Explore Travel/Experiences/Hotels and Resorts

Six stylish hotels that'll open in Europe this year - just in time for summer

All boast superior design and excellent locations.

A guestroom at the Hoxton Edinburgh.

By Akash Arora

Updated April 8, 2025, first published March 25, 2025

1. The Hoxton Edinburgh

Stylish digs at pocket-friendly prices - that's the promise of the Hoxton chain of hotels, from New York to London. And this outpost in the Scottish capital will no doubt live up to the standard.

A collection of 11 Georgian townhouses in the heart of the city, the hotel will be home to 214 rooms as well as a trattoria. And when it's time to explore Edinburgh, some of the city's biggest attractions - from Princes Street to Edinburgh Castle - are a mere stroll away. thehoxton.com/edinburgh

2. JW Marriott Crete Resort & Spa

There will be nothing between you and the view when this hotel, set on 40 hectares of ocean-facing real estate, opens in June on the Greek island of Crete.

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The Greek island of Crete. Picture: Unsplash

There will be 160 rooms to choose from - all with sweeping sea views. Book the entry-level king room if you intend to spend most of your time exploring nearby Chania, one of Crete's most beautiful and historic cities. Or ask for a room with a private pool if you're after a flop-and-drop vacay. Just don't forget to zen out at the onsite Anoseas Spa, with a relaxing body wrap or massage. marriott.com

2. Templeton Garden, London

Experience British elegance - think four-poster beds, plush couches and thick drapes - at the 156-room Templeton Garden, which will open in London's Kensington next month. Set around a leafy garden, the lodgings will range from compact single rooms perfect for solo travellers to suites with separate sitting areas, private terraces and large rainfall showers.

The streets of Kensington, London. Picture: Unsplash

The historic neighbourhood was once a rural idyll and you'll still be able to soak up some of that old-world serenity in the hotel's central garden. miirohotels.com/templetongarden

3. La Fondation, Paris

So chic will be the rooms at La Fondation when it opens in the French capital next month that you could be forgiven for thinking you have entered a fashion boutique on Champs-Elysees.

Champs-Elysees in Paris. Picture: Unsplash

Bright feature walls, sculptural vases and eye-catching artworks will give the hotel that achingly cool Parisian feel. At 22 square metres, the entry-level rooms may feel a bit small, so if the budget allows, splash out on the Sacre-Coeur Suite, with floor-to-ceiling windows framing the City of Light's famous church, perched on a hill. en.lafondationhotel.com

5. SLS Barcelona

Opening next month at Barcelona's Port Forum waterfront precinct, this hotel will be home to 471 guestrooms, six eateries and a world-class spa. But of all the excesses, it's the views you're likely to remember the most - from vistas of the city on one side to aspects of the Mediterranean on the other. slshotels.com/barcelona

6. Green Coast Hotel, Albania

A hotel in the ninth most populous city in Albania - a country still largely undiscovered by tourists - means only one thing: authentic European experiences, minus the crowds. And the fact that this property, opening in mid-2025, is part of Accor's MGallery Collection, renowned for characterful hotels, makes it even more enticing. all.accor.com

Words byAkash Arora

Akash is the Deputy Travel Editor for Australian Community Media. He has lived and worked in four cities around the world – Sydney, London, New Delhi and New York – and, at last count, travelled to 42 countries.

My all-time favourite destination is ... New York. You can drop a pin anywhere in Manhattan and start walking in any direction, and the sights and sounds of the city that never stops will begin to stimulate all your senses in an instant.

Next on my bucket list is … Scandinavia - at the peak of summer, when the sun almost never sets.

My top travel tip is … If you’re flying to Sydney from anywhere in the world, pick a window seat far from the wing on the left-hand-side of the aeroplane. If the weather gods and flight path align, you’ll have the most incredible views of the Sydney Harbour and Opera House.