Last month, we launched our first-ever Stay Awhile edition of “What’s New and Next in Luxury Travel” as an expanded version of our long-standing Instagram series updating you on the hotel openings, hospitality partnerships, museum musings, fashion collaborations, and restaurant news that we think deserve a moment on your radar.
Our July edition comes fresh off the hospitality world converging in New York for the Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards. If you’re not familiar, each year in the “World’s Best Awards“ survey, T+L asks its readers to vote on the best of everything in travel, including the best hotels, cruises, airlines, and airports. We shared a post on it last week, but in case you missed it, here are the cliffnotes:
Patina Osaka won best hotel in the world, scoring a rare 100/100.
Wellington was named best city in Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific, a first for the under-the-radar capital.
Castiglion del Bosco, A Rosewood Hotel won best hotel in Italy.
Cape Town won best city in Africa.
Estancia Vik José Ignacio won best resort in South America.
Koh Samui won best island in the world.
Four Seasons Resort Tamarindo won best resort in Mexico.
Canaves Epitome won best resort in Greece.
Andean Explorer, a Belmond Train, won best train.
The Fifth Avenue Hotel won best hotel in New York City.
We’re just weeks away from releasing our annual Travel Trends Report (see our 2026 Travel Trends Report here if you haven’t already), which will highlight some of the themes covered at the T+L summit. But in the meantime, let’s dive into the top updates on our radar at the moment.
Hotel, Lodge, and Villa Openings
El Cortés in Mexico City has officially opened its doors under the Relais & Châteaux banner. With just fifteen rooms housed in a meticulously restored 1915 Art Nouveau mansion in the Roma Norte neighborhood, this will be one to watch.
Ibiza’s newest opening slows the island down. Freshly opened Nômade Temple Ibiza on July 3rd with the aim of digging into a different side of Ibiza. Earthy interiors, natural materials, and an emphasis on wellness and community suggest the island’s next chapter may be a quieter one.
Safari has a new address. Great Plains Conservation will officially open Zamara Private in Kenya’s Maasai Mara this month. With just six suites available exclusively to one group at a time, it’s designed for the kind of multigenerational safari that is sure to become the anchor in future family lore.
Madrid continues its renaissance. Already one of Europe’s most exciting cities for food and culture, Madrid welcomes another heavyweight this September with the opening of Nobu Hotel Madrid. Expect the brand’s signature blend of understated luxury, destination dining, and a rooftop destined to become one of the city’s toughest reservations.
Austin is expanding its wellness offerings. Reservations are now open for Canyon Ranch Austin, set to open this October. As wellness travel continues evolving beyond traditional spa experiences, the brand’s newest property is one we’re especially curious to watch.
Anguilla continues to up the ante with a new ultra-private retreat. Set to debut in early 2027, ANI Private Resort Anguilla will bring the brand’s signature exclusive-use villa concept to Shoal Bay. All fifteen suites will face the ocean, giving groups of up to thirty another compelling reason to consider planning a celebration on the island’s white sand beaches.
Meals Worth Booking a Trip Around
Philly keeps building momentum as a food city worth watching. Jeffrey Chodorow’s Mr. Edison has officially opened as a modern supper club inside The Bellevue. This marks one more compelling restaurant in a city whose culinary scene continues to surprise us. Book your table here.
One of New York’s hardest reservations just got easier. Fort Greene favorite Theodora is spending the summer on Governors Island in a pop-up being called Theodora Beach Club, pairing one of the city’s buzziest restaurants with one of the city’s most underrated enclaves. Reservations are available on Fridays and Saturdays from now through August 29th. Book your table here.
Washington, D.C. just had a major restaurant moment. The New York Times awarded Albi its first-ever four-star review outside New York City, reinforcing what many travelers have already discovered: the American capital is quietly becoming one of the country’s most exciting dining destinations. Book your table here…or better yet, book your next D.C. trip with a SmartFlyer travel advisor to get access to the capital’s most connected concierges.
