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With the new year comes new opportunities, and 2026 is shaping up to be an unforgettable moment for hotels—from new boutique brands entering the chat, to luxury stalwarts expanding into bold new territories. Where’s the action, you ask? All over. A waterfront newcomer makes its splashy debut in Charleston. Miraval opens its first international outpost in an up-and-coming wellness destination. Grande dames in places like Kyoto and San Francisco unveil ambitious restorations. And new brands debuting in Thailand and Australia offer fresh takes on immersive, conscientious travel—as well as the chance to visit now before all your friends do. Whether you’re plotting your next escape or merely looking for a little armchair inspiration, here are some of the most exciting hotel openings to have on your radar. They are definitely on ours. Happy new year, and happy travels.
The Cooper—Charleston, South Carolina
There’s never a shortage of beautiful, buzzy hotels in Charleston. Case in point: the much-anticipated opening of The Cooper, with a remarkable waterfront location overlooking Charleston Harbor. Adjacent to Joe Riley Waterfront Park (home to the Pineapple Fountain), The Cooper is walking distance from downtown’s top dining and attractions. It will also have an infinity pool overlooking the water, and a private on-site marina with a fleet of luxury cruising vessels for guest use, a house yacht for dinner cruises and private events, as well as water taxi service for excursions to nearby Daniel Island. It’s the low country experience—in the heart of Charleston’s downtown.
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The Knox Hotel & Residences, Auberge Resorts Collection—Dallas, Texas
Riding the success of Commodore Perry Estate in Austin and Bowie House in Fort Worth, Auberge is doubling down on Texas with its first property in Dallas. Anchoring the magnetic Knox Street neighborhood, the hotel will blend contemporary luxury with the area’s historic character. Inside, 140 rooms and suites come courtesy of Martin Brudzniki Design Studio, with playful, tactile elegance and 48 luxury residences designed by Dallas local Chad Dorsey. Throw in a killer location just steps from the Katy Trail as well as a comprehensive spa with all-natural therapies, and you’ve got that alchemy that is distinctly “Auberge”—profoundly local yet effortlessly world-class.
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White Elephant—Aspen, Colorado
With an original location on Nantucket and a second location in Palm Beach, it should come as no surprise that the White Elephant’s third outpost would land in Aspen. The digs here are every bit as posh as this brand’s jet-setting clientele, with 54 rooms—including two-bedroom suites that are great for groups, and a breathtaking three-bedroom penthouse with a sprawling 1,600-square-foot terrace complete with mountain views. Guests can enjoy an outdoor pool, complimentary bikes, and White Elephant’s continued partnership with BMS, which provides courtesy cars around town and a winter shuttle to the lifts. The overall ethos is nouveau Aspen—less Victorian, less log cabin, and more contemporary cool with a healthy dose of art throughout.
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The Selvedge, a SingleThread Inn—Healdsburg, California
You reap what you sow, right? That’s the mindset of the team behind three-Michelin-starred Healdsburg favorite SingleThread, which this fall—harvest season, fittingly—will expand its deeply personal approach to hospitality into the world of hotels. Set inside the lovingly restored 1895 River Belle Inn, the 10-room hideaway sits on the banks of the Russian River, blending Victorian charm with a modern edge influenced by the founding duo Kyle and Katina Connaughton’s time in England. Designed by Asia Architects and AvroKO, the new inn features English-style gardens, crackling fireplaces, and interiors that invite you not just to experience a visit to Sonoma, one of California’s top wine destination, but to savor it.
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The Huntington Hotel—San Francisco, California
The grande dame of Nob Hill is back. After a Covid era downturn that ended with this twelve-story Georgian landmark changing hands and with an uncertain future, the Huntington is back after a flashy, color-drenched renovation from none other than notable San Franciscan Ken Fulk. The hotel is, notably, Fulk’s first full-scale San Francisco hotel project, and his vision unites Georgian elegance with residential, lived-in warmth, with stately plaster ceilings and plenty of “boiserie” wood panels throughout. Continuing the hotel’s tradition for social dining, beloved institution The Big Four will return in its 50th anniversary year, and the hotel’s brand-new 8,900 square foot spa will provide an airy refuge in one of the city’s most central locales.
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