Follow Belmond in one feed. This hub gathers the latest news and developments across the LVMH-owned luxury travel and hotel group, curated from trusted sources. Stay on top of a distinctive name in luxury hospitality and trains.
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French Bloom marks fifth anniversary with four non-alcoholic sparkling wine cuvées following LVMH acquisition
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7 November 2026🥂 Constance Jablonski and Maggie Frerejean-Taittinger launched French Bloom in 2021 after 70 recipe tests over one year, creating premium non-alcoholic sparkling wines for more inclusive celebrations. Inspired by Frerejean-Taittinger’s pregnancy in 2019, the brand now offers four cuvées and has been acquired by LVMH. Its fifth anniversary celebration took place aboard Belmond’s British Pullman Celia carriage, designed by Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin. Frerejean-Taittinger has moved to the US to expand the market.
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Inaugural HITEC Paris Panel Examines AI Risks as Approximately One in Ten Dutch Hospitality Businesses Use AI
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5 November 2026🏨 RX Global and HFTP brought the first HITEC Paris to EquipHotel in Paris, France, examining hospitality’s digital transformation. Research presented by Dr. Alexander Schmidt suggests only about 10% of Dutch hospitality businesses use AI. Panelists assessed adoption across three dimensions: operational efficiency, employee experience and guest experience. They urged hotels to own their data, connect fragmented systems and preserve human service, warning that AI intermediaries could weaken control over guest relationships.
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HFTP Announces 2026–2027 Global Executive Committee and Board of Directors, Led by President Andrew Buwalda
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5 November 2026🏨 HFTP announced its 2026–2027 global leadership at its annual convention in Reno, Nevada. Global President Andrew Buwalda of Freed Corp. leads a six-member executive committee alongside 11 listed directors, supporting education, professional growth and innovation in hospitality finance and technology. Established in 1952, the nonprofit is headquartered in Austin, Texas, with offices in the EU and India. Its combined websites attract more than 140,000 visitors monthly.
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HFTP Announces 2027 HITEC North America Advisory Council for June 28–July 1 Conference in Orlando
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4 November 2026💻 HFTP announced its 2027 HITEC North America Advisory Council, chaired by Scot Campbell with vice chair Jeff Parker. The council will guide education and programming for HITEC, June 28–July 1, 2027, at Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center. The hospitality technology event features 400+ exhibiting companies and 50+ educational sessions addressing current and emerging industry challenges. Founded in 1952, HFTP is a nonprofit headquartered in Austin, Texas.
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Luxury Frontiers’ Graeme Labe advocates regenerative hospitality design to restore ecosystems and support local communities
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2 November 2026🌿; Luxury Frontiers, founded in 2011, uses regenerative hospitality design to support ecosystems and local communities. At Kenya’s Kitirua Plains Lodge near Amboseli National Park, solar panels supply energy, greywater irrigates grounds and local artisans furnish interiors. In South Africa’s Babanango Game Reserve, invasive black wattle becomes woven lodge walls, creating recurring artisan work. Costa Rica’s Nekajui uses tents prefabricated in South Africa to reduce on-site waste and forest-floor disturbance.
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Mandarin Oriental Tops LTI’s 2023 World’s Best Luxury Hotel Brands List with 81.1% Score
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27 October 2026🏨 LTI’s annual ranking of the World’s Best Luxury Hotel Brands evaluated 20 brands across 134 key touchpoints, achieving a top score of 4,792. Mandarin Oriental secured the first place with 81.1%, followed by Oetker at 80.6% and Bulgari at 80.2%. This year saw an increase from 15 to 20 brands, with new entries including Capella and Airelles. Rankings are based on brand ethos, management quality, and investment efficiency, reflecting the luxury hotel sector’s dynamic landscape.
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La Réserve Firenze Opens Six Luxury Serviced Apartments in a Restored 15th-Century Palace in Florence
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20 October 2026🏠 La Réserve Firenze, a Renaissance palace in Florence’s Oltrarno district, was acquired by Olivia and Grégory Marciano in 2022 and restored over four years. The palace houses six serviced apartments, ranging from 170 to 210 sqm, including a 205 sqm duplex with a 55 sqm terrace. Opening is scheduled for October 16, 2026. The apartments blend luxury and intimacy, with services like a private chef. Florence sees a luxury hospitality boom, with numerous high-end hotel openings planned.
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Over 40% of Hotel Bookings Were Made on Mobile in 2021, Underscoring Mobile-First Website Priorities
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16 October 2026🏨 Hotels and restaurants face a mobile-first market: over 7.1 billion people worldwide used mobile devices in 2022, and over 40% of hotel bookings were made on mobile in 2021. The article highlights 10 website trends, including AI personalization, QR codes, conversational tools, eco-design, storytelling, dark mode, creative scrolling, video and instant messaging. Faster websites, fewer booking steps, and Apple Pay or Google Pay can streamline reservations, while personalized content helps increase direct revenue.
