The 2026 Index: Most Awaited Openings

Aman’s Mexican debut arrives not in the polished corridors of Los Cabos, but on the raw East Cape where desert plains surrender to the Sea of Cortez. Within the 1,500-acre Costa Palmas estate, Amanvari presents just 18 casitas elevated on stilts—allowing desert flora and waterways to flow uninterrupted beneath.

The architecture, conceived by Heah & Co. and Elastic Architects, employs white concrete, natural stone, and tropical hardwoods in a palette drawn directly from the terrain. Guest accommodations frame panoramic views across the Sea of Cortez toward the Sierra de la Laguna mountains, while the Aman Spa introduces a contemporary interpretation of the traditional Mexican temazcal sweat lodge.

Six Senses arrives in Tel Aviv through the largest preservation initiative the city has undertaken. Five heritage buildings dating to 1909—the earliest remaining structures from the Ahuzat Bayit settlement—form the base of a 42-storey tower rising above Rothschild Boulevard.

The hotel occupies ten floors with 140 guest rooms, while 55 branded residences rise above. LEED Platinum certification underscores the development’s sustainable credentials. The restored buildings, once the foundation of modern Tel Aviv, now anchor a vertical community where historical contrast meets contemporary wellness.

Kengo Kuma transforms a former elementary school site in Kyoto’s historic Miyagawa-cho district into Capella’s Japanese debut. The 89-room property sits steps from Kenninji—Kyoto’s oldest Zen temple—and the Miyagawa-cho Kaburenjo Theatre where geiko and maiko perform seasonal dances.

Six suites feature private onsen, while the Auriga Spa offers three additional onsen rooms alongside wet and dry saunas. The Capella Curates program provides rare access: private ochaya experiences with maiko performances, and visits to a 150-year-old geta atelier where traditional wooden sandals are still crafted by hand.

On Giudecca island—five minutes by boat from Piazza San Marco yet worlds from the cruise-ship crush—Airelles opens its first property outside France. Three restored 16th-century buildings, surrounded by nearly one hectare of private gardens, comprise 45 rooms and suites.

The culinary program announces itself with authority: Nobu Matsuhisa's first Matsuhisa in Venice, Jean-Georges Vongerichten's abc kitchens Palladio, three-Michelin-starred Norbert Niederkofler's Villa Frollo, and Cédric Grolet's Italian debut overseeing all desserts and viennoiserie. A 1,700-square-meter spa—the largest in Venice—anchors the wellness offering.

Mandarin Oriental’s Mallorca debut occupies Punta Negra, one of the island’s most cherished coastal landmarks near Puerto Portals. The 131-room resort features 26 suites, nine casitas, and exclusive access to two secluded coves framed by Aleppo pines.

In Wadi Safar, near Saudi Arabia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site at At-Turaif, Aman Hegra unfolds across eight million square meters. The 42-key hotel joins 30 branded residences positioned along cliffs and desert terrain to maximize natural light and panoramic views.

Each five- to six-bedroom residence occupies plots starting from 9,000 square meters, with proximity to Greg Norman's Royal Signature Golf Course and world-class polo and equestrian facilities.

White Elephant Resorts makes its Western debut on the corner of Main Street and Garmisch Street in Aspen’s West End. The 54-key property, designed by Boston-based EMBARC, blends Victorian-inspired Alpine character with contemporary interiors in rust, cognac, and deep charcoal.

The three-bedroom Ajax Penthouse spans 1,560 square feet with a real log fireplace, chef’s kitchen, and mountain-view terrace. A partnership with Anderson Ranch Arts Center makes White Elephant the only Aspen hotel to showcase the ranch’s artists.

Architect Soo K. Chan returns to the Khoo Kongsi compound where he was born, transforming 15 heritage shophouses into a boutique hotel within George Town’s UNESCO World Heritage Site. Each one- to three-bedroom suite preserves original architectural features while introducing contemporary elegance.

Reflecting pools in each suite reference the monsoon rains Chan remembers splashing in as a child. Carved stone lions echo the nearby temple’s guardians.

On Palm Jumeirah, Six Senses The Palm draws inspiration from the region’s relationship with marine environments—particularly coral reefs and the ecosystems they sustain. Undulating rooflines, sculptural silhouettes, and cellular façades reference organic reef formations while creating shaded, outward-facing spaces.

A 60,000-square-foot social and wellness club anchors the development alongside the Six Senses Spa, whose treatment spaces echo the textures and patterns of coral formations.

Near West Lake, a UNESCO World Heritage site, Rosewood Hangzhou emphasizes horizontal lines, layered spaces, and a restrained palette referencing classical Chinese gardens and lakeside pavilions. Guest accommodations are planned as spacious, residential-style environments with framed views.

Materials, textures, and spatial sequencing create a calm atmosphere connected to Hangzhou’s legacy as a center of art, literature, and landscape design.