Stephanie Chen

🏗️ Designed by NOA, Berdenesh Hills in southern Albania spans nearly 280,000 square feet, featuring around 250 apartments and a hotel. Inspired by the coastal landscape and Tirana's rural transition, it mimics a citadel with a central piazza. The architecture integrates with the surroundings using raw plaster in earthy tones. Rooflines mirror the terrain across five terraced levels, offering sea views. Preliminary design approval is secured, and construction is set to start this year.

🏨 Kimpton Ashbel New York – Park Avenue officially opened on Manhattan's Park Avenue, revitalizing a historic building from 1928. The hotel features 205 guestrooms, including 14 connecting rooms, designed by Busta Studio. It combines modern luxury with classic charm, offering interconnected residential-style spaces. The living room serves as a central gathering area, and the Park & Bel café adds vibrancy. The hotel also showcases a curated art program from Soho Art Gallery.

🏨 New Waterloo will open Cincinnati’s Fidelity Hotel in July 2023, revitalizing the 13-story Gwynne Building, originally built in 1913. The hotel includes 165 accommodations, 17 suites, and a 2,575-square-foot Vanderbilt Ballroom. The design blends French Beaux-Arts with local identity, offering 7,770 square feet of event space, a fitness center, and three dining options: Gwynne restaurant, a lobby bar, and Cora’s All Day Café. This follows their 2025 Ohio hotel opening in Cleveland.

🏨 Hôtel Crillon le Brave, suspended above French Provençal vineyards, reopened with a new season. The estate expanded to 12 buildings, integrating three restored historic houses and offering nine new rooms. The interiors, guided by architect Charles Zana, use local stone and antique terracotta tiles. New shared spaces include Maison Tilleul, seating 14, designed by Margaux Perrin. The Spa des Écuries, in 18th-century stables, features a hammam, sauna, jacuzzi, and cold baths.

🏨 Hotelier Ian Schrager is launching PUBLIC West Hollywood this summer on LA’s Sunset Strip. The 137-key hotel collaborates with architect John Pawson, offering a Californian luxury experience. Key features include a vibrant lobby, pool, and three outdoor dining venues. The Roof, a 16,000-square-foot private park, offers 360-degree views and a 30-foot movie screen. Guestrooms double as screening rooms, while the after-hours club provides a speakeasy vibe with immersive sound.

🌴 Set to debut this summer, Tierras Villas is a family-conceived retreat by Omicron Hotels, located on Crete’s Mononaftis beach near Agia Pelagia. Led by Ioannis and Nikolaos Orfanaki, the villas showcase Mediterranean-inspired architecture. Five villas, including Villa Roe with an elevated pool and Villa Terra with a patio for gatherings, offer privacy and luxury. Features include private pools, modern kitchens, and wellness services with access to Acro Suites’ Bath House Spa.

🏨 Set in the former Whiteleys department store in Bayswater, Six Senses London features 109 hotel rooms and 14 residences. Designed by AvroKO, the project preserves the Grade II-listed structure, integrating modern elements. The property includes Whiteley’s Kitchen with a central show kitchen, a first-floor members club with a sculptural skylight, and a subterranean spa with a 65-foot pool. Guestrooms combine historical details with contemporary design, featuring Moroccan zellige tiles and adaptable cabinetry.

🏞️ Nobu Hospitality and Woolfox are launching Nobu Woolfox, a countryside development in Rutland, England, spanning 185 acres. It will include a hotel, restaurant, branded residences, and wellness amenities such as a spa, swimming pool, and gym. The design emphasizes natural landscapes and low-density living, offering a tranquil escape. CEO Trevor Horwell highlights this as Nobu's first countryside retreat, focusing on nature and relaxation, a departure from their urban projects.