Of the five luxury hotels we picked in 2013 to open in 2014, two opened that year: Mondrian London on September 30, 2014 and Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach in November 2014. Fairmont Jakarta followed in 2015, and we could not confirm that the Ritz-Carlton in Tunis or Kameha Bay Portals in Mallorca ever opened as planned. This is how our original top five turned out.
| Our 2013 pick | Planned | What happened |
|---|---|---|
| 5. Fairmont Jakarta | 2014 | Opened 2015, 488 rooms and suites |
| 4. Ritz-Carlton Tunis | Late 2014 | Opening not confirmed |
| 3. Mondrian London | 2014 | Opened September 30, 2014; independent since 2019 |
| 2. Four Seasons Dubai, Jumeirah Beach | 2014 | Opened November 2014, 237 rooms |
| 1. Kameha Bay Portals Mallorca | 2013 then 2014 | Opening not confirmed |
5. Fairmont Jakarta
Fairmont Jakarta sits in the Senayan Square complex, linked to the Plaza Senayan mall and the Sentral Senayan office towers. It was listed for a 2014 opening, but sources give 2015 as its opening year. It has 488 rooms in total: 380 guest rooms and 108 Sky Suites. The Kajima Corporation developed the complex.
4. Ritz-Carlton Tunis
Ritz-Carlton announced its first Tunisian hotel in September 2012: 129 suites in the Carthage-Sidi Bou Said area, next to the Carthage Palace, with a late 2014 target. By 2013 it was under construction. We found no reports after that confirming an opening, a delay or a cancellation, so check the brand’s current listings before you plan a trip.
3. Mondrian London
Mondrian London opened on September 30, 2014 in the south wing of Sea Containers House on the Thames. The design used a 1920s cruise liner theme with Art Deco touches. In January 2019 it became the independent Sea Containers London, managed by the Lore Group. Today it has 354 rooms and suites, a spa, a cinema and three restaurants and bars.
2. Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach
This was the first Four Seasons hotel in Dubai on Jumeirah Beach. Its own fact sheet lists the opening as November 2014, later than the mid-2014 target first reported. It has 237 rooms and suites: 188 guest rooms and 49 suites. The earlier version of this article listed room prices from $60 per night, a figure we could not support, so we have removed it. Check current rates with the hotel.
1. Kameha Bay Portals Mallorca
The Lifestyle Hospitality & Entertainment Group planned to convert a disused seafront hotel in Portals Nous, near Puerto Portals, into a resort of about 65 rooms and suites with a large spa and interiors by Marcel Wanders. The opening slipped from 2013 to 2014 and then to 2015 in later materials. We found no report confirming an opening, so treat this one as unconfirmed.
What this list teaches about hotel openings
Luxury hotel opening dates slip. Of the five, two opened in the year we expected, one slipped by a year, and two are still unconfirmed years later. If you book around an announced opening date, ask for a written guarantee and a fallback property.
Keep reading
- How much does it really cost to live in a hotel?: what luxury hotel stays add up to
- Best luxury hotels in Cape Town: another set of high-end stays
FAQ
Which hotels on this list opened in 2014?
Mondrian London (September 30, 2014) and Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach (November 2014).
When did Fairmont Jakarta open?
Sources give 2015, a year after the original plan.
Is Mondrian London still called Mondrian?
No. It became the independent Sea Containers London on January 15, 2019.
How many rooms does Four Seasons Dubai at Jumeirah Beach have?
237, made up of 188 guest rooms and 49 suites.
Did the Ritz-Carlton in Tunis open?
We could not confirm it. It was announced in 2012 for late 2014 and was under construction in 2013.
Last updated: October 2026.
Kisses, Irina
