The 2020 Wanderlust List
While the world’s under lockdown, flights are grounded and airports closed due to COVID-19, we’re dreaming of the new and upcoming designer hotels in wanderlust-inducing destinations to keep us inspired and optimistic about the future
K5, Tokyo
Asia Pacific
01
Four Seasons, Bangkok, by New York-based AvroKO is an urban retreat on the Chao Phraya river.
02
Habita Architects-designed Six Senses Bhutan is a clutch of five luxury properties that each offer a unique experience of the country.
03
Tucked away in the heart of Marunouchi central business district is another Four Seasons by Denniston, this one an intimate boutique hotel.
04
Scandivaian design meets Japanese sensibilities at K5 in Tokyo, designed by Swedish firm Claesson Koivisto Rune.
05
Rosewood Guangzhou, which spans the sixteen uppermost levels of the city’s tallest skyscraper, was designed by Yabu Pushelberg to be a ‘mansion in the sky’.
06
Designed by Kengo Kuma, Ace Hotel celebrates Kyoto’s abundance of art, nature and ever-evolving culture.
07
Nestled in the picture-perfect Gaafu Alifu Atol, Raffles Maldives Meradhoo by BLINK is a destination in its own right.
08
Beijing’s first Mandarin Oriental was designed by Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA) and is just steps away from the Forbidden City.
09
Bali’s Desa Potato Head, designed by OMA, is set to be a multidimensional experience where music, art, design, food, wellness and sustainability meet.
Il Palazzo Experimental, Venice
Europe
01
Dubbed ‘the world’s first super boutique hotel’ and designed by Yabu Pushelberg, 350-room The Londoner is set to open in June 2020 in the heart of London’s Leicester square.
02
A few steps away from the Champs-Élysées, Monsieur George is housed in a Haussmannian townhouse with interiors by Anouska Hempel.
03
Designed by FG Stijl, Park Centraal Amsterdam channels all the charm of neighbouring Leidseplein and Vondelpark.
04
Housed in a Renaissance palace revived by designer Dorothée Meilichzon, Il Palazzo Experimental in Venice’s Dorsoduro neighbourhood is close to cultural attractions like the Guggenheim Collection and Galleria dell’Accademia.
05
Contemporary design meets France’s regal past at Cour des Vosges in Paris, designed by Lecoadic-Scotto on the national heritage site of the former Hôtel de Montbrun.
06
Michele Bönan has transformed the former European Consulate into J.K.’s first location outside of Italy, J.K. Place Rive Gauche in Paris.
07
Opening mid-2020, The Sister Hotel — designed by Quincoces-Dragò & Partners — is nestled in a secret courtyard in the heart of Milan; the fact that it has only nine rooms adds to the appeal.
08
Space Copenhagen brings its brand of Nordic cool to The Stratford, in East London’s upcoming cultural area of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
09
Designed by Vincent van Duysen, August in Antwerp is a soothing urban retreat where Belgian architecture meets contemporary modernism
10
The Hoxton’s sixth European property is set to open in Rome’s up-and-coming Salario district. In-house studio Ennismore Design Studio worked in collaboration with Fettle Design to create the characteristically cool interiors.
11
Hiking, scuba diving and boating along the pristine stretch of Adriatic coast are just some of the activities guests can look forward to at the ultra-luxe Janu Montenegro, designed by Elastic Architects and Yabu Pushelberg.
12
Designed by Yabu Pushelberg, Pan Pacific’s first European outpost in London may only be opening late in 2020, but it’s already won accolades for its architecture, design and mixed-use development.
13
Remote, luxurious and with picture-perfect views over the Aegean Sea, Nature Eco Residences Santorini (by Dimitris Loukas) offers complete R&R.
Moxy Chelsea, New York
North America
01
Designed by Denniston, the Aman New York has opened in the transformed Crown Building at the midpoint of Manhattan.
02
In the heart of the fashion district, the Downtown LA Proper is housed in a California Renaissance Revival landmark that has been reimagined and updated by Kelly Wearstler
03
The West Hollywood EDITION makes its home in a John Pawson-designed building and is inspired by Southern California’s landscape and the revolutionary pop-culture energy of the Sunset Strip in the 60s and 70s.
04
Paligroup brings its whimsical yet refined aesthetic beachside with Palihouse Santa Monica, a 38-room boutique beach lodge in a Spanish Colonial Revival-style heritage building.
05
Both by Rockwell Group and both in New York, Moxy East Village & Moxy Chelsea both pay tribute to the character of their respective neighbourhoods.
06
The Hoxton, Downtown LA is designed by Ennismore and overlooks the iconic neon lights of Broadway.
The Oberoi, Marrakech
Middle East & Africa
01
On the southern edge of the stunning Namibian desert and designed by Geraldine Dohogne, Sonop is the ultimate in isolated luxury.
02
In the renowned Sabi Sand Game Reserve in South Africa, Cheetah Plains exclusive Plains Houses — designed by ARRCC — are private retreats from which to experience the landscape and wildlife.
03
Cape Town gets its first Design Hotel in the form of Gorgeous George, by local designer Tristan du Plessis.
04
In Marrakech, architect Patrick Collier and interior designer Hayat Kabbaj created five-star The Oberoi after traditional Moroccan palaces.
