Luxury travel news from around the world (August 2025)

Sep 5 2025

Welcome to our latest round-up of luxury travel news. With the luxury travel market expected to reach $2.15 trillion by 2035, driven largely by Europe and North America, it’s perhaps no surprise that developments within the industry continue unabated. Read on to learn some of the latest luxury happenings from around the globe.

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) is taking a further major step in making its guests’ air travel experience even more personal and even more flexible. As part of its broader new SWISS Senses cabin and service concept, the airline is introducing its new SWISS First Grand Suite, which is specifically aimed at top premium travelers who attach high value to space, calm and privacy, be it for business or personal reasons. The new Grand Suite offers SWISS First guests a truly exclusive air travel experience that provides absolute privacy and can be totally tailored to their individual wishes and needs.

The new SWISS First Grand Suite allows two adjoining First Class suites including the aisle to be combined into a single extensive and exclusively secluded loft to provide additional room for couples traveling together, families or business travelers. The combined private area, which also features over 1.8-meter-high walls, can be used for any of various functions. And be it as a workplace, a restaurant or a bedroom, this extensive space enables its occupants to spend their flight free and undisturbed within their own exclusive zone. The new SWISS First Grand Suite offers maximum privacy, space and individuality. Plus, of course, all the usual delights of SWISS’s outstanding First Class service, tailored even more precisely to the guests’ individual rhythm on board.

InterContinental Singapore proudly announces a global-first partnership with NuCalm, a cutting-edge, neuroscience-based wellness technology designed to support deep rest, stress recovery, and peak mental performance. This revolutionary offering marks a bold step in redefining restorative travel in the luxury space.

As the first IHG property worldwide to integrate NuCalm’s full Sleep Performance Suite, including the acclaimed DeepSleep program, InterContinental Singapore transforms every guestroom into a personalised haven for physical and mental rejuvenation. NuCalm uses neuroacoustic software and patented frequency modulation to gently guide the brain into desired states of relaxation, focus, or deep sleep; empowering guests to recover from jet lag, prepare for important meetings, or prioritise self-care while travelling.

Anantara Spa, celebrated for its refined wellness experiences that honour authentic cultural traditions, is partnering with award-winning British skincare brand ELEMIS. Together, they will bring ELEMIS’ high-performance treatments and innovative formulas, backed by clinical trials, to Anantara Spa locations in some of Europe’s most inspiring destinations including Vienna, Amsterdam, Dublin, Marbella, Nice, Budapest, Amalfi, Tenerife and Lisbon.

This collaboration marries Anantara Spa’s holistic, experience-led philosophy with ELEMIS’ science, nature and skin wisdom. The outcome is a seamless blend of signature hands-on therapies and advanced, results-driven treatments designed to boost skin health, restore balance, and leave guests feeling radiant inside and out. More than half of the participating spas will offer the pioneering ELEMIS Expert Tech Facials. These facials combine ground-breaking technology with active ingredients and transformative touch to rejuvenate the complexion.

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Hyatt Hotels has announced the debut of Retreats by World of Hyatt, a limited-time collection of immersive wellbeing journeys across several U.S. destinations. Rooted in Hyatt’s signature approach to care, each multi-day getaway is thoughtfully crafted to inspire community, discovery and rejuvenation through restorative settings and holistic programming – all offered in seamless, easy-to-book packages designed to nourish the mind, body and spirit.

Set in awe-inspiring destinations, each retreat combines expert-led programming with the healing power of the outdoors. From desert yoga to red-rock canyoneering to ocean views strength training, these three- and four-day getaways offer intimate space for reconnection and self-discovery.

Think sailing with Windstar Cruises requires a full week? Windstar is now offering “Quick Getaways”, a new collection of 3- to 5-night European yacht voyages launching in spring 2026. These short-but-sweet journeys bring together a mix of iconic cities and tucked-away ports that rarely fit into one itinerary — all with the same relaxed, friendly atmosphere you’ll find on every Windstar voyage.

With nine departure dates and five fresh itineraries, these escapes punch way above their weight — perfect for squeezing in more without depleting paid time off. Quick Getaways take guests to places most cruises can’t — from sailing under London’s Tower Bridge, a rare thrill reserved for small ships, to sipping wine in tucked-away Collioure

IHG has unveiled the signing of a Vignette Collection property in Ho Chi Minh City.The 52-key hotel will join IHG’s fast-growing Luxury & Lifestyle portfolio when it opens its doors to domestic and international guests – including IHG One Rewards members – in Vietnam later this year.

As the second Vignette Collection property signed in the country, after Moire Hoi An, Vignette Collection – By IHG, and the first of the brand to open in Ho Chi Minh City, it will join a growing collection of 23 open hotels and 38 pipeline properties globally.

Explora Journeys, the luxury ocean travel brand of the MSC Group, has announced the launch of the Sky & Sea fare, an innovative fare designed to provide a seamless travel experience from the moment guests depart from their departure airport to the moment they step on board. Guests from the UK, Netherlands, Spain, France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Canada, the USA, and Australia can enjoy a seamless booking experience that integrates flight arrangements, offering key routes from major airports in each country to the Journey’s embarkation and disembarkation ports. The Sky & Sea fare allows customisation including upgrades and alternative domestic departure airports.

