Westin in Korea, EDITION in Italy, Expansion Plans, and Other Hotel News You Missed

Hotel Openings

The Lake Como EDITION, Italy
The Lake Como EDITION has officially opened in northern Italy. Previously known as the Britannia Excelsior Hotel, it underwent a complete renovation before welcoming guests on September 9. The property features 145 modern and luxurious guest rooms. Along with a minimalist design, the hotel offers amenities such as complimentary breakfast, an outdoor pool, a poolside bar, and patio dining. Its prime location makes it a must-visit for travelers.

Opening date: Now open
Typical cash price: From $820 per night
Typical points cost: From 94,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night

Kimpton KAFD Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
IHG’s Kimpton brand made its debut in Saudi Arabia with the opening of the Kimpton KAFD Riyadh in the capital city. The property has 16 floors and blends the playful personality of Kimpton with local touches. Guests can enjoy four dining venues, an outdoor pool deck, a modern fitness facility, and meeting and event spaces.

Opening date: Now open
Typical cash price: From $340 per night, though rates are closer to $1,000 in December and January
Typical points cost: From 53,000 IHG One Rewards points per night

Hotel Indigo Gatlinburg Downtown, Tennessee
Located in downtown Gatlinburg, Tennessee, the Hotel Indigo Gatlinburg Downtown opened on September 9. It has 136 rooms and 9,300 square feet of event space. The design combines the Great Smoky Mountains with Art Deco elements. Amenities include one of the tallest rooftop bars in the area, modern technology in the rooms, four types of signature suites, and a Starbucks on the ground floor.

Opening date: Now open
Typical cash price: From $175 per night
Typical points cost: From 23,000 IHG One Rewards points per night

The Westin Seoul Parnas
The Westin Seoul Parnas is now open in South Korea’s capital. It features 564 guest rooms and a high-quality lounge in the Gangnam neighborhood. Elevated dining options include pan-Asian cuisine, buffets, and baked goods. Guests will also find a lobby bar, fitness club, pool, and even golf simulators.

Opening date: Now open
Typical cash price: From $273 per night
Typical points cost: From 52,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night

Upcoming Hotels

Kimpton Napa (2028)
There are currently 10 Kimpton properties in California, and another one is coming — this time to Napa Valley. IHG says the Kimpton Napa property should open in 2028, featuring 123 guest rooms spread across two buildings, each with four floors. The hotel will be pet-friendly. Highlights will include décor matching the natural surroundings and amenities like Kickstart morning coffee, Kimpton Social in the evenings, a rooftop bar, an outdoor spa, and more. The property itself will be located near the Oxbow Public Market.

Hotel News

IHG Signs 6 New Voco Properties in Mexico
IHG announced this week that it had signed six new voco properties in Mexico, all expected to open in 2027, in Cancun, Guadalajara, Ciudad Juárez, San Luis Potosí, Torreón, and Nuevo Laredo. These will be conversions of existing properties and will add 848 rooms to the voco portfolio in Mexico. Voco is one of IHG’s premium brands, though it comes with flair and a bit of fun mixed in.

Marriott’s StudioRes Brand Continues Growth
StudioRes is one of the newest Marriott brands, only opening the first property in Florida in June 2025. Now, the brand has broken ground on its 10th property — also located in Florida. Marriott says there are over 50 StudioRes projects in the pipeline, and roughly half of them are already under construction.

The St. Regis Chicago Adding Inflation Surcharges
The St. Regis Chicago, a property in one of Marriott’s luxury brands, surprised guests with a 3.5% surcharge on their dining bill this week. The hotel said the fee was to offset the cost of inflation, and staff removed it from the bill after pushback from the customer. It could be worth checking your hotel bill at this location (or even others) to look for added fees that many guests likely won’t notice.

Final Thoughts

This week, we saw exciting openings in Seoul, Riyadh, Lake Como, and Gatlinburg, and we also learned about Kimpton’s plans for Napa Valley. IHG also provided updates on plans for its voco brand in Mexico, while Marriott’s shovels broke ground on the 10th property for its newest brand. We also got a reminder this week to check your bill carefully before paying at a hotel.

As always, we’ll be back next week with more exciting hotel news.