Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) added 15 properties to its portfolio of luxury independent boutique hotels in the first quarter of 2019. Additions include SLH’s first-ever Egyptian properties as well as hotels in Europe, Australia, the Middle East and Latin America.

La Maison Bleue, El Gouna, Egypt

Set on the north shore of Mangroovy Beach in the Red Sea resort town of El Gouna, this 11-suite mansion was created by antiques collector and interior designer Amr Khalil. It offers guests an exclusive beach and lagoon, luxury spa, indoor and outdoor pools, a restaurant and pool bar.  Suites measure from 860 square feet to 1,290 square feet and feature a terrace or balcony, sitting area and a master bathroom with marble floors.

Lazib Inn Resort & Spa, El Fayoum, Egypt

Lazib Inn Resort & Spa is an eight-room hideaway. Each suite has a king-size bed, private balcony, rainfall shower and jacuzzi. Design details include fireplaces, pink clay walls and the use of traditional fabrics. The resort includes a restaurant, private gym, infinity pool and a Buddhist-inspired spa offering Balinese and Thai massage. Guests can visit a Tunis village for traditional arts and pottery, or explore archaeological sites in nearby Fayoum.

Castello di Spaltenna, Chianti, Italy

The 37-room Castello di Spaltenna is housed in an 18th-century Tuscan castle and was once used as a monastery. It offers the choice of deluxe rooms; suites with four-poster beds and garden views; and country-style apartments with terracotta flooring and Tuscan furniture. Dining options include the Michelin-starred Il Pievano, which specializes in creative interpretations of traditional dishes, and the stone vaulted La Terazza Restaurant, overlooking the Sangiovese vineyards.

Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa, La Fortuna De San Carlos, Costa Rica

Located in over 900 acres of tropical reserve, the 103-key Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa has a world-class spa with naturally-heated volcanic waters. Rooms are designed to connect guests with the rainforest. Special finishing touches include king size beds, in-room Jacuzzis and rainforest showers. The resorts two restaurants—Ave del Paraiso and Los Tucanes—offer everything from breakfast buffets to fine á la carte dining.

Villa La Madonna, Monastero Bormida, Italy

Villa La Madonna is a boutique hotel and vineyard with restaurants rooted in the Italian “slow food” culture. The property’s 18 rooms and public spaces feature contemporary design details blended with authentic influences—open hearths, exposed-brick ceilings and handpicked furniture. Amenities include a spa and pool.  The UNESCO-protected 16th-century wine cellar offers world-class wine tastings. The property also cultivates its own Barbera and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes.

Faarufushi Maldives, Raa Atoll, Maldives

Opening this month (March 2019), Faarufushi Maldives offers 10 Beach Bungalows and 27 Beach Retreats hidden among palm trees, and 39 Ocean Retreats with pools positioned over the island’s lagoon. The hotel’s Nika Spa has six treatment rooms and a garden compound with a hydro pool surrounded by outdoor lounges and relaxation pavilions. The Faarufushi house reef has abundant marine life, spectacular coral overhangs and swim-throughs, making it suitable for diving and snorkelling.

Hotel Nantipa, Santa Teresa de Cobano, Costa Rica

Reflecting the surf culture of Santa Theresa on the Nicoya Peninsula, Hotel Nantipa’s design is inspired by the ocean and the sky (“nantipa” means blue in the native Nicoya language). Opened in February, it has 15 beachside suites and bungalows with hammocks and garden-, pool- or ocean-views. Its restaurant serves up Costa Rican cuisine (ceviches, grilled seafood, tacos, gallos, casados and other local delicacies) with view of the setting sun. Activities available in the area include surf lessons, beach horseback riding, and trips to the Montezuma Waterfall and talcum power sands of Tortuga Island.

The Merchant House, Manama, Bahrain

The 46-suite property, which opened in January, is located next to Manama’s famous Bab Al-Bahrain (Gateway to Bahrain) and is just steps away from the Manama Souk. The suites feature open-plan kitchen/dining/sitting areas designed for business and leisure. Its interior design reflects its location and the cultural significance of the Bab Al-Bahrain area. Artwork from both well-established and up-and-coming Bahraini artists is showcased. Amenities include a rooftop restaurant and terrace pool.

