This year will bring a standout slate of hotel openings, from restored heritage properties in the Alps and new city addresses in London to modern mountain retreats in Aspen and ultra-private villa estates in the Seychelles.
Showcasing both boutique debuts and new chapters from established brands, 2026’s most anticipated properties reflect how travellers are seeking meaningful, design-forward experiences rooted in their destinations.
- Chesa Marchetta (Switzerland) – Jan. 2
Following a four-year restoration, Chesa Marchetta opened its doors on Jan. 2, in the village of Sils Maria, Switzerland. Nestled in the Engadin Valley, this picturesque corner of the Alps has long drawn creatives such as Nietzsche, Proust, and Faulkner, and today offers a vibrant cultural calendar, from literature and music events to the world’s second-largest cross-country skiing event each February.
The property originally combined a 16th-century guesthouse with a small but celebrated restaurant, Chesa Marchetta, that hosted renowned artists like Gerhard Richter and Jean-Michel Basquiat. Now, following a personal connection dating back to their first date at the restaurant in the 1990s, Iwan and Manuela Wirth have unveiled a 13-room hotel with a 46-cover restaurant celebrating local producers from Engadin and Northern Italy, alongside a three-bedroom house available for rent. Open seasonally December-March and June-October, rates start at 460 CHF per night, including breakfast.
- White Elephant Aspen – Feb. 3
White Elephant Resorts is bringing its inimitable mix of service, style, and hospitality to America’s favourite outdoor playground. Departing from the town’s prevailing Victorian-inspired and log cabin-like architecture, White Elephant Resorts will inject a dose of modernity into the mountain town with the 54-room Whie Elephant Aspen – set to debut in February.
Opening in downtown Aspen, the hotel will offer the flexibility to connect rooms into multi-bedroom suites, adorned by elephant door knockers in a nod to its sister properties in Nantucket and Palm Beach. A rich colour palette of rust, warm whites and deep charcoals and textures from local materials such as leather, wood, and stone will be featured throughout the spaces.
In winter, guests will have access to a shuttle to and from the ski slopes as well as an on-site Boot Lounge, complete with heated ski lockers and a selection of outdoor and technical gear by Alps & Meters. In the warmer months, guests can cool off with a swim in the outdoor pool, take complimentary bicycles for a spin around town, or borrow a BMW to explore the beauty of Aspen.
- The Newman (London) – February
The Newman (photo below), the debut hotel from international hospitality company Kinsfolk & Co., is opening its doors in London’s charismatic Fitzrovia neighbourhood, on the former site of boot makers Penton & Sons. Designed by London-based Lind + Almond, a team known for infusing spaces with worldly eclecticism, the 81-room hotel draws from its surrounding history and artistic spirit, infusing a design concept rooted in Art Deco with the creative energy that has long defined the area.
Fitzrovia is one of the British capital’s best-kept secrets: a layered, residential-meets-commercial pocket bordered by Soho, Marylebone and Bloomsbury, with a quiet charm that has drawn a new creative class to its leafy mews and Georgian terraces. Social and stylish, The Newman fits perfectly into Fitzrovia’s Bohemian spirit and urban fabric.
- andBeyond Sandibe Under Canvas and Nxabega Under Canvas – March
andBeyond expands its Botswana Under Canvas portfolio in March 2026 with two new intimate camps – andBeyond Sandibe Under Canvas and andBeyond Nxabega Under Canvas – reimagining luxury safari in the Okavango Delta. Sandibe is set within one of the region’s most wildlife-rich concessions, renowned for year-round sightings of lion, leopard, cheetah and wild dog, with game drives, walking safaris and community visits, while Nxabega reveals a slower rhythm with seasonal floodplains, mokoro excursions along tranquil waterways, and catch-and-release fishing.
Designed for minimal impact with just three tents per camp and a maximum of six guests, each tent features super king beds, double showers, running water throughout and Starlink Wi-Fi – a first for the Under Canvas offering – all powered by solar energy. Interiors reflect the Delta’s textures and tones, combining earthy greens, light wood, woven fibers and brushed metal to create a refined yet effortless sanctuary. Together with the newly refurbished andBeyond Chobe Under Canvas, the trio creates a seamless circuit through the country’s most iconic wild places, from vast elephant herds to predator-rich plains and peaceful waterways.
- The River Lee Hotel Cork – July
The River Lee Hotel Cork, Ireland will unveil a comprehensive redesign in July 2026. The transformation introduces the hotel’s first suite category across 181 reimagined accommodations. Led by the in-house design team, with Doyle Chairman Bernadette Doyle Gallagher as Head of Design, the project creates a tranquil riverside sanctuary. Located within walking distance to the city centre and overlooking the River Lee, the interiors draw direct inspiration from the surroundings.
Cork is emerging as Ireland’s next great cultural city. It’s home to over 25 independently owned restaurants, including the 2025 Irish Restaurant Awards’ Best Restaurant, and a new multi-sensory gallery opening at the Cork Public Museum in 2026, the country’s oldest museum run by a local authority. The music scene also shines through community-driven venues like Sin É, which has hosted traditional sessions since the 1970s, while The Chieftains, with founding members from Cork, helped bring Irish music to the world stage.
- La Réserve Seychelles – Fall
La Réserve is a collection of exceptional hotels and private homes across France, Switzerland, and the UK, each shaped by a spirit of genuine connection and a deep sense of place. In fall 2026, La Réserve will unveil a new chapter in the Seychelles on the island of Praslin, set on its tranquil northeastern coast and facing the protected natural reserve of Curieuse Island and its marine park. The property will feature a bespoke ensemble of six private villas, discreetly nestled along a pristine, secluded white-sand beach. Surrounded by the lush beauty and remarkable biodiversity of the archipelago, each villa will open onto generous outdoor living spaces bathed in natural light. Vaulted ceilings, pale woods, woven textures, and soft stone tones create a warm, flowing dialogue between indoors and out.
Expansive verandas and terraces frame views of the sea and the surrounding nature, offering an atmosphere of serene privacy. With only six villas spread across the entire estate, guests will experience a rare sense of space and seclusion within a fully serviced private resort. Dedicated Maîtres de Maison attend to every detail, private chefs craft daily menus inspired by the island’s produce, and discreet housekeeping ensures a seamless rhythm of comfort and ease. A beach bar and a welcome pavilion complete the setting, managed with La Réserve’s signature sense of discretion and thoughtful service philosophy.
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