Starting the new year with gusto, several highly anticipated hotels landed in the first month of 2021 – here are three of our favourites.
From North America to the Middle East, this month’s hotel debuts cover a diversity of cultural and environmental influences. We take a closer look at a trio that have really hit the ground running.
Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort & Club, California
This month, Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort & Club made its grand debut following the transformation of the former Monarch Beach Resort. The award-winning AAA Five-Diamond resort in Dana Point, California is nestled into the hillside on the coast, providing uninterrupted views over the Pacific Ocean.
In this scenic setting, guests can enjoy the site’s private Monarch Bay Beach Club, which hosts ocean activities along with a coastal restaurant and beachfront bar, as well as soak up the coastal lifestyle by making the most of the resort’s culinary offering and luxury amenities.
In addition to the hotel’s 400 guest rooms and suites, the property’s home to an outdoor pool area with family pool, two infinity-edge whirlpools and private cabanas, several restaurants and bars including Bourbon Steak Orange County, an expansive spa, swathes of indoor and outdoor event space, and an oceanfront 18-hole golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jnr.
Grand Hyatt Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia
The first Grand Hyatt-branded property to open in Saudi Arabia invites guests to discover Al Khobar; together with Damman and Dhahran, it’s one of the ‘Triplet Cities’, considered key economic and tourism hubs for the country. This 396-room five-star property, which also houses 54 residential units, is situated in the commercial heart of Al Khobar, with a bridge connecting the newbuild to Al Rashid Mall.
Grand Hyatt Al Khobar is opening in phases. Its January launch saw the opening of 120 guest rooms and 20 residences, as well as the all-day dining facilities, lobby lounge, banquet halls, fitness centre and spa. Then the next phase, scheduled for February, will see the opening of the remaining guest rooms, along with the Rosalie and Sakana House restaurants. And the final phase, slated for March, will mark the completion of all remaining residences.
Once finished, guests will be able to dine at the signature restaurant offering Levantine cuisine, Asmahan, as well as French patisserie Rosalie, lobby lounge Grandeur, and artisanal steakhouse and seafood restaurant Sakana House. The hotel also encompasses 25,000 sq ft of event space and the sprawling Nirvana Spa, home to two lap pools among other fitness and wellness facilities.
Moxy Austin-University
The first Moxy hotel in Texas, boasting 162 guest rooms in an industrial-chic style, aims to provide a vibrant hangout for those who are young at heart, and want to work hard and play hard. Buzzing with positivity and creativity, the White Lodging-owned property neighbours the University of Texas at Austin campus and comes complete with its own cocktail bar and 24-hour taco counter.
Its first floor is the setting for the 150-seat Bar Moxy, featuring an indoor ‘living room’ and an outdoor ‘backyard’ with lounge seating, fire features and an interactive guestbook. It’s also here that you’ll find the latest Zombie Taco, following on from the concept’s success at Moxy hotels in Chicago and Louisville.
Drawing on its singular location, Moxy Austin-University is planning to host the 21+ Moxy YOUniversity programme of events celebrating campus life.
Many TOPHOTELNEWS articles draw on exclusive information from the TOPHOTELPROJECTS construction database. This subscription-based product includes details of thousands of hotel projects around the world, along with the key decision-makers behind them. Please note, our data may differ from records held by other organisations. Generally, the database focuses on four- and five-star schemes of significant scale; tracks projects in either the vision, pre-planning, planning, under-construction, pre-opening or newly opened phase; and covers newbuilds, extensions, refurbishments and conversions.
