Neha Mehrotra
19-Jan-2026
Happy New Year and happy bookings!
From ultra-luxury island resorts in the Maldives and Saudi Arabia to heritage icons being reimagined in London, Kyoto and Lake Como, 2026 is set to be a defining year for new luxury hotel openings worldwide. The most anticipated hotels opening in 2026 spotlight a new era of experiential travel—where destination-driven wellness, celebrated chefs, sustainable design and a strong sense of place shape the modern luxury stay. Whether it’s a private-island Bvlgari villa, an Aman sanctuary on Mexico’s Baja coast, or a longevity-focused health retreat at the Red Sea, these upcoming luxury hotels promise to redefine global travel in the year ahead.
1. Bulgari Resort Ranfushi, Maldives
Opening 2026, Yet to be announced
One of the most anticipated luxury resorts opening in the Maldives in 2026, Bvlgari Resort Ranfushi will span 20 hectares in the pristine Raa Atoll. The ultra-luxury resort will feature 54 private villas designed to the highest standards of sustainability. Culinary experiences include Il Ristorante – Niko Romito, Chinese fine-dining restaurant Bao Li Xuan, Japanese concept H?seki, and the relaxed La Spiaggia, alongside the Bvlgari Bar, Bvlgari Spa, boutique and La Galleria.
What’s Unique: The property will include a sprawling five-bedroom Bvlgari Villa on its own private island complete with indoor and outdoor cinemas, a private chef, and dedicated wellness and activity instructors.
2. Amanvari, Baja California, Mexico
Opening Spring 2026
(Amanvari, Baja California, Mexico)
As one of the most exciting upcoming hotels in Mexico in 2026, Amanvari in Mexico will offer a peaceful and private oasis at the edge of the Sea of Cortés. Located in Baja's East Cape,
Amanvari features a resort, private Aman Residences, multiple dining venues and its own stretch of white sand beach. Beyond its connection with the natural surroundings, Amanvari will offer a collection of resort amenities, including distinctive dining venues.
What’s Unique: The Aman Spa will feature a modern interpretation of the traditional temazcal sweat lodge, alongside spa houses, yoga pavilions, and serene open-air spaces for reflection.
3. Capella Kyoto
Opening Spring 2026
(Capella Kyoto)
Japan is emerging as a popular tourist destination and Capella Kyoto offers the ideal luxury stay, located in the UNESCO World Heritage-celebrated city, Miyagawa-ch? district. A curated collection of Japanese artworks and artefacts is on display throughout the 89-key luxury hotel, which surrounds a courtyard with cherry blossoms and a peaceful water feature. Experience Japan’s famous bathing culture with an onsen ritual in the Auriga Spa — or in the privacy of your suite’s deep-soaking ofuro. There’s omakase-style dining at an upscale signature restaurant, along with a French brasserie and a Japanese speciality restaurant.
What’s Unique: Guests can experience Kyoto's geiko and maiko in an intimate private ochaya, the exclusive teahouses of Gion.
4. Raffles The Red Sea, Shura Island
Opening 2026, Yet to be announced
(Raffles The Red Sea)
Set on the northwestern shores of Shura Island, Saudi Arabia’s first ‘green’ coral island destination, Raffles The Red Sea is a refined sanctuary. The resort features 121 rooms, 14 suites and 33 villas, each designed to reflect Saudi culture while opening seamlessly to lagoon or beachfront views. Dining spans contemporary Singaporean and Eastern Mediterranean flavours, complemented by a pan-Arab Long Bar, shisha lounge and waterfront patisserie. Wellness unfolds at the Raffles Spa, while bespoke butler service and curator-led cultural experiences will define the signature Raffles spirit.
What’s Unique: Exceptional personalisation like never before by legendary butlers and a rich cultural programme led by a dedicated Raffles curator.
5. The Leela Jaisalmer, A Luxury Desert Resort and Spa
Opening 2026, Yet to be announced
(The Leela Jaisalmer, A Luxury Desert Resort and Spa)
The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts, is marking its foray into Rajasthan’s fabled desert capital, the Golden City. Spread across 30 acres of desert landscape, this luxury Desert Resort and Spa will offer an oasis of bespoke luxury and calm in the heart of Rajasthan’s golden sands
Strategically located near the majestic Jaisalmer Fort, the hotel, conceptualised as a luxury desert retreat, will feature 80 elegantly designed rooms and tented villas, an expansive spa, a salon, a dedicated kids’ club, a swimming pool, multiple dining venues, a large man-made lake, a pillarless ballroom, and generous outdoor lawns and courtyards ideal for destination weddings, milestone celebrations, and curated experiential gatherings.
6. Clinique La Prairie Health Resort Amaala
Opening Early 2026
Clinique La Prairie Health Resort is not so much a hotel as it is a deeply personal health retreat. With 52 rooms and 13 private residences, intimacy is its greatest luxury. Rooted in the renowned CLP Longevity Method™, the experience will weave together advanced medical diagnostics, regenerative therapies, personalised nutrition and mindful movement. The medical pillar will include advanced diagnostics labs and radiology, physio, neuroscience, dermatology, aesthetics, and dentistry. On the wellbeing side, the destination will provide cryochambers, hyperbaric suites, IV infusions and a series of next-generation therapies.
