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Luxury Hotel Pipeline Reaches Records in India and Latin America

Developers have more luxury hotels in the pipeline than ever in Latin America and in Asia-Pacific outside China, Lodging Econometrics reports. In the United States, PwC expects luxury room rates to rise 6.8 per cent this year while economy rates stall.

Eva Winterer

Luxury hotel pipelines have reached record highs in Latin America and in Asia-Pacific outside China, according to quarterly counts published this week by Lodging Econometrics, a hotel research firm in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. At the end of September, developers in Latin America had 148 luxury hotels with 24,584 rooms in the pipeline. In Asia-Pacific outside China the figure was 454 hotels with 83,990 rooms, the highest the firm has recorded in both regions.

● In brief

India. India accounts for 1,165 of the 2,684 hotel projects in Asia-Pacific outside China, 39 per cent more than a year ago. Bangkok leads the cities with 71 projects, followed by Bengaluru, Mumbai, Jakarta and Jaipur.

Latin America. Mexico leads with 229 projects, ahead of Brazil with 145 and the Dominican Republic with a record 88. Mexico City and Lima have the most projects of any city, and early-stage plans rose 29 per cent in a year.

The United States. PwC expects average luxury room rates to rise 6.8 per cent in 2026, while economy rates fall 0.1 per cent. Revenue per available room is forecast to grow 5.0 per cent this year and 3.0 per cent in 2027.

Openings. Lodging Econometrics forecasts 401 hotel openings across all price segments in Asia-Pacific outside China in 2027, and 115 in Latin America.

A rendering of the arrival pavilion of Mandarin Oriental, Bali at dusk, reflected in a pool; one of the luxury hotels in Asia-Pacific’s record pipeline
Mandarin Oriental, Bali, on the Bukit peninsula, is due to open in 2027. Courtesy of Mandarin Oriental

● Why it matters

Developers follow the rates. Luxury rooms earn more each year while the bottom of the market stands still, and the pipelines show where builders expect the next guests: India’s cities, Mexico and Bangkok.

Most of these hotels are still plans. In Asia-Pacific outside China, 1,243 projects are in early planning and 1,007 under construction, so financing will decide how many open on time.

Owning and running a hotel are drifting apart. Many of these hotels will carry the name of a group that runs them without owning the building, the model behind this week’s sale of Rosewood London. The next counts, for the fourth quarter, follow early next year.

The Edwardian courtyard of Rosewood London on High Holborn, sold to Gencom and Nortia Continue · The reading Rosewood London Changes Hands The Cheng family keeps the brand, Gencom and Nortia buy the building. What the split means for London’s luxury hotels. Read on →

Sources

  • Lodging Econometrics via Hotel Online, Latin America pipeline Q3 2026, 2 November 2026: hotel-online.com
  • Lodging Econometrics via Hotel Online, Asia Pacific excluding China pipeline Q3 2026, 4 November 2026: hotel-online.com
  • PwC, US Hospitality Directions, November 2026: pwc.com
  • Global Traveler, Mandarin Oriental openings 2027: globaltravelerusa.com