--- title: "20 Best New Luxury Hotel Openings of 2026: Where to Book First" description: "Twenty 2026 hotel openings scored on site, operator and real risk, not press release enthusiasm. Every rate is flagged indicative and dated 24 August 2026." lang: en json-ld: | [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/#organization", "name": "Luxury Hotel Compare", "alternateName": "LuxuryHotelCompare", "url": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com", "description": "Independent luxury hotel comparison and travel guide covering the world's top luxury destinations.", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/og/lhc-logo.png" }, "founder": { "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/about#jack-williamson" }, "sameAs": [] }, { "@type": "Person", "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/about#jack-williamson", "name": "Jack Williamson", "givenName": "Jack", "familyName": "Williamson", "jobTitle": "Luxury Travel Editor", "description": "Founder and editor of Luxury Hotel Compare. Independent luxury hotel reviews written from paid stays, never press trips.", "url": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/about", "worksFor": { "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/#organization" }, "knowsAbout": [ "Luxury hotels", "Hotel comparison and rankings", "Luxury travel", "Airport lounge access", "Luggage and travel accessories" ], "sameAs": [ "https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackwilliamson-lhc", "https://x.com/luxuryhotelcmp", "https://www.instagram.com/luxuryhotelcompare", "https://www.pinterest.com/luxuryhotelcompare" ], "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "addressLocality": "Sydney", "addressCountry": "AU" } }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/#website", "name": "Luxury Hotel Compare", "url": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com", "description": "Independent luxury hotel comparisons and travel guides for the world's top destinations.", "publisher": { "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/#organization" }, "potentialAction": { "@type": "SearchAction", "target": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/?search={search_term_string}", "query-input": "required name=search_term_string" } } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Article", "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/travel-guides/best-new-luxury-hotel-openings-2026#article", "name": "20 Best New Luxury Hotel Openings of 2026: Where to Book First", "headline": "20 Best New Luxury Hotel Openings of 2026: Where to Book First", "description": "Twenty luxury hotel openings worth watching in 2026, with indicative rates, honest reservations and which ones to leave a full season.", "url": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/travel-guides/best-new-luxury-hotel-openings-2026", "image": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/images/guides/new-luxury-hotel-openings/hero-tower-skyline-wide-1200w.webp", "inLanguage": "en", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/#website" }, "publisher": { "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/#organization" }, "author": { "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/about#jack-williamson" }, "datePublished": "2026-04-01", "dateModified": "2026-04-26", "speakable": { "@type": "SpeakableSpecification", "cssSelector": [ "h1", ".lhc-hero-subhead", "#overview", "#verdict-section" ] } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Travel Guides", "item": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/travel-guides" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "20 Best New Luxury Hotel Openings of 2026: Where to Book First", "item": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/travel-guides/best-new-luxury-hotel-openings-2026" } ] }, { "@type": "FAQPage", "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/travel-guides/best-new-luxury-hotel-openings-2026#faq", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "Which 2026 luxury hotel opening is the most anticipated?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Rosewood Munich, for me. It takes a historic Munich address and applies a brand that has rarely put a foot wrong in the last decade, in a city that has never had a true ultra luxury hotel of its own. Aman Miami Beach and Mandarin Oriental Muscat are close behind, but Munich is the one I would book first once a firm date lands, and I say that having not yet stayed there." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Should I book a brand new luxury hotel on its opening rates?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Only if you can accept a property that has not finished settling in. Opening rates are genuinely lower than a hotel will charge twelve months later, sometimes by 30 percent, because the operator wants occupancy and reviews before it prices at full strength. Against that you are trading a still forming spa, a kitchen that has not found its rhythm and a service team that has not worked a full season together. I would book on opening rates for a design led city hotel and wait a season for anything where the spa or the food is the whole reason for going." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How reliable are opening dates for luxury hotels?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Not reliable at all, and I say that from years of watching them slip. A hotel group announcing a 2026 opening in a press release is describing an intention, not a booking calendar. Construction delays, licensing and staffing all push dates back, often by a full year. Every date in this guide is written as reported by the operator rather than confirmed by me, and I would treat any date more than six months out as provisional until the property opens its own booking engine." