The 30 Best Hotel Openings of 2021

Aman Resorts, the minimalist hotel collection Adrian Zecha founded in 1988 that redefined luxury, is undoubtedly a success, and the revered hotelier’s newest endeavor, Azumi, is poised to follow suit. A modern take on the countryside ryokan, Azumi is an ode to Zecha’s reverence for these types of nurturing, harmonious accommodations. Zecha launched the brand (his partner is Yuta Oka of Naru Developments) with Azumi Setoda on the Japanese island of Ikuchijima. The historic, one-time family compound was revitalized by Kyoto architect Shiro Miura, who enclosed the property with a kakine cedar fence. The 22 guestrooms, simply adorned with Japanese cypress furniture and shoji screens built by some of the country’s top artisans, establish a dialogue through the outdoors via gardens and balconies. Photo by Tomohiro Sakashita