1. Intercontinental Auckland
Auckland, New Zealand
InterContinental Hotels & Resorts has made its debut in New Zealand’s largest city with the opening of InterContinental Auckland. Located at the halo address of One Queen Street, it anchors the Commercial Bay lifestyle precinct, housing the city’s latest upscale office, retail, social, and dining hub. 139 thoughtfully designed guestrooms and suites feature a Whariki (woven panel), helping guests embrace the locale’s unique culture. Rich storytelling continues through the hotel with a comprehensive art collection prioritising local and Iwi artists with a heavy influence on Maori culture.
In partnership with internationally renowned chef, Gareth Stewart, Advieh Restaurant & Bar is the hotel’s all-day dining destination, offering a contemporary twist on Middle Eastern cuisine while championing New Zealand’s finest produce. The hotel has also introduced a range of scientifically backed solutions to help reduce fatigue, including complimentary access to Timeshifter, a jet lag app that enables all guests to use the latest circadian science to adjust quickly to new time zones. Opening later in the year will be a 24-hour fitness centre with direct access to Commercial Bay which features some of the country’s most premium retail outlets, as well as a rooftop bar. www.ihg.com
www.ihg.com
2. SO/Maldives
Emboodhoo, Maldives
SO/, the collection of fashion-forward hotels from Ennismore, has debuted in the Maldives. A private-island destination rooted in fashion, art and design, SO/Maldives is a 15-minute speedboat transfer from Malé’s Velana International Airport. It offers a collection of 80 beachfront and overwater villas. Spanning one to three bedrooms and eight categories, the villas are designed for open-plan living and feature private pools and decks. Restaurant and bar experiences at SO/Maldives include the Citronelle Club, an all-day dining destination showcasing a menu of Pan-Asian cuisine; Lazuli Beach Club, a day-to-night beach bar serving Mediterranean fare by day and cocktails alongside tunes by visiting DJs in the evenings; and Hadaba, which serves Levantine slow-cooked dishes and smoked delicacies.
At the property’s Wellness Camp, guests can choose from a range of personalised treatments. Facilities include steam and sauna rooms, a Vichy Rainforest Shower, a vitality pool and gym. Guests can participate in complimentary classes such as yoga, meditation, sound healing and personalised training sessions. The resort offers an array of water-based adventures including scuba diving, kayaking, parasailing, snorkeling, jet ski, stand-up paddleboarding and offsite excursions are also available.
www.accor.com
3. Raffles Al Areen Palace
Manama, Bahrain
The newly opened Raffles Al Areen Palace in Bahrain is the country’s first and only all-villa property. The property is set on the ‘island of a million palm trees’, allowing guests to discover an unexplored part of the Middle East, close to the namesake wildlife reserve, which is home to exotic animals, birds and desert plants. Cocooned by lush tropical gardens 78 landscaped, secluded private pool villas are available in configurations of one, two and three bedrooms. Facilities include temperature-controlled private pools and signature butler service. Well-being villas which are designed to provide in-room wellness experiences are also available on request.
The property also houses a secret garden that flourishes under the care of a botanist, who is on hand to share valuable insights and host exclusive workshops for guests, from organic gardening to tree planting, date picking and healing herbs. Seamlessly integrating Western and Eastern approaches to treatments, fitness and nourishment, the wellness offering is a sanctuary for holistic relaxation and rejuvenation. The all-day Mediterranean restaurant Palma, serves locally inspired fusion dishes and collaborations with internationally renowned chefs and pastry Chef Yazid Ichemrahen, known for his artistic pastry creations at Ycone Paris, brings his sweet treats to the property. Guests can also enjoy in-villa dining menus, where a private chef can be arranged upon request.
www.raffles.com
4. Our Habitas Ras Abrouq
Dukhan, Qatar
In partnership with Qatar Airways, Our Habitas has entered Qatar with a new home in Ras Abrouq. The property is located an hour’s drive from Qatar’s capital city, Doha, on the Arabian Gulf at the edge of the UNESCO-protected Al-Reem Biosphere Reserve. It celebrates the brand’s core commitment to delivering ‘Luxury for the Soul’ through new experiences, drawing from the Qatar’s vibrant creative sector, while celebrating the brand’s core pillars of music, art & culture, wellness, adventure, food and learning. Only one kilometre from Richard Serra’s iconic sculpture, East Meets West, Our Habitas aims to use the surrounding desert as a place to stage art exhibits, pop-up dining experiences, film screenings, concerts and more.
Situated within a dramatic coastal and desert backdrop 42 luxurious villas in a range of one to four bedrooms feature private plunge pools and a spacious outdoor deck. Drawing inspiration from the rich essence of Qatar, the décor of the villas features soothing earthy tones, natural textures and curated local design elements, providing a modern interpretation of the region’s cultural tapestry. The resort features Qissa Restaurant, a terrace lounge, beach club and bar, wellness centre, state-of-the-art gym, watersports adventure hub, large infinity swimming pool and padel courts.
www.ourhabitas.com