Fall Preview 2015: 10 Design-Forward Hotels Opening Around The Globe
Sure, we're obsessed with food, but that only means we'll travel for the best restaurants, bars and markets. When we do, we like to stay at hotels that put us on the front lines of a city or town's sought-after spots (thus our hotel review column, The Hungry Concierge).
Relaxing summer vacations may have come to an end, but a spate of new hotels provides ample incentive to plan a winter getaway. Whether it's a luxe south-of-the-border resort from a hotel behemoth or a cozy retreat in upstate New York, here are ten new properties sure to jump-start the wanderlust.
The Hall (Miami Beach, Florida)
Beyond the sunshine and proximity to ropa de vieja, one of the joys of Miami Beach — particularly for architecture geeks — is gawking at Art Deco–era masterpieces. The Hall, the first East Coast property from the whimsical Joie de Vivre brand (the hitmakers behind the Saguaro in Palm Springs and Scottsdale and the Hotel Lincoln in Chicago), will be set in such a 1940s building. The tropical-hued, surf-inspired 163-room property is right in the midst of South Beach action, although the garden cabana and the oversized swimming pool ensure plenty of time can be whiled away on the property. Inevitably, drinking craft beers in the 5,000-square-foot bar Campton Yard and eating at Top Chef Spike Mendelsohn's courtyard eatery, Sunny's, will fast become rituals among Miamians to boot. 1500 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, FL 33139; thehallhotel.com
Eden Roc Resort (Miami Beach, Florida)
When Nobu debuted its first hotel in Las Vegas, a Zen hideaway in the middle of Caesars Palace's chaotic casino, the results were impressive, spawning plans for outposts in locales from Manila to Riyadh. This slice of Japanese elegance will now unfold at the Eden Roc Miami in early 2016, boasting design by New York–based Rockwell Group and 15th-floor penthouse suites. But until those doors invitingly open, dining on rock shrimp tempura at the world's largest Nobu Restaurant will have to suffice. Its debut heralds a glamorous upgrade of the iconic Morris Lapidus–designed Eden Roc, with new pools and a lobby bar. 4525 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, FL 33140; edenrocmiami.com
The Brooklyn A Hotel (Brooklyn, New York)
Crown Heights and Bed-Stuy are among the fastest-growing neighborhoods in an increasingly hot (and saturated) Brooklyn. Brooklyn A Hotel, the just-opened 34-room property straddling both enclaves, is testament to this rise. Long Island City–based Espacios Design Studio went for a semi-industrial look, accentuating high ceilings, exposed brick and reclaimed wood with black-and-white prints of borough landmarks in the rooms. The centerpiece of the lobby, with its cobblestone floor, is a chandelier fashioned from metallic blades and silver chains by New York lighting designer Gabriel Scott. The rooftop restaurant doesn't open until 2016, but fear not: The hotel is within walking distance of lively favorites like Franklin Park and Peaches. 1199 Atlantic Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11216; thebrooklynny.com
North Branch Inn (North Branch, New York)
The heyday of kitschy Dirty Dancing-style Catskills inns might be kaput, but in its stead are modern getaways, like the Arnold House, complete with spa and quality BBQ, atop Shandelee Mountain. The team behind the Arnold House is now revamping its second property in the area, the more luxe North Branch Inn. Dating to 1868, the buildings are home to 10 rooms and suites, one of which is housed in a former post office. The design is pure Americana, teeming with thoughtful artifacts, like a two-lane bowling alley from the early 1900s that features pins crafted from hard maple trees at the old Sherwood Factory and seats once found at Radio City Music Hall. Other highlights include a bar salvaged from the 1939 World's Fair and a vintage birdcage piano from the turn of the century. Sims Foster, SVP of restaurants, bars and nightlife for Commune Hotels + Resorts (he brought Enrique Olvera to the Cape in Los Cabos and Dale Talde to the Thompson Miami), is dreaming up the sure-to-be-intriguing fine-dining concept. 869 N. Branch Rd., North Branch, NY 12766; northbranchinn.com
The Restoration (Charleston, South Carolina)
Charleston's food scene receives much deserved praise, but other than the good-looking Zero George Street, the picturesque city's hotel stock has been far less desirable. The tide will turn with the Restoration, an overhaul of the Restoration on King. Once home to 16 apartment-style suites, its new owners are morphing the five buildings — four of them dating from as early as the late 19th century — into a 54-room hotel. The elegant rooms, which channel Edgar Allan Poe, are tricked out with exposed brick and handcrafted Amish furniture. There is also a slew of enthralling new amenities to look forward to, like a serenity pool, Toby's Estate Coffee poured at the Rise, Amethyst Spa, a culture library and posh retail shop Port Mercantile. The restaurant is still in flux, but the bar, Watchpoint, will claim the city's highest rooftop. 75 Wentworth St., Charleston, SC 29401; therestorationhotel.com
