In March, 11 judges came together over two days via Zoom to carefully evaluate nearly 900 entries and select the finalists (and winners) of the 21st annual HD Project Awards. The distinguished panel considered design innovation, function, sustainability, purpose, and overall impressiveness of each of the submissions (which debuted between December 2023 and February 2025).

This year’s projects portion spans 30 categories, including Small Hotel (50 rooms and under), Branded Residences, Landscape + Outdoor Spaces, Transportation, and more.

Scroll through the 2025 Project Awards finalists below. Winners were revealed during a ceremony on May 6th at the Bellagio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas during HD Expo + Conference. To learn more about the awards program, visit hospitalitydesignawards.com.

Small Hotel

The Moore, Miami – WINNER
Architecture Firm: Cube-3 Architects, Miami
Interior Design Firm: Studio Collective, Venice, California
Interior Design Firms: Studio Collective, Venice, California, and ICRAVE, New York (initial concept and programming)
Owner: Brady and Megan Wood / Woodhouse Development
Operator: Woodhouse
Purchasing Firm: JWC Purchasing

Hotel Henrietta, New Orleans
Architecture and Interior Design Firm: Farouki Farouki, New Orleans
Owners: Formwork Development and Sandstone Hospitality
Operator: Sandstone Hospitality
Purchasing Firm: Summa International

Hotel Humano, Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, Mexico
Architecture Firm: Jorge Hernandez de la Garza, Mexico
Interior Design Firm: Plantea Estudio, Madrid
Owner, Operator, and Purchasing Firm: Grupo Habita

Lost Villa·Ginkgo Valley Hotel, Suizhou City, Hubei Province, China
Architecture and Interior Design Firm: Moguang Studio, Shanghai
Owner: Lost Villa Hotel Management Company
Operator and Purchasing Firm: MO&Nature Group

Budget/Select-Service Hotel

Now Now NoHo, New York – WINNER
Architecture Firm: Gene Kaufman Architect, New York
Interior Design Firm: Islyn Studio, New York
Owner, Operator, and Purchasing Firm: Dovetail and Co.

Drifter Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand
Architecture Firm: Urbanfunction, Christchurch, Canterbury
Interior Design Firm: CTRL Space, Auckland, New Zealand
Purchasing Firm: CTRL Source
Owner: Leisure Accommodation Collective
Operator: Drifter

Savhe Hotel, Shanghai
Architecture Firm and Owner: Atour Group, Shenzhen
Interior Design Firm: Tomo Design, TO ACC, Shenzhen

Budget/Select-Service Hotel Public Space

Motto by Hilton Bentonville Downtown, Arkansas – WINNER
Architecture Firm: BGKT Architects, Memphis
Interior Design Firm: Curioso, Chicago
Developer: Windsor Aughtry Company
Operators: Hospitality America (hotel) and Indigo Road Hospitality Group (F&B)
Purchasing Firm: AK Designs

Denizen, McKinney, Texas
Architecture Firm: 5G Studio Collaborative, Dallas
Interior Design Firm: INK+ORO, Dallas
Owner and Developer: Archstreet Hotel Partners
Operator: Aimbridge
Purchasing Firm: Jaguar Hospitality

Drifter Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand
Architecture Firm: Urbanfunction, Christchurch, Canterbury
Interior Design Firm: CTRL Space, Auckland, New Zealand
Purchasing Firm: CTRL Source
Owner: Leisure Accommodation Collective
Operator: Drifter

Wild Palms Hotel, JDV by Hyatt, Sunnyvale, California
Architecture Firm: Brereton, San Francisco
Interior Design and Purchasing Firm: BHDM Design, New York
Owner: Private
Operator: Hyatt

Lifestyle Hotel

Moxy Banff, Alberta, Canada – WINNER
Architecture Firm: Metafor Studio, Alberta
Interior Design Firm: Workshop/APD, New York
Owner, Operator, and Purchasing Firm: Canalta Group

Rivet House, Athens, Georgia – WINNER
Architecture Firm: Studio BNA Architects, Athens
Interior Design Firm: Jessica Whitley Studio, Athens
Owners: James and Jesscia Whitley
Operator: The Indigo Road Hospitality Group
Purchasing Firm: ADM Associates

Fidelity Hotel, Cleveland, Ohio
Architecture Firm: Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture, Chicago
Interior Design Firms: Curioso, Chicago, and Looney & Associates, Chicago
Owner: NuovoRE
Owner’s Representative: JLL
Operator: New Waterloo
Purchasing Firm: Benjamin West

Sandbourne Santa Monica, California
Architecture Firm: Finn Wijatno Architects, Culver City, California
Interior Design Firm: Atelier Gulla Jonsdottir, Los Angeles
Owner: Stockdale Capital Partners
Operators: Autograph Collection Hotels and Crescent Hotels & Resorts
Purchasing Firm: Canoe Hospitality

Lifestyle Hotel Public Space

Fidelity Hotel, Cleveland, Ohio – WINNER
Architecture Firm: Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture, Chicago
Interior Design Firms: Curioso, Chicago, and Looney & Associates, Chicago
Owner: NuovoRE
Owner’s Representative: JLL
Operator: New Waterloo
Purchasing Firm: Benjamin West

Hotel Saint Augustine, Houston
Architecture Firm: Lake Flato, Austin, Texas
Interior Design Firms: Post Company, Brooklyn, New York and Jackson, Wyoming; and Bunkhouse Hotels, Austin
Owner: The Marchbanks Company
Operator: Bunkhouse Hotels
Purchasing Firm: Summa International

The Global Ambassador, Scottsdale, Arizona
Architecture Firm: Nelsen Partners, Scottsdale
Interior Design Firm: Testani Design Troupe, Scottsdale
Owner: Sam Fox/Author and Edit
Purchasing Firm: PMI

Trailborn Highlands, North Carolina
Architecture Firm: Houston Tyner, Torrance, California
Interior Design Firm: LOVEISENOUGH, Hudson, New York
Owner: Castle Peak Holdings
Operator: Trailborn Hotels
Purchasing Firm: Barson Procurement

Luxury Hotel

The Fifth Avenue Hotel, New York – WINNER
Architecture Firm: Perkins Eastman, New York
Interior Design Firm: Martin Brudnizki Design Studio, New York
Owner, Operator, and Purchasing Firm: Flaneur Hospitality

One&Only Kéa Island, Greece
Architecture and Interior Design Firm: Heah & Co, London
Operator: Kerzner International

Rosewood Schloss Fuschl, Austria
Architecture Firm: Architekten Scheicher ZT GmbH, Austria
Interior Design Firm: G.A Group, London
Owner: Arabella Hospitality
Operator: FEURING Hotel Development Europa GmbH, E+P Gruppe

The Hanok Heritage House, Yeongwol, South Korea
Architecture and Purchasing Firm, Owner, and Operator: The Hanok Heritage Company Co. Ltd.
Interior Design Firm: Listen Communication, Seoul

The Manner, New York
Architecture Firm: Lubrano Ciavarra Architects, Brooklyn, New York
Interior Design Firms: Hannes Peer Architecture, Milan, in collaboration with Standard International’s Verena Haller (chief design officer) and the in-house design team, New York
Owner: Sansiri
Operator and Purchasing Firm: Standard International

Luxury Hotel Public Space

The Manner, New York – WINNER
Architecture Firm: Lubrano Ciavarra Architects, Brooklyn, New York
Interior Design Firms: Hannes Peer Architecture, Milan, in collaboration with Standard International’s Verena Haller (chief design officer) and the in-house design team, New York
Owner: Sansiri
Operator and Purchasing Firm: Standard International

Bowie House, Auberge Resorts Collection, Fort Worth, Texas
Architecture Firm: BOKA Powell Architects, Dallas
Interior Design Firm: 8080 | A BOKA Powell Studio, Dallas
Owner: Bowie Place Properties
Operator: Auberge Resorts Collection
Purchasing Firm: PMI, Purchasing Management Inc.

The Peninsula New York
Architecture Firm: Perkins Eastman, New York
Interior Design Firm: Bill Rooney Studio, New York
Owners and Operators: The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited (HSH)
Purchasing Firm: Purchasing Associates

W Hollywood, California
Architecture Firm: WATG, Los Angeles
Interior Design Firm: Rockwell Group, New York
Owner: Trinity Investments
Operator: Trinity Operators with Marriott
Purchasing Firm: Summa International

Midscale Hotel

Radisson RED Tai’an Tai Mountain, Daiyue District, China – WINNER
Architecture Firm: Tai’an City Co. Ltd., Shandong, China
Interior Design Firm: ADD Design, Guangzhou, China
Owner: Tai’an Zhongfang Urban Construction Development Co. Ltd.
Operator: Radisson Hotel Group

Romer Hell’s Kitchen, New York
Architecture Firm: Stonehill Taylor, New York
Interior Design Firms: Islyn Studio, New York (guestrooms), and Goodrich, New York (public spaces and F&B)
Owner: Highgate Hotels
Operator: LUCID / Highgate Hotels
Purchasing Firm: Parker International

The Red Cliffs Lodge Zion
Architecture Firm: Van Zeben Architecture, Northridge, California
Interior Design Firm: Atwater, Northridge
Owner: Garn Development
Operator: Azul Hospitality
Purchasing Firm: HPGI International

Midscale Hotel Public Space

Romer Hell’s Kitchen, New York – WINNER
Architecture Firm: Stonehill Taylor, New York
Interior Design Firm: Goodrich, New York
Owner: Highgate Hotels
Operator: LUCID / Highgate Hotels
Purchasing Firm: Parker International

