The Animal Crossing: New Horizons 3.0 update is just around the corner, bringing exciting fresh content that’s set to transform island life once again. With the introduction of the Resort Hotel, a brand new in-game currency, and a host of exclusive items, there’s a lot for players to look forward to as they dive into this new chapter.

ACNH 3.0 Resort Hotel Guide

This major update is focused around the Kapp’n Family and marks the grand opening of the Resort Hotel facility on New Horizons islands. Slated for January 2026, this new feature acts like a mini Happy Home Paradise, but local, and for many, it might be even more enjoyable. Most of the new content comes in the form of all new ACNH furniture items that require a brand new currency, adding a fresh layer to gameplay and collection goals. Along with the Resort Hotel, the update also introduces new ways to earn and spend Hotel Tickets, new furniture sets, and special collaboration items.

Once the update is live, the Resort Hotel will become a central location on your island. The facility offers several distinct features: a store run by Grams, mannequins that are free for all to use, and most notably, at least eight hotel rooms available for you to decorate for your villagers. Everything at the Resort Hotel revolves around its own eco-system, built on a fresh currency called Hotel Tickets. You earn them at the Hotel, and they’re spent there too.

What To Do in the Resort Hotel?

When you arrive at the Resort Hotel in Animal Crossing: New Horizons 3.0, you’ll find there’s no shortage of activities to keep you busy and rewards to aim for. The hotel is designed to be a lively hub where you can interact with villagers, express your creativity, and collect new treasures—all while earning the brand new Hotel Tickets currency.

• Decorate Hotel Rooms for Villagers

A core activity at the Resort Hotel is decorating rooms for your villagers. When a villager requests a hotel room, you can step in and customize the space to suit their personality and preferences. Each completed design is rewarded by Leilani at the Hotel Desk, granting you a batch of Hotel Tickets. This process not only lets you showcase your interior design skills but also continually brings in Hotel Tickets to spend on exclusive items.

• Shop at Grams’ Souvenir Display

Located within the hotel, Grams’ Souvenir Shop offers you two unique items at a time. You can browse her rotating display and purchase rare or themed items using the Hotel Tickets you’ve earned. While it’s still unclear how often the inventory refreshes, checking in regularly could help you grow your collection with pieces you can’t find anywhere else.

• Order from the Hotel Catalogue (Souvenir Stop)

The Souvenir Stop catalogue provides access to a broad selection of hotel-themed furniture, planters, street lamps, and special collaboration items. Organized into multiple sections—including Everything, Novelties, Items, and the elusive Special tab—the catalogue allows you to order items with Hotel Tickets and have them delivered to your mailbox the next day. Some of the most exciting additions can be found in the Special section, featuring Nintendo Console collaboration items that bring extra fun and interactivity.

• Use Mannequins and Other Facilities

The Resort Hotel also features mannequins that are free for all players to use. These mannequins are perfect for displaying outfits or testing out fashion combinations before showcasing them around your island or hotel rooms. They add an extra layer of customization and creativity to your hotel experience.

• Donate DIY Creations via the Furniture Box

Outside on the dock, you’ll find the Furniture Box—a new feature prompting you to craft DIY recipes and donate completed pieces. In return for your efforts, you’ll receive more Hotel Tickets. This system is a clever way to turn excess materials into valuable currency, while also contributing to the hotel’s story of shipping items to distant lands to promote the island.

• Keep an Eye Out for Surprises

There are hints that the Resort Hotel may hold even more features and interactive elements. For example, the cucumber counter in the hotel has sparked curiosity, though it’s not yet clear if it offers any special interactions. As you spend more time in the hotel, you might uncover new ways to earn Hotel Tickets or stumble upon hidden features that add to the overall experience.

With so much to do, the Resort Hotel quickly becomes a bustling center of activity, creativity, and reward on your island. Whether you’re focused on decorating, shopping, or helping out the Kapp’n Family, each visit brings new opportunities and surprises.

Hotel Tickets: New Currency

With the 3.0 update, Hotel Tickets become the fifth primary currency in New Horizons, joining Bells, Nook Miles, Poki, and Nook Points. Of these, Hotel Tickets function most like Poki from Happy Home Paradise. You’ll earn and use them exclusively at the Hotel, and they have no value elsewhere in the game.

How to Earn Hotel Tickets?

There are two main methods to collect Hotel Tickets:

1. Decorate Villager Rooms:
   The primary way to earn Hotel Tickets is by working with Leilani at the Hotel Desk. Every time a villager requests a hotel room and you decorate or customize it, Leilani will reward you with Hotel Tickets. Based on the preview, each room earns you 200 Hotel Tickets, though this may increase when reaching certain milestones.

