The latest lifestyle, fashion and travel trends
Autumn is undeniably here. As the rain falls and Londoners dust off their winter coats , all thoughts turn to escape.
This season, there are a raft of cool new hotels opening across the globe. From a hedonistic party pad in the Maldives to an eco-conscious camp in Costa Rica, we’ve rounded up the most exciting hotels to hole up in.
1. Casa Cook El Gouna, Egypt
Thomas Cook’s upmarket all-inclusive hotel brand, Casa Cook, will still open its Egyptian outpost this November despite the demise of the holiday giant. Now under a different owner, it provides a laid-back escape for sun seekers this autumn on the shores of the Red Sea. The 100-room hotel is flanked by palms and perched among the sand dunes creating an earthy oasis. Rattan interiors and neutral linens make for a calming space in the rooms, and the muted tones of the spa, with its pool, saunas, steam rooms and hammam, continue the bliss.
From £122 per night, casacook.com
2. Gran Meliá Arusha, Tanzania
A luxury addition to the Tanzanian safari scene, Gran Meliá Arusha is set in 18 acres of coffee and tea plantations in the shadow of the towering Mount Meru. The ideal base for a Kilimanjaro or Serengeti adventure, the Spanish-owned 171-room hotel was created with eco-friendly materials and a plastic-free commitment. The on-site vegetable garden supplies the hotel’s two restaurants with seasonal produce.
From £230 per night, melia.com
3. Nayara Tented Camp, Costa Rica
Named this week as one of Lonely Planet’s top countries to visit in 2020, Costa Rica has never been a hotter destination. Set in the rich rainforest of Arenal Volcano National Park, it’s the sister property to the award-winning Nayara Garden. It boasts 18 luxury “tents” — what you and I would call treehouses — peeking above the forest’s canopy. Each has a plunge pool fed with natural hot springs, an outdoor shower and a four-poster bed. The eco-conscious team at Nayara has also planted 1,000 Guarumo trees on a protected part of the hill to make it a dedicated sloth refuge.
From $900 (£699) per night, nayaratentedcamp.com
4. The Standard, Maldives
Hot off its London opening earlier this summer , The Standard hotel group has wasted no time expanding to its first island destination: the Maldives. A short sea plane ride from the capital of Malé, the naturally protected island of Hurawalhi offers all the classic Maldivian draws with a hypermodern touch; expect over-water villas with private pools, colour pop décor, a glass-floored nightclub and endless crystalline waters to snorkel in. After a long day relaxing, indulge in the hotel’s restaurant where Maldivian “aunties” will be cooking up traditional Maldivian fare — coconut curries and the freshest seafood.
From $395 (£305) per night, standardhotels.com/maldives
5. The Hoxton, Downtown LA
The Hoxton hotel group has opened four hotels in the past 12 months. Burrowed on Broadway among LA’s oldest theatres and movie palaces, the former Los Angeles Railway Building is wedged between the fashion and arts districts, and reflects the area’s recent resurgence; there’s a SoulCycle just two blocks away. Bedrooms here come in The Hoxton’s signature sizes — Snug, Cosy, Roomy, and Biggy — and feature House of Hackney prints, a nod to its east London roots. The real draw here is the rooftop pool, open all year round to soak up that famous LA sunshine.
From $179 (£139) per night, thehoxton.com/california/downtown-la
6. Walker Hotel Tribeca, New York City
Housed in a former button and ribbon factory in trendy Tribeca, the 171 rooms make up for a lack of space with conscious design: loft-style windows, white brick walls and marble-lined bathrooms. There’s plenty to do elsewhere in the hotel; head downstairs to the subcellar cocktail bar located in a former vault or order a plate or two at the largely plant-based restaurant. The ever-popular Jack’s Wife Freda café is just up the road, as is the exclusive La Esquina restaurant serving Mexican tapas — a favourite of Beyoncé and Jay-Z.
From $185 (£143) per night, walkerhotels.com
7. Cour des Vosges, Paris
Nestled on the royal square of the famed Place des Vosges, this boutique hotel lies within a restored 17th-century mansion. One for romantics, it has just 12 luxury rooms and suites across its four floors, all with views of the pink brick slate homes across the square housing the high society dwellers of the fashionable Marais district. The décor here is refined, with plush, soft pink velvet sofas, deep soak tubs, terracotta tapestries and canopy beds all designed by French firm Lecoadic Scotto (known for its incredibly chic spaces, including a Nina Ricci boutique and Tata Harper spa). An eclectic mix of art galleries, quaint cafés and high-end boutiques can be found on its doorstep.
From £499 per night, evokhotels.com/cour-des-vosges
8. Four Seasons Los Cabos, Mexico
Four Seasons’s Los Cabos at Costa Palmas is the brand’s first marina resort. With two miles of untouched coastline on Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula at your disposal, each room has a private plunge pool flanked by palm trees with views to the Sea of Cortez. Rooms come with lush king-size beds, double sinks and egg-shaped tubs, while the nearby Unesco world heritage site of Cabo Pulmo national marine park is primed for snorkelling.
From $1,350 (£1,048) per night, fourseasons.com/loscabos
9. Treehouse, London
The sister brand to the cult ecocentric 1Hotel group, which has hotels dotted around New York City, Miami and LA, Treehouse will open its first international outpost in Marylebone next Thursday. Upcycled furniture and conscious waste management are part of the urban sustainability ethos at Treehouse, while cuddly toys and secret hideouts in every room gives it a warm, nostalgic feel. Rooftop bar The Nest, with its panoramic skyline views, is sure to be the place to go next summer.
Opening offers from £308 per night, treehousehotels.com
