Nobu, the globally recognized luxury lifestyle brand, is pleased to announce its arrival in Bellevue, Washington through the rebranding of two luxury residential towers as Nobu Bellevue Residences.

Owned by Silverstein Properties, the project marks the first completed and move-in ready Nobu-branded residential development in the United States and introduces a new hospitality-led residential offering being sold by Polaris Pacific as sales agent for Silverstein.

Located in the heart of Downtown Bellevue, the mixed-use development spans a full city block and includes two residential towers alongside curated retail, dining, and hospitality experiences. As part of the transformation, Nobu will introduce branded public spaces, signature residential services, and a future Nobu restaurant anticipated to open in 2027.

The repositioning reflects Nobu’s continued global expansion within the luxury residential sector, bringing together the brand’s signature proach to design, service, and lifestyle within one of the country’s fastest-growing luxury markets. The project will relaunch under the Nobu brand in late 2026, with residences available for immediate occupancy.

Nobu Residences Bellevue represents an important milestone for our residential growth in the United States, said Trevor Horwell, Chief Executive Officer of Nobu Hospitality. Bellevue continues to emerge as a global city for innovation, culture, and luxury living, making it a natural fit for the Nobu lifestyle. Together with our partners, we are creating a residential experience rooted in thoughtful design, service from the heart, and a strong sense of place.

The reimagined residences will embody Nobu’s design philosophy of understated luxury, blending Janese minimalism with the warmth and natural textures of the Pacific Northwest. Residents will benefit from a hospitality-driven lifestyle experience with elevated services, curated amenities, and direct access to Nobu dining.

The residences are comprised of 365 luxury condominiums featuring expansive homes with panoramic views of Lake Washington, the Seattle skyline, and the Olympic Mountains—offering a rare combination of privacy, design, and urban connectivity in the heart of Downtown Bellevue.

Bellevue has established itself as a sophisticated, globally connected luxury destination, and this project will define its next chter, said Shawn Katz, President of Silverstein Cital Partners. Our partnership with Nobu is rooted in a shared vision: to deliver a landmark lifestyle experience defined by world-class dining, extraordinary design, and uncompromising service. With a Nobu restaurant and the introduction of Nobu Residences to the Pacific Northwest, we are not just raising the bar. We are setting an entirely new one.

As Nobu continues expanding its residential portfolio globally, Bellevue joins a growing collection of Nobu Residences destinations across North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, further reinforcing the brand’s evolution beyond hospitality into fully integrated lifestyle living.

The U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism, in partnership with the Division of Festivals, is proud to announce the 2026 St. John Celebration, will be taking place from June 14 through July 4, 2026. This beloved annual festival will once again bring together residents and visitors for weeks of culture, music, cuisine, and community under the vibrant theme: History and Collaboration with a Musical Mix.

Rooted in tradition and cultural pride, St. John Celebration culminates in a vibrant fusion of festivities honoring both Emancipation Day and Independence Day in the territory. From lively village nights and cultural showcases to boat races, parades, and fireworks, the celebration reflects the rich heritage and enduring spirit of the Virgin Islands.

St. John Celebration is one of the Territory’s most cherished cultural traditions and an important opportunity to showcase the vibrant spirit of our people and natural beauty of our islands, said Jennifer Matarangas-King, Commissioner of Tourism. Each year, the celebration brings together generations of Virgin Islanders and visitors alike to honor our history, embrace our culture, and experience the warmth and hospitality that define the U.S. Virgin Islands.

2026 St. John Celebration honorees will also be recognized for their outstanding contributions to the culture, service, and spirit of the Virgin Islands. This year’s honorees include Jennifer Williams as Food Fair Honoree, Tishelle Knight as Village Honoree, and Lisa Penn as Parade Marshal.

