Where to stay 2026

If your list of ‘some-day’ destinations is growing ever longer, 2026 is the time to start ticking things off. Maybe a classic like Athens or Paris, where there’s always something new to discover; or less-travelled corners like Rwanda’s gorilla-roamed wilds, Bhutan’s temples and magical mythology, or cheering on the World Cup in Missouri. There’s a lot of world to go round, and with new and notable hotels landing on Smith every week, consider this guide to where to stay in 2026 your boarding call.

PARIS

FRANCE

Paris never gets old — and neither does our choice of luxury and boutique hotels in the French capital. A designer clutch of new arrivals is piquing our interest for boulevard strolls, museum hopping, Montmartre wanders and candlelit bistro nights. Hôtel Balzac is a gold-standard addition in the stately 8th — a Haussmannian mansion stay just steps from the Champs-Élysées, with a Japanese-themed spa and Thirties-inspired interiors. In Pigalle, Maison Souquet Hotel & Spa is a classic of another genre; its brocade-adorned boudoirs and hammam-toting spa playfully evoking the building’s past as a maison close (or house of ill repute). Its sister stay, Maison Proust, is another lit hit in the Marais, with gilded furnishings and sumptuous velvets. Meanwhile, family stories play out over the connecting rooms and apartments of Hôtel Noucha in the quiet, residential 16th: staying a little out of the centre is indeed rewarding, as 17th arrondissement stay La Fondation’s spa, sports club, rooftop bar and generously sized rooms so capably testify.

ALGARVE

PORTUGAL

The Algarve is a holiday stalwart for its mild climate, but now there’s even more reason to visit: a new hotel from the group that gave us Cap Rocat and Vermelho Melides. The 18th-century Palácio de Tavira is in the namesake fishing town, which is well off the tourist trail and shows a more authentic side of the Algarve. On a sleepy square near the Gilão River, this aristocratic address has been revived with two pools on the rooftop and a restaurant where you can dine on seafood straight from the Atlantic. Tavira’s cobbled lanes, Roman bridge and castle walls are scenic fodder for morning strolls; be sure to arrange a trip to meet the flamingos and spoonbills of Ria Formosa Natural Park, which is a patchwork of salt pans, inlets and lagoons.

OAXACA

MEXICO

It’s not just the tacos and margs perpetually tempting us to Oaxaca — the hotels are at it too, with a steady flow of architectural-marvel additions to the shores and jungles of the Mexican state. One such showpiece is La Valise Mazunte on the coastline close to its namesake beach town, with just a handful of open-air villas strung along the cliffs above the Pacific, plus a Brutalist villa designed by Mexican architect Alberto Kalach. Just south of Puerto Escondido, sustainable stay Kymaia Hotel has cenotes in some of its rooms, and a wellness focus featuring shamans, temazcales and ice baths. Hotel Humano in laidback La Punta promises Palomas on the rooftop, sunrise yoga, sauna sessions and a slow, surfer-approved pace of life as you explore the bars and beaches.

ATHENS

GREECE

Ancient Athens may be grittier than its more polished Continental counterparts, but it’s a city that demands you keep digging deeper. There’s nothing antiquated about its hotel scene, with new arrivals constantly pushing progress and encouraging return visits. Emerald Hotel Athens has taken over a townhouse in the thick of it between Syntagma and Monastiraki, with a Mediterranean restaurant, courtyard bar and just five rooms. Over by the Temple of Zeus, Monastik Living in Athina is as serene as it sounds, promising Parthenon views from its hillside setting in the relaxed Mets neighbourhood.

The Greek capital is nothing if not sprawling, so it’s worth devoting some time to the outer suburbs, including Kifissia to the north — which has a smart shopping and dining scene, thanks to its popularity with weekending inner-city dwellers — where you’ll find The Twentyone.

PUGLIA

ITALY

Puglia has always been Italy’s sun-drenched answer to the good life, but in 2026 its charms feel particularly irresistible, thanks to two newcomers raising the bar (one serving Negronis, no doubt). Clink glasses like Marcello Mastroianni and Sophia Loren in the dapper Chiostro Bar at Vista Ostuni: a hotel with one eye towards the sea, the other towards the Città Bianca, Ostuni’s dreamlike hilltop citadel. Further south in Salento, adults-only Palazzo Piccinno offers a different flavour of indulgence. This noble residence reborn has a hidden-away courtyard garden (complete with pool), sculptural lighting and neogothic interiors that blend modern polish and centuries-old character.

