The outdoor infinity pool at the Maybourne Riviera with the lights of Monte Carlo off in the distance.
Photo: Courtesy of Maybourne Riviera
14 of the Dreamiest Hotels That Opened in 2022
From exciting introductions to major overhauls by some of the design world's biggest names, these haute destinations were on every traveler’s must-visit list
Jetsetters embraced international travel in a big way this past year, booking tickets for bucket-list destinations and once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Also capturing the attention of global travelers was a slew of exciting new hotels and major reinventions of long-standing resorts. Here, Galerie revisits many of the exciting newcomers and spectacular renovations we covered this past year.
Photo: Six Senses Fort Barwara
1. Six Senses Fort Barwara | Rajasthan, India
For their first property in India, the team at Six Senses reimagined a pair of 14th-century palaces and two temples once owned by a Rajasthani royal family. Located a three-hour drive from Jaipur, the lavish 48-suite hotel, sensitively transformed by conservation experts led by a royal heir, Prithviraj Singh, also encompasses a 30,000-square-foot wellness spa.
Chambre Executive Suite at Bulgari Hotel Paris Photo: Courtesy of Bulgari Hotel Paris
2. Bulgari Hotel Paris
With panoramic vistas and private terraces, the Bulgari Hotel Paris brings the brand’s signature Roman spirit to the city’s illustrious Golden Triangle, not far from the new Bulgari flagship on the Place Vendôme. The stunning property opened with 76 rooms designed by Milanese firm Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel, Il Ristorante–Niko Romito by the Michelin three-star chef, and the glamorous Bulgari Bar.
The Madrona’s dining room with an Lumifer Lighting chandelier, custom carpet drawn by artist Kelly Ventura, and photographs from Beth Moon’s Literary Chickens series. Photo: Matthew Millman
The Madrona’s front entrance with a hand-painted ceiling by Willem Racke and original art commissioned by Dolby Chadwick for the hotel. Photo: Matthew Millman
3. The Madrona | Sonoma, California
The first hospitality project from San Francisco designer Jay Jeffers, the Madrona in California wine country transformed a 1881 estate into a 24-room boutique hotel. Jeffers kept 250 pieces original to the home—including more than 30 from the “grande dame’s” first owners—then mixed in custom furnishings, artist-designed rugs, and a thoughtful curation of art. Also remaining on site was chef Jesse Mallgren, who earned the previous hotel a Michelin-star 13 years in a row.
Bedroom at Hôtel Barrière Fouquet’s New York. Photo: Courtesy of The Brandman Agency
4. Hôtel Barrière Fouquet | New York
Blending chic sophistication with the cool atmosphere of Tribeca, Fouquet’s New York offers 100 residential-style rooms and suites conceptualized by world-renowned designer Martin Brudnizki and Spa Diane Barrière, which includes five treatment rooms, a sauna, steam room, indoor pool, gym, and water fitness circuit—all providing famous French dermo-cosmetics brand Biologique Recherche. An outpost of the historic French brasserie Fouquet, which is led by Michelin-starred chef Pierre Gagnaire, allows for a true Parisian dining experience.
The Twenty Two. Photo: Philip Sinden
5. The Twenty Two | London
Designer Natalia Miyar’s first hospitality project transformed a Edwardian building in London’s posh Grosvenor Square into a 31-room boutique hotel. Also home to a private members’ club and an upscale restaurant serving British classics, the Twenty Two receives guests in a fetching black-and-cream lobby, while the lavishly decorated suites, each boasting a unique design, evoke a bohemian flair with ornately patterned fabrics in sumptuous jewel tones.
The Hotel Chelsea’s iconic wrought-iron balconies and neon sign. Photo: Colin Miller/Courtesy of The Monacelli Press
6. Hotel Chelsea | New York
The grit and grunge might be gone, but the magic of Manhattan’s famous Hotel Chelsea is still intact, thanks to a meticulous makeover by new owners Sean MacPherson, Ira Drukier, and Richard Born, the trio behind the Jane and the Bowery hotels. Once the favored stomping ground of rowdy rock stars and eccentric artists, the 1884 landmark began welcoming guests to its 155 rooms this past summer, after an 11-year hiatus. Floor mosaics and stained-glass windows were lovingly restored, artworks by past tenants such as Donald Baechler and Philip Taaffe took pride of place in the lobby, and Spanish restaurant El Quijote was resurrected with preserved 1930s ceilings plus an original mural inspired by the man from La Mancha.
The terrace attached to one of Santo Mauro’s luxury suites. Photo: Miguel Merino, for the luxury collection
7. Santo Mauro | Madrid
Once home to the Duke of Santo Mauro, this fin de siècle villa was reworked into a 49-key hotel with terraced suites, exquisitely appointed by Lorenzo Castillo, that overlook manicured gardens complete with fountains and centuries-old chestnut trees. Also reason to visit are the two on-site restaurants helmed by chef Rafael Peña.
