Welcome to The Luxury Check In’s guide to where to go in 2026. As travel industry insiders, we’re tuned into the places that are long overdue for a visit and are just starting to build serious buzz. We’re sharing with you under-the-radar destinations that will be all over your feed by 2027, so you can get there before the crowds do. Let’s get you checked in.
Slovenia
I visited Slovenia in a few years ago, and was blown away by this underrated country. The capital city, Ljubljana, is just as charming as Rome or Paris, complete with cobblestoned streets and sidewalk cafes, but there were no crowds even in peak season.
The scenery in the countryside is even more stunning. Although the country is most famous for Lake Bled and its postcard-perfect island church, but the real showstopper are the towering Julian Alps.
I remember finishing a long hike through the mountains before coming back to Ljubljana and spontaneously booking a table for a mind-blowing Michelin-starred dinner, the kind of experience you’d have to plan months in advance for in other more popular European cities. All this to say, go now to experience Ljubljana before it’s discovered.
Hot New Luxury Hotel: The highly anticipated 1 Hotel Ljubljana will bring the brand’s signature sustainable-luxury style to the capital, with nature-forward design, a rooftop urban retreat, and easy access to Slovenia’s emerging culinary scene.
Indian Himalayas, India
The Indian Himalayas are quickly emerging as a top luxury destination for 2026, thanks to a shift toward high end travel centered around meaning, culture, and nature rather than theatrics. This region ranked number one on American Express Travel’s Trending Destinations list, driven by rising demand for wellness-focused escapes, spiritual immersion, and high-altitude adventures. If you’re looking for serenity, authenticity, and the feeling of being somewhere that still feels undiscovered, this is the place.
Hot New Luxury Hotel: Lamrin Norwood Green, Palampur, is one of the most anticipated hotels opening in 2026. This retreat offers a slow mountain life experience set within the historic Bundla Tea Estate in Himachal Pradesh. The property is designed for guests who want genuine connection to nature, cultural immersion through the local tea culture, and seclusion in a stunning Himalayan setting.
Colombia
Colombia is expanding its upscale hotel capacity, with its pipeline including over 30 new projects encompassing more than 3,600 rooms scheduled to open by 2026.
The investment is focused on urban centers, particularly Cartagena and Medellín. Key openings include the Four Seasons Hotel and Residences Cartagena (131 keys, restoring a 16th-century convent in Getsemaní) and the 150-room Mama Shelter Medellín in the El Poblado neighborhood.
Hot New Luxury Hotel: The Four Seasons Cartagena is slated to open in 2026 within restored 16th- and 20th-century buildings in Getsemaní, complete with a rooftop pool and sweeping Caribbean views.
Côte d’Azur & Île de Bendor, France
The south of France remains timeless, but 2026 brings a fresh wave of luxury development, particularly the revival of private island tourism. Strong demand for quieter, more curated escapes is shifting traveler focus beyond Saint-Tropez and Cannes toward elegant and unexpected private enclaves.
Enter the Zannier Bendor resort on Île de Bendor, a tiny Provençal island scheduled to debut on May 1, 2026. The property, which features a 93-key boutique hotel, is the culmination of a five-year transformation by Zannier Hotels and the Ricard family, reimagining the site as a sanctuary of wellness, gastronomy, and design. It’s the Riviera without the performative beach clubs—still glamorous, but in a way that whispers instead of shouts.
Hot New Luxury Hotel: The private island hotel Zannier Hotels Bendor is expected to open in 2026.
Kyoto, Japan
Kyoto’s allure comes from a cultural calendar that never changes (and never needs to). The city’s biggest draws, its festivals, rituals, and seasonal traditions, have been happening on the same schedule for centuries. Unlike many destinations that rely on trendy pop-ups or constantly refreshed events to stay interesting, Kyoto’s cultural rhythm is already perfected. Travelers know that every year they can experience Gion Matsuri in July, Aoi Matsuri in May, autumn leaves at their peak in November, and cherry blossoms in early spring.
The city is also leaning into immersive culture with the newly rebranded Uzumasa Kyoto Village, an Edo-style town offering hands-on arts, crafts, and evening programs tailored to people who believe “vacation” and “learning things” can coexist. And of course, high-end access remains king: private tea ceremonies in Gion, multi-century-old kaiseki restaurants, and an overall focus on heritage over hype.
Hot New Luxury Hotel: When Capella Kyoto opens in 2026, it will be a 92-suite masterpiece inspired by traditional machiya, with onsen-style baths and serene, artful interiors.
Phu Quoc, Vietnam
Phu Quoc is shedding its backpacker past and transforming into a polished luxury island. With Vietnam’s hospitality investment soaring, the island now blends nature with elevated design — the kind of place where white-sand beaches meet world-class spas and architecture that celebrates local craftsmanship.
The shift is timely: travelers are looking for Southeast Asian escapes that feel refined but still grounded in culture. Phu Quoc offers that balance, with a growing roster of high-end restaurants, nature tours, and resorts that feel far from the crowds.
Hot New Luxury Hotel: Park Hyatt Phu Quoc will bring modern Vietnamese architecture and a lakeside spa to the region when it opens in 2026.
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean has long been the gold standard for castaway fantasies, but 2026 marks a distinct evolution in how we experience paradise. The focus has shifted from simple seclusion to a more curated, design-forward ethos, particularly across the Maldives, Seychelles, and Mozambique.
This year’s most anticipated openings are reimagining island living with a lighter footprint: think solar-powered private enclaves, architecture that mimics the local topography, and sea-to-table dining that redefines the concept of fresh.
Hot New Luxury Hotel: Opening in 2026, Bulgari Resort Ranfushi will be a couture island escape designed by Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel. Located in the Maldives, the property will feature 54 villas, high-end dining, and Bulgari’s signature spa.
