Kiwi Curated
Hotels That Got Glow Ups
by Joy PecknoldWith travel limited, many of us used the spare time to make home improvements, and plenty of hotels did the very same. Spruced up rooms, meticulous restorations, completely reimagined concepts—these hotels got gorgeous glow ups over the last year and a half.
Hotels That Got Glow Ups
Coming under the banner of Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, the Monarch Beach Resort just got a luxurious upgrade. Furnishings have been refreshed across all the spaces, including a new Mediterranean-inspired palette of cool blue and greens to pop off crisp whites in the rooms. In the spring, the new spa opened, complete with a treatment befitting its easy, breezy California location—a Herbal Fusion CBD Massage.
VIEW HOTELHotels That Got Glow Ups
Any way you slice it, a visit to the Maldives is spectacular enough, but Soneva Fushi went ahead and upped the ante by adding over-the-top overwater villas. They’re big—from 6,300 to 9,200 square feet—and wildly well-equipped with private pools, overwater catamaran nets, retractable roofs for stargazing while lying in bed and water slides (yes, water slides) that spill out into the ocean.
VIEW HOTELHotels That Got Glow Ups
While the crowds were away, Constance Belle Mare Plage played in the kitchen. Renovating their main restaurant, La Citronelle, they added a dedicated boulangerie-patisserie, bistrot corner, buffet and live cooking areas. While they were at it, they restyled the rooms too with soft, subtle pops of colour and fresh fixtures.
VIEW HOTELHotels That Got Glow Ups
As though inspired by Beyonce’s “Upgrade You” song, Centara Hotels & Resorts has unveiled a new luxury arm of their offerings known as Centara Reserve. The first in the family is Centara Reserve Samui (formerly Centara Grand Beach Resort Samui). Directed by AvroKO, the design firm famed for their work with 1 Hotel Central Park and Waldorf Astoria Bangkok, the upgrade features 184 brand-new luxury rooms, pool suites and beachfront pool villas. There’s also The Gin Run bar boasting 100 different varieties of the spirit and the RESERVE SPA Cenvaree which sources treatment ingredients right from its own organic herb garden.
VIEW HOTELHotels That Got Glow Ups
Ensuring an iconic property retains its charm with a renovation is no minor undertaking. In the case of La Mamounia—a palace built in 1922 that has seen the likes of Winston Churchill and Yves Saint-Laurent pass through its doors—they nailed it. Describing the end result to Forbes, project partner Sanjit Manku said “We sought to offer the next generation of travelers what we considered to be ‘gifts’ within the property. New eateries, new hangouts, new lighted paths to guide guests towards newly created locales and nooks.” Famed chef Jean-George Vongerichten also had a hand in the project.
VIEW HOTELHotels That Got Glow Ups
A $50-million-dollar renovation unveiled in October 2020 revealed rooms with a more elevated residential feel and coastal color palette. There are also three new dining concepts, including Ember & Rye, a collaboration with chef, restaurateur and TV personality Richard Blais. To complement the Arnold Palmer-designed golf course the Park Hyatt Aviara already had, there’s the new TopGolf Swing Suite kitted out with food, beverage, music and games.
VIEW HOTELHotels That Got Glow Ups
The 7th floor at Hôtel Plaza Athénée Paris is lucky—all its 25 rooms were recently redesigned by Bruno Moinard and Claire Bétaille of Agence Moinard Bétaille. Now artfully Art Deco with natural tones offset by splashes of signature Plaza red, the suites befit the fashion icons the hotel has been known to host. If Sarah Jessica Parker as her Sex and the City character Carrie Bradshaw made a return trip here she couldn’t help but be impressed.
VIEW HOTELHotels That Got Glow Ups
Marking its 20th anniversary last year, Mandarin Oriental Munich didn’t get to celebrate in the typical ways, but did complete an extensive renovation. All its guest rooms were redone with an inspired mix of classical furnishings in a contemporary color scheme. There’s also new art by local artist Felix Rehfeld that pays homage to the city’s position as the geographical getaway to the Alps.
