00:00 Every year, Condé Nast Traveler releases its annual hot list, which celebrates the
00:05 best hotel openings and more from around the world.
00:08 Here, a chic new addition to New York's Nomad District, a reimagined and lovingly
00:14 restored Hawaiian retreat, and Paris' most exclusive new address are just three of the
00:19 standout properties on this year's hot list.
00:23 New York's Nomad neighborhood has been an epicenter of cool new hotels for over a decade
00:28 now.
00:29 So, the kind of places that actually make the hotels the destination.
00:33 But we'd say none of the others here nails the mix of high design, phenomenal food, and
00:38 just plain fun like the Fifth Avenue Hotel.
00:41 Immediately, you'll notice the design.
00:44 It's a whimsical riot of color and curiosities, from the mind of design master Martin Brunitzky.
00:50 Here he takes his cues from the building's Gilded Age roots, but also the travels of
00:55 the hotel's owner.
00:56 All of the design layers fit together, and honestly, staying here kind of feels like
01:01 entering the wildly designed pied-à-terre of some wealthy, distant, globetrotting relative.
01:07 Though we're happy to say for all the hotel's originality, they kept the most important,
01:12 most classic detail.
01:14 Bathrooms come with the deepest sinking tub for an unmissable post-shopping stoke.
01:19 Oh, and two words, martini cart.
01:22 If you allow yourself just one indulgence here, it has to be the happy hour martini
01:27 cart they wheel up to your room, with the most perfectly poured cocktails, with all
01:31 the accoutrements.
01:32 It's bliss.
01:33 But word of advice, that should not be in place of the downstairs portrait bar, a moody,
01:41 sexy cocktail lounge that fills up fast by the trendiest of New Yorkers.
01:46 For a complete change of scene, the legacy lives on on Hawaii's Big Island, where the
01:50 Rosewood Group of Hotels and Resorts has revived the beloved Kona Village.
01:56 With a fresh twist, from the 150 hale, or bungalows to the resort's own outrigger
02:01 canoe, which guests can take out for sunrise paddles, the village pulls in its destination
02:07 at every opportunity.
02:09 Though the historic grounds, black sand beaches, and acres of pools makes it easy to spend
02:15 all day outdoors, you definitely will not want to skip at least an afternoon at the
02:20 Spa Acaia.
02:21 It's built right into the lava flow, and you can actually see Hualalai Volcano off
02:26 in the distance.
02:28 That breezy indoor/outdoor design carries over to the rooms too, where San Francisco-based
02:33 Nicole Hollis nimbly avoids the easy design tropes of Hawaiian kitsch by going big on
02:39 texture.
02:41 The bathrooms are ginormous, with alfresco showers and loads of stone and black to mirror
02:46 the lava fields and black sand beaches visible from the lanai, where you'll want to park
02:51 yourself for long stints in the morning over coffee and after dusk, staring up at the stars.
02:57 The resort has some solid restaurants, but honestly there may not be a more perfect vacation
03:03 bar anywhere in the world than Shipwreck, built of an actual old boat that was owned
03:08 by the resort's original founder.
03:11 The drinks are a lot of fun, and honestly fantastic.
03:15 Important to note too is the resort's dedication to sustainability, working with cultural advisors
03:21 on how to preserve and protect cultural sites at the hotel, like its petroglyph field.
03:27 It all combines to a resort that can feel like a perfect homage to the land's culture
03:32 and environment, along the most memorable and tranquil black sand beaches.
03:38 And then there's the supremely elegant One Place Vendôme, which is hard to miss right
03:43 above the Chopard boutique in Paris' first arrondissement.
03:48 They do things a little differently here.
03:50 There is no check-in in the lobby, but what you will find is signature Parisian glamour,
03:56 with an exquisite stone staircase.
03:59 Staying here feels like you've forgone a standard hotel in favor of your own private
04:04 members club, which in a way it is - no non-guests are allowed through these hallowed doors.
04:10 There are just 5 rooms and 10 suites in the entire property, all of which have been masterfully
04:16 created by famed interior designer Pierre Yves Rochon.
04:20 Each has its own personality and aesthetic point of view.
04:23 Some are done in stark whites and cobalt blues, others have pop art style curvaceous chairs,
04:30 mosaic showers, and embroidered wallpaper.
04:33 The singular approach to design helps remind guests that this is a more personalized approach
04:39 to what a hotel can be.
04:41 And then there's the cuisine, masterfully prepared by luxury hospitality vet Boris Algarra.
04:48 From the high-tech kitchen, he and his team craft dishes as beautiful as the setting itself,
04:54 including a 24/7 breakfast menu that are plated so beautifully, you kind of don't want to
04:59 ruin it by taking that first bite.
05:02 Also, there may be nothing more luxurious than settling into the property's gigantic
05:07 hug-like sofas with the most perfect coffee or tea, or upgrading that to a glass of red
05:13 from the owner's own vineyard.
05:15 A top hotel draws in the best of food, design, and comfort to become a destination all their
05:21 own.
05:22 Any hotel that you choose will guarantee a great vacation.
05:26 And for more information on all these hotels, including what to pack, head to CNTraveler.com.
05:33 These Hot List tours are brought to you by Capital One.
05:36 What's in your wallet?
05:37 [BLANK_AUDIO]
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