andBeyond Suyian Lodge in Kenya.
Photo: Courtesy of andBeyond Suyian Lodge
14 Must-Book Luxury Hotels Opening in 2025
A first look at the year’s most compelling new properties and the cultural shift they represent
The luxury hospitality landscape is shifting, and not in the ways you might expect. While 2024’s openings leaned heavily into statement art collections and social media moments, 2025 signals something more structural: a wholesale reimagining of how hotels function in their communities.
This evolution cuts to the core of what luxury means today. The year ahead presents an industry grappling with its very purpose—where heritage trains become roving cultural attachés and forgotten architectural landmarks transform into vibrant gathering spaces. We’re witnessing preservation that actively engages with history rather than simply maintaining it, public areas that dissolve boundaries between guest and local life, and wellness sanctuaries that derive their power from indigenous traditions.
The catalyst becomes clear in Design Hotels’ Further Forecast 2025: Despite 84 percent of travelers believing hotels can forge meaningful community, barely a quarter currently experience that connection. The response? A new wave of properties that prioritize authenticity over artifice. From Paris to Kyoto, these establishments are crafting destinations that are more than just an escape—they’re creating portals that bring their surroundings into sharper focus, suggesting that true luxury lies not in a deeper understanding of culture and place.
Below are 14 hotels to watch in 2025:
Pool at the Palm House. Photo: Courtesy of Palm House
1. Palm House | Palm Beach, Florida
After a 17-year dormancy and $40 million transformation, a storied Royal Palm Way address has been reinvented as the first U.S. outpost of London-based L+R Hotels’ Iconic Luxury Hotels collection (anchor properties include Cliveden House in England). Cooper Carry’s architecture meets Muza Lab’s interiors in a quintessentially Palm Beach vision: Murano glass chandeliers suspended above pink marble bars, coral-backed headboards adorning 79 rooms, and a striking shell installation by local artist Christa Wilm commanding the lobby. Chef Jerry Ayala introduces Japanese-Peruvian fusion to the 86-seat dining room, complemented by a sunken pool deck that captures the essence of Palm Beach leisure.
Mountain Studio. Photo: Courtesy of Rosewood Mandarina
2. Rosewood Mandarina | Riviera Nayarit, Mexico
A headlining addition to Mexico’s Pacific coastline debuts this April. With a newly completed highway, this Riviera Nayarit retreat is reachable within an hour of Puerto Vallarta, though its 134 accommodations—each boasting private plunge pools and expansive terraces—exist in splendid isolation. Designer Caroline Meersseman (of Bando x Seidel Meersseman) draws inspiration from the region’s indigenous Huichol and Cora cultures without resorting to staid motifs. The Rosewood Mandarina balances contemporary expectations (Japanese restaurant, cliff-edge bar, Asaya spa with 10 treatment rooms) against the location’s untamed beauty: polo grounds surrounded by jungle, ziplines traversing protected forest, and a pristine beach unmarked by development.
Airelles Venezia. Photo: Mark Luscombe-Whyte
3. Airelles Venezia | Venice, Italy
There’s a new reason to visit Venice’s oft-overshadowed Giudecca island. Airelles’ first venture beyond France takes on the former Bauer Palladio: three historic buildings and the 16th-century Santa Maria della Presentazione church, all set within nearly an acre of gardens (an unprecedented luxury in space-constrained Venice). Designer Christophe Tollemer orchestrates a seamless fusion of French and Venetian aesthetics: terrazzo and marble floors, bespoke Fortuny chandeliers, Murano glass installations, and Rubelli’s sought-after textiles. The 45 keys include a four-bedroom Presidential Suite commanding San Marco views and a three-bedroom villa with private pool. The preserved church serves as a coveted wedding venue, while three pools and an 18,300-square-foot spa create respite from tourist crowds.
The Cooper. Photo: Beemok Hospitality Collection
4. The Cooper | Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston’s historic district has never lacked for luxury hotels, but waterfront access? That’s new territory. Beemok Hospitality Collection (the force behind Charleston Place) slides 191 Champalimaud-designed rooms between Waterfront Park’s iconic pineapple fountain and Union Pier. The location offers a coveted rarity in the Holy City: harbor frontage with a private marina. A glass-wrapped rooftop lounge frames the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge through floor-to-ceiling windows, complemented by a dedicated yacht for sunset dinner cruises. Water taxis link guests to Daniel Island’s up-and-coming scene, highlighting the magnetism lying beyond Charleston’s peninsula.
