8 U.S. hotels that opened in 2019 that you don’t want to miss in 2020

The number of new hotels opened in the U.S. has been on an upward trajectory for the last few years. 2019 was a particularly exciting year with more than 1,500 new properties welcoming travelers all across the county.  Here we are highlighting eight (plus a few extras) that you should have top of mind as you plan your 2020 and beyond travels.

Silver Lake Pool & Inn – Silver Lake, California

Silver Lake

One of only a few hotels in Los Angeles’ Silver Lake area, the new Silver Lake Pool & Inn is a much welcomed addition to this hip neighborhood. Located at Sunset Junction, just south of the lively intersection of Santa Monica and Sunset. The 54-room boutique property run by Palisociety Hotels has 54 guestrooms and features an elevated pool deck and Marco Polo, a coastal Italian-inspired restaurant and bar with indoor and al fresco dining that expands into the hotel’s lush pool deck.  The hotel’s design embraces the property’s Southern California location with indoor and outdoor spaces that transition naturally from one to the next.

Also worth a look . . .

West Hollywood

Hotelier Ian Schrager’s West Hollywood EDITION is located on the corner of West Sunset Boulevard and North Doheny Drive, where West Hollywood meets Beverly Hills. It features 140 guestrooms and 48 suites with two penthouses as well as inspiring and sophisticated outlets, which include a signature restaurant, lobby lounge, basement club, expansive rooftop pool and a six-treatment room spa.

Cambria Hotel Downtown Phoenix

Phoenix

On the heals of the 2018 openings of the Cambria Hotel Phoenix Chandler – Fashion Center and the Cambria Hotel North Scottsdale Desert Ridge, Choice Hotels’ new Cambria Hotel Downtown Phoenix Convention Center brings upscale accommodations to the city’s popular Roosevelt Row Arts District.  The seven-story, 127-guestroom hotel has a contemporary, sophisticated design and features a state-of-the-art fitness center and a rooftop with a pool, cabanas and bar as well as 360-degree views of the surrounding city.  Poppy, the hotel’s onsite restaurant offers globally inspired dishes made with local ingredients, craft beers, select wines and specialty cocktails.

Also worth a look . . .

Scottsdale

The new Element Scottsdale at SkySong is part of a hotel boom taking place in this metro Phoenix popular vacation destination.  The 157- guestroom extended stay property is the first to include Element’s Studio Commons concept that features four private guest rooms with a shared kitchen and living space. Its onsite dinner restaurant Revive, specializes in healthy American dishes and signature cocktails. There is also a fitness center and outdoor pool.

Austin Proper Hotel

Austin Proper

The 244-guestroom luxury downtown Austin Proper Hotel squeaked in its opening just days before the end of the year. The first Proper Hospitality location outside of California, the hotel’s interior was crafted from the creative brains at Kelly Wearstler Interior Design and masterfully blends contemporary and vintage elements.  Guests have multiple dining options including the Peacock Mediterranean Grill, Austin Proper’s ground floor restaurant and lobby bar, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner as well as in-room dining.  It also features a 24-hour fitness center, pool, and spa.

Also worth a look . . .

Austin Zaza

Located in downtown Austin’s Warehouse District. Hotel ZaZa Austin has 159 guestrooms, including its trademark Magnificent Seven Suites – with themes ranging from an Oriental Express train car to a nod to Texas Hill Country. It also features two dining options, a spa, fitness center, and rooftop pool.

Higgins Hotel – New Orleans, Louisiana

New Orleans

Located directly across the street from The National WWII Museum, the Art Deco-inspired Higgins Hotel has 230 guestrooms that range from standard rooms to three elaborate Presidential Suites, each named and themed after WWII-era presidents Truman, Eisenhower and Roosevelt.  It also features a full-service restaurant, lobby lounge, and a rooftop bar. The hotel is the first in the state of Louisiana to be part of the exclusive Curio Collection by Hilton, and all proceeds generated go to support the ongoing educational mission of The National WWII Museum.

Also worth a look . . .

New Orleans MaiHoused in the former New Orleans City Hall Annex, the boutique Maison de la Luz has 67 elegant, bespoke suites designed to serve as your pied-à-terre in the Big Easy. It offers refined touches such as twice-daily housekeeping, evening wine service in the stately Living Room, and nightly turn down service. Guests are able to enjoy on-site breakfast and offered priority reservations at Josephine Estelle and Seaworthy.