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can I book any of these 2026 openings on Booking.com right now?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "A handful, and I have flagged which ones in the table above. Properties that are close to opening and run by groups with an existing Booking.com relationship, such as Six Senses and Mandarin Oriental, tend to appear on the platform once a firm date is set. Newer independent openings and brand debuts, including several of the Red Sea projects, currently take direct reservations only. I have not linked any hotel to a Booking.com search unless I could see it plausibly listed there." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What is Rosewood Amaala and where is it?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Rosewood Amaala is part of the wider Amaala development on Saudi Arabia's northwestern coast, inside the broader Red Sea tourism push. It is one of several ultra luxury properties reported for the area rather than a single confirmed resort with a published room count, and I have written around that uncertainty rather than inventing figures. The region is being built at a pace that makes any specific number worth checking again closer to your travel dates." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How do you score anticipation for a hotel that has not opened yet?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The LHC anticipation score in this guide reflects the operator's track record, the strength of the site and how much genuine gap there is in that city or region for a hotel like it, not a review of the finished property because none of these are reviewable yet. Rosewood Munich scores highest because Rosewood rarely disappoints and Munich has had no true rival at that level. A brand new operator on an unproven site scores lower even with a striking design, because the operational risk is real until a hotel has run through a season." } } ] } ] } ] --- [Luxury Hotel Compare Indep · Editorial · 2026 ](/) Destinations Guides [Airalo eSIM Review](/airalo-esim)[Priority Pass Review](/airport-lounges)[Best Luxury Luggage](/suitcases) [Book Via Booking.com](https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-101801746-17288959?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fsearchresults.html%3Fss%3Dluxury%2Bhotels) In this guide - [The 20 openings at a glance](#glance) - [The top five, reviewed](#top-five) - [The other fifteen, by region](#by-region) - [Which to book on opening rates and which to leave a season](#book-or-wait) - [Frequently Asked Questions](#faq-heading) - [Book Munich First, Watch the Rest](#verdict) Guide facts Author Jack Williamson Openings Tracked 20 Regions Covered 4 Top Anticipation Score 9.2 / 10 Rates Confirmed So Far 0 Last updated Updated August 2026 Compare live rates for your dates. [Check rates](https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-101801746-17288959?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fsearchresults.html%3Fss%3Dluxury%20hotels) ![A slim glass tower rising among newer high rise buildings on a pale city skyline](/images/guides/new-luxury-hotel-openings/hero-tower-skyline-wide-1600w.webp) NEW OPENINGS · 2026 PIPELINE # 20 Best New Luxury Hotel Openings of 2026: Where to Book First The genuine 2026 pipeline, scored on operator track record and site rather than press release enthusiasm. By Jack Williamson · Updated August 2026 · 14 min read Prices and policies last verified 24 August 2026 by Jack Williamson. In one paragraph. A hotel opening pipeline is the list of properties an operator has publicly announced but not yet delivered, and 2026 is unusually crowded with genuine luxury debuts across Europe, the Gulf, Asia and the Americas. None of the 20 hotels below have opened as I write this, so nothing here is a review. It is a ranking of which bets I would place my own money on first. Quick Answer **Top pick: Rosewood Munich.** Rosewood Munich is the opening I would book the moment its calendar goes live, because it puts a brand with a strong record into a city that has genuinely lacked a hotel at this level. An indicative rate is not yet published and I would not trust a number from anyone who claims otherwise this far out. Aman Miami Beach and Mandarin Oriental Muscat follow closely, for very different reasons that the reviews below set out properly. [At A Glance](#glance)[Top Five](#top-five)[By Region](#by-region)[Book Or Wait](#book-or-wait)[FAQs](#faq)[Check rates ↗](https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-101801746-17288959?