Best New Luxury Hotels to Book in 2026 Across the Globe
Whether you’re planning your next international adventure or seeking the world’s most exciting hotel openings, these seven new luxury properties deliver unforgettable style, amenities, and location. From Greece and Portugal to Japan and California, these hotels are making waves.
One of the best new luxury resorts in Greece, 91 Athens Riviera combines beachfront views with modern glamping.
91 Athens Riviera: A New Luxury Glamping Hotel on the Athenian Coast
One of the more interesting hotels to open on the Athenian Riviera, a quickly revitalizing stretch of coastline south of the Greek capital, offers a stylish twist on glamping near the beach. 91 Athens Riviera is an offshoot of the popular Domes hotel line, and features a collection of luxurious canvas tents, designed with a similarly keen eye for design.
Each unit is outfitted with plush king-sized beds, spacious bathrooms with walk-in showers, and furnished decks. Some feature private plunge pools and multiple bedrooms, and all come with Marshall speakers, Nespresso machines, and a host of other self-care amenities, from foam rollers and bespoke sleep masks to white-noise machines.
Both the swimming pool and the hotel’s beach club invite lounging and sunbathing, while a tennis club includes eight courts and an instruction program. A spa is present as a matter of course, and the chic restaurant is an outpost of the Paros-based Barbarossa.
28 Rooms
Style: Modern Design
Atmosphere: Lively
The Jay, San Francisco, where minimalist luxury meets California modernism in this stylish Embarcadero high-rise inspired by sculptor Ruth Asawa.
The Jay San Francisco: A Modern Luxury Hotel Near the Embarcadero
This is what luxury looks like in San Francisco in the mid-2020s: a bit minimalist, a bit understated, with plenty of warm tones and organic textures. The Jay, Autograph Collection is just the latest evolution of the 25-story Brutalist tower that stands at Battery & Clay, in the Embarcadero district, and it’s emblematic of the times as well: not quite an independent, but nor is it strictly a chain.
The interiors, by AvroKO, owe much to the Japanese-American modernist sculptor Ruth Asawa, and more broadly pay tribute to a century of Californian aesthetics, from Arts & Crafts on through to the present day. The TransAmerica Pyramid is a block away, and Embarcadero Center is reachable via an elevated walkway.
360 Rooms
Style: Contemporary Classic
Atmosphere: Lively
Palácio de Seteais, Portugal , where you can sleep in an 18th-century palace with frescoed walls, sweeping gardens, and dreamy views of fairytale Sintra.
Valverde Sintra Palácio de Seteais: Historic 5-Star Palace Hotel in Portugal
The quaint hilltop town of Sintra looks like something straight out of a Portuguese fairy tale. While most of its castles and palaces now function as museums, one houses a luxury hotel, the Valverde Sintra Palácio de Seteais.
This grand 18th-century palace, neoclassical in style with a triumphal arch connecting the building’s two wings, is filled with hand-painted frescoes and antique furnishings. Rooms have period character, too, with decorative headboards and sumptuous floor-to-ceiling drapery, and the royal suite, located in the original owners’ quarters, is especially spacious and ornate.
A modern spa occupies the estate’s onetime dovecote, and an outdoor pool is set amid the gorgeous surrounding park. Adding to the storybook charm is an elegant afternoon tea served on fine china.
30 Rooms
Style: Traditional Elegance
Atmosphere: Quiet
Castle Leslie, Ireland, a romantic country estate steeped in Irish history with horse stables, antique-filled rooms, and crackling fireplaces.
Castle Leslie Estate: Luxury Irish Castle Hotel with Horseback Riding
There’s a rich history behind Castle Leslie Estate, set on a thousand countryside acres in County Monaghan: the Leslie family, descended from Attila the Hun, has lived on the property since 1665, and it’s home to the oldest plumbed bath in Ireland.
Old-world charm is built into its wood-paneled sitting rooms with gilded oil portraits, buttery soft Chesterfield sofas, and crackling fireplaces, and rooms are just as atmospheric with decoratively carved four-poster beds and heirloom antiques. Some have roll-top baths and private terraces or Juliet balconies, but none have screens or minibars.
