Globetrender

Broughton Sanctuary is betting on transformation as the next frontier in travel – rewilding not just the land, but its guests’ inner worlds, too. And it needn’t come through tears and anguish: its new "Immersion" retreat is a gateway for the transformation-curious. Words and photography by Robbie Hodges I’m inhaling wet turf when it first happens; my bum in the air like a bobtail, camera poised on an ancient oak.

Commissioned by Visit California and directed by Louie Schwartzberg, the film explores the landscapes and wildlife alongside Highway 1, marking its reopening after three years of disruption. Tourist board Visit California has commissioned a new short film about Highway 1, the coastal road that runs through some of the state's most dramatic scenery, following the reopening of a section that had been closed for three years.

Canton Blue at The Peninsula is launching weekly mahjong nights, as the traditional Chinese tile game gains a new generation of players. Canton Blue at The Peninsula London is launching a Mahjong Club this September as part of a month-long programme marking the Mid-Autumn Festival. Beginning on September 14, Mahjong Mondays will take place in the restaurant's Tea Lounge every Monday from 12pm to 9pm.

Soho House will open Soho River House in Berkshire in late 2027, combining 93 bedrooms with rowing, racquet sports, wellness facilities and restaurants on the banks of the River Thames. Soho House is expanding its UK countryside offering with Soho River House, a new members' club and hotel set to open on the River Thames at the end of 2027. The property will occupy Oakley Court, a 400-year-old neogothic mansion in Berkshire that has hosted seasonal Soho House pop-ups for the past four summers.

Cookson Adventures founder Henry Cookson will return to Antarctica's Pole of Inaccessibility 20 years after his record-breaking expedition, taking five guests on an 11-day journey costing from US$340,000 per person. Cookson Adventures has announced a private expedition to Antarctica's Southern Pole of Inaccessibility, one of the continent's most remote locations, in December 2026.

Ennismore has signed the first 25hours Hotel in Thailand, with a 345-room Bangkok property set to open as part of a new mixed-use development in Siam Square. 25hours Hotel Bangkok will open in the first quarter of 2029, marking the brand’s debut in Thailand and a further expansion of Ennismore’s hotel portfolio across Asia. The 345-room hotel will be located in Siam Square, one of Bangkok’s main shopping and entertainment districts.

The Hoxton is turning room service into a retail channel with a limited Lacoste fashion collection that guests can only buy after checking into one of its 19 hotels. The Hoxton and Lacoste have teamed up with Los Angeles-based artist Michael McGregor for a limited fashion collection that will only be sold through hotel room service. Launched globally on September 8, 2026, the seven-piece Room Service collection is available exclusively to guests staying at The Hoxton's 19 hotels.

Kamalaya Koh Samui's 'Sacred Renewal' programme combines yogic and Vedic traditions, and is timed with the phases of the moon Kamalaya Koh Samui is debuting a new lunar wellness retreat that uses the phases of the moon to structure treatments, rituals and contemplative practices. Called "Sacred Renewal", the programme will be available at the Thai wellness sanctuary from October 1, 2026, coinciding with Kamalaya's 21st anniversary.

Bomporto Hotels has partnered with British car brand MOKE International to offer vehicles for guests exploring Lisbon and Porto. Portuguese hotel group Bomporto Hotels has introduced Electric MOKEs across its three properties in Lisbon and Porto, marking the first hotel partnership in Portugal to offer the fully electric vehicles. Available since July 2026, the Electric MOKEs can be hired at the Lumiares Hotel and Spa and the Vintage Hotel and Spa in Lisbon, as well as the Rebello in Porto.

Emirates has introduced crypto payments for UAE customers, allowing eligible travellers to pay for flights through Crypto.com Pay when booking on the airline's website or app. Emirates has launched crypto payments for flight bookings, one year after announcing plans to integrate Crypto.com Pay into its digital payment systems. Since the end of July 2026, eligible UAE residents with a Crypto.com account have been able to use Crypto.com Pay when booking through the Emirates website or app.