Welcome back to The Check-In, your touchpoint for all things travel.
This week, we explore everything from a commemorative expedition through the Arctic drifts to a new private island development on the coast of the Red Sea.
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Shamal Holding Partners with Cheval Blanc on First Dubai Maison
Located just off Jumeirah’s coastline and surrounded by the Arabian gulf, Naïa Island Dubai will host the new hotel, featuring 30 suites and 40 private pool villas, alongside a collection of branded residences with private beach access.
The Dubai hotel will be designed in Cheval Blanc’s signature style: contemporary, yet timeless, while maintaining its commitment to its art de recevoir approach to hospitality, prioritising meticulous, detailed attention to the entertainment of its guests.
The luxury brand’s partnership with Shamal Holding reflects not only the steady global expansion of the Cheval collection, but the mutual positioning of Dubai as a prime destination for world-class luxury in line with the city’s 2030 Vision.
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Ponant Commemorates 40th Anniversary of Hilary and Armstrong North Pole Expedition
Peter Hilary (who participated in the original 1985 journey) joined his father, alongside his son, Alexander Hilary, Mark Armstrong, son of Neil Armstrong and expedition leader Mike Dunn on Le Commandant Charcot as it departed from Svalbard on July 22, 2025.
Le Commandant Charcot is the only cruise ship in the world capable of reaching 90° North, the northernmost point on Earth. An upcoming documentary, North Pole ‘85, directed by Iceland filmmakers Orly Orlyson and Rafnar Orri, will capture the revolutionary vessel as it retraces the original 1985-route through the Arctic drift.
The documentary raises anticipation for the 12-night North Pole expeditions that the Ponant group announced beginning July 2027.
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Mandarin Oriental Debuts Downtown Dubai
Located in the striking Wasl Tower on Sheikh Zayed Road, the so-called artery of Dubai, it is a financial hub and the heart of an upcoming art district. The latest addition to the hospitality group’s UAE addition features 259 rooms and suites and 224 exclusive residences — its first residential offering in Dubai.
The culinary concept spans ten distinct cuisines, taking its cues from French, Chinese, Greek and Italian fine dining. Special amenities include The Spa, spanning two floors and featuring 12 private treatment rooms, vitality pools and a 25-metre outdoor pool set within a garden terrace.
Competing only with the Burj Khalifa in terms of the city skyline, the tower’s striking ceramic façade — the tallest in the region — marks it as a symbol of innovation and sustainability.
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Red Sea Global Announces Newest Private Island Residences
Located on Laheq Island, the residential development forms part of a long-term commitment to both the Red Sea’s environment which houses the world’s fourth-largest barrier reef, and the communities who will live within it.
With estimates that the area will encompass 50 resorts, 8,000 hotel rooms and 1,000 residences across 22 islands and six inland locations by 2030, there is also a vision that the destination, including the Red Sea Global addition, will be the world’s largest destination to run on 100% renewable energy.
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62Nord Launches Journeys
Each journey includes stays across three of the brand’s unique properties: Hotel Brosundet in the picturesque harbor town of Ålesund, the forest-set Storfjord Hotel overlooking the untouched Fjordland wilderness and the storybook Hotel Union Øye, tucked away at the head of the Norangsfjord.
Showcasing the best of each season, autumn’s theme is Culinary Discovery, including al fresco dining, open-fire cooking, and the comfort of fine dining, all while honoring the cultural traditions of fermenting, hunting and preserving against the backdrop of the golden fjords of Sunnmøre.
Price
Culinary Discovery Journey starts from $11,162 per person for 6 nights
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Alchemia Journeys Debuts with 8-Day Whale Watching Itinerary
The eight-day itinerary, co-created with founder and lead expedition guide of Waterborn Expeditions Tyson Sadler, centres around daily whale safaris and authentic Nordic experiences.
Guests depart on daily excursions from Havnnes Lodge, embarking across the fjord to witness migrating whales and orcas, and weather-permitting, get the opportunity to participate in whale swimming.Other itinerary highlights include meeting Sami reindeer herders, attending a candlelit concert by the Arctic Philharmonic inside the historic Tromsø Cathedral and sleeping under transparent-domed igloos in Lyngenfjord, with a chance of seeing the Aurora Borealis.
Price
The itinerary starts at $13,300 per person
