Preferred Hotels & Resorts adds 10 new members to global portfolio

The announcement highlights the continued strength of independent luxury hospitality. Travellers are increasingly seeking hotels that offer personality, location-specific design, cultural connection and a more individual sense of service. Preferred Hotels & Resorts is responding to that demand by adding properties that each bring a clear identity rather than a standardised brand experience.

Among the most notable additions is The Botany in Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, joining the L.V.X. Collection. Set to debut this winter, the resort will introduce an intimate retreat within the 300-acre Preserve at Botany Bay on the secluded western tip of the island. The property will offer 20 villa-style accommodations with views of the turquoise sea, creating a private Caribbean resort experience rooted in nature.

The Botany’s offer will include two pools, poolside bars, spa treatments, nature walks, yoga sessions and water-based adventures. Dining will focus on Caribbean flavours interpreted through a contemporary lens. With its small scale, natural setting and personalised service, the resort is positioned as a quiet luxury hideaway for travellers seeking privacy and connection to the U.S. Virgin Islands.

In Bali, The Meru Sanur has joined the L.V.X. Collection. Located along peaceful Sanur Beach, the property offers 184 suites and is set within The Sanur, Indonesia’s first special economic zone dedicated to health and wellness tourism. This setting gives the resort a strong wellness identity, combining Balinese hospitality with contemporary design and holistic wellbeing.

The resort’s centrepiece is Taru Pramana Spa & Wellness, where treatments and wellness journeys are inspired by traditional Balinese healing practices. Guests can also experience mindfulness programming, oceanfront relaxation and curated wellbeing activities. The property strengthens Preferred’s wellness-focused presence in Southeast Asia.

In Kenya, Ilora Retreats has joined the Lifestyle Collection. Located within the Masai Mara National Reserve, the intimate luxury safari camp is set across 30 acres of protected wilderness and features only 14 tented suites. Its scale is intentionally small, encouraging guests to slow down and experience the rhythm of the Mara.

The retreat offers game drives in search of the Big Five, spa experiences, fireside evenings beneath the stars, bush walks, hot air balloon safaris, wildlife photography and cultural exchanges with the local Maasai community. This makes Ilora Retreats a strong example of experiential luxury built around landscape, conservation and cultural immersion.

In Belgium, Via Antwerp has joined the Lifestyle Collection. Located in the city’s character-rich Zurenborg neighbourhood, the hotel is positioned as a creative hub where design, culture and community meet. It offers 176 guestrooms and suites inspired by the area’s celebrated Art Nouveau architecture.

The hotel’s programming includes art exhibitions, live music, yoga sessions, pop-up dining events and opportunities to explore Antwerp by bicycle. Its Mediterranean restaurant and bar, MEA, gives the property a social dining anchor for both guests and locals. Via Antwerp adds a neighbourhood-driven lifestyle hotel to Preferred’s European portfolio.

In Portugal, MYTHIC SANA Downtown Suites has joined the Legend Collection. Situated on Rua Áurea in Lisbon’s historic Baixa Pombalina district, the property is housed within a restored historic building and offers 48 luxury guestrooms and suites. Its scale and design position it as an elegant city retreat in the heart of the Portuguese capital.

The hotel’s signature Golden Sleeves Butler service adds a highly personalised layer to each stay, tailoring experiences through curated itineraries and in-suite touches. Guests can also enjoy contemporary dining and cocktails at BLACK MOON Gastrobar, which includes its own Champagne Bar. The property blends historic architecture, refined service and Lisbon’s cultural energy.

Preferred Hotels & Resorts also added Montebelo Vista Alegre Lisboa Chiado Hotel in Lisbon to the Lifestyle Collection. The addition further strengthens the brand’s presence in Portugal’s capital, a destination that continues to attract luxury, culture and lifestyle travellers. Its inclusion broadens Preferred’s Lisbon offer across different styles of independent hospitality.

In Italy, two new additions expand the portfolio in major cultural destinations. San Clemente Palace Venice has joined the Legend Collection, adding a Venetian luxury address to the group’s collection of landmark properties. Teatro Luxury Apartments - Starhotels Collezione in Florence has joined Preferred Residences, strengthening the brand’s serviced residence offer in one of Italy’s most visited historic cities.

In Ireland, The Victoria Killarney has joined the Lifestyle Collection. Located in Killarney, the property adds another European leisure destination to Preferred’s network. Killarney’s appeal as a gateway to nature, heritage and scenic travel makes it a natural fit for travellers seeking independent hotels with local character.

The collection also added Wynn Al Marjan Island in the United Arab Emirates to the Legend Collection. The project strengthens Preferred’s presence in the Middle East and connects the portfolio with one of the region’s most high-profile emerging resort destinations. Its inclusion reflects the growing importance of luxury hospitality development in the UAE.

The new member properties are connected through I Prefer Hotel Rewards, the brand’s points-based loyalty programme. The programme has more than 6 million travellers enrolled globally and allows members to earn points redeemable for cash-value Reward Certificates, elite status benefits and other stay-related advantages at participating hotels and resorts.

To celebrate the new additions, I Prefer Hotel Rewards members can earn 2,500 bonus points on eligible stays at participating new member properties. The offer applies to bookings made by September 30, 2026, for stays through December 31, 2026. This gives Preferred an immediate loyalty-driven way to introduce travellers to the new hotels.

For travel advisors and agents, the properties can be booked through GDS using the PH and PV chain codes. This supports Preferred’s role as a global commercial platform for independent hotels, helping distinctive properties access broader distribution while maintaining their individual identities.

The additions also reflect the breadth of Preferred’s curated collections. L.V.X. Collection highlights refined luxury and destination-led experiences, Legend Collection focuses on exceptional and often landmark properties, Lifestyle Collection captures design and personality, and Preferred Residences supports residential-style hospitality. Together, these categories allow the brand to serve different traveller needs while remaining focused on independent luxury.

With more than 625 hotels, resorts, residences and unique hotel groups across 80 countries, Preferred Hotels & Resorts continues to position itself as the world’s largest independent hotel brand. Its newest members show how independent hospitality is evolving across wellness, safari travel, urban lifestyle, branded residences and luxury resort development.

The 10 new additions give travellers more ways to experience distinctive hotels with a strong sense of place. From the western tip of Saint Thomas and the beaches of Bali to the savannahs of Kenya, the creative neighbourhoods of Antwerp, the historic streets of Lisbon, Venice and Florence, and the resort future of the United Arab Emirates, Preferred Hotels & Resorts is expanding through properties that combine individuality, location and global reach.