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The luxury hotel landscape continues to evolve at an exciting, if not somewhat overwhelming pace, with a new crop of properties constantly opening around the world! Today’s most compelling hotel openings offer far more than beautiful accommodations – they provide a true sense of place. Whether you’re seeking a romantic escape, a family adventure, a wellness-focused retreat, or simply inspiration for your next journey, these new hotels are setting the standard for hospitality in 2026. Here are some of the most exciting openings around the globe that deserve a spot on everyone’s radar!
Adventure Travel
We have seen a strong uptick in adventure travel as clients are looking to push the boundaries of what has been done before, and the increasing availability of adventure lodges. These are great for really anyone up to it – from solo travelers to group travel to honeymoons.
The Octola III is the third of its kind- a private wilderness destination in the Arctic Circle that will open in December 2026. All Octola Lodges are set in Finnish Lapland, their exact locations hidden from the public. Octola III is situated in the protected Sami Wilderness, one of the best locations on earth to view the Northern Lights. Despite its remoteness, the estate remains effortlessly accessible – just 20 minutes from Enontekio Airport. The lodge is available for exclusive use only, allowing guests to completely customize their itineraries giving them the most immersive experience possible. From ice skating on a completely secluded lake, to taking a dog sled ride under the Northern Lights, to simply enjoying the lightshow from bed, there is something for everyone.
For guests wanting to mix up their “Euro Summer”, Chesa Marchetta in Sils Maria Switzerland, is the perfect escape. The 13-bedroom hotel is just 20 minutes from St. Moritz and has just opened for the summer season. The restaurant offers a seasonal menu and is set in the old cattle barns, furnished with traditional Alpine furniture and tapestries. The location is known for its art scene, but also its farms and fresh ingredients. The area is best explored by foot, and just outside Chesa Marchetta lies the Val Fex, a stunning alpine valley. Traveling the idyllic trails leads you to Crasta Farm, one of Chesa Marchetta’s closest and most trusted local suppliers of meat and milk.
Family-Friendly Hotels
For clients looking to build out a longer itinerary rather than anchor an entire trip around one property, the two properties below stand out as larger branded hotels that work particularly well for families, groups traveling together, or multi-generational trips.
Mandarin Oriental Desaru Coast opened in February 2026 as the brand’s first resort in Southeast Asia, taking over the former One&Only Desaru Coast property. Sitting on 128 acres of rainforest along the southeastern coast of Johor, Malaysia, with 1.5 kilometers of South China Sea beachfront, it’s about a 90-minute ferry ride from Singapore, which makes it a natural add-on for families building out a longer Southeast Asia trip. Think Singapore for a few nights, then a proper nature-and-beach landing here. For families specifically, the kids programming goes beyond the standard club: Nature Detectives, Junior Chef, and Young Gardener sessions are all built around actual engagement with the rainforest and local culture, alongside an outdoor playground and a nature pond designed for exploratory play. Adults have the spa, Michelin-starred beach dining at Ember Beach Club, Silat Melayu (traditional Malay martial arts), guided nature walks, and two nearby championship golf courses. From the youngest travelers to the parents getting to relax, there’s something on offer for everyone in the group.
The Lake Como EDITION opened in June 2026 inside a restored 19th-century palazzo in Cadenabbia, about an hour and fifteen minutes from Milan, making it an easy add-on within a broader Italy itinerary. For families, suites can accommodate a rollaway for children up to 16, with room categories ranging from lake-view rooms up to two penthouses and the Villa Gina enclave, which functions more like a private lakeside residence than a hotel stay. While it is not a dedicated family resort in the way some other family properties are, EDITION hotels tend to work well for families precisely because of their scale: multiple dining options, generous room categories, and enough variety that different ages and interests are covered without it feeling like everything has been designed around kids.
Romantic Escapes
I am headed on my honeymoon this fall so I am always on the lookout for honeymoon inspo. There have been so many amazing new romantic openings, whether it be your honeymoon, anniversary trip, or just for fun.
Marrakech has a strong luxury hotel scene, but the new Jnane Rumi is an oasis that feels worlds away. The new hotel is set with in Marrakech’s historic Palmaire- a thousand-year-old palm grove that is just ten minutes from the city’s cultural attractions, souks, and restaurants. Originally designed by celebrated architect Charles Boccara, the estate has been thoughtfully restored into an intimate hotel that feels more like a private residence than a traditional luxury property. Jnane Rumi offers a true sense of place.
The English Countryside has been undergoing a hospitality renaissance, and one of the exciting openings is Fowlescombe Farm, a 450-acre regenerative farm in South Devon, near the wild beauty of Dartmoor National Park. Fowlescombe offers only 10 individually designed suites and feels wonderfully remote while remaining easily accessible from London. This boutique hotel is intimate, offering long walks across the estate, exploring the garden, and evenings by the fire. One of Fowlescombe’s most distinctive features is its working regenerative farm. Guests are encouraged to engage with the land through farm tours, bread-making classes, foraging walks, gardening experiences, and seasonal activities that offer a genuine connection to rural life.
Wellness and Culinary Travel
Wellness and culinary travel is something we are seeing more and more of across our client base, and it shows no signs of slowing down. Hotels opening in 2026 are doubling down on it, leading with spa programming, locally inspired cuisine, and more intentional guest experiences than ever before. The two below are among our top picks for solo travelers or couples.
Reopening in autumn 2026 after a complete five-year rebuild, Fregate Island in the Seychelles is one of the most anticipated returns in Indian Ocean hospitality. Just 15 minutes by helicopter from Mahe, this is one of the most private addresses in the region: 14 pool villas and three estates on 544 acres, with a maximum of 76 guests on the island at any one time. The culinary philosophy is one of the most farm-to-table operations we have seen at this level: up to 80% of all ingredients come from the island’s own farm and sustainable fishing, with menus detailing the origin of each dish. The new spa features sound baths, detox rituals, cryotherapy, and open-air yoga, with treatments rooted in the island’s natural environment. For clients who want complete seclusion paired with a serious culinary and wellness program, this is about as far off the beaten path as it gets while still being luxurious.
A spring 2026 opening, Vermelho Lagoa arrived in Melides, Portugal, as the second property from Christian Louboutin, following the enormous success of the original Vermelho Melides. At just 10 rooms overlooking the Melides lagoon, it is an incredibly intimate stay and a perfect fit for solo travelers or couples passionate about wellness and culinary experiences. The spa has both wet and dry treatment areas, and the infinity pool looks out over the ocean. Guests also have full access to the restaurant at the original Vermelho, where chef Emanuel Machado’s kitchen runs on seasonal Alentejo produce sourced directly from local farmers, served on handcrafted ceramics made by artisans from the village itself. Melides is about 90 minutes from Lisbon and sits in the same stretch of coastline as Comporta, making it a natural extension of a broader Portugal itinerary. For clients looking for something design-forward over a traditional luxury hotel experience, this was one of the most anticipated openings of the year.
Whether you are planning an adventure trip, a family getaway, a couples’ escape, or a wellness and culinary focused journey, we would love to help you bring it to life. Let us know how we can help and we will handle all the details to make it a trip you won’t forget!
