Florence’s hotel renaissance, Lisa Vanderpump bets big on Las Vegas and other hotel news you missed
Spring, in my humble opinion, is the best time of the year. I've already had two great tastes of spring, even though we have not fully escaped the colder days quite yet.
In late March, on a trip to Houston, a run through Buffalo Bayou Park had my Hokas pounding pavement past two of my favorite spring features of my home state: wildflowers and bluebonnets. And just this past weekend, the first truly springlike day in New York City with a high of 80 degrees made Manhattan come to life, reminding me of why I love living here.
As I waited for spring to arrive, there was plenty of news happening in the hotel world. In Costa Rica, a JW Marriott-branded all-inclusive resort was announced, strengthening my belief that sooner rather than later everyone you know will be taking an all-inclusive vacation. (In fact, you don't even have to leave the U.S. to have a know-what-you-pay-up-front trip.)
Another thing that got my attention was the news that Airbnb-owned booking website HotelTonight will now give users 10% of the money they spend back, minus taxes and fees, in the form of Airbnb credits that expire within a year. It's an interesting way to reward travel, especially for people who might not stay at hotels enough to work their way up the tiers of elite status through one specific brand. I'm all for any tool to help people save money and travel.
Here's everything else you should know about.
A St. Louis art hotel joins Hilton Honors
In St. Louis, home of the Gateway Arch and the place that gave us Andy Cohen (and ultimately the world's best reality TV, thanks Andy!), the Angad Arts Hotel lets guests reserve rooms "based on the emotion of color." There, to feel "free," book a blue room. To feel "rejuvenated," opt for green. Whatever you do, just make sure you add your Hilton Honors number to your reservation because this hotel is now officially part of Hilton's Tapestry Collection.
Beyond the colorful rooms, visitors can enjoy rotating art exhibits, dining on comfort food at Commonwealth, sipping cocktails at the rooftop Art Bar and working out in a newly updated fitness center with Peloton bikes.
How to book: Rates start around $150 or 45,000 Hilton Honors points per night.
Capella Taipei opens its doors
Capella Hotels and Resorts is one of the top names in the world of luxury accommodations. Now, Taipei, the buzzy capital of Taiwan and one of TPG's best destinations for 2025, is home to the eighth Capella property, joining the likes of Bangkok and Sydney.
This new hotel offers a range of accommodations, from suites with private pools to rooms with views of Taipei 101, once the tallest building in the world. Five restaurants serve a variety of dishes that draw inspiration from all sorts of cuisines; expect everything from Western bites and French pastries to Cantonese fare and a Japanese omakase experience. The Capella Spa offers top-tier treatments to help people feel and look as fabulous as the hotel.
How to book: Cash rates start from $619 per night.
Lisa Vanderpump is opening a hotel in Las Vegas
Besides hotels, TPG's senior hotels reporter is passionate about "The Real Housewives." (Thanks, Bravo! Thanks again, Andy Cohen!) So, you can bet your bottom dollar I'll make my way to Las Vegas for the 2026 opening of Lisa Vanderpump's The Vanderpump Hotel.
Vanderpump, a restauranteur and TV celebrity, has previously partnered with Caesars Entertainment for restaurants and bars at Paris Las Vegas, Caesars Palace and Flamingo Las Vegas. Now the duo will convert The Cromwell, a boutique property with 188 rooms, into Vanderpump's first hotel. Details are light at the moment, but Vanderpump said in a statement that her team "can't wait to breath new life into this property and make it something truly magical."
Florence, Italy, is having a hotel moment
If you ever needed an excuse to visit Florence, here are two: The Hoxton, Florence and Collegio alla Querce, Auberge Resorts — two new hotels that opened in March.
Part country estate, part urban retreat, Auberge's new Florence property, Collegio alla Querce, which was featured on our list of the most exciting hotel openings for 2025, is a design-lover's dream, offering 49 rooms, 28 suites and six grand suites. The tree-lined estate also offers Italian fine dining, a moody and playful bar, a pool and a spa, all of which you can enjoy from 1,350 euros (about $1,461) per night.
Closer to Florence's city center, The Hoxton, the second iteration of this brand in Italy, has 161 rooms spread across two juxtaposing buildings: One is a 16th-century, late-Renaissance palazzo, and the other is a modernist building from the 1980s designed by Andrea Branzi. The design-forward hotel offers a range of accommodation options, from "Snug" rooms fit for one traveler to a three-bedroom "House" that can sleep up to six people.
Rates start from 199 euros (about $215) per night, but you can save significantly by joining Ennismore's Dis-loyalty program, a paid membership that offers 50% off stays in the hotel's first three months. (It also comes with free coffee daily, so if you happen to live by an Ennismore hotel, that membership pays for itself in caffeine!)
Orient Express announces inaugural sailings next summer
Reservations are now open for a trip on the Orient Express Corinthian, the world's largest sailing yacht. Next summer, the massive yacht will sail around the Mediterranean with itineraries ranging from two to eight nights. Ports of call include popular spots like Monte Carlo, Monaco, and Cannes and Saint-Tropez, France. To inquire about booking, visit the ship's website.
Banyan Tree opens in Singapore's Mandai Wildlife Reserve
With 338 rooms and suites, including 24 mindblowing treehouses, Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree marks Banyan Tree Group's 100th global property — and a homecoming to Singapore. Situated in the Mandai Wildlife Reserve, guests to the resort, open as of April 2, feel like they're one with nature, and have plenty of opportunities to get up and close to it with activities like night safaris or a trip to the nearby Singapore Zoo. Guests can also simply post up at the resort and enjoy the Banyan Tree Spa, dine on locally sourced meals or join a class to learn about Singapore coffee culture, among many other activities.
How to book: Cash rates from $227.
News you need to know
- Luaus, waterslides and updated rooms: The Hyatt Regency Maui is now available from just 21,000 points
- A Hilton is finally coming to the Deer Valley ski resort in Utah
- A luxe new life for a storied hotel: Madrid's Westin Palace moves to The Luxury Collection
- From Cancun to Paris to the Nile River, these are the hotels to book for your spring vacation
Reviews to inspire you
- 2 hotels, double the fun: My stay at the dual-branded AC and Moxy hotels in downtown LA
- How Embassy Suites is making condo-style accommodations convenient for Disney vacations
- Convenience and California beach access on a budget: A review of Newport Beach Marriott Bayview
- Secluded luxury in a 3D-printed paradise: A review of Kisawa Sanctuary
- Lowcountry luxe: Staying at Emeline in Charleston, South Carolina
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