VIEW HOTELHotels That Got Glow Ups
Thanks to Rocco Forte Hotels’ acquisition and €30-million investment, 19th-century palazzo Villa Igiea reopened in June revealing a beautiful restoration. Throughout, the team of Olga Polizzi, Paolo Moschino and Philip Vergeylen were careful to refresh yet retain the original character and history. The meticulous two-year process even included dismantling and remaking entire floors. No key cards here—in keeping with tradition, the hotel still doles out old-fashioned tasselled room keys.
VIEW HOTELComing under the banner of Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, the Monarch Beach Resort just got a luxurious upgrade. Furnishings have been refreshed across all the spaces, including a new Mediterranean-inspired palette of cool blue and greens to pop off crisp whites in the rooms. In the spring, the new spa opened, complete with a treatment befitting its easy, breezy California location—a Herbal Fusion CBD Massage.
VIEW HOTELAny way you slice it, a visit to the Maldives is spectacular enough, but Soneva Fushi went ahead and upped the ante by adding over-the-top overwater villas. They’re big—from 6,300 to 9,200 square feet—and wildly well-equipped with private pools, overwater catamaran nets, retractable roofs for stargazing while lying in bed and water slides (yes, water slides) that spill out into the ocean.
VIEW HOTELWhile the crowds were away, Constance Belle Mare Plage played in the kitchen. Renovating their main restaurant, La Citronelle, they added a dedicated boulangerie-patisserie, bistrot corner, buffet and live cooking areas. While they were at it, they restyled the rooms too with soft, subtle pops of colour and fresh fixtures.
VIEW HOTELAs though inspired by Beyonce’s “Upgrade You” song, Centara Hotels & Resorts has unveiled a new luxury arm of their offerings known as Centara Reserve. The first in the family is Centara Reserve Samui (formerly Centara Grand Beach Resort Samui). Directed by AvroKO, the design firm famed for their work with 1 Hotel Central Park and Waldorf Astoria Bangkok, the upgrade features 184 brand-new luxury rooms, pool suites and beachfront pool villas. There’s also The Gin Run bar boasting 100 different varieties of the spirit and the RESERVE SPA Cenvaree which sources treatment ingredients right from its own organic herb garden.
VIEW HOTELEnsuring an iconic property retains its charm with a renovation is no minor undertaking. In the case of La Mamounia—a palace built in 1922 that has seen the likes of Winston Churchill and Yves Saint-Laurent pass through its doors—they nailed it. Describing the end result to Forbes, project partner Sanjit Manku said “We sought to offer the next generation of travelers what we considered to be ‘gifts’ within the property. New eateries, new hangouts, new lighted paths to guide guests towards newly created locales and nooks.” Famed chef Jean-George Vongerichten also had a hand in the project.
VIEW HOTELA $50-million-dollar renovation unveiled in October 2020 revealed rooms with a more elevated residential feel and coastal color palette. There are also three new dining concepts, including Ember & Rye, a collaboration with chef, restaurateur and TV personality Richard Blais. To complement the Arnold Palmer-designed golf course the Park Hyatt Aviara already had, there’s the new TopGolf Swing Suite kitted out with food, beverage, music and games.
VIEW HOTELThe 7th floor at Hôtel Plaza Athénée Paris is lucky—all its 25 rooms were recently redesigned by Bruno Moinard and Claire Bétaille of Agence Moinard Bétaille. Now artfully Art Deco with natural tones offset by splashes of signature Plaza red, the suites befit the fashion icons the hotel has been known to host. If Sarah Jessica Parker as her Sex and the City character Carrie Bradshaw made a return trip here she couldn’t help but be impressed.
VIEW HOTELMarking its 20th anniversary last year, Mandarin Oriental Munich didn’t get to celebrate in the typical ways, but did complete an extensive renovation. All its guest rooms were redone with an inspired mix of classical furnishings in a contemporary color scheme. There’s also new art by local artist Felix Rehfeld that pays homage to the city’s position as the geographical getaway to the Alps.
VIEW HOTELThanks to Rocco Forte Hotels’ acquisition and €30-million investment, 19th-century palazzo Villa Igiea reopened in June revealing a beautiful restoration. Throughout, the team of Olga Polizzi, Paolo Moschino and Philip Vergeylen were careful to refresh yet retain the original character and history. The meticulous two-year process even included dismantling and remaking entire floors. No key cards here—in keeping with tradition, the hotel still doles out old-fashioned tasselled room keys.
VIEW HOTEL