Mountain Residence, Polyanitsa village, Ivano-Frankivsk oblast, Ukraine
Architecture Firm: Stoarchitects, Ivano-Frsankivsk, Ukraine
Interior Design Firm: YOD Group, Kyiv, Ukraine
Owner, Operator, and Purchasing Firm: MBT Group

Radisson RED Tai’an Tai Mountain, Daiyue District, China
Architecture Firm: Tai’an City Co. Ltd., Shandong, China
Interior Design Firm: ADD Design, Guangzhou, China
Owner: Tai’an Zhongfang Urban Construction Development Co. Ltd.
Operator: Radisson Hotel Group

Upscale Hotel

Forth Atlanta – WINNER
Architecture Firm: Morris Adjmi Architects, New York
Interior Design Firms: Morris Adjmi Architects, New York, Stokes Architecture, Philadelphia (F&B), and Method Studios, Philadelphia
Owner: New City Properties
Operator: Method Co.
Purchasing Firm: The Parker Group

Banyan Tree Yangcheng Lake, Suzhou, China
Architecture Firm: B+H Architects, Shanghai
Interior Design Firm: Yang & Associates Group, Shenzhen
Owner and Purchasing Firm: Suzhou Xiangcheng Ecological Culture and Tourism Development (Group) Co. Ltd.
Operator: Banyan Group

Populus, Denver
Architecture Firm: Studio Gang, Chicago
Interior Design Firms: Wildman Chalmers Design, Pittsburgh, with Fowler Architecture and Design (interior architect of record), New York
Owner: Urban Villages
Operator: Aparium Hotel Group
Purchasing Firm: RW Purchasing

Upscale Hotel Public Space

Forth Atlanta – WINNER
Architecture Firm: Morris Adjmi Architects, New York
Interior Design Firms: Morris Adjmi Architects, New York, Stokes Architecture, Philadelphia (F&B), and Method Studios, Philadelphia
Owner: New City Properties
Operator: Method Co.
Purchasing Firm: The Parker Group

Populus, Denver
Architecture Firm: Studio Gang, Chicago
Interior Design Firms: Wildman Chalmers Design, Pittsburgh, with Fowler Architecture and Design (interior architect of record), New York
Owner: Urban Villages
Operator: Aparium Hotel Group
Purchasing Firm: RW Purchasing

The Imperial Riding School, Autograph Collection, Vienna, Austria
Architecture Firm: BWM Designers & Architects, Vienna
Interior Design Firm: Goddard Littlefair, London
Owner and Purchasing Firm: Northwood Investors
Operator: Event Hotels

The Moore, Miami
Architecture Firm: Cube-3 Architects, Miami
Interior Design Firms: Studio Collective, Venice, California, and ICRAVE, New York (initial concept and programming)
Owner: Brady and Megan Wood / Woodhouse Development
Operator: Woodhouse
Purchasing Firm: JWC Purchasing

Guestrooms (all segments)

Fidelity Hotel, Cleveland, Ohio – WINNER
Architecture Firm: Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture, Chicago
Interior Design Firms: Curioso, Chicago, and Looney & Associates, Chicago
Owner: NuovoRE
Owner’s Representative: JLL
Operator: New Waterloo
Purchasing Firm: Benjamin West

The Manner, New York
Architecture Firm: Lubrano Ciavarra Architects, Brooklyn, New York
Interior Design Firms: Hannes Peer Architecture, Milan, in collaboration with Standard International’s Verena Haller (chief design officer) and the in-house design team, New York
Owner: Sansiri
Operator and Purchasing Firm: Standard International

Renaissance Amsterdam Hotel
Architecture Firm: Kentie & Partners Architekten
Interior Design Firm: Stylt Trampoli, Gothenburg, Sweden
Purchasing Firm: DPIcontact
Owner: Archer Hotel Capital B.V.
Operator: Marriott

Suites (all segments)

The Penthouse Suite, Rosewood São Paulo – WINNER
Architecture Firm: Ateliers Jean Nouvel, Paris
Interior Design Firm: Philippe Starck, Paris
Owner and Operator: Rosewood Hotels & Resorts

The Fifth Avenue Hotel, New York
Architecture Firm: Perkins Eastman, New York
Interior Design Firm: Martin Brudnizki Design Studio, New York
Owner, Operator, and Purchasing Firm: Flaneur Hospitality

The Hyde Park Balcony Suite, the Emory, London
Architecture Firm: Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, London
Interior Design Firm: Champalimaud Design, New York
Owner and Operator: Maybourne Hotel Group
Purchasing Firm: Rainey & Best

Signature Suites, Kona Village, A Rosewood Resort, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
Architecture Firm: Walker Warner, San Francisco
Interior Design Firm: NICOLEHOLLIS, San Francisco
Owner: Kennedy Wilson
Operator: Rosewood Hotels & Resorts
Purchasing Firm: Summa International

Hybrid Hospitality

Hartwood, Sunnyvale, California – WINNER
Architecture Firm: Studio T-Square, Oakland, California
Interior Design and Purchasing Firm: Jules Wilson Design Studio, San Diego, California
Owner: Olympic Residential Group
Operator: Bozzuto

Edes Building, Morgan Hill, California
Architecture and Interior Design Firm: KTGY, Chicago
Owner and Operator: Golden Quail
Purchasing Firm: The Parker Company

Klocke Estate, Hudson, New York
Architecture Firm: BarlisWedlick Architects, Hudson, New York and New York City
Interior Design and Purchasing Firm: Ken Fulk, New York
Owner and Operator: Klocke Estate

Misto.Cafe, Lutsk, Ukraine
Architecture and Interior Design Firm: Balbek Bureau, Kyiv
Owner: Misto.Cafe

Beyond Hospitality

Cult Gaia Miami Flagship – WINNER
Architecture, Interior Design Firm, and Purchasing Firm: Sugarhouse, New York
Owner: Cult Gaia
Operator and Purchasing Firm: Sugarhouse

The Ned’s Club Washington DC – WINNER
Architecture Firm: Stonehill Taylor, New York
Interior Design Firms: Stonehill Taylor, New York, and Soho House Design, London
Owner: The Ned/Soho House & Co.
Operator: Gardiner & Theobald
Purchasing Firm: The Parker Company

Iconic House: Le Coeur du Ferret, France
Architecture Firm: Tdesign Architecture, Cap Ferret, France
Interior Design Firm: Jaune Architecture, Marseille, France
Owner, Operator, and Purchasing Firm: Iconic House

Sauska Tokaj, Ratka, Hungary
Architecture Firm: BORD Architectural Studio, Budapest
Interior Design Firm: Tihany Design, New York
Owners: Christian and Andrea Sauska
Operator and Purchasing Firm: ArtDot

The Commodore, Arlington, Virginia
Architecture Firm: Cooper Carry, Alexandria, Virginia
Interior Design Firm: Edit at Streetsense, Washington, DC
Owner and Operator: Greystar
Purchasing Firm: Price Modern

Lodges + Camps

Few & Far Luvhondo, Waterpoort, Limpopo, South Africa – WINNER
Architecture Firm: Nicholas Plewman Architects, Western Cape, South Africa
Interior Design Firm: Ohkre Collective, Cape Town
Owners: Sarah and Jacob Dusek
Operator: Few & Far
Purchasing Firm: Fyred

LOGE Glacier, Essex, Montana
Architecture Firm: Gavin-Hanks Architects,
Interior Design Firm: Vida Design, Portland, Oregon
Owner: LOGE Camps
Purchasing Firm: Vida Design

Snow Peak Campfield, Long Beach, Washington
Architecture Firm: EFA Architect/Builder, Long Beach, Washington
Interior Design Firm: North 45 Projects, Portland, Oregon
Owner, Operator, and Purchasing Firm: Snow Peak USA

New Brand Launch

Romer Neighborhood Hotels, New York and Hawaii – WINNER
Owner: Highgate Hotels
Operator: LUCID / Highgate Hotels

Hotel Bardo Savannah, Georgia
Architecture Firm: LS3P, Savannah
Interior Design Firm: A design collaboration between Atelier Pond and LEFT LANE, New York
Owner and Operator: LEFT LANE Development
Purchasing Firm: The Carroll Adams Group

Now Now NoHo, New York
Architecture Firm: Gene Kaufman Architect, New York
Interior Design Firm: Islyn Studio, New York
Owner, Operator, and Purchasing Firm: Dovetail and Co.

