Hotel Openings from Small Luxury Hotels of the World

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The Small Luxury Hotels of the World™ (SLH) portfolio is continuing to expand with a number of particularly notable new hotels openings joining the revered brand this year. From Avant-guard architecture in Miami to a carbon-neutral eco lodge in The Galapagos Islands and a converted 20th century palace in Madrid, this pick of new hotel additions highlights the ever growing diversity of the SLH collection.Vintro Hotel & Kitchen, Miami, USA – Opened July 2014
Vintro Hotel & Kitchen is a sophisticated new addition to SLH boasting 50 rooms and six suites. Located in the heart of the South Beach cultural district, the hotel is situated in an ideal location; close to the nightlife, the Bass Museum of Art, The New World Symphony and just steps away from the ocean. Guests can hire bikes from the hotel to tour the neighbouring areas, or charter the hotel’s ‘Vintro’ yacht with its crew and sail to the Biscayne Bay. Hotel amenities include an alluring interior courtyard leading to an alfresco dining area overlooking Collins Canal, a freshwater pool with a steam room and Jacuzzi, and a luxurious rooftop lounge and bar. The dining experience will be led by Executive Consulting Chef Giorgios Bakatsias who is collaborating with Chef de Cuisine, Keith Suarino; with signature dishes including salt crusted Florida red snapper with citrus and herbs and crispy calamari bruschetta.

Pikaia Lodge, Santa Cruz Island, the Galapagos – Opening September 2014
The new Pikaia Lodge will soon become the first SLH property to open in Ecuador, located in the centre of the Galapagos on Santa Cruz Island. The carbon-neutral lodge represents the next step in the evolution of luxury eco-adventure. With the 14 rooms nestled amongst the slopes of two extinct volcano craters, Pikaia Lodge offers expansive views of the arid savannah of the adjacent Galapagos National Park and spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean and nearby islands. Taking advantage of its central location, the hotel operates daily land and sea tours on its private yacht, as well as making use of its facilities including its own giant tortoise reserve, a gourmet restaurant, a bar and relaxing spa, and a beautiful pool.

Urso Hotel & Spa, Madrid, Spain – Opening September 2014
Urso Hotel & Spa will open its doors on 1 September 2014, making it Madrid’s first five-star boutique property. The early 20th century palace has been meticulously restored, creating a well-designed contemporary building with 78 rooms and suites. Nestled in between the Chamberi and Chueca neighbourhoods, the hotel is situated only five minutes from the city centre, perfect for exploring all that Madrid has to offer from its shopping, the “golden triangle” featuring the Reina Sofia, the Prado and the Thyssen-Bornemisza, and its unrivalled nightlife. The 78 sleek and stylish rooms have been decorated with a blend of honey-toned woods, marble floors, fine fabrics and scattered rugs. Hotel amenities include a lap pool, fitness centre, stylish lounge bar and restaurant and Madrid’s first luxury branded spa by Spanish skincare specialist Natura Bissé, winner of Best Luxury Spa Brand in 2012 and 2013.

Please note: photo credit – Small Luxury Hotels of the World

Daniel Fountain / 09.09.2014

Editor, Hotel Designs

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Fun fact: I’m usually the person friends rely on to organise trips, schedules, and group plans.

Workhighlights: Successfully coordinating events from planning through to delivery and seeing everything come together on the day.

Fun fact: I’m a keen cyclist and will happily bore people with copious amounts of cycling chat. My top cycling experience (so far) would have to be riding in the spectacular mountains of Crete.

Work highlights: Charles joined Forum Events in 2022. With a background in publishing, editorial media and events, Charles brings a wealth of experience to his role as Senior Production Manager. Having being involved with SPACE from the outset, he is excited to see the brand grow and develop.

Fun fact: People tell Sienna she gives off Bridget Jones vibes, and she loves to bake, always making sure there are shortbreads floating around the office

Work highlights: Sienna joined Forum Events & Media Group while studying Communications and Media, starting in the sales team where she managed and helped launch the first the PA Life Leading Venues of London SHOWCASE, where she built relationships with luxury venues across the capital. Drawn to the stories behind these spaces, she naturally transitioned into the editorial team, creating social media and editorial content. Upon graduating in June 2026, she is excited to be joining as Assistant Editor for Hotel Designs and SPACE.

Fun fact: When not working, Jess can usually be found tending to her kitchen garden in the Sussex countryside or foraging for herbs in the nearby woods. A keen grower, she recently studied a RHS Level 2 Diploma in the Principles of Horticulture during her spare time.

Work highlights: Jess joined SPACE magazine in 2022 and has since progressed from Assistant Editor to Editor. During this time, she has worked across many aspects of the publication – from shaping editorial strategy and overseeing operations to contributing to art direction and representing the brand on stage at industry events including Surface Design Show and WOW!house.

Alongside her role at SPACE, Jess has built a creative career spanning the arts, culture, design and travel sectors. Prior to joining the magazine, she spent more than a decade in the commercial art industry, in artist liaison, gallery management, and curating collections for the hospitality sector across hotels and cruise ships. During this time, she also worked on freelance projects as a writer, photographer, and creative content producer.
 
Jess studied photojournalism at London College of Communication and the Danish School of Media and Journalism and holds a first-class BA (Hons) in Culture, Criticism and Curation from Central Saint Martins.

Fun fact: Katy has spent years perfecting all kinds of accents and loves a good impersonation!

Work highlights: Katy has been with Hotel Designs since the beginning, way back in 2015 when Forum Events & Media Group acquired the brand.

During this time, she has fostered many meaningful relationships with clients from across the hospitality spectrum, as well as playing a pivotal role in the launch of The Brit List Awards, Hotel Designs MEET UPs, client-led roundtables and panel talks, brand and website redesigns, HD Wellness Sets, DESIGN POD podcast, Hotel Designs LIVE panel talk series, Accessible Design Talks and more. Katy is always on the lookout for the next opportunity to help grow the Hotel Designs brand even further.
 
Most recently Katy has stepped in to the role of Publisher at SPACE magazine, the printed bi-monthly publication focused on hotel design, architecture, and development.

Together these platforms offer a comprehensive 360-degree service encompassing digital media, print publishing, and live events – providing unparalleled value to advertisers, partners, and readers alike.