Key Events Include:

June 14: Pan-O-Rama – An evening of electrifying steel pan performances at Franklin A. Powell Sr. Park.
June 20: Royalty Show – Celebrating the poise, talent, and cultural pride of St. John’s ambassadors.
June 21: Food Fair, Coronation & Boat Races – Featuring local cuisine, cultural displays, and the official coronation festivities at Franklin A. Powell Sr. Park. Exciting boat races will also take place in Cruz Bay Harbor showcasing the Territory’s maritime traditions.
June 27: Beach Jam – A lively waterfront event with music and entertainment at Cruz Bay Harbor.
June 28: Opening of Celebration Village 2026 – The official opening of Celebration Village featuring nightly entertainment, food vendors, and cultural activities in Cruz Bay.
June 28 – July 4: Village Nights – Evening events with live music, food vendors, and community activities.
July 3: J’ouvert, Emancipation Day Program, & Torch Light Parade– An early morning street celebration filled with music, dancing, and revelry beginning at sunrise in St. John National Park followed by a program honoring the abolition of slavery in the Virgin Islands. The torch light evening procession will begin at 7pm
July 4: St. John Celebration Parade & Fireworks Display 2026 – A colorful parade through Cruz Bay highlighting cultural groups, performers, and community organizations followed by a spectacular fireworks show over Cruz Bay Harbor closing out the celebration.
The festival’s signature events will spotlight local musicians, artisans, dancers, and chefs. Residents and visitors alike can enjoy performances by local musicians, dancers, and cultural groups, as well that highlight the creativity and traditions of St. John.

Our goal each year is to preserve and celebrate the cultural traditions that make St. John so unique while creating memorable experiences for everyone who attends, said Ian Turnbull, Director of Festivals and Events. From traditional performances to the local cuisine, St. John Celebration continues to showcase the true spirit of island culture.

St. John Celebration 2026 is open to the public and welcomes attendees from around the world to experience the culture, history, and festive energy of the U.S. Virgin Islands.

For more information and a full schedule of events, please visit

Sandbox VR, the world’s premier destination for premium location-based virtual reality experiences, today announced the opening of a new location at Town Square near the Las Vegas Strip. This marks the third location in the city, which can draw more than 40 million tourists per year (

Sandbox VR, which operates both corporate-owned locations and a robust franchise program, recently hit $300M in lifetime sales and has scaled to more than 80 global locations across five continents and 12 countries since launching in 2016. The company has been redefining group entertainment with immersive experiences that transform any outing into lasting memories. Built by a team of veteran developers from EA, Sony, and Ubisoft, Sandbox VR delivers full-body immersion through exclusive content and original experiences, including the recently launched Stranger Things: Catalyst, in collaboration with Netflix, offering guests the opportunity to step out of everyday reality into unforgettable adventures with friends and family.

Las Vegas is one of the world’s most visited destinations, making it a natural choice for expansion as we continue to meet growing consumer demand, said Steve Zhao, CEO and Founder of Sandbox VR. We’re energized by our global momentum and excited to bring even more immersive experiences to guests through additional locations.

Town Square is becoming a vibrant hub for social entertainment, and we are thrilled to open our doors alongside neighbors like Activate and Popstroke. We are thrilled to be part of the Future of Entertainment. We want to invite our guests to step into the world of next-generation virtual reality, where technology and storytelling merge to create mind-blowing, immersive experiences. Introducing something as exciting as Sandbox VR to the local community is a dream come true for my team and me, said Cory Zhong, Owner and Manager of Sandbox VR Town Square.

Sandbox VR’s new Las Vegas location in the entertainment wing of Town Square is an entertainment space featuring four private rooms for virtual reality gameplay, where groups of up to six guests suit up with headsets, htic vests, and motion sensors for full-body immersion. This technology allows players to see and physically interact with one another, creating the feeling of living inside the action together. The premium experience extends from arrival to exit, with personalized highlight videos allowing guests to relive and share their adventures.

