Dolly Parton hotel opens in Nashville
Dolly Parton fans have a new reason to visit Nashville this autumn: the SongTeller Hotel has opened its doors, just weeks after the death of the country music icon at the age of 80.
The 245-room hotel, which Dolly described as her “love letter to Nashville”, will offer fans an immersive celebration of her life, music and extraordinary career. Each room and suite is influenced with her songwriting spirit and Southern charm, while the hotel will also house Dolly’s Life of Many Colors Museum, a major new exhibition charting her journey from the Smoky Mountains to global superstar.
The hotel, located in the heart of downtown Nashville, is close to Lower Broadway and the heart of the city’s live music scene, and will feature two music and entertainment venues, Parton’s Live and Jolene’s, with live performances, food and cocktails. Guests will be able to experience a number of Dolly-inspired touches, including hourly music moments featuring songs from her extensive catalogue and creative writing sessions inspired by her love of songwriting.
BA expands service to Costa Rica
Costa Rica will soon be more accessible for UK holidaymakers, with British Airways increasing its London flights to five times a week and moving the service from Gatwick to Heathrow for the 2026/27 winter season
The new schedule makes it simpler than ever before for travellers to swap the British winter for Costa Rica’s rainforests, beaches, wildlife and ‘Pura Vida’ lifestyle.
From October 2026 to March 2027, British Airways will fly to San José five days a week, giving travellers greater flexibility when planning their escape and opening up easier connections for those travelling from across the UK and Europe.
Flights will depart Heathrow on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at 11:10 am and arrive in San José at 4:40 pm, ideal for easing into the warm Costa Rican afternoon; return flights depart San José at 6:55 pm and land back in London at 11:05 am the following day.
California’s first sensory-inclusive destination
Huntington Beach has become the first destination in California to achieve Sensory Inclusive® Certification by KultureCity, the world’s leading nonprofit on sensory accessibility and acceptance, marking a significant step toward creating a more welcoming and supportive experience for travellers and residents with sensory needs and invisible disabilities.
Led by Visit Huntington Beach (VHB) in partnership with the City of Huntington Beach, the destination-wide initiative is distinctive in bringing together both private and public sectors to support sensory inclusion. Visitor-facing employees at hotels, restaurants, shops and attractions participated alongside Huntington Beach lifeguards, police officers, firefighters and other public safety personnel, helping create a more supportive experience throughout a visitor’s stay.
The KultureCity certification builds on VHB’s ongoing commitment to accessible travel, including its partnership with Wheel the World to map and verify accessibility information throughout the destination. Together, the initiatives help travellers with two critical components of accessible travel: plan with confidence and feel welcomed and supported once they arrive.
Fivelements begins global portfolio in Thailand
Balinese spa brand Fivelements is evolving into a global wellness hospitality brand, beginning with entry into Thailand with Fivelements Samui opening in early 2027. This will be followed by the transformation of Fivelements Ubud in 2028 and then expansion into Europe, with new destinations under development in Switzerland (2029) and Montenegro (2030).
The brand was acquired by GOCO, the global wellness consultancy group founded by industry veteran Ingo Schweder, in 2024. Fivelements will evolve into a network of destinations, retreats and wellbeing programmes, bringing together longevity science, diagnostics and contemporary knowledge with ancestral wisdom, nature and local culture and architecture.
Fivelements will be GOCO Hospitality’s first consumer-facing global brand, bringing the group’s four decades of expertise in wellness, hospitality, development and operations to a new generation of wellness travellers. Its ambition is to make wellbeing part of everyday life, not something addressed only when a problem arises.
100 years of Chuck Berry in Missouri
St. Louis will celebrate the 100th birthday of hometown icon Chuck Berry with CHUCK 100, a year-long programme honouring the ‘Father of Rock & Roll’. On 22 October 2026.
The Grandel will host a filmed concert featuring an all-star band led by Steve Jordan, producer and drummer for The Rolling Stones. The stage will recreate Berry’s Club Bandstand, which he opened in St. Louis in 1958, alongside an exhibition of rare and previously unseen photographs and artefacts.
Celebrations continue with a documentary, concert film and live recording, before crossing the Atlantic for a residency at London’s KOKO in March 2027. Visitors can also follow Berry’s story through the Delmar Loop, home to his Chuck Berry statue and legendary Blueberry Hill.
Village Ways introduces new family holiday
India specialist operator Village Ways, founded in Binsar in 2005, has launched a new family holiday is based from the Khali Estate in the foothills of the Himalayas. The Khali Estate offers families an introduction into the history of modern India: built during the Raj, it was then used both as an ashram (a place for spiritual learning) by Gandhi and as a family retreat for Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first post-independence Prime Minister.
Travelling here by the rattling hill train from Delhi, families will settle into their rondavel cottage and enjoy a story session to learn about the history and spirit of the Estate. Over the next week families will settle into the rhythm of life on the Estate and there will opportunities to take part in candle-making and painting workshops, stargaze in the shadow of Nanda Devi, (the highest mountain fully in India), and join a forest walk foraging for local berries.
Also included is a one-night ‘expedition’ out into the Binsar Sanctuary, walking its trails and staying in one of the Village Ways’ guesthouses in the local village. Here, parents and children alike will learn about traditional village life and have the opportunity to learn to cook traditional dishes in the company of the local people. While walking on the Sanctuary’s trails, families will look out for some of the area’s 200 bird species, including Himalayan barbet, Verditer flycatcher and Himalayan Griffon Vulture.
Run for the Rainforest
On the 3 October 2026, Kamba Africa will host the annual Run for the Rainforest event in the Republic of the Congo (ROC). Run for the Rainforest event raises vital funds for African Parks to continue their protection of the world’s second largest rainforest, by allowing participants to fundraise among their network, while experiencing one of the planet’s most pristine ecosystems in Odzala-Kokoua National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The event aims to raise $25,000, with 100% of donations going directly toward Odzala-Kokoua National Park’s conservation efforts, including wildlife protection, community development, and sustainable tourism initiatives.
The main 42km Odzala Rainforest Marathon begins at Kamba’s Lango Lodge and follows a dirt track through the park. This is complemented by the African Parks’ 21km Rangers Challenge Half Marathon, celebrating the dedicated individuals at the forefront of daily conservation efforts, as well as the Rainforest Fun Run 10km, which welcomes participants of all fitness levels.
This year marks the biggest year for the event, with 150 runners taking part, uniting conservation organisations, local communities, and international visitors in a unique wilderness running experience. Kamba Africa is the only private operator granted concessions in the ROC’s Odzala-Kokoua National Park, offering guests intimate luxury lodges and adventurous rainforest expeditions.
