The best new hotels in North America and Mexico
It’s inevitable: every spring when we pull together the Hot List, our annual collection of the world’s best new hotels, restaurants, and cruise ships, a staffer remarks that this latest iteration has got to be the best one ever. For North America and Mexico, our editors discovered incredible new addresses in Las Vegas, Hawaii, Riviera Maya and more. The below list forms our annual Hot List edit of the best new hotels in North America and Mexico, and features a diverse mix of properties, from an intimate address on Fifth Avenue in New York, to a notable new addition for SHA wellness.
This selection of hotels is part of the annual Condé Nast Traveller Hot List 2024. See the other lists below:
- The best new hotels in Asia
- The best new hotels in Australia and New Zealand
- The best new hotels in Central and South America and Caribbean
- The best new hotels in Europe
- The best new hotels in the Middle East and Africa
All listings featured in this story are independently selected by our editors. However, when you book something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
- Nikolas Koenig/The Riviera Maya EDITION at Kanaihotel
The Riviera Maya Edition at Kanai, Mexico
Making its debut in Latin America, The Riviera Maya Edition at Kanai brings the brand’s quintessential late-night soirees and chic city style to an expansive, 620-acre nature reserve in the Yucatán Peninsula’s Riviera Maya. With interiors by the Ian Schrager Company in collaboration with the design firm Rockwell Group, and architecture by Edmonds International, the resort was created with cenotes (freshwater limestone pools) in mind. After walking up an orchid-lined staircase, guests arrive at a seating area with views of an oversized lagoon-like swimming pool – the resort’s centrepiece – that looks straight to a palm-lined path leading to the sea. It’s here where the property’s cenote-inspired architecture really shines, courtesy of a bamboo yoga deck designed by Eduardo Neira. The structure’s undulating walls continue to the surrounding limestone buildings – mimicking the seismic ripple that occurred when an ancient asteroid struck Chicxulub – which contain 182 guestrooms, including 30 suites, most with plunge pools and terraces providing either ocean or mangrove views. During a stay, guests are privy to the menus of two Mexican chefs who both appear on the World’s 50 Best lists: Francisco Ruano leads the resort’s signature restaurant Ki’is (meaning “zest” in Mayan), which is known for its revolving tasting menu; while Tomás Bermúdez helms So’ol (Mayan for “oyster”), an outdoor seafood eatery overlooking the Caribbean Sea. From £580. Michaela Trimble
- William Abranowiczhotel
The Fifth Avenue Hotel, New York City, USA
The latest to join the chorus line of hotels recasting the appeal of New York’s NoMad district, this private mansion turned jewel box stay high-kicks things up a notch. The original 19th-century building was part of the estate of the socialite Charlotte Goodridge, and has been refurbished by designer Martin Brudnizki into a sensorial treat to match its gilded past. For all the seeming ubiquity of Brudnizki-created spaces of late, this one feels like it couldn’t have been by anyone else. The vaulted lobby is dressed up in ornate panels; corridors are bedecked with vivid wallpaper featuring oversized flora and fauna; rooms are filled with painted screens and pagoda-style lamps that are an ode to the travels of hotel owner Alex Ohebshalom; and a go-for-broke assemblage of art, from old-world oils to modern photography, adorns every corner. It’s the bold palette Brudnizki is known for, a dreamlike pastiche that would have been chaos in the hands of anyone less practised. Just as adept is the hospitality that extends from the ready-to-please butler service on each floor to extra touches, such as the candle that’s slipped into your room after you’ve complimented the scent in the lobby, or the Martini cart that appears at the door for an eleventh-hour craving. It’s a place to return to: for cocktails named after your favourite destinations at the Portrait Bar, oysters à la pomme and lobster cannelloni at Café Carmellini – but most of all for the chance to wake up in a giant cabinet of curiosities. Doubles from about £700. Arati Menon
- Mark Mediana/Fontainebleau Las Vegashotel
Fontainebleau Las Vegas, USA
Saying that Fontainebleau is the longest-awaited of any Las Vegas property is no hyperbole: in fact, the 729-foot-high tower (the tallest hotel in Las Vegas) was topped out in 2008 but sat vacant through several ownership changes before Jeffrey Soffer’s Fontainbleau Resorts reclaimed it in 2021 – and unveiled the final product in one of the most star-studded and lavish parties in Las Vegas history at the end of 2023. The hotel is a soaring tribute to the original architect of its iconic Miami Beach sister property, Morris Lapidus, complete with a massive oval lobby, monolithic bow-tie-shaped porte cochere, and other midcentury modern glam details. The 67-story Fontainebleau (now the tallest hotel in Vegas) features 3,644 rooms in several categories that afford incredible views of either the mountains or the Strip from floor-to-ceiling windows. There are some truly new-to-Vegas experiences on the dining front: numbering among the 36 restaurants and lounges are Mother Wolf, which doles out Roman pizza and hand-cut pasta; and the witty Washing Potato, serving up dim sum and street food. The clever Reboot Lounge offers everything from a signature foot massage to compression therapy for legs (great for recovering from a long flight). Fontainebleau takes all the best Las Vegas amenities, adds a bit of Miami glamour, and supersizes everything on a massive stage. From £236. Emily Gordon