Resort

Ji·Yun Yao Resort, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China – WINNER
Architecture, Interior Design, and Purchasing Firm: Tomo Design, TO ACC, Shenzhen
Interior Design Firm: Line+Studio, Hangzhou
Owner: Icon Corporation

Four Seasons Resort and Residences Cabo San Lucas at Cabo Del Sol, Mexico
Architecture Firm: Robert Glazier Architects, Montecito, California
Interior Design Firms: Meyer Davis, New York, and EDG, Novato, California (F&B)
Owner and Operator: Four Seasons
Purchasing Firm: The Parker Company

Maxx Royal Bodrum Resort, Turkey
Architecture Firm: GEOMIM, Istanbul
Interior Design Firm: GEO_ID, Istanbul
Owner: MRA Turizm Ve Otel Isletmeciligi

The Riviera Maya EDITION at Kanai, Mexico
Architecture Firm: Edmonds International, Vancouver and Mexico City
Interior Design Firm: Rockwell Group, New York
Owner and Purchasing Firm: Alhel
Operator: Marriott

Restorations, Transformations + Conversions

Gran Hotel Mas dén Bruno, Priorat, Cataluña, Spain – WINNER
Architecture Firm: C97 Arquitectes I Associats, Barcelona
Interior Design and Purchsing Firm: Astet Studio, Barcelona
Owner and Operator: The Stein Group

Borgo dei Conti Resort, Perugia, Umbria, Italy
Architecture and Interior Design Firm: Spagnulo & Partners, Milan
Owner, Operator, and Purchasing Firm: The Hospitality Experience

Pendry Natirar, Peapack, New Jersey
Architecture Firm: CosciaMoos Architecture, Philadelphia
Interior Design Firm: DesignAgency, Toronto
Owner: Bob Wojtowicz
Operator: Pendry
Purchasing Firm: Benjamin West

Rosewood Schloss Fuschl, Salzburg, Austria
Architecture Firm: Architekten Scheicher ZT GmbH, Austria
Interior Design Firm: G.A Group, London
Owner: Arabella Hospitality
Operator and Purchasing Firm: FEURING Hotel Development Europa GmbH, E+P Gruppe

The Pavilion at Cowley Manor, Cheltenham, UK
Architecture Firm: De Matos Ryan, London
Interior Design Firm: CHZON (Dorothée Meilichzon), Paris
Owner, Operator, and Purchasing Firm: Experimental Group

Sustainable

Populus, Denver – WINNER
Architecture Firm: Studio Gang, Chicago
Interior Design Firm: Wildman Chalmers Design, Pittsburgh, with Fowler Architecture and Design (interior architect of record), New York
Owner: Urban Villages
Operator: Aparium Hotel Group
Purchasing Firm: RW Purchasing

Few & Far Luvhondo, Waterpoort, Limpopo, South Africa
Architecture Firm: Nicholas Plewman Architects, Western Cape, South Africa
Interior Design Firm: Ohkre Collective, Cape Town
Owners: Sarah and Jacob Dusek
Operator: Few & Far
Purchasing Firm: Fyred

The Pavilion at Cowley Manor, Cheltenham, UK
Architecture Firm: De Matos Ryan, London
Interior Design Firm: CHZON (Dorothée Meilichzon), Paris
Owner, Operator, and Purchasing Firm: Experimental Group

Landscape + Outdoor Spaces

Silver Sands Motel & Beach Bungalows, Greenport, New York – WINNER
Architecture Firm: Leroy Street Studio, New York
Interior Design and Purchasing Firm and Contractor: Highland Peak Group
Landscape Architecture Firm: Hollander Design Landscape Architects
Landscape Lighting: Luminism Design
Owner: Alexander Perros
Operator: Happiness Forgets Hospitality (owner operated)

Bellagio Pool Deck, Las Vegas
Architecture Firm: Bergman Walls & Associates, Henderson, Nevada
Interior Design Firm: Woogmaster Studio, Las Vegas
Owner/Operator: Bellagio LLC
Purchasing Firm: Pro.Cure LLC

The Palms Turks & Caicos, Grace Bay Beach
Architecture and Interior Design Firm: EoA Group, Coral Gables, Florida
Owner and Operator: The Hartling Group

Transportation

L’Observatoire Suite – Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, Italy – WINNER
Interior Design Firms: Atelier JR, Paris, and Wimberly Interiors, London
Owner: Belmond UK
Purchasing Firm: Belmond

Rossinavi Seawolf X, Viareggio, Italy
Architecture Firm: Fulvio De Simoni Yacht Design, La Spezia, Italy
Interior Design Firm: Meyer Davis, New York
Owner: Rossinavi
Operator and Purchasing Firm: Cecil Wright & Partners

Train of Glamour – Silk Road Express, China
Architecture Firm: CRRC Qingdao Sifang Co. Ltd. (train manufacturer), Qingdao, Shandong Province
Interior Design Firm: Studio HBA, Shanghai
Owner: Fosun Infrastructure Group – Train of Glamour
Operator: Train of Glamour

Branded Residences

Residences at the Little Nell, Aspen – WINNER
Architecture Firm: POSS, Aspen
Interior Design Firm: Rottet Studio, Houston
Owner: Residences at The Little Nell Condominium Association
Operator: Aspen Hospitality
Lighting Consultant: Lang Lighting Design
Purchasing Firm: Bray Whaler

The Residences at the Bellevue, Philadelphia
Architecture and Interior Design Firm: Tantillo Architecture, Philadelphia
Owner: Lubert Adler
Operator: Sentral
Purchasing Firm: The Ness Group

Event Spaces

Le Jardin sur Madison, New York – WINNER
Architecture Firm: Montroy Andersen DeMarco, New York
Interior Design Firm: Rockwell Group, New York
Owner: SL Green Realty Corp.
Purchasing Firm: Level Hospitality Group

Brass, New York
Interior Design Firm: Islyn Studio, New York
Owner: Nick Hatsatouris
Purchasing Firm: Wagner Hamill

The Commodore – A Bartolotta Restaurant, Hartland, Wisconsin
Architecture Firm: Groth Design Firm, Cedarburg, Wisconsin
Interior Design Firm and Owner: HF Hospitality, Delafield, Wisconsin
Operator The Bartolotta Restaurants
Purchasing Firm: Jay Franke Design

The Venetian Arena, Macao, China
Architecture Firms: Aedas, Macau, and Populous, Singapore
Interior Design Firms: Aedas Interiors Limited, Hong Kong; Peter Silling & Associates Hotel Interior Design Limited, Hong Kong; and Populous, Singapore
Owner, Operator, Purchasing Firm: Venetian Cotai Limited

Visual Identity

855-Aloha, Waikiki, Hawaii – WINNER
Architecture Firm: Benjamin Woo Architects, Honolulu
Interior Design Firm: Indidesign, Los Angeles
Branding Firm: The Studio at Highgate, New York
Owner and Operator: Highgate Hotels
Purchasing Firm: Summa International

Casa Loma Beach Hotel, Laguna Beach, California
Architecture and Interior Design Firm: Electric Bowery, Los Angeles
Branding Firm: LAND, Austin, Texas
Owner and Operator: Marc & Rose Hospitality

Postcard Bakery, New York
Architecture and Interior Design Firm: Sarah Carpenter & Studio, Brooklyn, New York
Branding Firm: LMNOP Creative, Brooklyn, New york
Owner: Launchpad Hospitality

So&So’s, New York
Architecture Firm: Stonehill Taylor, New York
Interior Design and Branding Firm: Goodrich, New York
Owner: Highgate Hotels
Operator: LUCID / Highgate
Purchasing Firm: Parker International

Wellness + Wellbeing

Argos Spa, Cappadocia, Uçhisar, Turkey – WINNER
Architecture, Interior Design, and Purchasing Firm and Operator: Doğuş Hospitality & Retail (in house), Istanbul
Owner: Argos in Cappadocia

Conrad Orlando
Architecture Firm: HKS
Interior Design Firm: Anderson Miller
Owner: Dart Interests
Operator: Hilton Hotels Corporation
Purchasing Firm: The Cardy Group
Spa Consultant: Under A Tree
Landscape Design: EDSA

Royal York Health Club, Toronto
Architecture and Interior Design Firm: DIALOG, Toronto
Owner: Kingsett Capital
Operator: Fairmont
Purchasing Firm: JLL

SIRO One Za’abeel, Dubai
Architecture Firm: Nikken Sekkei, Dubai
Interior Design Firm: LW, Dubai
Owner and Operator: Kerzner International Holdings Limited

Bar, Club + Lounge

Carry On Airlines, Phoenix – WINNER
Interior Design Firm: PETERMAX, Phoenix
Owner: Pretty Decent Concepts

Department 57, Saint-Petersburg, Russia – WINNER
Architecture and Interior Design Firm: Da Bureau, London
Owner: Department 57

Angeloni’s Club Madrid, Atlantic City, New Jersey
Interior Design and Purchasing Firm: Rohe Creative, Philadelphia
Owner: The Aspell’s

Auric Room at Lone Mountain Ranch, Big Sky, Montana
Architecture Firm: LTS Architecture, Livingston, Missouri
Interior Design Firm: North 45 Projects, Portland, Oregon
Owner: Auric Road Hospitality

Powder Room, Austin, Texas
Interior Design Firm: PETERMAX, Phoenix, Arizona
Owner: Lobos Hospitality

Casual Restaurant

George’s Donuts & Merriment, San Francisco – WINNER
Interior Design and Purchasing Firm: Roy Hospitality, San Francisco
Owners: Andrew and Lea Dudam

Postcard Bakery, New York – WINNER
Architecture and Interior Design Firm: Sarah Carpenter & Studio, Brooklyn, New York
Branding Firm: LMNOP Creative, Brooklyn, New york
Owner: Launchpad Hospitality

Carnitas Uruapan, Chicago
Architecture Firm: Deconstruct Architecture, Chicago
Interior Design and Purchasing Firm: AGN Design, Chicago
Owner: Carnitas Uruapan, Inocensio Carbajal, and Marcos Carbajal
Operator: Inocensio Carbajal and Marcos Carbajal

San Sabino, New York
Architecture and Interior Design Firm: GRT Architects, Brooklyn, New York
Owner, Operator, and Purchasing Firm: Quality Branded

Straight Wharf Fish, Nantucket, Massachusetts
Architecture and Interior Design Firm: Workshop/APD, New York
Owners: Gabriel Frasca and Kevin Burleson

YaYa, Miami
Architecture, Interior Design, and Purchasing Firm: Saladino Design Studios, Miami
Owner: Homecooking Hospitality

Upscale Restaurant

Ortensia, Shanghai – WINNER
Interior Design and Purchasing Firm: Chris Shao Studio, New York
Owner: Terumitsu Saito

Le Du, Bangkok
Interior Design Firm: Department of Architecture Co., Bangkok
Owner: T.R. 168 Co. Ltd.

