New Hotels opening in 2018

 

Amanyangyun, Shanghai

Villas at this astonishing new Aman boutique are set in Qing and Ming-dynasty dwellings, saved from demolition and painstakingly reassembled ancient brick by brick. The big draw of this ambitious heritage property, located deep in a relocated forest of sacred camphor trees just outside Shanghai, is the spa. It will host bathhouses and a banya, and offer a cutting-edge range of treatments, from a body healing therapy inspired by Russian cosmonaut technology, to energy boosts by way of quantum medicine-inspired laser beams. Six dining venues include a Chinese restaurant overlooking a bamboo grove and a Japanese eatery.

Taj Exotica Resort and Spa, Andaman Islands

The first luxury hotel comes to one of the world’s final great unmolested beach destinations – an archipelago of 300 islands in the Bay of Bengal, all bristling jungle, twisting mangroves and champagne-coloured sands. The hotel has been built on stilts inspired by indigenous Jawara huts. Its villas, billowing with white linen, boast private plunge pools. The spa floats on a lake. Jungle trekking, underwater photography and rare turtle-spotting expeditions are among the standard activities. A fine dining restaurant fusing Bengali with south-east Asian flavours, and an eatery specialising in coastal curries cooked using catch from the Andaman Sea, should keep foodies equally satisfied. 

The Langley, Buckinghamshire

The Duke of Marlborough’s vast, stucco-stencilled, Georgian country estate has been transformed into an all-dancing, gold-foil-spattered, Baroque-fireplaced country house pile. The former hunting lodge – just 40 minutes from London – is targeting weekend spa-seekers, with its cutting-edge cryotherapy treatments, women’s-only thermal areas, VIP suites with dip pools and Matt Roberts gym. Rooms have rolltop baths; some are set in a converted brewhouse, where the owners used to make their own ale. Guests can also look forward to an Art Deco cognac and cigar bar, and afternoon teas served in a courtyard overlooking the lake.

Six Senses Bhutan

This pearl string of five luxury lodges will offer a unique lodge-hopping journey across the Bhutan’s scabrous landscape, taking in ancient fortresses, icy rivers and oxe-and-scythe fields.The experience starts at ‘Palace in the Sky’ Thimpu lodge, overlooking forested mountains scattered with ancient monasteries. Punhaka lodge, with its traditional farmhouse vibe, stares down on a patchwork of rice fields and pine trees. From Paro, guests can drink in vistas of 12th-century ruins and sprawling barley crops. Gangtey clutches at the Black Mountains in an area that is home to endangered black-neck cranes. The final destination is Bumthang, set in a pine grove, and made completely from recycled wood. 

 

One & Only Gorilla’s Nest, Rwanda

Set in the curling mists of the Virunga volcano range is this exciting new base for face-to-face encounters with the world’s last mountain gorillas. A three-day stay at this grass-thatched traditional Rwandan lodge will guarantee an hour-long encounter with one of the eight local families of gorillas in their natural habitat. Simple en-suite bedrooms have hot showers and rustic furnishings. The restaurant will use produce grown in the lodge’s garden, and the spa promises to draw on African traditions for its treatment menu. A nine-hole golf course offers an unlikely way to relax after a morning stalking endangered primates in the African foothills.

COMO Uma Canggu, Bali

Surfing is at the heart of this hip new resort on the onyx-black volcanic sands of Bali’s southern coast. Calmer waves and expert coaching from luxury provider Tropicsurf should appeal particularly to novices. Penthouses boast private pools on creeper-clad rooftops. Think minimalist interiors with Japanese screens and perspex chairs; architecture is all swooping oceanic curves. Fish caught just across the archipelago will crackle on wood-fired grills at the beach shack, and living enzyme smoothies will be up for grabs in the 'Glow' bar. Daily yoga sessions should help unwind mind and muscles after a hard day’s surf.

Rosewood Baha Mar, Bahamas

Aspiring to be an instant classic, with imposing colonial architecture, and languorous afternoon teas served in the chandeliered splendour of the library. Villas right on the beach have their own private pools, and couples can enjoy romantic dinners in a private rum bar. Restaurants include a seafood outfit and nautical-inspired bar serving up craft cocktails and sharing plates. Buildings may look like something out of a Robert Louis Stevenson novel, but bedrooms are firmly set in the era of Pinterest: minimalist black four-poster beds, corner couches, retro chairs and pepperings of baby blue furnishings.

Baglioni Resort Maldives

2018’s biggest luxury hotel opening in the Maldives, set on the bone-white sands of Maagau island in Dhaalu atoll, a 40-minute seaplane from capital, Malé. All the suites are ocean-facing; some are over-water villas, snaking out towards the mottled blue sea. An al-fresco Japanese joint serves up fresh sushi under the stars. Guests can burn off cocktail calories in the yoga pavilion or the beach gym, and the dizzying daily array of activities range from kayaking to topcat sailing and pedalo rides. A dive centre with resident marine biologist offers child-friendly scuba experiences too.

Raffles Singapore

This historic haunt of Elizabeth Taylor, Charlie Chaplin and Joseph Conrad aims to recapture the age of razzmatazz following a multi-million-pound refurbishment. A new range of Residence suites are themed around local cinemas. The interiors of the legendary Long Bar have been freshly exfoliated – though the tradition of throwing peanuts on the floor while sipping a Singapore Sling will be diligently preserved. A new lounge in the lobby will host afternoon tea and the Writers Bar has been refashioned into a trendy cocktail joint. A spanking new spa and history gallery are also set to feature in the hotel’s revamped shopping arcade. 

London

Great Scotland Yard, the formal Whitehall HQ of the Metropolitan Police is having a £50 million makeover to create 3 restaurants and 153 five-star rooms. Opening summer 2018

Paris

The Experimental Cocktail Club's Hotel des Grands Boulevard is accessed via a secret passageway. Its 50 rooms will channel Marie Antoinette extravagance, with canopied beds and televisions hidden in mirrors. Opening January 2018

New York

Freehand New York will have 358 rooms with a trendy rooftop bar overlooking Gramercy Park. Opening February 2018

St Kitts

Park Hyatt has ousted opened in the wonderful Christophe Harbour with 126 rooms, 3 restaurants, private rooftop plunge pools and Miraval treatments available in the incredible spa