French hotel group Accor has signed its first North American property to its newly launched Emblems Collection, further expanding the brand’s global footprint.
Rimrock Banff, in Canada’s Alberta province, will become an Emblems Collection affiliate from summer 2026, following a major refurbishment and transformation. Owner Oxford Properties will be investing in the asset to refocus the hotel’s wellness offering, adding facilities including a mountainside infinity pool and panoramic saunas.
The Rimrock hotel has an established place in the local hospitality offering. While the site has been a base in the region for hospitality since the 1880s, the current hotel dates from 1993, sitting in an elevated position looking down across the Bow Valley. While in a secluded spot, it is close to the Banff Gondola, ideal for those seeking access to the area’s winter skiing.
Collection brands are a new area for growth being exploited by many international hotel groups. They allow the addition of extra properties to the portfolio, without demanding brand standards and upgrades. At the same time, hotel groups have realised a tranche of guests appreciate the different, unique and quirky when staying away, so collection brands celebrate those elements in the properties they sign.
At Accor, the new Emblems Collection joins that trend, with a curated listing of luxury hotels and resorts, focusing on local connections and distinctive designs. The ambition is for Emblems to reach 60 hotels globally by 2032, with 15 hotels signed by the end of 2025.
“Rimrock Banff will be more than a luxurious retreat; it will be a place where the beauty of nature and the sophistication of Emblems come together to offer an unparalleled experience,” promised Maud Bailly, CEO of the Accor brands Sofitel Legend, Sofitel, MGallery and Emblems. “As the first Emblems property in North America, it represents our vision for the brand: distinctive, intimate, and deeply connected to its surroundings.”
While in its early stages of development, Emblems has already signed some landmark properties. In the UK, it is adding Lucknam Park Hotel & Spa, a renowned country house hotel near Bath. The Elatos Resort on Mount Parnassus in Greece will join in 2026, along with a hotel in the Italian Alps, Hotel Bellevue Cortina d’Ampezzo.
The brand is also growing in Asia. In Guiyang, China the Guiyang Art Centre Hotel is under construction, a 64 room hotel set within a historic property originally designed as a luxury private residence. In Hangzhou, plans are under way to convert an existing lakeside property to create a wellness-oriented resort deep in nature.
In Vietnam, 2027 will see the launch of the Emblems Collection Hotel Phu Quoc. Guests at this 146 room hotel will be able to enjoy a stroll across the soft sands of Sao Beach, relax in a spa and bath house, or enjoy a yoga class. And in Clark, Philippines, an Emblems Collection hotel will be part of a new luxury integrated resort, planned for opening in late 2028.
