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Admiralty Arch Enters Its Next Chapter: Waldorf Astoria London – Admiralty Arch Opens for Reservations

Waldorf Astoria London – Admiralty Arch, the highly anticipated luxury hotel and residences set within one of the capital’s most recognisable landmarks, is opening reservations today ahead of its autumn debut. It marks the next chapter for one of London’s most ambitious restoration projects, and a defining milestone for Waldorf Astoria in the United Kingdom. Positioned on The Mall opposite Buckingham Palace in St James’s, the restored Grade I listed monument will welcome overnight guests for the first time in its history.

Waldorf Astoria
London, United Kingdom
Hotel Yearbook Article The Hotel Yearbook 2026 - Technology Edition

The Future of Hospitality Depends on Human AI Literacy

Ian Millar argues that AI has already taken control of the pre-stay guest journey and that the hospitality industry's most urgent challenge is not technological adoption but the development of genuine AI literacy among its leaders. Rather than treating AI as an IT concern, Millar makes the case that understanding data, prompting systems, exercising critical judgment, and maintaining human oversight are now core leadership competencies. The hotels that will thrive are not those with the most automation, but those with the organizational discipline, shared accountability, and cultural mindset to teach machines well and know when to override them.

Ian Millar
By Ian Millar, Senior Lecturer Hospitality Technology, EHL
Colin Kingsmill
By Colin Kingsmill
Expert Views (4)
Mark Fancourt
Mark Fancourt, Co-Founder & Principal Consultant, TRAVHOTECH

As the technologist in the room looking through the lens of the melding of industry workforce and the application of technology, I find this development curious for a number of reasons:AI Singling Out: It's interesting to see the specific technology of AI singled out.

Linchi Kwok
Linchi Kwok, Professor and Department Chair, CAL Poly Pomona

The recent court ruling highlights an important principle: AI adoption should not be a labor replacement solution. The more meaningful question is how AI can help employees work smarter, more efficiently, and ultimately more effectively.Hospitality has always been a people-centered industry.

Jayanti Jayanti
Jayanti Jayanti, Senior Lecturer in Hospitality Management, University of West London

Hospitality has never been just about systems, processes or efficiency. It has always been about people. The ruling highlights an important point: AI may change how we work, but it should not change what hospitality stands for.As an industry, we should not see AI only as a way to reduce labour costs.

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HN Brief
Editorial Article

Marriott Launches Ask Bonvoy AI Search for 283M Members, HITEC Leaves Industry Both Thrilled and Unsettled, WhatsApp Is Killing Hotel Operations

Wednesday closed HITEC 2026 with Marriott launching Ask Bonvoy, a conversational AI search tool for 283 million Bonvoy members, and a first-person recap of the conference finding deep industry consensus on AI's transformative role alongside equally deep disagreement on what it will cost. A sharp argument that WhatsApp is a liability for hotel operations and Revinate's Ivy AI platform launch rounded out a dense final session.

Hospitality Net
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Hotel Yearbook Article The Hotel Yearbook 2026 - Technology Edition

Preface II: The Last Virgin Space: Aesthetic Resistance in the Age of AI-Mediated Travel

Leonardo Caffo argues that AI and algorithmic image saturation have made pure aesthetic experience, the genuine "wow" of discovery, effectively impossible for the modern traveler. Yet rather than mourning that loss, he proposes a radical reorientation: the last virgin space of authentic experience is not the destination itself, but the friction between what AI leads us to expect and what reality actually delivers.

Leonardo Caffo
By Leonardo Caffo, Professor of Art and Philosophy, Pegaso University (Italy) / Director of Rethinking Lampedusa Research Centre (Made Program University), Made Program University
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Development Opening

Cebu gets a bold new beat as Radisson RED makes its Philippine debut

Cebu's hospitality scene is about to get louder, brighter and far more playful. Radisson RED Cebu Mandaue has officially opened at Astra Centre, a dynamic mixed-use destination with a lifestyle shopping mall at its core, marking the first Radisson RED hotel in the Philippines. With 144 stylish rooms, statement-making design and a social-first energy, the hotel introduces a vibrant new stay for travellers who like their experiences expressive, connected and full of personality.

Radisson Red
Mandaue, Philippines
Development Opening

Radisson Blu Hotel & Conference Centre, Salzburg opens as the city's largest conference hotel

Salzburg's largest conference hotel now operates under the Radisson Blu brand. The Radisson Blu Hotel & Conference Centre, Salzburg is an upper-upscale, full-service hotel with 262 rooms and suites and 1,785 square meters of event space, including a 960-square-meter ballroom for up to 1,000 guests. The hotel's integration into Radisson Hotel Group connects an established conference venue with international distribution, the Radisson Meetings program and Radisson Rewards, the group's loyalty network with more than 27 million members worldwide. The launch under the Radisson Blu brand comes at a time of record growth in Austria's meetings and events sector.

Radisson Blu
Salzburg, Austria
Development Opening

Courtyard by Marriott Debuts in Okinawa with a New Beachfront Escape

Set along Kise Beach overlooking the pristine waters of Nago Bay in northern Okinawa, the hotel brings Courtyard by Marriott’s warm, modern hospitality to one of Japan’s most beloved island escapes. Famed for its subtropical climate, crystal-clear waters and easy island rhythm, Okinawa draws millions of domestic and international visitors each year. The hotel sits approximately 72 kilometers, or one hour’s drive, from Naha International Airport.

Courtyard
Okinawa, Japan
Development Opening

Motto by Hilton Opens First Hotel in Brazil With the Debut of Motto by Hilton Recife Antigo

Hilton (NYSE: HLT), in partnership with REVPAR INCORPORTAÇÕES and MUV Empreendimentos and Atlantica Hospitality International, opened Motto by Hilton Recife Antigo, marking the debut of the lifestyle brand in Brazil. Designed for travelers seeking to immerse themselves in the heart of the destination, the 132-room property also represents Hilton’s entry into Recife, affectionately known as the "Venice of Brazil" for its picturesque canals, colorful colonial architecture, and vibrant cultural traditions.

Motto by Hilton
Recife, Brazil