Sky & Sea simplifies every aspect of the Journey by combining international flights, hotel stays when required, private transfers from airport to hotel and port, and 24/7 dedicated guest support into one effortless package.

The Ritz-Carlton is offering a new era of luxury hospitality in Kenya with the highly anticipated opening of the brand’s first luxury safari camp. The Ritz-Carlton, Masai Mara Safari Camp brings the brand’s legendary service and elegant style to the heart of the Masai Mara National Reserve, one of Africa’s most celebrated wildlife conservation regions.

Nestled on the banks of the Sand River, just steps from the Kenya-Tanzania border, the secluded camp promises a front-row seat to one of nature’s most awe-inspiring spectacles—the Great Migration. From July to October, millions of wildebeest and zebra travel between the Serengeti and Masai Mara in search of fresh grazing, a breathtaking display of survival and instinct. Beyond the migration season, the reserve is home to abundant wildlife, including the Big Five—lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, and buffalo— and more than 500 bird species, which can be viewed throughout the year.

Now onboard, Emirates is inviting First Class customers to savour the rare Dom Pérignon Rosé Vintage 2009 Champagne, served across all routes departing Dubai. The celebrated vintage has consistently received exceptionally high ratings and will be offered in First Class over the next few months. Through an exclusive partnership with Moët Hennessy, Emirates is the only airline to access this special vintage directly from the winery.

Emirates serves Dom Pérignon Vintage to First Class customers across all global routes, but also regularly presents special vintages, offering an opportunity to sample some of the rarest and most coveted wines and champagne in the world – such as the Dom Pérignon Rosé Vintage 2009.

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts are setting a new standard for sound across their 96 hotels and resorts globally through a newly curated partnership with Devialet. The global leader in luxury sound technology will further elevate Fairmont’s signature guest experience, with cutting-edge audio innovation. Serving as the sound solution provider across Fairmont’s iconic global destinations, Devialet will further develop a series of guest touchpoints at partner properties including enhancing the Fairmont Gold, in-room and in-lobby experiences; providing a hand-picked range of audio products available for purchase at the Fairmont Store; as well as Making Special Happen in audio through special Fairmont pop-ups and events throughout the year.

This new partnership underscores Fairmont’s longstanding connection to music and culture – a relationship that has transformed its hotels into legendary stages for some of the world’s greatest performers, including David Bowie, Ella Fitzgerald, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Igor Stravinsky, Tony Bennett, and Louis Armstrong. This new collaboration with Devialet builds on this rich legacy, bringing state-of-the-art sound experiences that allow guests to feel, not just hear, the music that defines Fairmont’s history.

EXP 15, Bentley Motors’ newest design vision, has made its public debut at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. While not intended for production, the imposing and innovative grand tourer provides hints to the design of future Bentleys including the brand’s keenly anticipated first fully electric car.

Diriyah Company has announced the launch of the Aman Residences, Amansamar in Wadi Safar adding to the already impressive portfolio of branded residential opportunities on offer by Diriyah. Set on plots starting from 9,000 sqm, the villas offer privacy, expansive living, and access to world-class amenities such as the Greg Norman-designed championship golf course, the Royal Diriyah Equestrian and Polo Club, an Aman Spa with a hammam and banya, a Racquet Club, pools, curated dining and an invitation to join the global Aman Club.

The Aman-branded Residences in Wadi Safar will be located alongside the 80 key Aman hotel that together comprise the ultra-luxury Amansamar destination and what will be the first Aman Residences in Saudi Arabia.

Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) is delighted to reveal its new Wellbeing Collection. A thoughtfully chosen selection of just 15 luxury hotels across the globe that go beyond the spa to provide soulful sanctuaries designed to restore the body, mind and spirit. The Wellbeing Collection celebrates hotels where wellness is not just a service or trend, but wellbeing is a way of life. They are destinations of depth, where environment, design, service and philosophy work in harmony to enable guests to pause, reconnect with what matters and leave feeling inspired to live more resilient, balanced lives.

In today’s overstimulated, always-on world, meaningful rest has become both a luxury and a necessity, with travel emerging as one of the most powerful tools to support holistic recovery.

Hotel Chais Monnet & Spa invites guests to embrace Cognac’s heritage with a trio of exclusive packages that showcase the region’s world-renowned and namesake spirit, gourmet cuisine and the history of the Charente. In collaboration with three prestigious local Cognac houses, these unique experiences combine authentic countryside living with behind-the-scenes access to centuries-old cellars and guided tastings.

Ideal for lovers of craftsmanship and connoisseurs of Cognac, this weekend escape dives into the sophisticated world of Cognac, with VIP access to an iconic maison and indulgent gastronomic pairings.

Meliá Hotels International, Spain’s leading hotel group, is advancing its expansion strategy with a major milestone in Latin America: the signing of an exclusive hotel in Lima, Peru. Operating under The Meliá Collection brand, this property will be the company’s first luxury hotel in the Andean country and one of its most iconic projects in the region.

