Data report · 2 November 2026
Countries with the freshest hotels in 2026
An original ranking of 55 hotel markets by average Chrono Score — computed from 6,868 tracked hotels with sourced build and renovation years. This edition's freshest market: Maldives (8.0/10).
Methodology
Average of hotel Chrono Scores (v1.1) per country — a deterministic freshness metric (−3.5/year from the most recent sourced renovation, −1.5/year from build year when no renovation is on record; never mixed with star ratings). Only countries with ≥15 tracked hotels are ranked; announced-but-unopened hotels are excluded from scoring. Sample-based (our tracked database, not a global census). Data as of 2 November 2026; every underlying date links to a cited source.
The ranking — top 20 freshest markets
| # | Country | Tracked | Avg Chrono Score | Renovated last 5y | Freshest hotel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maldives | 56 | 8.0/10 | 16% | Barceló Nasandhura Malé 9.9 |
| 2 | Saudi Arabia | 54 | 7.9/10 | 4% | Conrad Riyadh Laysen Valley 9.9 |
| 3 | Oman | 45 | 7.8/10 | 11% | Crowne Plaza Muscat 9.7 |
| 4 | Japan | 113 | 7.7/10 | 15% | 1 Hotel Tokyo 9.9 |
| 5 | Malaysia | 97 | 7.5/10 | 12% | Seko Suites 9.9 |
| 6 | Singapore | 56 | 7.4/10 | 13% | APT. 9.9 |
| 7 | Indonesia | 92 | 7.4/10 | 8% | Kimpton Suntaya Bali Ubud 9.9 |
| 8 | Vietnam | 49 | 7.4/10 | 2% | Fairmont Hanoi 9.9 |
| 9 | Bulgaria | 18 | 7.3/10 | 28% | GRIFID Noa 9.7 |
| 10 | China | 51 | 7.3/10 | 14% | Guilin Ronghu Hotel 9.9 |
| 11 | United States | 1159 | 7.2/10 | 17% | 1 Hotel Austin 9.9 |
| 12 | Canada | 27 | 7.1/10 | 22% | City Express by Marriott Port Hope 9.9 |
| 13 | Jordan | 54 | 7.1/10 | 13% | Captain's Hotel 9.7 |
| 14 | Iceland | 41 | 7.1/10 | 7% | Skáld Akureyri, Curio Collection by Hilton 9.9 |
| 15 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 98 | 7.1/10 | 7% | Hotel Galeria 9.9 |
| 16 | Norway | 63 | 7.0/10 | 29% | Clarion Collection Hotel Savoy 9.9 |
| 17 | Netherlands | 68 | 7.0/10 | 15% | Wilde Amsterdam 9.9 |
| 18 | Albania | 188 | 7.0/10 | 7% | Crowne Plaza Durrës 9.9 |
| 19 | Australia | 145 | 6.9/10 | 21% | Avani Mooloolaba Beach Hotel 9.9 |
| 20 | Thailand | 132 | 6.9/10 | 11% | Aman Nai Lert Bangkok 9.9 |
…and the most overdue markets
Lowest average freshness among ranked countries — where renovation cycles look most stretched (supplier opportunity, guest caution).
Hotel chains renovating fastest
| # | Brand | Tracked | Avg Chrono Score | Renovated last 5y |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rosewood | 6 | 9.9/10 | 0% |
| 2 | Mandarin Oriental | 9 | 9.8/10 | 22% |
| 3 | Six Senses | 11 | 9.6/10 | 18% |
| 4 | Hyatt Centric | 7 | 9.4/10 | 29% |
| 5 | Park Hyatt | 8 | 9.4/10 | 25% |
| 6 | voco | 7 | 9.4/10 | 14% |
| 7 | Kempinski | 7 | 9.3/10 | 29% |
| 8 | Aloft | 9 | 9.1/10 | 22% |
| 9 | Hyatt House | 6 | 9.1/10 | 0% |
| 10 | Tapestry Collection | 11 | 9.0/10 | 45% |
From the founder
“Star ratings tell you what a hotel promised when it opened — not what it looks like today. Renovation years are the missing number in travel, and this ranking shows how differently whole markets treat them.”
— Sašo Radović, founder, HotelChrono
How to cite this report
HotelChrono (2026). Countries With the Freshest Hotels. Data as of 2 November 2026. hotelchrono.com/reports/freshest-countries-2026 — free to cite with a link. Journalists: the full CSV and methodology are open; for comments write to hello@hotelchrono.com.
The State of Hotel Renovation →
The headline study this report extends.
The Hotel Renovation Index →
Freshest & most overdue, markets and chains.
Hotels opening soon →
The pipeline, tracked from announcement.