Pursuitist presents the top 5 new tropical resorts opening in early 2021, curated by Ramsey Qubein.
Basking in the warm sunshine with lapping waves, tropical cocktails, and unending scenery may be the perfect way to truly “get away from it all,” especially when many Americans are looking for a safe way to, well, get away from it all.
These days, outdoor activity, especially at luxury resorts, provide ample privacy and personal space allowing for social distancing and the perfect opportunity to decompress. Like many swanky domestic hotels that opened in 2020, many luxury resorts in far-flung locales around the world were already planning their own debut. While pandemic stressors may have slowed things down, these five paradise destinations are among the many big names that will open their chic doors this year.
Start planning now because these swoon-worthy, new addresses will have you lusting for a bit of luxury in the sun.
Anantara Maia Seychelles Villas
Photo credit: Anantara Maia Seychelles Villas
As the first opening for Anantara in the Seychelles archipelago, this beautiful, all-villa property is a rebrand of Maia Luxury Resort & Spa, which was totally remodeled and given the luxe Anantara treatment. The brand is no stranger to island life in the Indian Ocean, and this stunner will please those that have visited other Anantara resorts in the Maldives and Mauritius among others.
Covering 30 acres of lush forest and gardens (designed by famous architect Bill Bensley), Anantara Maia Seychelles Villas will officially open this year (following a soft opening at the end of 2020) on the main island of Mahe. Each of the 30 panoramic villas offers secluded elegance with assistance from a dedicated villa host. Adding to the experience is the resort’s all-inclusive nature featuring a wide range of delectable meals and premium beverages plus the option to add Anantara’s signature Dining by Design concept for those that want a bespoke dinner on the beach.
Guests are pampered from the moment they arrive. Villas feature enormous bedrooms with spacious bathrooms featuring glass shower overlooking nature. Vanities are stocked with Hermes toiletries adding to the high-end experience. On top of a long roster of watersport activities, there’s a world-class spa with wellness-focused activities like yoga and qiyong.
Rosewood Le Guanahani
Photo credit: Rosewood Le Guanahani
With a fresh name and total renovation, Rosewood Le Guanahani is practically new from top to bottom with everything from reworked roofing to improved wireless Internet and audiovisual systems in guest rooms. Reopening this summer following a four-year closure, this refreshed resort on the shores of beautiful St. Barth is now under the prestigious Rosewood flag basically assuring the finest of experiences for its future guests.
Its 66 rooms, suites, and villas (the largest of which have three bedrooms) are the epitome of elegance, especially now that they have gone under the knife for an incredible facelift. Almost all have picture-perfect ocean views, and 20 have private pools.
Past guests will hardly recognize the place thanks to five new food and beverage outlets plus a renewed beach area with umbrella-shaded chairs reserved for guests and access to non-motorized watersports. The spa has five indoor treatment rooms plus individual rooms for cardio and weight training. There’s also an adults-only swimming pool and children’s program for creative activities where younger guests can learn about marine life and the surrounding islands. The resort has two beaches, each with food and beverage service, for guests to enjoy, assuring there is ample place for total relaxation.
Andaz Bali
Photo credit: Andaz Bali
With plans to open in the coming months, the Andaz Bali resort takes its design inspiration from the surrounding villages. Its beachfront location features low-rise, thatch-roofed buildings between lush gardens. Most of the resort’s varied dining options are located in the “village square,” which is meant to make guests feel like they are in a traditional Balinese village.
Oversized guest rooms offer Batik fabric accents, modern décor, and locally made furnishings. Guests can enjoy nature from day beds on the terrace or with a soak in the individual plunge pools that come with each villa.
The resort features beautiful pool areas including an adults-only section and a pampering spa with wellness areas, individual treatment villas, a kombucha bar, and a yoga studio.
The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands
Photo credit: The Ritz-Carlton Maldives
As with many of the other exquisite resorts in this island nation, The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands offers seclusion and privacy to the hilt. Its 100 villas, which are either land-based and overwater, are expected to open this spring.
To reach the new Ritz-Carlton, guests can take a speedboat from the main international airport (expected to take about an hour) or a 10-minute seaplane flight. It shares the Fari Islands with two other luxury resorts, but it’s hard to tell from the infinity pool of your overwater villa where it feels like the world is your oyster. This will be the first resort for Ritz-Carlton in the Maldives.
The resort was built with eco-friendly practices front and center including the use of pre-fabricated materials to minimize any construction work or pollution onsite. Natural breezes are prevalent through the property’s design minimizing the need for air conditioning in many areas. Solar panels help to keep the carbon footprint of this island paradise to a minimum.
This new Ritz-Carlton will be family-friendly with kids programming, plenty of outdoor activities, and numerous dining options ranging from Chinese to Italian to Lebanese.
One&Only Portonovi, Montenegro
Photo credit: One&Only Portonovi
Billed as a nautical playground along the Adriatic coast of Montenegro, the new One&Only Portonovi (the first for the brand in Europe) is sure to impress when it opens this March. At the entrance of Boka Bay, the resort sits amid bobbing yachts and speedboats in a region that is often dubbed one of Europe’s new rivieras. From the resort, guests have easy access to explore the beautiful coastline and its many picturesque sea villages, UNESCO World Heritage sites, and national parks.
Designed in palatial Venetian style, the resort is composed of traditional guest rooms, suites, and villas surrounded by stunning gardens and pools. Top-notch dining, a hallmark of the One&Only brand, will keep guests’ palates satisfied thanks to the talents of a Michelin-starred chef while spa goers will enjoy the pioneering detoxification and wellness techniques through a partnership with Henri Chenot. There’s even a subset of guest rooms located directly above the spa for those that want to participate in tailor-made spa and nutrition programs throughout their stay.
The scenic surroundings of this relaxing retreat are sure to draw a well-heeled audience looking for the ultimate in service coupled with outdoor activities like tennis, yoga, and scuba diving in the Adriatic Sea.
