Blog

The Kayan Wellness Festival is set to return to Fahid Island, Abu Dhabi, from 6 to 8 February 2026, reaffirming its position as one of the Middle East’s most compelling wellness-led travel experiences.

Following a widely celebrated debut, the three-day festival will once again transform Fahid Island into a sanctuary of movement, mindfulness, creativity and connection, drawing global thought leaders, practitioners and conscious travellers to the UAE capital. The 2026 edition builds on last year’s momentum with an expanded programme across immersive zones dedicated to the mind, body, heart and soul, alongside the much-anticipated Longevity Hub where science and holistic wellbeing converge.

Hyatt Hotels Corporation has announced the opening of Kennedy 89, a design-forward, full-service hotel in Frankfurt’s vibrant Sachsenhausen district and the latest addition to The Unbound Collection by Hyatt brand in Germany. The hotel introduces a sophisticated new interpretation of luxury in one of Frankfurt’s most culturally rich neighborhoods.

Hyatt Hotels Corporation have announced the opening of Andaz One Bangkok this December 19th, 2025 – a distinctive new lifestyle hotel for curious urban travelers seeking to make the most of the Thai capital.  Andaz One Bangkok is part of One Bangkok, the largest holistically integrated district at the Heart of Bangkok, which comprises workplaces, retail zones, luxury residences, hotels, art and culture, expansive open and green spaces, and a world-class LIVE entertainment arena.  It will complement Andaz Pattaya Jomtien Beach as the second Andaz branded hotel in Thailand.

Fairview Hotel Nairobi – one of Africa’s most cherished heritage hotels – is joining Vignette Collection, a growing family of one-of-a-kind hotels in destinations to remember. The 99-room boutique hotel, affectionally known as Upper Hill’s living garden hotel, represents the brand’s first in Africa and first on the continent to join IHG Hotels & Resorts’ leading Luxury & Lifestyle portfolio, now the second largest in the world.

Central to Vignette Collection is the balance of individuality and belonging, with each property unique in its identity yet united by the shared vision to offer a more authentic way to travel. Fairview Hotel Nairobi is a rare urban oasis, offering the next generation of thoughtful venturer serenity in the heart of the city.

IHG Hotels & Resorts (IHG) proudly announces its biggest new-build hotel agreement in Japan near Universal Studios Japan (USJ), in partnership with Sakurajima Kaihatsu LLC, a consortium of four companies: Kajima Corporation, JAPAN POST REAL ESTATE Co., Ltd., SMFL MIRAI Partners Company, Limited, and Keihanshin Building Co., Ltd.

Celebrating the agreement at the recent groundbreaking in Konohana-ku, Osaka, the project marks IHG’s first triple-branded hotel development in Japan.

IHG Hotels & Resorts, one of the world’s leading hotel companies, has announced the signing of a franchise agreement with Sirayane Hospitality, a local high end hospitality investor and operator with over twenty years’ experience in Marrakech, to develop Kimpton Marrakech, a 67-key luxury lifestyle hotel opening in Q4 2026. The signing marks the introduction of the Kimpton brand in Morocco, further expanding IHG’s luxury and lifestyle footprint in the country.

As the 50th anniversary of Agatha Christie’s death approaches on 12 January 2026, Original Travel reports surging interest in the Nile and their Steam Ship Sudan, on which Christie sailed in 1933 – a journey that inspired one of Hercule Poirot’s most famous cases.

As the sole UK operator of the SS Sudan, the specialists in tailor-made travel reveals that fans are now booking years in advance to secure a place on the Nile steamer – especially the sought-after Agatha Christie Cabin, where the author stayed with her husband, archaeologist Max Mallowan.

Travellers to Barbados seeking more than just sea, sun and sand can now experience genuine Bajan life through the relaunch of the “Dine with a Bajan” community tourism programme. Presented by Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI), this unique initiative invites visitors to savour authentic Barbadian cuisine while enjoying the warmth and hospitality of local families in their own homes.

Alila Villas Uluwatu invites guests to an extraordinary three-day culinary residency at CIRE with Michelin-starred Chef Stéphane Carrade, a celebrated gastronomic figure from Gascony, region of France’s South West, revered for its deep culinary heritage. From 15 to 17 January 2026, CIRE becomes the stage for a rare dining series shaped by a chef whose craft is rooted in terroir, memory, and the quiet poetry of the ingredients he chooses to honour.

Cannubi by Umberto Bombana at Dusit International’s reimagined flagship hotel, Dusit Thani Bangkok, has been awarded One Michelin Star in The Michelin Guide Thailand 2026 – the first time an Italian restaurant in Thailand has received the distinction.