InterContinental-owned boutique chain Hotel Indigo has opened its first property in continental Europe.

The Hotel Indigo Berlin opened its doors February 3, marking the brand’s first entry into Europe outside of the United Kingdom.

Designed with Hotel Indigo’s trademark ’boutique’ feel, the property contains 81 rooms, which are finished in light wood and white but have been individualized with color to give them the feel of an ‘artist’s studio’.

Emyr Thomas from Bon Vivant, London’s premier concierge service, gives us the lowdown on the most exclusive hotel opening to look forward to throughout 2012.

Hyatt brand Andaz has officially opened the Andaz Shanghai, a 28-storey landmark which adds yet another top-end property to the city’s booming luxury hotel market.

The Andaz Shanghai’s 307 rooms opened to the public for the first time October 18, marking the first entry of the Andaz brand into Asia.

With rooms that offer views of the historical Xintiandi district, the hotel is decorated with mixed media artwork designed to evoke the old and new sides of the area, using items such as LED lighting, sensors, video projections and recycled materials.

W Hotels opened its 40th hotel and new flagship in London February 14, bringing the brand’s design-led luxury to the colorful streets of Soho.

The 192-room property stands ten stories tall above the city’s famous Leicester Square and is covered in translucent glass which changes color according to the time of day and the ambience of the area.

The new landmark is designed to establish Starwood’s W Hotels as a truly international luxury design hotel chain.

This year has seen some high profile luxury properties opening around the world. Here, a roundup of the best.

Accor-owned brand Sofitel is to wrap up 2010 with a triple-whammy of hotel openings in exotic locations around the world, the company said December 13.

The five-star brand is opening properties in Austria, Mauritius and Cambodia this week, including a new flagship for Europe in Vienna.

The new Sofitel Vienna Stephansdom features a futuristic glass and steel tower which rises 18 stories high and showcases art by Swiss artist Pipilotti Rist and a living garden wall by landscape architect Patrick Blanc.