The 2026 New Openings We're Most Excited About
Writing a preview of a year’s new openings (and very notable reopenings) is always a bit of a gamble. Some will throw open their doors on the appointed day, while others will get shelved for next month, next year, or the indefinite future. There are a few hotels on the list below that have appeared more than once on previous years’ lists, and to them we say: We hope 2026 is finally your year!
But one of our favorite parts of looking at the scheduled debuts is seeing where hotel brands are investing their time and resources, and this year it’s telling a story of classic destinations, with all sorts of new fun in Italy, Spain, and Japan, plus new perspectives in France (private island off the Côte d'Azur, anyone?) and the opportunity to really dive deep in Patagonia, where Explora is opening their fourth and fifth lodges. Singita’s entry into Botswana, a new property from the NIHI Sumba team, and a trio of ships changing the game at sea (don’t you dare call it a cruise) round out the landscape. Happy discovering!
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Africa | Asia | Central & South America | Europe | North America | Oceania | Worldwide
Wilderness Mara
Mara Triangle, Kenya
What was formerly Little Governor’s camp has been completely rebuilt, and will now offer 12 tented suites along marshland frequented by elephants. Access to both sides of the Mara River mean this is an especially enviable location to be in during the Great Migration.
View the Property | Opening Early 2026
La Réserve Seychelles
Praslin Island, Seychelles
A real “if you know, you know” brand that to this point has only had properties in France and Switzerland will kick of its shoes and expand to one of the world’s chicest beach destinations. The property will comprise six villas set in a lush garden on the island of Praslin.
View the Property | Opening Summer/Autumn 2026
Vestige Namibia
Northern Namibia
Spanish brand Vestige has been quietly opening properties that all of LA is showing their interior designers in historic buildings across Spain for the last 25 years. When the doors open on its four-lodge Namibia circuit in the fall, the new-build architecture will be in service of the jaw dropping surrounding landscapes.
View the Lodges | Opening Autumn 2026
Singita Elela
Okavango Delta, Botswana
Botswana is known as the home of the world’s best safari, and Singita sets the standard when it comes to the intersection of conservation and hospitality. The twain shall finally meet with the opening of Singita Elela on 170,000-hectares of the former Abu Concession, in the northwest corner of the Okavango Delta.
View the Lodge | Opening December 2026
Capella Kyoto
Kyoto, Japan
Located in the Miyagawa-chō district, an important geisha neighborhood near the Kenninji temple, Capella Kyoto will bring the brand's signature considered design to Japan's cultural hub. The 92 rooms are built around a garden courtyard and an internal multi-story rock garden.
View the Hotel | Opening March 23, 2026
Hoshinoya Nara Prison
Nara, Japan
When the Meiji government opened one of Japan’s largest prisons in 1908 in this striking red brick sunburst of a building, the idea of it one day reopening as a hotel might have been met with a few raised eyebrows. These days, the only crime you have to worry about is that a local deer may steal your lunch.
View the Hotel | Opening April 27, 2026
NIHI Rote
Rote Island, Indonesia
Underscoring Indonesia’s vast scale, NIHI’s second Indonesian property is actually closer to Australia than it is to Bali. The 25 thatch-roofed villas on Bo’a Beach mean guests will have access to incredible surf breaks, promising only the highest levels of stoke. An onsite hospitality academy will deepen ties with the local community.
View the Hotel | Opening April 2026
Malkai Oman
Barkaa, Al Hajar mountains, the Sharqiyah Sands, Oman
Oman will suddenly have a luxury tented camp circuit when the Malkai properties open later this year. Three distinct sites - one farmland, one mountainous, and one in the desert - will each have 15 luxury tents inspired by Bedouin traditions. Travel between the lodges is by private Land Rover Defender.
View the Lodges | Opening Autumn 2026
Bulgari Resort Ranfushi
Raa Atoll, Maldives
Ranfushi appropriately means Little Gold Island in the Maldivian language, and when Bulgari’s 54 villas start welcoming guests, the property will represent the tenth jewel in the brand’s hospitality crown. Expect the type of decor that Ariel would covet for her personal trove, and a 45-minute seaplane flight from Male airport.
View the Hotel | Opening Late 2026
Hotel the Mitsui Hakone
Hakone, Japan
About 90 minutes from Tokyo, Hakone is known for hot springs, museums, and postcard-worth views of Mt. Fuji. When the Mitsui opens, architecture will echo that of Hotel the Mitsui Kyoto, bridging the gap between sleek and contemporary and traditionally Japanese. Wellness and nature will, of course, be the twin focuses here.
