Britain’s best new hotels for 2024
My top 10 launches to watch this year
You would be forgiven for thinking there couldn’t be many more luxury hotels to launch in London, which has seen the likes of Raffles at the OWO (see my review here) and The Peninsula both enter the uber-luxury hotel market, last year. But there are more to come in the capital and around the country, including a new offering from the group behind Claridge’s, as well as Six Senses and the Park Hyatt, all opening in London. Here’s my pick of the best:
1. The Emory
Top of the list is the super-luxe The Emory, the newest offering from the Maybourne Hotel Group, which owns Claridge’s, The Connaught and The Berkeley. The Emory is in a modern building designed by Richard Rogers and Ivan Harbour, in the discreet Belgravia laneway Old Barrack Yard. It is an all-suite hotel, with 60 rooms, four-floor spa and residents-only rooftop and bar. It is set to open in April.
2. 100 Princes St
Delayed from its planned opening last year, comes Edinburgh’s lovely 100 Princes St, in the former Overseas League HQ. This Red Carnation hotel is now scheduled to open in spring, with interiors inspired by Alexander McQueen, using local tartan and crafts. The 30-room hotel has an “Explorers’ Club” and whiskey wall. I’m looking forward to this one.
3. Mandarin Oriental Mayfair
Also on my hot list last year, but delayed, comes the second London hotel for the luxury Mandarin Oriental hotel group. Situated in Hanover Square on the site of a former office block, this 50-room boutique hotel will contain 80 apartments alongside a boutique, luxury spa and rooftop bar. It opens in the spring.
4. Six Senses London
Another ultra-luxury hotel to arrive in London, is Six Senses, which has taken over the iconic Whiteleys store in Bayswater and is scheduled to open this summer. It will include 110 rooms with 14 residences and, as you would expect, an enormous spa, with indoor pool, which is set to become the city’s premier wellness destination.
5. The Store
Whiteleys is not the only historic store being turned into a hotel, as it’s joined by Oxford’s former Boswells department store. It is being transformed into The Store, by the team behind Paris’ chic Hotel Dames des Arts, which launched last year. It will include 101 rooms, a rooftop bar and spa and will be open early this year.
6. art’otel Hoxton
I loved my stay in art’otel Battersea last year and now London gets its second outpost, with the arrival of art’otel Hoxton. Opening in March, this hotel’s signature artist is D*Face, as well as two Banksys and other work by up-and-coming artists. With 357 rooms, like Battersea, it has a destination restaurant and bar with fabulous views.
7. Park Hyatt London River Thames
Still in London, across the river, in Nine Elms, comes the city’s first Park Hyatt, opening late this year. With 203 rooms and suites, the luxury hotel has a huge spa and beautiful swimming pool (I’m a sucker for a hotel pool) and is set to put the neighbourhood around Vauxhall on the map.
8. The Newman
Yet another hotspot for London, is The Newman, a boutique hotel on Newman St in Fitzrovia (the next road to Charlotte St and its lovely Charlotte St Hotel). The 81-room hotel is the first from Kinsfolk and Co (CEO Paul Brackley previously launched The Beaumont and the Shangri-La at The Shard, so you can see where it’s positioning itself). It will have a large brasserie and spa and is due to open late this year.
9. The Pig on the Farm
Hooray for somewhere outside of London. The Pig group continues its expansion of weekend destinations, with fabulous restaurants. Opening this year, is The Pig on the Farm, just south of Stratford-upon-Avon, in a 16th-century stone manor house, set in 53 acres of grounds. It will have 35 rooms and suites, restaurant and spa treatments. It will be followed by The Pig at Groombridge, in 2025, which is particularly exciting for me, as it’s not far from me and in the beautiful house Groombridge Place, which inspired frequent visitor Arthur Conan Doyle to use it in one of his Sherlock stories. Love a literary connection..
10. The Gallivant Littlestone Beach
Another luxury hotel coming to my locale, is The Gallivant Littlestone Beach. It will be close to its popular Camber Sands hotel, The Gallivant, which dubs itself “Happiness is a place,” which may or may not have anything to do with the fact it doesn’t allow children, but does allow dogs… Part of the Small Luxury Hotels group, The Gallivant has won lots of awards, which is why it’s now launching a second site on Littlestone Beach, in Kent, between Dungeness and Dymchurch.