The Biggest Innovators in Travel and Hospitality: Winter 2025

In my columns throughout 2024, I covered a lot of ground, but one common theme emerged: We are at an inflection point for luxury. The market is forcing a margin call on post-Covid excess, conspicuous consumption, and there is traveler backlash to excessive rates.

This pushback has created space for new thinking. I'm excited to see the stage being set for a new wave of entrepreneurs, innovators, and thinkers who can redefine the next phase of hospitality. The industry is moving away from old codes of ostentation and toward new forms of thoughtful spaces, evolutions in wellness, and solutions for the sharply conceived spaces that the hybrid work world needs. 

I'm also keeping a keen eye on Saudi Arabia and developments with the country’s Boutique Group, which specializes in turning former Saudi palaces and government buildings into hotels. I see a need for soulful, heritage-driven luxury amid the sea of hyper-expansion and bold products.

As I wrote in my Skift Megatrends piece this year, we are on the verge of a sea change in wellness, particularly regarding psychedelics and mind expansion. More broadly, there is a large customer cohort for whom intentionality and nuance are the draw — those who don't need Gordon Gekko-style egos reflected back at them at every turn, as is the case with much older luxury.

As I do twice a year, here is my list of the biggest innovators in travel and hospitality.

Constant Innovator

Hoshino Resorts stands as one of the most interesting hospitality brands globally, not just for its higher-end brand, Hoshinoya (slated to launch its first U.S. property), but also for its other brands, OMO and KAI. 

OMO offers an interesting concept for creative travelers: properties located near public transportation but away from the central thrum, serving as bases for urban exploration. The price points are reasonable, the rooms thoughtful, and the creative public spaces excellent. Their new Gotanda property features a roof garden and proximity to Meguro. KAI, its onsen-focused brand, combines crisp, modern design codes while brokering traditional hot springs to modern, design-oriented travelers.

Standout Brand: Capella

I've been following Capella's evolution closely. The brand earned accolades for its Bangkok property and now employs one of the industry's best GMs, Antonio Saponara. The Sydney opening was equally impressive, providing the city with a much-needed hotel of this caliber. 

It achieves luxury while maintaining modernity, emphasizing high-concept art, and offering rooms that feel inspired rather than cookie-cutter. The brand's promising roadmap includes openings in Taipei, Osaka, and Kyoto in 2025.

Concept I Want to See

The scuba diving community remains underserved when it comes to luxury properties that combine high-touch lodgings with incredible dive programs. Four Seasons Maldives and its Palau operation set the world standard. I see room for more entrepreneurial vision and execution in this underserved market — particularly hoping that the Red Sea projects will include a new, vibrant, well-designed dive-centric resort.

Novel Approach to Lounges: United Club Fly

Airport lounges can feel outdated and, at worst, overcrowded. United's Club Fly concept offers a refreshing take with its simple grab-and-go format. Following Denver's initial launch, the newest location will open in Houston this spring. The concept is elegantly simple: scan in, grab a barista-made coffee or snack, and continue your journey. This subtle but elegant recognition for United Club members has already become a fan favorite, and we can expect to see more locations rolling out across the U.S.

Branding Power Move of the Year: Starwood

SH Hotels' rebranding under the Starwood name — one of travel's most beloved brands — marks a significant shift. The company will house 1 Hotels, Baccarat, and Treehouse, with a pipeline of 22 hotels through 2028. Founder Barry Sternlicht, though primarily a real estate professional, is also a branding and detail visionary (he created the Westin Heavenly Bed). The resurrection of this storied name should bring renewed energy to his team's brand portfolio.

Best Opening: Dusit Thani Bangkok

The Dusit Thani Bangkok thoroughly impressed me. Though I typically allow new properties time to find their rhythm before visiting, I was immediately struck by the design, elegance, and perfect location. It's particularly encouraging to see a Thai-owned brand competing so effectively in the upper echelons of luxury.

The newly renovated Fairmont Cape Grace on Cape Town's V&A Waterfront also deserves recognition. As the city seems poised for continued tourism growth, raising the overall hotel standard becomes increasingly important. The property offers excellent rooms, stunning Table Mountain views, and warm, attentive staff.

Best Wellness Approaches

While many properties excel in wellness, three concepts particularly stand out: Six Senses Kyoto, Siro's wellness-centric approach in Dubai (including its programming quality), and the nature-centric French offering at Lily of the Valley near Saint-Tropez. 