The Graduate Oxford Hotel (Oxford, Mississippi)
Graduate Hotels, the booming chain that brings sophisticated accommodations to U.S. college towns parched of quality lodging (Athens, Tempe, Charlottesville and Madison have so far been brightened with hotels), has set its sights on Oxford. In the shadow of the idyllic Ole Miss campus, it will pay homage to the city's heady William Faulkner–fueled literary past through fashionable accents. Guests will be greeted by pink oak flooring and seersucker drapes in the lobby, then make their way to rooms filled with preppy patterns and silhouettes of Archie and Olivia Manning. Cabin 82 welcomes with its mix of reclaimed barn wood and carnival ride–like light fixtures. A primo Oxford Square location, however, means visits to John Currence's restaurants will also be frequent. 400 N. Lamar Blvd., Oxford, MS 38655; graduateoxford.com
The Society Hotel (Portland, Oregon)
There is a youthful, arty vibe that permeates Portland, Oregon, and hotel pioneers like the Ace have done a stellar job of capturing it in its guest rooms and public spaces. Located downtown, the Society Hotel is poised to have an equally successful impact. Housed in the circa-1881 Mariners Building, built by the Portland Seamen's Friend Society as a safe house for sailors, it's the brainchild of four friends with zero hotel experience. Together they renovated the space, which had been neglected since World War II, to create a hostel-meets-hotel. Melding airy private suites and a low-cost bunk room reminiscent of a berth, it is most notable for its outstandingly intact architecture. Local wines served at Café Society and panoramic views glimpsed from the rooftop deck are boons, but it's the original cast-iron facade and once-hidden columns that truly infuse the hotel with character. 203 N.W. 3rd Ave., Portland, OR 97209; thesocietyhotel.com
The JW Marriott Los Cabos Beach Resort & Spa (Los Cabos, Mexico)
A year after Hurricane Odile tore through Los Cabos, Mexico's resort-filled epicenter has made a swift comeback. One such example is the JW Marriott Los Cabos Beach Resort & Spa. When this 229-room property set against sand dunes in the swank Puerto Los Cabos community opens, it will sport a contemporary hacienda aesthetic, a Jack Nicklaus golf course and a spectrum of restaurants anchored by Café des Artistes, a follow-up to Thierry Blouet's acclaimed Puerto Vallarta establishment. The massive Jasha Spa, complete with healing temazcal, will be another draw. For those seeking a more intimate experience, the 45-room Griffin Club within is a sedate alternative, yet staggering ocean and garden courtyard views seduce from any perch. Fraccion Hotelera FH5-C1, Subdelegacion de la Playita, Puerto Los Cabos, San José del Cabo, BCS, Mexico 23403; marriotthotels.com
Old Street Courthouse (London, England)
Despite a jolt of affluence, Shoreditch remains one of London's most vibrant neighborhoods, full of grit and color. Illuminating the area's ascendant appeal is the arrival of such stylish hotels as the Ace, Z and M by Montcalm and the forthcoming Nobu. Right now, though, all the attention here is on the soon-to-open Old Street Courthouse Hotel, set in a striking Edwardian building that once served as the Old Magistrates Court and Police Station. Along with 128 rooms, the development will include a bowling alley, cinema room and de rigueur rooftop drinking den. 335-337 Old Street, Hoxton, London EC1V 3UD
The Old Clare (Sydney, Australia)
Transform a historic hotel and onetime brewery office into a fashionable 62-room lair, and of course it's going to get attention. But the Old Clare, Unlisted Collection's newest venture in Sydney's quirky Chippendale district, has far more going for it than a rooftop pool and freestanding bathtubs. A brilliant example of adaptive reuse, its graceful architectural bones are well preserved, flaunting original exposed brick and timber paneling. Prolific British chef Jason Atherton is opening Kensington Street Social — his first Oz restaurant — inside, and he's in good company. Clayton Wells of Momofuku Seiōbo and Quay fame will also set up shop here, presiding over the attractively industrial Automata, while Noma alum Sam Miller will put foraged ingredients in the spotlight at Silverye. Such a powerful culinary trifecta will undoubtedly make this a coveted hot spot for well-heeled travelers and locals alike. 1 Kensington St., Kogarah NSW 2217, Sydney; theoldclarehotel.com.au