Top 10 new product for 2022

From new cruise ships and hotels to flights and rail routes, excitement is building among the trade

Excitement might not be a feeling those in the travel industry have felt very often over the past two years. Uncertainty, worry and frustration have all been felt more prominently as the world grappled with Covid-19. But the tide is changing, dare we say it, and there is so much to look forward to.

From landmark hotel openings to long-awaited ship launches, this year is packed with new luxury product. So whether your client wants to stay in a Grade II-listed building or enjoy a wellness experience curated by Gwyneth Paltrow at sea, this year has it all.

As the dust begins to settle and we edge back to normal, Aspire takes a look at the hotels, cruise lines, private jet companies and train lines gearing up for a comeback.

Atlantis The Royal, Dubai, Opening in Q4

A milestone property for Dubai, Atlantis The Royal will bring a new level of luxury to The Palm Jumeirah when it launches later this year. The hotel sits adjacent to sister property Atlantis The Palm and is an impressive feat of architecture alone.

Inspired by a wave of water and rising 43 storeys high, the curved mega structure is made up of a series of individual blocks housing rooms, suites, penthouses and residences. Inside, guests will find 17 restaurants and bars, many with celebrity chefs such as Heston Blumenthal and Ariana Bundy at the helm.

You’ll also find a 90-metre sky pool, a chic rooftop pool club, and day-to-night destination lounge Ling Ling by Hakkasan. Atlantis The Royal is set to be the hottest ticket in town.

Celebrity Beyond, Launching April 27

Building on the success of Celebrity Edge and Celebrity Apex, the third ship in Celebrity Cruises’ Edge series will sail its maiden voyage from Southampton next month.

Celebrity Beyond is both taller and longer than its siblings, making room for a host of new innovations including an extra 179 cabins and suites, a two-storey Sunset Bar, a redesigned Rooftop Garden and a new restaurant by acclaimed French chef Daniel Boulud.

And the high-profile partnerships don’t stop there. Celebrity has brought together a dream team of architects and designers, including Kelly Hoppen and Nate Berkus, and secured Hollywood actress Gwyneth Paltrow as its wellbeing advisor.

You could say the line has gone above and beyond.

Raffles London at The OWO, Opening late 2022

The luxury hotel scene was abuzz with excitement when Raffles unveiled plans to open a property in London’s historic Old War Office.

The Grade II-listed building has been a Whitehall landmark for nearly a century, having served as Winston Churchill’s base during the Second World War and the site at which Ian Fleming dreamt up James Bond.

The property has undergone a sensitive five-year renovation, in which its key Edwardian baroque features like hand-laid mosaic floors and a central marble staircase have been painstakingly restored.

The hotel will open with 120 rooms and suites, 85 branded residences and 11 food and beverage options, including a rooftop restaurant and bar with panoramic views across Whitehall, The Mall and Buckingham Palace.

Seabourn Venture, Launching July 15

The long-awaited arrival of Seabourn’s first expedition vessel hasn’t been without its challenges – the 264-passenger ship was originally scheduled to launch in 2021 – but there’s no doubt it will be worth the wait.

Seabourn Venture will mirror the rest of the line’s ocean fleet in terms of design but will flaunt all the bells and whistles of an expedition ship poised for adventure.

Designed and built for diverse environments – to Polar Class 6 standards – the ultra-luxury vessel features two custom-built submarines, 24 Zodiacs, which can carry all guests at once, double sea kayaks and a 26-person expedition team of wilderness experts, scientists, historians and naturalists.

Seabourn Venture will sail from Tilbury on its inaugural voyage – a 12-Day Northern Isles & The Viking Homeland sailing ending in Tromsø – on July 15. The ship will then offer a series of Northern Europe cruises.