Aman Nai Lert Bangkok. Photo: Aman Resorts
5. Aman Nai Lert Bangkok | Thailand
As Bangkok solidifies its position as Asia’s next-gen luxury capital (bolstered by The White Lotus choosing Thailand for its third season), Aman’s second Thai property arrives this fall—36 years after Amanpuri transformed Phuket’s hospitality landscape. Denniston’s Jean-Michel Gathy infuses this urban retreat with characteristic precision: a 36-story tower rising from historic Nai Lert Park’s diplomatic quarter, housing 33 residences from floors 11-38 and 52 hotel suites. The limited key count maintains the brand’s intimate scale despite its vertical format, while an innovative central atrium and wraparound terraces embrace Bangkok’s indoor-outdoor lifestyle. The embassy-district setting ensures rare green seclusion in the heart of the city.
Guest accommodations at La Fondation. Photo: Courtesy of La Fondation
6. La Fondation | Paris, France
Trust Roman & Williams—the design studio behind New York’s Tin Building and Estelle Manor in the Cotswolds—to subvert the expected Paris playbook. Their first European project anchors the 17th arrondissement’s residential heart, where a concrete frame conceived by studio PCA-STREAM stands defiantly Brutalist among Haussmann’s classical facades. Beyond the 58 rooms (including three oversized suites), La Fondation offers an inspired local element: a climbing wall-equipped gym that doubles as a members’ club. The rooftop restaurant overlooks Parc Monceau (the city’s most aristocratic green space), anchoring the property in Batignolles, where Place de Clichy preserves the Paris of Zola’s novels.
La Dolce Vita. Photo: Courtesy of La Dolce Vita Orient Express
Guest accommodations. Photo: Courtesy of La Dolce Vita Orient Express
7. La Dolce Vita Orient Express | Italy
The rail brand’s Italian expansion exceeds all expectations. Spring 2025 brings La Dolce Vita—Italy’s first luxury train offering eight “Made in Italy” circuits—while Orient Express establishes permanent outposts in Venice and Rome. This moving design statement orchestrated by Dimorestudio traces routes from Florence’s Renaissance splendor to hidden gems like ancient Matera and mountainous Palena. Three-Michelin-starred Chef Heinz Beck oversees the culinary program, recognizing that Italian travel revolves as much around flavor as views. The fixed properties expand the vision: Orient Express La Minerva in Rome and Orient Express Palazzo Donà Giovannelli in Venice herald the brand’s evolution from transient luxury to cultural steward. This triple-faceted debut, opening throughout 2025, elegantly repackages the Italian grand tour for a contemporary era.
Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique. Photo: Courtesy of Waldorf Astoria
The property follows natural topography. Photo: Courtesy of Waldorf Astoria
8. Waldorf Astoria Costa Rica Punta Cacique | Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Waldorf’s Costa Rican debut transforms Guanacaste’s Punta Cacique peninsula, where 188 rooms exemplify innovative biophilic design: floor-to-ceiling windows frame Pacific vistas, living rooftops dissolve into the landscape, and terraces follow natural topography. A cascading pool complex (featuring submerged loungers) descends to untouched Playa Penca, complemented by 11 treatment rooms and meditation spaces that reflect luxury travel’s evolution toward holistic wellness. La Finca restaurant reinterprets Costa Rican cuisine, while inland adventures beckon—the 6,286-foot Rincón de la Vieja Volcano (the “Colossus of Guanacaste”) offers expedition opportunities through Central America’s most dynamic volcanic terrain.
Ski lodge at One&Only Moonlight Basin. Photo: Courtesy of one&Only
9. One&Only Moonlight Basin | Montana
Dubai-based One&Only’s choice of Montana for their U.S. debut marks a decisive shift in mountain luxury. Their 190-acre enclave—73 Olson Kundig-designed rooms in the main lodge, 19 villas, plus a residential component—coincides with the destination’s Blue Sky 2025 project opening Lone Mountain’s summit to pedestrian access. Seattle-based Kundig, celebrated for marrying modernism with mountain vernacular, crafts spaces that spotlight Montana’s raw beauty. Diversions span from practical (direct gondola access to 5,800 acres of terrain) to experiential (fly-fishing programs led by local guides and a secluded moonshine shack tucked into the woods). The addition of an observatory proves prescient—Montana boasts some of America’s clearest night skies.
