Aperture

🌴 Banyan Group has launched Banyan Tree Higashiyama Kyoto in Japan. The hotel, which opened on August 1st, features 52 rooms, a spa, two dining experiences, and a unique Noh stage for traditional performances and cultural events. Located in Higashiyama, guests can also enjoy three gardens and a bamboo grove.

🚢 AmaWaterways targets Mekong River itineraries for 2026, planning structural modifications for the AmaMaya to accommodate cruises. Rudi Schreiner, president and co-founder, hints at adding another deck to the ship, similar to AmaDara's layout. High demand for Mekong prompts investment, with AmaDara fully booked from September to April, leading to consideration of additional July departures, a month earlier than the typical season start. New onshore excursions are also being planned.

🏚 The Hamakua Hotel, inaugurated last month in Hawaii, is located 18 km north of Hilo and features 8 rooms in three different categories with stunning views of the Hamakua Coast. The Lochtefelds, who purchased the property in 2020, invested $1.5 million in renovations to transform the former Palms Cliff House bed & breakfast into a luxurious boutique hotel, complete with a wellness area including spa services and an oceanfront infinity pool available from autumn.

📍 Marriott International has reached its milestone of 9,000 properties with the opening of a new St. Regis resort in Longboat Key, Florida. The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort features 168 rooms, including 26 suites, and offers breathtaking ocean views. Additionally, the resort includes 69 private branded residences, providing a luxurious living experience on Florida's Suncoast. Marriott's CEO, Anthony Capuano, highlights the property's exquisite design and timeless appeal.

📍 Trademark Collection by Wyndham Hotels & Resorts debuted in South Korea with the opening of La Vie D'or Hotel and Resort in Hwaseong-si. The group now exceeds 30 hotels in the country. The 190-room hotel is located about 30 minutes by car from Seoul, spread over 330,000 square meters, featuring a nine-hole golf course, fitness center, spa, multiple pools, saunas, and fine dining restaurants, plus meeting and event spaces, and a business center. The Trademark Collection portfolio includes 262 mid-upper scale and upper scale independent and unique hotel properties in urban and resort destinations.

🏡 The Treetops Hotel in Kenya, historical for hosting Queen Elizabeth II in 1952 when she learned of her ascension, reopened after a three-year pandemic closure. Originally inaugurated in 1932, it once closed due to a fire after her visit but was then rebuilt larger and more majestic.

🏦 Palazzo Talia, a 16th-century building in the heart of Rome, opens as a boutique hotel with 25 rooms and suites. Revived by the Federici family, known for construction and real estate expertise, the hotel enriches Rome's luxury hospitality scene. Previously, until its 1999 closure, it was the Nobile Collegio del Nazareno, an influential ecclesiastical institution shaping politicians, cardinals, and diplomats.

🏖️ Sandals Resorts relaunches "Sell & Go" for travel agents, offering free nights proportional to booked room category for 6+ nights stays: 3 free nights for Butler, 2 for Club Level/Concierge, and 1 for other rooms. Agents must complete online training. Free nights from 2022 bookings valid until December 20, 2024; from 2023 stays, until December 20, 2025. Requests 60 days post-client return, for Deluxe room stays of 3-7 nights, booked at least 60 days in advance.

🏨 Radisson Hotel Group expands in Egypt by opening Radisson Residences, Cairo Heliopolis, the brand's first in Cairo, featuring 163 fully-furnished apartments with kitchenettes and living areas. The property, which includes types ranging from one to three bedrooms, boasts 65 balcony apartments—20 offering pool views—alongside amenities like a fitness center, an outdoor pool, and valet parking. Positioned only one kilometer from Cairo International Airport, it is strategically located for exploring the old city and enjoys proximity to Cairo Complex's shops, restaurants, and entertainment.

📍 Hilton inaugurerà tre hotel in Portogallo tra il 2025 e il 2026, a Lisbona, Vilamoura e Santiago do Cacém. Il Canopy by Hilton Vilamoura Marina aprirà nel 2025 con 155 camere, seguito dal Santo André Beach Hotel, Tapestry Collection by Hilton a Santiago do Cacém con 44 camere. Nel 2026, il DoubleTree by Hilton Lisbon Airport offrirà 199 camere e 20 suite, vicino all'aeroporto.