Check out the places we’re excited to check in to in the new year.
There’s a lot to look forward to in 2021…if even just the fact that it’s not 2020. But the chance for new adventures, new experiences, and new perspectives offers hope that the year will be a good one…and if the new hotels that are opening in 2021 are any indication of what the new year will look like, we should be in good shape. Check out these 15 hotels we’re already looking forward to visiting in 2021.
Top Picks for You
Galactic Starcruiser
WHERE: Orlando, Florida
Opens 2021
Similar to a cruise ship, guests will arrive and depart together at this new Walt Disney World Resort hotel for a two-night immersive experience. But unlike any typical cruise or hotel, guests will be transported onboard the Halcyon to a galaxy far, far away. For two nights, guests can retreat to their private cabins (each with a window into space) in between lightsaber lessons and hands-on adventures on the ship’s Bridge, in the Engineering Room, or at the futuristic Silver C Lounge.
Montage Big Sky
WHERE: Big Sky, Montana
Opens 2021
Winter guests will enjoy ski-in, ski-out access to 5,800 acres of skiable terrain once Montage Big Sky and Montage Residences Big Sky opens for the season in 2021, while the rest of the year is for exploring the resort’s unreal access to the more than 3,530-acres of the Spanish Peaks natural playground. The resort will feature 150 guestrooms and 39 residences, but it’s the showstopping fireplace in the grand lobby where most guests will wind up after a day spent on the rivers, trails, or slopes.
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Hotel Dryce
WHERE: Fort Worth, Texas
Opens Early 2021
Fort Worth’s former dry ice factory will unveil its very cool makeover in early 2021 when Fort Worth Barber Shop owner and star of the Magnolia Network’s Self Employed puts his finishing touches on the property. Jonathan Morris is a local celebrity, but it’s his 21-room boutique hotel that will be the biggest star in Fort Worth. Artwork from local BIPOC artists and a chic lobby/bar/café hybrid will round out Hotel Dryce’s offerings.
Airelles Château de Versailles, Le Grand Contrôle
WHERE: Versailles, Paris
Opens January 2021
The Airelles Chateau de Versailles, Le Grand Controle hotel will soon be the only hotel located within the actual Palace of Versaille, offering guests the chance to sleep like a royal…or, more specifically, like Marie Antoinette. The hotel will feature 14 rooms and apartments, a restaurant by Alain Ducasse, and an indoor pool and wellness center, where guests will enjoy unrestricted access to the Orangery and the Lake of the Swiss Guard.
Castello di Reschio
WHERE: Umbria, Italy
Opens April 2021
The ancient farmhouses that dot the 3,700 acres of pastoral Umbrian countryside at Reschio have already been transformed into luxurious private homes by three generations of the Bolza family, but by the end of April 2021, the property’s crown jewel, the Castello, will finally debut. Dating back to 1050, the castle will soon offer 36 lavishly appointment rooms connected by two interlinking courtyards. Glass-enclosed lounges, hidden libraries, and a cast of unforgettable characters are all part of the upscale mystique of this magical estate.
Kruger Shalati
WHERE: Skukuza, South Africa
Opens Early 2021
The first visitors to Kruger National Park did so in a passenger train that would park on a bridge overnight for guests to enjoy the 1920s splendor of sleeping in a game reserve. The Kruger Shalati hotel allows guests to relive the iconic experience, but in a much more luxurious way. The “Train on the Bridge” hotel is a permanent fixture on the Selatie Bridge, overlooking the Sabie River in Kruger National Park, where a luxury train was transformed into an even more luxurious hotel. Thirty-one glass-walled rooms and a suspended pool deck offer stunning views of wildlife, where rates include transfers, all meals, and two daily game drives.
Stanly Ranch, Auberge Resorts Collection
WHERE: Napa Valley, California
Opens Summer 2021
There’s a lot of history drenched in the soil of the Stanly Ranch in south Napa. The ranch became the easternmost vineyard on the Napa side of the Los Carneros appellation when it was planted back in the 1870s by Judge Stanly, and the 712-acre ranch will make history again when it opens the new Stanly Ranch, Auberge Resorts Collection in summer 2021. The property will include a 135-room environmentally-conscious resort and spa, 70 vineyard homes, 40 villas, and a working winery where guests will be able to take part in the cultivation and celebration of the harvest.
