The Jay, San Francisco

In San Francisco’s Financial District, the former Le Méridien has been transformed into the Jay. Situated in a 1989 John Portman-designed building, the 360-room hotel features a revamp by AvroKO that blurs the lines between Brutalism and modernism while paying homage to the people who shaped the city, including artist Ruth Asawa and author Peggy Caserta, responsible for the bell-bottoms craze.

Architecture Firm: AxisGFA, San Francisco | Design Firm: AvroKO, San Francisco | Operator: HEI Hotels + Resorts | Owner: KHP Capital Partners

Photo courtesy of HEI Hotels + Resorts

21c Museum Hotel St. Louis, Missouri

Upon entering the latest outpost from the 21c brand, guests are met with O by artist Serkan Özkaya—a spherical orb measuring eight feet in diameter and filled with 1,883 gallons of distilled water, which magnifies and diffracts the reflections of the reception area. Meanwhile, as a nod to the building’s former life as a YMCA, the 173 guestrooms, including 19 suites, were designed with nostalgic nods including bold varsity sports colors and leather referencing gloves, footballs, and basketballs.

Architecture Firm: Perfido Weiskopf Wagstaff + Goettel, Pittsburgh | Design Firms: Hufft (public spaces), Kansas City, Missouri; and Bill Rooney Studio (guestrooms), New York | Owner: NuovoRE | Operator: 21c Museum Hotels

Photo courtesy of 21c Museum Hotels

Faraway Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts

For the second in the Faraway series following an outpost in Nantucket, Workshop/APD dreamt up a design for the 72-room hotel that is rooted in midcentury style while still channeling the laidback island vibe Martha’s Vineyard is known for. In the lobby, a ribbed desk and fireplace are stonework features that contrast with the chevron floors, warm lighting, and vibrant furniture, while intricate florals and grandiose drapes are modern allusions to New England’s legacy of Georgian design.

Architecture + Design Firm: Workshop/APD, New York | Owner: Blue Flag Partners | Operator: Faraway Hotels

Photo by Matt Kisiday

The Lafayette Hotel & Swim Club, San Diego

The historic Lafayette Hotel & Swim Club reopened this year after a $31 million upgrade by Post Company. The 139-room hotel—a callback to Hollywood’s heyday—is a lesson in maximalism, with ornate details, animal print patterns, and silk fringe. Among the many amenities (with more to open next year) is the Gutter, a two-lane bowling alley and game room that nods to steel tycoon Henry Frick’s personal bowling alley in the basement of the Frick Museum.

Architecture Firm: Tucker Sadler Architects, San Diego | Design Firm: Post Company, Brooklyn New York | Owner + Operator: CH Projects

Photo courtesy of CH Projects

Fontainebleau Las Vegas

The massive 67-story, 3,644-room resort, which has been in the works for 16 years and has cost upwards of $3.7 billion to build, is finally opening this month. As a nod to its sister property in Miami Beach, the new iteration of the Fontainebleau evolves the brand’s timeless elegance crafted by a who’s who of designers, architects, and restaurateurs including David Rockwell, Piero Lissoni, David Collins Studio, Jeffrey Beers, and Dave Grutman, among others.

Architecture Firm: Carlos Zapata Studio, New York | Design Firms: Rockwell Group, New York; Lissoni & Partners, New York; Jeffrey Beers International, New York; David Collins Studio, London; John Rawlins, Fontainebleau Development, New York | Owners: Fontainebleau Development and Koch Real Estate Investments

Photo by DREX Agency

ULUM Moab, Utah

At ULUM Moab, the debut property for glamping pioneer Under Canvas’ new brand, 50 suite tents are integrated into the desert landscape that surrounds the resort. The luxurious, safari-style lodgings are bedecked with natural woods, woven rugs, and polished concrete to mirror the aesthetic of Utah’s canyon country. Guests are also invited to socialize in the light-filled lobby or dine al fresco on the resort’s terrace.

Architect: DTJ Design, Boulder, Colorado | Design Firm: DESIGN360unlimited, Santa Monica, California | Owner + Operator: Under Canvas

Photo by Bailey Made

Mii Amo, Sedona, Arizona

In need of a refresh, Mii Amo wellness retreat recently underwent a two-year, $40 million overhaul. The revitalization included expanding the property with the addition of Hummingbird restaurant, seven new casitas, a bi-level movement studio, more spa facilities, and new outdoor spaces for guests to connect with nature. A standout is the living room, formerly home to the indoor pool, which now boasts a sunken lounge resplendent in terracotta hues that nod to the surrounding red rocks.

