Dubai's St. Regis Returns, Kyoto Gets a Shangri-La, and Accor's Explorer Perk Goes Global

The St. Regis Dubai, The Palm reopens November 1 after roughly six months of refurbishment, returning as a 290-key property — 264 rooms and 26 suites — on Palm Jumeirah just ahead of Dubai's peak winter booking season. The renovation touches guest rooms, suites, and public spaces, while the rooftop retains Trèsind Studio, the only three-Michelin-starred Indian restaurant in the world, as a standout dining draw. For advisors, this is a concrete, sellable date: winter 2026 Palm Jumeirah itineraries can now include the property with confidence, and the Michelin pedigree gives a strong hook for clients chasing culinary credentials alongside beachfront luxury. Expect demand to build quickly given Dubai's compressed high season and the property's return to full-rate Bonvoy inventory after months offline — book early for guests wanting this address over the winter holidays.

Shangri-La is converting a historic site near Nijo Castle in Kyoto into a new ultra-luxury hotel, adding a heritage-grounded flagship to its Japan portfolio. Placing a five-star property beside one of Kyoto's UNESCO World Heritage landmarks gives the brand a distinctive selling point as demand for true luxury inventory in the city continues to outstrip supply. Room count, opening date, and rates weren't disclosed, but the location alone signals Shangri-La's intent to compete directly with Kyoto's established ultra-luxury tier. For advisors building Japan itineraries, this is a name worth tracking now: heritage-site conversions of this caliber tend to draw early interest from high-end clients and can sell out well ahead of opening. No booking window exists yet, so treat this as a heads-up for 2027-and-beyond planning rather than an immediate sales opportunity.

Accor's paid loyalty add-on, ALL Accor+ Explorer, expands to 10 additional countries from October 1, with a UAE preview offer giving new sign-ups 3,000 bonus points between October 1–31. The expansion widens where advisors can sell Explorer membership as a value-add alongside ALL loyalty bookings, bringing bonus points, discounts, and perks to a broader set of eligible markets. It's a narrower story than a hotel opening, but a useful line for clients already loyal to Accor properties: the sign-up window opens the same day the new countries go live, creating a clean cross-sell moment tied to October travel planning. Advisors serving clients in or traveling to the newly added markets, including the UAE, should flag the enrollment bonus now — it's time-limited and pairs easily with any ALL-branded booking made in that window.