Lunasol, Boston
Architecture Firm: Boston Urban Places, Boston (architect of record)
Interior Design and Purchasing Firm: Ken Fulk, San Francisco
Owner: Hexagon Properties
General Contract: James J. Welch & Co.

Uma Nota, Manila
Architecture and Design Firm: The Odd Duck Design, Dubai
Owner, Operator, and Purchasing Firm: Uma Nota

Student Project

The Hudson Frontier, Ossining, New York – WINNER
School: Harrisburg University of Science and Technology
Student: Sheng Wei Yang

Peregrin Reimagination, Savannah, Georgia
School: Savannah College of Art and Design
Students: Savannah Kruzner, Suwade Pe Than, Sophie Kachouh, Jin Kim, Kyla Carmelli, Yao Zhang, Santiago Diaz Giral, Pepe Vega Toral, Anushka Nigam, Cassidy Webber, Mavita Sayal, and Gauthier Bossuyt

Tideflow Retreat, Seattle
School: School of Visual Arts, New York
Student: Liwen He

Acacia – Student & Business Hub
School: New York School of Interior Design
Student: Mishkin Mande

The post The 21st Annual HD Awards Project Winners and Finalists appeared first on Hospitality Design.

This article will appear in HD’s April 2025 issue.

The post Project Breakdown: Cleveland’s Fidelity Hotel appeared first on Hospitality Design.

When it comes to environmental stewardship, the hospitality and real estate industry can be slow to innovate. Yet, a playbook has emerged in recent years that supports a sustainable future. In 2022, for example, the Marcel Breuer Pirelli building in New Haven, Connecticut opened as the LEED Platinum-certified, Dutch East Design-crafted Hotel Marcel, touting its own eco-friendly bonafides that set a new standard for hotels.

Stellar Jay stars a wall inspired by the Yakisugi technique of preserving wood

Taking up the mantle is the LEED Gold-certified Populus hotel in Denver, the brainchild of Urban Villages, a company whose philosophy is rooted in balancing economic needs with environmental concerns.

To create what they deem the first carbon-positive hotel in the U.S. required a powerhouse team, including architecture firm Studio Gang, Pittsburgh studio Wildman Chalmers Design in partnership with New York-based interior architect of record Fowler, and hotel operator Aparium Hotel Group.

The audacious project was “a leap of faith,” says Urban Villages president Jon Buerge, “where we knew what we wanted to accomplish but we didn’t yet know how we were going to get there.” Add to that an industry that sees innovation as risky and Buerge had his work cut out for him. “We’re facing a climate emergency,” he says, “and that requires all industries to think of creative solutions and have the courage to do things differently—and do things outside the norm.”

To make the biggest impact possible, Urban Villages embarked on an intensive process of calculating the carbon footprint of every material that went into the building, including using a low-carbon concrete mix that helped reduce the hotel’s footprint by 30 percent. Buerge also wanted to retain the best talent possible. “We knew we couldn’t do this on our own,” he says. “We had these big, bold goals, and to achieve them, we had to put together the best of the best.”

From Little Owl coffee bar, a sculptural grand staircase ascends to the second floor meeting spaces

Enter Gang, a MacArthur Fellowship recipient for her commitment to environmental stewardship. Using nature as inspiration, the hotel’s façade takes cues from Colorado’s native aspen trees and the striking white, curved panels create a distinctive window design that recalls the eye-shaped marks found on the bark of the trees while also optimizing natural light and reducing heat gain.

Wildman Chalmers was challenged with crafting interiors that matched the pristine building but were also warm and welcoming to guests. While the outside was informed by the forms of the trees, “we wanted the inside to reflect the sensory experience of nature,” says principal and design director Heather Wildman. The journey begins on the first floor, home to Pasque restaurant and Little Owl coffee bar, and extends to the second-floor meeting space up through the 265 guestrooms to the 13th-floor rooftop.

Pops of nature-inspired hues, including mossy green and copper, appear in the Commons lounge on the second floor

Mimicking a forest floor, the richly layered lobby mixes brown hues and textures to add softness to the concrete floor (stained brown and topped with exposed aggregate that resembles pebbles), while materials were chosen that would age with the hotel. Take the distressed wood slats on the ceiling, which were sourced from reclaimed wood snow fencing in Wyoming. Local beetle kill pine has a new life as wall shingles behind the check-in desk—made from a naturally felled cottonwood tree—as well as guestroom headboards and elements in Pasque.

The lobby, too, features a striking ceiling installation made from Reishi, an eco-friendly leather alternative derived from mushroom mycelium. “I’m a minimalist,” says Wildman, “but I love to maximize on subtlety.”

The tree metaphor carries into the guestrooms, with dark corridors (symbolizing the trunk of the tree) that transition to light and bright rooms, which are framed by the scalloped windows. “Your eye is drawn to these great views and shapes,” she says. Guestroom carpets, made from compostable recycled material, also nod to the forest floor, while artwork includes pressed flowers in glass frames that create shadows from the windows.

Crowning the hotel is Stellar Jay. Here, guests feel as if they’re nestled under a forest canopy thanks to saturated green and blue hues in the main dining area and a lush mural that crawls along the walls in the private dining room.

A mural depicting tree branches in Stellar Grove, the private dining room in Stellar Jay, adds to the forest-like feel of the hotel

Buerge knew for a truly sustainable hotel, operations had to be as important as the design, implementing a landfill diversion program that converts food waste into compost that is then returned to local farms. (Thus far, Populus has diverted 14 tons of food waste from landfills.)

Further, the hotel is investing in regenerative farming practices as well as tree planting and reforestation efforts in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and other agencies. Most notably, the hotel teamed up with the National Forest Foundation on its One Night, One Tree program, which plants a tree for every night’s stay, contributing over 20,000 new trees in 2024, with the goal of planting more than 55,000 trees in 2025.

“Because we’ve done everything with purpose, guests will feel good just by virtue of staying here,” explains Aparium Hotel Group CEO and founder Mario Tricocci. The goal, he points out, is for guests to leave feeling inspired, curious, and motivated.

“Our greatest impact with Populus is not going to be through the building itself,” adds Buerge, “but in how we influence and encourage the industry to think differently and to change.”

This article will appear in HD’s April 2025 issue.

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Even with challenges like political uncertainty, difficult financing, and pending tariffs, the hotel construction pipeline has reached an all-time high—up 4 percent year over year—with 429,000 rooms forecasted for 2025 and 2.4 million in the pipeline, according to Bruce Ford of Lodging Econometrics.

So where—and why—is this development happening? Click below to uncover a handful of fast-growing destinations and the properties fueling the momentum. Some hotspots are expected—like Dubai and Mexico—while others places, such as Bodrum and Budapest, might take you by surprise.

Dubai

Greece

Mexico

Southern California

Budapest

Bodrum

São Paulo

RELATED: The Hospitality Development Landscape Is Flourishing

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When it comes to hotel growth, São Paulo remains one of South America’s shining stars. In August 2024 alone, São Paulo’s hotels achieved their highest-ever average daily rate (ADR) at $125, up 20 percent year over year, and the second-highest revenue per available room (RevPAR) at $85, a nearly 25 percent jump, according to CoStar. São Paulo was also the primary entry point for foreign visitors, welcoming 2.2 million in 2024, according to tourism data reported by The Rio Times.

This can credited to a variety of factors: São Paulo is an economic and business hub in South America, with millions of business travelers visiting annually; the country’s hotel sector is attractive to investors, highlighted by the recent $300 million acquisition of 18 AccorInvest hotels from Brazilian investment bank BTG Pactual; and there is a growing demand for luxury and lifestyle offerings to cater to a growing middle class.

Take the ambitious Rosewood São Paulo, which opened in 2022. The brand’s first in South America, the 160-room hotel was over a decade in the making, and thanks to the combined talents of design heavyweights French architect Jean Nouvel and designer Philippe Starck, it set a new standard for luxury in the city. Located within the Cidade Matarazzo complex, the hotel bursts with life, starting with the vertical garden tower that rises 328 feet into the sky doubling as a symbol of the city’s future.

A rendering of the soon-to-open Westin São Paulo, where a dynamic installation cascades from the ceiling

A year later, the HKS-designed JW Marriott Hotel São Paulo joined the city’s skyline. Formerly a Four Seasons, the recently revived art-filled space celebrates local culture with pieces from Brazilian artists Roberto Burle Marx, Ramon Martins, Regina de Barros, and Rubens Ianelli.

Indeed, more big brands and investors are also planting their flags in the thriving metropolis. In September, Minor Hotels acquired four hotels in Brazil, including the Mofarrej São Paulo Hotel. Meanwhile, Nobu Hotel São Paulo—featuring a rooftop bar and pool as well as 161,500 square feet of residences—and the 187-room Westin, found in the city’s Itaim Bibi district, are slated to open in the next few years.

“São Paulo’s hospitality and design scene is dynamic and increasingly diverse,” says Brazilian architect Arthur Casas, founder of New York- and São Paulo-based Studio Arthur Casas, known for projects like the recently opened Pulso Hotel Faria Lima. “The high-end market has been expanding, with a growing selection of hotels, each with their own identity and unique approach.”

Here, we look at four properties that are driving São Paulo’s evolving hotel landscape.

Pulso Hotel Faria Lima

A suspended glass volume houses the spa, swimming pool, sauna, and gym at the Pulso Hotel Faria Lima

Part of Praça Henrique Monteiro, a mixed-use development comprising a residential tower, the 57-room Pulso Hotel Faria Lima is the vision of CEO Otávio Suriani and Studio Arthur Casas (a second location on the other side of Brigadeiro Faria Lima Avenue is expected to open in 2027).