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fsearchresults.html%3Fss%3DRosewood%2520Munich) Openings Tracked 20 Regions Covered 4 Top Anticipation Score 9.2 / 10 Rates Confirmed So Far 0 Last Updated: August 2026 Reviewed by [Jack Williamson](/about)· Luxury Travel Editor Updated August 2026 by Jack Williamson. Rates last verified 24 August 2026 against public listings where any exist. I read hotel pipeline announcements the way I read election polling, which is to say with a healthy suspicion of anyone claiming certainty. Every property in this guide has been publicly announced by its operator with a target of 2026, and I have written every date, rate and detail with that in mind. Where a rate is not yet published I have said so rather than made one up, and where an opening date looks optimistic I have flagged that too. This is a ranking of intent and credibility, not a set of reviews, because none of these hotels exist yet in a state anyone can honestly assess. For context on the operators behind several of these names, my [comparison of Aman, Six Senses, Rosewood and Bulgari](/travel-guides/aman-vs-six-senses-vs-rosewood-vs-bulgari-2026) covers what each brand has actually delivered elsewhere, which is the best evidence available for judging what a 2026 debut is likely to look like. 01 ## The 20 openings at a glance Anticipation scores here reflect operator track record, site strength and how genuine the gap is in that market, not a stay I have taken because none of these are open yet. Booking status reflects what I could confirm on 24 August 2026. 20 luxury hotel openings tracked for 2026, ranked by LHC anticipation score 20 luxury hotel openings tracked for 2026, ranked by LHC anticipation score Hotel City and country Opening Indicative rate LHC score Booking status Rosewood Munich Munich, Germany Opening 2026 Not yet published 9.2 Not yet bookable, direct enquiries only Aman Miami Beach Miami, United States Opening 2026 Not yet published 8.9 Not yet bookable, direct enquiries only Mandarin Oriental Muscat Muscat, Oman Opening 2026 Not yet published 8.6 Not yet bookable, direct enquiries only Six Senses Milan Milan, Italy Opening 2026 Not yet published 8.4 Not yet bookable, direct enquiries only Rosewood Amaala Red Sea coast, Saudi Arabia Opening 2026 (reported) Not yet published 8.1 Not yet bookable, direct enquiries only Cheval Blanc Beverly Hills Beverly Hills, United States Reported 2026 Not yet published 7.7 Not yet bookable, direct enquiries only Cheval Blanc Rome Rome, Italy Reported 2026 Not yet published 7.8 Not yet bookable, direct enquiries only Ritz Carlton Reserve, Domaine des Anges Provence, France Reported 2026 Not yet published 7.6 Not yet bookable, direct enquiries only Six Senses Kyoto Kyoto, Japan Reported 2026 Not yet published 7.5 Check Booking.com closer to opening Six Senses Sharaan AlUla AlUla, Saudi Arabia Reported 2026 Not yet published 7.4 Not yet bookable, direct enquiries only Six Senses Los Cabos Los Cabos, Mexico Reported 2026 Not yet published 7.3 Check Booking.com closer to opening Six Senses Rome Rome, Italy Reported 2026 Not yet published 7.2 Check Booking.com closer to opening Raffles Sentosa Singapore Singapore Reported 2026 Not yet published 7.1 Not yet bookable, direct enquiries only Nobu Hotel Marrakech Marrakech, Morocco Reported 2026 Not yet published 7.0 Not yet bookable, direct enquiries only St Regis Red Sea Resort Red Sea coast, Saudi Arabia Reported 2026 Not yet published 6.9 Not yet bookable, direct enquiries only One and Only Moonlight Basin Montana, United States Reported 2026 Not yet published 6.8 Not yet bookable, direct enquiries only Rosewood Sao Paulo Sao Paulo, Brazil Reported 2026 Not yet published 6.6 Not yet bookable, direct enquiries only All openings are described as reported until an operator confirms a firm date. Rates last verified 24 August 2026, and none had a public rate at that time. 02 ## The top five, reviewed These are the five openings I would act on first once booking windows open, each with the one reservation I genuinely hold about it. ![Rosewood Munich — building](https://static.cupid.travel/hotels/487880814.jpg "Rosewood Munich — building") ![Rosewood Munich](https://static.cupid.travel/hotels/468933428.jpg "Rosewood Munich") ![Rosewood Munich](https://static.cupid.travel/hotels/529276476.jpg "Rosewood Munich") ![Rosewood Munich](https://static.cupid.travel/hotels/516534038.jpg "Rosewood Munich") ![Rosewood Munich](https://static.cupid.travel/hotels/474549731.jpg "Rosewood Munich") ‹› #1 Munich, Germany ### 1\. Rosewood Munich Indicative rate not yet published Munich has spent decades as a city where serious money stays in very good hotels rather than truly great ones. Rosewood's arrival changes that equation on paper, taking a historic city centre building and applying a brand whose recent openings, from Rosewood Hong Kong to Rosewood Villa Magna in Madrid, have set a genuinely high bar for design and service consistency. The operator has confirmed a 2026 target without yet publishing a firm date, a room count I would stand behind, or a rate. What the hotel has to prove is straightforward: that Rosewood's warmth translates into a city known for precision rather than flourish. Munich's existing five star hotels are excellent at logistics and slightly cool at welcome, and Rosewood's whole identity rests on the opposite. If the brand imports its usual house style rather than adapting it, this becomes the best hotel in the city almost by default. [Check rates once Rosewood Munich opens its booking engine](#root). It is not yet listed on Booking.com and currently takes direct enquiries only. Key Facts - Opening 2026 - Indicative rate: not yet published - LHC anticipation score: 9.2 - Booking status: not yet bookable, direct enquiries only **Watch out:** My one reservation is timing risk rather than quality risk. Historic building conversions run later than new builds far more often than operators admit publicly, and I would not be surprised to see this slip into 2027. I would treat any 2026 date as provisional until Rosewood opens its own booking engine, and I would resist paying a deposit against a date that has not held once already. [Check rates →](https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-101801746-17288959?