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The Indigo Road Hospitality Group Appoints Catherine Woods as Chief Marketing Officer in Charleston
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14 October 2026📑 Catherine Woods is appointed as Chief Marketing Officer at The Indigo Road Hospitality Group (IRHG) in Charleston, South Carolina. She will report to founder Steve Palmer and lead marketing for IRHG’s diverse hospitality sectors. With over 16 years of experience, Woods previously held roles at Belmond and Beemok Hospitality Collection. Her focus will include brand development, strategy, and storytelling to advance IRHG’s growth objectives and highlight the individuality of each brand.
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Amélie Thiriet Appointed CEO of Orient Express Amid Accor-LVMH Strategic Partnership, Overseeing Expansion and Operations
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13 October 2026🛩 Amélie Thiriet, from LVMH, becomes CEO of Orient Express, succeeding Gilda Perez-Alvarado. In April 2025, Orient Express La Minerva opened in Rome. Upcoming projects include the Orient Express Venezia hotel, the La Dolce Vita train (2027), and two sailing yachts. A strategic partnership was formed between Accor and LVMH in June 2024. The brand is transitioning from planning to operations, with a focus on generating revenue from new assets.
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The Thesis Behind Slow Luxury: Why Belmond Treats Time As The Product
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2 October 2026Dan Ruff has spent nearly two decades moving through hospitality, from investment banking and real estate into the CEO seat at Belmond, the luxury hotel, train, and river cruise group known for iconic properties including the Hotel Cipriani, Copacabana Palace, Hotel Splendido, and the Venice Simplon Orient Express. Dan joined Belmond just before LVMH completed its acquisition of the hospitality company in 2019, and since then has led the transition into Belmond’s next chapter. In this conversation, Dan lays out…
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Accor, Etihad, and MSC Lead Mobile Hospitality Innovation with Luxury Yacht, Aircraft, and Cruise Offerings
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1 October 2026🛡️ Accor’s Orient Express Corinthian, a 220-meter yacht, launched April 29, 2026, sails the Mediterranean with 54 suites for 110 passengers. Air France’s La Première suite, launched April 8, 2025, offers 3.5 sqm suites on 19 aircraft by year-end 2026. Belmond’s Britannic Explorer train, from July 21, 2025, charges £11,000 for three nights. Etihad’s A380 suite, ‘The Residence,’ resumed in 2023. MSC Group launched Explora III in July 2026, heading toward hydrogen-powered ships. Rotel Tours, founded 1945, celebrated its 80th…
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Nox Mobility Launches Hamburg-Munich Night Train with First Departure in March 2027, Tickets from €65
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30 September 2026🚄 Nox Mobility unveiled its first carriage on September 23, 2023, at InnoTrans in Berlin, launching ticket sales for its Hamburg-Munich route starting March 23, 2027. Tickets start at €65, covering business travelers who opt for flights. Founded in 2025 by Thibault Constant and others, Nox raised €2 million in April from IBB Ventures. It leases 1980s carriages and plans a Zurich-Berlin route by December 2027. In 2024, 1.2 million flew this route.
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Prestige Restaurants Boost Luxury Hotel Occupancy by 6.7% and Revenue by 18.6%, Reports JLL Analysis
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24 September 2026🍴 Luxury and upper-upscale hotels with a prestige restaurant show a 6.7% higher occupancy and 18.6% more revenue per room than those without. 60% of luxury travelers prioritize hotels with excellent dining, with positive reviews soaring 40% in a year. The Eastern & Oriental Express train, relaunched in 2024, features chef André Chiang’s culinary program with guest chefs like Simon Rogan. WATG’s 2026 report highlights hotel eateries as “third spaces” vital for stabilizing cash flow.
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Rosewood Hong Kong Named World’s Best Hotel for Second Year in 2026 Ranking by World’s 50 Best Hotels
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16 September 2026🏨 Rosewood Hong Kong tops the World’s 50 Best Hotels 2026 list, announced on September 15 in Paris, for the second year. Capella Bangkok ranks second, with Four Seasons Bangkok third. Atlantis The Royal, Dubai is fourth, and Passalacqua, Lake Como is fifth. Asia dominates with 18 hotels; Europe has 21. Rosewood São Paulo is the top in South America at sixth. The ranking, in its fourth year, is decided by an academy of over 800 experts across 13 regions.
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Ansty Hall Completes First Phase of Renovation with Seven Redesigned Rooms, Totaling 63 Guestrooms Under Exclusive Collection
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3 September 2026🏨 In 2023, Ansty Hall in Warwickshire, a 17th-century property under Exclusive Collection, unveiled seven renovated bedrooms in phase one of a broader refurbishment. Two signature rooms, Leofric and Whittle, were created in partnership with Russell Sage Studio, while five others were redesigned with Trevillion Interiors. The total number of guestrooms is now 63. The refurbishment continues through 2027, celebrating local history and craftsmanship, and aims to offer a luxurious and meaningful guest experience.
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La Residencia, A Belmond Hotel in Mallorca, Launches Artist Residency with Loewe Foundation Craft Prize Finalists
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21 August 2026🎨 In 2023, Mallorca’s La Residencia collaborates with Loewe, hosting artist Kaori Juzu in a two-month residency. Juzu, nominated for the 2023 Loewe Foundation Craft Prize, creates intricate metalwork using bent copper and powdered enamel. Her notable piece features 108 tiny compositions, significant in Japanese Buddhism. The hotel continues its artist residency program into 2024, hosting previous Loewe Craft Prize participants like Deirdre McLoughlin, highlighting Mallorca’s allure for artists since the 19th century.
