New Luxe Hotels Will Redefine Where We’ll Check in Next Year

Don’t you just love that new hotel smell? Plush bedding that’s never been slept in, rooftop views that haven’t been captured on smartphones, and elevated cocktails shaken at a gleaming rooftop bar: New properties elicit a vibe of promise and endless possibilities. Lucky for us, it appears 2026 is shaping up to be a standout year for hotel openings. Here are some anticipated launches around the world to inspire your next global adventure.

© Nobu Beach Inn

NORTH AMERICA
Co-founded by Robert De Niro, who fell in love with the setting more than 30 years ago, Nobu Beach Inn will be situated on 400 acres on Barbuda’s southwest coast — a favorite hideaway for Princess Diana — with more than 2 miles of beachfront. The luxury property, designed for seclusion and bespoke service, will have a total of 36 bedrooms in 17 bungalow cottages as well as several restaurants, including an outpost of signature Nobu; a beachfront spa; open-air gym; and yoga facilities. Experiential programming for guests includes sailing expeditions, private picnics and marine biology sessions. The property will focus on ecology, renewable energy and community engagement.

© Nobu Beach Inn

Opening late 2025 or early 2026, Colorado’s Kindred Resort will be the first luxury hotel in Summit County and the closest luxury property to Denver. Imagined in an alpine design with 107 rooms blending natural and contemporary elements, this resort will appeal year-round with features including dozens of outdoor fire pits, a convivial central plaza and an ethos of “campfire luxury.” Multiple dining outlets include a wood-fired restaurant, cocktail lounge and a grab-and-go café for a quick breakfast before skiing or hiking. Guests will also find niceties including a spa, ski valet, wellness programming and a kids’ club, and works from Colorado-based artists.

On the banks of Florida’s St. John River in the Jacksonville Shipyards, adjacent to the city’s sports complex and future stadium, Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences Jacksonville will offer 170 luxury rooms and suites in an urban design with ample waterfront views. Four dining options — including a signature rooftop restaurant and bar, all-day restaurant, pool bar and grill, and lobby bar — will complement a spa, several outdoor pools with cabanas, and event and meeting space.

© TROBBU Boutique Collection

Located 15 minutes from Mérida, Mexico’s, international airport, TROBBU Mérida will include 25 villas set around a restored manor dating back to the mid-18th century. Accommodations will include three bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms, kitchen, dining room, living room, private infinity pool and sun deck. The lobby and resort amenities are located in the Hacienda Dzoyolá, once used by the indigenous people for beekeeping and flower cultivation and surrounded by lush vegetation, ponds, fruit trees and a chapel honoring the Virgin Mary. The signature restaurant will serve Yucatecan cuisine, and other amenities will include a pool, spa/ sauna, yoga space, cigar bar, wine cellar, library, fitness center and kids’ area.

SOUTH AMERICA
The Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Pearl Island, a luxury resort with 86 hotel rooms and several residences, will be located on Don Bernando and Mague beaches on the largest island in Panamá’s Pearl Archipelago, a mostly uninhabited group of around 40 islands and 150 islets 50 miles off the coast of Panamá City. Here in one of the richest wildlife sanctuaries in the world, guests can partake in activities including hiking, bird- or whale-watching, diving, snorkeling and fishing, as well as island hopping, cycling and yoga, or simply relaxing on one of the Gulf of Panama’s white-sand beaches.

The Cormorant at 55 South opens for the 2025/2026 Antarctica season. The Silversea-owned property in Puerto Williams, Chile, will provide guests with a gateway to the White Continent — not to mention the world’s southernmost hotel. Named after the bird that frequents the area, this hotel is meant to immerse guests in the far-flung destination, surrounded by trees and overlooking Beagle Channel, with the jagged Dientes de Navarino mountains as a backdrop. All 150 accommodations will be identical in size and layout, with either a view of the forest or the channel and gear stocked in guestrooms at the ready for outdoor pursuits.

© Rocco Forte Hotels

EUROPE
Next year Waldorf Astoria London Admiralty Arch will open in one of the city’s most iconic landmarks, commissioned by King Edward VII in memory of Queen Victoria, and standing at the opposite end of The Mall from Buckingham Palace. The 17,500-square-foot, 100-room luxury property — the brand’s first in London — will encompass the Waldorf Astoria brand while paying homage to the city. Lauded chefs Clare Smyth and Daniel Boulud, who collectively hold seven Michelin stars, will oversee one of the property’s signature restaurants, and a presidential suite will offer views of the palace and Trafalgar Square.

