The Starwood group, which owns W hotels, St Regis, The Luxury Collection, Westin, Le Méridien, Sheraton, Four Points by Sheraton and Aloft brands, expects to open more than 20 hotels in 11 countries in 2009, and is on track to open its 1,000th hotel this year.
The stylish W brand is going strong, with openings in Hoboken, Atlanta, Fort Lauderdale, Doha and Barcelona this year. Also opening before 2009 is out are the St Regis Atlanta, the Sheraton Prague Charles Square, and Four Points by Sheraton properties in Mauritius and Times Square, New York.
Ten Shangri-La hotels are set to open their doors this year, including the brand’s first property in North America, in Vancouver; the first one in Japan, in Tokyo; and the first international luxury resort in Boracay, in the Philippines.
Opening this month is the Maldivian Shangri-La Villingili Resort and Spa, followed by the Trader’s Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri in Abu Dhabi and the Palm Retreat Shangri-La in Bangalore at the end of the year.
More than 30 Hilton properties are launching this year. Headliners include the Hilton Dalaman Golf Resort and Spa, the brand’s first Worldwide Resort in Turkey; the historic Trianon Palace Versailles, now a Waldorf Astoria Hotel; and an expansion into the Maldives with The Beach House, a new Waldorf hotel, and the Hilton Maldives resort – a refurbishment and expansion of the former Irufushi Beach and Spa Resort.
Seven new Kempinskis will see the light of day, including the Grand Hotel Kempinski High Tatras, Slovakia’s first five-star luxury hotel, the Bilila Lodge Kempinski in the Serengeti National Park and the Kempinski Hotel Adriatic on Croatia’s Istrian Coast.
There are six new Hyatts, including the Grand Hyatt Doha and the Andaz West Hollywood, and five new properties from the Kimpton stable, all in the US. Here’s a selection of new hotels for 2009.
Europe
Verdura Golf Resort and Spa
Rocco Forte’s first resort hotel (pictured right) sits on Sicily’s southern coast. It’s on a vast scale, built across a 230-hectare estate. There will be 203 rooms, all with sea views and private terraces, four restaurants, four bars, a gelateria with home-made ice cream, a spa, private beach, pool, six tennis courts, kids facilities and even a helipad. The golf choices are huge, with two 18-hole and one nine-hole course, a driving range and a golf academy.
- Opens: August
- Book it: Introductory offer of three nights’ bed and breakfast from £851, including complimentary dinner every night, unlimited use of golf courses and complimentary spa treatment.
- Web: verduraresort.com, rfctraveltrade.com
W Barcelona
Designed by Barcelona-born architect Ricardo Bofill, this new W (pictured right) should look like the sail of a ship – if a ship’s sail had 26 storeys, 473 guest rooms, a Bliss spa, an infinity pool and a rooftop bar. With design and décor living up to the avant-garde W brand, this hotel should suit stylish clientele who choose to spend a few days in Spain’s cultural and party city.
- Opens: October
- Book it: An opening offer of £259 per room per night is valid until February 2010, including a room upgrade, two welcome cocktails, breakfast for two, complimentary appetiser or dessert at the restaurant, Bliss spa gift set and VIP access to the rooftop bar.
- Web: whotels.com
Hilton Dalaman Golf Resort and Spa
Cementing Turkey’s ascendance as a luxury destination, this new Hilton (pictured right) sits on its own private stretch of the Sarigerme beach. Interconnected buildings stretch across landscaped gardens offering 410 rooms, a health club and spa, seven outdoor and three indoor pools and two tennis courts.
Families will love the on-site Aqua Park, and activities such as horse riding, bowling, snorkelling and beach volleyball, but golfers should wait until next year when the 18-hole course and nine-hole academy facility will open.
- Opened: June
- Book it: From £101 per room per night.
- Web: hilton.com
Kempinksi Hotel Adriatic
The presence of an international brand such as Kempinski is a sign that the up-and-coming Istrian coast of Croatia is starting to make its name. Situated on the northwestern coast of this lush, green area, the hotel will have 165 rooms and 21 suites with private balconies and terraces. There will be three restaurants, a private beach with water sports facilities, a golf course, spa, gym and private chapel set within gardens for those looking to tie the knot on holiday.
- Opens: August
- Book it: A double starts from £172 per room per night.
- Web: kempinski-adriatic.com
Indian Ocean
Constance Halaveli Resort
With properties in Mauritius, Madagascar and the Seychelles, the next logical move for Constance Hotels was the Maldives. This month saw the opening of the five-star Constance Halaveli, (pictured right) near three of the best diving sites in the islands.
