World’s most luxurious hotel chains are opening 5 private residences

The caché of living in a hotel was once all the rage — Tennessee Williams wrote plays during his Hotel Elysèe residency in New York, and Oscar Wilde spent his twilight years in Paris’ Hotel D’Alsace (now L’Hotel). But after a long residences boom in the ’90s, the paradigm is shifting. Rather than attaching homes to a specific hotel or resort, hospitality groups are opening branded residences completely separate from the front desk check-in.

But what does an apartment with Mandarin Oriental or Ritz-Carlton branding look like, anyway? The perks were clear enough before: Living in a hotel entails a gorgeous, often exotic location, a like-minded community and exclusive access to on-site spas and restaurants.

With a standalone residence, it’s much of the same. The chief distinction is a heightened sense of exclusivity, as there’s no adjoining hotel with which to share space. Instead, the brand — be it Four Seasons or otherwise — acts as a sort of property manager, attending to each residence and offering the same amenities and concierge services one would find in a five-star hotel.

But, naturally, it depends on the property. Here are five soon-to-come openings on the cutting edge.