If you’re planning a Grand Tour in 2024, these new city hotels in Europe should be on your itinerary. From the reincarnation of an old favourite with the best address in Paris and a Viennese grand dame given a new lease of life, to the W’s debut in Prague and a Stockholm property that’s channelling a dolce vita vibe, these retreats are the epitome of urban chic. Before you book, here’s our guide to the most anticipated European city hotel openings of the year.
Hotel Balzac Paris
Opening June 2024
The iconic Balzac on Champs Elysées has been reborn, its stylish reincarnation making it easily one of the most exciting new city hotels in Europe of 2024. The 58 rooms and suites at this new hotel in Paris promise classic, understated French chic, each one harking back to the elegance of the 1930s but with modern-day comfort. Dark woods, marble, sumptuous materials, art deco design touches… all come into play – in some rooms you’ll be rewarded with views of the Eiffel Tower.
The lounge and bar are as glamorous by day when they’re flooded with light, as they are at night, the soft lighting and alluring cocktail list no doubt attracting the most stylish of night owls. Dining comes courtesy of the neighbouring three-Michelin-starred Pierre Gagnaire restaurant where the eponymous chef serves modern French cuisine (you’ll know him as the head chef of Sketch in London). Escape the hustle and bustle of the Paris streets in the Japanese Spa, where treatments are offered on the table or tatami.
6 Rue Balzac, 75008 Paris
hotelbalzac.paris
Romeo Roma
Opening Spring 2024
Housed in a late 16th century palazzo, moments from Piazza del Popolo, the 74-room Romeo Roma is one of Zaha Hadid’s final projects – and this new hotel in Rome beautifully embodies her trademark style of blending historic art and architecture with contemporary comfort.
The restaurant – Il Ristorante – is overseen by Alain Ducasse (one of just two chefs in the world to be awarded 20 Michelin stars). Napoletano bistro and bar offers a more low-key Mediterranean menu, while the rooftop bar is the perfect spot for morning cappuccinos and sunset cocktails. A highlight is the wellness centre with La Spa Sisley Paris’s phyto-aromatic treatment menu.
Via di Ripetta 246, 00186 Rome
theromeocollection.com
Rocco Forte House Milan
Opening Summer 2024
When design studio Paolo Moschino teams up with interior designer Olga Polizzi, you know it will be special. And so it is. Rocco Forte House in Milan, set in a 19th-century Milanese palazzo, comprises 11 apartments with interiors harking back to the building’s storied past (frescoes, marble, intricate mouldings).
Each apartment in this new city hotel in Milan ranges from one to three bedrooms with spacious living areas and well-appointed kitchens. A welcome hamper on arrival, dedicated House Concierge and daily housekeeping, a 24/7 gym, Irene Forte amenities, valet parking and city bikes at your disposal all add to the luxury.
Via Manzoni 46, 20121 Milan
roccofortehotels.com
Hôtel des Grands Voyageurs, Rive Gauche, Paris
Open now
This 138-key Parisian gem on the Left Bank Quartier of Saint-Placide quietly welcomed its first guests late last year for a soft opening, but it is well and truly in business this Spring. The design of the new hotel in Paris is by interiors wizard Fabrizio Casiraghi who looked to the golden age of travel to create an aesthetic reminiscent of the private home of a Parisian art collector.
Golden stars adorn the carpet and Gustav Klimt lithographs hang on the walls. At its heart is Grands Voyageurs, a transatlantic brasserie that combines French and American influences across its seafood-focused menu using local ingredients. Aperitifs in Poppy, the beautifully-designed, moodily-lit bar, are a must (work it off in the hotel gym the next day).
92 Rue de Vaugirard, Quartier Saint-Placide, Rive Gauche, Paris
hoteldesgrandsvoyageurs.com
Anantara Palais Hansen Vienna Hotel
Opening March 2024
Anantara has added to its not inconsiderable portfolio with its Austrian debut – Anantara Palais Hansen Vienna Hotel. The former palace – and more latterly Palais Hansen Kempinski – is set on the Schottenring, right in the heart of the city. Behind the grand facade, a meticulous restoration has been underway across the 152 rooms and suites, not least the Presidential Suite, which at 270 sq m is the largest in town.
The refurbishment will also include the dining options, with plans for regional cuisine at the Wintergarten, a sleek new restaurant, as well as a Lobby Lounge & Bar. The spa is also getting a facelift and relaunching as Anantara Spa, combining European and Asian wellness traditions, making this new hotel in Vienna one to bookmark.
Schottenring 24, Wien 1010
anantara.com
Rosewood Amsterdam
Opening Summer 2024
This summer, it’s the Netherlands’ turn to welcome the Rosewood Hotel & Resorts brand. Housed in the former Palace of Justice, the new hotel in Amsterdam overlooks the photogenic Prinsengracht (Prince’s Canal), so the city’s finest attractions are a mere stroll (or cycle ride) away. Acclaimed Dutch designers and architects have sensitively transformed the building, with the 133 guest rooms and suites offering views across waterways, quiet courtyards (landscaped by Piet Oudolf) and townhouse rooftops.
