We like to keep our eyes on hotel openings across the globe and 2025 looks set to be a thrilling year for luxury abodes. In this list of the hotel openings we’re most excited about, you’ll find a historic church in Venice, a glamorous country club in Sweden, an art hotel in Lisbon, a palace in India and a luxury sleeper train that boasts the British countryside as its backdrop.
Top hotel openings of 2025
Six Senses at the Whiteley
London, UK
Six Senses brings its unique wellbeing concept to the former Whiteleys department store in Bayswater, describing it as “an emporium of the senses”. Draper and entrepreneur William Whiteley opened the store in 1911 as one of London’s iconic department stores, alongside Selfridges, Liberty and Harrods. The spa will “mirror the different energies of city life, from the sensory stimulation and movement of the street to the stillness and calm of a quiet café or park”. There’ll be a huge gym and swimming pool, a relaxation room with vaulted ceilings and the Alchemy Bar, where guests can explore a sensory selection of aromatic herbs, salts, fruits, and spices, and craft their treatment.
British Royale is our 10-day guided tour of England and Scotland’s national treasures.
Belmond’s Britannic Explorer
UK
Making our cut of the best hotel openings despite not strictly being a hotel, England and Wales’ first luxury sleeper train is causing a commotion. The Britannic explorer will whisk travelers out of London to their choice of three locations: Cornwall, Wales and the Lake District. But of course, it’s not about the destination. The private sleeper cabins are incredibly plush sanctuaries, inspired by the British countryside and coastline. And in the dining cars, guests will feast on menus designed by Michelin star chef Simon Rogan. There’ll be an onboard spa room, too.
Hjortviken Country Club
Hindas, Sweden
Twenty minutes from Gothenburg, this coolly glamorous concept is described as a “down-to-earth city escape”. Hjortviken country club wants you to get outside and put your phone down – for some cross-country skiing in winter, lake sports in summer, or just to lounge beneath a fringed parasol beside a sparkling pool. The nightclub will be reminiscent of 1980s New York City and restaurants will include a Swedish brasserie and a Cali-style Spanish restaurant. For the in-between times, there’ll be padel, boules and croquet.
Timeless Scandinavia is a 12-day guided tour of Norway, Sweden and Denmark.
Mandarin Oriental
Vienna, Austria
Joining new hotel openings for the luxury hotel brand in Beijing, Dubai and Mallorca, this is Mandarin Oriental’s first Austrian property. It will contain 151 rooms and 17 apartments and penthouses arranged around a courtyard in a listed art nouveau building. Designed by architect Alfred Keller in 1903, the imposing building sits on Riemergasse, and served as the city’s commercial court until 2003. Guests will be steps from St Stephen’s Cathedral, in the chic District One neighbourhood.
Harmony of Central Europe is a 13-day guided tour of Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria and Hungary.
Capella
Kyoto, Japan
One of the most exciting luxury hotel brands of recent years is heading to Japan – and specifically to Kyoto’s Miyagawa-chō district, one of the hanamachi (“flower towns”) or geisha districts . The hotel promises to curate cultural experiences with the Miyagawa Maiko Performance School and to create enchanting interiors with the area’s rich heritage woven through them, with artworks and artefacts sitting alongside soothing hues and intricate textures. It will be a 92-room with a bamboo courtyard – a true celebration of Japanese design.
Experience the majesty and mystery of Japan on our 11-day Japan guided tour.
The Oberoi Rajgarh Palace
Madhya Pradesh, India
This 350-year-old painstakingly restored palace – once the home of actual royalty – is one of the hotel openings of the year. In true fairytale style, the sprawling, towering residence sits atop the Maniyagarh Hills with views over 60 acres of hillside and a rain-fed lake, close to the 1,500-year-old temples of Khajuraho. There’ll be 66 rooms across the palace and its sprawling gardens, plus an opulent spa, which guests will access by boat, and a restaurant with panoramic views of the nearby tiger reserve.
There are two India journeys to choose from: Essence of India (9 days) and Imperial Rajasthan (13 days) – explore the itineraries.
The Cooper
Charleston, USA
On a curve of the Cooper River, this resort-style hotel is being billed as “downtown vibrance meets lowcountry charm”. It will combine lush landscapes and incredible sundowner terrace moments with tantalising proximity to Charleston’s best restaurants and shops – the famous Pineapple Fountain is right next door. An infinity pool will overlook the water and there’ll be a private marina complete with luxury vessels for guest use, a yacht for dinner cruises, and a water taxi for day trips to Daniel Island.
Few and Far Luvhondo
South Africa
Spanning 100,000 hectares in the wild and unexplored Soutpansberg mountains of Limpopo, surrounded by some of the biggest Baobab trees in Southern Africa, this luxury lodge is “reimagining the traditional safari” – they’re calling it a “wild, luxurious bush experience”. This is one of the planet’s most biologically diverse regions and Few and Far has designed every inch of it to be meaningful and purposeful. There will be just six impeccable ecolodges and a solar-powered cable car, providing guests with a 25-mile game-viewing perspective above the treetops.
Spectacular South Africa is our 9-day guided tour featuring vineyards, mountains and safari.
MACAM Hotel
Lisbon, Portugal
The Museu de Arte Contemporanea Armando Martins will be Europe’s first combined museum and luxury hotel concept. In a beautiful 18th century palace tucked between the neighbourhoods of Belem and Alcantara, MACAM will display 600 pieces owned by the Portuguese entrepreneur of its name (Armando Martins). There’ll be 64 rooms blending an artistic aesthetic with opulent but restful spaces. The complex will also feature a restaurant and cafe showcasing local specialties, as well as an auditorium and museum shop.
Embrace the passion and culture of Portugal on our 13-day journey: Spain and Portugal in Style.
Airelles Venezia
Venice, Italy
There are a few new addresses in Venice that are firmly on our radar, but none more strongly than the Airelles Venezia. As luxury hotel openings go, this one looks to be positively palatial – all dark blue velvet, rich mahogany, Murano glass, Rubelli fabrics and custom Fortuny chandeliers. Airelles is the opulent French luxury hotel brand and Venice is … well, it’s Venice. Airelles Venezia will occupy the three buildings of the former Bauer Palladio complex, as well as its 16th century church, Santa Maria della Presentazione, which will be available for weddings and events. There will be a terrace for sundowners, with panoramic views of St. Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace.
Ultimate Italy is a 12-day behind-the-scenes look at Italy’s most amazing locations.
