Mandala Hotels & Resorts completed renovations at Mercure Clear Mountain in September and relaunched it as Peppers Clear Mountain. Elsewhere, Journey Beyond announced a refurbishment of Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef, including new tents and upgraded shared spaces. In the same month, Capella Sydney ranked No. 16 in the World’s 50 Best Hotels and was named Best Hotel in Oceania.
Opening dates and bookings
- Crystalbrook Sam opened reservations ahead of its planned late-December debut in Adelaide (9 September 2026, Crystalbrook Collection).
Rebrands, renovations and new venues
- Journey Beyond announced a refurbishment of Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef, including new tents and upgraded shared spaces (13 September 2026, Journey Beyond).
- Mandala Hotels & Resorts completed renovations at Mercure Clear Mountain and relaunched it as Peppers Clear Mountain (15 September 2026, The Hotel Conversation).
- Crown Perth announced that 42 by Don Julio would open at Crown Towers on 25 September (16 September 2026, Crown Perth).
- Spezia opened as an Italian restaurant in the courtyards of The Lands by Capella in Sydney (23 September 2026, Hospitality).
- InterContinental Brisbane announced a staged renovation starting in October 2026, with the hotel remaining open during the work (29 September 2026, The Hotel Conversation; our story).
InterContinental Brisbane will remain open during its staged renovation starting in October 2026. That puts a heavy burden on InterContinental Brisbane to keep the building work from defining a guest’s stay.
Awards
The 2026 Michelin Keys
The 2026 Michelin Keys were announced on 18 September 2026 (Michelin Guide).
- Three Keys: Lizard Island Resort, Saffire Freycinet and Southern Ocean Lodge.
- Two Keys: Capella Lodge, Capella Sydney, Jackalope Hotel, Longitude 131, Sequoia Lodge, Silky Oaks Lodge, Spicers Peak Lodge, Spicers Sangoma Retreat and Thorngrove Manor.
- One Key: 1 Hotel Melbourne, Ardour Milton Park Bowral, Basq House, Blackbird Byron, Chalets at Blackheath, COMO The Treasury, Crystalbrook Albion, Drift House, El Questro Homestead, Four Seasons Hotel Sydney, Gaia Retreat & Spa, Halcyon House, Il Delfino Seaside Inn, InterContinental Sorrento Mornington Peninsula, InterContinental Sydney Coogee Beach, Islington Hotel, Lanson Place Parliament Gardens, Le Mas Barossa, Lon Retreat & Spa, MACq 01, Maleny Lodge, Mount Lofty House Estate, Mt Mulligan Lodge, Osborn House, Park Hyatt Sydney, Pretty Beach House, QT Sydney, qualia, Sticky Rice Villas, The Calile Hotel, The Corinda Collection, The EVE Hotel Sydney, The Henry Jones Art Hotel, The Langham Melbourne, The Langham Sydney, The Porter House Hotel Sydney, The Ritz-Carlton, Melbourne, The Sanctuary at Alba Thermal Springs & Spa, The Sundays, The Tasman, Wildlife Retreat at Taronga and Yala Yallingup Retreat and Spa.
Saffire Freycinet and Southern Ocean Lodge moved from Two Keys in 2025 to Three Keys in 2026. Lizard Island Resort retained Three Keys for a second year. Holding that distinction is the next test for Saffire Freycinet and Southern Ocean Lodge.
The 2026 World’s 50 Best Hotels
The 2026 World’s 50 Best Hotels were announced on 1 September 2026 (The World’s 50 Best Hotels).
- Capella Sydney: No. 16, and named Best Hotel in Oceania.
- The Calile Hotel: No. 83.
Capella Sydney slipped from No. 12 to No. 16. The Calile Hotel fell from No. 34 in 2025 to No. 83 in 2026. The Calile Hotel’s fall is steep enough to make continued inclusion feel like scant consolation.
Pre-opening teams
- Andaz Gold Coast named Saraid Carey general manager alongside Jane Strangman, Stacey Plaine and Steven Rhodes in its leadership team (11 September 2026, The Hotel Conversation).