The world’s largest independent hotel brand, Preferred Hotels & Resorts, has revealed the top luxury travel trends it says will shape 2026.
From sporting events and ‘breaking the beige’ to seacationing, Preferred Hotels & Resorts has pulled from its extensive data in its recently released Luxury Travel Report to highlight the top trends for 2026. Here are seven you need on your radar.
Sportscations
While major sporting events like Formula 1, the FIFA World Cup and the Olympics have long drawn visitors from all over the world, the hotel group says sports tourism is continuing to “rapidly redefine luxury travel”.
It says hotels can capitalise on this trend by offering bespoke perks and curated experiences that seamlessly combine sports with luxury hospitality such as at The Leela Palace Jaipur, where travellers are invited into the regal tradition of Indian polo during the Maharaja Sawai Man Singh Polo Cup, enjoying VIP access, interactions with players, time on horseback paired with palace dining, and spa rituals rooted in Rajput royal heritage.
Heritage as the new frontier
The hotel group’s Luxury Travel Report found nine out of 10 luxury travellers want historic experiences integrated into their travels, with a vast majority wanting to get up close and personal with the past.
It says this trend continues to take shape in 2026, as many highly anticipated new hotel openings focus on restoration – architectural relics from the past given a new lease of life, infused with modernity while retaining their old-world charm.
Examples, it says, are the upcoming Romègas Hotel in Malta, which will be housed in a 500-year-old palazzo that will be meticulously restored to preserve the building’s heritage “while introducing modern comforts”, and Serras Sevilla, an early 20th-century building turned boutique hotel, which will open in the heart of Seville later this year.
Cognitive wellness
Wellness, the hotel brand says, has a new language: science. Around the globe, luxury retreats are weaving medical innovation into mindful practice, pairing high-tech programs such as DNA analysis, IV infusions, and sleep monitoring with age‑old healing traditions.
Experts call this emerging focus cognitive wellness – a new era of restorative experiences where retreats move beyond relaxation towards long-term wellness benefits. Today’s travellers also expect wellness to be personal. From genetic testing to stress mapping, every element is curated to the individual.
Examples include one of Oslo’s premier wellness havens, Sommerro, which has a sleep clinic designed to optimise sleep through targeted nerve stimulation, and The Alpina Gstaad in Switzerland, which offers a biohacking program that blends Eastern wellness philosophies with advanced technology for rapid, transformative results.
Breaking from the beige
There is a growing desire among travellers for experiences that feel meaningful rather than mass-produced, says Preferred Hotels & Resorts.
According to its report, 83 per cent of luxury travellers say they can tell when a hotel is designed for mass appeal rather than true luxury.
This “sameness”, where everything feels soulless, is what Preferred Hotels & Resorts calls “beige-ification”. It says a new breed of hotels that recognise the need to resist sameness, embrace individuality, and offer bold experiences, are redefining luxury hospitality by daring to be distinctive and unapologetically original.
Examples include Kasbah Tamadot, which brings Morocco’s heritage to life through community-led experiences such as handwoven textile workshops, and Rancho Santana on Nicaragua’s Emerald Coast with its horseback rides, hand-painted tiles and curated artwork.
Pawsome adventures
No longer limited to simply allowing pets, Preferred Hotels & Resorts’ Preferred Pets program takes this commitment a step further, ensuring every pet companion enjoys the same level of indulgence as their owners.
Custom beds, water bowls, toys, and in-room dining menus tailored for dogs are just the beginning; some properties, such as Nemacolin in Pennsylvania houses a full-service resort and spa for pets, offering pet boarding, grooming, and veterinary services.
While The Mark in New York recently partnered with fashion house Dolce&Gabbana to debut a limited-edition bottle of Fefé, the Italian brand’s alcohol-free fragrance for dogs.
The healing power of nature
From grounding barefoot walks and forest bathing to meditations in gardens or by the sea, properties are weaving the outdoors into their offerings to satisfy travellers’ growing appetite for restorative, authentic experiences.
This evolution reflects a wider wellness movement focused on reconnecting with the earth, slowing down, and finding emotional balance through the natural rhythms of the environment.
An example is Casa Velas Puerto Vallarta, which offers ‘Nature’s Elements: A Grounding Tour’, a seasonal wellness journey where guests begin with barefoot grounding in the Botanical Garden before heading to Tau Beach Club for “quiet rest”.
Boutique seacationing
Seacationing is also said to be gaining momentum, but not quite in the way travellers have traditionally known it. An emerging wave of luxury boutique hotels is delivering more intimate, thoughtfully curated experiences at sea.
Preferred Hotels & Resorts’ recent partnership with Wings Encora Collection, including five luxury Nile cruise experiences, is one example including the Mazaj Meroot, which it says “redefines luxury cruising along Egypt’s Nile River”, pairing journeys between Luxor and Aswan with chef-prepared dining, a rooftop plunge pool, and a full suite of wellness offerings from spa treatments to a modern gym.
For more information, visit Preferred Hotels & Resorts Luxury Travel Report.