View the Hotel | Opening Late 2026
Six Senses Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv, Israel
Built in a combination of 110-year-old heritage buildings from the Ahuzat Bayit settlement and ten floors of the LEED Platinum Rothschild 10 Tower, the Six Senses will span an entire city block. Floor-to-ceiling windows will offer sunset views out over the Mediterranean (or you can admire them from the sky pool on the 17th floor.)
View the Hotel | Opening 2026
Four Seasons Hotel and Residences Cartagena
Cartagena, Colombia
Cartagena offers great nightlife, weather, and architecture, and the long-awaited arrival of Four Seasons only adds to the list of reasons to visit. The 131-key hotel is located in the vibrant, art-filled neighborhood of Getsemaní, and is revitalizing a collection of landmark buildings dating as far back as the 16th century.
View the Hotel | Opening Early 2026
Explora Torres del Paine Conservation Reserve
Torres del Paine, Chile
Explora already has a lodge in the most privileged location within Torres del Paine National Park, but its new outpost two and a half hours north will be smaller - just ten rooms - and more focused on the unique flora and fauna of this incredible environment, which includes flamingos, condors, and the ever-elusive pumas.
View the Hotel | Opening December 2026
Explora El Calafate
El Calafate, Argentina
Guests staying in one of Explora El Calafate’s 20 rooms will have unparalleled access to the Perito Moreno Glacier, as well as Rio Santa Cruz, Peninsula Magallanes Provincial Reserve, and Chorrillo Malo Valley. Patagonia’s scale is unfathomable, and Explora’s land mirrors that - the lodge sits on an estancia that spans almost 175,000 acres.
View the Hotel | Opening December 2026
Corinthia Rome
Rome, Italy
The former Central Bank of Italy, built in 1914, becomes a 60-room hotel. The original facade has been restored, and inside, expect bright and tightly edited classic styling that honors original wood details and frescoes - plus a spa in the former bank vault - steps from the Pantheon and Trevi Fountain.
View the Hotel | Opening February 2026
Six Senses London
London, England
Six Senses London will be the centerpiece of the redeveloped art deco Whiteleys Department Store, a historic destination within the city located just north of Kensington Gardens. Featuring contemporary art from British artists throughout the hotel, the property will also stay true to brand with a wellness-focused members club.
View the Hotel | Opening April 1, 2026
Villa San Michele, A Belmond Hotel
Fiesole, Italy
With a facade attributed to Michelangelo and a hilltop location with the streets of Florence fanning out below like a medieval map, Villa San Michele is the next of Belmond’s jewels to receive the full, top-to-toe renovation treatment. If recent revamps of Splendido and Maroma are anything to go on, we’re in for a treat when it reopens after 18 months of painstaking work.
View the Hotel | Reopening April 20, 2026
Airelles Venezia
Venice, Italy
It's hard to imagine a better pairing of brand and destination than Airelles and the city of Venice - both are highly theatrical, immersive, and beggar comparison. When the French brand known for its scene-stealing detail opens on the island of Giudecca, it will be in three historically significant buildings on former site of the Bauer Palladio.
View the Hotel | Opening April 2026
COMO Le Beauvallon
Grimaud, France
Le Beauvallon, a Belle Époque palace built in 1914, has spent the last decade as a private event venue, but starting this spring, guests will be able to enjoy its 25 rooms with views over the Gulf of Saint-Tropez individually. Hop in a house speed boat to be in town in under ten minutes, or hold onto your hat a little longer to arrive at the beaches of Pampelonne and Ramatuelle.
View the Hotel | Opening April 24, 2026
Orient Express Palazzo Donà Giovannelli
Venice, Italy
Orient Express's second foray into the world of hotels will be housed in Palazzo Dona Giovannelli, which was built in 1400 by the same architect who designed the Doge’s Palace. Located next to Cannaregio and a ten-minute walk from Venice Santa Lucia Station, passengers on La Dolce Vita can combine the two easily.
View the Hotel | Opening April 2026
Mandarin Oriental Punta Negra
Calvià, Mallorca
Mandarin Oriental’s Spanish portfolio is already strong, with great hotels in Barcelona and Madrid. This summer, they’ll add a Mallorca to the mix. A full redesign of the former H10 Punta Negra hotel, which occupies a peninsula on the Costa d’en Blanes, promises to deliver on both the wellness and culinary fronts (yes, there will be a Matsuhisa.)