“Pulso was conceived at a time when São Paulo was revising its urban policies, promoting higher density along key transit corridors and enhancing neighborhood centralities, such as Pinheiros,” Casas says. “This shift created new opportunities for projects that integrate with the city and introduce vibrant, attractive destinations to the real estate market. Aligned with this urban evolution, we envisioned the project holistically. Our goal was to design a development that engages with its surroundings, enriching the urban experience not only for residents and guests but also for those passing by.”

The Pulso Hotel Faria Lima is defined by its brise-soleil façade

Much of the allure of the property comes from the Ipê trees and other native flora that breathe life into the brise-soleil façade. Here, metal slats on the exterior were designed to “strike a balance between discretion and prominence,” says Casas. Additionally, by eliminating physical barriers, expanding sidewalks, and creating a green public space along the 187-foot-long stretch of Rua Henrique Monteiro, Casas says he was able to “blur the lines between public and private while encouraging interaction and a sense of place.”

Inside, the lobby’s restrained yet sophisticated design boasts modern furniture as well as Brazilian painter Nuno Ramos’ nearly 100-foot-long artwork and restaurateur Charlô Whateley’s two venues: the green lacquer- and wood-wrapped Bistrô Charlô and the casual Boulangerie Cha Cha, awash in earth tones.

W São Paulo

Sinuous curves add drama to Baio restaurant at the W São Paulo

São Paulo remains one of the most important cities for Marriott, and the W São Paulo’s opening this December reflects the brand’s ongoing success in the region. In addition to 179 guestrooms, the property is also home to 126 branded residences. “Brazilians are very loyal to the brands,” says Bojan Kumer, Marriott’s regional vice president of hotel development, Caribbean and Latin America. “Branded residences are definitely a trend we’re seeing [in Brazil]. People are looking for safety and convenience, but they’re also buying into the status [from a well-known brand].”

The city itself is also reflected in the W’s vibrant ethos. Both “pulse with energy, creativity, and innovation,” adds George Fleck, senior vice president and global brand leader for St. Regis, EDITION, and W Hotels. “We saw an opportunity to blend our bold detail-driven design and dynamic experiences with a metropolis celebrated for its cultural richness and urban edge.”

Locally based Aflalo/Gasperini Arquitetos, Portuguese designer Nini de Andrade Silva, and landscape architect Benedito Abbud incorporated many elements inspired by Brazilian modern architecture into the design. For instance, organic materials like local stone and wood juxtapose sinuous curves and a vivid color palette “that echoes the city’s artistic vibrancy,” says Fleck.

From F&B venues to wellness facilities, the hotel “ensures every guest feels connected to the cultural heartbeat of São Paulo,” he adds. “The design of it is a true dialogue between modern luxury and the city’s distinct cultural identity.”

Soho House São Paulo

A navy blue-topped pool table is a highlight of the game room at Soho House São Paulo

When Soho House launched in Mexico City in September 2023, it was a major milestone for the brand’s global expansion in Latin America. With São Paulo as the second site in the region, it “allows Soho House the ability to spotlight the amazing creativity that Brazil holds, which is unique within Latin America itself,” says Alicia Gutierrez, membership director at Soho House São Paulo.

Attracting São Paulo’s creative community, the richly layered design from the in-house team tells a dynamic story. Set within the Cidade Matarazzo, it pays homage to Brazilian modernism and the city’s rich Portuguese heritage via elements like abstract patterns, a lush color palette, and local materials including imbuia, cumaru, and jequitiba woods.

Throughout the 32-room property, guests will find works from 60 Brazilian artists, as well as Brazilian-made pieces by local artisans. Large arched glass windows in the ground-floor club spaces add a touch of sophistication, complementing the navy-topped pool table in the game room and a central marble fireplace in the drawing room. The outdoor spaces are also a draw, with an inviting open-air terrace outfitted in rattan chairs and green and white parasols. A second phase of development, due to be completed this year, will include the addition of a fitness and spa, as well as a rooftop pool bar.

HQ Hotel São Paulo

A rendering of the bar concept at the HQ Hotel São Paulo, coming online next year

When veteran hotelier and sbe founder Sam Nazarian launched HQ Hotels & Residences alongside entertainer Marc Anthony, he wanted to integrate wellness, F&B, and hospitality in a more seamless way than traditional hotels. The first property—the Hodges Bay Resort and Spa in Antigua—opened this year, with locations in Detroit, Switzerland, and São Paulo on the boards.

For the latter, “the opportunity presented itself to work with great developer [INC Urban Developer] in a country we’re excited to work in,” Nazarian says. “There’s a tremendous amount of opportunity [in South America], especially with the HQ brand.”

The lobby bar and mezzanine concept, shown in a rendering, at the HQ Hotel São Paulo

With authenticity and approachability at the forefront, the property’s design, handled by the development team, will be a throwback to what Nazarian does so well, integrating F&B and entertainment into an approachable and hospitality-driven environment. “Sbe is always the underlining denominator of expectation for our guests,” he says. “We have a good connection with the Brazilian lifestyle customer, and we’re hoping we pick up on the momentum we’ve had over the last decade.”

Slated for a 2026 arrival, the São Paulo property, a conversion of an existing building, will feature 100 rooms and 40 suites, and several familiar F&B outposts, including sbe’s S Bar, a new concept by chef Fabio Trabocchi, and chef Katsuya Uechi’s namesake restaurant. Perched on the roof, it will flaunt suspended gardens and panoramic city views.

“When you look at it, every country in Latin America has such unbelievable iconic design. There’s a lot of culture and history there. There’s a legacy, and we not only want to embrace it, but we also want to amplify that in our property,” Nazarian says.

This article originally appeared in HD’s February/March 2025 issue.

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There are always plenty of new hotels for travelers to choose from in Istanbul, Turkey’s capital, but for those keen to unwind on the pristine beaches of Bodrum in the southwest part of the country—approximately a 90-minute flight from the bustling metropolis—a new crop of chic accommodations is putting the vacation destination on the map.

Located on the Turkish Riviera, Bodrum was once a humble fishing village before it blossomed into a hideaway for jetsetters. They may seek out hotels from high-end brands like Aman Resorts, Mandarin Oriental, and Six Senses, but more recently, the market has become crowded with fashionable lifestyle offerings.

The scene took an especially vibrant turn in 2018 when the Bodrum EDITION opened. Designed by Paris-based Christophe Pillet Studio in collaboration with Ian Schrager Company, the property entices with an infinity pool, a beach club complete with a private cabana-dotted jetty, and 110 breezy guestrooms, most of which amplify views of the Aegean Sea.

Greenery brightens the bar at Brava restaurant at the Bodrum EDITION

OKU hotels, with a portfolio that counts properties in Ibiza and the Greek isle of Kos, will likely have some cachet in the region as well. This summer, the brand is ramping up its Mediterranean presence with a second Spanish outpost in Andalusia and an adults-only property on Bodrum’s northern coast, sandwiched between the mountains and the sea, crafted by OKU’s in-house design team.

The hotel’s 58 guestrooms, many with private pools, will overlook the water and boast terraces. Decked out with local marble and walls fashioned out of stone salvaged from the original site’s excavation, the accommodations are an extension of the location. OKU Spa’s open-air treatment cabanas along the sea and the clifftop yoga shala further anchor the hotel in the Aegean Sea.

When it opens this summer, OKU Bodrum will feature a lounger-lined pool, shown in a rendering

Along with OKU’s signature Japanese fusion restaurant, guests can feast on Mediterranean dishes at To Kima or spend more time reveling in the outdoors atop the cove-side jetty over cocktails at Sunset Bar.

This streak is poised to continue as the travel and tourism market in Turkey reaches new heights. In 2024, revenues rose by 8.3 percent year over year to $61 billion, according to the Turkish Statistical Institute, helped by a rise in international visitors to places like Bodrum.

Here, we look at three hotels that are fast making their mark on the coastal escape.

Maxx Royal Bodrum Resort

The Maxx Wellbeing center at the Maxx Royal Bodrum Resort boasts a relaxation lounge and Himalayan salt room

Doubling as a contemporary arts hub, Maxx Royal Bodrum Resort greets visitors in the lobby with a media installation by Turkish artist Refik Anadol, while one of French artist Bernar Venet’s steel sculptures graces the garden. Up-and-coming talents also partake in the summerlong Arts Connected residency.

Joining the Maxx Royal Belek Golf and Maxx Royal Kemer resorts in Antalya, the Maxx Royal Bodrum comprises 282 suites and villas, the nearly 50,000-square-foot Maxx Wellbeing center, and plentiful F&B establishments, including Latin-inspired Casa Sol, Oro by Alfredo Russo, and familiar brands like Spago by Wolfgang Puck and Caviar Kaspia.

The first Turkish resort to achieve LEED Platinum certification, the eco-friendly property designed by Istanbul studios GEOMIM and GEO_ID is in dialogue with the secluded cove setting.

“By directing the internal living experience toward the cove, we designed spaces that exude serenity and intimacy, reflecting the concept of silent luxury,” explains GEO_ID partner Tuğçe Rizeli Bilgi. “Every element is thoughtfully oriented to create a direct relationship with the natural surroundings. The fully opening joinery systems enhance this connection, blurring the boundaries between interiors and terraces.”

Green, tangerine, and turquoise tones pull from the terrain, and custom patterns that reference Bodrum’s buri palm trees dress everything from wall panels to lighting fixtures in the wellbeing center, adds Rizeli Bilgi, bringing “both functional depth and regional character to the overall design.”

Bobo by the Stay

Sofas flank the open-air lounge at Bobo by the Stay

GEO_ID also lent its design expertise to the 24-room Bobo by the Stay. Part of Turkey’s Stay Hotels collection, the property was conceived as a seasonal complement to the Stay’s Bebek Hotel in Istanbul, emulating its energy in Bodrum yet “embracing the spirit of a summer retreat,” points out Rizeli Bilgi.