- SHA Wellnesshotel
SHA Wellness Clinic Mexico, Riviera Maya, Mexico
When the original Sha Wellness Clinic opened its doors in Alicante back in 2008, it immediately stood out from other destination spas, taking a holistic, in-depth approach to the often vague concept of “wellness.” This follow-up property includes the same comprehensive treatments and cutting-edge medical techniques – only this time, the address is on a prime stretch of beachfront in Costa Mujeres. The rooms and suites all come with private balconies and studio-size bathrooms, but the health clinic – complete with six stories and a hundred treatment rooms – is obviously the star attraction here. On the top floor there’s a fully equipped gym and a terrace for yoga or sound baths; in the basement there is a hydrotherapy circuit with a sauna, steam room, Roman bath, and cold plunge around a lovely pool; and in between are numerous areas with a dedicated purpose, from ageing well to traditional Chinese medicine. Cutting-edge tech abounds, from machines that give you an intense core workout to a bed for advanced cell regeneration therapy. The vibe is calm, cool, dim, and science-y without being overly medicalized. The food is expectedly nutritious but surprisingly flavorful: Following the recommendations of the Harvard Medical School, as well as centuries of Eastern thought, dishes at Shamadi, the main restaurant, emphasize vegetables of various colours, whole grains, proteins (including fresh local seafood), and alkaline foods. If you need a reminder to take care of yourself, a visit to Sha Mexico will flawlessly do the trick. From £4,474 for four nights. Jesse Ashlock
- Simon Brown/Warren Street Hotelhotel
Warren Street Hotel, New York City, USA
To step into the Warren Street Hotel is to immerse yourself in the whimsical and wacky world of Kit Kemp. As the interior designer’s third New York City property with the Firmdale hospitality group (and 11th overall), each space is packed with her trademark eccentricity and magpie-like knack for sourcing eclectic artworks and inspiration from around the world – from the British craft and ceramics on display in the light-filled “Orangery” downstairs to the abstract sculptures greeting guests in the buttercup yellow lobby. Even the carpets are done up in a limited edition batik pattern, courtesy of Kit Kemp for Wilton Carpets. Meanwhile, no two rooms are the same – all have been designed by Kemp to exude their own personality, whether it be through the patterned headboards above king-size beds, one-of-a-kind artworks spanning all sorts of creative movements and styles, custom-made wallpaper and egg-shaped lighting, or even an occasional mishmash of antique furniture. Downstairs at the restaurant, where Tribeca locals jostle with guests for a prime-time table, dishes like a rich foie gras terrine and spaghetti alle vongole are served beneath custom-made wallpaper so beautiful it almost rivals the murals at the Carlyle’s legendary Bemelmans bar uptown. Kemp is a master when it comes to transforming a space into a riot of colour and wit, and this latest endeavour may just be her most playful yet. From £700. Lale Arikoglu
- Kona Village, A Rosewood Resorthotel
Kona Village, a Rosewood Resort, Kona, Hawaii
Originally opened in 1965, Kona Village was an early “if you know you know” type of place, prized for its location and laid-back vibe. After a tsunami struck in 2011 and destroyed much of the original structure, the legendary resort sat in ruins until global real estate investment company Kennedy Wilson and Rosewood Hotels & Resorts partnered to reimagine what once was – and they’ve managed to thread the tricky needle between honouring and acknowledging the past while looking to the future. Some of the 150 free-standing bungalows are right on the beach, others look out over the resort’s natural lagoon, and many have expansive private lanais or patios. The decor scheme is a riot of texture – carved wood, woven palm, wicker – and layered colours, mostly neutrals with pops of ocean blue here and there. The Asaya spa, meanwhile, is one of the most visually stunning spaces on grounds: It’s built into the lava flow and has views of the Hualalai volcano off in the distance. All in all, this new iteration of Kona Village ticks every last box. The design is stellar and channels the location beautifully, the service is warm and professional, the beach and the natural setting cannot be topped, and perhaps most importantly – and hardest to pull off – the vibe is just so good. It’s the platonic ideal of the “Hawaiian hotel.” Or, more simply put: Close your eyes and imagine the dreamiest Hawaiian getaway possible. Now open them. From £1,440. Rebecca Misner
- Gentl & Hyershotel
Dawn Ranch, California, USA
