We reveal the new hotels opening in 2017 that we’re most looking forward to, each combining stellar architecture, extreme comfort and top notch locations. From a converted silo in Cape Town to a contemporary marvel in India, these are the destinations to stay in this year – and beyond.

Capella Shanghai Jian Ye Li, China

The rapid development of Shanghai’s downtown and concomitant erasure of historic districts is cause for alarm, but Capella hotels’ upcoming luxury property proposes a novel solution. Based in the preservation zone of the city’s Xuhui district, the property is housed in the former Jian Ye Li estate, the city’s last remaining cluster of historical shikumen (stone warehouse gate) built in the 1930s.

A blend of historical Shanghainese and Western architectural styles, the 55 villas feature classic Chinese courtyards and are a short walk from central Shanghai’s attractions, as well as a curated retail village for the property’s high-end clientele and a French brasserie from revered chef Pierre Gagnaire.
Opening March 2017

The Silo Hotel, Cape Town, South Africa

The Silo in Cape Town will be a standout among the new hotels opening in 2017, involving an intriguing space – a six-floor elevator portion of a historic grain silo complex – and a top design studio. Thomas Heatherwick has masterminded the adaptive reuse of the building, including new culture hub Zeitz MOCAA beneath, while focusing on interior drama.

Guestrooms at The Silo emphasise verticality, with vast five-metre tall windows featuring pillowed bays that bulge gently, giving the impression of a lantern when lit from the exterior. The 28 rooms and lone (but spectacular) penthouse offer panoramic views of Table Mountain, the V&A Harbour and the ocean beyond.
Opening 1 March 2017

Provocateur Hotel, Berlin, Germany

Entrepreneurs Alex Urseanu and Micky Rosen are creating a Berlin sister to their glossy Roomers Hotel in Frankfurt. Dubbed The Provocateur and designed by Saar Zafrir, it will be part of Germany’s Gekko hotel group, as well as Design Hotels.

The 58-room boutique – which aims to ‘push buttons and make guests push their boundaries’, according to the marketing material – promises to be as svelte as its sibling, with sensual interiors paying tribute to the burlesque clubs of 1920s Paris. Its seductive bar will be visually constructed around a central island and will be a welcome addition to the Kurfürstendamm neighbourhood.
Opening February 2017

The Whitby Hotel, New York, USA

British hoteliers Firmdale are on a roll, with London’s Ham Yard hotel still fresh in people’s minds and New York’s Crosby Street hotel a runaway success in SoHo. For 2017, owners Tim and Kit Kemp will open the Whitby in upper Midtown in early 2016 in a new build, with 86 rooms and suites distributed across 16 floors.

Besides the ultra-convenient location, rooms will feature floor-to-ceiling windows as well as marble or granite bathrooms, all promising interior designer Kit Kemp’s favoured palette of bold colours, prints and fabrics. The top two floors will be occupied by the impressive two-bedroom Whitby suite, which comes with spacious terraces, and views across upper and lower Manhattan.
Opening February 2017

Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club Miami, USA

Miami’s hotel culture is well-documented, but few can rival the credentials of Four Seasons’ upcoming Surf Club on Collins Avenue. Developer Nadim Ashi enlisted Pritzker Prize-winning architect Richard Meier to reimagine Russell Pancoast’s original design – frequented by the rich and famous. Meanwhile, interiors are being handled by Parisian architect Joseph Dirand.

The 1930s oceanfront property will host 77 guestrooms with the obligatory cabana and corner rooms – a rarity in a city where 200-room properties are the norm. Ashi has also lured in chef Antonio Sersale (of Positano’s famed Le Sirenuse) to South Florida to open what promises to be one of Miami’s most anticipated restaurants in 2017.
Opening early 2017

The Duxton Club, Singapore

Singapore’s historic neighbourhoods never fails to charm, and the forthcoming Duxton Club provides another reason to visit. Located in the Tanjong Pagar preservation area, the hotel is a redesign and refurbishment of several of the city’s traditional shophouses courtesy of designers Jacques Garcia and Anouska Hempel.

The pre-war colonial buildings border the city’s Central Business District and culturally rich Chinatown, and present an ideal spot for both business and leisure travellers, with a total of 188 guestrooms, an outdoor swimming pool, a cigar lounge and an upmarket take on the city’s world-class cuisine.
Opening 1 June 2017

Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square, London, UK

The long-awaited Four Seasons Ten Trinity Square opens its doors in January after a six-year refurbishment. The hotel housed inside the monolithic Grade II-listed former headquarters of the Port of London authority, a short walk from the Tower of London and St Paul’s Cathedral.

Its primary clientele will surely be the high rollers passing through on business – the 100 rooms, 11 suites and 41 private residences all feature ornate original plasterwork and soaring ceilings – but the Beaux Arts landmark will be a destination in its own right, with a jaw-dropping ballroom and a restaurant from three-Michelin starred French chef Anne-Sophie Pic.
Opening 26 January 2017

The Ned, London, UK

Soho House group is embracing London’s City, opening the hotly-anticipated Ned hotel a few minutes from the Bank of England in 2017. It will be housed in the former Midland Bank, an impressive Grade I-listed structure – designed by Sir Edwin ‘Ned’ Lutyens – that was the largest clearing house bank in the world of its time.

The building will be fully restored and converted in conjunction with the US-based Sydell Group to include nine restaurants (including a City branch of beloved Mayfair eatery Cecconi’s), 252 rooms, a private member’s club and a members-only rooftop pool, bringing Soho House and Sydell’s contemporary lifestyle credentials to an area sorely lacking them.
Opening early 2017

Six Senses Bhutan

Bhutan has been understandably protective of its natural heritage, which makes Six Senses’ multi-location bonanza in the obscure Himalayan kingdom one of the most exciting prospects amid the new hotels opening in 2017. The five luxury lodges – a scant 82 suites across the capital Thimphu, Gangtey, Punakha, Bumthang and Paro – will be sensitively built in accordance to their natural surroundings and the hoteliers’ noteworthy eco-friendly design.

The lodges will set up a circuit for travellers to escape and experience the rugged mountain landscapes of Bhutan, while offering high-end services – Egyptian cotton sheets, fine dining and bespoke wellness services – all the way.
Opening spring 2017

RAAS Kangra, Dharamsla, India

A follow-up to the excellent Raas Jodhpur and Devigarh was always going to be a challenge, but the Raas Kangra looks set to be every bit as exciting as its siblings. A design-led new construction set against historical surroundings and a remote location in the spectacular Dharamsla region of Northern India is certainly a winning combination. Its two storeys – which curve along a hilltop like a train – will be conceived entirely of local materials and traditional building techniques, such as stone masonry and timber and slate shingles.

The eco-friendly Raas Kangra will offer 40 rooms with private balconies overlooking the region’s rolling valleys and mountains, and the sheer amount of activities on offer – everything from mountain biking to yoga – will justify the flight from Delhi.
Opening late 2017

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