Although there are synergies between the two hotels, such as Istanbul’s ceiling motifs reinterpreted as screens emblazoned with dragons in Bodrum, Bobo flaunts its own personality, defined by “how the design feels inherent to the landscape rather than imposed upon it,” as Rizeli Bilgi puts it.

Throughout, there is a sense of lightness. In the common areas, for instance, the reflected surfaces of mirrored block cubes discreetly housing restrooms project a sense of openness.

Inside the restaurant Paraliaki, traditional Bodrum taverns play muse. A seafood display at the entrance speaks to the region’s culinary heritage and “simple furniture pieces, linen details, and handmade serving sets emphasize authenticity and ease,” explains Rizeli Bilgi. “At Bobo Beach, we introduced repurposed ship beams, wrought iron, and wicker to reinforce a tactile connection to the sea while maintaining a timeless, uncontrived atmosphere.”

Scorpios Bodrum

Sun loungers and private cabanas populate the Beach House at the Scorpios Bodrum

Art, music, and nature fuel Scorpios, the Mykonos-born concept from Thomas Heyne and Mario Hertel that is part of the Soho House & Co family. Eager to bring a more holistic experience to the flashy, party-centric Greek island, Heyne and Hertel, two veterans of the nightlife world from Germany, hatched Scorpios in 2015.

For their second location, the duo chose a remote peninsula in Bodrum, orchestrating a robust design team overseen by Berlin-based Lambs and Lions that includes Istanbul architecture practice GEOMIM and Berlin-based StudioMacBride.

“Bodrum marks the first new destination in the evolution of Scorpios. Our intention was to retain the tactile essence of the original design identity, along with its nuanced palette of muted, warm, and earthy tones,” says Michael Schickinger, creative director and founder of Lambs and Lions. “For this iteration, we sought a heightened level of material articulation and refinement, establishing a distinct departure from the vernacular language of Mykonos.”

The glass-wrapped bungalow bedrooms at the Scorpios Bodrum flaunt earthy hues

Sustainability is at the heart of the project. Existing three-story buildings were knocked down to make way for Scorpios, but 95 percent of those materials were repurposed, yielding minimal environmental impact. Plant diversity and efficient irrigation systems were also implemented, leading to ivy-drenched walls and verdant olive and palm trees.

Guests spend ample time in the 12 skylit bungalows bolstered by outdoor pools, but they frequently hole up in the Temple, too. The wellbeing space, capped with rectangular openings in the ceiling that filter in light, is enveloped in natural stone walls.

“I love [the Temple’s] bold, Brutalist architecture and the seamless transition between interior and exterior spaces,” says Schickinger. “The maze-like layout adds a sense of discovery, creating an unexpected atmosphere that feels both immersive and transcendent.”

Photos by Nikolas Koenig and Georg Roske, and renderings courtesy of Bobo by the Stay, Maxx Royal, and OKU Hotels

This article originally appeared in HD’s February/March 2025 issue.

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With its rich history, nature, and coveted weather, Mexico has always been a vacation hotspot.

Visitors throng to the likes of Tulum, Mexico City, and Cabo San Lucas for their beaches and relaxation, but other beach towns and cultural cities—such as Oaxaca, Riviera Nayarit, and San Miguel de Allende—are fast catching up. It’s no surprise that brands and developers are doubling down on Mexico.

A rendering of a tranquil guestroom at the Waldorf Astoria San Miguel de Allende, opening later this year inside a palatial new build designed by Sordo Madaleno Arquitectos

In 2024, the country hit a tourism record of $33 billion in foreign exchange earnings, reports the National Institute of Statistics and Geography, a 7.4 percent increase compared to the previous year. Occupancy rates are also soaring, with numbers reaching nearly 70 percent in beach destinations between January and July 2024, according to Mexico’s Ministry of Tourism. Overall, hotel occupancy across all tourist centers monitored by DataTur reached 60 percent, showing post-pandemic recovery in the tourism sector.

Here is a glimpse into some of the properties invigorating Mexico’s hospitality scene—from urban retreats to refreshing resorts.

Yucatán Peninsula

Bungalow, the kid-friendly poolside restaurant at the SLS Playa Mujeres

According to Lodging Econometrics, the Yucatán Peninsula, home to the Riviera Maya, comprises 11 hotels with 1,027 guestrooms in the pipeline. Indeed, the once sleepy beach town is surging with tourists, and the arrival of lifestyle brands only escalates the allure. For instance, the 182-key Riviera Maya EDITION at Kanai, designed by Ian Schrager Company in collaboration with New York’s Rockwell Group and architecture firm Edmonds International, opened in 2024 as a contemporary ode to Mayan tradition.

Such name recognition is also helping to redefine the region’s all-inclusive resorts. SLS Playa Mujeres, the brand’s first offering of the kind, also made its debut in 2024. Situated in a private gated waterfront community, the resort, brought to life by Ennismore’s in-house design team, balances 498 guestrooms with 18 restaurants and bars.

IHG will present another memorable all-inclusive experience when the Kimpton Tres Rios, a 355-room renovation of the Hacienda Tres Rios, opens in 2025. Operated by Playa Hotels & Resorts, it mingles jungle, mangrove forest, and coastal dunes across 326 acres.

“A harmonious balance between the area’s past and present is woven throughout the property with architectural designs that nod to Mayan stone façades and warm, natural interiors that speak to the lush environment,” says Ave Bradley, vice president of design and creative, luxury and lifestyle brands, at IHG Hotels & Resorts. “It provides an opportunity to let the breathtaking surroundings of the Tres Rios Natural Park serve as center stage and craft a design aesthetic that celebrates this natural wonderland.”

Mexico City

Aquiles, Casona Roma Norte’s earthy signature restaurant from chef Aquiles Chávez

Mexico’s capital is a thrilling cultural metropolis, and the hotels popping up in Mexico City—there are 24 with 2,908 guestrooms planned—capture that contagious energy. Part of the Hamak Hotels and Preferred Hotels & Resorts collections, the 50-key Volga, for example, debuted in Colonia Cuauhtémoc in 2023, and passersby are lured in by local firm JSa’s Brutalist exterior before exploring interiors layered with lava and brass. Another Hamak Hotels venture, the 32-room Casona Roma Norte, is the transformation of a 1920s mansion by local studios Colonnier Arquitectos and Simple Arquitectura adorned with artwork and Art Nouveau-inspired motifs.

Familiar brands are taking this approach, too. Local architecture and design firm Sordo Madaleno is behind the 133-room Rosewood slated to open in the mixed-use development Antara in 2026, and IHG introduced the Kimpton Virgilio in 2024. Arquitectura de Interiores Studio’s design is “derived from the poets and writers who brought the bohemian culture of cafés and social gatherings to Polanquito,” says Bradley. “The spirit of the city comes to life through handcrafted touches ranging from antique shower tiles to Mexican artwork inspired by all forms of literati to locally woven rugs.”

Greenery will dress the façade of the forthcoming Pendry Mexico City, shown in a rendering

Pendry Hotels & Resorts is also entering the Mexico City market with a 114-room hotel and 20 residences planned for Roma Norte in 2026 (a Punta Mita resort with sister brand Montage is on the boards for the same year). AvroKO will tackle the interiors alongside local firms Central de Arquitectura and IZ Arquitectos, and Nick Solomon, principal and chief creative officer of the New York office, says the property’s furniture and art will revel in Mexican craftsmanship. In the lobby, for instance, “a geometric pattern of natural stone reflects Mexican textiles throughout the floor, while plaster and carved wood accents bring a warm, handmade touch to the space,” he adds. “Sixteen-foot-high doors pivot to create a continuously flowing space between the entrance, F&B, and the lush patio out back.”

Baja California Peninsula

Luxury properties line the Baja California Peninsula in northwestern Mexico, and the market is growing ever more competitive. Indeed, 29 projects promising 5,857 guestrooms are under development in Baja California and Baja Sur.

The Four Seasons Resort and Residences Cabo San Lucas at Cabo Del Sol opened in 2024 as a reimagined hacienda by architect Robert C. Glazier with 96 guestrooms and suites and 61 residences, villas, and estates. Global design firm Meyer Davis forged a dialogue between indoors and out across the lobby, spa, and guestrooms, a calming counterpoint to the F&B spaces animated with local crafts courtesy of EDG’s Novato, California office.

Sofas and cacti will animate a courtyard at the soon-to-open Amanvari on Baja’s East Cape, shown in a rendering

The first phase of sales for the Rosewood Residences Old Lighthouse in Los Cabos, the brand’s first standalone residential community, is also underway. Zapopan-based GVI Gomez Vazquez International and Los Angeles practice Studio Lifestyle designed the 550-acre site’s initial 144 homes to blend in with the surrounding cliffs and beaches.

There is more to come, too. Aman Resorts is opening Amanvari on Baja’s East Cape in late 2025, a soothing layout of 18 guest pavilions and inner courtyards designed by Athens firm Elastic Architects.

Deluxe suites at the Park Hyatt Los Cabos at Cabo Del Sol include terraces that overlook the ocean

Further, the Park Hyatt Los Cabos at Cabo Del Sol will arrive in the spring. For the 163-room property, Sordo Madaleno embraced native stone and wood and “local cultural artifacts and archetypes are woven into the design to provide an enriching perspective on the locale and regional artisans,” says Marisol Fisher, vice president of design services, Latin America and Caribbean, for Hyatt Hotels Corporation. “We set out to create a one-of-a kind beachside retreat, thoughtfully integrated with the natural landscape while embodying modern Mexican architecture.”

