What’s New, July 2026
JEWEL IN THE CROWN
The Tailor, Australia
The Tailor recommends visitors to eastern Tasmania stay in comfort at the award-winning Saffire Freycinet lodge at the edge of Freycinet National Park and the spectacular Coles Bay. Now, in addition to the carefully tailored experiences on offer, the private in-house restaurant, spa and 20 suites, the lodge is set to unveil a new addition: the three-bedroom Jewel Private Villa, with infinity pool, dedicated chef and concierge team, wine cellar, and a private terrace with BBQ and fire pit, all overlooking the pristine bay and the magnificent Hazard mountains beyond.
GO EAST
Ahipara, New Zealand
The East coast of New Zealand’s South Island is less well-known than the rainforests and glaciers of the West but offers marine wildlife, settler history, and contact with locals intrigued to see international travellers visiting their communities. A new owner-hosted lodge, Tirohanga Nui, has just opened in the charming town of Oamaru, a great spot from which to enjoy activities including canal fishing for salmon and wine tasting in the Waitaki Valley. The three suites each open onto the deck with panoramic views of Oamaru's Whitestone Historic Precinct, the dramatic Kakanui Mountains and of course, the Pacific Ocean.
SOORI TIME
Sticky Rice Travel, Borneo
Admirers of Soori Bali will be delighted to hear of the brand's first opening in Malaysia: the boutique Soori Penang, which brings its signature blend of contemporary minimalism and cultural immersion to the UNESCO-listed streets of George Town. History plays its part, too; the hotel occupies 15 carefully restored shophouses, each decorated with artefacts and family heirlooms. Take bespoke trails through culinary back lanes, heritage quarters, and artists’ studios, ensuring you leave truly knowing the city, rather than having merely passed through.
NORTHERN EXPOSURE
Banyan, India
One of the biggest shifts Banyan is seeing in client requests is a move towards quieter, more remote destinations that offer genuine escape and perspective. Ladakh, in India’s far north, increasingly appeals to travellers looking for dramatic landscapes, walking, culture and a slower pace of travel. Shakti’s Ladakh Village Experience takes guests deep into the region through a series of elegant village houses and camps, combining gentle trekking, monastery visits and exceptional local hospitality in one of the Himalayas’ most spectacular settings.
LOOK AGAIN
ITEM, Türkiye
ITEM is delighted to share that central Türkiye’s Cappadocia region, well known for its chimney-like rock formations and photogenic hot air balloon trips, is offering something new for locals and visitors alike: the first Cappadocia Biennial. Hosted across several villages and running until September, the event is bringing together contemporary art, installations, workshops and performances, all set amid the region’s caves, valleys, and volcanic scenery. A fresh way to experience the region beyond the classic highlights.
FLOWER POWER
PLAN-IT Morocco, Morocco
Plan-it Morocco is known for giving the best recommendations for bars and restaurants in Marrakech, and now have a new gem to add to their roster: Flowers Marrakech has just opened on the rooftop above much-loved local institution Dar Marjana in the heart of the medina. Chef Richard McCormick, formerly of the award-winning Yes Yes Yes in Helsinki, has brought his plant-focused, open-fire cooking to Morocco, using local, seasonal ingredients paired with flavours from around the world, for a rooftop dining experience to rival any in the city.
WATER WORLD
Galavanta, Colombia
When the heat and bustle of Cartagena proves too much, escape to Palacio del Agua, the latest boutique hotel to open in the heart of the Walled City. Airy interiors set around courtyards, fountains and cool pools create a peaceful sanctuary away from urban life, while the rooftop terrace offers unrivalled views over centuries-old cupolas and the Caribbean Sea. Once you’re feeling restored, Plaza de San Pedro Claver is steps away, where the award-winning bar El Barón is the perfect place to people-watch with a well-earned sunset cocktail.
HEALING JOURNEYS
Enigma, Peru
Enigma is exploring a deeper approach to wellness travel, bringing together ancestral knowledge, nature, meditation, sound healing and ceremonial traditions. These carefully tailored experiences may include Ayahuasca, San Pedro ceremonies, flower baths, sacred tobacco preparation and tailored retreat-style programmes, always approached with proper screening, preparation, guidance and integration. Each experience is shaped with care, allowing travellers to slow down, turn their focus inward and connect with Peru’s living healing traditions.
POWDER GRAB
Glove, Argentina | Chile
Heli-skiing the Andes is a unique experience, offering access to terrain few skiers ever reach: vast, wild and largely untouched. Glove can create exhilarating bespoke heli-skiing itineraries to take you far beyond well-mapped runs and crowded resorts. Leaving lifts and lines behind, you’ll fly deep into the mountains for access to untouched slopes, long descents, enviable snow conditions and runs that average more than 5,000 vertical feet of waist-deep powder. Each trip is planned on the back of decades of insider knowledge and experience, getting you to the right place at the right time – and in style.
BEACH BOUTIQUE
Lares, Uruguay
Las Brisas de la Pedrera is a boutique icon reborn in one of Rocha’s oldest beach towns, loved for its wild coastline and laid-back atmosphere. Freshly renovated and under new management, Las Brisas sits less than 100m from the sea, and offers uncomplicated, elegant comfort. The sea-facing rooms are bright and spacious, each with its own terrace, and there’s a palm-fringed garden and pool, as well as a private beach area. The hotel restaurant, Brisas Resto, offers excellent coastal cuisine cooked with local ingredients, and a regional wine list. The perfect beach hideaway.
A NEW CHAPTER
Memories by Valberg, Iceland
Would-be whale watchers have a stylish new 71-room hotel to call home thanks to Northern Iceland’s latest opening, Skáld Hotel Akureyri, part of the Curio Collection by Hilton. Inspired by the country’s literature and storytelling traditions, the hotel is a design-lover’s dream, with bold colours and directional furniture setting the scene for a memorable stay. The in-house restaurant Abba-Labba-Lá, highlights seasonal Northern ingredients, while the bar and North- and South-facing roof terraces offer views over the harbour and surrounding landscape – and possibly even the Northern Lights.