redesigned by renowned architect Didier Lefort of DL2A, the luxury resort’s guestrooms, suites, and villas will undergo a complete revamp, with new additions including a Nature Centre, a beachfront fitness centre, additional spa pavilions, and a glorious new wellness enclave set within a mangrove forest.
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Jabali Ridge, Tanzania
Opening September
Offering the perfect marriage of luxury and wild landscapes, Asilia Africa’s new Jabali Ridge camp will open on a rocky kopje in southern Tanzania’s 150,000sqkm Ruaha National Park this September.
Offering a spectacular wildlife encounter across an area the size of New Jersey but with very few visitors, guests will have access to large populations of African elephant, as well as lions, leopards, and buffalo living in close proximity to the camp. They’ll also have the chance to see rare sable antelopes and roan antelopes during both day and night game drives.
When guests return from excursions, they can commune with nature in one of eight timber louvre-wrapped suites, with their staggering panoramic views, or in the camp’s infinity pool, which is surrounded by abundant vegetation and granite boulders. Families can book the stunning Jabali Ridge Private House, a three-bedroom stand-alone villa with its own swimming pool and game vehicles.
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andBeyond Phinda Homestead, South Africa
Reopening September
Emerging from the ashes of the previous homestead, which was destroyed in a fire, andBeyond Phinda Homestead is part of a 28,555-hectare conservation that boasts several world-class game lodges, each nestled within its own unique ecosystem.
With interiors by designer Fox Browne, who was tasked with restoring the acclaimed original retreat, Phinda Homestead will have the feel of a contemporary private bush home, complete with raw materials, subtly retro furnishings, and locally-sourced art, including Zulu basketwork and Nguni hides.
Beyond the homestead’s four spacious, minimalist guest rooms are elegantly-appointed bathrooms featuring marble basins shaped like Zulu water pots, while the villa also boasts an intimate gym and massage room, a rim-flow swimming pool, a herb garden, and a spacious deck with island bar.
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Hotel X, Toronto
Opening March
Part of the Library Hotel Collection, Hotel X is the most anticipated opening for the lakeside city of Toronto. Boasting 406 rooms and the vibe of an urban resort, the new property is located on the site of the city’s historic Exhibition Place grounds and will feature luxurious guest rooms and suites; Ten x Toronto, a distinctly Canadian athletic and wellness facility with over 740sqm of indoor and outdoor activity space; a heated rooftop swimming pool; a beer garden; and leading restaurants.
Almost all guest rooms and suites will feature stunning panoramas of Lake Ontario or the Toronto skyline – the duplex Presidential Suite not only boasts accommodation for six but also a two-storey living room with fireplace.
The Ten x Toronto complex will offer guests access to four indoor tennis courts; a rooftop pool; squash courts; a fitness center with dedicated spaces for Hot Yoga, spinning, Pilates and group fitness classes; and a golf simulator; while the Harmony Spa by the Lake will feature ten treatment rooms including two spacious couples’ suites. Look out for Mediterranean fine-dining at Petros’ and the best sports action at the Falcon SkyBar.
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La Peer Hotel, Los Angeles
Opening January
The newest creation of trend-savvy hotel company Kimpton, LA’s La Peer Hotel debuts next month as an elegant and intimate enclave anchored in the heart of West Hollywood’s celebrated Design District.
Tucked between Melrose Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard, this new design-forward hotel will boast 105 rooms and suites dressed in oak herringbone (we love the Terrace King with its private patio); a rooftop deck with 360-degree city views; a pool and fitness center; more than 8,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor dining and lounge spaces; and Viale Dei Romani, a new restaurant concept created by Casey Lane, chef, and owner of California’s Tasting Kitchen and New York’s Casa Apicii.
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Kudadoo Maldives Private Island, Indian Ocean
Opening April
Boasting just 15 one- and two-bedroom overwater villas, the Yuji Yamasaki-designed Kudadoo Maldives is set to redefine luxury in the Indian Ocean archipelago. Located in the Lhaviyani Atoll, near sister resort Hurawalhi, the new boutique resort will offer an adults-only sanctuary complete with cavernous villas in Tasmanian oak and natural stone that feature private infinity pools, freestanding soak tubs, personal iMacs, handmade furniture and round-the-clock butler service.
After a day of diving with manta rays with the team from ProDivers or capturing the trade winds with the resort’s catamarans, head for the Duniye Spa, which laces its treatments with preservative and chemical-free spa products; or feast on the best Maldivian seafood with Personal Chefs cooking in-villa or Hurawalhi’s acclaimed 5.8 Undersea Restaurant only minutes away.
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Skywatch Lodge & Spa, Canada
Opening August
Immerse yourself in the awe-inspiring Northern Lights a Skywatch Lodge & Spa, a new high-end US$19 million retreat opening outside Yellowknife in Canada’s Northwest Territories. Designed by Yellowknife architect Simon Taylor, Skywatch will offer just 36 luxury guest suites, with each sumptuous space boasting natural fibre king-sized beds, floor-to-ceiling windows, and gas fireplaces. The lodge will be the place to watch the Northern Lights thanks to private decks and dark-sky aurora lighting.
After a dip in the outdoor, heated star-lit infinity pool or trying your hand at dog sledding or ice fishing, head for a juniper-infused massage at the spa, which comprises seven opulent treatment rooms, before warming up in the cosy library, or taking a table in the signature restaurant, which will serve ‘rustic elegant cuisine’ using locally foraged ingredients.