© Rocco Forte Hotels

Rocco Forte Hotels will transform Palazzo Castelluccio, one of the grandest palaces in Sicily, into a luxury hotel with 31 rooms decked out with antiques sourced from auction houses, trompe l’oeil walls and elegant fabrics that all lend an air of refined elegance. The property, built in 1782 in the Noto, a UNESCO World Heritage site, boasts a Neoclassical style that contrasts with the mostly Baroque buildings in the town, transporting guests to the timeless grandeur of southeastern Sicily. The hotel will feature a restaurant, bar, garden lounge, spa, gym and event space.

ASIA
The Langham, Custom House, Bangkok will be a three-part complex on the bank of the Chao Phraya River. The Custom House, a Neo-Palladian structure built in 1888 and once considered a gateway to Thailand, will serve as the hotel’s centerpiece, boasting arched windows, intricate stonework and columns. A former post office will house guest amenities flanked by a more modern structure containing the 78 guestrooms. Design is set to present a fusion of traditional Thai and modern Western architecture.

Hilton is coming to the Saudi Arabia capital of Riyadh with the opening of Conrad Riyadh Laysen Valley, its second location in the Middle Eastern country. Located in one of the city’s most high-end, mixed-use developments, the 170-key hotel will feature an indoor pool, fitness center, boutique spa, seven meeting rooms and multiple dining outlets. Bold design and world-class guest experiences will attract both residents and international business and leisure travelers.

In the heart of Japan’s Nara Prefecture, known for its rich history and numerous temples, Hoshinoya Nara Prison will debut in an iconic red brick building that’s a former penitentiary. Easily accessible from Kyoto and Osaka, Nara is considered the birthplace of Japan and an early site for those practicing Shinto, Buddhism and Shugendō, or mountain worship. The hotel will be imbued with the culture of the region, which is filled with UNESCO World Heritage sites, stunning landscapes and hot springs.

AFRICA
Meaning “to flow” in Setswana, Singita Elela will open in Botswana’s Okavango Delta, one of Africa’s most dynamic ecosystems. Located within a 42,000-acre private sanctuary, this property will mirror the Delta’s natural cycles, with experiential spaces for guests to immerse themselves in the changing biodiversity year-round. The lodge will offer guests exclusive access to an ever-changing landscape, from waterways and lagoons to islands and grasslands, assuring they enjoy an exclusive safari experience paired with luxe accommodations and service.

Tucked between the slopes of Mount Kenya and the peaks of the Aberdare Mountains within a 45,000-acre game reserve and 19,000-acre ranch conservancy, JW Marriott Mount Kenya Rhino Reserve Camp is a retreat for the mind, body and soul. The conservancy, well-known for its rhino breeding program, offers guests a close-up look at endangered black rhinos as well as leopards, cheetahs and plains game. The 20 luxurious tents, including two two-bedroom suites, each feature a private plunge pool. Communal wellness spaces will include the JW Garden as well as four culinary offerings. Diversions include the spa, swimming pool, fitness center, conservation house and horse barn, with adventures such as guided horse-riding safaris, night game drives and quad biking across the Solio Plains.

AUSTRALIA
Queensland’s Sunshine Coast is the setting for the upcoming Avani Mooloolaba Beach Hotel, which will feature 180 rooms and suites, a rooftop pool, and bar and restaurant with views of the Coral Sea. Thoughtfully imagined for the modern traveler, this property will tout stylish rooms; connected social spaces; and locally inspired, relaxed dining. Centrally located just 15 minutes from Sunshine Coast Airport, it’s also just a short walk to the beach and cafés and restaurants on the esplanade.

The Crystalbrook Collection, one of Australia’s leading sustainability-focused hospitality companies, will open Crystalbrook Sam in the South Australian capital of Adelaide. Close to Adelaide Central Market, this property will integrate with the local community and introduce guests to the area’s food, wine and nature scenes. The property offers 227 guestrooms and suites with city views as well as access to Eléme Day Spa, and ample meeting spaces can accommodate events and groups of all sizes.

Sustainability initiatives include 100 percent recycled hangers and key cards and intentions to source 80 percent of produce within a three-hour drive of the property.