Located in the heart of Lima’s historic centre —designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site— the hotel will be surrounded by rich cultural and architectural heritage. Just steps from the Plaza de Armas, Lima Cathedral, and the Government Palace, the new The Meliá Collection Lima will offer guests an authentic luxury experience deeply rooted in the city’s history and identity. Built on the site known as Casa de la Pila —named after an old fountain topped by the Virgin of the Waters, venerated for centuries and now preserved in the Church of El Sagrario— the location was a gathering place for Lima’s intellectuals and home to the Thalia Club between the 17th and 19th centuries. In 1839, it hosted the early days of the newspaper El Comercio, and over time, the site has become steeped in stories and legends. Today, restorer Cirilo Bernui Tafur is leading its full restoration.

Capella Hotels and Resorts has opened its doors in Macau for the first time, introducing its distinctive approach to bespoke luxury. The soft opening of Capella at Galaxy Macau, currently offering stays and previews of its food and beverage concepts exclusively by invitation to select guests, represents a significant addition to the region’s luxury hospitality landscape.

Tropical-inspired design reflects dynamism, local geography and heritage conceived by Paris-based Moinard Bétaille, the hotel showcases a luxurious tropical jungle theme inspired by the green hills and water elements of Macau. Each of the 17 floors blends the city’s spirit with lush, immersive atmospheres that evoke Macau’s adventurous spirit and rich history. The lobby features a remarkable immersive digital art wall portraying this theme with a contemporary twist.

In a move that’s set to redefine the pinnacle of French Riviera glamour, Bernard Arnault, the visionary behind luxury titan LVMH, has acquired the legendary Hôtel Cap Estel in Èze. The stunning five-star property, perched on a secluded two-hectare peninsula between Monaco and Cap-Ferrat, was sold for an estimated €200 million. The deal sets a new benchmark in European luxury hospitality and solidifies Arnault’s expanding portfolio of exclusive properties, ensuring that this historic hideaway continues to be a jewel in the crown of the Côte d’Azur’s elite travel destinations.

Deep in the emerald hills of Northern Thailand, nestled within a lush box canyon just outside Chiang Rai, lies one of the region’s most extraordinary elephant havens. The protected wilderness that is Tatvani is home to a small family of Asian elephants who live freely, safely, and with dignity – far from the noise and exploitation of traditional tourism. Created in collaboration with the Karen Hill Tribe, whose generations-long relationship with elephants is rooted in mutual respect, the project offers an ethical, immersive way to witness elephants in their natural rhythm. Here, they are not pets. They are not props. They are family.

These gentle giants roam unrestrained for over 95% of their day, exploring bamboo thickets, riverbanks, and shaded forest paths. They are never ridden, never chained, and every interaction with Tatvani guests is entirely on their terms. Visitors may have the rare chance to walk alongside them, help with feeding, or simply observe quietly as the elephants socialise, forage, or enjoy a dust bath in the afternoon sun.

Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai unveils its newly refurbished One-Bedroom Villas and Family Villas, revealing a renewed expression of luxury beachfront living in central Vietnam. A total of 60 villa units will be available for booking, with the final phase of renovation currently underway. At present, 43 villas are open for guests to enjoy, while the remaining 17 villas are expected to be completed by mid-December 2025.

Transformed by Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA) Singapore, the villas reaffirm the spirit of the original design by architect Reda Amalou of Paris-based AW2 and late interior designer Jaya Ibrahim, introducing contemporary refinements while preserving the essential character that has defined the Resort since its inception. With open views of tropical gardens and the East Sea, the revamped villas are designed for couples and families seeking space, stillness and a deeper connection to the surrounding natural beauty.

Ker & Downey® Africa, a leading luxury travel company headquartered in Cape Town, South Africa, has launched its latest safari, an epic Mad Max-inspired adventure in some of Namibia’s most remote and breathtaking destinations. Mad Max is a cult-classic action film series set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland where society has collapsed and survival hinges on scarce resources, speed, and brute force. The original 1979 film introduces Max Rockatansky, a former police officer turned lone drifter, who seeks vengeance after violent marauders destroy his family. Later installments, especially Mad Max: Fury Road, expand this world into an anarchic desert ruled by warlords, punctuated by fierce car chases, surreal costumes, and vast, elemental landscapes.

It is these elemental landscapes that travelers will be able to explore on Ker & Downey® Africa’s new Mad Max safari, including Sossusvlei’s sweeping sand dunes, the rugged mountains and vast plains of Kaokoland, and the majestic Damaraland, known for its dramatic desert landscapes and ancient rock art. Guests will enjoy a mixture of traditional game drives, private chartered flights, hot-air balloon rides, and dune driving, to name just a few of the exhilarating experiences on offer.

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Paul Johnson

Paul Johnson is Editor of A Luxury Travel Blog and has worked in the travel industry for more than 30 years. He is Winner of the Innovations in Travel ‘Best Travel Influencer’ Award from WIRED magazine. In addition to other awards, the blog has also been voted “one of the world’s best travel blogs” and “best for luxury” by The Telegraph.