This week on The Hotel Spotter:
LTI reveals the world’s best luxury hotel brands for 2026, Rimrock Banff reopens as the second property in Accor’s Emblems Collection and Thompson Rome becomes the Hyatt brand’s first hotel in Italy
The best new hotels this week:
Thompson Rome
The Hyatt brand has opened a 69-room hotel in the heart of Rome, Thompson's third property in Europe.
Raffles The Red Sea
Following the opening of a property in Jeddah in May, the Accor brand now has three hotels in Saudi Arabia.
Mandarin Oriental remains top of LTI's annual list for the fourth year running, while Aman drops five places following a data breach.
LTI (Luxury Travel Intelligence) has revealed its annual list of the world’s best luxury hotel brands, which sees Mandarin Oriental topping the list for the fourth time in a row.
Oetker moved up the list from fourth to second, Bulgari stayed in third position, Four Seasons gained two places up to fourth while Rosewood maintained its fifth spot.
Aman dropped from second to seventh “due to a significant and unaddressed client data breach”. Hackers ShinyHunters claimed to have compromised a number of major brands in April 2026, including the luxury hotel operator.
Accor's Emblems Collection has opened its second property — in the Canadian Rockies — following a C$115m (£61m) renovation.
Rimrock Banff has reopened as the second property in Accor’s Emblems Collection, following the debut of the brand with Lucknam Park in late 2025.
The historic Canadian Rockies retreat closed for a 10-month renovation costing C$115m (£61m), now with a contemporary feel that retains its alpine aesthetic. Interiors draw on the natural landscapes with a nature-inspired palette, warm wood tones, natural stone and tactile textiles.
Set within Banff National Park on Sulphur Mountain, high above the town of Banff itself, the hotel is just a short walk from the Banff Upper Hot Springs and close to the gondola.
In the pipeline
Capella Dubai is set to open on the Dubai Peninsula in 2030. The 115-room hotel will include a collection of suites with private pools.
The 50-room Nobu Hotel and Restaurant San Juan will become the brand's first property in Puerto Rico in 2028.
Nikki Beach Resort & Spa Antigua is set to open in 2030 and will offer branded residences as well as 82 hotel rooms.
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