New year, new hotels!
The coronavirus pandemic has changed the traveling game for many of us. With many destinations on some form of lockdown or enacting quarantine orders or other restrictions for visitors, much of your vacation time might be spent in hotels, so why not pick one that’ll still make you feel like you’re getting away?
From Las Vegas to Vietnam and beyond, new hotels are still popping up around the world – each with a different feel and vibe. Here are USA TODAY’s top picks for some of the buzziest hotels expected to open around the world in 2021.
Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers, Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.
Abu Dhabi is already a pinnacle of luxury, so what do you get when you add a new Hilton hotel to the area? Extra luxury. We love to see it.
The Etihad Towers stay true to their name and tower over the city, with floor-to-ceiling windows and a 74th-floor observation deck, the highest vantage point in Abu Dhabi. I’m sorry, did you say something? We couldn’t hear you over our expeditious packing.
Resorts World Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada
Everything’s bigger and better in Vegas.
A multibillion-dollar megaresort taking shape on the north end of the Las Vegas Strip is on track to become the most expensive hotel-casino project ever built, and it’s set to open summer 2021.
The plans for the hotel show it will feature a 5,000-capacity “state-of-the-art theater” scalable to host A-list residencies and corporate events and a 75,000-square-foot area for parties and such.
Oh, and the property will also have penthouses – with individual lobbies.
W Nashville, Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is about to get a little more lively with the opening of the W Nashville, anticipated in early 2021.
The W’s new Southern hotel boasts a fancy 9,700-foot deck pool complete with a bar and luxury cabanas. So basically it will feel like perpetual summertime at the W. We like summer. The hotel will also feature live music by local artists and not one but two restaurants by award-winning chef Andrew Carmellini.
Nomad London, London, United Kingdom
For one, we’re excited about Nomad London because it’s the first international property for the Nomad brand.
Secondly, because of history. The Nomad London is taking over a 19th century building that was formerly a magistrates court and police station. The building will also be home to a police museum where visitors can tour the grounds, which were home to Oscar Wilde’s trial.
JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort & Spa, Gold Coast, Australia
Australia is getting its first JW Marriott brand hotel, and it’s right by the beach.
The new property takes a cue from its surroundings and gives off a cool, relaxed beachfront vibe with all the luxury one could ask for. The 223-room resort also features poolside cocktail delivery service (yes, please), a saltwater lagoon with waterfalls and guided meditation sessions.
Sakana, BW Premier Collection by Best Western, Hòa Bình, Vietnam
This Best Western property coming to Hòa Bình is giving us Maldives-overwater-bungalow vibes, but make it forest.
Less than a 1.5 hour drive from Hanoi, this hotel is nestled in a lush, mountainous region of Vietnam. The 248-villa resort is expected to open between October and December 2021, and the architecture is inspired by Vietnamese conical hats. The villas are open and airy, and some come with private swimming pools, so even if you never left, you’d still have a good time.
Alila Marea Beach Resort Encinitas, Encinitas, California
This new Hyatt beachfront property opens in January and sounds like a perfect wellness retreat.
Guests can bodysurf off the coasts of California beaches, engage in yoga on the beach and have a day at the spa. Some of the bedrooms have patios complete with comfortable couches and fire pits – s’mores anyone?
The Alila Marea Beach Resort screams beach getaway but with all the frills and luxuries one might want.
The Ritz-Carlton, Paradise Valley, Arizona
A desert escape with bougie vibes. Like glamping, but extra.
This new Ritz-Carlton resort opens in late 2021 and is set on 20 acres that overlook the Phoenix area’s well-known Camelback Mountain. Guests at the hotel will get to relax against desert backdrops and scenic views of nature.
The property will have restaurants that are farm to table, with produce sourced from the hotel’s garden and citrus orchard, and a spa featuring desert-inspired treatments.
Contributing: Ed Komenda, Reno Gazette Journal
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