Novotel has unveiled its first Longevity Week, a new annual event dedicated to the small daily habits that contribute to a longer, more fulfilling life. The event will run from 7 to 13 September 2026 — week 37 of the year, a deliberate nod to the idea that a 1% improvement each day adds up to a 37% gain over twelve months.
The brand laid the groundwork for this direction in January 2026 with the rollout of its Longevity Everyday strategy, designed to weave wellbeing and longevity into the everyday guest experience. Longevity Week represents the first major editorial milestone of that strategy, featuring an expert-led programme alongside a public awareness campaign.
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A Global Study Underpinning the Initiative
Novotel commissioned a study of 13,000 respondents across twelve countries, including France, the United Arab Emirates, Australia, Brazil, the United Kingdom, India, China, Singapore, Thailand, Turkey, the United States and Vietnam. More than seven in ten respondents (71%) say they are now more attentive to their future wellbeing than they were five years ago, and nearly three-quarters (76%) would like to adopt a healthier lifestyle.
Respondents identified a balanced diet (64%), quality sleep (62%) and regular physical activity (60%) as the main levers of longevity, though many struggle to turn these into lasting habits. Nearly one in two would like to improve their sleep (45%) or their exercise routine (47%). The study also points to growing distrust of wellbeing content shared on social media: two-thirds of respondents (67%) say it has become harder to identify reliable information, and 37% report having followed a sleep-related trend that turned out to have no scientific basis.
Travel emerges as a positive factor for wellbeing: 51% of respondents say they feel more relaxed while on holiday, and 24% say they sleep better away from home than they do at home. The benefits last an average of 5.6 days after returning home — a point Novotel intends to highlight in positioning a hotel stay as an anchor for building new habits.
Four Pillars, Championed by a Collective of Experts
The week is built around four pillars identified by the brand: Eat, Sleep, Move and Meet. Each is represented by a member of the Novotel 37 Collective, taking part in free masterclasses and sessions streamed on Instagram and YouTube. The collective brings together Tahitian surfer and Olympic gold medallist Kauli Vaast on the Move pillar, British culinary creator Alfie Steiner on plant-based eating, Australian sleep expert Olivia Arezzolo, former Paris Saint-Germain footballer Javier Pastore on performance and human connection, and photographer and marine biologist Kaushiik Subramaniam, Novotel’s Ocean Defender since June 2026 in partnership with WWF France.
The programme includes a themed session each day of the week. On Monday 7 September, Alfie Steiner and Kaushiik Subramaniam will discuss the link between food, marine ingredients and ocean health. On Tuesday 8 September, Kauli Vaast will lead a movement masterclass built around a simple warm-up routine. Wednesday 9 September will feature a live cooking class with Alfie Steiner, followed on Thursday 10 September by a breathing and sleep session with Olivia Arezzolo.
The week will close on Friday 11 September with a session led by Javier Pastore on connection, balance and recovery, offering a first hint of a new development in the partnership between Novotel and Paris Saint-Germain, due to launch just after Longevity Week. The brand has previously collaborated with the Paris club on an exclusive room installed at the Parc des Princes, first revealed by La Tribune de l’Hôtellerie.
Rolled Out In-Hotel, With a Sustainable Dining Programme
Longevity Week will come to life across more than 630 Novotel hotels worldwide, with in-stay experiences, family activities and QR-code content that guests can continue to use at home. The brand is also highlighting its Oh My Greens! dining programme, which champions plant-based options and rewards all ALL loyalty members who choose a plant-based dish at participating Novotel restaurants.
“These findings confirm the growing importance of wellbeing, as consumers around the world place increasing emphasis on longevity, with sleep, health and everyday lifestyle habits increasingly seen as the essential foundations for living longer and living better,” said Jean-Yves Minet, Global President of Novotel.
Jean-Yves Minet @ credit Accor
“Longevity Week is about making wellbeing accessible again. Small actions — sleeping better, moving a little more, eating more mindfully, or genuinely connecting with others — can have a powerful impact over time (….). Half of today’s five-year-olds could live to be 100. The real question is no longer how to live longer, but how to live better.” Jean-Yves Minet, Global President of Novotel.
An Annual Tradition in the Making
Novotel is presenting this first edition as the starting point for an annual fixture set to become a permanent feature of the brand’s calendar. The initiative reflects a broader trend within the hospitality sector, where several international groups have recently launched collaborations around longevity and wellbeing, underlining growing operator interest in this positioning as travellers become increasingly focused on their long-term health.
First edition runs September 7-13, 2026 (year’s 37th week), rolled out across 630+ Novotel hotels worldwide
Builds on the brand’s Longevity Everyday strategy, launched in January 2026
Based on a global survey of 13,000 consumers across 12 countries, conducted with OnePoll
Programme led by the Novotel 37 Collective: Kauli Vaast, Alfie Steiner, Olivia Arezzolo, Javier Pastore and Kaushiik Subramaniam
Free daily masterclasses streamed on Instagram and YouTube around four pillars: Eat, Sleep, Move, Meet
Tie-in with Oh My Greens!, Novotel’s plant-forward dining programme rewarding ALL loyalty members
According to a statement issued on 3 September 2026, Ayesa Engineering is strengthening its position in the hospitality sector by taking on the management of several Holiday Inn Express projects in Spain on behalf of Tikehau Capital and Quest Capital. Construction of the first of these properties, a 244-room hotel, has now begun in Madrid. Opening is scheduled for the first quarter of 2028.
Dusit International will open the Dusit Princess Ipoh on 1 October 2026, a 268-room property in the heart of the historic city of Ipoh, in the state of Perak. The Thai group's third Malaysian property is backed by a partnership with local developer Plenitude Berhad and aims to support the growing momentum of domestic tourism in the region.
The Kingdom Business & Luxury Travel (KBLT) Congress opened its doors on 6–7 September 2026 at the Mövenpick Hotel and Residences Riyadh, bringing together more than 100 pre-qualified Saudi buyers and leading global travel brands. The event comes as the Kingdom's outbound travel spend is set to exceed €26.4bn in 2026, driven by a luxury segment already valued at €11.6bn. For hoteliers and investors, the gathering is emerging as a strategic barometer of a market whose expectations are being fundamentally reshaped.
Haider Mbarek has taken over as General Manager of Aurora Tunisie, a hotel complex under development in Sfax. He brings more than twenty years of experience across Tunisia, Algeria, Libya and the Indian Ocean, with a particular specialism in property openings.