Riviera Nayarit

Rosewood Mandarina, designed by Bando x Seidel Meersseman, is slated to open in April

North of popular resort destination Puerto Vallarta is tourist-friendly newcomer Riviera Nayarit, and two forthcoming properties are cementing its luxurious reputation.

Joining Casa de Sierra Nevada in San Miguel de Allende and the Riviera Maya’s Maroma, revamped in 2023 by London-based Tara Bernerd & Partners, is Milaroca, Belmond’s 2025 foray onto Mexico’s Pacific Coast. Backdropped by jungle and beach, the property, comprising 57 guest pavilions, will fuse the design savvy of Los Angeles-based Waldo’s Designs and Clements Design, as well as fashion designer and hotel partner Rosetta Getty, who is serving as creative director. The interiors will brim with artwork and custom furniture from local artisans that reference the nearby towns of San Pancho and Sayulita.

Come April, Rosewood Mandarina will make its mark on Riviera Nayarit with 134 suites and villas designed by New York firm Bando x Seidel Meersseman that ground guests in nature and culture.

“Here, the use of traditional, regional materials like Cantera and Recinto volcanic stones and plaster ensures that the built spaces complement the landscape. Interior palettes are composed of subtle tones brought to life by dappled, filtered sunlight,” explains principal Caroline Meersseman.

Bespoke furniture is also informed by the indigenous Huichol and Cora peoples. Take the armchairs strewn throughout that nod to uweni, the Huichol shaman’s chair. “Retaining the construction methods of bent wood pieces tied together at the joints, our chair replaces Mexican bamboo with tropical wood, and the vegetable fibers and gum with thin leather straps,” says Christopher Mattiucci, team lead at the firm. “This modern reinterpretation pays homage to the shamanic heritage while introducing a tailored yet comfortable contemporary aesthetic.”

Oaxaca

A palette of natural materials defines the suites at Kymaia in Oaxaca

Folksy Oaxaca, capital of the southern Mexican state of the same name, has long attracted visitors with its blend of history, Spanish Colonial architecture, and food and drink culture. It’s the kind of city where boutique properties thrive.

Consider the newly opened Kymaia, designed by Ezequiel Ayarza Sforza, founder of Casona Sforza and Mexico City- and New York-based Productora. The earthy, sustainable addition to the scene is dedicated to landscape regeneration, which resulted in a quartet of gardens. They are juxtaposed with such materials as stucco and local wood and the 22 suites, many of them arranged as pre-Hispanic pyramids, further capture Oaxacan traditions.

Beyond Centro Histórico, beachy, nightlife-propelled Puerto Escondido, some three hours to the south, is catching on as a destination in its own right. In 2024, the eco-friendly Xiqué Boutique Hotel made its debut as an eight-room sanctuary that local firm Estudio Carroll crafted with pink chukum, palm bone, and clay tiles.

The restaurant at Otro Oaxaca seamlessly flows into the shady patio

Grupo Habita’s pioneering spirit first led to the area with the original Hotel Escondido in 2013. Then came the Escondido Oaxaca Hotel in 2019, followed by the 2022 opening of Hotel Terrestre. The 16-room Otro Oaxaca joined the roster in 2023 with a design by local practice RootStudio that comprises a rooftop pool and subterranean spa punctuated by a cenote.

Most recently, the 39-key Hotel Humano was added to the portfolio. Designed by architect Jorge Hernández de la Garza and Madrid’s Plantea Estudio, it draws from its location in the surfing community of La Punta Zicatela.

“The rooms are like modern surfer shacks—full of light with private gardens or balconies; easy to live and difficult to leave,” says Carlos Couturier, managing and founding partner of Grupo Habita, who adds that the hotel also features a bistro, rooftop, vintage-inspired pool, and outdoor spa. “The most radical aspect is the people inhabiting the surroundings,” he says, “special humans looking for a laidback life—never in a rush, moving bare feet from one place to another, riding waves, dining outdoors, and watching sunsets by a firepit.”

A permeable lattice exterior heightens the flow between inside and out at Hotel Humano

Photos and renderings by Cesar Bejar, Nestor Martinez, Edmund Sumner, Enrique Serrano, Joe Thomas, Zaickz and courtesy of Aman, Pendry, SLS, and Waldorf Astoria

This article originally appeared in HD’s February/March 2025 issue.

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A rich synthesis of style and luxury unites Delano properties across years and locales, but the brand has never seen itself as traditional. At its core, Delano is a rebel.

“Disruption has always been at the heart of the brand, so its evolution must be progressive in nature to honor its legacy and continue the narrative,” says Phil Zrihen, Ennismore’s COO and group head of Americas. “When Delano opened in Miami in the mid-1990s, it not only revolutionized the hotel scene with its groundbreaking approach to lifestyle hospitality, but it also captured the cultural zeitgeist through thoughtful, impactful partnerships across the worlds of art, fashion, design, and music.”

Delano Dubai offers 251 guestrooms and suites on Dubai’s Bluewaters Island

It’s no wonder, then, that the Philippe Starck-designed Delano Miami Beach remains the brand’s North Star, illuminating a stylish but sophisticated foundation shaping the road ahead. It served as the muse for the newly christened Delano Dubai, the brand’s first outpost in the UAE.

Ennismore joined forces with Elastic Architects, La Bottega, SA Consultants, and Y Design to fashion a contemporary homage to Delano’s Magic City flagship more than 7,800 miles away.

“Approaching the design of the Delano Dubai, we did so with the knowledge that the project would be pivotal in informing the next chapter of the Delano story,” says Mark Eacott, Ennismore global vice president of design. “We wanted to ensure that a reimagined Delano design considered this emotional pull of the original while staying true to its evolutionary spirit.”

From sunken pool furniture to billowing curtains, beloved Miami mainstays abound alongside subdued color accents that offset signature Delano white. Soft lines and grained materials infuse depth and motion as well.

Immersive atmosphere remains essential to the Delano F&B lineup, with staples like the Rose Bar, which is outfitted with rich marble, sumptuous red velvet curtains, and a rose petal design distinguishing the bar.

Rose Bar at Delano Dubai

“This resort is the first tangible embodiment of the brand’s evolution,” Eacott adds, “and in that way stands as a very clear communication on the renewed design direction of Delano and what the world can expect to see from the brand over the coming years.”

Like all good stories, Delano’s evolution is returning to where it began. The Delano Miami Beach is set to reopen in late 2025, with Elastic on board to revitalize the Art Deco gem for a new era. Brand hallmarks like white hues and soft minimalism will envelope guests in organic fluidity, which is especially prominent in the 171 guestrooms and suites, thanks to bespoke lighting and furnishings.

F&B staples, like Rose Bar, will join retail outlets and an event space that will serve as a platform for cultural activations—a tried and true method for Delano to establish a sense of place.

A wellness studio, spa, and a beachfront amenity deck will further amplify luxury along with a pair of pools. Framed views of the glistening Atlantic Ocean is a natural complement to a brand whose formula for reinvention positions them at the precipice of new possibilities.

“Delano seamlessly brings together a stylish understatement with a vibrant social buzz and magnetic energy, creating something entirely unique and relevant for the traveler of today that measures luxury in terms of experiential over materialism,” Zrihen says. “Consumer demand for a brand-led approach to luxury-lifestyle hospitality is established worldwide. However, there is still a huge opportunity to bring an innovative vision to the table.”

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The Waking Eclipse one-bedroom suite at Delano Dubai

Tutto Passa, an Amalfi Coast-inspired restaurant, at Delano Dubai

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In 2021, shortly after helping her mother move into an assisted living facility, Jill S. Cavanaugh received a call to transform the former Fairfax Hotel in Washington, DC into elevated next generation housing. “I was astounded at the irony—and determined to redirect personal anguish into something professionally rewarding,” says Cavanaugh, partner at Beyer Blinder Belle.

Behind the design of Inspīr Embassy Row

The now-open Inspīr Embassy Row, which joins a sister property in New York, nods to the hotel’s bygone era through a traditional palette of wood, leather, stone, and heavily textured fabrics implemented with a contemporary approach, resulting in elements such as detailed millwork, strong archways, and intimate fireplaces.

“We approached the layout of the interior architecture as we would in planning a city or neighborhood,” Cavanaugh explains. “We relied on the basic building blocks of strong and visually clear paths, nodes along those paths for resting and conversing, and landmarks—or distinct features—at the ends of those paths.”

A hotel-like lobby

The arrival experience is designed like a luxury hotel, meant to capture “a stunning first impression,” says Cavanaugh, which then evolves into more intimate, warmly lit areas that foster small gatherings. Adjacent to the lobby is the market, a space “that could become a part of their daily routine at all times of the day,” Cavanaugh explains, “from coffee and a newspaper in the morning, to a glass of iced tea or wine in the afternoon, to ice cream at night.”

Each space is delineated with clear boundaries created by distinct flooring, ceiling patterns, colors, and finishes that, she says, “allow residents to use long-embedded cognitive patterns of navigating complex spaces through intuitive wayfinding, with the larger goal of facilitating planned as well as unplanned interactions.”

All thresholds were removed to enable flat and obstruction-free mobility, while outdoor spaces, including a rooftop terrace, were maximized for memory care residents who have limited opportunity to leave the building.

An ode to the past

Echoes of the now-shuttered hotel remain alive inside Inspīr Embassy Row.

The library lounge, for instance, is adorned with abstract horse wallcoverings that nod to the hotel’s Jockey Club restaurant, once a social hub where prominent American politicians mingled with celebrities like Frank Sinatra and Lauren Bacall.

