There’s lots of news in the hotel world, and today I’ve got updates from both Fairmont and IHG. FAIRMONT HOTEL RENOVATIONS AROUND THE WORLD Driven by a commitment to ‘Make Special Happen’, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts has announced that 20% of the Fairmont portfolio is undergoing transformation. This includes the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia with redevelopment projects at Fairmont Southampton in Bermuda and Fairmont Grand Geneva in Switzerland, both slated for a Fall 2026 reopening. ONGOING RENOVATIONS Fairmont Southampton– Bermuda: Embarking on the largest renovation project in Bermuda’s history. Fairmont Pacific Rim– Vancouver, British Columbia: The Wellness Club at the Read more
San Diego
The folks at Resonance Consultancy, one of the most respected research firms in the world, have published their 2026 America’s Best Cities report and ranking. It’s their most comprehensive study ever, with all 393 U.S. metropolitan areas ranked for the first time. THE 2026 TOP 25 1. New York 2. Los Angeles 3. Chicago 4. Miami 5. San Francisco 6. Seattle 7. Las Vegas 8. Dallas 9. Houston 10. Boston 11. Austin 12. San Diego 13. Atlanta 14. Washington D.C. 15. Orlando 16. Denver 17. Nashville 18. Portland 19. Phoenix 20. Philadelphia 21. Tampa 22. Charlotte 23. New Orleans 24. Read more
USAToday this week published a list of the top beaches in the United States. It’s a good list, but they missed some great spots and overvalued some others. Here’s a rundown of their top 17, with my thoughts on places I’ve visited. Siesta Key, Florida: A fine, white sand beach that stretches on nearly forever. Maui,. Hawaii: Why they lumped all of Maui’s beaches into one entry is bizarre. That really diminishes the island’s offerings, as if they’d been listed individually you would probably see three or more Maui beaches in the top 15. Given you’re talking about the entire Read more
Great Travel Tips from Expedia. Trip Advisor lists best beaches and top destinations for 2026. A Mexico tourism record. New flights from Canadian airlines. And a worrisome note about Canadians feeling unsafe in the U.S. Today’s travel report has a little of everything. EXPEDIA TRAVEL TIPS AND FLYING PET PEEVES The folks at Expedia Canada have a new report on the best days of the week to book your flights and the least and most expensive airports to fly from in Canada. They also have an amusing take on Canadian travellers’ pet peeves, which include seat kickers and people who Read more
With 2024 coming to a close, KAYAK, the world’s leading travel search engine, is forecasting the future of Canadian travel habits that will rule the year ahead. From the hottest trending international destinations to the best deals for a sunny getaway, these are the top travel trends to expect in 2025: A strong surge in international travel searches – Canadians are taking things abroad next year with international travel making up over three quarters of all searches. With domestic travel costs rising to the most expensive it’s been in four years (and seeing another 19% increase in domestic airfare Read more