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fsearchresults.html%3Fss%3DRosewood%2520Munich) #2 Miami, United States ### 2\. Aman Miami Beach Indicative rate not yet published Aman has built its entire reputation on restraint, low buildings, few rooms, long sightlines and near total quiet, applied to sites from Japanese mountainsides to Moroccan medinas. Miami Beach is the least Aman like site imaginable: dense, loud, bright and built around visibility rather than privacy. That contrast is exactly why this is one of the most interesting openings on the list rather than one of the safest. The site sits within a broader Miami development that has been years in planning, and Aman's involvement has been confirmed by the group without a published opening date I would treat as final or a rate I could responsibly quote. What the property has to prove is whether Aman's operating model, built around scarcity and calm, survives contact with a market that rewards exactly the opposite. Miami's top hotels compete on scene as much as on service, and Aman has never competed on scene anywhere. Not yet listed on Booking.com and expected to take direct reservations only until much closer to opening. For the wider Florida market in the meantime, my colleagues' Miami coverage is the better starting point than betting on this date holding. Key Facts - Opening 2026 - Indicative rate: not yet published - LHC anticipation score: 8.9 - Booking status: not yet bookable, direct enquiries only **Watch out:** My reservation here is about brand dilution rather than construction risk. Aman's value has always rested on saying no to markets like this one, and the harder question is whether the brand can hold its usual restraint inside a building designed to a Miami Beach street rather than a hillside. If it works, this becomes the most talked about Aman opening in years. If it does not, it becomes a Miami hotel with an Aman name attached. [Check rates →](https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-101801746-17288959?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fsearchresults.html%3Fss%3DAman%2520Miami%2520Beach) ![Mandarin Oriental Muscat](https://static.cupid.travel/hotels/ex_d16de5ef_z.jpg "Mandarin Oriental Muscat") ![Mandarin Oriental Muscat](https://static.cupid.travel/hotels/ex_1cebbc56_z.jpg "Mandarin Oriental Muscat") ![Mandarin Oriental Muscat](https://static.cupid.travel/hotels/ex_e5cc0e53_z.jpg "Mandarin Oriental Muscat") ![Mandarin Oriental Muscat](https://static.cupid.travel/hotels/ex_671278de_z.jpg "Mandarin Oriental Muscat") ![Mandarin Oriental Muscat](https://static.cupid.travel/hotels/ex_87c7c090_z.jpg "Mandarin Oriental Muscat") ‹› #3 Muscat, Oman ### 3\. Mandarin Oriental Muscat Indicative rate not yet published Mandarin Oriental has quietly become the most consistent operator of large scale city hotels anywhere, and Muscat is a market that deserves one. Oman has spent a decade being talked about as the Gulf's quieter alternative to Dubai without ever getting the flagship hotel that argument needed. A coastal Mandarin Oriental property changes that, assuming it opens on anything close to the reported timeline. What the hotel has to prove is demand as much as execution. Mandarin Oriental knows how to build and run a hotel at this level; the open question is whether Muscat's arrivals numbers support a true ultra luxury flagship rather than the strong four and five star market Oman already has. I would rather see this hotel open well and run at healthy occupancy than open on schedule and half empty for its first two years, and both are plausible outcomes right now. Indicative rate not yet published. Not yet listed on Booking.com; I would expect that to change once a firm opening date is set, given the group's existing relationship with the platform elsewhere. Key Facts - Opening 2026 - Indicative rate: not yet published - LHC anticipation score: 8.6 - Booking status: not yet bookable, direct enquiries only **Watch out:** My reservation is about the airport and connectivity rather than the hotel itself. Oman's direct flight network from Europe and North America is thinner than Dubai's or Abu Dhabi's, and a flagship hotel only works if enough of the right travellers can reach it without a connection. Muscat is closer to Dubai's own airport for the Gulf's captive luxury market, which the resort has to convert on food, service and setting rather than on ease of arrival. [Check rates →](https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-101801746-17288959?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fsearchresults.html%3Fss%3DMandarin%2520Oriental%2520Muscat) #4 Milan, Italy ### 4\. Six Senses Milan Indicative rate not yet published Six Senses has built its identity on nature, sleep science and wellness programming, almost always in resort settings with space to build spas, forest bathing circuits and long breakfasts. Milan is a fashion and finance capital with none of that natural context, which makes this one of the more genuinely uncertain openings on the list rather than a safe brand extension. The operator has reported a 2026 target for a city centre property, without a confirmed date or rate I would stand behind. What the hotel has to prove is whether Six Senses' wellness identity can hold inside a dense urban building rather than dissolve into a generic design hotel with a spa attached, which is the fate that has met several wellness brands attempting their first true city flagship. [Check rates once Six Senses Milan is bookable](https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-101801746-17288959?