Many of us are already anticipating 2021 with optimism – and a number of new hotel properties slated to open next year are only adding to that excitement.

Design trends indicate that hotel architects are emphasizing the destination, creating spaces that illuminate the natural beauty and energy of a location. Property designs incorporate smart technology with eco-friendly elements, like living greenery and seamless indoor/outdoor transitions. Sustainability also plays a role in how a hotel property incorporates existing design elements in their renovation or new design: some hotels, for instance, are taking historic sites and blending vintage architectural elements with modern amenities.

Our list is packed with everything from boutique hotels to global luxury brands with some rockstar interior designers and design firms featured.  Despite the pandemic, there's still nothing like staying at a luxury hotel arriving in the hotel room, and let go of the day-to-day stresses.  From Athens to Barcelona and Malaysia to Miami, there are incredible hotels in your backyard that you probably don't even know about.  Some of us prefer ultra-modern all-glass hotels with museum-quality art collections and others prefer rugged retreats.  Whatever your preferences, design inspiration is all about taking elements from a variety of the best hotels.

From insane living rooms and hotel interiors to Infiniti edge swimming pools this list will give you a taste of the high life.

These 30 hotels opening in 2021 exemplify some of the hottest design trends in the hospitality industry – here’s what we have to look forward to visiting next year.

1. Amanvari, East Cape Baja, Mexico 

Amanvari in Baja’s Eastern Cape will offer 20 contemporary, private pavilions perched on stilts in a beachfront, tropical mangrove. These modern accommodations will each have two floors with living space, wrap-around decks, and a cantilevered private pool, plus fire pits and hammocks. 

2. Rosewood São Paulo, Brazil 

Rosewood São Paulo’s striking architecture houses 180 rooms and suites in a “vertical park.” The property is designed by world-renowned architect Jean Nouvel with interiors by Philippe Starck. This property includes natural Brazilian wood blended with Italian elements. 

3. One&Only Resorts Kea Island, Greece

One&Only Resorts is coming to Kea Island, Greece with resort-style rooms, suites, and villas. The design of this property integrates classic Hellenic architecture with modern amenities and seamless indoor/outdoor transitions. 

4. Etéreo, Riviera Maya, Mexico 

Etéreo is Auberge’s latest addition in Mexico. The resort is designed to look like a series of coral stone structures that reference Mayan culture. Floating above the tropical vegetation, areas of the resort are connected by a hidden network of boardwalks and pathways. 

5. Stanly Ranch, Napa Valley 

Stanly Ranch in Napa Valley, California is one of the most highly anticipated openings of 2021. The property will include 135 cottages nestled in the vineyard, with patios that open directly onto the vines overlooking the Mayacamas Mountains. We expect Stanly Ranch to incorporate lots of natural building materials, open spaces, and natural light. 

6. Montage Big Sky, Montana

Montage Big Sky is coming to Big Sky, Montana. The property is designed to provide ski-in, ski-out access to 5,800 skiable acres. In the summer, guests can enjoy an 18-hole golf course designed by Tom Weiskopf. The hotel promises to be ultra-luxurious with five-star amenities just an hour’s drive from Yellowstone National Park. 

7. Nobu Hotel Toronto, Canada 

Nobu Hotel in Toronto is a striking addition to the city’s skyline. In line with the design trend of repurposing existing building materials, Nobu Toronto is designated as a heritage site and will retain the original brick façade from the Pilkington Glass Factory previously on the site – as well as Art Deco design elements from the early 1900s.

8. Six Senses Ibiza, Spain

Six Senses in Ibiza, Spain promises to offer townhouses, pool suites and “beach cave units” overlooking the blue waters of Cala Xarraca Bay. Initial mockups of the design show minimalist, natural elements blended with the rustic appeal of the Spanish island vibe. 

9. W Hotel Edinburgh, Scotland

Designed by architecture firm Jestico + Whiles, the W Hotel in Edinburgh will incorporate a winding steel ‘ribbon’ that recalls a spiral of paper – a nod to the neighborhood’s history as a home to Edinburgh’s printing presses. The design also considers the area’s status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in its smaller footprint. 

10. Costa Navarino, Greece

Costa Navarino is another hotel opening in Greece and part of three new areas under development in Messinia. The resort puts the natural setting first with an earth-sheltered design. Accommodations are built into the hillside with planted roofs discreet private pools. 

11. The Langham, Gold Coast, Australia

Langham Hospitality Group is opening a new hotel in Surfer’s Paradise, Australia in one of the three landmark towers of the Jewel development project. This destination will feature 180-degree views of the Pacific Ocean, plus a sky terrace and bar, an indoor free-form pool (plus a second outdoor pool), and a 700-square-meter ballroom.

12. The Langham, Jakarta, Indonesia

Langham Hospitality Group is also opening a new property in Jakarta, Indonesia – designed by Smallwood, Reynolds, Stewart, Stewart, one of the world’s top international architectural firms. The hotel will feature a 336 square meter Presidential Suite with its own outdoor terrace.