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Anantara Maraú Bahia Resort, Brazil
Opening July
The brand’s first foray into South America, Anantara Maraú Bahia Resort will debut this summer overlooking Brazil’s Bay of Camamu and the Atlantic Ocean. Showcasing the country’s rich cultural and ethnic diversity, and boasting African, indigenous and European influences, the new resort will initially offer just 30 guest rooms, suites, and bungalows.
Arrive via the property’s private forest-wreathed landing strip and be transported to a lost paradise of white sandy beaches, manicured gardens, and organic design lines.
While the active can hit the beach for volleyball matches, ride horses on guided trips along the Carapitangui River, quad bike through the forest, or make for the modern fitness centre, those seeking relaxation might prefer a speedboat cruise to the incredible Tremembé Waterfall and its natural bathing pools; or to take a perch beside the expansive swimming pool and pool bar, the heart of the new resort.
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Wa Ale, Myanmar
Opening March
The first luxury eco-resort to open in Myanmar’s pristine Mergui Archipelago, Wa Ale is a breathtaking new retreat for city-weary travellers looking for the ultimate escape. Comprising 11 luxury tented beach villas and three eye-catching treetop villas, the boutique resort is nestled on one of the region’s 800 tropical islands, which have until recently only been accessible by yacht.
This Robinson Crusoe-esque escape has been constructed using reclaimed and locally-sourced materials to ensure it blends with its natural environment. Set on a blissful stretch of dazzlingly white sand beach, flanked by rocky cliffs and backed by lush evergreen jungle, the island is part of the vast Lampi Marine National Park, an ASEAN Marine Heritage site, the crystal clear, turquoise waters of which teem with wildlife, including whale sharks, dolphins, dugongs, turtles, and manta rays.
Guests can soak up the sun on their private patio, dine on locally-grown produce at the resort restaurant, and even visit local Moken fishing villages, with 20 percent of the resort’s profits going to the Lampi Foundation, a conservation initiative helping local communities.
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Serra Cafema, Namibia
Reopening June
Set against the towering dunes and formidable desert landscapes of Namibia, Wilderness Safaris will reopen its acclaimed Serra Cafema Camp in northwest Namibia next summer.
Undoubtedly one of the most remote camps in southern Africa, Serra Cafema overlooks the Kunene River in Hartmann’s Valley and is being rebuilt at the same site. The new Serra Cafema Camp will be 100 percent solar-powered and built with an extremely light eco-footprint to ensure minimal impact on its pristine desert location. At the same time, the emphasis will still be on celebrating the local Himba culture, one of the last truly nomadic peoples on the planet.
The new camp will comprise just eight riverside villas, each designed to blend into the picturesque surroundings, and will offer a host of unique experiences, from rare opportunity to meet members of the Himba people to fascinating nature drives or guided quad bike eco-excursion through the fragile dunes. Boating on the Kunene River in search of crocodiles and water birds will also be available, water levels permitting.
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Awasi Iguazú, Argentina
Opening February
If the stunning Iguazú Falls, the iconic waterfall that stretches along the border between Brazil and Argentina, is on your bucket list, you’ll need somewhere to stay.
Located on the Argentinian side, Awasi Iguazú is the region’s newest luxury eco-lodge, a stilted hideaway nestled deep within the ancient rainforest. The retreat’s 14 villas, each secreted in a canopy of cassia and tibouchina trees, feature a few creature comforts, including outdoor decks and private plunge pools, spacious living areas and interiors that reflect the rich culture of the indigenous Guarani people.
Beyond, the main lodge building features stonework reminiscent of the nearby ruins of a Jesuit Missionary settlement and houses a restaurant helmed by Argentine chef Rafael Ceraso, who employs plenty of exotic jungle ingredients in his dishes.
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The Fontenay, Hamburg
Opening February
The first five-star hotel to open in Germany’s historic harbourfront city in almost two decades, The Fontenay will be an urban resort in the heart of the city. Located on the banks of Lake Alster, on a plot of land purchased by shipbroker John Fontenay in 1816, the new Jan Störmer-designed hotel will be a short walk from the city’s downtown and its new Elbphilharmonie concert hall.
Each of the 131 rooms and suites makes the most of the hotel’s stunning lakeside vistas with private balconies and floor-to-ceiling windows, as well as oak parquet flooring (with timber sourced from the forests of the Fontenay Abbey in Burgundy), decorative objects by Danish design brand Georg Jensen, and original artwork by Peruvian painter Antonio Máro.
Look out for a signature restaurant by Michelin-starred chef Cornelius Speinle, previously of The Fat Duck; and a rooftop full-service spa by La Mer, complete with a 20-meter horizon edge indoor/outdoor pool.
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ME Dubai, UAE
Opening late 2018
Spanish luxury lifestyle hotel brand ME by Meliá will open its first Middle East property when it unveils the ME Dubai in the fourth quarter of 2018.
Designed by the late architect Zaha Hadid, who personally designed all of the interiors and exteriors, showcasing her vision of ‘interconnectedness’, ME Dubai is set to become a legacy hotel for the city. ME Dubai will take residence in the breathtaking, 95-metre-high Opus building, the newest architectural icon in the Dubai skyline.
Situated in the heart of the upcoming Burj Khalifa district in Downtown Dubai, ME Dubai will consist of 93 rooms and suites, including an ultra-luxurious Suite ME, as well as 98 serviced apartments. In addition, the property will feature dramatic, signature furniture in the lobby, vertical café, lounges, and reception area, which were either designed or personally selected by Zada Hadid.
Foodies will love the new ME’s 15 restaurants, including an outpost of contemporary Japanese robatayaki restaurant ROKA.
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