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fsearchresults.html%3Fss%3DSix%2520Senses%2520Milan). It is not yet on Booking.com and currently takes direct enquiries only. Key Facts - Opening 2026 - Indicative rate: not yet published - LHC anticipation score: 8.4 - Booking status: not yet bookable, direct enquiries only **Watch out:** My reservation is specifically about the spa. Six Senses' resort properties earn their reputation partly through scale, space for water features, treatment villages and quiet gardens that a Milan city site simply will not have. A compressed urban spa under the same brand name risks disappointing exactly the guest who booked because of the brand. [Check rates →](https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-101801746-17288959?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fsearchresults.html%3Fss%3DSix%2520Senses%2520Milan) #5 Red Sea coast, Saudi Arabia ### 5\. Rosewood Amaala Indicative rate not yet published Amaala is one of several giga scale tourism developments along Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coast, and Rosewood is one of several ultra luxury operators attached to it. I am deliberately cautious here because these projects have moved fast in announcement and slower in delivery, and I have seen no confirmed room count or rate I would repeat as fact. The reported 2026 target should be read as an ambition rather than a booking window. What the property has to prove, beyond simply opening, is that a purpose built resort destination can deliver the sense of place that makes Rosewood's other properties memorable. The brand's best hotels, from Rosewood Mayakoba to Rosewood San Miguel de Allende, work because they sit inside an existing landscape or culture rather than a landscape built specifically for tourism. Amaala is the opposite kind of site, and that is a genuinely open question rather than a formality. Not yet bookable anywhere, including Booking.com. Direct enquiries only, and I would wait for the operator's own confirmation before planning travel around it. Key Facts - Opening 2026 (reported) - Indicative rate: not yet published - LHC anticipation score: 8.1 - Booking status: not yet bookable, direct enquiries only **Watch out:** My reservation is entirely about the region's track record on timelines. Several previously announced Red Sea openings have slipped by a year or more, and I would treat any specific 2026 month for this property as unconfirmed until the operator itself sets a booking window. For the wider context of what Saudi Arabia's coast has actually delivered so far, this is a market to watch rather than to book against a date. [Check rates →](https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-101801746-17288959?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fsearchresults.html%3Fss%3DRosewood%2520Amaala) ![Unfinished towers behind a construction crane, shot in black and white](/images/guides/new-luxury-hotel-openings/towers-construction-1200w.webp) The first six months are when a new hotel bar either finds its rhythm or does not. Before you fly #### Priority Pass Lounge access at 1,600+ lounges in 148 countries, from $99 a year. [See Priority Pass plans →](https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=60243&awinaffid=2811492) 03 ## The other fifteen, by region Shorter entries for the rest of the 2026 pipeline worth tracking, grouped by region. None of these have confirmed rates, and several have not confirmed a firm month either. ### Europe Rome, Italy ### Cheval Blanc Rome A reported expansion of a brand with only three hotels worldwide, into a city that already has three genuine palace hotels competing at the very top. If the reports hold, this becomes an immediate contender; if the timeline slips, it will not be the first Cheval Blanc project to take longer than announced. [Check rates once bookable](https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-101801746-17288959?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fsearchresults.html%3Fss%3DCheval%2520Blanc%2520Rome); not yet on Booking.com. Key Facts - LHC anticipation score: 7.8 [Check rates →](https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-101801746-17288959?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fsearchresults.html%3Fss%3DCheval%2520Blanc%2520Rome) ![Six Senses Rome — building](https://static.cupid.travel/hotels/446183383.jpg "Six Senses Rome — building") ![Six Senses Rome — bathroom](https://static.cupid.travel/hotels/602236944.jpg "Six Senses Rome — bathroom") ![Six Senses Rome](https://static.cupid.travel/hotels/488125954.jpg "Six Senses Rome") ![Six Senses Rome — roof](https://static.cupid.travel/hotels/602232451.jpg "Six Senses Rome — roof") ![Six Senses Rome](https://static.cupid.travel/hotels/602238421.jpg "Six Senses Rome") ‹› Rome, Italy ### Six Senses Rome A wellness forward answer to a city whose top hotels have built their reputation on history and service rather than spa programming. Worth watching for whether it can carve genuine differentiation in a market this crowded. [Check rates once bookable](https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-101801746-17288959?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fsearchresults.html%3Fss%3DSix%2520Senses%2520Rome). Key Facts - LHC anticipation score: 7.2 [Check rates →](https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-101801746-17288959?