It was a truly hectic week in the hotel business the type where news runs on all continents at the same time and the scope of news somehow covers everything to a beachfront resort in Malaysia Borneo that won’t be open till 2031. You should have blink, you might have missed a lot. The complete picture is here.

The largest Story: Burj Al Arab Shuts Its doors the first time in its History

The news that should have to headline the news in the hotel industry this week belongs to the Burj Al Arab in Dubai: The hotel has shut down and is undergoing a complete restoration, the first major renovation the building has undergone in its history of 27 years. It is an amazing thing to sit down a minute with. It is one of the most photographed, most discussed, and most visited luxury hotels on the planet which has been open since 1999 without so much as closing down to have a proper top-to-bottom overhaul. Until now.

The 202-suite sail-shaped tower commonly (and inaccurately) referred to as the only seven-star hotel in the world will be shut down, and is expected to reopen sometime in late 2027. A French interior architect known as Tristan Auer has been invited to head the project and they have been mandated to preserve the initial cultural identity of the property as it was but also taking great care to modernise some of its features. The CEO of Jumeirah called it a restoration that is mindful and aimed at the idea of preserving the legacy of the property to future generations language that implies that it is an evolutionary effort, but not a reinvention.

The timing of the closure is not by chance. Tourism in Dubai has cushioned against the current instability in the region, and this implies that a shutdown would not hurt the revenues as much as it would otherwise have hurt the revenues in a booming season. Business-wise, when you are going to shut your flagship a year and a half, it would be much more prudent to do it during a comparatively slow period than wait till the situation gets worse.

The 18-month window translates to 2028 and after, so the plans of the points and miles travelers who had the Burj Al Arab on their bucket list cannot be delayed any further. The property after renovations will certainly charge a higher cash rate and points requirement hence it will be interesting to monitor when the new pricing system is introduced.

The First Mediterranean Property of JW Marriott is ready to open in the summer

On a much more positive note, the JW Marriott Crete Resort/SPA has opened back on April 15th, and will enjoy its first full summer season. This is the first full summer the 160-room property has been open, and it already has luxury tourists clamoring to visit the Greek islands, so it is gaining serious traction.

The resort, which sits on top of the Marathi Bay, about 15 minutes away to Chania Airport, is leaning more towards a wellness-focused, leisurely lifestyle that would be very much aligned with the JW brand philosophy. All rooms, suites, and villas have a design choice that makes the whole experience when you are there.

The food and drink menu is also worth mentioning, as four separate restaurants serve all types of Cretan seafood, Italian, Mediterranean all-day dining as well as a cocktail menu created in partnership with Soulshakers, an established international mixology brand. The wellness initiative will comprise of sea-view yoga deck, visiting practitioners, and spa treatments based on the local Cretan traditions.

The cash rates begin at approximately $375 per night and rise to $530 or more during the high season weekends. Members of the Marriott Bonvoy system can stay at the property at a minimum of about 65,600 points per night, which is a decent rate but not outrageous considering a JW resort in a city with a high summer season.

Two Hyatt Properties in the USA undergo Major Renovations

At home, two Hyatt properties completed major renovation projects this week, each with an alternate focus and personality.

The Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center has just finished a 70 million renovation of their entire 1100 guest rooms, and it is all to celebrate the 20 th anniversary of the hotel. The redesign is based on a "Slow and True" philosophy natural materials, such as wood, stone, and porcelain are prominently featured, bathrooms were completely redesigned, and each room now has USB-C charging. The overhaul also included the addition of a 891-square-foot meeting room on the fifth floor that had an access to an outdoor Denver City Terrace.

What is most striking here, besides the rooms, is the sustainability commitment: about 90 percent of the old furniture was resold instead of thrown away, and the new shower pans were made with about 450 recycled plastic bottles each. The lowest price is $385 a night, or approximately 12,000 World of Hyatt points an entry point to a full-service convention hotel in a large city.

The Hyatt Centric Fisherman Wharf San Francisco has also finished its own multimillion-dollar upgrade of 316 rooms and more than 19,000 square feet of meeting space, purposely timed during the month of Earth. The property collaborated with MindClick to confirm the environmental certifications of all the materials in the renovation:

• VOC materials on all refreshed spaces.
• Furnishing and soft goods made of fabrics certified by Oeko-Tex and Greenguard.
• Synthetic carpeting being replaced with wool.
• Flooring cushioning of recycled building debris.

The flagship restaurant, Brick and Beam, is designed with nautical and local themes and the pool deck has a special yoga space. The lowest entry point into a remodeled Hyatt Centric in a high-end beach market has been at nightly rates of $219 or 12,000 World of Hyatt points.

Kimpton is eventually making their way to Malaysian Borneo

Moving ahead, IHG declared that it had signed a 350 key beachfront hotel, Kimpton Kota Kinabalu on Tanjung Aru in Sabah state of Malaysian Borneo. The hotel will open in 2031, the second outlet of the brand in Malaysia (the first opened in 2021 as Kimpton Naluria Kuala Lumpur).

The location is truly spectacular on paper direct beach access on one side and the South China Sea on the other and Mount Kinabalu. It will feature an all-day restaurant, Beach Club, specialty dining, a variety of pools, and wellness areas, and the design-focused social spaces that have become a Kimpton staple.

IHG has been indicating greater regional expansion, with the announcement that they will expand its Luxury and Lifestyle offerings in Malaysia to triple within the next few years. The pricing of cash rates and IHG One Rewards points will not start until later near the opening, but with the location and brand positioning, it's one that should be considered when planning longer-range travel.

The Week in Summary

The Burj Al Arab had to go dark the first time in its history, a Greek island resort opened to its first full summer, two Hyatt hotels were born out of major renovations, and a high-profile deal in Malaysian Borneo, this week saw where the energy in the hotel industry was currently concentrated: iconic restoration, sustainable refreshes, and further expansion of luxury into unexploited destinations. The Burj Al Arab narrative will take over the discussion over the next 18 months as the industry awaits what Tristan Auer will offer but the rest of this week news is worth following by travelers as they develop their 2026 and beyond itineraries.