Over the past few years, long-bohemian Sonoma has seen a handful of splashy, big hotel openings that make the area feel like it’s headed in the same way as ritzy neighbouring Napa. Dawn Ranch is not one of those openings – in the best, most magical way possible. The cabins, cottages, and glamping-style tents (87 keys all in) are spread out across the retreat’s 22 riverside acres punctuated by ancient giant redwoods, grassy meadows, and a century-old apple orchard. From the minute you step on site, there’s a clear invitation to slow down and take in the surrounding nature. The check-in area is low-key and more outdoor than indoor, with a chalkboard that highlights the week’s activities – morning yoga or meditation, an origami workshop, stargazing in the orchard, or live music at the band shell. The front desk can kit you out with picnic blankets, sketchbooks, and binoculars, and there are acoustic Fender guitars available for campfire sing-alongs. There are quiet places – a bench in the sweet kitchen garden, a picnic table under the shade of a cedar – that beckon for guests to stop and stay put for a moment. While the decor and design is very contemporary, there’s this lovely throwback-to-simpler-times feel (and no phones or TVs in the room help keep this vibe going). Dawn Ranch is the rare property that makes it easy to relax, truly befitting its idyllic setting. From £240. Rebecca Misner
- Courtesy The Georgianhotel
The Georgian, Santa Monica, California
There can be few more iconic frontages anywhere in the US than the turquoise art deco façade of “Santa Monica’s First Lady” – a star magnet since 1933, but which had become more of an Accidentally Wes Anderson curiosity than a hotel to rival the best of Los Angeles. That’s emphatically changed after an overhaul by BLVD Hospitality (Soho Warehouse in Downtown LA) and design firm Fettle, best known for creating Hoxton hotels from Portland to Rome. The 84-room address has emerged with its deco-meets-Havana vibe smartly updated, with bellboys dressed in powder blue uniforms and scalloped details from the reception key cupboard to the headboards in pastel-painted rooms. Velveteen opulence and whimsical hedonism are the order of the day. Guests arrive to a glass of fizz, and can pick up a rotary phone to listen to imaginary conversations with celebrated former patrons (Monroe, Chaplin, Gable et al); those in suites can press a Champagne button to summon a bar cart. The 1918 Steinway is still tickled at The Georgian Room, a speakeasy-style basement restaurant and bar with a horseshoe-shaped quartzite counter. There’s a caviar service among the Italian-meets-SoCal dishes at the ground-floor restaurant, which spills out onto a lovely ocean-facing terrace. With regular art exhibitions, one of which featured bright abstract canvases by Sharon Stone, there’s a tangible sense that The Georgian is entering a new golden age. Doubles from about £550. Lizbeth Scordo
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- Courtesy The Global Ambassadorhotel
The Global Ambassador, Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix has its fair share of easy-to-categorise hotels, from rambling retreats for families to Old Town Scottsdale party spots seemingly custom-made for bachelorette blowouts. But a chic, cosmopolitan hotel? A property that’s a legitimately cool day-and-night destination for locals? Absolutely nonexistent in the Valley of the Sun – until the arrival of the Global Ambassador. At first blush, you feel more like you’ve touched down somewhere in Europe: peek outside at the sweet pool with its pink-striped chaise lounge and orange-with-white-piping sun umbrellas, and you’ll swear you’re on the Amalfi Coast. Despite the abundant modern touches (and complete lack of southwest design aesthetic), however, the backdrop of the magnificent Camelback Mountain will remind you exactly where you are. The overall palette in the 141 guest rooms and suites is soft beiges and whites, with many different textural delights – and there’s good framed art everywhere. Of the five food and drink venues, rooftop restaurant Théa is the crown jewel, thanks to a Mediterranean-inspired dinner menu and 360-degree views of Camelback at sunset. The cutting-edge spa and fitness offerings nicely round out this stylish, sophisticated hotel – one that feels totally transportive yet exactly right for this fast-changing desert city. From £275. Rebecca Misner
- Paul Costello/The Celestinehotel
The Celestine, New Orleans, USA
Built in 1791 as a private residence in the fabled French Quarter, The Celestine marks the glowing return to what its storied former tenants – the Creole chemist Antione Peychaud, responsible for his namesake bitters and a female hotelier who ran the fashionable Maison Deville hotel (where Tennesse Williams is said to have penned A Streetcar Named Desire) – would have enjoyed. The property, named after Peychaud’s wife, was lovingly restored by local restaurateur and hotelier Robert LeBlanc (The Chloe), interior designer Sara Costello (The Chloe), and cocktail whiz Neal Bodenheimer (Cure, Cane + Table). A stylish sprawl of 10 rooms features antique furniture, four-poster beds, pencil drawings, and a trove of 19th-century oil paintings discovered in the building’s attic. Sip a Sazerac from your balcony or descend into the dimly-lit Pecyhaud’s Bar for a nip. Outside, a tropical-fringed courtyard with a babbling fountain is a delightful spot for a Ramos Gin Fizz amid the sounds of jazz music wafting from the legendary Court of Two Sisters next door. From £180. Kate Donnelly