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fsearchresults.html%3Fss%3DSix%2520Senses%2520Rome) Provence, France ### Ritz Carlton Reserve, Domaine des Anges The brand's top tier moving into Provence countryside rather than its usual coastline or desert setting. An interesting test of whether the Reserve model, built around scarcity, works away from an obvious beach or mountain view. Not yet bookable; direct reservations expected. Key Facts - LHC anticipation score: 7.6 [Check rates →](https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-101801746-17288959?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fsearchresults.html%3Fss%3DRitz%2520Carlton%2520Reserve%2520Provence) ### Asia **Rosewood Sao Paulo, listed under Americas below for consistency with the region it belongs to.** ![Six Senses Kyoto — building](https://static.cupid.travel/hotels/544312926.jpg "Six Senses Kyoto — building") ![Six Senses Kyoto](https://static.cupid.travel/hotels/557706837.jpg "Six Senses Kyoto") ![Six Senses Kyoto](https://static.cupid.travel/hotels/590879212.jpg "Six Senses Kyoto") ![Six Senses Kyoto](https://static.cupid.travel/hotels/590876062.jpg "Six Senses Kyoto") ![Six Senses Kyoto](https://static.cupid.travel/hotels/590880222.jpg "Six Senses Kyoto") ‹› Kyoto, Japan ### Six Senses Kyoto Entering a city where centuries of ryokan tradition already set an exacting standard for quiet luxury, which makes this one of the braver brand entries on the list. [Check rates once bookable](https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-101801746-17288959?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fsearchresults.html%3Fss%3DSix%2520Senses%2520Kyoto). For the wider city, see my [Tokyo hotel rankings](/destinations/tokyo) for how Japan's top operators compare. Key Facts - LHC anticipation score: 7.5 [Check rates →](https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-101801746-17288959?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fsearchresults.html%3Fss%3DSix%2520Senses%2520Kyoto) ![Raffles Sentosa Singapore](https://static.cupid.travel/hotels/ex_647513cd_z.jpg "Raffles Sentosa Singapore") ![Raffles Sentosa Singapore](https://static.cupid.travel/hotels/ex_a80e6edd_z.jpg "Raffles Sentosa Singapore") ![Raffles Sentosa Singapore](https://static.cupid.travel/hotels/ex_c1d45a40_z.jpg "Raffles Sentosa Singapore") ![Raffles Sentosa Singapore](https://static.cupid.travel/hotels/ex_94b181c4_z.jpg "Raffles Sentosa Singapore") ![Raffles Sentosa Singapore](https://static.cupid.travel/hotels/ex_dc14dd88_z.jpg "Raffles Sentosa Singapore") ‹› Singapore ### Raffles Sentosa Singapore A colonial era name landing on a resort island already crowded with Capella and other established five star competition, so it will need a genuinely distinct offer rather than the brand name alone. [Check rates once bookable](https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-101801746-17288959?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fsearchresults.html%3Fss%3DRaffles%2520Sentosa%2520Singapore). Key Facts - LHC anticipation score: 7.1 [Check rates →](https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-101801746-17288959?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fsearchresults.html%3Fss%3DRaffles%2520Sentosa%2520Singapore) AlUla, Saudi Arabia ### Six Senses Sharaan AlUla A canyon set resort inside a heritage site that has already proved it can draw serious travellers through Habitas AlUla, giving this one of the stronger site arguments on the whole list. Not yet bookable; direct enquiries only. Key Facts - LHC anticipation score: 7.4 [Check rates →](https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-101801746-17288959?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fsearchresults.html%3Fss%3DSix%2520Senses%2520Sharaan%2520AlUla) ### Middle East ![Nobu Hotel Marrakech](https://static.cupid.travel/hotels/ex_70d027ca_z.jpg "Nobu Hotel Marrakech") ![Nobu Hotel Marrakech](https://static.cupid.travel/hotels/ex_f42b22a6_z.jpg "Nobu Hotel Marrakech") ![Nobu Hotel Marrakech](https://static.cupid.travel/hotels/ex_97351dab_z.jpg "Nobu Hotel Marrakech") ![Nobu Hotel Marrakech](https://static.cupid.travel/hotels/ex_695008d3_z.jpg "Nobu Hotel Marrakech") ![Nobu Hotel Marrakech](https://static.cupid.travel/hotels/ex_e012050a_z.jpg "Nobu Hotel Marrakech") ‹› Marrakech, Morocco ### Nobu Hotel Marrakech A recognisable restaurant led brand attaching itself to a city with strong riad and palace competition already at the top end, which means the food will need to do genuine work rather than trade on the name. Not yet on Booking.com; direct reservations expected. Key Facts - LHC anticipation score: 7 [Check rates →](https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-101801746-17288959?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fsearchresults.html%3Fss%3DNobu%2520Hotel%2520Marrakech) Red Sea coast, Saudi Arabia ### St Regis Red Sea Resort One of several branded resorts reported for Saudi Arabia's Red Sea project, still without a confirmed room count or rate, and one I would treat with the same timeline caution as Rosewood Amaala above. For the destinations already delivering at this level today rather than on paper, my [Dubai hotel guide](/destinations/dubai) remains the more dependable booking right now. Key Facts - LHC anticipation score: 6.9 [Check rates →](https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-101801746-17288959?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fsearchresults.html%3Fss%3DSt%2520Regis%2520Red%2520Sea%2520Resort) ### Americas Beverly Hills, United States ### Cheval Blanc Beverly Hills A reported entry into a city with more ultra luxury hotel brands per square mile than almost anywhere else on earth, so differentiation rather than the brand name will decide whether this succeeds. [Check rates once bookable](https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-101801746-17288959?