2026 has been a strong year for luxury hotel openings. The picks below are the most-anticipated and best-executed new properties.
The eight major 2026 openings
1. Aman Mexico City
Aman's first Mexican property. Heritage-restoration in a colonial-era building.
Best for: anniversary celebrations, design-led couples, repeat Aman travellers.
2. Bvlgari Hotel Roma
Bvlgari's Roman property. Heritage building near the Spanish Steps.
Best for: anniversary celebrations, design-led couples, formal occasions.
3. Six Senses London (Bayswater)
Six Senses' first London property. Wellness-luxury in central London.
Best for: wellness-leaning city stays, business + leisure combinations, repeat London visitors.
4. Cheval Blanc Beverly Hills
LVMH's expansion of Cheval Blanc into the US.
Best for: design-led couples, anniversary celebrations, formal occasions.
5. Mandarin Oriental Cairo
Mandarin Oriental's first Egypt property.
Best for: cultural travel, anniversary celebrations, repeat MO travellers.
6. Rosewood Vienna
Rosewood's continued European expansion.
Best for: anniversary celebrations, design-led couples, weekend escape.
7. The St Regis Belgrade
St Regis expansion into Eastern Europe.
Best for: weekend escape, value-conscious luxury, repeat European travellers.
8. Aman Niseko (late 2026)
Aman's second Japanese property. Mountain wellness setting.
Best for: ski + wellness combinations, anniversary celebrations, design-led couples.
How to book new openings
Three rules:
Rule 1: book during soft-opening windows
New properties typically have soft-opening rates 30-50% below their long-term rates. The first 2-6 months produce strongest value.
Rule 2: be tolerant of operational issues
New properties have a "working out the kinks" period. Service inconsistency, restaurant programmes still establishing, staff training in progress.
Rule 3: verify the actual opening date
Hotel opening dates regularly slip. Confirm 4-6 weeks before booking.
What separates strong openings from weak ones
Three signals:
Strong: brand commitment
Major luxury brands (Aman, Bvlgari, Cheval Blanc, Rosewood) commit substantial training and resources to new openings.
Weak: independent ownership without brand discipline
Independent luxury hotels at opening have higher variance in service quality.
Mixed: chain-licensed properties
Hotels licensed to chains but operated by third parties have wide variance.
Five rules for new opening bookings
- Book during soft-opening for best value
- Be tolerant of opening-month operational issues
- Verify opening dates 4-6 weeks before
- Strong brand commitment = better early experience
- Watch the openings calendar quarterly
For more, see the awards pillar and hotel industry trends.
