After my minor rant of an ezine a couple of weeks ago featuring the magnificent American Airlines, there was finally a little bit of good news this week regarding the consumer and air travel. The Department of Transportation (DoT) ruled yesterday that airlines must promptly refund passengers for canceled or significantly delayed flights, regardless of the reason, and clarified that airlines cannot limit refunds to credits or vouchers. Woohoo!
The time limits...a 3-hour delay for a domestic flight and a 6-hour delay for an international will trigger the automatic refunds. This ruling comes into effect in just 60 days. Hopefully this might be just the start of the DoT making airlines more accountable for what I consider to be some underhand business practices that have crept in over the last few years.
On to a happier topic, and what is roughly a bi-annual event where I highlight some of the most exciting new hotel openings around the world.
Top 5 - Best of 2024 New Openings
1. Deos - Mykonos (above and below)
Due to open for this summer's season, Deos will be exceptional among luxury hotels on Mykonos, within a short walk of town and yet entirely in a world of its own.
Its unique energy draws on magnificent views, an authentic connection to local nature and culture, and the refined elegance of its suites with private pool, a superb spa and gym, and a panoramic deck with some of the best views, cocktails and fine dining on the island. At eye level with the horizon, drifting between sea and sky, inner and outer worlds, Deos is about a way of being, of keeping time in ways almost forgotten, moving between the tranquillity of a sublime sanctuary, and the vibrant pulse of Mykonos Town.
That's one of the most calming descriptions I've ever read!
2. Aman Nai Lert Bangkok - Thailand (above and below)
Due to open in early Fall 2024, the 36-story Aman Nai Lert Bangkok will stand guard over leafy Nai Lert Park on Wireless Road, the Fifth Avenue of Bangkok. Its 52 expansive suites are stylishly minimal, with open-air terraces to admire the skyline views. Sample handmade pastas and creamy risotto at the Italian restaurant Arva, try grilled lobster tail at the teppanyaki venue, or leave it to the chef at the omakase sushiya. Find holistic healing with a personalized immersion program in the expansive wellness center.
3. Hotel du Couvent, Nice - France (above and below)
This Marriott Luxury Collection property opens in Summer 2024. Perched on the hillside of the old town, a few steps from the Promenade des Anglais and the Cours Saleya market, surrounded by historical monuments and old churches, Hôtel du Couvent is a haven of tranquility within the buzzing streets of old Nice. Once past the porch, visitors follow the Provençal stone path until they find themselves in the heart of this secular place steeped in history.
Our tip: On Saturday mornings, the Hôtel du Couvent will adopt a village square atmosphere as it opens its courtyard to the local market, where the public can buy local products from local producers.
4. Kona Village, a Rosewood Resort - Hawaii (above and below)
A resort that was destroyed by a tsunami back in 2011 finally reopened in the second half of 2023 and I'm including it here, because, well frankly it deserves to be talked about if you're considering high end resorts on the island of Hawai'i.
Kona Village has a storied past – a true home for celebrity hideaways and legendary mai tais. Once a secluded sanctuary for the stars, the 150-thatched-roof-hale (or house) resort has been sustainably reopened to A-listers and leisurely beach-goers alike, boasting fresh Pacific Rim-to-table cuisine, décor commissioned from native artists, and spa treatments that usher you into a regenerative state of mental, physical, and spiritual harmony. Don’t miss the 3 p.m. coconut cart delivering refreshing drinks poolside.
Our tip: Pull up a seat at Shipwreck Bar (below), the once-sunken sailboat lovingly salvaged from the depths of Kahuwai Bay, now a chic beachside destination for light bites and creatively-named cocktails.
5. Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, Loapi Tented Camp - South Africa (2 above and 2 below)
Extra photos provided for this one because it is just so spectacular.
Tswalu is a visionary conservation project in the southern Kalahari, supported by nature-based tourism, with sustainability at its core. With only three camps, the Motse, Tarkuni and the brand new Loapi, it represents the lowest ratio of guests to space in a privately protected area in South Africa. With a private safari vehicle, guide and tracker, unscripted and immersive days include tracking black-maned lion, desert black rhino, and elusive creatures like brown hyena, aardvark and pangolin. Guests contribute towards Tswalu’s regenerative vision to leave the world better than how it was found, ensuring habitat and biodiversity restoration for the benefit of all.
282,000 acres about the size of all 5 NYC boroughs combined. 14 rooms total, with just 6 "safari homes" in the new section which come with your own vehicle, guide and tracker, plus a private chef and butler.
Our tip: Few experiences anywhere in the world compare to the two sleep-out experiences possible here, the Malori and the Naledi, where you can dine and sleep under the Kalahari’s "diamond skies" (below).
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