If you love travelling (like us!), you’ll love looking at new hotels or destinations in between trips. The good news? Below are plenty of new resorts and hotel updates to check out for your next getaway. Our updates often include hotel deals here in Singapore, too, for your next staycation fix!
A New Type of Travel
Travellers are rethinking their journeys, choosing nature, mindfulness and authenticity over nightlife and screen time. The recent Global Rescue Traveller Sentiment and Safety Survey reveals that people are increasingly seeking real-world experiences that restore and inspire them. Women and international travellers especially value natural beauty, history and local culture, while hiking, wellness and meaningful exploration came on top of the list of travel motivations; nightlife came last! With the shift comes a preference for quieter, history-rich destinations where travellers find connection, balance and perspective.
Where Mountains Meet the Sea
Newly opened Banyan Tree Zhuhai Phoenix Bay is a tranquil retreat in the coastal city of Zhuhai, Guangdong, where guests can unwind in rooms with ocean or mountain views, relax in private onsens, and enjoy soothing treatments at the Banyan Tree Spa. The resort also serves Fujian and Guangdong cuisine across five dining venues.
In other news for the hotel group, Banyan Tree Krabi is the only resort in Thailand to earn a spot on the annual list of Fodor’s Finest Hotels, which celebrates 100 outstanding hotels worldwide. Judges commended its sustainability, comfort, partnerships with local artisans, and support of eco-friendly practices.
bit.ly/BanyanTreeZhuhaiPhoenixBay
Hound-friendly Hotel
Pets are part of the adventure at the Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa, whose FurKid Retreat allows your four-legged companions to enjoy tailored treats, outdoor dining spaces and even professional photoshoots. It’s a doggo’s dream staycation!
Get Your Glow On
Sofitel’s Candle Experience is available at select properties globally this festive season, transforming hotel rooms into calm sanctuaries glowing with hundreds of LED candles, softly scented air and soothing music. The offering honours Sofitel’s Parisian heritage, reimagining the “City of Lights” in a modern, intimate way, so you can relax and reconnect through moments of peace and reflection. It’s available at Sofitel Singapore, Seoul, Hanoi and Bali.
sofitel.accor.com/en/festive-season.html
A Safari of Imagination
The new Ritz Kids Experience at The RitzCarlton, Bangkok turns family travel into an exciting journey of learning and play. In the hotel’s Lumpini district location, the galaxy-themed Kids Club sparks curiosity with art, cooking and cultural workshops, while the Ritz Kids Safari transforms rooms into cosy safari camps.
Fossil Hunting
In a recent issue of EL, we reviewed the one-of-a-kind safari camp, Samara Karoo Reserve, located in South Africa’s semi-desert Karoo region. Now, you can combine a stay at Samara with a visit to the new Karoo Origins Fossil Centre. Located in the historic town of GraaffReinet, it’s home to the world’s largest public collection of fossils from the Karoo, including over 850 specimens, many unique to the region and found nowhere else on Earth. (Some of them a quarter of a billion years old!) There are also immersive exhibits, life-size recreations and stories of pioneering fossil hunters. The new sixnight offer, “Explore the Greater Karoo”, includes four nights at Samara and two nights in the historic Drostdy Hotel in Graaff-Reinet.
Lakeside Luxury
Grand Hotel Tremezzo and Passalacqua, the iconic sister hotels on the shorefront of Lake Como, have closed for their winter break after a memorable season capped by Passalacqua claiming an amazing fourth spot in The World’s 50 Best Hotels. Both properties will reopen in March, ready to welcome guests once again to experience Como’s charm and grandeur.
grandhoteltremezzo.com | passalacqua.it
Rediscover Tokyo in Style
Park Hyatt Tokyo, the first Park Hyatt in Asia (and well known as the setting for the film Lost in Translation) is reopening after a full property refinement that began in 2024. Set across the 39th to 52nd floors of the Shinjuku Park Tower, the hotel offers views of central Tokyo and Mt Fuji. Guests will discover redesigned guest rooms and suites, refreshed dining venues such as Girandole by Alain Ducasse, and iconic spaces including New York Grill & Bar, Kozue and The Library.
City Staycays
Looking for a great escape in the heart of Singapore? Grand Park City Hall, a five-star hotel in the Civic District (a short walk from City Hall MRT), is currently offering curated experiences for both couples and families keen for relaxation and adventure.
