As the world opens up again for travel, so do new hotels. We’ve rounded up 3 updated properties across the U.S. and one new hotel experience in Madrid. Here’s what you need to know to book your clients at the newest properties ready to welcome guests.
1. Sonoma
Located in wine country, The Lodge at Sonoma, an Autograph Collection hotel, has completed a property-wide transformation as it joins Marriott International’s Autograph Collection offering new hotel experiences to guests.
Updates include a refreshed front drive featuring lush landscaping, a pergola, and a fountain with fire features. The updated lobby features an open concept and floor-to-ceiling windows with views of the hills. All 182 guestrooms, suites, and cottage accommodations have been redesigned inclusing the Cottage Suites and Cottage Rooms, which now feature private outdoor soaking tubs and fireplaces in some rooms.
“While Sonoma is known for producing some of the world’s most incredible wines, our strategy with the design was to bring the rich heritage of the destination to life, not just through the product but also through authentic experiences, history and local flavor,” says Tom Healy, chief operating officer at Diamond Rock Hospitality Company in a press statement. “Our goal is that our guests leave having created lifetime memories that capture the deeply rooted spirit of Sonoma—from picturesque vineyards to rich culinary experiences and more.”
Culinary experiences have also been upgraded with partnerships with local farms. Wit & Wisdom offers California cuisine featuring products from local Sonoma and Napa Valley; Benicia’s Kitchen, located next to the lobby, serves farm fresh fare for breakfask and lunch, and High Horse Bar is a horse trailer turned poolside bar.
Guests can take part in signature rituals and immersive hotel experiences such as the “Day Dream Wall” where guests write down their personal dreams and place them in a bottle at the property’s Heritage Oak space beneath a 400-year-old valley oak tree. Over time, the resort will gather this paper as compost and add it to the soil that feeds the vineyard and trees on-property. A self-serve lobby wine experience is also available for guests to enjoy the region’s flavors on their own time. During their stay, guests are invited to unwind with a new “Sonoma Soak” ritual, which includes a curated drop of relaxation-inducing bath amenities delivered directly to their doorstep. Grape harvesting, cheese-making for private groups, and bicycle route maps for the resort bikes are also offered, along with more experiences off-property.
And, after a day of adventure, the Raindance Spa features locally inspired treatments that highlight an array of indigenous botanicals found throughout the property and region‑from antioxidizing wine facials to hair masks made from locally sourced olive oil. An apothecary-style retail boutique allows guests to hand-select scents and ingredients they wish to use in their treatments or take home with them as a keepsake.
For more information, visit thelodgeatsonoma.com.
2. Washington, D.C.
After a $64 million guestroom renovation, the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center will reopen with redesigned rooms, new menus, a new rooftop venue and seasonal hotel experiences. All of the 1,996 guestrooms and suites have been updated, and the updated culinary offerings feature local food including Maryland’s blue crabs and honey harvested from the resort’s rooftop hives. Cheese is also sourced from Maryland farms.
“We are thrilled to once again welcome guests to our Potomac River waterfront destination,” says Dan McKeon, the resort’s area general manager, in a press statement. “To celebrate Gaylord National Resort’s grand re-opening, we’ve planned seasonal events and entertainment that will brighten anyone’s vacation, meeting or trip to DC.”
The new Pose Rooftop Lounge will debut Replay, an 80s themed pop-up bar featuring neon lights, retro arcade games, and 80s music while offering summer beverages and PB&J milkshakes, boozy popsicle push-pops, and more.
For more information, visit gaylordnational.com.
3. Las Vegas
Caesars Palace is undergoing a multimillion-dollar renovation of the original main entrance, main casino, and porte-cochere, plus redesigned gaming areas and a new lobby bar. The renovations began earlier this month and are expected to be complete by New Year’s Eve.
The main entrance to the property will be entirely rebuilt from the ground up matching the property’s hotel lobby. Once completed, guests will be welcomed by a dramatic and soaring dome and barreled ceiling over a stunning 15-ft. tall statue of Augustus Caesar. The project also includes two new gaming pits, which will flank the enhanced entrance, a new lobby bar and a renovation of the property’s domed table games floor.
“Caesars Palace brought a sense of grandeur to the Las Vegas Strip when it was built in 1966, and we’re proud to continue that legacy with a full reimagining of our main entrance,” said Sean McBurney, Caesars Entertainment regional president, in a press statement. “Completely rebuilding the front entrance of one of the world’s most iconic destinations is no small task, and we’re excited to get started and create a stunning new visual welcome for our guests.”
During construction from July through December, the following changes will occur:
- Main valet off Las Vegas Blvd. will accommodate Caesars Rewards Diamond and Seven Star members only
- The Colosseum valet (ground floor of the Caesars Palace self-parking garage off Frank Sinatra Drive) will accommodate all valet guests
- Rideshare pick-up and drop-off will be relocated to the exit doors next to Vanderpump Cocktail Garden
- Express hotel check-in/check-out kiosks will be placed at all available entrances
For more information, visit caesars.com.
4. Madrid
Hard Rock Hotel Madrid recently opened at the Golden Triangle of Art near the Reina Sofia National Museum, the Prado National Museum and the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum.
Also within walking distance are the historic art nouveau train station (Atocha), the Royal Botanical Garden, and the Lavapies and Embajadores neighborhoods.
The new 161-guestroom and suites property, features a garden, rooftop venues including bars and restaurant concepts such as RT60, a rooftop bar offering a ham carving station and cheese with 360-degree views of the city and a DJ playing. Sessions, the brand’s signature restaurant, offers an open terrace overlooking the hotel’s garden and serves classic Spanish cuisine, and GMT+1 lobby bar serves up drinks and light fare, while The Green Room is a private chef’s table experience serving no more than 6 guests at a time opening in September.
“As our first Spanish metropolitan hotel, Hard Rock Hotel Madrid brings a distinctly different personality to our beach resorts,” says Dale Hipsh, senior v.p. of hotels, Hard Rock International, in a press statement. “Our guests will discover art, music, history, culinary excellence and culture at their fingertips—all brought together through Hard Rock’s curated and entertainment-infused hospitality”.
The property also houses a pool, Body Rock fitness center and Rock Om, which combines yoga with the tunes of a DJ-curated soundtrack for complimentary, in-room yoga sessions. Guests can also experience The Sound of Your Stay, which allows guests to experience curated playlists, listen to a tailored selection of vinyls in-room or jam on a Fender electric guitar in the privacy of their own room along with headphones and an amp.
In addition, the property showcases over 70 pieces of memorabilia with notable pieces including an acoustic guitar from Madrid-native singer-songwriter, Antonio Vega; blue denim jeans outfit worn by Elvis Presley during an NBC TV special in 1968; and platform boots worn by David Bowie. Rates start at $150 per night.
For more information, visit hardrockhotels.com/madrid.
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