One&Only Portonovi
WHERE: Herceg Novi, Montenegro
Opens March 2021
Set along the opulent Adriatic coastline in Montenegro, One&Only Portonovi is not only the brand’s first foray into Europe, but also the debut of its first-of-its-kind wellness program, Chenot Espace. Eastern and Western ideologies combine throughout the entire resort, where regal colonnades and peaceful gardens welcome visitors to the jewel of the Adriatic as they enter via luxury yacht, private car, or the resort’s private helicopter. Six pools are located throughout the resort, along with 113 guestrooms, suites, and villas, each with breathtaking views of the sea.
The Ritz-Carlton, Mexico City
WHERE: Mexico City, Mexico
Opens February 2021
It’s no accident that The Ritz-Carlton, Mexico City will be located just minutes from some of the best restaurants and culinary corridors in the country. This 153-room hotel seeks to highlight the best of the city from its Financial Center address. The luxury hotel will reside within floors 36-47 of one of the tallest skyscrapers in the country, offering views of Chapultepec Park from each room and meeting space.
KAI Kirishima
WHERE: Kirishima, Japan
Opens January 2021
The walls are painted with a stucco-like clay made from the volcanic white soil found throughout this upscale ryokan’s striking landscape in southern Japan’s Kirishima Kinkowan National Park. Each of the 49 guest rooms at the new KAI Kirishima will offer views of the Sakurajima volcano and the Kagoshima Bay, while a natural onsen bath will reside nestled low into a field of silvergrass in the Suskino meadow below the resort.
Aman New York
WHERE: New York City, New York
Opens Spring 2021
New York’s beloved Crown Building will turn 100 years old the same year one of the most anticipated U.S. hotel openings occurs within its historic walls. The Aman New York will be the brand’s third U.S. location but will house the first ever urban Aman residences. Located at the busy intersection of Fifth Avenue and 57th Street, the hotel will be a welcomed respite in the city with 83 guest rooms that will rank as some of the largest in the city. Each room features a functioning fireplace for added ambiance, and even the alcoves and outdoor cabanas at the three-story Aman spa will feature fire pits and fireplaces.
Six Senses Botanique
WHERE: Campos do Jordão, Brazil
Opens Early 2021
Nestled in the Mantiqueira Mountains—known locally as the “mountains that weep” for the region’s ample springs and rivers—the Six Senses Botanique will be the brand’s first property in the Americas. The property is located among 700 acres of forested land, where ancient wood beams dating back 120 years were thoughtfully incorporated into the resort’s eco-friendly (and distinctly Brazilian) original design. Formerly operating as the Botanique Hotel and Spa, once the resort finalizes its transition into a Six Senses property, guests will be able to choose from seven suites in the main hotel, 13 private villas, and 14 brand new off-site modular villas.
Nirjhara
WHERE: Bali, Indonesia
Opens January 2021
Taking its architectural cues from the cascading waterfall for which it was named, Nirjhara’s 25 suites and villas (including seven treehouse canopy suites) wind their way through the resort among forested terrain and rice paddies nearby the famous Tanah Lot temple. Construction of this sustainable resort was done so in a way to minimize environmental impact as much as possible while celebrating Balinese heritage and artistry. Hand-carved furniture and ingredients for the onsite restaurants were all sourced locally, and in the spring of 2021, the resort will launch its luxury six-cabin yacht for guests to venture out into the Indonesian archipelago.
Pendry
WHERE: Park City, Utah
Opens Winter 2021
Pendry Park City’s contemporary spin on the traditional alpine resort experience will be a fresh concept for the ski-in, ski-out village of Park City when it opens in time for the winter ski season. The resort will open with 153 guestrooms and suites, where guests will have access to a swanky rooftop pool and bar, a family-friendly arcade room, a fitness center and spa, a kids club, and a much-anticipated Japanese-American inspired restaurant.
Heights House Hotel
WHERE: Raleigh, North Carolina
Opens Early 2021
The current owners of this 1860s Italianate-style mansion had walked by the property for years in their Boylan Heights neighborhood, imagining what the place could become one day. They purchased the property in 2018 and transformed it into a nine-suite boutique hotel and exclusive event space. The grand common spaces with 15-foot ceilings and the bespoke furnishings give the Heights House Hotel an extravagant, yet approachable, ambiance unlike anything else in the city.