The not-so-subtle implication being, of course, that refreshments and entertainment are best enjoyed in the restaurant and pub downstairs. Styled like a flamboyant hunting lodge with equestrian statuary, opulent chandeliers, and cozy brocade-lined banquettes, it’s a lively spot throughout the afternoon and evening, but there’s always solitude to be found in the castle’s lovely gardens and quiet library.
71 Rooms
Style: Traditional Elegance
Atmosphere: Quiet
Naturally Pacific, British Columbia is surrounded by forest and sea, this eco-chic retreat features a stunning spa, fire pits, and wildlife tours.
Naturally Pacific Resort: New Eco-Luxury Hotel on Vancouver Island
Not far from the docks where boats depart for whale-watching and grizzly tours on Campbell River’s Discovery Passage, the stylish Naturally Pacific Resort rises up on the edge of a golf course. Its modernist structure, built of sustainably sourced wood and stone, features floor-to-ceiling glass windows to make the most of Vancouver Island’s natural beauty; its interiors, in keeping with the theme, showcase life-sized nature scenes captured by a local photographer.
The hotel’s earth-toned rooms and suites are contemporary with Art Deco touches, like leather-upholstered barrel chairs and gold-speckled black marble countertops, and the elegant cocktail bar downstairs follows suit. In a location such as this, the main attractions are outside, but the hotel’s ethereal spa, heated indoor-outdoor pool, and open-air firepits are wonderful to return to after exploring the surrounding forests and waterways.
100 Rooms
Style: Modern Design
Atmosphere: Quiet
Inspired to experience award-winning hotels for yourself? As a luxury travel advisor, I can help design an itinerary around them, or create a bespoke trip that reflects your own style. Contact me at louis.monoyudis@fora.travel to start planning.
Faena New York: Glamour on the High Line
Faena New York has landed in Chelsea, and let’s be clear: this place doesn’t whisper, it screams. Think gold ceilings, murals so oversized they make MoMA jealous, and a spiral staircase that feels like it was designed by a jeweler. Alan Faena didn’t come here to play. He came to stage a spectacle.
The vibe? Decadent, over-the-top, and very “if you have to ask, you can’t afford it.” It’s boutique in size (120 rooms), but trust me, nothing feels small here. Rooms start north of $1k, so we’re talking unapologetic luxury with all the velvet ropes and hushed exclusivity you’d expect.
What’s Good
The Design: This is maximalism at its most glamorous, complete with Keith Haring art, leopard-print sofas, and 24-karat ceilings.
The Rooms: Big (for New York), smart layouts, soaking tubs, terraces, and espresso machines. You will feel spoiled. Very spoiled.
Location: Right on the High Line with Hudson River views for most rooms, perfect for art lovers who want to explore the galleries of Chelsea and anyone allergic to Midtown chaos.
Food & Drink: Michael Anthony (yes, Gramercy Tavern) plus Francis Mallmann are behind the program. Expect bold flavors and a scene that’s as much about who’s at the next table as what’s on your plate.
Coming Soon: Guerlain spa, cabaret theater, and secret bars. Translation: the playground isn’t even finished yet (as of Sept. 2025)
What to Watch Out For
Exclusivity Overload: Faena loves a velvet rope. For some people, that’s the fantasy. For others, it’s a hard pass.
Not Quite Done Yet: The spa and cabaret won’t open until 2026, so right now you’re paying full price for an experience that’s still more than a little unfinished.
Dining Consistency: Cocktails? Brilliant. Food? Still warming up. Give it time, but don’t expect perfection out of the gate.
The Price Tag: Even by NYC luxury standards, this is on the higher end. You’ll need deep pockets and zero guilt.
Bottom Line
Faena New York is not for everyone, and that’s exactly the point. It’s bold, theatrical, and dripping in gold. If you want understated, go elsewhere. But if you want your hotel to double as a stage for your own fabulous entrance and all the social media shots you can take, this is your new temple.
Inspired to experience award-winning hotels for yourself? As a luxury travel advisor, I can help design an itinerary around them, or create a bespoke trip that reflects your own style. Contact me at louis.monoyudis@fora.travel to start planning.