KANSAS CITY

USA

We’re not in Kansas, Toto, but we want to be. The World Cup is coming to town in 2026, with 16 pan-North American locations sure to add a dash of excitement to trips in the vicinity. One host destination is Kansas City in Missouri — in the Arts District south of Downtown, Crossroads Hotel is the ideal neighbour, providing a meeting place for KC creatives with gallery spaces in its huge atrium, tattoo-parlour pop-ups and artworks by locals even appearing on the pizza boxes. Amid its contemporary cool, you’ll find historic intrigue, too: it’s set in the old Pabst Brewing Depot, rumoured to have been a hideout for bootleggers during Prohibition.

SOMERSET AND THE COTSWOLDS

UNITED KINGDOM

No-one would accuse the UK’s greenest bits of being action-packed, but it’s all go in Gloucestershire and the West Country in 2026. Hyll Hotel in Chipping Camden is holding its own quiet design revolution. Its home, Charingworth Manor, dates back to the 14th-century, but the beautiful set-dressing within — all hushed tones and soft edges — feels as fresh as the chef’s take on rural Brit cuisine.

Meanwhile, you can celebrate the USA’s 250th birthday in the unlikeliest of places, Number One Bruton: set in the namesake village that legendary American writer John Steinbeck once called his home, this Somerset stay has taken the bones of a mediaeval forge and Georgian townhouse and built something very stylish indeed. You’ll see nods to the scribe throughout your stay. And, just a 10-minute drive away and exclusive to Smith is The Newt — a Edenic assortment of gardens, meadows and orchards, where guests are split between Georgian Hadspen House and its farm, ready to dive into its ‘cyder’ mill, bakery and ‘temple to meat’ (aka The Newt’s onsite butchery). Dynamic in concept, a gentle Arcadian dream in practice.

STOCKHOLM

SWEDEN

We say Stockholm — but for 2026 we’re actually eyeing an islet in the Swedish capital’s ’burbs: Lidingö lies northeast of the city in the inner archipelago, and although it’s a locally loved yacht spot in summer, it’s not the choice of moorings that’s compelling us to drop anchor. Smith-approved Ellery Beach House bears a Scandi-by-way-of-Palm-Springs aesthetic, with an adults-only beach club, a choice of cabana-edged heated pools and restorative spa. When you’re done sipping, dipping and dozing, leave your retro-attired room and explore this forested island’s lakes and Baltic-lapped beaches. It’s wildly beautiful, but not too remote — tram and subway connections (or a ferry) can whisk you seamlessly into the city for your urban fix.

NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR

CANADA

Each spring, flocks of sunshine-hued birds, some flying for thousands of miles, migrate to Trinity, a Newfoundland toytown sprinkled with rainbow-hued saltbox houses. Since the arrival of home-style stay Warblers at Trinity — named for the winged adventurers — humans have followed suit. Here, the former survives while the latter thrive. There are choice eats (seafood boils on the private wharf, foraged berries, and the use of a chef-quality kitchen with its own smoker); adaptive skills to learn (boatbuilding, blacksmithing); and very-well-feathered nests (two cosy-as-can-be houses built in the local vernacular). If this kind of coastal perch suits you, take wing and head north to Newfoundland’s equally immersive Fogo Island Inn.

EAST COAST USA

Reroute from the classic Cali road trip and — like the pilgrims — set a course for New England. Puritanical notions are left in the dust though, as we start this indulgent journey at Connecticut’s Belden House & Mews (sister to Upstate New York stay Troutbeck) — a 19th-century residence given a sensitive update, while keeping the butler service and leisurely lifestyle of spa spoiling, poolside cocktails and art trails. Then embrace not-so-rugged rusticity at The Cabins at Hutton Brickyards in Hudson Valley, where you’ll sleep amid oaks and maples, sauna beside the water and do none of the labour the hotel’s name hints at.

Prospect Berkshires is similarly woodsy: pack performative plaid for getting out into the green (both hiking and exploring the region’s legal-cannabis culture) and matching your fit to the feel in the farm-led restaurant. Park up for a final stop in New Hampshire at Under Canvas White Mountains, where your accommodation turns into a (more tricked-out than scout) tent, overlooking the grand-finale landmark.

