What's New

Explora Journeys has officially ushered in a new era of ocean travel with the launch of EXPLORA III. Following her naming ceremony in Barcelona, this extraordinary floating boutique hotel has set sail on her Maiden Voyage to Lisbon before charting a course through the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, Greenland, the Caribbean, and Alaska. As the fleet’s first LNG-powered vessel equipped with dual-fuel engines, EXPLORA III blends modern decarbonization technology with refined luxury, featuring an expanded length of 19.2 meters (63 ft) to offer more open-air deck space and an impressive 19.5 square meters (210 sq ft) of public space per guest.

Onboard, spatial freedom and design take center stage across 461 ocean-front suites, penthouses, and residences. A standout highlight is the addition of a second Owner’s Residence—a 315-square-meter (3,391 sq ft) sanctuary crafted by world-renowned designer Patricia Urquiola, complete with a private marble steam room, outdoor whirlpool, and custom Italian furnishings. Beyond the private living quarters, guests can gather in the re-envisioned double-height Lobby atrium with cascading Venini chandeliers, or unwind beneath the retractable glass roof at The Conservatory Pool & Bar.

The journey continues through a reimagined array of dining, wellness, and family amenities. EXPLORA III introduces three new culinary concepts—including Shore Club on 11 and The Chef’s Table—alongside an outdoor cigar lounge and high-end retail partnerships with Cartier and Chopard. Dedicated to total restoration, the expanded 726-square-meter (7,815 sq ft) Ocean Wellness sanctuary pairs hydrotherapy and the new low-frequency Sava Sound Pod with active spaces like a full-size padel court and Reform Pilates studio, while tailored Nautilus Clubs ensure younger travelers are welcomed without compromising the ship’s serene atmosphere.

Celebrating four decades as a global leader in tailor-made travel, luxury tour operator Scott Dunn has marked its 40th anniversary with the launch of its new ‘Full Circle’ collection—a series of curated itineraries that revisit the iconic backpacker routes of Southeast Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, the US Southwest, and Latin America. Designed for seasoned travellers returning to the formative destinations of their youth, these journeys reimagine the classic 1980s and 90s gap year experience.

The collection deliberately moves beyond simple hotel upgrades, focusing instead on deeper cultural immersion, seamless execution, and a more considered pace. Guests can trade overnight buses and roadside motels for vintage Vespa street food tours in Hanoi, private longtail boat rides through Bangkok’s canals, luxury canvas camps beneath the stars in Utah, and fine dining paired with condensed Inca Trail hikes in Peru. Across every destination, the classic sights are elevated through exclusive, local-led access, from private storytelling sessions with a US Marine Corps Navajo Code Talker to crowd-free sunrise breakfasts at Laos’s Kuang Si Waterfalls and private Ganga Puja rituals along the Ganges in Varanasi.

As Scott Dunn looks to the future, this anniversary collection reflects the brand’s enduring commitment to genuine destination expertise, meticulous planning, and intuitive personal service. By contrasting the chaotic spontaneity of youthful travel with today’s desire for slow, responsible, and meaningful discovery, the ‘Full Circle’ itineraries offer a fresh lens on familiar landscapes. In Southeast Asia, ethical elephant encounters in Chiang Mai replace commercial tourism; in Nepal, intense mountain treks give way to reflective journeys through the Annapurna foothills focused on community engagement; and in Bolivia, basic high-altitude lodgings are traded for luxury Airstream campers positioned on the Uyuni Salt Flats for world-class stargazing. Whether exploring the hidden artisan workshops of Hoi An or connecting with Aymara communities on Lake Titicaca, Scott Dunn’s latest portfolio invites travellers to revisit the places that first sparked their passion for exploration—backed by forty years of travel expertise and round-the-clock global support.

Hotels with History officially kicked off Season Two last night with an intimate celebration at The Lowell on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. The host, Richard, entertained the room with his signature humor and storytelling, keeping guests partying late into the evening. The launch marks the release of the season opener on the Waldorf Astoria, tracing the iconic hotel’s origins from a bitter Gilded Age family feud to its rise as the unofficial palace of New York high society.

