Fodor’s Travel

The 40 Most Anticipated Hotel Openings of 2020

 Kristy Alpert 

Start the new year right by planning a stay at one of the many long-awaited hotels before they book up.

The new year’s new crop of luxury and boutique hotels has us jumping into 2020 with eager anticipation and our passports ready. From a floating spa hotel in Swedish Lapland to North America’s first landscape hotel, check out the best hotel openings of 2020 before planning your travels.

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PHOTO: PalmaÏa, The House of AÏA1 OF 40

PalmaÏa, The House of AÏA 

WHERE: Riviera Maya, Mexico 

Although PalmaÏa opens in 2020, this eco-friendly hotel plans to become the first resort to be carbon energy neutral by 2021, going so far as to pay for the carbon offset of guests’ flights when booked through the website. The resort is set in a lush Mayan jungle with a spa that offers treatments nearby a natural cenote. The 314 ocean-front suites with private butlers provide respite among this expansive property.

Opening January 2020

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PHOTO: White Elephant Palm Beach2 OF 40

White Elephant Palm Beach 

WHERE: Palm Beach, Florida 

The opening of the White Elephant Palm Beach will symbolize the unlikely marriage of two legendary resorts. This Sunset Avenue hotel will be the first sister property of New England’s beloved White Elephant Resort, giving a Nantucket-like makeover to the former Bradley Park Hotel. The 13 deluxe rooms and 19 suites will feature French toiletries, Italian linens, Turkish towels, and easy access to Palm Beach’s golden shoreline.

Opening January 2020

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PHOTO: Ancient Hue3 OF 40

Ancient Hue 

WHERE: Hue, Vietnam 

A series of authentic nha ruong (garden homes) will come together to form this luxury boutique hotel, complete with a fine dining restaurant and spa. Ancient Hue will welcome guests into five of the former royal residences used by the extended imperial families where a central heated pool and garden, following Feng Shui principles, allow for year-round swimming.

Opening January 2020

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PHOTO: Courtesy of Off the Map Travel4 OF 40

Arctic Bath 

WHERE: Swedish Lapland, Sweden 

From the masterminds of Sweden’s famous Treehotel comes this incredible floating spa hotel, where native birch trees appear to jut up from the water. Under the warm midnight sun, Arctic Bath will float in the Lule River, but in winter the hotel and spa will be frozen in place beneath the Northern Lights. Guests can choose from six floating cabins or six cabins on land, where the main amenities include pure nature, clean air, healthy food, and whole-body wellness.

Opening January 2020

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PHOTO: Oberoi Hotels & Resorts5 OF 40

The Oberoi, Marrakech 

WHERE: Marrakech, Morocco 

The scent of citrus blossoms will perfume the air of this regal resort, while the snow-covered Atlas Mountains loom in the distance to provide a backdrop for the more than 28 acres that encompass The Oberoi, Marrakech. Out of the 84 keys at the resort, 76 will provide entrance to accommodations with large private pools and gardens.

Opening January 2020

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PHOTO: @RosewoodHotelsandResorts6 OF 40

Rosewood Little Dix Bay 

WHERE: Virgin Gorda, The British Virgin Islands 

Since closing its doors for renovations four years ago, Rosewood Little Dix Bay has been the most anticipated hotel opening for luxury travelers. In 2020 this 500-acre resort will at long last reopen with 82 new guestrooms, suites, and villas, including Tree House Suites and a Rosewood Spa nestled on a cliff’s edge.

Opening January 2020

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PHOTO: The Royal Atlantis Resort & Residences7 OF 40

The Royal Atlantis Resort & Residences 

WHERE: Dubai, UAE 

A pathway of pools, lounges, and cabanas will connect the two towers at The Royal Atlantis Resort & Residences, with one tower set apart for residency and the other like a 795-room hotel. Private clubs and restaurants, including offerings from Heston Blumenthal, Gaston Acurio, and Jose Andres, will be sprinkled throughout the property’s 43 floors at this location on the man-made Palm Jumeirah island.

Opening Winter 2020

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PHOTO: Arthaus Beirut8 OF 40

Arthaus Gemmayze 

WHERE: Beirut, Lebanon 

Art collectors Nabil and Zoe Debs didn’t look far for a place to open their boutique art-centric hotel. The duo transformed their own home into a bohemian 19-room property that spans four houses and includes temporary art exhibits throughout. The owners’ own art collection lines the halls and restored antiques, lush gardens, and an underground lodge await guests of this Lebanese palazzo.