GUATAPÉ

COLOMBIA

Mushrooms are set to continue as a trend come 2026, with lion’s mane juicing up nootropic shots, mycelium shaping sustainable interiors, and Bosko in Colombia giving you the chance to stay in one like a Beatrix Potter character. The canvas-capped domes of the hotel’s luxurious treehouses pop up from Guatapé’s Andean forest canopy, and its on-high sky pools each have a fairy ring of oyster-shroom-esque parasols. As you’d expect from a fungus-forward stay, nature is the main distraction here, with 50-plus species of birds to spot, clear mountain waterways to kayak and islets to hop — so you’ll feel as rooted in the earth as its design inspo.

PUNAKHA

BHUTAN

Looking for a capital-A adventure in 2026? With a nickname like ‘Land of the Thunder Dragon’, Bhutan roars ‘big trip’. Stay at Pemako Punakha hotel and you’ll be quickly immersed in local lore — a lama (priest) welcomes you with chants and bells, colourful prayer flags flutter throughout and legendary designer Bill Bensley has made intentional choices in colour and style, referencing history and myth. You’ll be swept up in stories of mountain temples and spoilt with ancient herbal spa rituals; and days end with truly authentic dining, right down to the clay cooking pots and wooden bowls. So, if Bhutan’s been unticked on your list, get all fired up to book.

RWANDA

Cast your eyes over almost anyone’s must-visit list and there’s a high chance you’ll see ‘safari’ featuring somewhere near the top. It’s a trend that’s stood the test of time for good reason, and with a lion’s share of community-minded camps now scattered across East Africa’s reserves, animal sightings can be all the more sustainable. Wilderness Bisate and Wilderness Magashi Peninsula are a duo of Rwandan camps that form an adventurous itinerary between the primate-packed north and Big Five-prowled east. Alternatively, swing between One&Only Gorilla’s Nest and One&Only Nyungwe House, set in the same two parks as their Wilderness counterparts and offering a similarly inviting blend of prime game sightings and creature comforts.

TIVAT

MONTENEGRO

Are you someone who can’t resist straightening a pile of coffee-table books until their edges are neatly aligned? Montenegro’s Siro Boka Place — whose neat, modern interiors are framed by a precisely angled architecture — might just be the wellness retreat for you. Its 1,600-square-metre gym and Recovery Lab with cryo chambers and vibroacoustic pods are designed to achieve measurable results. Rooms combine performance and comfort, with temperature-regulated beds, soundproofing and yoga nooks. Even the food is conceived with high-minded purpose, whether it’s the plates of healthy, Med-grown produce at Siro Table or delicious, low-alcohol cocktails by the Adriatic. You can see the effort that’s been put in; the hotel demands the same from you if you truly want that New Year you, but rewards in equal measure.

MIAMI

USA

With Miami dubbed the ‘Magic City’ after repeat visitors noticed how quickly it had expanded between trips, it’s unsurprising that hot-shot new openings are a frequent affair there. But the recent renovation of one older institution in particular has drawn our attention. Over at South Beach, The Shelborne by Proper — an emblem of the MiMo design movement, once frequented by Frank Sinatra — has been rebranded with mid-century-modern interiors, private beach access and a seafood-focused restaurant. A little further along Collins Avenue, Soho Beach House is set in an art deco manse of equal stature and adds sultry Latino flair to the celebrated brand’s staple frills. Ocean Drive might be typically Floridian, but The Betsy South Beach adds a Southern accent, with a façade that looks straight out of Savannah and plenty of peachy charm throughout.

QUEENSTOWN

NEW ZEALAND

Queenstown has never been short on drama — its glaciers, peaks and lakes all vie for your attention — but adventure-offering hideaway Roki Collection Queenstown manages to hold its own in the panoramic sweepstakes. This polished newcomer takes the Alpine lodge blueprint and gives it a high-design glow-up: fireplaces that beg for a post-hike pinot, suites with cinematic lake views, and interiors that welcome urban sophisticates to the bush. Dining is elevated under the direction of executive chef Paul Froggatt, who brings European technique to locally sourced Kiwi produce in three distinct venues — from fine dining at Essence to laid-back lakeside fare on The Terrace. The spa, meanwhile, is a central character in this blockbuster, with treatments such as the supposed-to-be-a-surprise ‘Rewild’, which we’re told involves a trip on a helicopter.

