The 11 Best Hotel Openings Around the Globe for Adventure Seekers
New hotels crop up every year, but 2024 is already shaping up to be a banner one for intrepid globetrotters seeking the best adventure hotels around the U.S. and beyond. A surge of recent hotel unveilings and revivals spanning from the rugged terrain of the Catskills to the sun-soaked landscapes of California, from the hidden reefs of Roatàn to the revived edge of Australia’s Kangaroo Island, means that bold travelers looking for the latest geographical, architectural, and adventure-leaning inspiration may find almost too many new options out there.
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So we’ve whittled down the list of our favorite new hotel openings (and welcome reopenings) to these 11 standout properties that aren’t just about next-level accommodations that you'll never want to leave. They're also about phenomenal surroundings beckoning us toward great trails, world-class reefs, one-of-a-kind wetlands, and other wild spots. If you’re a novelty seeker who appreciates lavish, unique digs in spectacular environs, the following newly opened hotels are likely just what you've been searching for.
Hemlock Neversink: Neversink, NY
Hemlock Neversink opened its doors last October, and you’ll want to spend much of your day outside its physical ones on this distinctive, 230-acre property. Enjoy sunrise walks accompanied by resident goats, rally on the tennis courts, and tread upon trails galore throughout the day—which include guided nature walks and yoga hikes. Nearby, there’s Holiday Mountain if you can’t imagine a winter trip to the majestic Catskills sans skiing or snowboarding. The hotel is big on the self-care beat, equipped with its own 14-treatment-room spa and pool facility, a creative studio for mindful activities like pine needle weaving, quilting, and pottery classes, and a movement/fitness space.
A standard day here might include a morning fitness class before a breakfast culinary class, a yoga hike, an après-hike massage, and evening stargazing. Then hit the hay hard in your zen room or suite—all a close stroll to Bittersweet at Hemlock, featuring a plant-forward, seasonal menu complemented by low- and no-ABV beverages and organic, sulfate-free wines. Across the property, you’ll also stumble upon a herbalist stand and an all-day grazing table if you need a healthy, post-hike pick-me-up. The main building dates back to the 1800s, and some interior design elements such as natural wood and iron have been preserved.
Flamingo Lodge: Homestead, FL
Opened in October 2023 right inside Everglades National Park, Flamingo Lodge makes a stellar home base for exploring its vast, one-of-a-kind backyard. Along with hiking and biking, there’s plenty of aquatic fun to be had here, whether you’re fishing, kayaking, enjoying an airboat tour, or taking a unique “wet water walk” through the Cypress forests of the Everglades with the Everglades Institute. Another cool activity? Participate in an invasive python-hunting experience via outfitter Python Huntress.
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There's usually some good gator and croc viewing right at the lodge, with water views in several guest rooms and suites—and excellent grub at a seasonal food truck and new on-site restaurant. Come nightfall, the park’s minimal light pollution offers epic stargazing. Note: An original Flamingo Lodge (constructed in the mid-1960s) was destroyed after Hurricanes Katrina and Wilma. Constructed from shipping containers, this property is an entirely new site.
Club Med Kiroro Grand: Hokkaido, Japan
Welcoming guests since December 2023, Club Med Kiroro Grand is tucked away on Japan's northern island of Hokkaido—just a three-minute gondola ride from its sister resort Club Med Kiroro Peak. Brimming with epic ski trails, the new property also offers no shortage of indoor activities like yoga, traditional Japanese onsen soaking, and further relaxing in a dedicated hot stone room. But it's outdoors where the real thrills are happening here.
The destination's proximity to the coast and seasonal (Siberian) winds creates meteorological magic for fresh ski tracks—boosted by the highest annual snowfall in Japan. Club Med Kiroro Grand takes advantage of these conditions on nearly 300 skiable acres plus several off-piste ski slopes across the Asari and Nagamine mountains. Guests will enjoy unlimited ski-in/ski-out privileges, lift passes, and group ski/snowboard lessons included as part of the stay, plus meals and activities are all-inclusive. Thanks to 160 days of winter here, spring skiing typically runs well into May.
Rusty Parrot Lodge & Spa: Jackson Hole, WY
Here’s your excuse to plan a trip to Jackson Hole. Scheduled for a late spring 2024 reopening, the Rusty Parrot Lodge & Spa has undergone a complete rebuilding following a 2019 fire. Situated between the Teton and Gros Ventre mountain ranges, mountain biking is calling your name in warmer months, as is whitewater rafting on the Snake River. In the winter, A-list skiing abounds at nearby Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, along with some of the best backcountry snowmobiling in the Northwest. When hunger strikes, the hotel’s beloved Wild Sage Restaurant will also be back for great chops and craft cocktails.