The baobab treehouse at Xigera Safari Lodge. Photo: Courtesy of Xigera Safari Lodge
8. Xigera Safari Lodge | Botswana
Notable for its bungalows with sweeping views of Botswana’s Okavango Delta, Xigera Safari Lodge also features a major collection of African art. Amassed in collaboration with South African gallery Southern Guild, the resort includes pieces by Porky Hefer, Atang Tshikare, and Andile Dyalvane, among others. Giving adventure-seekers an out-of-this-world experience was the newly installed Baobab Treehouse, a towering 33-foot-tall sculpture, inspired by an iconic 1946 artwork by South African landscape painter Jacobus Hendrik Pierneef, that houses a standalone suite.
En suite at Aman New York. Photo: Courtesy of Aman
9. Aman New York
Designed by Denniston’s Jean-Michel Gathy, Aman New York comprises more than 80 suites, all of which include a functioning fireplace, Japanese-inspired interiors, and the brand’s new wellness flagship concept, which covers three stories and includes a jaw-dropping indoor swimming pool surrounded by fire pits and daybeds. Epicureans can enjoy the on-site Italian eatery Avra and Japanese fine dining restaurant Nama, head to the Jazz Club for light bites and libations, or unwind on the year-round Garden Terrace.
Cocktail lounge Le 300 at the Maybourne Riviera; a Le Corbusier-inspired stained glass work is in the background. Photo: Courtesy of Maybourne Riviera
The lobby at Maybourne Riviera with a massive Louise Bourgeois sculpture suspended from the ceiling. Photo: Courtesy of Maybourne Riviera
10. Maybourne Riviera | Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France
Carved into a cliffside overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, the Maybourne Riviera draws inspiration from legendary architects Le Corbusier and Eileen Gray, who conjured iconic homes not far from the resort’s dreamy Côte d’Azur setting. Bryan O’Sullivan Studio oversaw many of the destination’s 69 guest rooms and suites as well as the interior of chef Mauro Colagreco’s breathtaking restaurant Riviera, while André Fu conceived the spa.
A Superior suite at Fleur de Loire. Photo: ©Alexandre Moulard
11. Fleur de Loire | Blois, France
Located an hour’s drive from Paris, the new Relais & Chateaux hotel Fleur de Loire is drawing luxury-minded travelers for its regal surroundings and a decadent restaurant helmed by Michelin-starred chef Christophe Hay. French architect and interior designer Caroline Tissier reimagined the 17th-century estate with 44 rooms, each serenely appointed with custom furnishings and art, indoor and outdoor pools, and a Sisley Spa.
The rooftop pool at the newly opened RH Guesthouse in New York. Photo: Courtesy of RH
12. RH Guesthouse | New York
Set within a converted 1887 triangular-shaped building in downtown New York, RH Guesthouse opened in September with myriad spaces that captured the aesthetic of RH without becoming showrooms for branded products. Visitors were overwhelmed with the high-design dining options, guest rooms, rooftop garden and pool, and a subterranean Champagne & Caviar Bar.
The rooftop of Hotel Per La boasts a heated pool and Mediterranean-inspired spot Bar Clara. Photo: The Ingalls
13. Hotel Per La | Los Angeles
Downtown Los Angeles has seen a recent boom of design-forward hotels, including the elegant new accommodation Hotel Per La, a 12-story property with 241 guest rooms and suites. Built in 1922, the stately structure originally housed the L.A. headquarters of the Bank of Italy and now features an Italian-inspired design reimagined by Jaqui Seerman. More than 4,000 pieces of art can be found throughout the property’s rooms and public spaces which also include restaurant Per L’Ora, casual Café Ora, and Bar Clara.
Lobby at The Ritz-Carlton NoMad. Photo: Courtesy of The Ritz-Carlton NoMad.
14. The Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad
The Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad takes inspiration from its Flower District neighbors, punctuating its 250 rooms, including 31 suites and 16 penthouse residences, with Donald Sultan’s poppies and other botanical works. Conceptualized by Rafael Viñoly Architects, with a jazzy top-floor lounge by Martin Brudnizki, otherworldly spa, and one of the city’s most in-demand new restaurants, Zaytinya, led by Michelin-starred chef José Andrés and designed by Rockwell Group, this exciting newcomer stays true to Ritz-Carlton’s classic refinement but with a refreshing new energy.
Cover: The outdoor infinity pool at the Maybourne Riviera with the lights of Monte Carlo off in the distance.
Photo: Courtesy of Maybourne Riviera