SOUTH OF FRANCE

In a few select corners of French hospitality, there’s been a quiet shift from spectacle to substance: certain owners are investing in subtle, place-specific upgrades such as restored antiques, chef-driven micro-menus and curated local experiences. One such hotel is Le Saint-Rémy in Provence, which glides between rustic charm and Riviera chic; all honeyed stone, earthy tones and rattan furnishings. Further along the Côte d’Azur, Villa Belrose surveys the Bay of Saint-Tropez from its opulent tiered frontage, but this is luxury with a whisper, not a shout — the lifestyle of the Fifties riviera channelled without fuss.

TAIPEI

TAIWAN

Deemed the ‘beautiful island’ by the Portuguese, Taiwan’s capital has long mastered the art of quiet reinvention, with a steady flow of contemporary architecture crafting its mountain-wrapped skyline since the 1970s. But head deeper into its districts for the city’s more authentic side, punctuated with quaint, lantern-lit streets and night markets frequented by locals. It’s a contrast you’ll find embraced at Capella Taipei: towering views and a top-floor pool wave to the city’s fellow high-rise residents, while t’ai chi master Tang and other in-house ‘culturists’ give guided demonstrations, tours and tea ceremonies. Taipei’s street vendors are local legends, but you’ll also have five restaurants to float between, dishing up everything from Cantonese classics to dim sum and sushi.

MALLORCA

SPAIN

Mallorca has many strings to its Balearic bow, and it’s now added three more. Hotel Son Xotano brings a slice of Provençal life to the island’s rural heartland. Rooms are beautiful, but alfresco living is the deal here, with breakfasts served poolside, a yoga deck, locally sourced dinners on the terrace and bucolic hiking trails. You’ll get a similar outdoorsy fix at 17th-century finca La Reserva Rotana, with its vineyard-laced setting, opportunities for tennis matches — nearby Manacor is Rafael Nadal’s hometown — and golf course. In contrast to the isle’s country retreats, Aethos Mallorca overlooks golden calas on Mallorca’s south coast. Its pool terrace is dotted with pink parasols, a rooftop terrace hosts curated events, and a bay-backdropped restaurant is just the spot for lingering lunches.

MAINLAND SPAIN

Although its temperatures don’t always comply, Spain gives being sunny year-round a good stab, and is constantly warm in spirit thanks to its vibrant, Castilian culture. In Madrid, Casa Faraona hotel is a microcosm of the capital’s rich heritage: set behind Puerta de Alcalá by Retiro Park, it’s home to eight, art-adorned residences and a well-renowned flamenco club. At Heritage Madrid Hotel, in the north of the neighbourhood, interiors are elegant with Belle Époque antiques and objets d’art, but a Salamanca-scoping terrace is what truly elevates this townhouse.

Further south, in Andalucian territory, Cristine Bedfor Sevilla puts on a show, too — its neo-Mudéjar building was once home to a theatre and flamenco school. Today, this polished stay brings the drama with its intricate tilework and vintage treasures. The casco antiguo (old town) is on your doorstep for more architectural wonders and lively shows, followed by cocktail-laced encores by the hotel’s rooftop pool and in its sociable courtyard.

FUJAIRAH

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

If Arabian nights appeal for 2026, allow us to introduce you to Fujairah, the easternmost of the United Arab Emirates. Quietly gaining traction as an alternative to the bright lights of Dubai, Fujairah claims the country’s sole strip of coast on the Gulf of Oman, where the coral reefs and green-turtle population make it a prime diving destination. Naama Beach Villas & Spa is Smith’s first stay in the emirate, poised on the Gulf at Al Aqah, where the starkly beautiful Hajar Mountains loom up to the rear. You’ll bed down in villas that blend mid-century modern and Arabic designs, with private pools and round-the-clock butler service — keeping you well supplied with yakitori skewers, Dibba Bay oysters and bowls of hibiscus sorbet.

NEVADA AND CALIFORNIA

USA

You get the best of both worlds — or rather states — at family-friendly Edgewood Tahoe Resort: it’s a stone’s throw from Nevada’s border with California, and its surf-and-turf setting — between Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada — lends itself naturally to all-seasons sojourns. Summer watersports give way to shuttles to nearby Heavenly ski village in winter; but a golf course, boosts at the spa’s Oxygen Bar and daily activities (from morning yoga to evening gigs in the lounge) are year-round fixes. Days here tend to be marked by alfresco outings, but downtime is equally prized.

