The 5 Chicest Hotel Renovations of the Last Decade
Much like a great vintage dress, historic hotels have character you simply can’t manufacture from scratch. But even the most enduring classics need a little TLC every now and then.
There’s something special about checking into a hotel that’s been given a new lease on life—one that has preserved all its charm but has been thoroughly updated. Think storied European estates with centuries of history, legendary beachfront resorts that have welcomed Hollywood royalty, and charming seaside hideaways that have become the stomping grounds for the fashion crowd. The best renovations honor a property’s past and make it feel entirely relevant for today, and a handful of hotels around the world have done exactly that.
From a $550 million restoration of one of California‘s most recognizable landmarks to a 16th-century Tuscan retreat reimagined by a buzzy design duo, these aren’t your run-of-the-mill hotel makeovers. We’re talking about rare antiques, hand-painted frescoes, standout restaurants and spas, and destinations that are just as compelling for their history as they are for their fresh aesthetic. Ahead, see five of the chicest recently renovated hotels worth adding to your travel wish list.
Latest Videos FromWho What Wear
WHAT: Brenners Park-Hotel & Spa
WHERE: Baden-Baden, Germany
WHEN: Completed renovation in October 2025
My favorite fun fact: The hotel upcycled original wallpapers and fabrics into keepsakes like notebooks and bookmarks for guests. How cute is that? Brenners Park-Hotel & Spa has been a German landmark since 1872, but after a two-year renovation—the most extensive update in its history—it’s more stylish than ever. It’s owned by the prestigious hospitality group Oetker Hotels, whose portfolio includes Le Bristol Paris, Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc, and The Lanesborough, so you can expect pure, unadulterated luxury at this hotel in the Black Forest.
“The interior design draws inspiration from 19th-century beaux arts glamour and English boldness with patterned textiles, antique writing desks, and custom-made chests sourced from local artisans,” a press release explained. “Historic details, such as 19th-century wooden beams, have been preserved and revealed for the first time.”
Lamarel, a cool Swiss fashion brand, hosted a press trip at Brenners this summer, and an on-site Vogue Germany retreat attracted over a dozen well-dressed insiders. Louise Roe and Cleo zu Oettingen-Spielberg are other fashionable fans of the hotel.
(Image credit: Courtesy of Four Seasons)
WHAT: Four Seasons Resort Mallorca at Formentor
WHERE: Mallorca, Spain
WHEN: Completed renovation in March 2025
An hour’s drive from Palma, this beachfront Four Seasons property offers a slower-paced, more secluded alternative to Mallorca’s busy port city. Nature lovers, spa enthusiasts, design fiends, and beachcombers will all find something to admire about this hotel set on a 100-acre private estate within a 1200-acre nature reserve. You’re surrounded by pine trees, sheltered beaches, restored gardens, and a working vineyard. Just thinking about this scenery lowers the blood pressure.
Opened in 1929 as Hotel Formentor, the resort has hosted Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, Jane Birkin, Cary Grant, and Jean Patou, among others. After acquiring the historic property in 2020, Four Seasons gave it a top-to-bottom makeover, including a gorgeous new spa where you can get massages and facials using Mallorcan botanicals and Balearic sea salt.
WHAT: Le Lappe
WHERE: Tuscany, Italy
WHEN: Completed renovation in June 2026
This 16th-century property has been operating as a humble hotel since 2010, but it’s been thoroughly reimagined by the owner’s son, architect Niccoló Calabrese de Feo, and his partner, interior designer Remy Renzullo. Each of the 11 rooms has a wood-burning fireplace, a cast-iron bathtub, and hand-painted frescoes by Italian artist Assia Pallavicino and is decorated with 17th- and 18th-century antiques. Pictured above in the bottom right corner, Luna Pichot-Duclos, founder of Macchiato Swim, looks like the picture of relaxation at Le Lappe, and we’re already daydreaming about re-creating the scene.
Tuscany is a magnet for tourists, but don’t expect to see any souvenir shops in this particular corner of the region. “It’s raw country, and that’s the appeal,” de Feo told HTSI. “This is one of the only places in the entire region that hasn’t really evolved since the postwar period,” Renzullo said in the same interview. “It’s rural agrarian Tuscany; small-scale farms drive the economy.”
(Image credit: Courtesy of Hotel del Coronado)
WHAT: Hotel del Coronado
WHERE: Coronado, California
WHEN: Completed renovation in June 2025
Considering its most famous guest, Marilyn Monroe, has been deceased for over 60 years, I’m not surprised that Hotel del Coronado decided it was time for a facelift. First opened in 1888, the Victorian masterpiece was restored over the course of six years to the tune of $550 million. San Diego’s crown jewel now fully lives up to its name. (“Coronado” is Spanish for “crowned.”)
Movies filmed at the hotel include 1959’s Some Like It Hot, starring Monroe, and 1916’s The Pearl of Paradise. In its storied history, Hotel del Coronado has hosted presidents Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Richard Nixon, Franklin D. Roosevelt, William Taft, and Benjamin Harrison, as well as author L. Frank Baum, actor Charlie Chaplin, and pilot Charles Lindbergh.
No detail was spared. In the garden courtyard, the hotel commissioned an exact replica of a bronze statue by French sculptor Charles Cordier that was displayed at the hotel from 1888 to 1912. Two new restaurants, Nobu del Coronado and Veranda, also opened as part of the property-wide revitalization.
(Image credit: @chrissyford; Courtesy of The Pridwin)
WHAT: The Pridwin
WHERE: Shelter Island, NY
WHEN: Completed renovation in July 2022
Following an extensive two-year restoration, The Pridwin has become the place to see and be seen for the fashion crowd. Last summer, Sporty & Rich launched a wellness residency at the hotel, offering branded tennis clinics and Pilates classes. This summer, Larroudé and Ciao Lucia hosted a brand trip at The Pridwin to celebrate their collab, and in August, Selena Gomez‘s and Anne Hathaway‘s stylist, Erin Walsh, booked a room and waxed poetic about it on Instagram.
The Pridwin sought to retain the “camp-like vibe” of the historic 1920s hotel with details like antique wicker furniture, wood-burning fireplaces, cheery wallpaper, and colorful textiles. There are 33 rooms in the main building and 16 cottages. “The nearly 10-acre site on Crescent Beach was selected for its protected waters, gentle bay breezes, and breathtaking water views,” the hotel explained on its website. “Spectacular hiking is available nearby on the trails of the 1500-acre Mashomack Nature Preserve, one of the crown jewels of the Nature Conservancy.”
