Welcome back to The Check-In, your touchpoint for all things travel.
-
Mandarin Oriental is Coming to Mallorca in 2026
Mandarin Oriental has announced plans to open Mandarin Oriental Punta Negra, Mallorca, in time for spring 2026. The property will sit on a peninsula along the Costa d’en Blanes in Calvià, near Puerto Portals, just a short drive from Palma.
The 131-key resort will be made up of casitas and rooftop suites, many with private pools, spread across pine-framed cliffs with exclusive access to two coves.
Dining will be a focus of the hotel, with several major outlets across the resort. Matsuhisa will bring its signature Japanese-Peruvian menu, while Lena by Dani Garcia will be a fire-led steakhouse. The hotel will also house Jacinta, a Mexican spot, and Leppo, a more casual all-day dining restaurant.
-
Four Seasons Cartagena Opens for Reservations
Four Seasons’ expansion in Colombia continues with Four Seasons Hotel Cartagena, now open for reservations ahead of its spring debut. Located in Cartagena’s Getsemani, known for its street art and cultural vibrancy, the hotel stitches together a number of the neighborhood’s restored historic structures, including a 16th-century cloister, former theatres, and the 1920s landmark Club Cartagena.
The hotel will offer 131 rooms and suites, many with private terraces, with 27 in Spanish colonial style. Contemporary-style rooms include the three-bedroom Casa Ambrad (House Royal Suite), which features a rooftop plunge pool.
The UMARI Spa will include six treatment rooms, a couple’s suite, a fitness center, and two rooftop pools. Guests will also be able to enjoy eight dining venues, including collaborations with Major Food Group, of famed Italian restaurant Carbone. Plans include a steakhouse, rooftop bar, speakeasy-style lounge, pizzeria, and cafe, specializing in Colombian coffee.
The hotel becomes the third Four Seasons property in Colombia, joining two hotels in Bogotá, including Casa Medina.
-
Uga Resorts Announces New Fifteen-Villa Boutique Hotel in Ella, Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan boutique hotel group Uga Resorts has announced Uga Ghiri, its eighth property, set to open in June 2026 in the country’s central highlands.
Set above Ella’s famous Nine Arch Bridge, the all-inclusive retreat will comprise just 15 private villas, each generously sized and positioned within the grounds of the historic Sutherland Estate. The restored manor house will anchor the property, housing its main restaurant and public spaces.
Experiences available to guests will range from artisanal tea tastings to market-to-table cooking classes, cycling through tea estates, and hiking in the surrounding highlands. The property will join Uga’s existing portfolio across Sri Lanka, including Uga Chena Huts in Yala and Uga Halloowella in Hatton.
-
The Conservatorium Becomes Mandarin Oriental Amsterdam
Mandarin Oriental’s arrival in the Netherlands comes via a rebranding of one of Amsterdam’s most established hotels, The Conservatorium, in the city’s Museum Quarter.
Rather than a full overhaul, changes appear measured: a redesigned lounge with a renewed emphasis on afternoon tea, phased upgrades to rooms and suites, and a new restaurant opening in early 2026 from Yotam Ottolenghi. The central dining space will take inspiration from Ottolenghi’s ROVI in London, with vegetable-first sharing plates, marking Ottolenghi’s first restaurant in the Netherlands.
-
Caesars Palace Unveils New Signature Suites
Caesars Palace is marking its 60th anniversary with the launch of two Colosseum Presidential Villas and 29 Octavius Sky Villas.
Designed by Peter Silling & Associates, the villas are unapologetically grand: private elevators, Roman garden-inspired vestibules, billiard rooms, double-sided fireplaces, and expansive terraces high above the city. The two Presidential Villas can even be combined, creating more than 19,000 square feet of space.
The 29 Octavius Sky Villas are located on the 68th and 69th floors, and each includes a 1,700-sq-ft rooftop terrace with views across the Las Vegas skyline.
