6 new hotels to stay at in 2025

One of our New Year’s resolutions? To check out – and check in to – the finest new hotels. From celestial urban eyries and glittering desert oases to lavish tropical escapes and iconic addresses given a glossy refresh, these six homes away from home span centuries and oceans but all promise very special stays. 

Waldorf Astoria New York

Few hotel names are as iconic or historic as the Waldorf Astoria . The brand’s original New York property opened in 1893, only to be torn down 36 years later to make way for the Empire State Building. Its replacement, inaugurated in 1931, held its crown as the world’s tallest hotel until 1957. After an eight-year renovation, the latest iteration is finally set to reopen at that iconic Park Avenue address in mid-2025, following a transformation by famed interior designer Pierre-Yves Rochon. Many original features – such as Peacock Alley and the Grand Ballroom – remain in this 375-room Art Deco beauty. Stay here and you'll be following in the footsteps of both bona fide and Hollywood royalty, including Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Queen Elizabeth II and Marilyn Monroe.

Park Hyatt Tokyo

Hotel watering holes rarely get as famous as Park Hyatt Tokyo ’s New York Bar, immortalised on screen in the 2003 classic Lost in Translation. From October, you’ll once again be able to channel your inner Bill Murray or Scarlett Johansson, with the Shinjuku mainstay set to reopen following a full renovation marking its 30th anniversary, courtesy of Studio Jouin Manku. One unchanged element will be those 360-degree views over Tokyo, all the way to Mount Fuji. Dining options include the classy Japanese restaurant Kozue and a French brasserie, Girandole. 

W Riyadh

Covering a cool 1.6 million square metres, Riyadh’s King Abdullah Financial District is a burgeoning business and lifestyle destination which already boasts 95 skyscrapers. Adding to the cityscape will be the new W Riyadh . Guests in the Saudi capital will be catered for by seven restaurants plus signature spaces including the Wet Deck pool and the Living Room bar. Sustainability is promised through a mix of smart infrastructure and a design accredited by LEED, the world’s most widely used green building rating system.

InterContinental Halong Bay Resort

It’s less than three hours away from Hanoi but Halong Bay feels a universe away from the bustle of Vietnam’s capital. Known as “descending dragon” in Vietnamese, the Unesco World Heritage Site is home to an incredible 1,600 limestone karst islands, rising majestically from the famously turquoise waters. 

Set to open this month, InterContinental Halong Bay is the area’s first luxury hotel, upping the game with 175 guest rooms and five restaurants and bars. The rooftop Japanese spot Roku looks set to become the biggest draw, thanks to its prized vantage point, which promises views of the sun setting over a dazzling landscape with few equals. 

Aman Nai Lert Bangkok

A sister property to Janu Tokyo – winner of Asia’s must-stay sustainable hotel at the Cathay Members’ Choice Awards – Aman Nai Lert Bangkok is a green sanctuary in the heart of the Thai capital. Surrounded by an expanse of tropical gardens, the property is named for the pioneering Thai developer who established the city’s first five-star hotel – and the park from which the hotel now rises. The Aman brand’s 25th Asian address is the work of starchitect Jean-Michel Gathy and offers just 52 suites, all of which overlook the park and cityscape. On-property draws will include a wellness centre, omakase and teppanyaki restaurants, and a jazz bar. 

25hours Hotel the Olympia

The 25hours brand seeks to establish bases in “micro-locations” – less obvious neighbourhoods big on local heritage. Here, it is shining the spotlight on Sydney’s vibrant Paddington district by repurposing a one-time cinema that dates back to 1911. Old-school charm and Edwardian architectural details have been retained throughout the six floors and 109 rooms of the soon-to-open 25hours Hotel the Olympia . Location-wise, Sydney’s southern CBD can be reached on foot while there’s a handy bus outside straight to Bondi Beach.