The Westin Austin Downtown
Austin, Texas, USA
A hotel that keeps up with the beat of Austin – America’s city of music – The Westin Austin Downtown rises 19 storeys at the corner of San Jacinto Boulevard and Fifth Street. The brand’s second property in the city is one of five new openings in North America this year and takes cues from the surrounding musical culture. The oasis-like lobby features an eye-catching 3.6-metre-tall, custom-made art piece comprised of charred wood blocks that form the body of a guitar.
The lobby ceiling and vertical garden represent the cut-out sections of a Dobro guitar, while the ballroom’s floor is a nod to prints often found on guitar straps. And, adding some authenticity to the theme, the hotel will regularly host local musical talent in the lively lounge area.
Four Seasons Hotel Casa
Medina Bogotá, Bogotá, Colombia
Once a Franco-Spanish landmark in the Colombian capital – and a favoured haunt for rock stars and political dignitaries – Santiago Medina Mejía’s original 1946 building has undergone a transformation to become the first of two Four Seasons locations in Bogotá.
The former “Casa Medina” opened on October 15, retaining its colonial influences across 62 rooms and suites – of which no two are alike. Decorated to evoke a sense of place, rooms feature fireplaces and beamed ceilings, while guests can sample Spanish tapas and Colombian coffee to go at the hotel’s restaurant, Castanyoles. Otherwise, there’s dining possibilities aplenty surrounding the hotel, which is situated in the heart of Bogotá’s foodie district Zona G (G for “Gourmet”).
Shangri-La Hotel, Bengaluru
Bengalaru, India
Some say Bengalaru, others say Bangalore. However you know the city, it just became more appealing now that Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts has brought its world-renowned Asian-inspired hotel aesthetic to India’s Garden City. From the nine-metre-high lobby to the nine half-ton chandeliers, the property smacks of India’s royal heritage.
Greeted by jewel-adorned doormen, guests pass marble columns and intricate motifs to reach the hotel’s 397 rooms, sheltered from the city’s hubbub by 0.8 hectares of land between the hotel and the central business district. The palatial 19-storey hotel sits in a leafy blue-ribbon suburb on Palace Road, high above the city’s skyline, with rooms starting at a minimum of 41 sqm with executive desks, window-side sofas and locally sourced New Gold Vein marble bathrooms.
Taipei Marriott Hotel
Taipei, Taiwan
While Marriott gives the sense of being ubiquitous the world over, the brand has only just launched in Taiwan. The Taipei Marriott Hotel combines all the design and tenets of a major chain hotel with a sense of Taiwanese hospitality, and is the first five-star opening in the vibrant Dazhi area of Taipei.
With 320 rooms, the hotel is equipped for both business travellers heading to the commercial hub, and retail therapy with its own high-end shops. Despite its central location, there’s still a sense of Taiwan’s lush island environment in a rooftop garden and chapel. As a part of Marriott’s “Green Hotel Development” initiative, indigenous shrubbery and floral arrangements are located around the grounds interspersed with art, such as the “Butterflies” sculpture by Spanish artist Manolo Valdés.