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The wildfires that ravaged the Los Angeles metropolitan area in January were devastating, but amid the copious amounts of loss and as the affected areas begin to figure out how to rebuild, growth continues. This is thanks in part to the 2028 Summer Olympic games that will woo sports fans from around the world to LA.

New hotels are also popping up here as a result of the city’s efforts to grow. Lodging Econometrics notes that there are 106 hotels planned for the city, which will garner almost 18,000 guestrooms.

Consider the Burton House, Beverly Hills. Part of Marriott’s Tribute Portfolio, the 186-key hotel, designed by Wimberly Interiors, opened in 2024 sporting metallic finishes, mirrored walls, and black and white motifs. In 2027, the neighborhood’s One Beverly Hills development will unveil the Aman Beverly Hills, encompassing a 78-suite Aman hotel, Aman Club, and Aman Residences crafted by Kerry Hill Architects.

A rendering of the sleek outdoor fireplace at the soon-to-open Bower Coronado

Situated in a former Arts District firehouse, the nine-room Kodō hotel opened in 2024 as a modern ryokan, designed by local architect Matthew Royce and studio Gry Space with handcarved concrete sinks, suspended mirrors, and arches. Nearby, Ennismore will introduce the 149-room Mama Shelter Downtown LA in 2026. There’s also the Le Petit Brentwood, Palisociety’s third location of its modern B&B concept. With interiors wrapped in green and white hues, the 25-key property comprises four guest buildings anchored by a central court.

Santa Monica is buzzing too, thanks to recent arrivals like the Georgian, the 84-room Art Deco icon rehabbed by local- and London-based studio Fettle for BLVD, which has been responsible for many Downtown LA hotels, and the 175-key Sandbourne Santa Monica. Part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection and from Stockdale Capital, local practice Atelier Gulla Jónsdóttir handled the dreamy façade and interiors.

Some two and a half hours south of LA, San Diego is also rife with developments, like New York firm Jeffrey Beers International’s 2024 revamp of the 511-room Omni San Diego Hotel. Here, stitched leather panels at the reception desk and stadium-style light fixtures speak to the importance of Petco Park and the San Diego Padres, while the Tortuga pool bar and terrace reinforce the coastal setting through artwork and a custom trellis structure.

Local décor and accessories connect the Hyatt Regency Irvine’s lobby to Orange County

Lodging Econometrics reports there are 52 hotels with 9,827 guestrooms in the works in San Diego, including the Bower Coronado, which will boast the resort city’s first rooftop bar. For the 39-key property opening in March on the site of a former Japanese tea garden, local architecture firm Delawie and SFA Design will outfit the spaces with patinated metals, limestone, and woodwork to evoke 1950s California.

Orange County, a hub for business travelers, shouldn’t be overlooked either. Following a $55 million renovation, the Hotel Irvine now sparkles with rose marble and brass accents as the Hyatt Regency Irvine, bringing together 516 guestrooms, an artisanal marketplace, and the Regency Club, complete with lounge seating and firepits. To forge a connection to the community, Gensler incorporated pieces from local artisans and antique shops.

Below, we dive into six new and forthcoming projects that encapsulate Southern California’s boundless energy.

The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara

It’s been 25 years since the Bacara Resort & Spa—it was rebranded as a Ritz-Carlton in 2017—began welcoming guests. In celebration of the milestone, the 358-room hotel is currently undergoing a multimillion-dollar renovation spearheaded by New York- and LA-based firm Meyer Davis.

When it reopens later this year, it will include references to the terrain’s natural beauty as well as the Chumash people, the original stewards of the land, and the Californios, the area’s early Spanish settlers.

Private cabanas will lend the pool area a sense of discretion and an outdoor terrace dotted with native plants will amplify views of the scenic bluffs below. “The design weaves together historic textiles, leather accents, terracotta hacienda tiles, and equestrian motifs,” says Will Meyer, cofounder of Meyer Davis. “Organic forms reflect the shifting earth, while an ocean-inspired palette brings tranquility.”

The Capri Hotel

A Capri Hotel guestroom, adorned with cork flooring and bespoke millwork

Led by Kenny Osehan, the Shelter Social Club portfolio of hotels in Ojai, Santa Barbara, Los Alamos, and Solvang are quirky and driven by community. For the reboot of Ojai’s Capri Hotel dating from 1963, Osehan called upon Los Angeles-based Manola Studio, resulting in striking elements like auburn leather chairs and hand-cut tiles.

“Shelter Social Club has a way of making spaces feel like they’ve always belonged,” says Manola Studio founder Jessica Pell. “Capri had that quiet, classic charm you can’t manufacture—lovely midcentury bones, a great location at the mellow end of town, and just enough patina to feel soulful but not forgotten.”

Now, the pool and the lobby are social hubs, communal hangouts juxtaposed with 30 guestrooms elevated by desert-hued cork flooring and custom millwork that recalls the Italian Riviera. Here, “form and material add depth and character to a classic motel footprint,” Pell adds.

Regent Santa Monica Beach

The Regent Santa Monica’s airy lobby is evocative of a yacht

The Regent Santa Monica Beach made its debut last year in the shadow of the city’s famed pier as the first location in the Americas of IHG’s Regent Hotels & Resorts flag, in partnership with Strategic Hotels & Resorts.

Drawing upon the expertise of local architect Houston Tyner, Dallas-based Nunzio Marc DeSantis Architects, Wimberly Interiors, and AvroKO, the hotel brings together 167 guestrooms, restaurants from chefs Michael Mina and Ayesha Curry, and a 10,000-square-foot spa developed in collaboration with Guerlain.

A neutral palette transports diners at Orla in the Regent Santa Monica

One of the property’s highlights is its oceanfront location, highlighted in “light, airy colors and textures seen throughout the lobby and Orla restaurant,” says Greg Bradshaw, AvroKO’s San Francisco-based partner. “Green hues are paired with gold and cream-colored accents, while brass detailing is reminiscent of what one might find on a yacht at sea.”

The oval-shaped main bar, a fusion of marble and leather, also has a nautical bent, he adds, for it’s “topped with a ‘hat’ that takes inspiration from a seafaring compass, becoming a focal point viewable from the balconies above.”

Casa Loma Beach Hotel

Guestrooms at the Casa Loma Beach Hotel reflect a bohemian spirit

Marc & Rose Hospitality has thoughtfully reimagined the Inn at Laguna Beach as the 70-room Casa Loma Beach Hotel. “We sought to craft a serene yet vibrant coastal retreat that harmonizes with its stunning clifftop setting, inspired by Laguna Beach’s creative heritage and a laidback Mallorcan spirit,” says Marc & Rose Hospitality president John Grossman.

The art program was key to cultivating a lived-in yet vibrant experience. Overseen by graphic and branding firm LAND, pieces include the lobby mural and handpainted canvas tapestries gracing select guestrooms.

They meld with Electric Bowery’s interiors that pull from historic seaside village hotels. The Venice, California-based studio “preserves Laguna Beach’s long history of artisans, especially from the original surfboard shapers from the ’50s, through handcrafted woodworking, curved shapes, organic textures, and earthy tones,” says principal Lucia Bartholomew.

Granger Hotel Gaslamp Quarter

San Diego’s historic Gaslamp Quarter “is the heart of downtown, where all the energy of the city comes together with entertainment and nightlife,” says Kevin Mansour, managing partner of Oram Hotels.

Capturing the district’s vibe was top of mind when Mansour and his brother, Alvin, opened the Granger, part of the Design Hotels collection, in a 1904 Romanesque building that has at turns served as a bank, a jeweler, and a home for animals awaiting transport to the San Diego Zoo. Working alongside Erika Baker, lead designer and creative director of Oram Hotels, the Mansour brothers conceived the city’s first private, guest-only hangout.

In the lobby, artwork, including a monumental plaster wall and a ceiling mural depicting an abstract lion and elephant, stand out against a palette of blush pink, chartreuse, and cerulean. Meanwhile, some of Baker’s own creations mingle with vintage pottery and lamps in the 96 loft-style guestrooms.

“We wanted to create something special for our hometown, something intimate and unexpected,” says Mansour. “The design is organic and layered, filled with rich colors and textures that bring the brand to life.”

The Baby Grand

Set for a winter opening, Baby Grand will boast bespoke clamshell headboards, shown in a rendering

As founder of CH Projects, Arsalun Tafazoli has dazzled San Diego denizens with restaurant and bar concepts, so it was only a matter of time before he embraced hotels, too. Tafazoli’s successful 2023 reinvention of the Lafayette Hotel & Swim Club in North Park has now spawned his sophomore effort, the Baby Grand in Coronado, opening this winter.

Like Lafayette, the maximalist Baby Grand comes courtesy of Brooklyn, New York- and Jackson, Wyoming-based Post Company. A draped ceiling-capped reception area, waterfall, and oyster bar and lounge that conjures the 1950s will all be fantastical elements, as are the 31 guestrooms, which will feature mirrored minibars that open to red glass and bronze. Each key was designed as its own jewel box, while beds will boast custom cast clamshell headboards that “took a fair amount of time, energy, and cash to bring to fruition,” Tafazoli says.

“We are dedicated to San Diego, and we like to think that each project we decide to say yes to feeds a larger ecosystem that has a chance to push culture forward in our city,” Tafazoli explains. “When we had the opportunity to evolve into the hotel space, our intention was always to build three or four idiosyncratic ones that reflected our values, but with each having their own identity and sense of placemaking.”

Photos by Tanveer Badal, Robin Benson, and Stan Lee, and courtesy of Capri Hotel, Hyatt Regency Irvine, Bower Coronado, CH Projects, and Marc & Rose Hospitality

This article originally appeared in HD’s February/March 2025 issue.

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