North, south, east, or west, United States or abroad, we’ve got the scoop on several new lodgings you’ll want to check out (and into). — Jill Becker
The
James, on happening
Rush Street and just steps from Chicago’s shopping mecca,
Michigan Avenue, is prewar on the outside and modern chic on the inside. From the platform beds to plasma TVs, it’s everything you’d expect from an upscale boutique hotel — and more. From $250. (877) 526-3755,
www.jameshotels.com/chicagoThe first of three Rocco Forte hotels opening in
Germany, the
Villa Kennedy debuted in
Frankfurt in March. From its mosaic tiles and mirrored walls to its timber floors and three-level spa, it ranks no less than five stars. From $336. 011-49-69-7171-20, www.villakennedy.com
Equally sophisticated is the
Pan Pacific Seattle, from renowned hotel designer Hirsch Bedner. Set to open in October (and only the second Pan Pacific outpost in the United States), it anchors a massive new complex comprising restaurants, retail shops, a spa, and a 47,000-square-foot
Whole Foods Market. From $395. (206) 264-8111,
www.seattle.panpacific.com
<
br/>San Francisco is the site of the new
Hotel Cielo Rojo. But not
that San Francisco. We’re talking
about the one 30 miles north of
Puerto Vallarta,
Mexico. Adorned with authentic Mexican art and antiques, the hotel oozes old-world charm and, better yet, doesn’t cost a pretty peso. From $60. 011-52-311-258-4155,
www.hotelcielorojo.comSituated along a stretch of silky white-sand beach in the tropical paradise of Punta Cana in southern
Dominican Republic is the
Hotel Riu Palace. The 612-room, all-inclusive resort, luxurious in its own right, affords guests access to all of the amenities, facilities, and restaurants of Riu Hotels’ five other area properties. From $198. (809) 687-4242,
www.riu.comAlso laying on the luxury are the
Grand Isle Villas in Great Exuma,
Bahamas. Its two- and
three-bedroom beachfront residences come with creature comforts
like a personal concierge and an au pair (the latter for a fee), plus a
golf cart for getting around the property. From $960. (888)
472-6310,
www.grandislevillas.com