View the Hotel | Opening Spring 2026
Zannier Île de Bendor
Bandol, France
Is there a phrase sexier than “Private island off the Côte d'Azur”? Zannier, an insider-y brand with hotels in destinations only visited by the coolest person you know, has partnered with the Ricard family to redevelop this island between St. Tropez and Marseille, including a dining club, kids’ club, wellness center, and art gallery, alongside a 93-room boutique hotel. The result is a paradise of apéro et pétanque.
View the Hotel | Opening May 1, 2026
Rosewood Blue Palace
Plaka, Crete
There’s only one island in the world that can lay claim to being the birthplace of Zeus, and the Rosewood team has chosen it as their first site in Greece. Both hotel and mythology buffs will leave the Cyclades in their wake as they head farther south to the mountainous coast of Crete, the country’s largest island.
View the Hotel | Opening June 2026
La Réserve Firenze
Florence, Italy
Travelers who want to stay out of Florence’s tourist fray know it’s quieter in Oltrarno, the neighborhood south of the city’s bisecting river. Beginning this summer, visitors who want to take the fantasy of being an Italian local one step further will choose one of La Réserve’s six impeccable serviced apartments in the neighborhood.
View the Property | Opening June 2026
Danieli, A Four Seasons Hotel
Venice, Italy
Just east of the Doge’s Palace, the three buildings that make up the Hotel Danieli have had a front row view to the nautical comings and goings on the Venetian Lagoon since the 14th century. As of this summer, they’ll also have a Four Seasons flag hanging out front, the first time the brand that’s synonymous with global luxury will have an address in La Serenissima.
View the Hotel | Opening Summer 2026
Four Seasons Mykonos
Mykonos, Greece
It was front-page news in the travel world when Four Seasons announced their brand-new resort on the coastline of Kalo Livadi Bay. With iconic white cubic architecture with whitewashed courtyards, pathways, and piazzas, the resort will pair perfectly with the existing Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens.
View the Hotel | Opening Summer 2026
Vermelho Lagoa
Melides, Portugal
30 minutes’ drive south of cool-kid landmark Comporta, designer Christian Louboutin is quietly creating his own wonderland. Three years after the opening of his 13-room Vermleho, he’s turning a long abandoned building down the road into the 10-room Vermelho Lagoa. Expect the same exquisite taste and masterful use of color.
No website | Opening Summer 2026
Six Senses Milan
Milan, Italy
Located in Milan’s vibrant Brera quarter, sometimes referred to as "the Milanese Montmartre," Six Senses Milan will incorporate eco-friendly materials, an Earth Lab, and a seasonal restaurant, underscoring the brand's emphasis on sustainability. Another draw? The epic views over the city from the rooftop bar & sky pool.
View the Hotel | Opening Late 2026
The Park Gstaad, A Four Seasons Hotel
Gstaad, Switzerland
Four Seasons has long had the American West covered when it comes to ski properties (with Deer Valley on its way as well), but until now, only one European Alpine outpost (in Megève). This means their takeover and renovation of the Park Gstaad is particularly exciting; even more so as the redesign is being led by Joseph Dirand, who also did the interiors of Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club.
View the Hotel | Opening Late 2026
Rosewood Rome
Rome, Italy
Rome has a serious rolodex of beautiful hotels, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t still crossing our fingers that the long awaited Rosewood will actually make its debut this year in the former headquarters of Italy’s Banca Nazionale del Lavoro, overlooking Via Veneto. We just want to try the subterranean Roman baths in the former bank vault - can you blame us?!
View the Hotel | Opening 2026
A Rocco Forte Hotel
Porto Cervo, Sardinia
As-yet unnamed, we know that the Rocco Forte hotel set to open this year in destination-of-the-moment Sardinia will have 64 rooms, gardens full of palms and terra cotta pathways, and a private beach. The rest of the details on the new resort, which overlooks the bay of Liscia di Vacca in Porto Cervo, are closely guarded secrets protected by a certain knight.
View the Hotel | Opening 2026
Auberge Cambridge House
London, England
As Auberge continues its European growth, they will add a new address at 94 Piccadilly. Formerly home to Duke of Cambridge and Lord Cholmondeley, and later the base of the Naval and Military Club, the Grade 1-listed Palladian-style townhouse was commissioned by the 2nd Earl of Egremont in 1756. It’s London, so there will also be a private members’ club.
