Several hotels opened in 2015 featuring some of the hospitality industry’s trendiest concepts. Homey lobby lounges, authentic F&B options and contemporary art mix with high-tech check-in processes and meeting offerings. Here are five hotels that brought out all the stops:
- JW Marriott Austin: The 1,012-room hotel debuted on Feb. 13 as not only the largest in Austin, but the largest JW Marriott in the U.S. and second largest in the world. Its massive, only-in-Texas size features local details such as large columns built from Texas limestone and a typographical map of Austin in the lobby.
- Melia Paris La Defense: The largest Four-Star hotel to open in Paris in the past decade debuted in March. Located in the city’s business district, the 369-room hotel was designed to look like a boat’s sail and features panoramic views of the city from a variety of event spaces.
- Gates Hotel: The 254-room hotel is designed to bring back 1920s-era Key West, Fla., when the destination thrived from cigar trade and bootlegging during Prohibition. Opened in April, the hotel features the Rodriguez Cigar Lounge and Prohibition-themed Rum Row bar, which serves up rum from the local Key West First Legal Rum Distillery. Attendees can even test their own cigar-rolling skills with classes for up to 20 on site.
- JW Marriott Los Cabos Beach Resort & Spa: Debuted in the fall, the 299-room property highlights the area’s natural environment and traditions, starting with the open-air lobby and its immediate views of the sea. The 7,104-sf Sum-San amphitheater, designed to look like an ancient Greek forum, will soon become a meeting planner fave.
- Hyatt Ziva Cancun: The pyramid-style architecture at this 547-room resort combined with local woods, fabrics and bright color accents are all influenced by the Mayan culture. Even the lobby bar features geometric artwork and panels inspired by indigenous carvings. A microbrewery and gourmet dining experiences such as Asian or French and Italian cuisines add to its appeal.
