Fairmont Hotels & Resorts has confirmed it is rebuilding luxury on a grand scale, with a fifth of its global estate now under active transformation as the Accor-owned brand moves to modernise its landmark addresses without losing the heritage that made them famous.

The programme, driven by the brand’s “Make Special Happen” ethos, spans the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia, and includes two of the most ambitious hotel projects on either side of the Atlantic: the USD 550 million rebuild of Fairmont Southampton in Bermuda, and the sweeping restoration of Fairmont Grand Hotel Geneva. Both properties are currently closed, with Southampton slated to reopen in late 2026 and Geneva following in 2027.

For the corporate traveller and event planner, the message is one of reassurance rather than disruption: the grand hotels are being future-proofed, and a wave of refreshed guestrooms, meeting spaces and dining venues is arriving across key business destinations over the next two years.

A brand of the future, built on heritage

“Fairmont has always been a place where the world gathers, and this remains true today,” said Omer Acar, Chief Executive Officer, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. “Our hotels, whether historic treasures or modern masterpieces, are always central to life’s most important moments. While we celebrate our profound heritage, Fairmont is unequivocally a brand of the future.”

Acar pointed to the brand’s newest urban openings, including Fairmont Doha, Fairmont Hanoi and Fairmont Tokyo, as evidence that the group is shaping city skylines just as its original grand hotels once did. “Our commitment lies in continually renovating and adapting our heritage hotels, guaranteeing they deliver unparalleled experiences for our discerning guests globally,” he added.

The scale of the current investment, first detailed by parent company Accor, underlines how central refurbishment has become to the luxury operator’s strategy.

The headline projects: Bermuda and Geneva

The most significant single undertaking is at Fairmont Southampton, where a Miami-based investment firm and development group, Gencom, is leading what is billed as the largest renovation in Bermuda’s history. The USD 550 million redevelopment will completely reimagine the resort’s 593 guestrooms, including 44 suites and a dedicated Fairmont Gold experience.

Perched along the island’s South Shore, the resort will introduce an entirely new food and beverage landscape alongside a spectacular new Beach Club with a half-Olympic-sized pool, an oceanfront grill and private cabanas. A state-of-the-art fitness centre, more than 45,000 square feet of meeting and event space and an award-winning 18-hole Par 3 golf course complete the offering. The Palmetto Beach Club will debut ahead of the full resort, which is designed by interior architect Tori Stori. The scheme, which broke ground in November 2024 according to Bermuda’s The Royal Gazette, is expected to reset the standard for oceanfront hospitality on the island.

In Switzerland, Fairmont Grand Hotel Geneva is one of three properties closed for full transformation. The restoration encompasses the building’s iconic facade, with elegant new loggias added to rooms overlooking Lake Geneva, while the entire interior, including more than 400 guestrooms, is being reimagined. The hotel is set to reopen in 2027 as what the brand calls a definitive luxury destination for international travellers and Genevans alike.

London’s savoy leads the European heritage work

Closer to home, The Savoy in London continues one of the most closely watched restorations in the capital. Following the acclaimed reveal of reimagined Edwardian bedrooms and suites in 2025, the hotel’s Art Deco bedrooms are due to be refreshed and unveiled in summer 2026, extending a programme of careful renewal across both of the property’s storied wings.

North American momentum

Canada accounts for a large share of the active work. Ottawa’s Fairmont Château Laurier has an extensive guestroom and bathroom programme underway, with a model room due in July 2026 and lobby works completing in December 2026; the acclaimed Akira Back restaurant opened in March 2026, followed in May by Émilie’s Terrace, an outdoor dining destination overlooking Parliament Hill.

In Quebec City, Fairmont Le Château Frontenac is expanding its Fairmont Gold experience from 70 to 104 rooms and renovating 203 standard guestrooms and 13 suites, with completion targeted for 2028. Fairmont Tremblant is finishing a comprehensive guestroom programme crowned by a new 1,200 square foot Presidential Suite this autumn, while in Vancouver, Fairmont Waterfront has completed the first phase of a four-year transformation with 96 renovated rooms, and the Forbes Five-Star Fairmont Pacific Rim is due to complete its elevated Wellness Club and spa by the end of June 2026.

Recently completed and coming soon

Several projects have already reopened their doors. Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge reopened its iconic main lodge in early June 2026 following a multi-phased repositioning of the 700-acre resort, while Fairmont Pittsburgh, Fairmont Orchid on Hawai’i Island and Fairmont Kea Lani on Maui have all completed refreshed guestrooms, dining or wellness spaces over the past year.

Two more transformations are imminent. Fairmont Winnipeg closes to guests on 1 July 2026 for a complete reinvention, reopening in summer 2027, and Fairmont Beijing will close on 1 September 2026 to begin a full renovation, with further details and a reopening date to be confirmed.

Taken together, the programme signals a clear intent from Fairmont: to carry its grand hotels into a new era of luxury travel, and to give business guests refreshed, future-ready addresses in the cities and resorts where they need them most. For the full picture of the group’s investment across its estate, see our earlier coverage of Fairmont’s grand renovations across its global properties.