Luxury travel this week: Fairmont's 100th hotel, Marriott in Laos and fall as the new summer

A few times a month I'll share what caught my eye in luxury travel: the hotels that just opened, and the trends that change how and when I'd plan your trip. Here's this week.

Fairmont comes back to New Orleans

Fairmont New Orleans opened on November 2 as the brand's 100th hotel, about two decades after Fairmont left the city. It's in the former Bank of New Orleans building near the French Quarter, with 250 rooms and suites, a 10,000-square-foot spa and interiors by Rockwell Group. Emeril Lagasse's group runs the restaurants, including a new Café by Emeril for breakfast and lunch. (Hospitality Net)

New hotels often have quieter weeks in their first months while they find their rhythm, which can be a good time to go. It's also worth asking what's finished: spas and rooftop bars sometimes open a little after the rooms do.

Marriott's first hotel in Laos

La Résidence Phou Vao in Luang Prabang joined The Luxury Collection on November 4. It's Marriott's first hotel in Laos and its 800th in Asia Pacific outside China. The resort has 36 suites set in gardens on a hill above the town, with views over the temples toward the Mekong. (Hospitality Net)

Luang Prabang pairs well with Siem Reap and the temples of Angkor, where I once ran a guesthouse. Its sister hotel there, La Résidence d'Angkor, is due to join the same collection in 2027.

Two boutique openings

Sara y Julieta opened on November 1 in Mexico City's Roma Norte, in two restored houses on Calle Tonalá built in the early 1900s. It has just over 20 rooms, a restaurant and a bar. (Hospitality Net)

In Italy, Thompson Rome opened on October 27, the first Thompson hotel in the country, with 69 rooms in the center of the city. It's a Hyatt brand, so it may suit you if you collect World of Hyatt points.

Fall is the new summer

More travelers are skipping July and August for September, October and the shoulder months, mostly to avoid the heat and the crowds. Enchanting Travels found that peak-season trips to Europe fell from 47% of its U.S. guests' trips in 2023 to 40% in 2025. (Luxury Travel Advisor)

I see the same thing in the trips I plan. Fall rates aren't always lower, but you get easier restaurant bookings, cooler days for walking and a calmer feel at the hotel. If you're thinking about Europe next fall, the best rooms for late September go early, so it's a good time to start talking.

Which of these would you want to try first? Send me a note and I'll tell you what I know.