13. Mondrian Cannes, France

The Mondrian brand is slated to open a newly redesigned hotel on the city’s Promenade de la Croisette. Mondrian Cannes’ will feature custom-designed interiors by Monaco-based architects Christophe Poyet and Emil Humnert.

14. Six Senses New York

The Six Senses' new project in Manhattan will feature two twisting towers designed by architect Bjarke Ingels between the Hudson River and the High Line. The interiors are going to be designed by Parisian firm Gilles & Boissier and promise to be contemporary, modern, and full of natural ambiance. 

15. Castello di Reschio, Italy

Castello di Reschio is another great example of an existing building getting a modern facelift. Located in Umbria, the owner is also an architect, and personally supervised the renovation and redesign of this 10th-century castle to include upscale amenities and modern touches. 

16. Krugar Shalati, South Africa

Krugar Shalati is a totally unique hotel coming to South Africa in 2021; it’s built inside a restored vintage train floating on a bridge above the Sabie River. The permanently parked train includes local art and furnishings to evoke the area, plus access to the game park. 

17. Xigera, Botswana 

Xigera is opening in Botswana’s Moremi Game Reserve and is designed to offer a unique safari experience – the lodge is positioned to sit over the water of the Okavango Delta so that guests can enjoy uninterrupted views of wildlife. You can also book a stay in the three-story steel baobab tree nearby.

18. Chablé Sea of Cortez, Mexico

Chablé Sea of Cortez in Mexico uses architecture to blend with the natural environment while offering uninterrupted sea views from every room. The property will focus on wellness, with a huge spa, private beach, and ocean-front pool. 

19. Aman New York, USA 

Aman New York will take over the Crown Building, formerly the location of the Museum of Modern Art in Manhattan. The redesign retains much of the building’s historic charm paired with luxurious elements designed by Jean-Michel Gathy, a leader in hospitality design.

20. Radisson Hotel Perm, Russia

Radisson is opening its first property in Perm, Russia. The property is designed by Twelve Architects, an award-winning international architecture firm. The interior will be Scandanavian-style, while the exterior takes its inspiration from the folds of a ballerina’s skirt – a callback to when the Bolshoi ballet company was based in the city.  

21.  Casa Formentera, Spain

Casa Formentera will open in Spain’s Balearic Islands in the style of beach-y, boho-chic luxury. With just 14 rooms available, this exclusive hotel will feature “neutral tones, polished concrete floors, lots of natural wood and linens, tropical plants and African style ceramics with rattan screens providing stylish touches,” according to the property’s press release.

22. LXR Roku Kyoto, Japan

LXR Roku Kyoto Resort in Japan will be set among the Takagamine Sanzan mountains, part of a 28.6-acre enclave that’s home to some of Kyoto's most notable gardens, historic architecture, and authentic tea houses. The resort was designed with the Japanese concept that “beautiful things are born from a beautiful environment” in mind.

23. K?lesma Mykonos, Greece

Kalesma will soon be the only property in the world to have pieces by designer Rick Owens – and that’s just the start. Kalesma’s look and feel is inspired by Mykonian history, with natural materials such as wood, marble, and stone giving a contemporary twist to classic Cycladic style.

24. Four Seasons Chao Phraya River, Bangkok

Four Seasons Chao Phraya River is the Four Season’s upcoming opening in Bangkok, Thailand. The interior of this prestigous hotel is designed by world-renowned architect Jean-Michel Gathy; there’s also a collection of art installations curated by Gathy.

25. Canopy by Hilton, Kuala Lumpur 

Canopy by Hilton is opening a new location in the Malaysian metropolis of Kuala Lumpur. The architecture and interior design will be inspired and influenced by its local surroundings, positioning the hotel as a natural extension of the neighborhood. 

26. Daxton Hotel, Michigan

The Daxton Hotel in Michigan is scheduled to open in early 2021 – and already taking reservations! Guests can enjoy luxurious design touches and art curated by world-famous Saatchi Art. 

27. Pendry West Hollywood, Los Angeles

The Pendry’s design and decor reflects it’s stylish position on Los Angeles’ Sunset Strip. The Pendry mixes Art Deco with contemporary, modern elements. The hotell will offer a rooftop pool, a members-only social club, live entertainment and a food and beverage menu by Wolfgang Puck.

28. The Tasman, Australia

The Tasman is Mariott’s newest project coming to Hobart, Tasmania. The hotel design echoes the building’s original heritage, maintaining Art Deco details with modern elements and luxurious amenities. 

29.  Raffles the Palm, UAE

Raffles the Palm is on track to be the talles building on the UAE’s Palm Jumeirah, standing at almost 260 meters high. The hotel is set to offer 125 rooms and suites, as well as 359 branded residences – including 16 penthouses.

30. Anantara Jinsha Chengdu Hotel, China

Anantara Jinsha Chengdu is a planned urban oasis. The property will sit in front of a 47-hectare eco wetland park, one of the largest outdoor spaces in the middle of Chengdu. 

If these stunning hotels are anything to go by, 2021 is shaping up to be a trend-setting year for designers and architects in the hospitality sector.