The Best International Hotel Openings In 2025
In 2024, the new hotel openings included gorgeous European escapes, dreamy treehouses and luxe urban retreats. This year, we are looking forward to some big names debuting in Asia, with wellness retreats being at the forefront and hotels making more of an effort to offer truly local, authentic experiences. Here are some of our picks of exciting new openings to look forward to in 2025.
Europe
Stockholm Stadshotell, Sweden
This landmark building in the heart of Stockholm is reopening as an elegant hotel steeped in Scandinavian heritage. This month, this landmark 1870s building will reopen as an elegant Relais & Châteaux hotel, steeped in Scandinavian heritage.
Surrounded by designer fashion boutiques, art galleries, and restaurants
Centrally located in the Swedish capital’s trendy quarter of Södermalm and surrounded by designer fashion boutiques, art galleries, and restaurants, this property will provide the perfect position for soaking up local culture. With 23 guest rooms and nine suites, the interiors bear hallmarks of Swedish design, harmonising soft hues with bright and colourful art and design and encouraging a creative atmosphere.
Website: www.relaischateaux.com
Fairmont La Hacienda Costa del Sol, Andalusia
Fairmont La Hacienda Costa del Sol is nestled in a quiet, relatively untouched corner of the Mediterranean, close to Cádiz’s famous pristine beaches. With 150 spacious rooms, 161 luxurious suites, and 47 spacious villas (ranging from one to six bedrooms), each blending chic Andalusian design with privacy and comfort, the destination resort offers sweeping, unobstructed views of The Med from every terrace. There are six scenic dining venues, including a restaurant by an award-winning two Michelin-starred chef that brings Andalusian culture to life through refined flavours. Don’t miss a visit to the 395-square-metre spa which promises a transformative holistic escape and is the only spa in the region which boasts panoramic vistas of the azure Mediterranean Sea and lush emerald mountains. Golf lovers will note this one: The resort is surrounded by two of southern Europe’s most renowned golf courses, one of which offers a breathtaking coastal experience.
website: www.fairmont.com
JW Marriott Crete Resort & Spa, Greece
Marking the first JW Marriott property in Greece, JW Marriott Crete Resort & Spa will open its doors in the summer of 2025. Designed by the Athens-based architecture firm Block722, the property will comprise 160 rooms, suites and villas, the majority with private pools, offering idyllic escapes and gorgeous sea views for guests. Stretching across 100 acres of stunning Cretan coastline along Marathi Beach, on the outskirts of the town of Chania, guests will be able to enjoy sights of the picture-postcard Venetian harbour and the pink sand beach of Elafonisi. The resort features five extraordinary dining venues, each reflecting the inspiring fusion of local and international flavours, and will celebrate seasonal and local produce, incorporating herbs and produce from its signature JW Garden.
Guests will be able to enjoy sights of the picture-postcard Venetian harbour and the pink sand beach of Elafonisi.
Website: www.marriott.com
Vetera Matera, Italy
This is a unique hotel carved from the ancient Sassi of Matera, offering a fusion of modern luxury and rich history. Located in Italy’s Basilicata region, Matera – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – the destination stuns with its white stone houses, labyrinthine alleys, and iconic ancient cave dwellings dating back to the Paleolithic era. Among these restored marvels lies Relais & Châteaux Vetera Matera, a boutique retreat opening in March 2025, with 23 elegantly understated rooms, broad windows, and terraces offering panoramic views of this cinematic city. The hotel’s spa, carved into the rock, provides a serene escape, blending modern luxury with Matera’s rich history – the perfect spring or summer escape.
Website: www.veteramatera.com
America
Nekajui, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Costa Rica
Expect sophisticated dining experiences, from artisanal coffee rituals to private treetops and modern Peruvian cuisine, focussing on local ingredients.
Originating from the Chorotega word for “lush garden,” Nekajui, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve is nestled deep within the protected land of the Peninsula Papagayo. Offering ethereal views of Bahia Huevos and the Pacific Ocean, you can expect sophisticated dining experiences, from artisanal coffee rituals to private treetops and modern Peruvian cuisine, focussing on local ingredients. There is also an excellent spa called Nimbu Spa & Wellness which is designed to exist in harmony with the land’s natural rhythms and you can book yourself rejuvenating treatments that are inspired by ancient traditions.
Website: www.ritzcarlton.com
Africa
The Homestead, South Africa
Nestled in South Africa’s Nambiti Reserve, The Homestead is an ultra-luxury, eco-conscious lodge featuring 12 suites that blend contemporary design with nature. Located just two and a half hours from Durban and four hours from Johannesburg, the Nambiti Reserve is a premier conservation project, offering encounters with the Big Five. As the final lodge permitted in Nambiti for conservation reasons, the reserve will offer incredible wildlife sightings and the infrastructure itself will focus on state-of-the-art sustainability. Beyond traditional safaris, there will be wildlife photography classes, battlefield tours, Drakensberg hikes, stargazing, cooking classes, mountain camping, wine tasting, yoga, tea tastings, bush sleepouts and conservation projects to get involved with.
Website: www.homesteadlodge.com
Asia
The Oberoi Rajgarh Palace, Khajuraho, India
Perched on the Managad Hills near Chandranagar, Madhya Pradesh, The Oberoi Rajgarh Palace is a historic gem constructed by Maharaja Hinu Pat Shah of the Bundela Dynasty in the late 1800s. Located adjacent to the Panna National Park and Tiger Reserve, just 8 kilometres away, and within easy reach of the iconic Khajuraho temples – exquisitely preserved 1100 year old UNESCO heritage monuments at a distance of 22 kilometres by car, the palace offers a luxurious retreat and access to history and adventure like no other. Spanning a sprawling 70 acres, the palace boasts lush gardens and the original rain-water fed catchment lake overlooked by an infinity-edge swimming pool. Expect the epitome of luxury – with the excitement of tiger sightings of course.
website: www.oberoihotels.com
Waldorf Astoria Osaka, Japan
The Waldorf Astoria brand will make its debut in Japan in spring this year with the Waldorf Astoria Osaka. Spanning 12 stories of a 39-story high-rise, the hotel will offer easy access to the cities of Kyoto, Nara, and Kobe. There are 252 expansive guest rooms, and three restaurants, including the signature Peacock Alley. Expect Waldorf’s impeccable service with dedicated personal concierges on hand to arrange the most unforgettable of experiences. There’s even a dedicated chapel and banquet hall available onsite for weddings and events. Leisure facilities including an indoor pool, wellness centre and fitness centre, to relax and rejuvenate at the heart of the vibrant city.
website: www.hilton.com
Shangri-La Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Shangri-La Group’s debut in Cambodia, the hotel is due to open in early 2025, offering a tranquil escape in the heart of Cambodia’s capital city. Conveniently located near the city’s main attractions, including The Peak Luxury Mall and the stunning Koh Pich, the hotel features 303 spacious rooms with lovely views of the Mekong River. The design is influenced by both French Art Deco and Khmer arts, allowing guests to immerse themselves in Cambodia’s rich history. Expect five restaurants and bars which will offer both local delicacies and cuisines from around the world, with a highlight being Shang Palace with Chef Freeze Ng Kok Leon, who hails from Malaysia with Cantonese origins. For some pampering, The Spa will offer a wide array of nurturing treatments.
Website: www.shangri-la.com
