This month’s global edit of some of the new hotels on the horizon covers a diverse range of place, personality, and design – from a caravan in the desert to a luxury outpost on a mountain peak, with a few beaches and ice holes in-between…
As the season shifts from Award to Christmas Party season, December has brought with it the requisite new wave of hotel openings reshaping the hospitality landscape. This month, across Europe, the Middle East, and the Arctic North, designers and hoteliers are crafting spaces that immerse guests in nature, celebrate local culture, and reimagine the art of escape.
Four Seasons Resort Mauritius
Image credit: Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts
Four Seasons Resort Mauritius at Anahita is located on the east coast of Mauritius, between, turquoise lagoons, lush tropical vegetation and the majestic Bambou Mountain.The design approach is a fusion of luxury and nature, celebrating the lush landscapes, vibrant culture, and energy of Mauritius.
The design team at 1508 London has created an immersive and sensory environment for the guests, by establishing a seamless connection between the interiors and the island’s natural landscape and rich culture. The spaces were envisioned as a ‘living canvas’, integrating the island’s raw beauty, by blending luxury with functionality, emphasising the harmony between the structure and the natural surroundings while honouring the unique culture, identity and location of the resort. The light-toned, down-to-earth colours, materials and natural finishes, reflect the beauty of the beach and surrounding environment, creating a sense of connection to nature.
At the same time, vibrant colours and patterns inspired by the colourful culture and heritage of Mauritius, breathe life and energy into the areas, in addition to handcrafted elements that emphasise the ties with local traditions and craftmanship. Each space invites guests to connect – or reconnect– with their surroundings, creating an immersive experience defined by subtle, thoughtful details and a profound sense of place.
Rosewood Courchevel
Image credit: Rosewood Hotels & Resorts
Rosewood Courchevel marks Rosewood’s debut winter resort and its second property in mainland France. Situated within the Jardin Alpin enclave of Courchevel 1850, one of the world’s most iconic ski destinations, Rosewood Courchevel Le Jardin Alpin reimagines the glamour of Courchevel’s 1960s golden age while embracing the vibrant spirit that has long defined the French Alps.
Bringing his signature tactile style to the chalet’s charming accommodations, designer Tristan Auer has seamlessly combined natural materials such as timber and stone with eye-catching copper accents and mirrored surfaces, lending a playful lightness to spaces that feel both intimate and spectacular. Guests are welcomed through sculptural, intricately carved doors into a private world of warmth and refinement, where fireplaces and sunlit terraces frame panoramic views of the French Alps.
ME Málaga
Image credit: ME Málaga
Stepping up to redefine contemporary hospitality on the Costa del Sol, ME Málaga features 128 rooms, 8 suites, and 14 junior suites, welcoming travellers, locals, and creatives alike. Its architecture and interiors, designed by ASAH Studio, reinterpret the spirit of southern Spain through natural materials, light, and contemporary art, transforming every corner into a sensory experience. The hotel lobby features original Picasso and Miró pieces, while on the rooftop, ME Málaga’s panoramic terrace emerges as the new social epicentre of the city: a stylish open-air space featuring a heated infinity pool, solarium, and live music.
The hotel has collaborated with designer Rafa García as well as artist Marina Anaya, who created the large, colourful welcome mural in the lobby. The spacious, light-filled rooms and suites offer views of Málaga’s old town. As part of the ME by Meliá x Lacoste collaboration, ME Málaga incorporates the unmistakable style of the French brand. The hotel team will wear pieces from the iconic sport-chic label, reinforcing the modern, fresh, and sophisticated identity that defines ME by Meliá.
Caravan Hatta by Our Habitas
Image credit: Ennismore
Ennismore and Dubai Holding have partnered to introduce Caravan Hatta by Our Habitas at Hatta Resorts. 50 bespoke ‘airstreams’ with sweeping views over the valley or lake will combine low-impact design, locally sourced materials and organic textiles that evoke a sense of place, while wooden decks invite moments of quiet reflection. The Lake House serves as the central gathering point – a striking communal space anchored by an expansive infinity pool offering panoramic mountain views. Experiential programming inspired by Hatta’s natural environment and cultural heritage will be central to the guest experience, with restorative rituals and creative workshops drawing from Hajar tradition.
Aethos Monterosa
Image credit: Aethos / Astet Studio
Located in the heart of the Italian Alps, Aethos Monterosa has unveiled a major renewal, redefining the guest experience while staying true to its roots. The most striking development is the creation of a second wing, home to 23 new suites set against magnificent mountain views. Designed by Barcelona-based Studio Astet, the new interiors are inspired by the natural contrasts of the Alpine landscape. Warm woods meet cool stone, steel accents highlight geometric details, and every space feels at once deeply traditional and quietly modern. It is a refined interpretation of the chalet: timeless in spirit, yet contemporary in execution. Astet’s philosophy runs through each detail, reinforcing the Aethos identity of immersive, intimate hospitality that heightens all the senses.
Echoing the valley’s colours and textures, the carefully selected elements define the character of the interiors and establish a clear dialogue between the hotel and its wider setting. . Traditional Alpine elements such as steep roofs, deep reveals and warm cores have been translated into simple, clean lined and well-proportioned architectural gestures. Surfaces are stripped back to their essence, the result is a property that offers total calm and organic tactility.
Skýra Retreat
Image credit: Skýra Retreat
Skýra Retreat redefines the art of the Arctic escape in Finland, just twenty minutes from Rovaniemi Airport, yet a world apart. Discreetly set between the glassy waters of Lake Norvajärvi and the ancient forests of Finnish Lapland, Skýra Retreat is an invitation to experience true Nordic luxury – intimate, elemental, and refreshingly understated. At its centre stands the Old Schoolhouse, a 1950s village landmark, elegantly transformed into a welcoming hideaway complete with a full-service restaurant.
The vision for Skýra Retreat is shaped by its founder Susanne Hulbekkmo in close collaboration with architect Enni Hukka and Johannes Jutila of UKI Arkkitehdit and interior designer Marjo Saarinen, whose tactile, nature-inspired aesthetic fuses seamlessly with contemporary Finnish architecture. Together, they have shaped the building’s unique story, blending heritage with a contemporary flair. The property offers a thoughtfully composed collection of 15 suites, each designed to reflect the tranquillity and clarity of Lapland’s natural landscape. Guests can choose from the striking Grande Suite, the log-built Mökki Log Suites, the evocative Teacher’s Chambers, or the exclusive Private Lakeside Villa – each space an invitation to rest, reflect, and reconnect. Skýra Retreat also marks a first for Finland, joining the exclusive Small Luxury Hotels of the World portfolio.
Mollie’s Manchester
Image credit: It’s Me Louis Photography / Mollie’s Manchester
Manchester is Mollie’s most ambitious launch to date, offering 128 rooms across five floors, ranging from classic doubles, twins and bunk rooms to studios and several luxe suites featuring freestanding bathtubs, walk-in wardrobes and Peloton bikes. Following the first road-side motel-and-diner sites in Oxfordshire and Bristol, Mollie’s Manchester is the visionary company’s first extensive city-centre property and an innovative blueprint for future city locations. An evolution from the original roadside model, but still distinctly ‘Mollie’s’.
Housed in the Old Granada TV Studios in the heart of city, the legendary building has been imaginatively re-invented, preserving the modernist façade and making playful nods to the building’s vibrant history, while also drawing on Manchester’s creative community to bring the work of artists and makers to the interior design story.
Main image credit: Rosewood Hotels & Resorts