Guests can choose from any of eleven exclusive immersive experiences created by Sandbox VR’s in-house team of video game industry veterans, including the newly launched, family-friendly Age of Dinosaurs experience, created in partnership with the Natural History Museum of London and leading dinosaur experts. Age of Dinosaurs features the most realistic 3D dinosaurs ever presented in virtual reality. Additional experiences include the horror-thriller based Stranger Things: Catalyst, Deadwood PHOBIA, Deadwood Valley, and Deadwood Mansion; sci-fi fantasies Rebel Moon: The Descent, Seekers of the Shard: Dragonfire, and Amber Sky 2088; family-friendly experiences Squid Game Virtuals and Curse of Davy Jones; and the action-combat UFL: Unbound Fighting League.

For more information, visit

Loews Hotels & Co today announces an expansion to its Loews Little Legends programming, with a new summer promotion designed to transform everyday hotel moments into hands-on experiences rooted in curiosity, creativity, and connection. Blending science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) into the travel experience, the brand will unveil a variety of discovery-driven programming this summer.

Building on the brand’s legacy Loews Loves Families program, this new extension blends experiential programming with tangible touchpoints, introducing new discovery-led experiences for Loews’ littlest guests.

The new brand promotion comes to life through two complementary components: STEAM Explorer Kits and on-property Discovery Days, each designed to encourage exploration and connection at every touchpoint.

Loews Little Legends: STEAM Explorer Kits
Going beyond traditional kids’ amenities, these custom-created exploration kits encourage young travelers to actively engage with their surroundings while reinforcing Loews Hotels as a destination for discovery, connection, and imagination. Each explorer kit includes a curated set of science-forward tools, such as binoculars, a compass, a magnifying glass, and a kaleidoscope, paired with a thoughtfully designed companion activity book. Through simple prompts and interactive challenges, children are encouraged to observe, experiment, and uncover new perspectives throughout their stay.

Loews Little Legends: Discovery Days
Designed with flexibility in mind, the program will also be seamlessly integrated across the Loews portfolio with on-property Discovery Day activations.

Examples include:

Loews Arlington Hotel: In partnership with the Arlington Museum of Art, Loews Arlington Hotel invites hotel guests to explore their creative side with a new complimentary summer program for kids ages 6–12. Every other Saturday from Memorial Day through Labor Day, guests can enjoy an art class led by certified AISD art teachers. Kids will craft their own masterpiece to take home after each session.

Loews Miami Beach Hotel: At Loews Miami Beach Hotel, explorers can enjoy a set of activities created by the Frost Science Museum specifically for the property to experience at the SoBe Kids Club. The property will also host a guided photogrhy class with FocalPoint, where kids ages 4–12 can learn how to compose and cture the perfect shot with a Polaroid camera. Kids will leave with 10 photos, 1 magnetic pocket photo, a certificate of completion, and a $50 print credit toward a family portrait session.
Today’s families are looking for more than just a getaway — they’re looking to truly be together, said Kristie Goshow, Chief Commercial Officer at Loews Hotels & Co. With Loews Little Legends, we’re creating moments that spark childlike wonder and invite families to put down their screens, reconnect with each other, and engage with our incredible natural world. It’s about turning simple experiences into lasting, shared memories.

The launch of this new STEAM-focused programming underscores Loews Hotels’ continued commitment to delivering innovative, family-friendly experiences designed to inspire true connection, creativity, and exploration at every touchpoint.

Explorer Kits and Discovery Days will be available at participating Loews Hotels & Co properties, excluding Loews Hollywood Hotel, Loews New Orleans Hotel, and Loews Orlando properties, from June 1 through Labor Day.

For more information about Loews Hotels & Co or to book your upcoming travel, call 1-800-23 LOEWS or visit Loews Hotels online.

Artificial intelligence is changing how people search and book travel, and hotels are entering a new era of digital competition.

Instead of scrolling through long lists of hotel results, travelers are increasingly using natural language to ask AI tools for specific recommendations. A user might search for a quiet hotel with a west-facing balcony, a romantic hotel in the south, or a pet-friendly hotel with a spa. These detailed requests are changing the way hotels think about their online visibility.

Hotels spent years focusing on traditional SEO, OTAs, paid listings and review sites. Now they have a new challenge: getting AI models to understand, rank and recommend their properties.

