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Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
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Some of the hotels that opened in 2020 you may have missed
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Quick summary
Despite significant challenges in 2020, several notable hotels opened worldwide, offering new options for travelers.
Highlights include properties in Dallas, Fort Myers, California wine country, Thailand, Australia and Nashville, each with unique amenities and design.
Many of these hotels participate in major loyalty programs, allowing guests to redeem points for free nights or discounts.
Some luxury properties may also offer additional perks through select travel booking programs, such as room upgrades and on-property credits.
What to consider
Award night costs and eligibility for free-night certificates vary by property and loyalty program.
Certain hotels may not yet participate in specific luxury booking programs due to their recent openings.
Some offers and promotions mentioned may no longer be available, as noted in the article.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed look at each new hotel's standout features, loyalty program participation and how to maximize value when booking stays.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
No two ways about it -- 2020 was a maelstrom for the travel industry. It's faced many crises over the years, but none as all-encompassing and devastating as the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Even though this year has brought a seemingly endless drumbeat of bad news, there are reasons to be optimistic for the future of travel.
Despite the unprecedented challenges the hotel industry continues to face, chains around the world have continued to open properties -- and plenty of amazing ones at that.
The Thompson Dallas is the newest occupant in the First National Bank Tower -- an iconic fixture in Dallas' downtown skyline since it opened in 1961. The building has been renovated and restored, and many of the tower's original architectural features have been preserved in the process.
The Thompson has 219 rooms and 52 suites, complete with modern-yet-timeless design. There are four options for eating and drinking including two restaurants on the hotel's 49th and 50th floors by two-Michelin-star chef Danny Grant. Another restaurant and lounge, Catbird, is located on the 10th floor and has a large outdoor deck, providing a great spot for cocktails with a view of the city.
This hotel is a Category 6 World of Hyatt property, meaning a free night will cost you 25,000 points.
Luminary Hotel & Co. in Florida
(Photo courtesy of Luminary Hotel&Co/Facebook)
Part of Marriott's Autograph Collection, the Luminary Hotel & Co. opened in September in downtown Fort Myers, Florida.
A major focus of this new property is dining. The hotel is home to five eating-and-drinking establishments, including a Southern restaurant called Ella Mae's Diner, a rooftop lounge and the signature Silver King Ocean Brasserie.
Many of the hotel's 243 rooms overlook the Caloosahatchee River and the hotel is adjacent to the Caloosa Sound Convention Center, making this property an anchor in a changing downtown Fort Myers.
This is a Category 4 Marriott Bonvoy property, meaning free nights will cost 20,000 points on off-peak nights, 25,000 on standard nights and 30,000 on peak nights, making it eligible for the 35,000-point free-night certificates that come with certain Marriott cobranded credit cards.
Montage Healdsburg in California
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(Photo courtesy of Montage Healdsburg)
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(Photo courtesy of Montage Healdsburg)
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(Photo courtesy of Montage Healdsburg)
The brand-new Montage Healdsburg opened in early December amid strict coronavirus-related restrictions in California. If you decide to visit, whether now or later, you'll surely be in for a treat.
The resort spans 258 acres in the heart of wine country and features a yoga lawn in the middle of a vineyard, three dining options, an infinity-edge pool, plenty of wine-centric activities and an 11,500 square-foot spa.
While Montage hotels aren't part of any traditional loyalty program, luxury hotels like these often participate in the American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts program, which you can access if you hold The Platinum Card® from American Express (or its business version or the Centurion card). This program affords such benefits as room upgrades, daily breakfast for two, early check-in when available, guaranteed late checkout and an on-property credit (typically to the spa or for food and beverages). There are often even more lucrative promotions available through FHR as well, like a free third or fourth night.
This specific property isn't yet showing as participating in the program, but that's likely because it's still so new, and will be added in the coming weeks.
Banyan Tree Krabi in Thailand
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(Photo courtesy of the Banyan Tree Krabi/Facebook)
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(Photo courtesy of the Banyan Tree Krabi/Facebook)
The Banyan Tree Krabi is a gorgeous beachfront property set in a hillside above the Tubkaek Beach near the resort town of Krabi, Thailand.
Many of the resort's rooms have a sunset view over the Andaman Sea as well as private plunge pools, and wherever you are on property you'll be treated to stunning views of the limestone formations rising out of the sea.
Guests have access to two restaurants, a beachfront bar, a kids club, a gym and a rainforest-themed spa.
Banyan Tree hotels are part of the Accor family, so they participate in the chain's Live Limitless program. This means you can use points for a stay, though Accor's program is unique in that you use points to reduce the room rate by a set amount. For every 2,000 points you use, you will receive 40 euros off the room rate, which is about $54 at the time of writing.
JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort and Spa in Australia
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(Photo courtesy of the JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort)
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(Photo courtesy of the JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort)
The JW Marriott Gold Coast opened just a few days ago in the seaside city of Gold Coast, Queensland. This property was formerly a Marriott-branded resort but got a complete overhaul and now has the designation of being the first JW Marriott property in Australia.
The spacious guest rooms reflect the hotel's surroundings and are done in soft grays and blues. There are six outlets for dining, including the hotel's signature restaurant Misono which features Japanese cuisine and an Izakaya sushi bar as well as a whiskey bar with an outdoor deck.
The resort also features both a saltwater lagoon and freshwater pool, as well as the Spa by JW, a kids program and more.
The JW Marriott Gold Coast is a Category 5 Marriott Bonvoy property meaning free nights cost 30,000 points on off-peak nights, 35,000 on standard nights and 40,000 on peak nights. This means the hotel is eligible for the 35,000-point free-night certificates on all but peak nights and for the up to 50,000-point certificates that come with cards like the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card for all nights with award availability. The free nights are valid at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program (certain hotels have resort fees).
Grand Hyatt Nashville in Tennessee
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(Photo courtesy of the Grand Hyatt Nashville)
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(Photo courtesy of the Grand Hyatt Nashville)
This 591-room Grand Hyatt Nashville opened in October in the city's new Nashville Yards development. The new property features an outdoor pool on its 5th floor and a rooftop lounge, which makes it one of the city's highest.
The hotel's signature restaurant, The Continental, is helmed by Sean Brock, a James Beard Award-winning chef.
The Grand Hyatt is adjacent to the trendy Gulch neighborhood, and within walking distance to many of the top attractions in the city including the Country Music Hall of Fame and Bridgestone Arena.
This hotel is a Category 5 World of Hyatt property, meaning a free night will cost you 20,000 points. Remember, too, that you can transfer points to Hyatt from Chase Ultimate Rewards. Points transfer at a 1 to 1 ratio, meaning if you see a property you’d like to book a night at this property on points, you can simply transfer 20,000 Ultimate Rewards points into your Hyatt account, where they’ll show up instantly.
Bottom line
Even though 2020 was a banner year in all the wrong ways for the travel industry, good things still happened. And judging by some of the properties that opened this year, despite the pandemic and near-collapse of travel, the future looks bright.
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
