From Four Seasons and Ritz-Carlton to Hyatt, Hilton and Marriott, some of the biggest names in luxury hospitality are represented on Condé Nast Traveler’s annual list of the best new hotels in the United States and Canada for 2026. But the list also includes several independently owned boutique properties that prove you don’t have to be part of a global chain to make an unforgettable impression.
Condé Nast Traveler is widely considered one of the world’s premier luxury travel publications. Part of the Condé Nast media company, which traces its roots back to 1909, the magazine debuted in 1987 and has earned 25 National Magazine Awards. Its annual recommendations are closely watched by travelers and the hospitality industry alike.
For 30 years now, CN Traveler has published what the call the Hot List – their annual collection of the world’s best new hotels, restaurants and cruise ships. Here’s how they describe it this year:
It’s a thankless job: Spending a whirlwind 24 hours at a highly anticipated resort the day before it opens; securing hard-to-get reservations and forging through 12-course tasting menus; sailing to every end of the world and back. But hey, someone’s gotta do it. And those lucky someones are our global editors and contributors who’ve tirelessly lived their travel lives to the fullest for the past 12 months to create the 30th edition of the Hot List, our meticulously crafted annual compendium of the world’s best new (and newly reborn) hotels, restaurants, and cruises.
Condé Nast Traveler divides its hotel Hot List into two categories: The Best New Hotels in the World and The Best New Hotels in the U.S. & Canada. We’ll cover the worldwide winners another time. For now, here’s a closer look at the ten North American properties that made this year’s list—from lovingly restored landmarks to brand-new luxury resorts and intimate boutique hotels.
Canada
British Columbia
Rosemead House offers “refined comfort, spa experiences, and is one of the most distinctive places to stay on Vancouver Island.” Situated within a restored 118-year-old manor, the boutique hotel located on Canada’s Pacific coast with just 28 rooms opened in 2025.
United States
California
Established in 1919, Hotel El Roblar is the oldest hotel in Ojai’sl. Just over a century later, Eric Goode, Ramin Shamshiri, Warner Ebbink and Jeremy McBride have restored the two-acre property to its historical charm and namesake.
This 50-room boutique hotel re-opened in 2025.
The St. Helena location, in Napa Valley, is the most recent to open, joining its sister locations in Carmel-by-the-Sea (2 locations), Laguna Beach and Brentwood.
From their website: “This intimate hidden gem features 24 picturesque guest rooms and five stand-alone cottages, spread across three acres alongside a stunning vineyard.”
Located in the heart of downtown Parlm Springs, this hotel is part of the World of Hyatt.
The hotel blends iconic midcentury modern design with the city’s Rat Pack‑era heritage. Thompson Palm Springs boasts distinctive rooms, spacious suites, a 21+ Upper Stories adults‑only retreat, and a stylish two‑bedroom Penthouse all with expansive balconies or patios.
Amenities include an award‑winning Middle Eastern restaurant, two outdoor pools with sweeping views, a state‑of‑the‑art fitness center, the HALL Napa Valley Tasting Room, and 35,000+ sq ft of retail and dining options.
Florida
Naples Beach Club, A Four Seasons Resort
Located on the Gulf of Mexico, the property, which opened in late 2025, features 153 private residences and a 220-room Four Seasons Resort.
From their website:
Experience the award-winning Naples Beach Club, A Four Seasons Resort, where storied history meets contemporary elegance on Florida’s Gulf Coast. Our brand-new beachfront resort celebrates the idyllic lifestyle of Old Naples charm. Discover beloved Naples restaurants – HB’s and Sunset Bar – along with The Merchant Room for spectacular, new oceanfront dining. Relax at our expansive spa The Sanctuary, lounge at our ocean-view pools, hit the tennis courts at The Racquet Club and play the new Tom Fazio golf course (coming in 2027). At Naples Beach Club, embrace the legacy of luxury, elevated to new heights by legendary Four Seasons care.
Gencom completed the $100M renovation of the Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne – its first in 25 years – in late 2025.
Located on the 5-mile long Key Biscayne barrier island, the 17-acre resort, under the Marriott umbrella, is touted as Miami’s only island destination.
The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne offers restaurants, kids’ area, a spa, shopping and meeting areas to its guests staying at the hotel rooms and suites, as well as their residences.
Montana
The Big Sky location is the 15th One&Only location worldwide. Others can be found in the Americas (3 locations in Mexico and the U.S.) Europe (3), Africa (4) and Asia Pacific (1).
The resort is comprised of six resort buildings, offering 73 guest rooms and suites, 19 guest cabins, 62 Private Homes, and 8 Private Estate lots. Amenities include 3 award-winning restaurants, indoor pool, a spa, and various outdoor activities.
New Mexico
Part of World of Hyatt‘s Mr. & Mrs. Smith collection, Hotel Willa is a 51-room, art-filled boutique hotel located in Taos’ historic district.
Guests are encouraged to enjoy the hotel’s on-site restaurant, pool, spa and fitness center while they “laze beneath a shady willow tree with a backdrop of creamy stucco walls while watching the sun set over the ink-blue mountains.”
New York
After 8 years of a $2 billion restoration, the iconic Waldorf Astoria New York reopened in the summer of 2025, in all her Art Deco glory.
Often called The Greatest of Them All, the reimagined Hilton property, originally with 1400 guest rooms, now boasts 375 hotel rooms and 372 condominiums. Guests are invited to enjoy the hotel’s restaurants, bars, spa, convention space and even ballroom tennis.
Tennessee
A boutique hotel, The Chloe Nashville offers 19 rooms, a restaurant, a pool and ample meeting space.
The Chloe Nashville reimagines two historic 1920s cottages with a storied musical past. Once home to pioneering record labels, these walls wouldn’t talk, they’d sing. Now they’ve been transformed into a 19-room boutique hotel with impeccable design, a Creole-meets-Southern restaurant, and not one, not two, but three bars. You’ll find lush gardens, a pool perfect for playing hooky, an event deck ready for any occasion, and plenty of porches for sippin’ something strong.
Click here for more coverage of each property.
Whether your idea of luxury is a fully restored New York landmark, a beachfront Four Seasons on Florida’s Gulf Coast, a boutique hideaway in Napa Valley or a mountain retreat in Big Sky, this year’s Hot List shows there’s no single formula for creating an exceptional hotel.
One thing all ten properties have in common, though, is that they represent some of the most exciting new places to stay in North America.
If history is any guide, many of these hotels will go on to become destinations in their own right, and some may eventually earn a place among the country’s most iconic luxury properties.
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