Welcome back to The Check-In, your touchpoint for all things travel.
This week, Waldorf Astoria opens its first Nordic hotel in Helsinki, Ritz-Carlton Reserve reveals another coastal retreat in Mexico, Belmond sets a reopening date for Villa San Michele in Florence and Mandarin Oriental debuts a color-focused suite in London.
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Waldorf Astoria Sets its Sight on Helsinki
Waldorf Astoria is heading north. The brand has confirmed plans for Waldorf Astoria Helsinki, marking the brand's debut property in the Nordic region. The 166-key hotel will occupy four historic buildings in the city's Kruununhaka district, near Helsinki Cathedral and Market Square.
Wellness will play a central role in the hotel, reflecting Nordic tradition with a focus thermal therapies. The spa features classic Finnish rituals, with invigorating cold plunges and saunas, while select suites offer private in-room spas with saunas, steam rooms and terraces with Jacuzzis.
“This landmark hotel will set a new benchmark for luxury hospitality in the region, blending Waldorf Astoria’s signature sophistication with the distinctive spirit of Finnish culture,” says Simon Vincent, president EMEA, Hilton.
The Helsinki location joins a fast-growing list of worldwide openings for the brand, which just this year expanded to Osaka, Costa Rica and reclaimed its long-awaited New York flagship. And Waldorf Astoria isn't done yet, with a collection of city locations, from Sydney to London, to come.
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Ritz-Carlton Reserve Expands its Exclusive Portfolio
Siari Riviera Nayarit will open this winter as the brand's second property on Mexico's mainland Pacific coast and its ninth worldwide.
The hotel will sit within a 920-acre private enclave framed by the Sierra Madre foothills and the region's largest swimmable beach. Each property prioritizes intimacy, and this retreat is no exception, with just 91 guest rooms, including the five-bedroom Siari Presidential Estate.
Guests can also enjoy four signature dining concepts and a Tom Fazio-designed golf course.
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Belmond's Villa San Michele Plans Grand Return in 2026
Villa San Michele, A Belmond Hotel, will reopen on April 28, 2026, following an 18-month restoration. Guests can expect 39 renewed rooms and suites, including three standout suites, Limonaia, The Grand Tour and Botanica.
The refreshed property will debut the hotel's first dedicated spa, Villa San Michele Spa by Guerlain, offering yoga, breathwork and sound therapy. Fans of the historic property will be pleased to hear the hotel will also be extending its season to welcome guests from spring through winter.
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Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park Unveils Pantone Collaboration
Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London, has partnered with Pantone Color Institute to create a suite that champions a single shade: Mandarin Oriental Celadon Green. Conceived with Paris-based design studio Uchronia, the new Pantone Celadon Suite envelopes guests in custom furnishings, art and accessories all in the specific shade.
“Mandarin Oriental Celadon Green is a color that carries both serenity and strength. In bringing the color to life in the Suite, we sought to craft a space that evolves with the guest’s mood – playful in one moment, tranquil in the next. This collaboration with Mandarin Oriental and Pantone has allowed us to explore the poetry of color as an immersive form of design," says Julian Sebban, founder of Uchronia.
The experience extends beyond the guest room, with a suite package that includes a matcha tea ritual in The Roseberry, guided by the hotel's tea sommelier, along with two Celadon cocktails at Mandarin Bar. A spa treatment inspired by the healing crystal Celadonite completes the experience.
Available through December 2025, the project signals further colorful design initiatives to come across the Mandarin Oriental Group portfolio into 2026.