Architecture Firm: Gluckman Tang Architects, New York | Design Firms: Gluckman Tang Architects and EDG Interior Architecture + Design, Novato, California | Owner: New Enchantment Group | Operator: Enchantment Group

Photo by Douglas Friedman

Romer Hell’s Kitchen, New York

Highgate-owned brand Romer Neighborhood Hotels was created to become a community pillar. The inaugural 295-room location in New York (the Romer Waikiki at the Ambassador opened in September) draws on pre-war apartment style to give guests the sense that they’re staying in a private home. Individual rooms pair vintage-inspired furniture and retro-informed wallpaper with works by emerging Hell’s Kitchen artists, while public spaces are clad in wood paneling and illuminated with soft lighting.

Architecture Firm: Stonehill Taylor, New York | Design Firms: Goodrich, New York (public spaces); and Islyn Studio, Brooklyn, New York (guestrooms) | Owner + Operator: Highgate

Photo by Read McKendree

Blind Tiger Asheville, North Carolina

Lark Hotels’ first foray into the Southern market, the third Blind Tiger location (following Portland, Maine, and Burlington, Vermont) is inspired by Asheville’s lifestyle, art, and natural surrounds. Built as a private residence in 1889, the reimagined property includes 14 rooms and suites, each with a distinct design, ranging from an airy and rustic artist’s loft on the top floor of the main house to a cozy two-room cabin.

Architecture Firm: Rowhouse Architects, Asheville | Design Firm: Elder & Ash, Amesbury, Massachusetts | Owner: Lark Capital | Operator: Lark Hotels

Photo by Matt Kisiday

The Manchester, Lexington, Kentucky

Hoteliers Nik Feldman and Hank Morris developed the 125-room Manchester as a celebration of Kentucky and its status as the horse capital of the world. Indeed, the restrained and timeless design boasts timeworn details like vintage furnishings from local sellers and a wood-and-brick clad lobby that anchor the space in its location. Meanwhile, rooftop bar Lost Palm nods to another equestrian hotspot, South Florida, where charming details like a plastic flamingo mix with playful patterns and cane furniture.

Architecture Firm: EOP Architects, Lexington, Kentucky | Design Firm: Jenny Bukovec Design + Creative, New York | Owners: Hank Morris and Nik Feldman

Photo by Matt Kisiday

Virgin Hotels New York City

Virgin’s long-awaited New York flagship landed this year in NoMad. The handiwork of Stantec and MARKZEFF, the 460-room hotel reflects the lifestyle hotel company’s cheeky style, evoking the playfulness and grit of the city. A standout is the striking staircase—wrapped in Virgin’s signature red—that leads guests to the 4,000 square-foot indoor-outdoor F&B destination Everdene, which acts as the nucleus of the hotel.

Architecture Firm: Stantec, New York | Design Firm: MARKZEFF, New York | Owner: Lam Group | Operator: Virgin Hotels Group

Dawn Ranch, Guerneville, California

The charming 81-room Dawn Ranch celebrates northern California through activities from forest bathing and moon viewing among the sycamore trees to spa treatments that star redwood soaking tubs that reference the Japanese ofuro tradition. A mix of chalets, cottages, cabins, bungalows, and glamping tents, the accommodations embrace a cozy, lived-in vibe with solid white oak bedside tables, daybeds that reference Donald Judd, and mahogany and leather campaign chairs.

Design Firm: W. Brian Smith, New York, in collaboration with Bridgeton | Owner: Bridgeton

Photo by Gentl & Hyers

The Georgian, Santa Monica, California

BLVD Hospitality, which bought the famed Georgian Hotel in 2020, tasked Fettle Design with breathing new life into the 84-room grande dame while honoring original elements like the iconic turquoise façade and the arches found at the Sunset Bar. A key part of the extensive revitalization was turning the famed Georgian Room, which languished for 50 years, into a fine dining Italian steakhouse and piano bar.

Architecture Firm: HLW International, Santa Monica, California | Design Firm: Fettle Design, Los Angeles and London | Owner + Operator: BLVD Hospitality

Photo by Douglas Friedman

Bowie House, Auberge Resorts Collection, Fort Worth, Texas

The Auberge Resorts Collection caps a busy year with the opening of Bowie House, where a classic Western personality takes on a modern feel. Take the colonnaded lobby, where a wood-clad ceiling feels distinctly Texan. The art-filled urban retreat is also home to chophouse Bricks and Horses, a rose-colored lacquered library, and a billiards room with pool and game tables.

Architecture + Design Firm: Boka Powell, Forth Worth | Owner: Bowie Place Properties | Operator: Auberge Resorts Collection

Photo by Stephen Karlisch

Fifth Avenue Hotel, New York

Reminiscent of the Gilded Age, the 153-room Fifth Avenue Hotel is adorned in bold hues and intricate textures. Martin Brudnizki’s extravagant design stars jewel-toned chandeliers bedecked in crystal fruits and flowers, arched green windows, and rugs in floral patterns or animal stripes. Peacocks are etched into the backbar of the hotel’s signature restaurant Café Carmellini, where two illuminated sculptural trees are surrounded by tiered chandeliers and vibrant blue banquettes.