2. Furniture Box Donations:
   Another avenue is the Furniture Box located on the dock outside the Hotel. This new feature encourages players to craft DIY recipes and donate them. Each exchange grants a batch of Hotel Tickets, and according to the in-game story, Kapp’n then delivers these items to far-off lands, helping to promote the island and hotel. Different items offer different amounts of Hotel Tickets, likely depending on the materials required to craft them. This creates a clever way to convert resources into Hotel Tickets.

There may be other ways to earn them too. For example, Leila, sitting at a table, might offer to buy unwanted items for Hotel Tickets, reminiscent of her role in New Leaf, though likely in small amounts.

How To Use Hotel Tickets?

After earning Hotel Tickets, you’ll find two main places to spend them within the Resort Hotel:

1. Grams’ Souvenir Shop:
   Grams runs a display offering two unique items at a time. It’s currently unclear if these items refresh daily or weekly, but in previous games, her store updated on a weekly schedule. These exclusive items can be purchased directly with your Hotel Tickets.

2. The Hotel Catalogue (Souvenir Stop):
   Here, players can order a wide range of items, including exclusive hotel-themed decor, planters, street lamps, and furniture from new sets like Tubular, Artful, and Kiddie. Orders are received the next day via mail. The catalogue is organized into four sections: Everything, Novelties, Items, and a secret section called Special.

• The Special section includes Nintendo Console collaboration items. These can be ordered with Hotel Tickets, and many of them allow players to boot into other games, adding a unique interactive twist. This section appears to require progression before it becomes available, much like the amiibo Scanner in previous updates.

ACNH 3.0 Items To Buy With Hotel Tickets

Additional Features and Speculation

The Resort Hotel is designed with progression in mind, encouraging players to keep decorating and contributing to its eco-system. While the main ways to earn and spend Hotel Tickets are clear, there are hints that more features, and perhaps surprises, await discovery as players dive in. For instance, it’s still unknown if the cucumber counter is interactive or just for show.

Which Villagers You Can Invite To the Resort Hotel and Which Can't

With the 3.0 update of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, the Resort Hotel brings a new way to invite villagers and special characters to your island for a unique stay. However, not every character is eligible to check in and enjoy a custom-decorated room. Here’s a breakdown of who can and cannot be invited to the Resort Hotel:

Who You Can Invite

• Regular Villagers:
  All standard villagers (the ones who can live in your houses) are welcome at the Resort Hotel, whether they currently live on your island or are scanned in via amiibo.

• Most Special Characters:
  Special characters who do not have a permanent job or shop on your island and are not currently visiting can be invited using the amiibo scanner. This includes:

• Tortimer

• Katrina

• Reese & Cyrus

• Copper & Booker

• Pelly, Phyllis, Pete

• Many other returning or classic special characters
  When you invite these characters, they may temporarily leave places like Harv’s Island or other off-island locations to stay at your hotel.

Who You Cannot Invite

Some characters are explicitly banned from staying at the Resort Hotel, and their amiibo will not work for hotel invitations. This includes:

Permanent Island Workers

Characters who have a permanent role on your island, usually running shops, facilities, or transportation, cannot be invited. This includes:

• Tom Nook

• Isabelle

• Timmy & Tommy

• Mable & Sable

• Blathers

• Brewster

• Kapp’n, Leilani, Leila, and Grams

• Orville & Wilbur

Visiting Special Characters

Travelling characters (those who visit your island for special events or on random days) cannot be invited to the hotel while they are present on your island. This group includes:

• Daisy Mae (explicitly banned!)

• C.J.

• Flick

• Celeste

• Franklin

• Gulliver & Gullivarrr

• Jack

• Jingle

• Kicks

• K.K. Slider

• Leif

• Pavé

• Redd

• Saharah

• Wisp

• Zipper T. Bunny

• Label (if she is currently visiting!)

Even though some of these characters (like Label) are shown in trailers being invited, the rule is that if they are currently visiting your island for their event or service, you cannot invite them to the hotel at that time. Once they are no longer visiting, you can scan their amiibo and invite them normally.

Uncertain or Special Cases

Some characters’ eligibility remains unclear, such as:

• Harv

• Harriet

• Lottie

• Luna

These characters may or may not be eligible, depending on whether or not Nintendo considers them “permanent” or “visiting” for the purposes of the hotel. Luna, for example, is not always present but is needed for dream visits, so she is likely not allowed.

Get Ready for the Resort Hotel

The Resort Hotel in Animal Crossing: New Horizons 3.0 update is shaping up to be a lively, rewarding addition that gives players new reasons to engage with their villagers and their islands. Whether you’re aiming to fill every room with creative designs, collect exclusive souvenirs, or simply enjoy the new social hub, this new feature is sure to become a favorite spot for many islanders.

What’s the first item you’re hoping to grab with your Hotel Tickets? Let the decorating begin!