Window shopping #31

A heritage hotel rebrands, Michelin expands its keys, and the world’s first trackable suitcase takes flight

This is Window Shopping, a weekly mini-letter from Window Seat—your stylish scroll through what’s new and noteworthy in the world of travel. Each issue blends timely headlines, personal favorites, and design-forward hotels to keep your wanderlust well-fed.

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Rosewood reveals a sleek rebrand and a shift toward lifestyle. Rosewood Hotels & Resorts just unveiled a buzzy new rebrand as part of its evolution into a full-fledged lifestyle brand. Debuted Wednesday alongside a cinematic campaign video titled Discovered at Rosewood, the refresh includes a refined new monogram and sleek wordmark, with a focus on storytelling and curated retail that continues the guest experience long after checkout. With retail partnerships, immersive content, and more tactile brand extensions to come, Rosewood is aligning itself with the next wave of hospitality that lives well beyond the hotel walls.

Michelin’s Key list goes global—and some stylish newcomers make the cut. Michelin just announced its 2025 Key selections and, for the first time, expanded the program worldwide. Now in its second year, the Key distinction (like the brand’s famous stars, but for hotels) has grown from a regional experiment to a global marker of excellence in hospitality. Two of my favorite U.S. additions? Six Bells, the long-anticipated hotel from Audrey Gelman in upstate New York, and The Twenty Two New York, the recently opened sister to London’s buzzy members’ club and hotel. Both earned One Key designations this year.

It’s been a busy week for hotel brand launches. Sonu and Eva Shivdasani, the powerhouse duo behind Soneva and Six Senses, just announced a new ultra-luxury concept called Sosei (Japanese for “rebirth”). The brand promises a fresh take on ‘barefoot luxury,’ weaving in Japanese wellness philosophies and the Shivdasanis’ signature blend of sustainability and local culture. Meanwhile, Hilton introduced Outset Collection, a new flag for one-of-a-kind boutique hotels. Designed to meet demand for stays that feel less cookie-cutter and more rooted in place, Outset’s first 60 properties will span trendy neighborhoods, small towns, and outdoor destinations across the U.S.

July has been quietly reshaping the luggage game in the background for a while now, first with the world’s most lightweight double-wheeled luggage set, then with the first suitcase with a detachable racket sleeve (in partnership with the Australian Open). Now, they’re tackling one of the biggest pain points in modern travel: lost luggage.

Launching October 14, July’s newest release is the world’s first suitcase with built-in tracking technology compatible with both Apple Find My and Google Find My Device. It’s such a game-changer to have seamless, integrated location tracking right out of the box. No more clunky third-party devices or app installs or—the best part—guessing where your bag is!

I previewed the new launch at an event last week at the (stunningly dreamy) penthouse of the Greenwich Hotel, where I had the chance to chat with July’s marketing director, Ellee Pitman. What stood out most to me was July’s genuine obsession with solving real traveler problems through beautifully considered design.

Want to be among the first to try it? Join the waitlist here for early access to the suitcase that might finally end the “lost luggage” era.

Chalet Mirabell — Merano, Italy

My dream road trip through the Alps is basically just one long stop at places like this. Tucked into the mountains of South Tyrol, Chalet Mirabell is a masterclass in alpine serenity featuring infinity-edge views and a natural swimming pond that I can’t stop daydreaming about diving into. Whether you’re hiking, spa-hopping, or literally just floating in silence, this is the kind of place that deserves a spot at the top of your hotel bucket list.

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Tori Simokov is a Travel Writer and Graphic Designer/Strategist based in New York. To get in touch, email tori@v1projects.com. Want more? Check out Instagram, TikTok, or shop her curated favorites.