The Epicurean Retreat Package is ideal for couples, combining gourmet dining with cultural exploration. Enjoy a three-course dinner at the acclaimed Tablescape Restaurant, complemented by tickets to the nearby Asian Civilisations Museum, so you can take in some of the region’s artistic heritage before retreating to your elegantly appointed room.
Meanwhile, the hotel’s local retro themed Family Suites offer lots of space plus playful and engaging décor, with two interconnecting rooms for a fun and comfy stay for kids and parents alike. Each stay includes tickets to the Peranakan Museum, providing a hands-on, educational experience that will delight little ones. It’s a great way to combine comfort, culture and family bonding in one stay.
If that’s not enough to have you locking in your next staycation, you can also get up to 38 percent off the best flexible rates at Grand Park City Hall by using the discount code “GOVACAY”: just head to bit.ly/46JWe6G to book!
parkhotelgroup.com/grand-park-city-hall
Timeless Traditions
For centuries, the Mosuo people of Lugu Lake, China, Traditions have lived by matrilineal traditions that shape every part of daily life. Today, a newly opened luxury hotel called The ArcadiaPlace brings those stories to life through thoughtful design, custom-made furnishings, and a setting surrounded by sacred mountains and jade-green waters. Discover the “walking marriage” customs of the region, and admire the artistry of its women at China’s first Museum of Women’s Art. You can also dine on reimagined local recipes and learn crafts with villagers.
Sky-High Angkor View
As the dry season in Cambodia sets in, visitors have the chance to see Angkor Wat from the sky with a hot air balloon adventure. The experience is organised by Cambodia Balloon Adventures in collaboration with Anantara Angkor Resort. From above, travellers can take in the vast temple complex and its surrounding landscape in a way that is both peaceful and striking. The flights are best enjoyed during the cool, clear mornings or evenings.
Osaka Stay
Japan’s third-largest city is still buzzing after hosting World Expo this year; to see the place for yourself, take advantage of a special offer at Zentis Osaka, timed to coincide with the hotel’s fifth anniversary. The “Go Osaka” package gives guests two nights of accommodation, daily breakfast, a signature cocktail, a dinner menu, and a commemorative tote bag. It also highlights sustainability with inventive drinks and locally sourced dishes, while also encouraging visitors to explore Osaka’s waterways and cultural districts. Available until 31 March 2026.
Upcoming For Fiji
Kerzner International Holdings, together with BSP Life, has announced that the first One&Only resort and community of private residences will open in Fiji in 2029 – and homes are on sale from this month. The project will rise on Nacula Island in the Yasawa archipelago, with the aim of highlighting Fiji as a hub for tourism and investment while respecting the land’s heritage. Designed with ecological care and inspired by Fijian culture, the 127-acre beachfront site will feature villas, culinary spaces, wellness facilities and 20 private residences.
New in Seoul
The Westin Seoul Parnas officially opened its doors in the Gangnam district in September. The property follows the success of The Westin Josun Seoul and Busan, expanding the group’s presence in Korea. Designed with wellness in mind, the hotel offers 564 rooms, diverse dining experiences, a panoramic top-floor lounge, a large scale fitness club, and a ballroom for major events.
Seaside Sanctuary in Cam Ranh
Newly opened in Vietnam’s scenic central coast is the JW Marriott Cam Ranh Bay Resort & Spa. Set on Bai Dai Beach, the resort’s 203 rooms – many with private pools – blend modern elegance with cultural influences of the region. You can enjoy direct access to the beach, considered by many to be one of Vietnam’s best, thanks to its soft sand and turquoise waters. There’s also the chance to discover pottery traditions, enjoy diverse dining, explore gardens or relax at the spa.
Wellness In The Wilderness
The family-owned Samara Karoo Reserve in South Africa’s Great Karoo semi-desert region is opening a bush spa. Part of the lodge facilities, the spa is tucked along a footpath that winds through indigenous vegetation, with a treatment room featuring African-chic décor that can be fully opened to the outdoors. A shaded deck overlooks a waterhole and the magnificent Milk River Valley, where spa-goers can spot wildlife while enjoying an African foot reflexology massage. The spa menu will include a range of treatments – from massages, aromatherapy and body exfoliations to nourishing wraps and beauty therapies – all using Healing Earth products, a South African brand renowned for its sustainable, nature-based approach.
Liked this? See our Travel section for stories on destinations in the region and beyond.
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