Six Senses elegantly blends Japanese Zen culture with a smart science future, while Siro has built a hotel around hyper-modern fitness thinking and sleep optimized rooms. Lily of the Valley is a peaceful sanctuary paired with thoughtful nutrition and health programming, set in a beautiful environment. 

Best Gym

During my early visit to Janu Tokyo, the gym and fitness facilities left me astounded. Rather than being tucked away, they occupy prominent spaces with spectacular views of Azabudai Hills and Tokyo Tower.

Simply put, it's the most impressive fitness facility I've encountered recently. While the location is excellent, the quality of these facilities is truly extraordinary.

New (Sub)brand to Watch: StandardX

I approached the new StandardX properties in Bangkok and Melbourne with some skepticism, wondering if they would be merely stripped-down versions of the Standard brand. However, both properties impressed me significantly, and I would readily choose them for future stays. Their concept is straightforward: good locations for the creative class, strong F&B offerings, and design-centric (but not excessive) rooms. 

Both properties delivered fully: Bangkok's location maintains authentic neighborhood charm while remaining close to tourist attractions, and Melbourne's Fitzroy location is ideal. Both feature excellent Thai food concepts overseen by Justin Dingle-Garciyya, formerly of the Adrian Zecha era at Aman. The end-to-end execution is remarkable.

Overdue Business Glow-up: Cathay Business Class

I've long admired Cathay Pacific's brand cohesiveness — its design, lounges, and aesthetic codes are consistently excellent. Its long-haul 777 business product, however, needed updating. The new Aria Suite addresses this need amid rising regional competition from carriers like Starlux. Featuring reverse herringbone seats with doors, refined lighting, and thoughtful color schemes based on the Collins Aerospace Elements platform, this upgrade is particularly commendable given Cathay's recent lean years.

Best Marketing: Belmond

Belmond is delivering a masterclass in brand and integrated marketing. It has published several exceptional books, regularly commissions prominent travel writers for thoughtful content about its properties, and recently launched 'Long Shots,' an ultra-longform film series designed for "passive viewing and active dreaming." CMO Arnaud Champenois is performing at the peak of his abilities.

Best Old School Approach: Hotel du Cap

Hotel du Cap elegantly maintains luxury traditions and decorum, as I noted in a recent column. House rules appear prominently on room cards, and dress codes are strictly enforced (no swimsuits in the garden, no shorts in the dining room). This iconic property preserves its reputation through firm standards, ensuring that individual guest behavior doesn't overshadow the collective experience — a lesson for the entire industry.

As an honorable mention, I often daydream of the Metropole in Hanoi: a timeless, comfortable experience yet full of intrigue. It's worth prioritizing a stay there if possible.

Locations to Watch

Siargao in the Philippines is increasingly mentioned by those seeking the authentic feel of old Bali. Luang Prabang is also gaining attention, not just from Southeast Asia-based travelers but from those much further afield.

Best Word of Mouth

Several properties have risen to the top of my must-visit list through consistent praise: the new Raffles in Bahrain and the newly launched MO in Beijing Qianmen, with its traditional hutong concept. The most discerning travelers I know consistently praise JK Place in Paris, and while in France, Hotel du Couvent in Nice generated significant buzz this year. Finally, Borgo Santo Pietro has become a 2025 magnet for me in a location I hadn’t previously been drawn to: Tuscany.

Best Service Cultures and Leadership

The Four Seasons Seoul team demonstrated the most cohesive and flawless service I encountered this period — perfect in every aspect. Also noteworthy: Michael James Botha in guest experience at the Belmond Mount Nelson Hotel, and Richard Alexander, General Manager at the Dorchester Dubai, who not only presided over an exceptional opening but supports writers and creatives in a wonderfully traditional way. 

Marguita Kracht provides elegant stewardship of the family-owned Baur au Lac in Zurich, maintaining an inspiring vision for hospitality. I was also impressed by Charlotte Soriano's poise and attention to detail at the Four Seasons Sydney, where she gained work experience during her studies at École hôtelière de Lausanne. Hospitality excellence runs in her family — her father, Jose, has helped build the brand for over 28 years.

I'll return in the summer with updates on the people and places advancing the industry. Until then, maintain your high standards.