Five Trends Every Hotel Leader Needs to Watch in 2026

Hotel guest spending in 2026 is expected to reach nearly $805 billion, a 1.7 percent increase over 2025, according to AHLA. While this increased demand is great news for the industry, it requires that hotel leaders rise to meet the latest guest expectations.

Change is constant in the hospitality industry. This year more than ever, hotel leaders must be intentional to anticipate what discerning and digitally savvy guests want from their stays and overall trips.

Guests expect personalization, authentic experiences, and holistic wellness touches found throughout their stay. Meanwhile, meeting planners and group organizers are reimagining what successful events look like, placing greater emphasis on engagement, health and cultural relevance.

To meet demand and expectations, successful hotel leaders must navigate changing trends across technology, culinary, wellness, guest experiences and more. The following five trends represent how hotels can win market share in 2026 and beyond.

1. Guest Personalization That Feels Human—Not Transactional

In 2026, personalization is a baseline expectation for hotel guests. Guests no longer see tailored experiences as an upgrade, they see them as evidence that a hotel truly understands them.

The next phase of personalization goes beyond using a guest’s name at check-in. It involves seamless recognition of loyalty status and preferences across touchpoints. From mobile pre-arrival messaging to in-room settings, hotels must integrate guest data in ways that feel intuitive rather than intrusive.

Key elements include recognition of loyalty membership and past preferences upon booking and arrival, mobile or pre-arrival options to purchase upgraded room types, transparent offers for late check-out or other amenities, and on-demand mobile dining and in-room amenity ordering.

The most effective strategies empower guests to customize their stay without overwhelming them. Technology should enable choice while maintaining simplicity. A guest arriving after a long travel day may appreciate a push notification offering a discounted suite upgrade or guaranteed late check-out. Another may want curated dining suggestions based on dietary preferences from a previous stay.

When done correctly, personalization strengthens loyalty and increases incremental revenue. When done poorly, it feels transactional.

For hotel leaders, the priority in 2026 is to invest in integrated systems that unify guest data across departments so that every interaction feels connected. The hotels that win will be those that combine digital sophistication with authentic hospitality.

2. Culinary Programing is Immersive, Hyper-Local and Inclusive

Food and beverage continues to evolve from a revenue center into an experiential differentiator. Guests increasingly choose hotels based on dining concepts. In 2026, F&B must be immersive, hyper-local and inclusive of all diet preferences.

Travelers want to feel connected to place. That means sourcing regionally, collaborating with local artisans and telling the story behind ingredients. Menus should reflect the destination’s culinary identity while accommodating global dietary needs.

Below are a few experiential F&B elements that our hotel regularly incorporates for leisure guests and for group events:

• Personalized food carts and beverage wagons including coffee, ice cream, made-to-order donuts, kombucha and craft beers

• Interactive tasting experiences with chefs such as a pizza station where guests can build their own pizza. We also have a daily 10 a.m. cooking lesson for guests with a chef where guests can learn how to make a recipe, taste samples and walk away with a recipe card

• Build-your-own or customizable menu options within restaurants

These formats transform meals from passive consumption into shared moments. For group business, this is particularly important. Meeting attendees increasingly expect programming that keeps energy high and encourages networking. A personalized coffee cart that allows guests to craft their own specialty beverages creates engagement far beyond a standard coffee break.

Inclusivity is equally critical. Menus must accommodate vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free and culturally specific dietary requirements without making those guests feel like an afterthought. Zero-proof cocktails and thoughtfully developed alcohol-free pairings are no longer niche, they are mainstream expectations.

In 2026, culinary programming should feel like an extension of and invitation to experience the greater destination, culture and the hotel’s brand.

3. On-Property Activations That Elevate Guest Stays and Highlight the Destination

Hotel guests – whether leisure or business – are increasingly seeking memorable, engaging on-property experiences that add value to their stays. Successful activations are authentic to the property and destination and can range from culinary to wellness to cultural experiences.

Investing in the right activations can drive incremental revenue and differentiate the property from competitors. It often makes sense for hotels to work with a local or expert partner, both from an operational and marketing perspective.

Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina recently partnered with Desert Paddleboards to offer a floating sound bath event in our pool for Valentine’s Day. Guests floated effortlessly on paddleboards while listening to live, meditative music designed to calm the nervous system, quiet the mind, and encourage deep relaxation. This ticketed event not only brought in revenue, but offered our guests a one-of-a-kind experience that we plan to replicate and scale in the future.

For meetings and events, event planners are increasingly seeking creative experiences to build into their programming. A few examples that have been successful for our property include:

• Wellness offerings integrated into conference agendas such as yoga, pickleball, bike tours or Beach Olympics

• Mental health offerings such as neuro-sensitivity planning with quiet zones in the meeting areas

• Outdoor excursions unique to the area such as a harbor dinner cruise or historic walking tour of the neighborhood

• Special cultural events aligned with local happenings such as concerts or sporting events

• Creative networking experiences such as dine-a-rounds and community service opportunities (e.g. beach cleanups)

In 2026, hotels that serve as experiential hubs rather than passive venues will have a distinct competitive edge.

4. The Mainstreaming of Wellness Across All Hotel Touchpoints

Wellness in hospitality is no longer confined to properties with on-site spas. It has evolved into a holistic expectation that touches every aspect of the stay.

Travelers are increasingly mindful of how trips affect their physical and mental health. As a result, restorative travel has become a defining priority. Guests want to leave their trips feeling restored.

A few ways that hotel leaders can incorporate restorative hospitality pillars into their properties include healthy F&B menus, zero-proof beverages, fitness classes, sleep prioritization and thoughtful in-room amenities.

For healthy F&B options, hotels must offer menus with balanced, nutrient-dense options for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Also, alcohol-free cocktails crafted with the same creativity as traditional drinks provide inclusive options and align with broader wellness trends.

One trend that our property has embraced is sleep prioritization. We offer in-room sleep kits, a meditation and yoga TV channel, blackout curtains, aromatherapy and high-quality bedding that supports rest and recovery.

For meeting planners, incorporating wellness into conference schedules improves attendee satisfaction and energy levels. A few interesting group activations our property offers include a Resilience Room that features calming activities and a soothing color palette, a puppy play break to increase oxytocin, and an adult coloring station, which helps increase creativity and relaxation.

Whether your property incorporates large or small wellness touches, guests appreciate when wellness is integrated throughout the experience, which helps build brand affinity.

5. Aligning Programming with Large-Scale Events and Cultural Moments

Major conventions, cultural gatherings and large-scale events represent enormous opportunities for hotels in 2026. For example, America’s 250th anniversary and, for many cities, the FIFA World Cup are two national happenings that are top-of-mind for many hotels this year.

Local events and happenings are also important as they reinforce the property’s role as a community anchor. When a city hosts a high-profile convention, sports championship or cultural festival, hotels should look for ways to coordinate programming and service touches to reflect the moment and boost their relevancy in their communities and among their target guest demographic.

A real-life example of this concept in action was when one of San Diego’s top tourist and cultural destinations, the San Diego Zoo, became home to two new giant pandas in 2025, which made headlines nationwide. We celebrated their arrival by creating a themed panda suite and offering d​​ay passes to the San Diego Zoo and Wildlife Adventures ‘Inside Look’ tour. This suite has been so successful that we’ve extended it as an offering for a second year.

Additional ways that properties can align with major events and moments include:

• Themed menu items, a special prix fixe menu or new cocktails inspired by the event

• On-property viewing experiences (including watch parties for local and national televised events)

• Themed suites that pays homage to the event

• Local partnerships and activations such as a themed F&B or retail pop-up that pays tribute to the broader event

In 2026, this approach will be especially important as destinations compete aggressively for marquee events. Hotels that demonstrate the ability to enhance the overall attendee experience will win out over their competitors.

The Bottomline for Hotel Leaders in 2026

In 2026, guests and planners alike are more purposeful in how they spend time and money. They are evaluating not just price, but experience, personalization and well-being.

The future belongs to hotel leaders that thrive on adapting to guest needs and that are able to seamlessly combine these trends – meeting guests where they are now and anticipating where they are headed next.

Reprinted from the Hotel Business Review with permission from www.HotelExecutive.com.