What began as a niche concept has quickly built a massive audience, with Season One surpassing 100,000 listeners and the new release following the same rapid trajectory. The new eight-episode season takes listeners on a global tour of historic luxury, stopping at legendary properties like Eden Rock in St. Barths, Mount Nelson in Cape Town, Grand Hotel Tremezzo on Lake Como, The Breakers in Palm Beach, The Mandarin Oriental in Bangkok, and The Adlon in Berlin.

Special thanks go out to the team at The Lowell for hosting a memorable evening and to everyone who came out to mark the milestone. Listeners can catch up on all available episodes of Season Two by visiting hotelswithhistory.com or tuning in on major podcast platforms.

The performative era of luxury travel is officially over, giving way to a new paradigm defined by substance, discretion, and effortless ease. According to Perowne International’s latest Mid-Year Trend Report, high-net-worth travelers are actively rejecting social media posturing, algorithmic recommendations, and logistical friction. Instead, artificial intelligence has sparked a massive resurgence in human Super Agents tasked with curating hyper-personalized escapes, while crowded trophy destinations are losing ground to well-connected secondary cities that offer seamless, stress-free travel. At the same time, top-tier hospitality brands are rewriting the rules of creator partnerships, favoring quiet cultural relevance and guest discretion over mass reach and staged photos.

This shift toward tangible value is also transforming wellness and luxury accommodation. After years dominated by invisible stats like sleep scores and cell metrics, the wellness pendulum is swinging back to medical-grade, visible aesthetic results that guests can instantly see and feel. Meanwhile, the ocean has become the new frontier for land-based service, highlighted by pioneer brands like Explora Journeys and heavyweights like Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons, Aman, and Orient Express launching hotel-branded superyachts. These floating hotel rooms allow loyalists to wake up to a new destination every morning without airport queues or repacking, proving that the ultimate luxury isn’t about flexing on a feed, it’s about depth, seamless design, and unmatched convenience.

Marking its official arrival as the latest addition to the Perowne portfolio, El Cortés has opened its gates in the heart of Mexico City’s vibrant Roma Norte neighborhood. The boutique property—originally a historic presidential residence—has undergone a meticulous restoration that honors its architectural legacy. Tucked away among the neighborhood’s celebrated tree-lined streets, independent galleries, and design studios, the hotel preserves its striking Art Nouveau facades, hand-carved moldings, and original marble finishes. Each of its 15 highly personalized rooms and suites acts as a gallery of contemporary Mexican talent, balancing historical preservation with modern artistic design.

The hotel’s culinary anchor, Lotti, has already established itself as a standout in Mexico City’s highly competitive dining scene. Led by chef Luc Liebster, the destination restaurant features European-inspired cooking shaped by personal memories and deeply grounded in local Mexican ingredients. Combining historic elegance with a fresh, contemporary pulse, El Cortés delivers the intimate, design-forward retreat that Roma Norte has long been missing.

In celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, boutique hospitality group Auric Road has launched two major July debuts across the American West, reinforcing its commitment to restoring and stewarding historic properties. In Big Sky, Montana, the historic Lone Mountain Ranch—fresh off its cover feature in Condé Nast Traveler’s July/August issue—has unveiled Bison Lodge, its newest and largest accommodation. Perched on a scenic ridge overlooking the valley, this 5,000-square-foot private mountain residence hosts up to 16 guests and features six king bedrooms, expansive indoor-outdoor living spaces, a dedicated game room, and a private heated pool and sauna, all framed by panoramic mountain views.

Simultaneously, in Southern California, Palm Springs’ historic Korakia Pensione is debuting a brand-new spa and wellness enclave alongside an outdoor fitness area. Inspired by the elemental desert landscape—incorporating the themes of sun, mountain winds, fault lines, and geothermal waters—the new sanctuary is designed to elevate the body’s natural restorative process. Guests will be guided through a curated sequence of dry heat, wet sauna, exfoliation, massage, aromatherapy, and facial treatments. Together, these dual openings showcase Auric Road’s dedication to creating deeply authentic destinations shaped by local character, layered history, and a strong connection to their natural surroundings.