Luxury Hotels
5 articles
The Ritz-Carlton in 2026 — Inside the Hotel That Rewrote Luxury Service
A Swiss hotelier, a 1983 reboot, and a credo that turned employees into Ladies and Gentlemen. How the Ritz-Carlton built the best-known service culture in hospitality, what you actually get across 108 properties today, and whether it still earns the room rate.
Apr 15, 2026
The St. Regis in 2026 — Astor's 1904 Hotel That Turned Butlers Into a Brand
The Titanic's wealthiest passenger built a hotel on Fifth Avenue in 1904 where every suite had a private telephone and a dedicated butler. A century later, the butler is still the point of the brand. We unpack the 58 St. Regis hotels in 2026, the rituals that define them, and whether they earn their rate.
Apr 11, 2026
Bulgari Hotels & Resorts in 2026 — The Jeweler Who Built a Hotel Empire
In 2001, Marriott partnered with Italian jeweler Bvlgari to launch a new luxury hotel brand. Analysts were unimpressed. A quarter-century later, Bulgari operates 10 of the most coveted hotels in the world. We look at how the brand works, what you get, and whether it lives up to the name on the jewelry box.
Apr 8, 2026
Waldorf Astoria in 2026 — From the 1893 Family Feud to the 2025 Reopening
Two feuding Astor cousins built dueling hotels on Fifth Avenue in the 1890s. Their descendants tore them down to make way for the Empire State Building. The Art Deco replacement on Park Avenue went through bankruptcies, a Chinese insurance takeover, and an eight-year renovation before reopening in July 2025. The Waldorf Astoria brand now has 34 hotels worldwide. We unpack the history, the pricing, and whether the reborn New York flagship lives up to its myth.
Apr 4, 2026
The Peninsula Hotels in 2026 — Hong Kong's Independent Luxury Hold-out
Ten hotels. No global parent chain. No loyalty program points to chase. Just the Kadoorie family and 98 years of running luxury hotels from a single Hong Kong address. This is the story of how The Peninsula stayed independent when every other luxury brand got swallowed, and whether its unique offer still justifies the rate.
Apr 1, 2026