A trio of restaurants includes an Indian eatery, plus there is outdoor seating and a bar. The Asaya Spa is the place to decompress after all that cycling, with its indoor swimming pool, fitness centre and ayurvedic treatments.
Prinsengracht 432 – 436, 1017 KE Amsterdam
rosewoodhotels.com
Corinthia Rome
Opening December 2024
You know that when the Reuben Brothers are involved in a hotel project, it’s going to be nothing short of spectacular (their repertoire includes Hotel La Palma on Capri, The Baglioni in Venice, The Surrey in Manhattan, to name a few). They’ve now partnered up with Corinthia to create a new hotel in Rome. The site is the distinguished former Central Bank of Italy right in the centre of the Eternal City, near the Pantheon, Roman Forum and Spanish Steps.
Expect world-class design across the seven-floored palazzo, including a double-height lobby, light-flooded public spaces and 60 guest rooms and suites wrapping around a central garden, as well as a spa and rooftop amenities. Acclaimed Italian chef Carlo Cracco will oversee the F&B, bringing his unique talent to surely one of the most exciting new city hotels in Europe to open in 2024.
Piazza del Parlamento, 18, Rome
corinthia.com
Grand Hotel Central, Barcelona
Opening March 2024
One of the finest hotels in Barcelona reopens its doors in March, following a complete makeover. Interiors come courtesy of London-based Catalan design studio Sagrada (London Art’s Club, St Regis Venice) with an emphasis on the building’s original design in the 1920s. Think natural materials, a soft earthy palette and bespoke furniture, inspired by the Catalan Noucentisme movement.
Guests can dine alfresco at the Terraza del Central, which serves a Mediterranean menu and from June, on tapas in Can Bo with its dedicated bodega. The rooftop infinity pool is for lying poolside by day and drinking cocktails at night as the sun sets over Barcelona old town. The urban spa has a hammam, sauna and Natura Bissé treatments.
Via Laietana, 30, 08003 Barcelona
grandhotelcentral.com
W Prague
Opening Autumn 2024
The W brand comes to the capital city of the Czech Republic with the opening of a new hotel in Prague. The hotel is taking over the Art Nouveau site of what was the Grand Hotel Evropa, with the National Museum, Wenceslas Square and Charles Bridge within walking distance. Though the brand will be bringing its own unique design to the property, expect an overall art deco vibe across the public spaces.
A new modern oval-shaped extension has been added, bringing the number of guest rooms and suites up to 161 – including the Extreme Wow (the presidential suite, which if other Ws are to go by will be impressive in size and style). There’ll be multiple restaurants and bars, including the Grand Café, the familiar W Lounge concept, as well as a rooftop bar with an outdoor terrace. There’s an indoor pool and a subterranean spa.
Vaclavske Namesti 826/25 Praha 1, Nove Mesto, Prague
marriott.com
The Hoxton Vienna
Opening April 2024
The Hoxton has always prided itself on being a hotel brand that taps into culture and community, their originality, eclecticism and buzzing lobby culture all too welcome in an often greige corporate hotelscape.
The Hoxton Vienna won’t let the side down. Set in the Landstrasse, a district that is said to live and breathe art, the hotel itself is located in a 1950s modernist building, once the HQ of Austria’s Chamber of Commerce. Which means it’s big – large enough to house 196 rooms, a lobby and coffee bar, a modern bistro, a rooftop pool and Cayo Coco bar (inspired by the golden age of travel to Cuba), and a basement cocktail bar Salon Paradise. Not to mention that this is the first Hoxton site to include an in-house events space that will host live entertainment. This new hotel in Vienna is set to buzz.
Rudolf-Sallinger-Platz 1, 1030 Vienna
thehoxton.com
Villa Dahlia, Stockholm
Opening September 2024
The website of Villa Dahlia currently doesn’t give much away about what to expect from this highly-anticipated new hotel in Stockholm boutique hotel. But what we can tell you is this – its pedigree is faultless. The hotel is owned by the Malmström and Cappelen families, whose Hotel Diplomat has been named “Sweden’s best hotel” five times running in the Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Award.
Their new property is located in a 1960s building at the corner of Teknologgatan 2/Tegnérlunden 8, with architect Per Öberg commissioned to evoke thoughts of Italy throughout the design – notably the spacious and generously designed townhouses of 1920s and 30s Milan. The 103 rooms and suites are pared back but highly elegant, with an emphasis on local craftsmanship and sustainability. There will be a restaurant and cocktail bar, dedicated spa, gym, boules court and private dining facilities.
Barnhusväderkvarnen 22, Tegnérlunden 8, Stockholm
hotelvilladahlia.com