Harborside cottages at the inn. Photo: Courtesy of Asticou Inn and Tangram 3DS
10. Asticou Inn | Mount Desert Island, Maine
Hotelier Tim Harrington, architect of Kennebunkport’s luxury renaissance, invests $28 million into revamping this coastal grande dame on Mount Desert Island. The 1884 landmark—which hosted three generations of Maine’s summer society under the Savage family until 1965—expands organically across 25 waterfront acres: 50 rooms in the historic inn complemented by 15 harborside cottages and 17 harbor-view spa suites. Design leads Krista Stokes and Mark Cotto weave in nuanced local references: David Allen’s custom toile wallpaper echoes Martha Stewart’s nearby Skylands estate, vintage furnishings curated from the Eastern Seaboard, and a palette drawn from Acadia National Park’s terrain. A trio of distinct dining venues (Foxtrot Provisions café, Dahlia’s restaurant, Moss Bar) forms the social core, while programming embraces the setting: guided Acadia expeditions, boat excursions via sister property The Claremont, and sunrise yoga sessions overlooking Northeast Harbor’s working waterfront.
Deluxe guest accommodations. Photo: Capella Hotels and Resorts
The Ofuro Lounge. Photo: Capella Hotels and Resorts
11. Capella Kyoto | Kyoto, Japan
In Kyoto’s Miyagawa-chō district—where working geiko (the preferred local term for geisha) still practice centuries-old traditions—emerges a hotel attuned to its cultural context. Capella’s Japanese debut transforms the former Shinmichi Elementary School through an inspired collaboration between Kengo Kuma (Japan’s preeminent living architect) and Brewin Design Office. The 89-key property demonstrates cultural fluency at every turn: courtyard gardens mirror nearby Kenninji Temple’s Zen principles, private onsen experiences honor Japanese bathing customs, and public spaces deftly balance ritual with refined luxury. The integration of tatami elements and wabi-sabi philosophy enriches the hotel’s connection to Higashiyama heritage.
Bar at the Suyian Lodge. Photo: Courtesy of andBeyond Suyian Lodge
12. andBeyond Suyian Lodge | Laikipia, Kenya
Kenya’s Laikipia plateau—increasingly the choice of safari cognoscenti seeking alternatives to the Masai Mara—gains its most conservation-minded luxury camp. andBeyond’s 14-tent lodge commands exclusive access to 44,000 acres of Suyian Conservancy, protected through Space for Giants and American philanthropist Louis Bacon. The setting encompasses diverse ecosystems: 10 miles of Ewaso Narok River frontage, vital habitat for endangered species (including Kenya’s largest population of Grévy’s zebra), and landscapes transitioning from savannah to dense vechellia woodland. Activities transcend traditional safari offerings: walking expeditions with Samburu guides, camel safaris across the plateau, and helicopter excursions to Lake Turkana. The conservation approach breaks new ground: implementing rotational cattle grazing to enhance biodiversity, while collaboration with Princeton University’s adjacent Mpala research station ensures scientific rigor.
Aman Rosa Alpina. Photo: Courtesy of Aman Rosa Alpina
13. Aman Rosa Alpina | Dolomites, Italy
The union of a third-generation family hotel with Aman yields an alpine aerie of rare distinction. The Pizzininis’ 1939 San Cassiano institution receives an elevated refresh from regular Aman collaborator Jean-Michel Gathy of Denniston. A conservative room count creates more expansive spaces, while the 3,000-square-foot Chalet Zeno—long preferred by European royalty—maintains its original character. An expanded spa and outdoor pool complex anchors the wellness offerings, while redesigned dining venues pay homage to the property’s culinary legacy. The UNESCO-protected setting delivers year-round appeal: 750 miles of winter skiing terrain, summer Via Ferrata routes, and bespoke helicopter tours showcasing the Dolomites’ majesty.
The Vineta. Photo: Courtesy of The Vineta
The lobby. Photo: Courtesy of The Vineta.
14. The Vineta Hotel | Palm Beach, Florida
Oetker Collection makes its U.S. debut in the heart of Palm Beach this spring. The German hospitality group (behind Le Bristol Paris and Eden Rock St. Barths) has revived the 1926 Lido-Venice, returning the historic edifice to its midcentury identity as The Vineta after three decades as The Chesterfield. Paris designer Tino Zervudachi distills the best of chintz-free Palm Beach—clean lines, coastal colors, and relaxed spaces from the reimagined courtyard to the statement bar—while the pale-pink Mediterranean Revival facade remains intact. A reduction from 53 to 41 keys adds breathing room to the ultra-convenient location two blocks off Worth Avenue. Meanwhile, Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc’s acclaimed chef Sebastian Broda brings South of France flavors to Florida ingredients at signature restaurant Coco’s.
Cover: andBeyond Suyian Lodge in Kenya.
Photo: Courtesy of andBeyond Suyian Lodge
