Leading Hotels, one of the largest luxury independent hotel collections in the world, adds six new hotels to its portfolio of more than 400 hotels in over 80 countries. With features including signature restaurants by celebrity chefs and an exceptional arts and performance venue, the newest Leading Hotels reflect their destinations through luxury design, culture and amazing cuisine.
Nobu Hotel Riyadh, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
A passion project by Robert De Niro and Chef Nobu, Nobu Hotel Riyadh is scheduled to open early 2016. Set at the heart of downtown Riyadh, the first luxury boutique hotel in the Kingdom has interiors designed by Rockwell Group, and offers 134 thoughtfully equipped guestrooms, custom-furnished with subtle Japanese and regional influences. Given the hotel’s DNA, food and beverage will play a large part in the experience, with headliner Nobu Restaurant serving South American-influenced Japanese cuisine;
Hotel Granduca Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
Slated to open early Novmber, Hotel Granduca Austin is set on a hilltop in the Westlake area, offering sweeping views of the Texas Hill Country. Continuing the Tuscan-inspired traditions of its sibling property in Houston, the hotel has 194 residential-style rooms and suites featuring Italian accents. Named one of the best hotel chefs in America by the James Beard Foundation, Chef Tom Salvatore Parlo will oversee Ristorante Visconti, highlighting Northern Italian cuisine with a refreshing twist. In addition to creative cocktails, Bar Malatesta will have a full menu, while the pool bar, with lounge and dining areas, will serve light fare. In addition to extensive walking trails on the 38-acre site, the hotel will have an outdoor swimming pool surrounded by well-appointed cabanas, and a bocce ball court.
Villa Dubrovnik, Dubrovnik, Croatia
Nestled among pine, orange, and lemon trees, Villa Dubrovnik takes full advantage of the region’s mild climate and its cliff-side location. All of the hotel’s 56 rooms and suites have balconies with panoramas of the Adriatic or the Old City. Serving Mediterranean fare with a Croatian twist, Restaurant Pjerin offers indoor and outdoor seating, while Bar Giardino is perfect for light lunches in a garden. For some of the best views in Dubrovnik,
guests can visit the rooftop Prosciutto and Wine Bar. The hotel has a spa and gym, as well as an indoor pool with large windows opening onto an outdoor terrace, and a swimming platform with lounge areas giving access to the sea. The hotel provides complimentary transfers from its own jetty to the Old City harbor in a stylish wooden speedboat.
L’Horizon Resort & Spa, Palm Springs, California, USA
Built in 1952 by renowned architect William F. Cody, the hotel has been reimagined by designer Steve Hermann, reviving the essence of its illustrious past. Spread over three acres, the 25 suites in bungalow-style buildings – many with private patios and outdoor showers – provide an intimate atmosphere in a serene setting. Under Michelin-starred Chef, Giacomo Pettinari, SO+PA restaurant serves an eclectic menu, complemented by a predominantly West Coast wine list. The sybaritic spa with private outdoor showers, offers a range of treatments, many incorporating products indigenous to the desert.
Faena Hotel Miami Beach, Miami, Florida, USA
Cinematic visionaries, director Baz Luhrmann and his costume-and-set-designer wife, Catherine Martin, were tapped as consultants on all aspects of the hotel. Encompassing an entire floor, the oceanfront Tierra Santa Spa will be Miami’s first South American-inflected destination spa devoted to the art of living well. The property will also feature the Faena Forum, a massive arts and performance venue, designed by Rem Koolhass.
The Reverie Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
From a prime location on Nguyen Hue Boulevard, The Reverie Saigon celebrated its grand opening earlier this month. Anchoring the 39-story multi-purpose Times Square Building in the central business district of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, the hotel is comprised of 286 opulent rooms and suites offering panoramic views overlooking the city and the winding Saigon River through floor-to-ceiling windows. Interiors by several top Italian design houses are unabashedly lush and lavishly appointed. Among the distinctive restaurants, guests will find destination venues serving Chinese, Italian and French fare, as well as a ground-floor café with a 48-meter bar counter. In addition to a 1,200-square-meter spa, there is well-equipped gym and an outdoor pool.