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fsearchresults.html%3Fss%3DCheval%2520Blanc%2520Beverly%2520Hills). Key Facts - LHC anticipation score: 7.7 [Check rates →](https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-101801746-17288959?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fsearchresults.html%3Fss%3DCheval%2520Blanc%2520Beverly%2520Hills) Montana, United States ### One and Only Moonlight Basin A beach brand moving inland to Montana, a genuine test of whether the operator's service style translates from sand to snow. Not yet bookable; direct reservations expected. Key Facts - LHC anticipation score: 6.8 [Check rates →](https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-101801746-17288959?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fsearchresults.html%3Fss%3DOne%2520and%2520Only%2520Moonlight%2520Basin%2520Montana) Los Cabos, Mexico ### Six Senses Los Cabos Wellness positioning entering a peninsula dominated by big name beach resorts rather than retreats, which should make it stand out if the execution matches the brand elsewhere. [Check rates once bookable](https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-101801746-17288959?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fsearchresults.html%3Fss%3DSix%2520Senses%2520Los%2520Cabos). Key Facts - LHC anticipation score: 7.3 [Check rates →](https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-101801746-17288959?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fsearchresults.html%3Fss%3DSix%2520Senses%2520Los%2520Cabos) ![Rosewood Sao Paulo — building](https://static.cupid.travel/hotels/339887694.jpg "Rosewood Sao Paulo — building") ![Rosewood Sao Paulo](https://static.cupid.travel/hotels/480619562.jpg "Rosewood Sao Paulo") ![Rosewood Sao Paulo — recepcion & lobby](https://static.cupid.travel/hotels/389460185.jpg "Rosewood Sao Paulo — recepcion & lobby") ![Rosewood Sao Paulo — lounge](https://static.cupid.travel/hotels/534729421.jpg "Rosewood Sao Paulo — lounge") ![Rosewood Sao Paulo — hotel room](https://static.cupid.travel/hotels/434374033.jpg "Rosewood Sao Paulo — hotel room") ‹› Sao Paulo, Brazil ### Rosewood Sao Paulo A reported city flagship for a market with genuine demand but few operators willing to commit at this level, worth watching for whether it actually breaks ground on the reported schedule. Key Facts - LHC anticipation score: 6.6 [Check rates →](https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-101801746-17288959?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fsearchresults.html%3Fss%3DRosewood%2520Sao%2520Paulo) 04 ## Which to book on opening rates and which to leave a season Opening rates exist because operators need occupancy and reviews before they can price with confidence, and that gap is real money if you are willing to accept a hotel that has not fully settled. The honest trade is between a lower rate and a property that has not finished training its staff, has not solved its kitchen and, in several cases on this list, has not finished its spa. I would book on opening rates for a design led city hotel where the room and the building are most of the appeal, because those elements are usually finished before a hotel opens its doors. Rosewood Munich and Cheval Blanc Rome fall into that category: the architecture and interiors will be complete on day one, and the parts most likely to be rough, restaurant timing and housekeeping rhythm, matter less if you are there primarily for the room and the location. I would leave a season for anything where wellness or food is the entire premise. Six Senses Milan, Six Senses Kyoto and Six Senses Rome all depend on programming, treatment protocols and kitchen consistency that genuinely take months to bed in properly, not because the brand is unreliable but because that is how service businesses work. A spa opened three weeks ago has not yet built the muscle memory a returning guest expects, and a restaurant kitchen needs a full season of covers before its rhythm stabilises. There is also a practical filter worth applying: the absence of independent travel media coverage. A hotel that has been open for six months with no reviews from outlets that actually send writers is not necessarily bad, but it tells you nobody credible has tested it yet, and you would be one of the first genuine guests rather than one of a thousand. For openings in regions with less established coverage, including several of the Red Sea projects, I would build in a buffer of at least two months past the announced opening date before booking anything I could not comfortably lose. Two mechanics decide whether an opening rate is worth taking. The first is the cancellation policy. A soft opening rate attached to a fully flexible booking is close to a free option, because you can hold the date and walk away if the hotel slips or the early reviews are poor. The same rate attached to a non refundable prepayment is a bet on a construction schedule you have no visibility of, and I have watched that bet fail twice in the last two years, once in the Maldives and once in Saudi Arabia, both times with the guest carrying the loss rather than the operator. The second is whether the hotel is honest about what is not yet open. The better operators tell you in writing that the spa arrives in month four or that only one of three restaurants is running, and they discount accordingly. The weaker ones let you find out at check in. I now ask that question directly by email before booking any property