05 January 2026
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Some travelers eschew rigid planning, preferring instead an open mind and an open itinerary to fill with whatever people, dishes and experiences might arise. You could head to any destination in the world and simply wander. But for those who want a dash of structure — just a touch — it’s possible to both start and end your research with the six hotels below.
Inspectors added hundreds of hotels to the MICHELIN selection in 2025. But these, newly found in the final months of the year, aren’t just some of the best-executed and special places in the world: Their particular settings — whether national parks, working farms, small towns or major cities — make reams of research irrelevant. Choose one, and you know exactly what you’re in for.
With a clear calendar ahead, here are just a few of Inspectors’ new hotel finds inspiring our travel in 2026.
Petals Hotel — Tokyo, Japan
What it’s all about: One of Tokyo’s most singular hotels combines four houseboats in an up-and-coming arts district.We wouldn’t dream of reducing your trip to Tokyo to just one neighborhood, but at least one of your nights in 2026 Tokyo should be on this floating hotel complex. Petals comprises four colorful houseboats on the Tennoz Canal, each designed with a handcrafted concept that matches the artsy reputation of this up-and-coming former warehouse district on the water.
Tennoz Art Week, an annual art exhibition in the district, would be the obvious time to visit — but the scene thrives here year round, full of galleries, supply shops and a contemporary art space called the WHAT Museum.
Hattvika Lodge — Ballstad, Norway
What it’s all about: One of Scandinavia’s most authentic year-round base camps.Rorbu are the traditional cottages of the Lofoten Islands, the wooden lodgings to which fishermen would return during the country’s famous cod season. Today, modernized rorbu dating to 1880 are just one type of accommodation at Hattvika Lodge. Their cozy wooden interiors are not so different from the futuristic suites set on the hillside, and fishing excursions are just one of many activities.
From the vantage of this authentic island outpost, spend winter in the lights of the aurora or summer in the everlasting sun. But there’s more to discover in every season, and days are easily filled with hiking, skiing, sea kayaking and, of course, the hot tubs and saunas that come standard at hotels of this quality throughout Scandinavia.
The Sanctuary at Alba Thermal Springs & Spas — Fingal, Australia
What it’s all about: Spa days at this unique, spring-fed complex outside Melbourne.If you find yourself anywhere near Melbourne in 2026, this hotel should be at the top of your list. Amid the dunes and bushland less than an hour from the center of the city is one of Australia’s most special wellness environs. The Alba Thermal Springs and Spa opened in 2022, incorporating nearly three dozen spring-fed pools from the region’s naturally occurring mineral waters.
Travelers had been satisfied by day trips until 2025, when the hotel opened with five suites and two rooms on a hilltop ridge just above the complex. Buggy service brings guests to the waters for days of sunrise soaks and sips of wine in private tubs.
The Oberoi Vindhyavilas Wildlife Resort — Tāla, India
What it’s all about: Tented accommodations and villas next to a national park teeming with tigers.The Oberoi is MICHELIN’s first hotel selection so near the Bandhavgarh National Park, where India’s highest density of tigers makes wild sightings highly likely on safari. By no stretch are the air-conditioned, garden-laden tents anything close to camping, but you can opt for luxury villas with their own private pools if the thought of canvas makes you queasy.
Either way, you’ll be plenty comfortable before and after expert-led safaris through the national park, and the hotel recommends at least two or three. Besides tigers, the park is a wonder of forest, meadows, caves and history.
Quercus — Georgia, USA
What it’s all about: An American agriturismo in the heart of rural Georgia.The farmhouse hotels of Italy are perhaps the pinnacle of the world of rural culinary retreats, but Quercus, in the hills of Georgia an hour from Atlanta, follows storied properties like Two-Key Blackberry Farm in making a compelling case for why America’s working farms and ranches are some of the world’s best country resorts.
Chef Ryan Smith of Staplehouse in Atlanta runs the seasonally based, biodynamic kitchen, and fine food and drink anchors the experience. Guests may take tours with the head gardener or in-house nutritionist, or otherwise fill their days enjoying the 3,800 acres of surrounding forest. Try equestrian activities, kayaking or hiking between meals.
Dowans Hotel — Aberlour, Scotland
What it’s all about: A boutique hotel and Victorian mansion in the heart of whisky country.This one’s all about the whisky. Dowans is a family-run, 16-room treasure in the Speyside region, where Glenfiddich, Glenlivet and many more distill their spirits. The hotel has two charming bars: the MBar, where whiskies are fashioned into cocktails both classic and contemporary, and The Still, home to the hotel’s 750-strong whisky collection featuring some seriously impressive bottles.
Sip a dram in here when you’re not on never-ending tasting tours throughout the region, and return in time for the afternoon tea service from the hotel’s own in-house baker.
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Hero Image: The special architecture of Hattvika Lodge in Ballstad, Norway. © Hattvika Lodge