What’s Unique: Guests will also have access to sailing, diving, horseback riding, a beach club, a cooking school, the AMAALA Yacht Club, and cultural pursuits close at hand.
7. Alila Mayakoba, Riviera Maya, Mexico
Opening Early 2026
(Alila Mayakoba, Riviera Maya, Mexico)
Alila Mayakoba marks the first Alila property in Latin America and the Caribbean. The 182-room resort embraces Alila’s eco-luxury ethos with interiors crafted from local stone, timber and artisanal details, and many accommodations feature private plunge pools that blur indoor–outdoor living. Culinary experiences centre on garden-to-table menus and regional ingredients, while wellness is rooted in place with a redefined spa offering outdoor hydrotherapy, Temazcal rituals and meditation spaces inspired by Mayan traditions.
What’s Unique: Beyond its serene lagoon and beach settings, guests can connect with nature through guided mangrove walks, paddleboarding, cenote excursions and immersive cultural experiences.
8. Waldorf Astoria London Admiralty Arch, London, United Kingdom
Opening May 2026
(Waldorf Astoria London Admiralty Arch, London)
Waldorf Astoria London Admiralty Arch will bring Hilton’s flagship luxury brand to the heart of Britain’s capital. The historic Grade I-listed Admiralty Arch — commissioned by King Edward VII and rich with royal and political legacy — is being meticulously restored into a five-star hotel with around 100 rooms and suites, expansive private residences, and commanding views over Trafalgar Square and the Palace. The grand ballroom is set to be the highlight, and the wellness quotient will be covered by a state-of-the-art spa.
What’s Unique: Guests will discover world-class dining from Michelin-acclaimed chefs Clare Smyth and Daniel Boulud and rooftop terraces that capture London’s skyline.
9. The Lake Como EDITION, Lake Como, Italy
Opening March 2026
(The Lake Como EDITION, Lake Como, Italy)
The Lake Como EDITION will mark the arrival of Marriott International’s EDITION Hotels brand on one of Italy’s most iconic lakes. Housed within a restored 19th-century building on the western shore of Lake Como, the hotel enjoys a waterfront setting with views across the lake toward the Bellagio mountains. The property will feature 145 guest rooms, including two penthouse suites, alongside a lobby bar, multiple food and beverage venues overlooking the lake, and a distinctive floating pool extending onto the water. Powered by The Longevity Spa, the spa offers a science-based approach to wellness and includes measuring sleep quality, inflammation, oxidative stress, and more. Additionally, it will feature 10 treatment rooms, an indoor vitality pool with floor-to-ceiling lake views, a Turkish bath, an herbal sauna, plunge pools, and outdoor relaxation terraces.
What’s Unique: Cetino is Mauro Colagreco, UNESCO Ambassador for Biodiversity’s, first restaurant in Italy. Rooted in the region’s natural terroir, Cetino brings circular gastronomy to life with hyper-seasonal ingredients, local producers, and a deep respect for nature’s rhythm.
10. Rosewood Blue Palace, Greece
Opening 2026, Yet to be announced
(Rosewood Blue Palace, Greece)
Nestled between the small fishing village of Plaka and the port of Elounda, Rosewood Blue Palace will be seamlessly integrated into its surroundings. A seaside sanctuary, the resort will feature 154 rooms and suites, 85 of which will be accentuated with private pools. The dining programme will span across six restaurants and bars, which include several speciality restaurants and a beach club. The resort will serve as a luxury wellness escape, featuring an Asaya, Rosewood’s holistic well-being concept, alongside a fitness center, movement studio, yoga pavilion, and dedicated areas for guests to explore hydrotherapy treatments. Three outdoor pools will all feature panoramic deep-blue ocean views.
What’s Unique: Rosewood Blue Palace will be meticulously designed to reflect Rosewood’s guiding A Sense of Place philosophy, with the entire resort experience inspired by the elegance of the Greek Islands.
11. The Shepherd Mayfair, London
Opening 2026
The Shepherd Mayfair, positioned as the gateway to historic Shepherd Market, forms part of the Elegant Hotel Collection and will comprise 82 guest rooms and suites arranged over six floors. Occupying a rare freehold site, the architectural concept takes inspiration from the eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century mansions of Mayfair. Storytelling details are woven throughout, including references to local personalities alongside discreet braille and morse elements that reference the area’s wartime intelligence history and Down Street station. The hotel will also introduce three defined dining and bar concepts: Fayre, a modern all-day dining destination inspired by the historic Mayfair fair; The Lounge, a café-style space serving guests from morning through to evening; and Teddy’s, a hidden late-night cocktail bar.
What’s Unique: Located on the lower ground floor, Teddy’s is a late-night cocktail bar and is reached via a discreet entrance on Market Mews, a concealed staircase, lift access or an arched passage from the hotel lobby.
Cover Credits: The Lake Como EDITION, Lake Como, Italy
