Six New Member Hotels Join The Leading Hotels of the World
Celebrating the world's most exceptional independent luxury hotels, The Leading Hotels of the World (LHW) continues to champion properties that reflect the culture, heritage, and character of their destinations. This October, six new members join the collection across Europe, North America, Asia, and Africa, each offering their own signature perspective on luxury hospitality while embodying the values that define LHW.
“Our October new members take LHW travelers from the Dolomites and Dubrovnik to West Palm Beach, Savannah, Bhutan, and Nairobi, reflecting the range of destinations within our global collection. Each property brings its own character and a strong connection to its locale, offering travelers new ways to experience both established favorites and destinations they may be discovering for the first time,” said Dean Bannon, Vice President, Member Experience, The Leading Hotels of the World.
Discover LHW’s October Collection
EUROPE
Le Graal Cortina (Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy)
An intimate Alpine retreat at the foot of the Dolomites
A reimagined 1920s palazzo gives Le Graal Cortina a distinctly local lens on life in the Dolomites. Designed by Achille Salvagni, the hotel draws inspiration from the region's craftsmanship traditions, pairing bespoke Italian furnishings and richly layered interiors with mountain views that change dramatically with the seasons. The result is less grand Alpine resort and more private mountain residence, shaped by Cortina's longstanding reputation as a meeting point for culture, design, and outdoor life. That sensibility extends to Le Monsù, where chef Giovanni Guarneri draws on Italian and Sicilian influences to create a dining experience rooted in regional ingredients and contemporary technique. Opening in 2026, Le Graal reflects a new chapter for Cortina: sophisticated, design-forward, and deeply influenced by its striking surroundings.
Villa Argentina (Dubrovnik, Croatia)
A Restored Adriatic Landmark Overlooking Dubrovnik’s Old Town
Following an extensive renovation, Villa Argentina re-emerges as one of Dubrovnik's most celebrated addresses, where contemporary design meets the legacy of a historic waterfront hotel. Set just beyond the city walls, the property boasts sweeping views of Dubrovnik's UNESCO-listed Old Town and the Adriatic Sea, while Mediterranean gardens descend toward the shoreline below. Carefully restored interiors balance the hotel's architectural heritage with a fresh aesthetic inspired by the textures, materials, and colors of the Dalmatian coast. Moments from the heart of the Old Town yet removed from its bustle, Villa Argentina offers a rare vantage point from which to experience Dubrovnik's history, culture, and coastline. Reopened in 2026 and newly welcomed into LHW, the hotel marks a new chapter for one of the city's most enduring landmarks.
NORTH AMERICA
The Nora Hotel (West Palm Beach, Florida, United States)
New York City Sophistication Meets West Palm Beach Glamour
The Nora Hotel has been conceived as an anchor for West Palm Beach's Nora District, a walkable neighborhood growing from a collection of reimagined century-old railway warehouses just north of downtown. Opening in fall 2026, the 201-room hotel is BD Hotels' first ground-up project outside New York City, with architecture by Stantec and interiors by GACHOT Studios. Mediterranean and Spanish Colonial Revival references, including arched walkways, tilework, and a garden loggia, connect the new building with Palm Beach's architectural identity, while the wider district brings the bustle of restaurants, wellness hubs, retail, and creative spaces. Pastis brings the celebrated New York bistro to the ground floor, with Sisley Spa Paris, and Lillys - a rooftop concept including Lillys pool, Bar Lilly, and Cafe Lilly - completing the hotel.
Recess Hotel & Club Savannah (Savannah, Georgia, United States)
A social clubhouse in Savannah’s historic center
Recess Hotel & Club Savannah restores the historic Manger Building to the purpose for which it was first created more than a century ago. Built as the Hotel Savannah in 1912, the Beaux-Arts landmark has been reworked by Left Lane and Atelier Pond as a hotel and social clubhouse that draws on the city's creative culture. Original mosaic flooring, grand arched windows, and other historic details sit alongside a playful, retro-futurist design language, while Rumpus Rooms on each guest floor encourage the kind of convivial gathering that defines the concept. The social focus extends to coworking areas, artist-designed suites, Le Flaneur brasserie, Kilter rooftop bar, and a holistic Saltgrass Spa and fitness program. Its combination of adaptive reuse, local creative energy, and a genuinely communal approach gives guests a fresh way to experience Savannah's Historic District.
ASIA
Pemako Punakha (Punakha Valley, Bhutan)
Tented Sanctuary Luxury in a Spiritually Rich Landscape
Pemako Punakha takes its narrative from the Himalayan idea of beyul, hidden lands associated with refuge and spiritual discovery, and translates it into a 21-villa retreat along the Mo Chhu River. Conceptually designed by Bill Bensley, the property is the flagship of Pemako, Bhutan's first Bhutanese-owned and managed luxury hotel group. Its tented villas are spread through 60 acres of forest, with Bhutanese motifs, prayer art, and details inspired by the country's dzong architecture connecting the interiors to place. Guests cross a prayer-flag-draped bridge on arrival, while experiences range from meditation and evening prayers with the resident monk to archery and cultural excursions. The hotel adds to LHW not only a new destination in Bhutan, but a distinctly homegrown expression of Himalayan hospitality.
AFRICA
Hemingways Nairobi (Nairobi, Kenya)
Garden Living Overlooking the Ngong Hills
Set in Karen, the leafy Nairobi neighborhood closely associated with writer Karen Blixen, Hemingways Nairobi offers a glimpse of a side of the capital many travelers overlook. Framed by gardens and views of the Ngong Hills, the hotel sits within easy reach of Nairobi National Park, where wildlife roams against the backdrop of a modern skyline, as well as the museums, galleries, and creative spaces shaping the city today. While Kenya is often experienced through the lens of safari, Hemingways invites guests to spend time exploring the capital itself, from its literary history to its evolving cultural scene. As LHW's first member hotel in Kenya, it introduces travelers to a destination where urban life, wildlife, and creativity intersect in ways found nowhere else... Continue reading (Members Only) - Unlock Advantages with a LHN Membership - Read more here
Small Tip To Landing Good Senior-Level Hotel Management Positions in 2026 & 2027
Many of our members have remained with us since the inception of our job lead service nine years ago. They continue to renew their memberships, staying on board even after securing new positions, and for good reason.
Daily, our editors dispatch bulletins detailing new job vacancies, projects, and industry shifts, including hotel launches, expansions, strategies, and market trends.
We recognize that numerous long-standing, senior-level members utilize these bulletins as conversation starters, reaching out to hotel chains and potential employers, sometimes with unsolicited applications and messages. LHN endorses such proactive engagement. It's an excellent, informal method to gain early interest from prominent hotel groups and upcoming projects, indicating your interest and broadening your opportunities for intriguing interviews or discussions about potential roles, particularly at the upper echelons of management.
Our editors also keep these proactive efforts in mind, shaping many bulletins to cover "new openings, new projects, and new market developments."
While membership spots for 2026 are limited, it's not too late to renew.- Read more here
The Team
LEADING HOTELIERS NETWORK / JOBLEAD-SERVICE
To gain immediate access, you can either renew your membership or sign up by choosing membership here: 3 Months / 6 Months / 12 Months / Premium Membershipium Membership
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