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It's no secret we love testing out new luxury hotel spots like Aman, Six Senses and the Bulgari — the 4th night free benefit on the Citi Prestige card comes in handy when you can't use rewards to book your stay. But what we love even more here at TPG is a brand-new luxury hotel that we can stay at using our points. Here are the ones we are most excited about that are opening in 2018 (or have just opened). We can't wait to try them! If you have, let us know about your experience in the comments section, and we'll do our best to review them for you soon.
1. W Dubai - The Palm, UAE
Why it looks great: Named after its fancy location on the west crescent of the famous Palm Jumeirah, the W Dubai - The Palm is set for a June 2018 opening. The hotel's 350 rooms (58 of which are suites) will offer views of the either the Dubai skyline or the Arabian Gulf. A WetDeck pool area overlooks the beach, and with private cabanas and chairs located inside the actual pool, it seems like this is the place to be if you need to cool off from Dubai's intense summer heat. For the ultimate luxury (Dubai is all about extravagance), book the 5,600-square-foot E-WOW suite which spans two stories.
Cost with points: The hotel isn't yet accepting reservations, but as it's a Category 6 property, expect to spend 20-25,000 Starpoints per night.
2. Waldorf Astoria Bangkok
Why it looks great: Bangkok has no shortage of luxury properties where you can use your points -- but we're always up to try some new ones! The Waldorf Astoria Bangkok, a Hilton property, is set to open in July of 2018. It's probably worth visiting Bangkok during rainy season just to check out the 170 spacious guestrooms (34 of which are suites), each sized at about 540 square feet with floor-to-ceiling windows and walk-in closets. The 16th-floor infinity pool is stunning, with gorgeous views of Bangkok's expansive skyline. If you plan to work out, you can enjoy those amazing views from the fitness center too.
Cost with points: Room rates will be starting at about $240 per night and it's not yet clear how many points you'll need for an award night, but we're guessing it should range from about 55,000-80,000 per night.
3. Barcelona EDITION, Spain
Why it looks great: Of course the Barcelona EDITION would be opening in one of the city's trendiest areas, the El Born district. Next to the Santa Catalina market and the Barcelona Cathedral (not to be confused with the famous Sagrada Familia cathedral), the area is perfect for shopping, dining, tourism and nightlife. With Barcelona's almost year-round mild temps, you'll be able to enjoy the rooftop bar and outdoor rooftop pool several months out of the year, which is perfect as the hotel's opening date is mid-2018. The 100 Ian Schrager-designed rooms will surely have the same minimal-chic design aesthetic seen at most of the other EDITION properties. If you can't make it to Barcelona this year, the brand is going strong — it'll be doubling its hotel portfolio by the end of 2018, so you can check out brand-new EDITION properties in spots like New York-Times Square, Bangkok, Shanghai, Abu Dhabi, West Hollywood and more.
Cost with points: Although the hotel isn't yet accepting reservations, plan to fork over a minimum of 50,000 Marriott points per night to stay.
4. Grand Hyatt Bogotá, Colombia
Why it looks great: It may not be a Park Hyatt, but it's the next best thing. The Grand Hyatt Bogotá is the second Hyatt property in Colombia — the Hyatt Regency in Cartagena was the first — and we're excited to try it out. The rooftop will have a helipad for when important guests arrive via helicopter, and the 372 guest rooms all have floor-to-ceiling windows and views of the Andes Mountains.
Cost with points: The estimated opening date of this Category 3 property is September 1, 2018 and prices start at $280 or 12,000 World of Hyatt points per night.
5. St.Regis Cairo, Egypt
Why it looks great: The 39-story St. Regis Cairo tower overlooking the Nile River has 226 rooms, 60 suites and 80 apartments (wait, we can live there?!). With subdued Egyptian and Oriental decor and luxury design touches like mother-of-pearl inlaid nightstands, the hotel is practically dripping in luxury. The Iridium Spa is a highlight — spanning two floors, the space offers vitality pools, ice rooms, shock and adventure showers (we're not exactly sure what those are), seven treatment rooms and indoor and outdoor pools to beat the Egyptian heat.
Cost with points: The hotel is projected to open in fall of 2018, and they aren't accepting reservations yet, but as it's an SPG Category 5 hotel, expect to spend between 12,000-16,000 Starpoints per night.
6. JW Marriott Nashville, Tennessee
Why it looks great: One of Nashville's highest points, the 33-story, 533-room JW Marriott Nashville's overlooks the city down below. Its downtown location is perfect for music lovers, right across the street from Music City Center and down the street from the Bridgestone Arena, the famous Honky-Tonk Highway and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. If you're a fan of chef Michael Mina, make sure to reserve ahead of time to dine at Bourbon SteakMichael Mina, where you can indulge in hormone-free cuts of beef infused in herb butter charred on a wood grill.
Cost with points: This hotel is considered a Marriott Rewards Category 9 property and will start at about $275 or 45,000 Marriott Rewards points once it opens in July of 2018.
7. The Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah, Al Hamra Beach, UAE
Why it looks great: After you've enjoyed your cocktails poolside at the W Dubai, keep the opulence going with a stay at the Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah, Al Hamra Beach. This is the only hotel on this list that has already been opened, and the intimate, boutique-style experience is immediately apparent — there are only 32 luxury villas, each with their own private pool and deck. With its Bedouin inspired decor and seaside vibes, you'll get the best of both worlds: an Arabian desert adventure and a relaxing beach escape. The villas have direct beach access, and all of the resorts events, activities and offerings focus on protecting the marine ecosystem of the area.
Cost with points: This is a Tier 3 hotel, requiring 50,000 points per night, with average rates starting at around $900.
8. St. Regis Amman
Why it looks great: Jordan is an up-and-coming destination for US travelers, and after seeing Brian Kelly's (The Points Guy's) photos of Wadi Rum and Petra, we can't help but want to head there ASAP. The St. Regis Amman is slated for an August opening, but if you plan to visit sooner, head to the W Amman, which is set to open March 28, 2018. The hotel features several 17-story towers complete with 260 rooms, suites and even residences. Many will come equipped with glittering chandeliers and large windows with views of the Abdoun district and beyond and. The design will be serene and modern but with a tad of local charm infused -- expect to see fountains all around the property.
Cost with points: The hotel isn't yet accepting reservations nor had it been assigned a category as of publish time, so rates are not clear at this point.