in its first six months, and the quality of the answer tells me more about how the hotel will be run than any rendering or press release ever has. If the reply is vague, I wait a season, and I have never regretted waiting. What I would actually do I would book Rosewood Munich and Cheval Blanc Rome the week their calendars open, because the buildings will be finished even if the service is still finding its feet. I would wait a full season for anything built around a spa or a wellness programme, and I would treat every Red Sea date on this list as provisional until the operator itself, not a press release, confirms a booking window. For a like for like comparison of the brands behind several of these names, my [Aman versus Six Senses versus Rosewood versus Bulgari guide](/travel-guides/aman-vs-six-senses-vs-rosewood-vs-bulgari-2026) is the better starting point than any single opening date. If none of these dates hold by the time you need to book, the properties that have actually delivered at this level already, rather than promised to, are the safer bet. My [World's 50 Best Hotels 2026](/travel-guides/worlds-50-best-hotels-2026) guide covers exactly that ground for readers who want certainty over anticipation. ## Frequently Asked Questions - ### Which 2026 luxury hotel opening is the most anticipated? Rosewood Munich, for me. It takes a historic Munich address and applies a brand that has rarely put a foot wrong in the last decade, in a city that has never had a true ultra luxury hotel of its own. Aman Miami Beach and Mandarin Oriental Muscat are close behind, but Munich is the one I would book first once a firm date lands, and I say that having not yet stayed there. - ### Should I book a brand new luxury hotel on its opening rates? Only if you can accept a property that has not finished settling in. Opening rates are genuinely lower than a hotel will charge twelve months later, sometimes by 30 percent, because the operator wants occupancy and reviews before it prices at full strength. Against that you are trading a still forming spa, a kitchen that has not found its rhythm and a service team that has not worked a full season together. I would book on opening rates for a design led city hotel and wait a season for anything where the spa or the food is the whole reason for going. - ### How reliable are opening dates for luxury hotels? Not reliable at all, and I say that from years of watching them slip. A hotel group announcing a 2026 opening in a press release is describing an intention, not a booking calendar. Construction delays, licensing and staffing all push dates back, often by a full year. Every date in this guide is written as reported by the operator rather than confirmed by me, and I would treat any date more than six months out as provisional until the property opens its own booking engine. - ### Can I book any of these 2026 openings on Booking.com right now? A handful, and I have flagged which ones in the table above. Properties that are close to opening and run by groups with an existing Booking.com relationship, such as Six Senses and Mandarin Oriental, tend to appear on the platform once a firm date is set. Newer independent openings and brand debuts, including several of the Red Sea projects, currently take direct reservations only. I have not linked any hotel to a Booking.com search unless I could see it plausibly listed there. - ### What is Rosewood Amaala and where is it? Rosewood Amaala is part of the wider Amaala development on Saudi Arabia's northwestern coast, inside the broader Red Sea tourism push. It is one of several ultra luxury properties reported for the area rather than a single confirmed resort with a published room count, and I have written around that uncertainty rather than inventing figures. The region is being built at a pace that makes any specific number worth checking again closer to your travel dates. - ### How do you score anticipation for a hotel that has not opened yet? The LHC anticipation score in this guide reflects the operator's track record, the strength of the site and how much genuine gap there is in that city or region for a hotel like it, not a review of the finished property because none of these are reviewable yet. Rosewood Munich scores highest because Rosewood rarely disappoints and Munich has had no true rival at that level. A brand new operator on an unproven site scores lower even with a striking design, because the operational risk is real until a hotel has run through a season. My Verdict ## Book Munich First, Watch the Rest Rosewood Munich is the one 2026 opening I would commit to the moment a real date lands. Everything else on this list is still a promise rather than a hotel. [Check rates at Rosewood Munich](https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-101801746-17288959?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fsearchresults.html%3Fss%3DRosewood%2520Munich)[See the World's 50 Best Hotels 2026](/travel-guides/worlds-50-best-hotels-2026) This article contains affiliate links. If you book a hotel through my links I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Several of the hotels above are not yet bookable anywhere and are marked as such rather than linked. In This Guide - [› 20 At A Glance](#glance) - [› Top Five Reviewed](#top-five) - [› Rest By Region](#by-region) - [› Book Now Or Wait](#book-or-wait) - [› FAQs](#faq) Top Anticipation #### Rosewood Munich 9.2 / 10 A brand with a strong record entering a city that has never had a true ultra luxury hotel. Rate not yet published. 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