Como Le Montrachet, Opening autumn 2022

Good news, wine aficionados: Como Hotels and Resorts will enter France for the first time this year with a property in the sought-after Côte-d’Or region of Burgundy. Como Le Montrachet will be set around a charming village square in the historic village of Puligny-Montrachet, offering guests unparalleled access to some of the most famous Grand cru vineyards. Esteemed Italian designer Paola Navone, who worked with the brand on its Tuscan property, has turned her eye to the 18th-century pile, transforming four heritage buildings into 31 chic rooms and suites, dining spaces and a Como Shambhala Retreat.

Silver Dawn, Launching March 28

The third ship in Silversea’s Muse-class series, Silver Dawn will debut the line’s pioneering new wellness concept,Otium. Inspired by the leisurely nature of the ancient Romanlifestyle, the programme encourages “balanced indulgence,pampering and pleasure” and extends far beyond the spa.

Suites will feature a special Otium-inspired mattress andan expanded pillow menu; bathrooms – all with a walk-inshower and bath – will offer a bespoke bathing experience;and balconies will be tailored to the climate in which theship sails (think cashmere blankets and hot chocolates incold destinations; body mists and cocktails in the sun).

The596-passenger ship will also offer sustainable caviar andchampagne on demand, an in-suite comfort food menu andthe line’s culinary Sea and Land Taste (SALT) programme.

Orient Express, On sale this year

Agents will be able to book a cabin on the new Orient-Express La Dolce Vita route when it goes on sale later this year.

The iconic train brand will return to Italy in 2023 with six trains embarking on several itineraries across 14 regions, including three international destinations from Rome to Paris, Istanbul, and Split.

A stopover in Rome will even feature the very first Orient Express hotel, Minerva, which is scheduled to open in 2024. Supported by hospitality partner Accor, the trains will boast 12 deluxe cabins, 18 suites, one Honour Suite and a restaurant – all designed to celebrate the “craftsmanship, design and creativity of the 1960s and 1970s”. Bellissimo!

Sanctuary Tambarare, Opening June 1

Abercrombie & Kent will celebrate its 60th birthday this year with the opening of a new camp in Kenya.

Sanctuary Tambarare will boast 10 luxury tents with private verandas, all set amid fever trees in the shadow of Mount Kenya.

The camp will afford guests front-row seats to the unspoilt Ol Pejeta Conservancy, where 90,000 acres of grassy plains play host to the big five, including the last two northern white rhinos on earth.

Guests can spend their days tracking lions, riding horses within the rhino enclosure or spotting giraffes, elephants, gazelle and zebra, before retiring to the sumptuous wildlife retreat for sundowners and stellar five-star service.

Evrima, Launching August 6

A little more than two years later than planned, the first of three custom-built yachts from The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection will finally be unveiled this August.

Evrima’s petite size will give guests access to some of the most sought-after ports such as Mykonos, Saint Tropez and Saint Barths.

All 149 suites feature private terraces, as well as floor-to-ceiling windows, king beds and double vanity bathrooms, and there’s a distinct focus on space, with a hefty proportion of large suites and several two-storey ‘lofts’.

The vessel will also feature Espa spa treatments and a signature restaurant, SEA, designed by Sven Elverfeld of Aqua, the three Michelinstarred restaurant at The Ritz-Carlton, Wolfsburg. The yacht, and its upcoming sister ships, will be available for private charter.

Four Seasons’ private jet journeys, On sale now

Four Seasons has launched its largest ever private jet programme for 2023 following unprecedented demand and it’s on sale for agents to book now.

The hotel brand unveiled four private jet journeys for 2023 last December and added a further three in January this year after experiencing “record interest” in its 2022 line-up. The seven itineraries include two Timeless Encounters departures – the longest Four Seasons private jet journey.

The 24-day voyage takes in the idyllic beaches of Bora Bora, the iconic cityscape of Sydney, and the rolling rice fields and lush jungles of Bali, as well as stops in Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai, the Taj Mahal and Dubai.

All itineraries take place aboard the new Four Seasons private jet – a fully customised, 48-seat Airbus A321LR aircraft.

Erica Rich