New generation of hotels are a cut above the rest
<p><em><strong>Betsy Goldberg writes for <a href="http://blog.virtuoso.com/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Virtuoso Luxury Traveller</span></a>, the blog of a <a href="http://www.virtuoso.com/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">global luxury travel network</span></a>, and she enjoys nothing more than taking a holiday.</strong></em></p>
<p>Do you love discovering the world’s hottest new hotels? If so, you’re not alone. Being among the first to visit a brand-new property is one of the biggest trends in the hotel industry today.</p>
<p>These seven new hotels around the globe have all opened in the previous year. Discover what makes these hottest new hotels so unique. After you do, you’ll want to add them to your wish list.</p>
<p><strong>1. The Cape, A Thompson Hotel</strong></p>
<p>The Cape’s setting alone would make it one of the globe’s hottest new hotels. Every room and vantage point in the Los Cabos beachfront resort overlooks the eye-catching El Arco and Bahía San Lucas horizon.</p>
<p>The contemporary design evokes a retro Southern California-meets-Baja mood. All of the 161 rooms have balconies to view the Pacific. Bathrooms feature state-of-the-art rain showers and freestanding copper-leafed tubs. Select suites also offer private plunge pools and butler service.</p>
<p>Two pools seemingly spring from the rock formations by the secluded beach. For a little relaxation, the spa, Currents, offers ocean-view cabanas for outdoor treatments.</p>
<p>Food and drink options abound. Enjoy modern Mexican cuisine at the two restaurants. Four bars, including Cabo’s only rooftop lounge, offer plenty of cocktail choices.</p>
<p>Our tip: Try the delectable octopus tacos at the Ledge restaurant or the swim-up pool bar.</p>
<p><strong>2. COMO The Treasury</strong></p>
<p>COMO The Treasury is a cosmopolitan 48-room hotel in Perth’s newly revitalized business district. The property is housed in three state government buildings dating from the mid-1800s. It blends history with modern elegance. Design elements such as original high ceilings, cornicing and balconies have been preserved in the spacious guest rooms. Modern touches such as large windows, custom-made beds and freestanding bathtubs also enhance the guest experience.</p>
<p>World-renowned COMO Shambhala wellness therapies are available at the Urban Escape. The spa blends Eastern traditions with cutting-edge progress in holistic healthcare.</p>
<p>Our tip: Dine with a view at the rooftop Wildflower restaurant. Besides vistas across the Swan River, you’ll also enjoy contemporary cuisine with local produce.</p>
<p><strong>3. Faena Hotel Miami Beach</strong></p>
<p>The stunning beachfront hotel invokes nostalgia for Miami Beach’s ‘50s heyday. Film director-producer Baz Luhrmann and costume designer Catherine Martin collaborated on the colorful design.</p>
<p>The property offers 169 rooms, two restaurants by celebrated chefs, lush grounds and a Children’s Club. Guests will also enjoy unusual features at the art-focused hotel. Those include a dedicated butler for every floor, a private screening room, a theater with live performances and supper club.</p>
<p>Don’t miss the Tierra Santa Spa. It offers ancient South American healing techniques and native ingredients, a wet spa, double-height hammam and private oceanfront spa suites.</p>
<p>Our tip: The hotel features Miami’s widest and most pristine beachfront. For the ultimate in service, head for the 100,000-square-foot Beach & Cabana Club.</p>
<p><strong>4. Mandarin Oriental, Marrakech</strong></p>
<p>With the Atlas Mountains as a backdrop, Mandarin Oriental, Marrakech lies nestled in olive groves and gardens scented with jasmine and over 100,000 roses. But this calming oasis is only 10 minutes from the city’s famous Medina.</p>
<p>The 54 luxurious villas and 9 spacious suites all feature private pools. The spa draws inspiration from its Moroccan location and the brand’s Oriental heritage. It offers a range of holistic therapies, two luxurious hammams and a walled garden for post-treatment relaxation.</p>
<p>Our tip: Enjoy the resort’s many recreational opportunities. Those include indoor and outdoor pools, jogging trail, bike rentals, yoga studio, state-of-the-art fitness center and direct access to two premier golf clubs.</p>
<p><strong>5. Mandarin Oriental, Milan</strong></p>
<p>Located in the city’s financial and fashion districts, the hotel is next to the world-famous La Scala opera house. It’s a short walk to Milan attractions such as the Duomo and Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. The intimate property occupies four elegant 18th-century buildings. Some of the 72 rooms feature oversized private terraces.</p>
<p>The hotel’s southern Italian restaurant, Seta, was awarded a Michelin star just four months after opening. The Mandarin Bar bistro offers a relaxed atmosphere and has quickly become an “it” spot. Both feature alfresco courtyard dining. The holistic spa houses a Thai massage room and spacious VIP suite.</p>
<p>Our tip: Ask the concierge to arrange a personal shopper. Take home pieces by Milan’s emerging designers before they arrive in your country.</p>
<p><strong>6. The New York EDITION</strong></p>
<p>Located in the heart of the city’s Flatiron District, the hotel is housed in a 1909 building. Today it’s an icon of the city’s celebrated skyline. Its 41-story clock tower offers unbelievable 360-degree vistas.</p>
<p>Inside, you’ll feel like you’ve entered an elite club in the 1920s. A spiral staircase and 30-foot-long fireplace are dramatic touches. Sculptural ceilings, large windows and sensual throws enhance the 273 guestrooms, including 62 suites.</p>
<p>Our tip: Sip a creative cocktail with a punny name at the Gold Bar. Maybe a Dill or No Dill – gin, dill and cucumber? Or Give Peas a Chance, with gin, chartreuse and salted pea cordial? The gorgeous horseshoe bar is crafted of 24-karat gold leaf.</p>
<p><strong>7. The Temple House</strong></p>
<p>In the heart of Chengdu, The Temple House blends heritage with modern design. The property is part of a project to conserve the traditional courtyards next to the 1,000-year-old Daci Temple.</p>
<p>Guests enter the 100-room hotel through a century-old courtyard building. Its brickwork, wood carvings, ceilings and floors, step stones, roofs and eaves have been beautifully restored.</p>
<p>There’s plenty to experience at the property. The TEAHOUSE features light, healthy cuisine. The casual Temple Café offers Western and Eastern specialties. Tivano creates elegant Italian dishes. The speakeasy-style Jing Bar features live DJs. The Mi Xun Spa offers treatments in private individual pods.</p>
<p>Our tip: Families visiting Chengdu’s giant panda sanctuary will love the complimentary in-room refreshment bars and the kids’ afternoon tea.</p>
<p>Have you been to any of these incredible hotels?</p>
<p><em>First appeared on <a href="http://blog.virtuoso.com/destinations/get-know-7-globes-hottest-new-hotels/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Virtuoso Luxury Traveller</span></strong></a>.</em></p>
<p><em><a href="http://www.virtuoso.com/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Click here</span></strong></a> to visit its website for more information.</em></p>