London gets some new tables to know. Fans of Milan’s Langosteria will rejoice to see its first UK outpost has just debuted at Raffles London at The OWO. And opening this September at The Beaumont, Pearl promises Mediterranean-inspired dining in one of the city’s most elegant settings.
News Worth Planning Your Calendar Around
Fashion houses are sweeping the beaches of the Mediterranean. Burberry has taken over One&Only Aesthesis on the Athenian Riviera and Hôtel Belles Rives in Cap d’Antibes. LOEWE is honoring its Spanish roots with its takeover of Dunas de Formentera, including putting its new pistachio candle around each and every corner of the hotel, filling the air with its scent. Jacquemus is taking over Mandarin Oriental, Bodrum, and Missoni is honoring its bohemian aesthetic poolside at OKU Ibiza.
Saint-Tropez after the crowds depart? Count us in. While summer gets all the attention, we’re equally intrigued by what’s happening after August. Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez returns this fall with nearly 250 yachts, including the legendary Classe J fleet, while November’s quieter Les Voiles d’Automne offers a completely different perspective on the Côte d’Azur.
Tuscany’s cultural calendar is stacked. From Andrea Bocelli’s annual concert at Teatro del Silenzio to the surrounding philanthropic dinners and private celebrations, late July once again proves why Tuscany rewards travelers who time their visits around the calendar—not just the countryside. The theatre is just about a forty-five-minute drive from the comforts of Castelfalfi.
Bits and Bobs On Our Radar
Mérida is about to have its momentous cultural moment. Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula has long been one of our favorite places to recommend for travelers who appreciate fresh food, thoughtful design, and a strong sense of place. Beginning this November, it adds another reason to visit. The inaugural Bienal de Yucatán will transform Mérida into a city-wide contemporary art exhibition featuring more than 75 artists, including Yoko Ono. If there was ever a year to plan a winter escape to the Yucatán, we’d argue this is it.
Aman is once again proving no one does aspirational travel quite like Aman. The brand’s Grandest Tour returns in 2027, taking guests across seven countries over 21 days by private jet with stays at six Aman properties. Tokyo, Samarkand, the Greek islands, and beyond—it’s less a vacation than a masterclass in seeing the world through the eyes of an Aman junkie. Contact your SmartFlyer travel advisor for rates and availability.
After a decade in development, Clase Azul has just opened its La Hacienda hospitality concept outside of Guadalajara. Designed as the spiritual home of the brand, the experience combines distillery and ceramics workshop tours, exclusive tastings led by the Master Distiller, and destination-worthy dining at its restaurant OYA.
Getting There
Lounge upgrades and enhanced East and West Coast connectivity. Delta is building a second Delta One lounge at LAX alongside its twice-daily service from Newark (EWR) to Los Angeles (LAX). Notably, the route will be flown on a standard Airbus A321neo versus the new 44-seat first class fleet.
Morocco can now be reached nonstop from Los Angeles. Royal Air Maroc’s new service between LAX and Casablanca (CMN) makes one of our favorite African destinations much easier to reach from the West Coast.
Cartagena becomes even more accessible. United is launching nonstop service from both Houston (IAH) and Washington, D.C. (IAD) to Cartagena (CTG), giving travelers from across the country easier access to Colombia’s endlessly charming Caribbean coast. With the recent opening of Four Seasons Hotel and Residences Cartagena, we’ll be watching this route closely.
JetBlue is expanding its base at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL). With the collapse of Spirit Airlines in May, JetBlue is coming in with eleven new routes, including to Baltimore (BWI) three times a day, Charlotte (CLT) twice a day, and Ponce, Puerto Rico (PSE) once a day.
Feeling inspired to book? Get in touch today to be matched with a SmartFlyer travel advisor.
Had the BEST stay at Canaves Epitome a couple years ago - truly a magical place!
What connects so many of these openings is a shift from luxury as display to luxury as access.