Opening February 2020

*Editor’s Note: Due to the current U.S.-Iranian conflict, travelers to Lebanon should be aware of safety concerns. We advise you to check with the foreign office of your own home country before traveling here.

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PHOTO: Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok9 OF 40

Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River 

WHERE: Bangkok, Thailand 

Indoor and outdoor spaces will intertwine seamlessly throughout this luxury hotel, where water plays a vital role in the design. Mirroring the adjacent Chao Phraya River, this Four Seasons features flowing water throughout a series of outdoor terraces and cascading buildings. The hotel will offer 299 guest rooms, a river-themed kid’s club, an urban spa, two infinity pools with river views, and multiple dining options, including the BKK Social Club with cocktails from world-renowned mixologist Philip Bischoff.

Opening February 2020

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PHOTO: Preferred Hotels & Resorts10 OF 40

The Chedi Mumbai 

WHERE: Mumbai, India 

With 316 guestrooms and suites, the Chedi Mumbai will be no small player in Mumbai’s bustling hospitality scene. Asian design elements were brought in to create a soothing atmosphere throughout this towering property, where a holistic spa and seven dining options will treat travelers during their stay in the Powai neighborhood. The hotel’s rooftop bar will offer patrons the chance to sip vintage Champagne, which can be followed a Cuban cigar on the outdoor terrace overlooking Mumbai’s skyline.

Opening March 2020

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PHOTO: The Ingalls11 OF 40

Downtown L.A. Proper Hotel 

WHERE: Los Angeles, California 

Opened as a private club in 1926 and then transformed into a hotel in the ’40s before becoming a YWCA until 2004, the historic Broadway Corridor building will be reimagined once again in 2020 as it becomes the newest Proper Hotel. The Downtown L.A. Proper Hotel will hold 148 rooms and ample common spaces, with restaurants, bars, and a rooftop pool. Two of the hotel’s signature suites include repurposed details from the building’s former basketball court and indoor pool.

Opening March 2020

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PHOTO: Fabrice Rambert12 OF 40

Hotel Barrière Le Carl Gustaf 

WHERE: Gustavia, St. Barthélemy 

The Barrière Group’s latest opening will bring one of France’s finest luxury hotels to the Caribbean. The Hotel Barrière Le Carl Gustaf will offer 23 rooms, ranging from stand-alone bungalows to junior suites with private plunge pools, along with a Michelin-starred experience at restaurant Fouquet’s or a beachside dining option at Shellona restaurant. The hotel will be steps from St. Bart’s famous Shell Beach, with views overlooking yacht-filled harbors and the red roofs of Gustavia. 

Opening March 2020

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PHOTO: RudyBalasko/iStock13 OF 40

Mama Shelter Luxembourg 

WHERE: Kirchberg, Luxembourg  

French-owned design hotel chain Mama Shelter prides itself on offering guests an urban refuge in the heart of the action, and its newest hotel will do just that, rooftop hammocks included. Mama Shelter Luxembourg will be the brand’s 13th hotel, bringing 145 rooms, meeting rooms, a coworking space, bakery, and a Cinemama to the streets of Kirchberg. 

Opening March/April 2020

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PHOTO: Chiva-Som International Health Resort14 OF 40

Zulal Wellness Resort, Qatar 

WHERE: Madinat ash Shamal, Qatar 

Drawing on the immense success of its wellness retreat in Thailand, Chiva-Som International Health Resort will open a 180-room immersive wellness resort in northern Qatar in 2020. Zulal Wellness Resort will be the world’s first center for Traditional Arabic Integrative Medicine (TAIM) and will offer immersive programs for guests over the age of 16. 

Opening Spring 2020

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PHOTO: Hotel Amapa15 OF 40

Hotel Amapa 

WHERE: Puerto Vallarta, Mexico 

Old world ambiance and minimalistic furnishings will give this luxury boutique hotel a chicly bohemian vibe once it opens this spring as a member of the Design Hotels collection. Many of the 55 rooms feature private balconies and artisanal hammocks and are delightfully television-free to encourage travelers to get out and explore this hotel’s “Zona Romantica” location in Puerto Vallarta’s charming Old Town. 

