Preferred Hotels & Resorts has identified seven key trends expected to define the friendly travel, nature-based experiences, and boutique maritime voyages. Each trend illustrates how properties are adapting their offerings through specialized programs, unique experiences, and new openings within the company’s international portfolio.
1. Sportcations
Travel centered around sporting events is becoming a staple of hotel programming. At The Post Oak Hotel at Uptown Houston, guests can book stays tied to Houston Rockets games, which include event access and transportation. In India, The Leela Palace Jaipur offers packages linked to the Maharaja Sawai Man Singh Polo Cup, providing entry to matches and related festivities. Meanwhile, the Boston Harbor Hotel is currently developing soccer-themed stays to coincide with local matches.
The Post Oak Hotel pool in Uptown Houston.
2. Heritage Is the New Frontier
Across various markets, historic structures are being repurposed for luxury hospitality. Serras Sevilla is slated to debut in the spring of 2026, housed within a building dating back to the early 20th century in Seville. In Malta, the Romègas Hotel will welcome guests inside a restored 500-year-old palazzo. Additionally, the Palais Jamaï Fès, situated in a late 19th-century mansion in Fes, Morocco, will operate within the city’s historic cultural California, hosts guided full-moon sessions for guests. Casa Velas in Puerto Vallarta offers outdoor programming that focuses on coastal environments and garden walks.
Exterior of the Bernardus Lodge & Spa hotel.
7. Boutique Seacationing
Preferred has expanded its reach into small-scale cruise operations in Egypt through a partnership with the Wings Encora Collection. Mazaj Meroot operates a fleet of 10 cabins along the Nile, traveling between Luxor and Aswan, while the Mazaj M/S Tamr offers two distinct itineraries on the same route. In Taiwan, The Archipelago functions primarily as a land-based hotel that also provides sea-based excursions.
Mazaj Meroot’s suite.