Dusit Thani Maldives, a luxury resort on Mudhdhoo Island within the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of Baa Atoll, has unveiled thoughtfully refreshed villas that build on the resort’s signature blend of Thai-inspired gracious hospitality, generous sense of space, and natural island character, offering guests an even more comfortable and contemporary island retreat.
D and D Enterprise today announced the signing of an agreement with Wyndham Hotels & Resorts to develop Ramada Encore by Wyndham Dwarka Varavala, a 69-room hotel scheduled to open in Q3 2027.
There is a tendency, whenever a new technology emerges, to describe it using the language of those that came before it. The automobile was initially called a horseless carriage, early cinema was dismissed as photographed theatre, and the internet was variously described as a global library, a digital encyclopedia, an electronic newspaper, or, in one now-famous 1995 Bill Gates television appearance, something that even David Letterman struggled to distinguish from a particularly sophisticated radio.
The reality is much more complex than black and white. There are already many humanless hotels (mostly in Asia). So there will be: - regional differences in approach to human vs machine balance - variations between different segments (short-term rentals adopted self-service from the get go, many limited service hotel properties followed, but we won't expect to see if in the luxury segment any time soon, maybe never) It will be a spectrum.
In the future, a purely automated, no-human operational model will increasingly become the way of things. For this to fully materialize, our industry and our customer will have accepted all forms of artificial intelligence—both soft and hard.
No. Humanless hotels will become more common, but they are unlikely to become the norm.Automation and AI are excellent for repetitive tasks like check-in, payments, and guest requests, helping hotels reduce costs and improve efficiency.
Edmondo Grassi approaches the post-stay phase as a sociologist rather than a technologist, and the perspective is unsettling. When a guest checks out, he argues, their stay does not end — it migrates into a data infrastructure that remembers with absolute precision what the guest themselves only vaguely recalls, raising a question the industry rarely asks: who has the right to hold that memory, and on whose behalf?
Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) , India's largest hospitality company, today announced the opening of Vivanta Gurugram in Sector 95A.
ITC Hotels Limited, which draws on over five decades of legacy in Indian hospitality, today announced the signing of a management agreement for Welcomhotel Dehradun Selaqui, a 117-key hotel that will further strengthen the company's footprint in Uttarakhand and expand the presence of the Welcomhotel brand in North India. The second Welcomhotel signing in Dehradun reinforces ITCHL’s asset right strategy, enhancing brand footprint in business and leisure destinations.
The Hon. Natalie Suleyman MP, Minister for Tourism, was joined by Melbourne Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece, Member for Melbourne Sarah Whitty MP, Matt Tripolone, IHG Hotels & Resorts Managing Director Australasia & Pacific, and Ross Pelligra, Founder and Director of Pelligra Group, at a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the official opening of Crowne Plaza Melbourne Carlton.
HVS Asia Pacific's weekly newsletter covers five hotel acquisitions across Japan and Australia, totaling hundreds of millions in deal value across Tokyo, Melbourne, Newcastle, Gifu, and Townsville.
Jonathan MacDonald reframes the post-stay phase (typically dismissed as administrative afterthought) as the moment where the ethical stakes of AI-mediated travel become most visible. Once a guest checks out, their experience dissolves into data, and the central question becomes not what they remember, but who owns the narrative, and on what terms.
Hilton (NYSE: HLT) today announced the opening of Slohh by Roach in Bengaluru, marking the debut of Curio Collection by Hilton and Hilton's first lifestyle hotel in India. Located in Whitefield, one of Bengaluru's key business and technology corridors, the 221-key hotel is developed in partnership with Roach Lifescapes, a Bengaluru-based boutique real estate brand. Slohh by Roach introduces a design-forward, locally rooted experience that blends culture, community, and contemporary living.
Andrzej Wajda traces the AI revolution back to Antiquity, arguing that what we call automation today is structurally indistinguishable from what ancient Romans achieved through slavery — and that Aristotle essentially predicted it. The real lesson for hospitality, he contends, is not technological but perennial: if you cannot manage people and operations well today, no tool, ancient or artificial, will save you.
Accor and Sun Group signed a portfolio deal to develop 5,300+ keys across Vietnam over five years, introducing brands including SO/, Sofitel Serviced Residences, Swissôtel Living, and TRIBE for the first time in the market.
India's hotel sector showed strong year-on-year gains in May 2026 vs. May 2025, with healthy ADR growth and occupancy recovery driven by domestic travel, corporate demand, and MICE activity.
The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts, India's only pure-play luxury hospitality brand, today unveiled The Leela Coorg Forest Sanctuary, the new identity for its recently acquired retreat in Coorg. The reimagined identity reflects the property's extraordinary setting amidst 76 acres of ancient forests, coffee plantations and the rich biodiversity of the Western Ghats, while reinforcing The Leela's vision of creating distinctive luxury destinations that are deeply rooted in their surroundings.
Centara Hotels & Resorts, Thailand’s leading hotel operator, is proud to unveil the first details of Centara Hotel & Residences Van Don, a new bayfront destination set to open in Q4 2026. Marking the group’s second property in Vietnam, this hotel brings Centara’s warm, Thai-inspired hospitality, world-class service, and Signature Experiences to one of the country’s most promising coastal locations. Set within the Ao Tien High-Class Port and Tourism Urban Area, the property enjoys uninterrupted views across the serene waters and limestone formations of Bai Tu Long Bay. Just 15 minutes from Van Don International Airport, the hotel offers convenient access to both natural landmarks and key transport hubs, positioning it as an ideal base for leisure and business travellers alike. Designed for couples, families, groups, and extended stays, the hotel offers 481 rooms and suites across 12 categories. Every room is equipped with a kitchenette, modern décor, and functional layouts for added flexibility and comfort throughout their stay. Beyond accommodation, Centara Hotel & Residences Van Don introduces an all-in-one lifestyle offering, from diverse dining experiences spanning Vietnamese, Italian, Chinese, and international flavours to versatile MICE venues, including two ballrooms and multiple meeting rooms. Guests will also enjoy both indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a Kids’ Club, fitness centre, and SPA Cenvaree, along with family-friendly activities, premium shopping, and curated bay tours. To stay tuned for more details about Centara Hotel & Residences Van Don, please visit https://www.centarahotelsresorts.com/centara/cvd
Rita Jusztina Varga raises an uncomfortable question the industry is only beginning to grapple with: when AI summarizes guest reviews at scale, whose experience actually gets represented? Drawing on her own decade-old stay as a case study, she argues that AI bias in review aggregation systematically amplifies certain voices while quietly erasing others — and that the hospitality industry urgently needs to rethink how it collects, segments, and trusts feedback data.
Martin Soler argues that AI does not threaten brand identity by making bad content — it threatens it by making an overwhelming volume of acceptable content, which over time erodes the distinctiveness that makes a brand worth remembering. In a world of infinite iteration, he contends, consistency and taste become scarcer and therefore more valuable, not less.
Dusit International, one of Thailand's leading hotel and property development companies, has signed a hotel management agreement for ASAI Patong Phuket, expanding the domestic footprint of its distinctive lifestyle brand, ASAI Hotels, in Southern Thailand. The property is scheduled to open in 2029.
Dusit International, one of Thailand's leading hotel and property development companies, has signed a hotel management agreement for ASAI Hat Yai, expanding the domestic footprint of its distinctive lifestyle brand, ASAI Hotels, in Southern Thailand. The property is scheduled to open in 2028.