Architecture Firms: Perkins Eastman and PBDW Architects, New York | Design Firm: Martin Brudnizki Design Studio, New York and London | Owner + Operator: Flâneur Hospitality Group

Photo by William Abranowicz

Tempo by Hilton New York Times Square

The Tempo by Hilton lifestyle brand makes its debut as part of the 46-story Midtown Manhattan entertainment and hospitality hub TSX Broadway. Featuring 661 rooms across 36 floors that showcase panoramic city views, the hotel boasts a sky lobby leading to a centerpiece bar that’s connected to the largest open-air terrace in Times Square. The brand’s growth spurt continues with openings in Louisville, Nashville, and Raleigh, North Carolina slated for early next year.

Architect of Record: Mancini Duffy, New York | Design Firm: Wimberly Interiors, New York | Owners: L&L Holding Company and Fortress Investment Group | Operator: Hilton

Photo courtesy of Hilton

Thompson Houston

Located in verdant Buffalo Bayou Park, the Thompson Houston is an urban oasis in the Texas city. Clad in a glass-and-steel façade, the 36-story mixed-use building boasts a seventh-floor lobby wrapped in earthy colors and organic materials, a sanctuary-inspired spa and wellness floor, a rooftop space starring an infinity pool and expansive pool deck, two signature restaurants, and 172 guestrooms with floor-to-ceiling windows to bring in views of the city skyline.

Architecture Firms: HOK, Houston | Design Firm: Abel Design Group, Houston | Owners: DC Partners and Tianqing Real Estate Development | Operator: Thompson Hotels/Hyatt

Photo courtesy of Thompson Hotels

Kona Village, a Rosewood Resort, Hawaii

After a devastating tsunami shuttered Kona Village in 2011, Walker Warner Architects and NICOLEHOLLIS teamed up to restore the former 81-acre resort to its former glory, a renovation project that took more than seven years to complete. Hollis drew inspiration from the location, notably in the 150 guest hales informed by traditional Hawaiian motifs and the moody Asaya spa, where the design mimics the natural black lava flow on which the spa was built.

Architecture Firms: Walker Warner Architects, San Francisco (design architect), and Delawie, San Diego (architect of record) | Design Firm: NICOLEHOLLIS, San Francisco | Operator: Rosewood Hotels & Resorts

Photo by Douglas Friedman

Moxy and AC Hotel Downtown Los Angeles

Launched this spring, the dual-branded Moxy and AC hotels, comprising 727 guestrooms, offer two distinct experiences under one roof. At the Moxy, the brand’s first in LA, Yabu Pushelberg opted for a desert nomad aesthetic with neutral rammed earth lobby walls that juxtapose reflective mirrored columns. The AC (shown), meanwhile, nods to the brand’s Spanish roots with rich earthy hues and textured plaster walls that evoke sun-drenched stucco.

Architecture Firm: Gensler, Los Angeles | Design Firm: Yabu Pushelberg, Toronto and New York | Operator: Marriott International | Owner: Lightstone Group

Photo by Alice Gao

Pendry Newport Beach, California

Pendry’s eighth property revives Hollywood’s golden age via a sumptuous design befitting a movie star. The grand interiors complement abundant greenery and an inviting palette of blue, red, and gray. Debuting at the property is the Elwood Club, Pendry’s inaugural members club concept, located in a private wing and bedecked in rich jewel tones and a brilliant lacquer that call to mind the look of classic cars.

Architecture Firm: WATG, Irvine, California | Design Firm: Studio Munge, Toronto | Owner: Eagle Four Partners Operator Pendry | Purchaser: P360 Concepts

Photo by Christian Horan

Sea Ranch Lodge, Sonoma County, California

In 2021, the 53-acre Sea Ranch Lodge in Sonoma County unveiled its revamped public spaces by Mithun, the Office of Charles de Lisle, and TERREMOTO. For the final phase of the multiyear overhaul, NICOLEHOLLIS renovated the 17 guestrooms in the 1968 North Building to maximize their connection to nature. Here, custom headboards, desks, and closets crafted by Santa Cruz Wood Works mimic the silhouettes of the rocky bluffs that puctuate northern California.

Design Firms: NICOLEHOLLIS, San Francisco (guestrooms); and Mithun, Seattle, the Office of Charles de Lisle, Sausalito, California; and TERREMOTO, Los Angeles (public spaces)

Photo by Adam Potts