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Expedia’s $7.4 Billion Marketing Includes $5,000 Minimum for Mid-Tier Creators, Sees Demand Surge by 70%
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17 August 2026📰 April 2026, Expedia sent livestreamer Darren Jason Watkins Jr through five Caribbean countries in 12 hours. Sint Maarten’s search demand rose 70%, Guadeloupe’s by 50%. Watkins boasts 50 million followers on both YouTube and Twitch. In 2025, the average creator’s income was $44,000, with one in nine earning six figures. Mid-tier creator Gabby Beckford demands at least $5,000 per post. Hotels like Claridge’s filter creators’ requests for free stays, emphasizing creator fit over reach.
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Mirapolis Amusement Park, Opened in 1987, Closed in 1991 After Failing to Meet Visitor and Financial Targets
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11 August 2026🎡 Architect Anne Fourcade conceived Mirapolis in 1980, opening on May 20, 1987, in Courdimanche, France. Despite initial expectations of 2.5 million visitors annually, only 600,000 visited in the first year, leading to a 20 million franc deficit. The park closed on October 20, 1991, after 5 seasons, with losses of 300 million francs. Future projects, including Uxco Group’s 2023 proposal, face environmental reviews and community relocation challenges. The Île-de-France authority flagged issues in July 2024.
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Hotel Cipriani in Venice Undergoes Renovation by Peter Marino, Adding Dior Spa and Redesigned Suites
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11 August 2026🏨 Venice’s Hotel Cipriani, a Belmond Hotel, built in 1956 on Giudecca island, celebrates 70 years as a luxury icon. Recent renovations by Peter Marino, starting in 2018, introduced a Dior Spa and revamped Oro restaurant. The hotel offers rooms from 21 to 105 square meters, with suites featuring unique Venetian elements. Notably, it houses Venice’s only Olympic-sized seawater pool. The lush Casanova Gardens and signature Bellinis remain guest favorites at this retreat from Piazza San Marco’s crowds.
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Hotels are no longer selling rooms. Here’s what that means
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10 August 2026This article was written by Shiji Insights. Click here to read the original article What are hotels actually selling? For a long time, the answer was straightforward. Rooms carried the business. Most of the technology investment followed, focused on distribution, pricing, and occupancy. It made sense. It was measurable, controllable, and commercially critical. But that clarity is starting to fade. Guests don’t remember the room in isolation, and hotels don’t operate as simply as their systems sometimes suggest. Restaurants, experiences, service, and everything that happens between them are where…
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Italy’s Hotel Scene Expands with Noteworthy New Openings and Restorations Set for 2026 Across Iconic Locations
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29 July 2026🏨 Italian hotel scene for 2026 features exciting new openings and restorations. In the Dolomites, Hotel Ambra Cortina d’Ampezzo debuts a HiFi Bar & Lounge, while Rosapetra Spa Resort introduces the Henge Suite with a private sauna and terrace. Florence’s Villa San Michele reopens with a new Guerlain spa. Lake Como’s Casabianca adds artistic suites, and the Lake Como Edition stands out with 148 rooms. Rome sees Casa JK Place with 12 apartments in May. Venice’s Danieli relaunches in August,…
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Louis Vuitton Hotel Will Not Open
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2 June 2026For more than two years, one of the most discussed hospitality projects in Paris was the rumored arrival of the world’s first Louis Vuitton hotel. Located at 103-111 Avenue des Champs-Élysées, the project generated intense speculation across the luxury, hospitality, and travel industries. Now, that speculation has come to an end. According to reporting from La Revue des Hôtels, Bernard Arnault personally confirmed that Louis Vuitton will not enter the hotel business through the Champs-Élysées project, putting an end to…
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Maroma Hotel Reduces Waste and Supports Local Communities Through Local Sourcing and Zero-Waste Practices
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5 May 2026🌿 Osvaldo emphasizes local sourcing at Maroma, partnering with Sian Ka’an lobster fishers and local farmers to reduce packaging waste. Freddy’s Bar follows a zero-waste cocktail philosophy, maximizing ingredient use. Since March 2024, Maroma donated 610.25 kg of surplus food (2,034 portions) to Contando con un Amigo, aiding 80+ children in Playa del Carmen. In 2025, Maroma’s Bee School will educate on bee conservation and climate issues, highlighting community and environmental impact.
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Minor Hotels Launches Anantara Private Jet Journeys, Expanding Luxury Travel to Remote Resorts by 2027
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30 April 2026✈ Anantara Private Jet Journeys, announced by Ian Di Tullio, CCO of Minor Hotels, offers luxury air travel to remote resorts. Routes include the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Kenya, and Tanzania. This initiative aligns with a growing demand for seamless, immersive travel experiences. Minor Hotels plans to expand from over 560 properties to add 300 more by 2027, alongside launching two new brands to enhance its Anantara brand.