Opening Spring 2020

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PHOTO: Preferred Hotels & Resorts16 OF 40

Villa Copenhagen 

WHERE: Copenhagen, Denmark 

Set inside the stunning former headquarters for the Danish Post Office, the brand new Villa Copenhagen will be enveloped in a historic ambiance when it opens in April after a dramatic transformation of its 1912 building. Eco-friendly accommodations include 390 guestrooms and suites, and an opulent Earth Suite made exclusively with sustainable materials. 

Opening April 2020

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PHOTO: Preferred Hotels & Resorts17 OF 40

The Guardsman 

WHERE: London, England 

Inspired by the discrete and attentive service of a British private club, The Guardsman will offer 53 guest rooms and six exclusive residences along with highly curated services and amenities. Guests will select their preferred room type, location, drinks, menu, and more before even checking in to this Buckingham Gate location.

Opening April 2020

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PHOTO: Desa Potato Head18 OF 40

Desa Potato Head  

WHERE: Bali, Indonesia  

Taking its inspiration (and name) from the Indonesian word for village, Desa will feel more like a creative community than a hotel with its onsite recording studio, artist’s lofts, farm-to-table restaurant, multifunctional art gallery, wellness center, and night club. The hotel was designed by Rem Koolhaas’ OMA, and will feature 168 rooms stocked with zero-waste kits (water bottles, RPET tote bags, bamboo cutlery and straws, a lunchbox, etc.) and an in-room bar of house-infused spirits and natural syrups for some bedtime bartending.

Opening May 2020

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PHOTO: Krunja/Shutterstock19 OF 40

Ace Hotel Kyoto 

WHERE: Kyoto, Japan 

Ace Hotel’s first foray into Asia begins in Japan’s cultural hub of Kyoto, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This former capital city of Japan is currently home to numerous luxury hotels and petite tea house accommodations, so the arrival of a mid-priced, design-driven hotel will be a welcomed arrival for travelers staying near the ShinPuhKan complex where the hotel will occupy six floors of its historic building.  

Opening Spring 2020

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PHOTO: Banyan Tree Krabi20 OF 40

Banyan Tree Krabi 

WHERE: Krabi, Thailand 

Tucked discretely into the coastline along the white sands of Tubkaek Beach, the Banyan Tree Krabi will open as a holistic haven near the Andaman Sea in the second quarter of 2020. Villas and suites will range from two-bedroom suites to three-bedroom villas, where all 72 of them feature private pools and stunning views with easy access to the resort’s rainforest-themed spa.

Opening Spring 2020

21_NewHotels2020__HotelBobO_22.) Hotel Bobo by Brown. Photo Max Kovalsky (15)

PHOTO: Max Kovalsky21 OF 40

Hôtel BoBo by Brown Hotels 

WHERE: Tel Aviv, Israel 

Hotel BoBo will be the largest property to-date by Israel’s Brown Hotel group with 200 rooms overlooking the city and the Mediterranean Sea. The boutique hotel’s bohemian vibe will fit in perfectly with its trendy Yavne Street neighbors, boasting a chic rooftop bar on top of what was once known locally as the “Menorah Mivtachimn” building. 

Opening April 2020

*Editor’s Note: Due to the current U.S.-Iranian conflict, travelers to Israel should be aware of safety concerns. We advise you to check with the foreign office of your own home country before traveling here.

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PHOTO: Preferred Hotels & Resorts22 OF 40

Villa Dagmar 

WHERE: Stockholm, Sweden 

History drips from the elegant halls of this refurbished 1870s Art Nouveau building in Stockholm’s Östermalmstorg, where author Axel Munthe—both a doctor and alleged lover of the Swedish Queen Victoria—once called home. Balconies extend off many of the 70 guestrooms over the inner courtyard and orangery at Villa Dagmar, a Preferred Hotel, while all guests will enjoy easy access to the onsite concept store, organic food store, spa, and Michelin-star menus at the hotel’s Mediterranean-fusion restaurant. 

Opening May 2020

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PHOTO: HOSHINOYA Okinawa23 OF 40

HOSHINOYA Okinawa 

WHERE: Okinawa, Japan 

This luxury hotel will keep a low-profile despite its larger than life offerings, but that’s only to ensure each guest will have equally dramatic views of the East China Sea. The hotel will rise simply two floors, where limestone walls will contain vegetable gardens and deluxe offerings within this gusuku (traditional Okinawan castle) inspired property.