The Hoxton, Chicago

Chicago

Although new construction, The Hoxton feels as if has been part of the Chicago Fulton Market neighborhood for decades. Its 182 guestrooms come in three room types: Snug (avg. 205 sq. ft.), Cosy (avg. 230 sq. ft.,) and Roomy (avg. 300 sq. ft.).  With floor to ceiling windows, each room has a mid-century inspired design that carries throughout the property. A trio of drinking-and-dining outlets are available including a Mediterranean restaurant, basement cocktail bar, and a rooftop Peruvian-inspired eatery adjacent to an outdoor pool and terrace.

Also worth a look . . .

Chicago Julian

Located just steps from Chicago’s iconic Millennium Park and housed in the Benjamin Marshall Design landmark Atlantic Bank Building, Hotel Julian reflects the city’s rich architecture, history, and art scene. It has 218 guestrooms and provides a fitness center and an on-site steakhouse restaurant.

Lennox Miami Beach

Miami

The on-site Moët & Chandon champagne vending machine sets the scene at the new Lennox Miami Beach. Occupying what was once the Peter Miller Hotel built in 1936,  this glam hotel retained the original Art Deco and Mediterranean Revival architectural style exterior but transformed the property’s interiors under the talented eye of Argentinean interior designer Juan Ciavarella. Located on famed Collins Avenue, just steps away from the beach, the hotel has 119 guestrooms that range in categories from Terrace Poolside with direct pool access to Balcony King with a private balcony overlooking the colorful streets of Miami Beach. At the center of the property’s four interconnected buildings, a Mediterranean-style courtyard features an intimate swimming pool and poolside bar offering al fresco dining and serving innovative cocktails.

Also worth a look . . .

Miami CarOriginally built in 1939, the refurbished and reopened Cardozo Hotel is back in action. Named after Benjamin Cardozo, one of the first Jewish jurors appointed to the US Supreme Court, the hotel has appeared in a variety of classic films, like A Hole in the Head (1959) and The Birdcage (1996). It was given its rebirth last year by superstar Miami couple, Gloria and Emilio Estefan. The boutique hotel has 41 guestrooms and the property features fixtures from the Estefan’s own home, like patio chairs and a mirror that were used in their music videos. The onsite BiCE Cucina outlet serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Conrad Washington, DC

Washington, DC

Located on New York Avenue at the gateway of the high-end, mixed-use CityCenterDC, the Conrad Washington, DC is Hilton’s first luxury development in the nation’s capital. The 360-room, 10-floor hotel is designed by Pritzker Prize Laureates Herzog & de Meuron and features retail outlets on its ground floor and 32,000 sq. ft. of purpose-built meeting space, all above ground level. Interiors Architect Rottet Studio took a restrained, minimalist approach to the interiors. The property’s signature restaurant, Estuary, by James Beard Award recipients and Top Chef finalists, Bryan and Michael Voltaggio, complements the hotel’s upscale offerings, featuring an elevated farm-to-table dining experience serving seafood from the Chesapeake Bay. A first for the Conrad brand, the hotel has a full-service club level on the 10th floor where the Sakura Club offers a made-to-order menu throughout the day, an exquisite Japanese whisky collection, and a traditional afternoon tea.

Also worth a look . . .

Washington, DC HiltonOnce the L’Enfant Plaza Hotel, the fully renovated and reflagged, Hilton Washington DC National Mall  has one or two king beds in all of its spacious 367 guestrooms.  Steps from the newly relocated International Spy Museum, the hotel features a expansive fitness center, pool, on-site restaurant, and an Executive Lounge with daily refreshments and concierge services.

Kixby – New York, New York

New York

Located in New York City’s vibrant Herald Square neighborhood in a historic 13-story Beaux Arts style, the Kixby has replaced the former Metro Hotel. Continuing as an independent boutique property, it has 195 fully refurbished, oversized guestrooms with stunning  marble bathrooms. It also features Lot 15, a lobby level craft cocktail bar with upscale fare, and a Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer outlet, which curates the hotel’s rooftop lounge that comes with striking views of the Empire State Building.

Also worth a look . . .

New York Conrad

Offering 54 stories of all-suite accommodations, the Conrad New York Midtown has taken the place of The London NYC.  Each of the hotel’s 562 guestrooms have been refreshed into lux Big Apple pieds-à-terre. Guests are also treated to a outstanding art collection including a unique life-like sculpture of a swimsuit clad female lounging on an inflatable swan.  There is also an large 24-hour fitness center and Dabble, its full-service lobby level restaurant and bar.

Troy Petenbrink

Troy, also known as The Gay Traveler, is a well known travel and food writer. His has been a regular contributor to a variety of outlets including National Geographic, Travel Channel, DCRefined, CBS Local, and Metro Weekly. He also appears on local Washington news outlets as a travel expert.

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