AI Travel Search Is Changing Hotel Discovery

AI-powered travel search is different from traditional search. A Google search may show dozens of hotel links, ads, ms, and booking options. An AI assistant, however, may return only a few recommendations.

That shift makes visibility more competitive. Hotels are no longer just trying to pear somewhere on a search results page. They are trying to become one of the few properties an AI system chooses to mention.

This creates a major challenge for hotel brands. AI tools do not only look for keywords. They interpret meaning, context, traveler intent, reviews, descriptions, amenities, location data, and other signals across the web.

A hotel that performs well in traditional search may not automatically perform well in AI-generated recommendations.

Hotels Must Prepare for Natural Language Queries

The biggest shift is the move from keyword search to conversational search. Travelers no longer search solely by typing in terms such as best hotel Paris or che hotel Tokyo. They can now ask for very specific experiences. For example:

Find me a calm boutique hotel near the beach with a balcony and good breakfast.

That kind of search means hotels need to describe their property with much richer detail. Basic information such as room size, location, price and star rating may no longer be enough.

Hotels may need to provide clear information about the atmosphere, guest experience, room features, accessibility, views, noise levels, pet policies, wellness services, nearby attractions and even little details like where power outlets are located or work-friendly spaces.

AI Visibility May Depend on Trust and Data Quality

AI systems depend on the quality and consistency of information available online. Hotels with incomplete, outdated or inconsistent digital profiles may find it harder to pear in AI-generated travel recommendations.

Hotels might have to improve their presence on many trusted sources like official websites, booking platforms, customer reviews, travel guides, ms, and structured business listings to increase visibility.

Reviews may also gain additional importance. AI models can read guest feedback to get a sense of what a hotel is really known for. If guests mention a quiet location, friendly staff, fast Wi-Fi or a strong breakfast offering those could inform AI systems to align the hotel with relevant traveler requests.

Hospitality Brands Are Already Responding

Major hospitality groups are beginning to study how AI models interpret hotel data and make recommendations.

For large hotel companies, this is not just a marketing issue. It is a data infrastructure issue. Many hotel databases were built around standard categories such as price, location, room type, and amenities. AI search requires more semantic understanding. Meaning systems need to understand the meaning behind vague or experience-based requests.

A request for a romantic hotel, for instance, could encompass a range of signals: room design, location, dining options, privacy, guest reviews, spa services, and general atmosphere. Hotels that can organize and display this information clearly may gain an edge in AI-powered search.

AI Could Disrupt Online Travel Agency Business Model

AI travel search may also change the online travel agency and hotel distribution costs.

Hotels currently pay commissions to online travel agencies for bookings. With the advent of AI assistants as part of the travel planning process, a new form of competition may emerge around AI visibility, recommendation placement, and algorithmic prominence.

This could create a new kind of paid discovery, where hotels and travel platforms are competing not only for search rankings, but also for relevance within AI-generated answers. For travelers, the change could accelerate, and customize, trip-planning. For hotels, it could complicate and add cost to digital visibility.

What This Means for Travelers

For the consumer, AI travel search offers a more convenient way to find hotels that match specific preferences. Instead of filtering through hundreds of options, travelers can describe what they want in plain language and receive a shorter list of tailored suggestions.

But shorter recommendation lists also raise questions. If AI tools only show a handful of hotels to travelers, they may not see the full range of available options. As a result, transparency, ranking quality and source credibility become more and more important.

Conversational Hotel Search Is The Future

The emergence of AI travel search is part of a larger trend in the way people search for products and services online.

Hotels are one of the first industries to feel this impact, because people have so many detailed preferences when they plan their travel. But the same trend could affect restaurants, local businesses, real estate, shopping, and other industries where users depend on recommendations.

The message for hotels is clear: traditional SEO is not enough anymore. The next wave of digital visibility will depend on whether or not AI systems are able to understand a property, believe in its data and confidently recommend it.

As AI becomes more integral to travel planning, hotels that adt early may have the best chance of being found — and booked.

For more Breaking AI news visit: