Here Are the 11 Most Exciting Luxury Hotels Opening in 2026
A look at the properties we’re most keen to check into, from a safari lodge in Botswana to a private island in the south of France.
A rendering of Aman’s Mexican debut.
Source: AmanvariThe definition of “luxury travel” is changing. As hotels by big-name interior designers with outposts of renowned restaurants get copy-pasted all around the world, they’re coming off as overly predictable and even cookie-cutter. With demand at the top end of the luxury travel market higher than ever, hotels have to work harder to stand out. That means the most anticipated hotels for 2026 have one of two things in common: a true independent spirit or an ability to raise the bar in unquestionable ways.
Take Zannier Bendor, a 17-acre private island retreat in Provence owned by the French family behind Pernod Ricard. It will open its doors as a hotel this spring, creating a new destination off the glittering Mediterranean coastline with restaurants, shopping, diving and — in keeping with the family business — multiple bars. La Réserve, a French hotel brand with just four intimate European locations, is opening six apartments in a grand Florentine palazzo near the Ponte Vecchio, aiming to make guests feel like they have their own home in the heart of the historic city.