TANZANIA

For 2026, our binoculars are firmly trained on a pride of new-to-Smith upscale camps — many of which are in Tanzania, and all of which come with B Corp credentials. In a nutshell, these stays positively impact the landscapes and communities that are their raison d’être. Our collaborator is Asilia Africa and a trio of Tanzanian destinations is your intro to these sustainability-focused outposts. Both Namiri Plains and Sayari Camp are in Serengeti National Park and offer staffed ‘Retreats’ with private safari vehicles, as well as tented suites that also score highly for comfort. To the south, in baobab-dotted Ruaha National Park, plentiful predator sightings and all-frills lodgings are both on the cards at Asilia’s Jabali Ridge camp. Each all-inclusive escape comes with seamless service, scheduled game drives, spa treatments and swimming pools — making your trip to the wilds of Africa tame in all the right places.

WACO, TEXAS

USA

Dallas has its oil money, Austin has its intriguing weirdness, but Texan city Waco has Dr Pepper. The fizzy drink was invented here in 1885, but you’ll find more than caffeine in a can to pep you up — say, an alluring combination of urban pleasures and outdoors pursuits that’ll prompt a (stetson) hat tip. Start with a spree at Magnolia Market; extend your wanders to Art Center Waco and the Martin Museum of Art and pop into the Dr Pepper Museum to quench your curiosity. Hiking and biking trails that ribbon up to bluffs overlooking the Bosque and Brazos Rivers are fresh-air favourites.

Two Smith-approved stays in this Texan city bolster its appeal. Opt for the colourfully maximalist decor and polished restaurant of Hotel Herringbone, housed in an industrial complex that’s constructed partially from shipping containers. A few blocks away, the palette at Hotel 1928 is more ‘walk in the country’ browns and greens, paying homage to its 1920s Moorish Revival setting. A roof terrace, Southern dining spot and all-day café bring 2020s vigour into the mix.

ROUTE 66

USA

Nothing embodies the romance of the open road quite like Route 66, the legendary US highway celebrating its 100th year in 2026. An emblem of road-trip culture and retro Americana, the coast-to-coast route passes through eight states and puts you within reach of at least a dozen national parks. With the centenary coming up, there’s never been a better time to hit the ‘Mother Road’; a nickname coined by John Steinbeck in The Grapes of Wrath. Thankfully, the down-at-heel Dust Bowl days are in the past — instead you’ll have the luxury of calling in at inspired stays like Citizen House in Oklahoma City. Part private members’ club, part Midwestern pied-à-terre, this Downtown hideaway is awash with heritage style and has more than a bit of buzz off the craft cocktails slung in its speakeasy.

VALLE DE GUADALUPE

MEXICO

Watch out, Napa: there’s a new wine hotspot over the border that’s earned its share of the limelight. We’re talking about the Valle de Guadalupe in Baja California, where more than 70% of Mexico’s wine is made. It’s all about the terroir, see, which has a distinctly Mediterranean character: rolling hills and valleys, coastal breezes from the Pacific and fertile, sandy soils. Over 100 boutique wineries dot the landscape, where viticulture know-how is balanced with the laidback hospitality that Mexico does so well. Minimalist retreat Mira Earth Studios embodies this perfectly; hunkered on a boulder-strewn hillside overlooking vineyards and a historic ranch, best surveyed from the hot tub or fire pit on your terrace. You can tour nearby wineries in a chauffeured classic car, channel your inner Vaquero on horseback tours, or take day trips to nearby coastal towns and cities.

MARRAKECH

MOROCCO

Long a home-from-home for counterculture icons, the Moroccan capital is busy wooing a new generation of aesthetes, drawn by its old-world architecture, thriving creative scene, and palette of henna reds and dusty pinks. And 2026 is shaping up to be another bumper year, with several Smith stays at the forefront of its cultural offerings. From 7–8 February, garden-ringed pleasure palace La Mamounia will host 1-54 Marrakech Art Fair, showcasing the brightest lights in contemporary African art. Known for its well-dressed walls, Izza Marrakech has also founded its own gallery, Museum in the Medina, displaying more than 300 contemporary works and hosting exhibitions throughout the year. Towards the end of 2026, the 23rd Marrakech International Film Festival (27 November to 5 December) will roll into town, which is the perfect excuse to check into Jasper Conran’s L’Hôtel Marrakech — a riad with scene-stealing interiors fitting of the silver screen.

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Photography credits: Hotel Balzac images by Katie Devine / Palazzo Piccinno images by Sandro Scherrer / Hotel Son Xotano image by Claire O’Keefe / La Mamounia image by Stanislas Motz-Neidhart