From luxury brands to barefoot on the beach, this months VIP openings covers it all. The creativity on the design front also spans the spectrum, from the Art Deco inspired grandeur of the restoration project that has culminated in Sommerro in Oslo, to the bold primary colours of Radio Hotel in uptown Manhattan, showcasing as always the energy and diversity of the hotel design landscape…
As seasons change and, depending on which side of the equator you find yourself, days are becoming noticeably shorter or tantalisingly longer, the year rolls on, gathering momentum – as do the hotel openings which show no sign of slowing down. In this VIP opening for September we list a few that have caught our eye from all corners of the globe with incredible locations and inspiring designs.
Sommerro, Oslo
Image credit: Sommerro / Francisco Nogueira
Nordic Hotels & Resorts is bringing one of Oslo’s most iconic buildings back to life as Sommerro. With panoramic views of the Norwegian capital, Sommerro is housed in the former headquarters of Oslo Lysverker, the city’s original electrical company, and will be a modern tribute to Norwegian cultural heritage, with a strong focus on eco-conscious experiences. A community in its own right, the 231-key, art-deco hotel, complete with 56 branded residences, will shelter four restaurants and three bars, meeting and event spaces with capacity for up to 150 people, a 100-seat gilded theatre, a gym and wellness space, and the city’s first year-round rooftop pool, sauna, and terrace.
Radio Hotel
Image credit: Radio Hotel
Radio Hotel is opening as the first-ever full-service boutique hotel in Upper Manhattan’s Washington Heights. The hotel is the central anchor of the mixed-use development, which includes a restaurant, dedicated event space, office and retail space, an activated courtyard, and a rooftop lounge with 360° panoramic views of downtown Manhattan.
Finding inspiration in existing architectural patterns found throughout the neighbourhood and adopting the vibrant colours of local storefronts, Architects MVRDV and Stonehill Taylor designed Radio Hotel and Tower to resemble a vertically built Washington Heights, creating the Lego-like structure of whimsical and colourful ‘blocks’ of green, yellow, blue, orange and magenta, which are echoed in the interior design.
Radisson RED Gdansk
Image credit: Radisson Hotels
Radisson RED Gdańsk, the first Radisson RED property in Poland has opened its doors, taking Radisson Hotel Group’s portfolio in Poland to 22 properties in operation and under development. The hotel is part of the redevelopment of Granary Island, situated in the centre of the Pomeranian capital on the Baltic Sea, and is housed in a reconstructed port warehouse right by the Motława River. During its reconstruction, the original walls were retained, giving the building a truly unique loft-style look. The interiors are designed in an eclectic, playful style with surprising decorative elements that play on the building’s history and location.
Brown Beach Eretria and Brown Beach Chalkida
Image credit: Brown Hotels
Known for its quirky, design-driven collection of boutique urban properties, Brown Hotels expanded into beach-side offerings earlier this summer with the launch of its inaugural resort, Isla Brown Corinthia. With the opening of Brown Beach Eretria and Brown Beach Chalkida the brand is introducing a hospitality concept new to the group, presenting four-star, beach-front resorts both complete with swimming pools, a bar and restaurant, wellness centre, spa and events space. Brown Beach Eretria and Brown Beach Chalkida are the first to launch under the new sub-brand.
Selina Tulum Downtown
Image credit: Selina
Slated to open end of September, the newest member of the Selina portfolio, Selina Tulum Downtown, is located on the Caribbean coastline of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. With over 163 location in the portfolio Selina epitomises the new generation of experiential travel. Delivering more than a place to stay, alongside the beautifully designed guestrooms at the new Tulum location, the hotel will also shelter a co-working space, pool, wellness area and spa, a bar & restaurant, and a nightclub. The brand ethos is to ‘provides guests with beautiful places to stay, travel, and work abroad indefinitely’, tapping directly into the zeitgeist of the decade.
citizenM Miami Brickell
Image credit: citizenM
It has been a busy year on the Miami hospitality scene, and citizenM is not a brand to be left out of the party. The new citizenM Miami Brickell is located in the vibrant neighbourhood of Backyard, which just won Architizer’s A+ Award for Architecture and Urban Transformation, and is the perfect backdrop for the latest offering of ‘affordable luxury’. The hotel will shelter 252 guestrooms, along with a 24/7 kitchen that feeds hungry arrivals from all time zones, and eight societyM meeting rooms.
Waldorf Astoria Kuwait
Image credit: Hilton Hotels
Finally, ending on a luxurious note, Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts has made its debut in Kuwait this month with the opening of the highly anticipated Waldorf Astoria Kuwait, which is, true to brand, a refined haven blending timeless elegance with modern sensibility and sincere service, situated in the heart of Kuwait City. The hotel shelters 200 contemporary deluxe rooms and suites with panoramic views of the vibrant city skyline, providing guests with a transformative journey of the senses, from exquisite dining venues and beautiful event spaces to the awe-inspiring Waldorf Astoria Spa.
Main image credit: Brown Hotels