Il Sereno Lago di Como: A Modern Masterpiece
There are plenty of beautiful hotels on Lake Como, but very few that have the confidence to strip everything back. In a region where history often translates to heavy drapery and gilded nostalgia, Il Sereno is a revelation.
It’s a hotel that whispers instead of winks, that swaps velvet for stone, and sentimentality for strength. It’s also one of a handful of Italian properties awarded two Michelin Keys, cementing its place among the most exceptional stays in the world.
Architecture that Breathes, Not Brags
From the moment you pull into the understated entrance, where you’re enveloped in a crisp composition of walnut, glass, and stone, it’s clear this isn’t another Como relic frozen in time.
Designed by renowned architect Patricia Urquiola, Il Sereno is a masterclass in restraint. Everything is in dialogue with the lake: the movement of the water, the shimmer of the sky, the rhythm of the mountains.
The facade is an elegant grid of local stone and teak louvers, its vertical gardens climbing in controlled chaos up the walls. Inside, Urquiola’s fingerprints are everywhere from woven chairs, sculptural lighting, and bespoke textiles, where every detail quietly anchors the space without competing with the view.
The hotel’s showstopper staircase seemingly suspended by bronze rods, spirals upward like an art installation masquerading as architecture. It’s one of those design moments that lingers in your memory long after you’ve checked out.
Interiors with Nothing to Prove
Walk into your suite, and the first thing that hits you isn’t color or clutter, it’s calm. Floor-to-ceiling windows pull the lake right into the room, while a minimalist palette of stone, linen, and timber creates the sense that someone finally understood what serenity should look like.
Urquiola’s design language is sensual but disciplined. The furnishings are tactile, sculptural, and human. You won’t find a trace of old-world fuss here, no tasseled curtains, no floral upholstery, no distractions. Just a spatial clarity that makes you feel instantly lighter.
The bathrooms, all marble and bronze, are generous without being grandiose. It’s luxury cemented in proportion and precision.
Spa Days and Aperitivo Nights
Downstairs, The Spa at Il Sereno feels like a secret carved directly into the rock. Minimalist and cocooning, it offers views of the lake through low-slung windows that catch the light before it dances away.
Treatments use Valmont products and local botanicals, and the atmosphere has that rare blend of clinical calm and Italian ease. The relaxation area, half submerged, half open to the water, is reason enough to stay in all afternoon.
For dining, there’s Ristorante Il Sereno Al Lago, which has been graced with a Michelin star. The menu is contemporary Italian without cliché, with dishes that are precise, creative, and beautifully balanced.
Even breakfast feels like an event here: a cart is rolled table side full of freshly baked pastries, local cheeses, fruit that tastes like it was chosen just for you, and coffee that tastes infused by the morning light bouncing off the lake.
Ahoy!
And then there’s the boat. Every guest has access to Il Sereno’s custom-built Cantiere Ernesto Riva motorboat, a handcrafted masterpiece of mahogany and chrome that glides across the lake. This is the ultimate way to arrive for lunch in Bellagio or an aperitivo in Varenna, with the wind in your hair and a Negroni in hand.
The Maserati Experience: Arrive in Style
For those who believe the journey should be every bit as elegant as the destination, Il Sereno offers its Maserati Experience, an arrival worthy of its setting. Guests can be collected from Milan’s city center, Central Station, or one of Lombardy’s airports in a sleek Maserati, gliding north toward the lake in quiet luxury. It’s a fitting prelude to what awaits.
A Breath of Fresh Air
In a region obsessed with history, Il Sereno is the future. It’s modern, minimal, and quietly confident. You come here not to escape Lake Como’s legacy, but to experience it through a different lens, one where architecture, design, and nature blend into a dreamy, singular horizon.
If you’d like to stay here, I can help you unlock exclusive perks, including:
Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
Daily breakfast for two, complimentary
$100 dining credit at Il Sereno Al Lago
Early check-in and late check-out, subject to availability
Complimentary Wi-Fi throughout your stay
Inspired to experience award-winning hotels for yourself? As a luxury travel advisor, I can help design an itinerary around them, or create a bespoke trip that reflects your own style. Contact me at louis.monoyudis@fora.travel to start planning.