Overview
We are back with Jack Ezon, founder of Virtuoso luxury travel agency EmbarkBeyond, to guide us through the top new luxury hotels and resorts opening in Asia in 2026. This week Jack takes us from India to Japan—the best of what’s new across the region. From remote islands to a former prison turned retreat, get your planner out! Building on his standout selections in The Top New Asia Hotel Openings for 2025 (including early previews of Maldives and Japan gems), these highly anticipated debuts promise off-grid adventure, urban icons, and cultural immersion. Scroll down for the full curated list.
1. NIHI, Rote, Indonesia
NIHI Rote, Indonesia: It’s going to take a while for most of us to get here, and that’s the point. NIHI Sumba’s wild new sibling will be on Rote Island, Indonesia, with 25 thatched private-pool villas and year-round surfing. Think of the same adventurous spirit as Sumba, but even more off-grid and with proper comfort when you want it.
2. Park Hyatt, Tokyo, Japan
Park Hyatt Tokyo: Let’s all meet for drinks at the 52nd-floor bar to gaze across the glittering Tokyo skyline and wonder who we will meet while we travel. The “Lost in Translation” icon returns for its 30th anniversary with redone public spaces, restaurants, bars, and larger, refreshed rooms.
3. The Langham, Bangkok, Thailand
The Langham Bangkok: It makes sense for The Langham to open in Bangkok as the brand’s next chapter in Asia, and it will be a graceful, pink-rose debut in Q3. After experiencing Bangkok’s unfiltered, incessant energy, expect soft glamour and a cosmopolitan calm to retreat to, with just 78 rooms.
4. Bvlgari Resort, Raa Atoll, Maldives
BVLGARI Resort Ranfushi, Maldives: Located in the Raa Atoll, the Bulgari will have just 53 villas, plus a Bvlgari Villa on its own private island, designed by Antonio Citterio. It will offer four signature dining experiences, including Il Ristorante – Niko Romito and the Japanese omakase-style Hōseki. It will surely be the new “hot” place to be in the Maldives.
5. Fairmont Agra, India
Fairmont Agra: A new polished luxury alternative beyond The Oberoi we already love in Agra, with more front-row access to the Taj Mahal and around 205 rooms and suites.
6. Mandarin Oriental, South Male Atoll, Maldives
Mandarin Oriental Maldives: Mandarin Oriental’s debut in the Maldives will span three private islands in South Malé Atoll. Expect MO’s polished calm and luxury (120 oversized villas, lots of private pools, and a spa tucked into lush gardens).
7. Waldorf Astoria, Xi’an, China
Waldorf Astoria Xi’an: Waldorf Astoria is making a statement in Xi’an with a new build designed by Yabu Pushelberg. Think refined, modern interiors with subtle nods to the city’s imperial history and a great new address in one of China’s most storied destinations.
8. Azuma Farm, Iwate, Japan
Azuma Farm Koiwai: Aman visionary and founder Adrian Zecha returns with Azuma Farm Koiwai, a farm-life–focused retreat with just 24 accommodations in Japan’s Iwate Prefecture.
9. Capella, Kyoto, Japan
Capella Kyoto, Japan: The 92-room urban resort will be located near Kenninji Temple in the Higashiyama District, within walking distance of many of Kyoto’s most important sites. The area is known for its geiko (or geisha) heritage, and the property will curate cultural experiences with the Miyagawa Maiko Performance School.
10. Regent, Kyoto, Japan
Regent Kyoto, Japan: Set within a historic garden, Regent Kyoto’s idyllic location is currently home to the famed restaurant Tsuruya, which boasts more than 100 years of history in traditional wooden buildings.
11. Hoshinoya Prison Resort, Nara, Japan
Hoshinoya Nara Prison – Nara, Japan: Hoshino Resorts will debut Hoshinoya Nara Prison, an extraordinary property steeped in history in a culturally significant location less than an hour from Osaka, highlighting this sacred, lesser-explored region.
12. Four Seasons, Hanoi, Vietnam
Four Seasons Hanoi at Hoan Kiem Lake: Four Seasons will open a 95-room urban resort with spa and pool overlooking charming Hoan Kiem Lake, just outside the historic downtown.
13. Park Hyatt Phu Quoc, Vietnam
Park Hyatt Phu Quoc, Vietnam: Phu Quoc–Vietnam’s “Pearl Island,” known for having some of Southeast Asia’s best beaches–welcomes its first actual luxury hotel, with just 64 villas and six restaurants.