- Courtesy Jason Dewey/St. Regis Kanaihotel
The St. Regis Kanai Resort, Riviera Maya, Mexico
When viewed from above, the St. Regis Kanai Resort, Riviera Maya looks like a deconstructed Olympic logo – a series of curvaceous shapes sitting on over a mile of private beach. It’s meant to be a celestial schematic (inspired by the 1,000-plus stars in the constellation Pleiades), with gleaming, ultramodern white buildings hovering over protected mangroves. While the scale may seem overwhelming at first, the genius of its indoor-outdoor architecture reveals itself throughout one’s stay. Every thoughtfully designed, Mayan-inspired room has a view of the sea; there are elevated wooden walkways in lieu of cement paths; and the whole place is surrounded by a ridiculous amount of greenery. The generous footprint allows for a variety of tastes and needs to be accommodated – solo travellers, honeymooners, girlfriends on getaways, extended families – with minimal overlap. There are multiple beach clubs, a kids’ club, and seven dining options (and dedicated butlers to help you manage it all). But the pièce de résistance here is the spa: it’s like a boutique resort within the resort, and you could easily spend the entire day there, whether getting pampered or not. Offerings include separate men’s and women’s outdoor aqua-thermal circuits with pools and a menu of treatments that incorporate ancient Mayan traditions. Best yet, the spa can be experienced even if you’re not staying on property. Similarly, St. Regis guests can easily pop over to the Edition or the Etéreo (an Auberge resort), the hotel’s neighbours in this gated development. From £870. Rima Suqi
- Colima 71hotel
Colima 71, Mexico City, Mexico
Tucked away in Roma Norte, one of Mexico City’s most lively corners, this former school is the area’s latest minimalist refuge with a focus on contemporary art. Famed Mexican architect Alberto Kalach led a local design team that transformed the property into a spacious hotel with 16 residential-style studios. In the cosy lobby, there’s a floor-to-ceiling photography installation by Iñaki Bonillas. Just beyond, in the courtyard, is the next showpiece: a hollow latticework steel structure by Sofía Táboas, another globally renowned Mexican artist. The staircase is adorned with a suspended sculpture made of bicycle tyres, stainless steel, and brass by Guatemalan provocateur Darío Escobar. Most rooms have outdoor balconies, white oak bed frames draped in Portuguese cotton linens, and kitchens stocked with ceramics produced by Indigenous communities in Oaxaca. Colima 71 blends a boutique hotel with aspects of a serviced apartment building – so it doesn’t have a restaurant, but there are treats. A barista drops by to deliver coffee made with beans from Chiapas and heartier dishes such as ricotta-and-guava-stuffed rolls from Panadería Rosetta, an acclaimed bakery by Rosetta’s Elena Reygadas, who was voted the world’s best female chef in 2023. For evenings, there’s an honesty bar – made from emerald marble imported from Iran – stocked with Mexico’s top tequilas and mezcals. From £315. Michaela Trimble
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- William Jess Lairdhotel
Maroma, A Belmond Hotel, Riviera Maya
$$$This palm-studded resort has been one of the most beloved destinations on the Riviera Maya since it opened in 1995. But a complete reimagining of the 72-room hotel has given it a renewed edge over its neighbours – without losing any of its soul. Arriving at Maroma involves driving through thick mangroves where spider monkeys swing from the trees (the property sits on 200 acres of jungle) before reaching its signature whitewashed architecture and thatched roofs. The design still leans heavily on the region’s Mayan vernacular – the curved stucco buildings are based on ancient geometric principles – and wider Mexican craftsmanship. In fact, almost every detail of the restoration, overseen by interior designer Tara Bernerd, prioritized Mexican makers and artisans (80 per cent of the property’s furnishings and objects were made in the country), from the hand-painted Saltillo floor tiles and woven wall hangings to the cotton “manta” caftans left in rooms for guests to slip into. Rooms overlook the palm tree-lined pool, the Caribbean Sea, or both, and feature more of those beautiful tiles, along with whitewashed walls hung with regional textiles. Every detail is designed to keep guests rooted in the Yucatán Peninsula: even the in-room bar, which is far from mini, is stocked with local spirits like pox, a Mayan liquor made of corn, sugarcane, and wheat, and Mayalen Guerrero mezcal in a beautiful bottle. Of the two restaurants on site, the pick is Casa Mayor from Mexican chef Daniel Camacho, which does mind-blowing tomato salads. (The chef also teaches a predictably delicious tortilla-making class.) While the property is spectacular, you shouldn’t miss the chance to explore the surroundings, which include a network of cenotes reached through underground caves. A swim in the pools, bats swooping overhead, is the stuff memories are made of. From £675. Lale Arikoglu