Opening May 2020

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PHOTO: Xigera Safari Lodge24 OF 40

Xigera Safari Lodge 

WHERE: Okavango Delta, Botswana 

There will be more than 105 staff members looking after the desires of just 24 guests once this chic safari lodge opens in June. This 12-suite lodge occupies its own private area inside the Moremi Game Reserve, where guests will be given exclusive access to flexible game drives, mokoro (local canoe) experiences, walking safaris, and more. Zero light pollution and an onsite water purification system will help make this Red Carnation resort a truly remote respite in the Delta.

Opening June 2020

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PHOTO: Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo25 OF 40

Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi 

WHERE: Tokyo, Japan 

Opening just in time for the Tokyo Summer Olympics, the Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi will be located on the top six floors of a 39-story building just outside of the Imperial Palace, one of the Olympic venues for Tokyo 2020. Five food and beverage concepts, 193 rooms, and a top-floor spa are just a few features of this sophisticated hotel. 

Opening June 2020

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PHOTO: Orient Express Mahanakhon Bangkok26 OF 40

Orient Express Mahanakhon Bangkok 

WHERE: Bangkok, Thailand  

Originally launched as a luxury sleeper train in 1883, the Orient Express is back with its first-ever hotel. Dramatic details will drip from this 154-room hotel, with soft caramels, dark woods, mysterious greens accenting the space. An antique lift will bring guests to the multiple dining options and the wellness floor, where the signature Orient Express Spa by Guerlain awaits. 

Opening Summer 2020

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PHOTO: Pendry 27 OF 40

Pendry West Hollywood 

WHERE: West Hollywood, California 

Encased in a glass exterior on California’s famous Sunset Strip, the Pendry West Hollywood, a Preferred Hotel, will offer a glimpse into true Hollywood glamour and glitz. The hotel will offer 149 guestrooms and 40 residences, along with a rooftop pool and bar, Spa Pendry, a bowling alley, a screening room, and a restaurant by Wolfgang Puck.  

Opening Summer 2020

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PHOTO: Under Canvas28 OF 40

Under Canvas Acadia 

WHERE: Acadia National Park, Maine 

Most of the amenities will be found under thick sheets of canvas at this aptly named glamping resort. Under Canvas Acadia will be the outfitter’s first location in New England, where it will offer the perfect base camp accommodations with 75 luxury safari-style tents on more than 100 acres of land.

Opening Summer 2020

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PHOTO: Wilderness Safaris29 OF 40

DumaTau and Little DumaTau 

WHERE: Linyanti, Botswana 

Not only will all the suites at DumaTau be double the size of what they once were when the resort reopens in August of 2020, but this luxury tented camp by Wilderness Safaris will also debut an exclusive intimate camp called Little DumaTau as well as a Wellness Centre. The resort will be one of the first in Botswana to feature a gym, spa, and lap pool, and will be 100% solar-powered to help preserve the beautiful lands and lagoons surrounding it.

Opening August 2020

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PHOTO: The Green O30 OF 40

THE GREEN O by Paws Up 

WHERE: Greenough, Montana 

From the people who coined the term “glamping” in 2004 comes this adults-only luxury retreat nestled in the woods of Greenough, Montana. Even the sleeping arrangements at THE GREEN O will offer guests an unrivaled experience in nature, where 12 design-forward accommodations will range from an elevated Tree Haus with an indoor swing to a Green Haus with a living roof. Every guest will receive their own Lexus vehicle during the stay to help them explore the Montana wilderness in style. 

Opening August 2020

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PHOTO:  Six Senses New York31 OF 40

Six Senses New York 

WHERE: New York City, New York 

Known for its commitment to purposeful travel and dedication to sustainability and wellness, the Six Senses brand is making its debut in North America with this 137-room luxury hotel. Two towers will rise above the Hudson River and The Highline, twisting as they reach higher above Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood.

Opening September 2020

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PHOTO: tawatchaiprakobkit/iStock32 OF 40

Fauchon L’Hôtel Kyoto 

WHERE: Kyoto, Japan 

French patisserie brand Fauchon rocked the hospitality scene when it opened its first luxury boutique hotel in 2018 on the Place de la Madeleine in Paris. The brand’s second hotel will open in September in Kyoto with 60 rooms and suites, a street-level bakery, a Fauchon tea salon, a spa, and the rooftop Grand Café Fauchon. The hotel will transform in-room mini bars into “gourmet bars,” restocked daily with fresh—and complimentary—Fauchon treats like macarons, marmalades, salted biscuits, and truffle chips.