A collection of 29 villas are scattered around the beach, with a further 57 water villas across the lagoon. Facilities include three restaurants, a spa, and a kids’ club offering full-day activities.
- Opened: July
- Book it: From £540 bed and breakfast, per villa per night.
- Web: halaveli.com
Shangri-La Villingili
Surrounded by 17,000 coconut trees and sitting on more than a mile of powdery white-sand beach, this is an all-villa resort (pictured right). Two restaurants and four bars are complemented by a luxury yacht on which guests can take a cruise before lunching aboard.
There’s a spa, gym and dive centre, but also a slightly wider programme of activities than many Maldivian hotels offer, including surfing, deep-sea fishing and the opportunity to explore five neighbouring islands by bike.
- Opened: July
- Book it: From £730 per villa per night.
- Web: shangri-la.com
Southeast Asia
Paresa
This deluxe five-star, situated on the part of Phuket’s western coast commonly known as Millionaire’s Mile, is another addition to Thailand’s wide portfolio of luxury hotels. (pictured right)
Perched on a clifftop, surrounded by tropical forest and overlooking the Andaman Ocean, the 49 rooms and suites all have sea views and verandahs, and many also feature private infinity pools.
Designed to reflect southern Thai tradition in both architecture and use of natural materials, the resort has four restaurants, a spa, gym, library, cookery school and wedding facilities. The area is particularly renowned for diving.
- Opened: July
- Book it: From £424 per room per night, including breakfast.
- Web: paresaresorts.com
Siripanna Villa Resort Chiang Mai
Located in Chiang Mai, (pictured right) the cultural hub of Thailand’s mountainous northern region, the Siripanna Villa Resort is the city’s only centrally situated resort hotel.
Designed to reflect the local Lanna architecture, there will be 76 guestrooms, including 16 villas and two suites. An all-day dining restaurant will offer indoor and outdoor seating options and international and Thai cuisine, and there will be 24-hour in-room dining available.
Guests can make use of the spa, fitness club, 300sq metre pool, library and internet lounge. Thai cookery classes are also on offer.
This is the first property in Centara Hotels and Resorts’ Boutique Collection.
- Opens: September
- Book it: Deluxe Lanna rooms start from £40 per person per night including breakfast.
- Web: centarahotelsresorts.com
The US
Epic
Kimpton Hotels’ first new build in Florida, Epic (pictured right) is a 411-room property on Miami’s sunny downtown waterfront. Each room has a private balcony overlooking the bay, and the hotel really helps guests make the most of the ocean with its own private marina, offering charters departing directly from the hotel.
Sixteen floors up, the wrap-around pool deck features 10 private cabanas around two pools, and becomes a lively hotspot at night.
- Opened: January
- Book it: From £97 per person per night.
- Web: epichotel.com
Middle East
Banyan Tree Al Wadi
Ras Al Khaimah isn’t as well known as its bigger Emirate brothers Dubai and Abu Dhabi, but it will be home to a new opening from luxury brand Banyan Tree.
It will be a desert resort offering an exclusive dune camp experience, with 70 pool villas and 31 tented pool villas showcasing Arabic touches of lattice woodwork and intricate decoration.
Dune safaris, camel rides and archery will be available alongside Banyan Tree’s famed spa offering, and for those who miss the beach, it’s a short six-mile journey to a private offshore island.
- Opens: November
- Book it: From £350 per villa per night.
- Web: banyantree.com
Australia
Wolgan Valley Resort and Spa
The Blue Mountains are a two-hour drive west of Sydney, and this luxury resort is set within its own private conservation and wildlife reserve. Each of the 40 free-standing suites has its own deck and private swimming pool, and guests can experience aboriginal interpretive tours, nature walks, wildlife spotting and horse riding trips, and use the resort’s spa, gym and tennis courts. Rates include breakfast, lunch, dinner, non-alcoholic drinks and two selected activities per day.
- Opens: October
- Book it: From £1,000 per night twin-share.
- Web: emirateshotelsresorts.com
Peppers Coral Coast
Airlie Beach is the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and the Whitsunday Islands, and Peppers is the only five-star operation there. There are 102 one, two and three-bedroom apartments with panoramic ocean views, verandahs, self-contained kitchens, lounge and dining areas.
On-site facilities include a pool, spa and fine-dining restaurant. The area is famed for its sailing, snorkelling, scuba diving and game fishing.
- Opened: June
- Book it: From £90 per night for a one-bedroom apartment.
- Web: peppers.com.au
