Hard to believe we have seen another month through and April brings with it its brand new hotel openings. From Scotland to Sweden to all way over in the east to Tibet, let’s check out on your next vacation.
Cromlix, Dunblane, Scotland
How would you like to be the guest of an Olympic champion? Now you can at Cromlix owned by Scottish tennis superstar Andy Murray. In February 2013, Murray snapped up a late-1800s Victorian mansion on 34 acres near his hometown with a view to turn it into a luxury boutique hotel with ten rooms and five suites. And now over a year later, Cromlix is ready to welcome its first guests.
All of the 10 bedrooms, 5 suites and one bedroom gate lodge, each is named after a famous Scot, have their own individual design and character, along with splendid views of the grounds and surrounding countryside. Room facilities include 32 inch televisions, personal safe, i-pod docking stations, radio, free internet access and DVD player available upon request.
The hotel also comprises a dining room, two drawing rooms, a conservatory, library, whisky room and, of course, a tennis court. Other on-site activities for guests include archery, garden games, billiards and in-room spa treatments.
Opening: 1 April 2014
Miss Clara, Stockholm, Sweden
One of Stockholm’s most treasured Art Nouveau buildings, the former Ateneum girl’s school, has been transformed into the Miss Clara, a first class property along bustling Sveavägen Boulevard.
Built in 1910 and restored under the direction of Gert Wingårdh, the hotel showcases the architect’s unique concept of an outward-facing property, where each of the 92 room’s windows facing Sveavägen boulevard are treated as ‘center stage’. Wingårdhs’ interiors also hark back to the building’s past as a girls’ school with subtle hints of femininity.
Each room boasts parquet flooring, arched windows, marble bathrooms, pull-out workspaces and contemporary riffs on the property’s Art Nouveau history via furniture pieces and installations.
At street-level, a vibrant restaurant and bar run by a former chef at Operakällaren is sure to be a local attraction thriving on the urban buzz of the district. Away from the hustle and bustle of the city, you can also work out at the well-equipped gym or relax in the sauna.
Opening: 14 April 2014
Shangri-La Lhasa, Lhasa, Tibet
Set on a plateau 3,650 metre above sea level, encircled by the Himalayas, Lhasa is a most amazing getaway and now home to Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts' newest property, the 289-room Shangri-La Hotel, Lhasa.
Conveniently located 40-minute drive from Lhasa Gongar Airport a 10-minute drive from the world's highest railway station, and within walking distance to World Heritage Sites Potala Palace and Norbulingka Palace, Shangri-La Hotel, Lhasa is set to be the perfect base for those who want to explore the dramatic landscape and some of the world's most culturally significant Buddhist sites, including Jokhang Temple and Sera Monastery.
Some of the 262 rooms and 17 suites offer views of the Potala Palace and a modern décor in neutral colours and accentuated with the earthy reds, deep blues, and vibrant greens that are seen in traditional Tibetan dress.
The hotel's signature outlet is Shambala, a tapas bar and lounge featuring authentic Tibetan cuisine. Altitude, the all-day dining restaurant, serves international cuisine. Shang Palace, a Shangri-La signature restaurant, is set to serve authentic Cantonese and Sichuan specialities in a contemporary setting and in the restaurant's 10 private dining rooms.
As well as ballrooms and function spaces including the Grand Ballroom, the largest in the city, there is also on offer a range of treatments at the on-site spa, tea in Lodgers Lounge, relaxation at an oxygen lounge and reflexology pavilion.
Opening: 17 April 2014
Do you know of any other new hotels opening this year? Or have you been to a hotel opened recently? Drop us a line and let us know.