Cataloochee Ranch: Maggie Valley, NC
Recently reopened in mid-March 2024, three years of property-wide renovations at Cataloochee Ranch have led to reimagined designs at the Relais & Chateau resort, like wraparound terraces and two-sided fireplaces, as well as an upped menu of activities ranging from private horseback tours and spa treatments to archery and axe-throwing, with pickleball courts and on-site ziplining on the horizon.
Bordering Great Smoky Mountains National Park, a lofty adventure playground awaits guests here. If jumping behind the wheel of a Slingshot is your thing, the resort's neighboring trails in the Maggie Valley are off-roading nirvana. Smoky Mountain Slingshot Rentals lets you hug the curving mountain roads on three wheels in style, or take a UTV tour with Scenic Tours and Rentals. During winter, the slopes of Cataloochee Ski Area are just a mile up the road.
Silvestre Nosara: Nosara, Costa Rica
Dreaming of a surf-cation? Opened in January 2024, this luxury resort gives guests access to one of the most consistent surf breaks in the world on Playa Guiones. If you’re new to the sport, learn the art of wave-riding at Silvestre Nosara's surf school on a custom performance surfboard included in each room reservation. Along with surfing, you’ll want to carve out some time to venture into the surrounding Costa Rican jungle to partake in options like ATV-ing, ziplining, kayaking through mangroves, and hiking in nature reserves teeming with tropical wildlife, including monkeys, armadillos, coatis, iguanas, and a variety of bird species. Unwind and recap the day’s outings on Silvestre's rooftop, which serves cocktails, local beer, and light bites with ingredients sourced from 25 local purveyors.
Skyview Hotel: Torrey, UT
Since it started hosting guests in June 2023, Skyview has delighted travelers from its ethereal perch at the gateway to Capitol Reef National Park, one of Utah’s Mighty Five parks (and among the least touristed). Outdoor escapes range from Jeep photography tours to meandering hikes through the park’s famed slot canyons and otherworldly red rock terrain. For unbeatable stargazing in an official Dark Sky-designated destination, book one of the property’s glamping domes. While there are no restaurants at Skyview, you can buy a breakfast box with eats from local haunt Hunt & Gather Restaurant. Two additional excellent restaurant choices nearby are The Wild Rabbit and Chak Balam.
Kimpton Grand Roatán Resort & Spa: Roatán, Honduras
Newly opened in October 2023, the stunning Kimpton Grand Roatàn Resort & Spa sits on West Bay Beach, providing guests incredible access to the drop-off point of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, the world’s second-largest barrier reef. Scuba diving and snorkeling, parasailing, and the gamut of paddle sports are right at your fingertips, as is the nearby Gumbalimba Animal Sanctuary and Manawakie Eco Nature Park for up-close experiences with sloths, monkeys, and other native wildlife.
When it's time to reinvigorate, the hotel’s spa is appointed with soaking pools featuring color therapy, salinity variations, and temperature gradients, alongside a full lineup of treatments from reflexology and couples’ massages to a rose quartz stone ritual experience. The resort’s Mediterranean-inspired restaurant, Alera, serves hits like local corn velouté and marinated Spanish ahi.
Pendry Newport Beach: Newport Beach, CA
Opened in September 2023, this Southern California coastal beauty offers plenty of nearby adventure, too. Think kayak tours and moonlight boat rides out on the Pacific to yoga atop a floating board in the Newport Dunes swimming lagoon—all of which can be booked through Pirate Coast Paddle. On land, hiking and biking the 10.5-mile Back Bay Loop Trail is a Newport rite of passage. Once you’ve worked up an appetite from all that calf-torching, hop aboard a Duffy electric boat, where you can cruise along Newport Harbor and pull up to one of several restaurants to refuel.
Southern Ocean Lodge: Kangaroo Island, Australia
Tucked on the offshore edge of South Australia, Southern Ocean Lodge reopened in December 2023 following a $35 million renovation after the property was destroyed in the 2020 bushfires. The resort is situated in what’s known as “Australia’s Galápagos.” Translation: Natural beauty and wildlife abound. Head to Flinders Chase National Park or Seal Bay Conservation Park to spy diverse animals and awe-inspiring landscapes as you hike through cinematic terrain. Book one of the Kangaroos and Kanapés excursions to visit seal colonies, grazing wallabies, and the island’s oldest lighthouse before heading back to the lodge to dine like a rare animal at this all-inclusive property.
Trailborn Rocky Mountains: Estes Park, CO
The Trailborn brand’s debut property, which opened last December, is situated at the eastern entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park. It's appointed with two pools, communal fire pits, a restaurant and bar, and two on-site retail markets. Guest quarters are divvied between here and the even newer Trailborn Rocky Mountains Outpost.
To make local daredevilry seamless, Trailborn offers off-site excursions leaving from the hotel’s lobby, with something for everyone, whether you want to go fly-fishing or shutterbug the day away with a wildlife photography tour. The property is a quick stroll from the heart of Estes Park, if you want to browse some quirky boutiques or grab a cold brew or warm bite in town.