Castle Hot Springs, Arizona, United States

The 33-key Castle Hot Springs reopened its doors in February 2019. Originally opened in 1896, this desert retreat’s clientele included some of the country’s wealthiest families, from the Carnegies, Roosevelts, Rockefellers and Vanderbilts to the Wrigleys. Now restored to its original glory, guests can stay in the same historic cottage as past presidents and drink signature Castle Hot Springs Lithium Lager made from its own spring water. Located in one of few registered “Dark Sky” locations in the United States, the resorts Sky View Cabins are equipped with a top-of-the-line telescope. An on-site astronomer is available to guide guests through the star-filled skies.

Vintry & Mercer, London, United Kingdom

Opened on February 4, 2019, Vintry & Mercer is named after the local fine wine (vintry) and silk trading (mercer) guilds. Design elements of the 92-room property blend the past (bespoke fabrics and historic navigation maps and photographs) and present (glass-panelled balconies overlooking the Southbank). On the f&b side, The Mercer Roof Terrace restaurant offers a sweeping view of the London skyline, while Do Not Disturb, a secret cocktail bar beneath the hotel, is reminiscent of the clandestine bars of 1920s New York.

Mykonos Riviera Hotel, Mykonos, Greece

Tucked against Aegean cliffs, the 44-room Mykonos Riviera Hotel features tiered Cycladic white buildings. Opened in August 2018, rooms in this new build, five-star property offer ocean views from private terraces. The Signature Spa Pool Suite has a sauna, steam bath and fitness equipment, a 365-square-foot private pool as well as a heated outdoor Jacuzzi on the ground floor. The property also has a heated seawater infinity pool with fiber optic lighting. Located directly across from the town’s marina, it is close to the scenic town of Mykonos and the beach of Agios Stefanos.

Other 2019 Introductions

The following properties were also introduced by SLH in Q1 2019.

Quinta Da Comporta Wellness Retreat, Comporta, Portugal: Opening this month, Quinta da Comporta is the new sustainable signature project envisioned and designed by renowned Portuguese architect, Miguel Cância Martins. Nestled in a 17-hectacre estate, it is surrounded by umbrella pines and cork trees, wild sand dunes, rice fields and more than 60 kilometers of white-sand beaches. The property’s accommodation options include 61 deluxe rooms and four three-bedroom pool villas.

Hotel Schweizerhof, Zermatt, Switzerland: Recently acquired by Michel Reybier, the Schweizerhof Zermatt, at the foot of the Matterhorn, re-opened on December 21, 2018. The 95-room property’s transformation includes a new warm and bold style, and enhanced in-room technology (Chromecast devices for screen mirroring, Netflix and Spotify account access, smart lighting control and RFID room keys). The Spa by Schweizerhof offers an exclusive list of spa treatments created with cosmeceutical products from Nescens, the Swiss anti-ageing science. Other wellness amenities include an indoor swimming pool, three saunas, a Turkish bath and a fitness centre.

Hotel Montchalet, South Tyrol, Italy: Set in the mountain village of Ortisei (Val Gardena), Hotel Montchalet is surrounded by the Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The 17-key property includes four ranges of luxury suites (silver, gold, platinum and VIP) decorated in pebble tones and crisp whites, silver tints, charcoal accents and exposed wood details. Some suites have private infrared saunas as well as steam baths and outdoor Jacuzzis. The hotel’s spa and wellness offerings include floating sunbeds by NU RELAX, an indoor pool, and a fitness centre with Technogym machines. The property provides daily Maserati transfers to some of Europe’s finest ski slopes.

Ovolo The Valley, Brisbane, Australia: Opened in November 2018, the design of the Ovolo the Valley is inspired by the eclectic culture and history of Fortitude Valley, Brisbane’s hip entertainment district. The property features 103 spacious, open-plan rooms with full technology including Smart TVs, Google Chromecast and Amazon’s Alexa. The rooftop pool gives guests a birds-eye view of Brisbane.