View the Hotel | Opening 2026
Hotel Louis Vuitton
Paris, France
For the last two years, a giant Louis Vuitton trunk has hid the action going on at 103 Avenue des Champs-Élysées, where the fashion brand is readying their first eponymous hotel. We’ll be watching to see how LVMH distinguishes this new offering from its existing luxury hospitality portfolio, which includes Cheval Blanc, Belmond, and Bulgari Hotel & Resorts.
No website | Opening 2026
White Elephant Aspen
Aspen, Colorado
Fans of White Elephant’s art-forward, elevated-residential properties in Nantucket and Palm Beach will have somewhere to stash their snow boots and Kemo Sabe toppers when the brand opens on the corner of Main Street and Garmisch Street toward the end of ski season. The long-standing partnership with BMW is coming west, too.
View the Hotel | Opening February 3, 2026
The Vineta Hotel
Palm Beach, Florida
Situated in the heart of Palm Beach, the Vineta is located just two blocks off Worth Avenue – famed for its designer boutiques, restaurant scene, and galleries. Oetker is restoring and reimagining the iconic pale-pink Vineta Hotel (most recently known as the Chesterfield), with the aim of returning the property to its original splendor.
View the Hotel | Opening Spring 2026
Amanvari
Eastern Cape, Mexico
Aman's debut in Mexico is big news, with the pairing of the brand's sleek, Asian-inspired style with Cabo's vibrant desert culture offering the potential for fireworks. The Eastern Cape location in the Costa Palmas complex means you head the other way out of the airport than if you were going to Cabo San Lucas - here, expect huge, swimmable beaches, Joshua Tree-esque landscapes, and a laid back, Californian vibe.
View the Hotel | Opening Spring 2026
Eleven Winterlake Lodge
Skwentna, Alaska
When Eleven Experience, a brand that’s in the business of facilitating the epic, acquired this six-room lodge that can only be accessed by helicopter or floatplane, it felt like fate. When it reopens after a three-year overhaul, a stay here will mean access to over a million acres of pristine wilderness, and at least that many opportunities to go totally off-grid.
View the Hotel | Opening 2026
The Knox Hotel, Auberge Collection
Dallas, Texas
Dan Friedkin, the Chairman of Auberge, is based in Houston, so it’s no surprise that the brand is going deep in the Lone Star State, opening the 105-room Knox Hotel adjacent to the Highland Park neighborhood late this year. Martin Brudnizki, who has done statement hotel interiors in New York, London, and Paris, is having a lot of fun putting his spin on ten-gallon Texas.
View the Hotel | Opening Late 2026
Saffire Freycinet Villa
Coles Bay, Tasmania
Since 2010, Saffire Freycinet has been attracting the type of traveler who spends their mornings hiking and their evenings discussing the provenance of each ingredient on their dinner plate; in between, they’re harvesting their own oysters or learning to bee keep. With the opening of a luxe 3-bedroom villa, the whole family of adventurous, outdoorsy locavores can get in on the action.
View the Villa | Opening September 2026
Waimarino Lodge
Queenstown, New Zealand
The 21 contemporary villas at Waimarino were built offsite and craned into their privileged position on the shores of Lake Wakatipu to minimize environmental impact. Now in situ, thanks to their living roofs, they all but disappear into the landscape. We’re looking forward to disappearing into the on-property orchard, yoga studio, and distillery.
View the Hotel | Opening Late 2026
Aqua Lares
The Seychelles and Tanzania | The Arctic
The travel industry sat up and paid attention when Aqua, the chicest cruise brand around, announced they'd begin sailing in the Seychelles and Tanzanian islands on the 15-cabin Lares. When they added a second season in Svalbard and the Arctic Circle, we stood up and cheered.
View the Boat | Launching February 2026 in East Africa and will begin Arctic expeditions in June 2026
Orient Express Sailing Yachts
The Mediterranean | The Caribbean
Orient Express’s reentry into the travel market has felt like unboxing a treasure that has spent years meticulously wrapped in velvet - romantic, nostalgic, and luxurious. When the Corinthian, the first sailing yacht from the brand, takes to the sea this summer, that attention to quality will be onboard (along with the world’s only floating Guerlain spa.)
View the Boat | Launching June 2026
Four Seasons Yacht
The Mediterranean | The Caribbean
The hottest ship to spot along the Med this summer will be the sleek white hull of the Four Seasons, which will be plying the waters around Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Malta, Turkey, Croatia, and Montenegro beginning in March before crossing from the Canaries to Dominica early November for a winter season in the Caribbean. 11 f&b outlets and the option to privatize swaths of deck are differentiators.
View the Boat | Launching March 2026
