People love to travel to the coast, and the demand seems to never be satisfied. A spate of coastal hotels in the USA that opened in 2016 are worth checking out and should be enjoyable stays for years to come:
1. Four Seasons Resort Lanai (Hawaii)
Formerly the Four Seasons Manele Bay, this transformed luxury hideaway – owned by tech billionaire Larry Ellison – reopened with 217 rooms and suites.
There’s plenty to try out, including new dining venues such as Nobu and One Forty for steaks and Hawaiian seafood, a Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course now exclusively available to hotel guests and island activities including scuba diving, horseback riding and UTV tours.
“We’re a resort with its own island to explore,” says hotel general manager Tom Roelens. “There are just 3,100 residents on Lanai, and we believe we offer the opportunity to almost step back in time to experience the true aloha spirit of authentic Hawaii.”
Four Seasons Resort Lanai, 1 Manele Bay Road, Lanai City, Lanai, HI 96763; +1 808-565-2000
2. Paséa Hotel & Spa (Huntington Beach, California)
The latest from Meritage Collection is about blending modern, beachy features with unfussy service.
Expect to see the concierge playing the ukulele in the lobby as you’re taken to a cabana for check-in. Or be taken on a pedicab tour of Huntington Beach Pier before meeting with the hotel’s surf butler.
Other amenities include a Balinese-inspired spa, yoga classes and two infinity-edged pools. Almost all 250 rooms and suites look out to the Pacific Ocean, so the water’s always within sight.
Pasea Hotel & Spa, 21080 Pacific Coast Highway, Huntington Beach, CA 92648; +1 844 814 2483
3. The Christopher (Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts)
This boutique hotel, which opened on May 15, is all about bright, look-at-me aesthetics.
Inspired by the vibrant hues of the French Caribbean, Boston-based designer Annsley McAleer swathed every inch of the 15-room property with a mélange of colors, patterns and textures.
Guest rooms are a mix-and-match of abstract wallpapers, sculptural metallic chandeliers, patterned textiles, reclaimed wood furniture and exotic area rugs. The Lark Suite has two balconies with great views of the Edgartown harbor.
The Christopher, 24 South Water Street, Edgartown, Martha’s Vineyard, MA 02539; +1 508 627 4784
4. The Confidante (Miami Beach, Florida)
Combining classic mid-century design with art deco flourishes, this 363-room hotel – part of Hyatt’s newly launched Unbound Collection – is located right on the beach.
A perfect home base for any Miami vacation, the hotel offers easy driving access to hip enclaves like Wynwood and the Design District. It also gives guests reasons not to leave: an open-air, rooftop spa with yoga classes, all-girl DJ parties and an after-hours happy hour at celebrity chef Dale Talde’s TALDE Miami Beach.
Says hotel vice president J.P. Oliver, “The vibe of our hotel is summed up in one word: playful.”
The Confidante, 4041 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, FL 33140; +1 305 424 1234
5. Opal Sands Resort (Clearwater Beach, Florida)
Standing 15 stories tall, the curved architecture of this 230-room resort is meant to give every guest fabulous views of the Gulf of Mexico, which are especially stunning at sunset.
“There’s never a guest concern about what their view will be or a doubt that it will be phenomenal and exactly what they want to see on a beach vacation – the sand and sea,” says general manager Jeff Castner.
Inside, the resort celebrates its coastal setting with many art pieces exclusively commissioned for the property, including mammoth fish sculptures, paintings of local wild and marine life and a wave-shaped installation made of 400 pieces of glass and metal.
TheOpal Sands Resort is a one-stop shop for sun worshipers: the sea is right outside the doors, there’s a beachfront pool with a hot tub and the resort has four dining venues, including a beachside tiki bar.
Opal Sands Resort, 430 South Gulfview Blvd, Clearwater, FL 33767; +1 855 335 1087
6. American Beech (Greenport, New York)
Previously a carriage house, this bed and breakfast in trendy North Fork is about a mile from the beach. But its location around the corner from the harbor makes ferry jaunts to nearby Shelter Island easy.
The interior’s simple design is topped with plenty of nautical flourishes, including rope details in the restaurant, anchor paraphernalia on the walls and stripes everywhere. It’s modern beach chic at its finest.
It’s an intimate setting with only five suites, but the seasonal restaurant downstairs is a popular hangout for locals and visitors. Guests of the B&B get priority reservations.
American Beech, 300 Main Street, Greenport, NY 11944; +1 631 477 6571
This article was originally published in May 2016 and updated in April 2018. Chadner Navarro is a New York-based freelancer writer.