1. W DUBAI - MINA SEYAHI
Dubai, UAE
There’s a new kid on the block in Dubai Marina: W Dubai - Mina Seyahi is an adults-only playground where music, design and live entertainment are reigniting the beach resort concept for a new generation of Dubai-bound tastemakers. The hotel cuts a distinct figure on the Dubai skyline, shrouded in sleek lines and smooth curves that wrap around 318 stylish guestrooms featuring striking interiors imagined by Dubai-based design firm Stickman Tribe. Among the 26 suites, the E WOW Suite stands out as the jewel in the crown: a 225sqm two-bedroom penthouse with spectacular views of Palm Jumeirah and the Arabian Gulf from its 30th floor terrace. BAR-B Spa takes the traditional wellness experience up a notch with glam booths and hair styling services alongside traditional body massage and beauty treatments, and cocktails on demand will turn your pre-party pampering session into a social occasion.
The tinkling of ice cubes and the melody of DJ-spun tracks float through the air day and night at Ginger Moon, the indoor-outdoor pool lounge and restaurant that epitomises the brand’s Whatever/Whenever* concept (it’s open from 9:00am until 2:00am). W Lounge serves up Middle East-inspired dishes and creative concoctions in the lobby, which forms the vibrant social heart of every W hotel. Still to come is 1Rebel - a fitness studio concept from London where seriously high-intensity workouts will keep the extra holiday kilos at bay - and adults-only Malakite, a sleek pool lounge by day and a wildly entertaining club by night. Both will open in 2023.
2. THE DAVID KEMPINSKI TEL AVIV
Tel Aviv, Israel
Almost a decade in the making, The David Kempinski Tel Aviv is one of the most highly anticipated hotel openings in the Israeli capital this decade. Set back from the beach on Tel Aviv’s bustling tayelet (boardwalk) in a 34-storey building designed by Feigin Architects, the hotel boasts 250 guestrooms, and 56 spectacular suites on the upper floors. The David Penthouse Suite is the last word in luxury: a magnificent three-bedroom apartment spread across three light-flooded levels, with a six-metre floor-to-ceiling window that affords spectacular Mediterranean views.
A 10-metre infinity pool sits the suite’s private terrace and inside, there’s a baby grand piano and collection of original artworks in the living room, as well as a separate dining room and gym. Suite guests have access to the 22nd-floor Horizon Lounge for work and play and, from July, a new private pool and full-service lounge, restaurant and bar on the rooftop will be theirs to use exclusively during the daytime. Five dining outlets helmed by award-winning local chef Mor Cohen include fine dining fish restaurant Sereia Restaurant and Common Bar: a two-in-one bar concept.
3. ETÉREO, AUBERGE RESORTS COLLECTION
Riviera Maya, Mexico
On Mexico’s sun-kissed Caribbean coast, nestled in nine acres of protected mangroves, Etéreo is the latest addition to the Auberge Resorts Collection: a beautiful beachfront escape where modern luxuries meet local Mayan heritage. New York City-based design studio Meyer Davis, created the interiors of the 75 oceanfront guestrooms - ranging from studios to three-bedroom Penthouse Suites - as well as five dining experiences and SANA spa. Rooms and suites transition seamlessly from indoors to out, with private plunge pools, hot tubs and sky deck roof terraces.
Etéreo, which derives from the Spanish word for ‘ethereal’, is inspired by nature, with lava stone, copper and tzalam wood featuring throughout, and custom-designed furniture and original artworks showcasing the talents of local craftsmen and artists. At SANA, ancient Mayan healing practices are combined with modern know-how, with detoxifying clay wraps, crystal healing and sound baths complemented by full-moon ceremonies and rituals. Etéreo’s experiences also tap into Mexican culture and local traditions, with fireside blessings, local card games and handicrafts.