Opening September 2020

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PHOTO: The Hoxton, Rome33 OF 40

The Hoxton Rome 

WHERE: Rome, Italy 

Opening in the residential neighborhood of Salario, The Hoxton, Rome, will be the 10th in this British hospitality group’s open house style of hotels. The hotel will be set among salumerie, trattorias, and boutique art museums, where 192 rooms and vibrant terrazzo flooring beneath a grand coffee bar will welcome guests into this in this underexplored slice of Rome. 

Opening Autumn 2020

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PHOTO: theskaman306/Shutterstock34 OF 40

andBeyond Punakha River Lodge 

WHERE: Punakha, Bhutan 

Dreamed up by the luxury travel experts at andBeyond, the andBeyond Punakha River Lodge opens in October as the first lodge in Asia for the brand. Experience will be the driving factor at this luxury lodge, where guests will enjoy Champagne lunches on suspension bridges or in paddy fields after a morning of white water rafting or kayaking on the Mo Chu River. 

Opening October 2020

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PHOTO: Virgin Hotels 35 OF 40

Virgin Hotels Las Vegas 

WHERE: Las Vegas, Nevada 

Cleverly marketed as “the one and only Virgin in Las Vegas,” Virgin Hotels Las Vegas will be taking over the former Hard Rock Hotel space off Paradise Road off the Las Vegas Strip. Along with a 60,000 square-foot renovated casino, the hotel will feature 1,504 guest rooms, multiple pools, nightlife venues, and restaurants.

Opening November 2020

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PHOTO: Alaia Belize36 OF 40

Alaia Belize 

WHERE: Ambergis Caye, Belize  

Belize’s famous Great Blue Hole provided the inspiration for this 20-acre eco-luxury resort community, where locally sourced materials like reclaimed wood and linen curtains will help highlight the resorts beautiful surroundings. The Alaia Belize will be a Marriott Autograph Collection Hotel, and will not only include a 35-room hotel, but also residential condos, and eight beachfront villas just offshore from one of the world’s top scuba diving sites, the Great Blue Hole.

Opening December 2020

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PHOTO: Ambiente37 OF 40

Ambiente, a Landscape Hotel 

WHERE: Sedona, Arizona 

Comprised of 40 elevated cube-shaped “atriums” and equipped with tinted glass designed to reflect the natural landscape as the sun goes down, Ambiente will be North America’s first landscape hotel. Sustainable construction methods mean that this luxury hotel takes its stewardship of the land it occupies seriously, where each atrium will be hand-rotated (literally) to offer the best views of the untouched landscape.

Opening December 2020

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PHOTO: @RosewoodHotelsandResorts38 OF 40

Rosewood Sao Paulo 

WHERE: Sao Paulo, Brazil 

Opening in a renovated maternity hospital, Rosewood Sao Paolo will bring a modernized approach to this historic 1904 building when it opens with 151 guestrooms and 122 owner’s suites. The property is located in the heart of Sao Paulo’s high-end Cidade Matarazzo, where its rooftop pool will sit atop two restaurants, a bar, a caviar lounge, and a large spa with six treatment rooms and a fitness area.  

Opening Late 2020

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Bulgari Hotel Paris 

WHERE: Paris, France 

Although this will be the seventh hotel in Bulgari’s stunning portfolio of hotels around the world, the Bulgari Hotel Paris is slated to be one of the brand’s finest yet when it opens on the fashionable Avenue George V in Paris. Italian opulence will meet Parisian chic with 76 rooms, a 25-meter pool, and a Bulgari restaurant and bar that opens up to a charming courtyard garden.

Opening Late 2020

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PHOTO: Almanac Hotel Vienna40 OF 40

Almanac Vienna 

WHERE: Vienna, Austria 

Situated along Vienna’s beautiful Ringstrasse, the Almanac Vienna will include two buildings and 111 rooms, most of which will be suites. This boutique property will reopen in one of Vienna’s most architecturally stunning buildings, with the addition of a restaurant and bar, coffee shop, concept store, and an indoor swimming pool, a rarity in this historic neighborhood. 

Opening 2020