HOTELSMag.com - 10 Minutes News for Hoteliers - Page 30

3 min

Briefs: Universal Helios Grand Hotel opening date unveiled; Regent brand returns to the Americas

🏡 Loews Hotels & Co will open Universal Helios Grand Hotel on May 22, 2025, with reservations starting October 22, 2024. This addition grows Orlando's hotel portfolio to 11 properties and 11,000 rooms. The $550 million Loews Arlington Hotel in Texas recently opened with 888 rooms. IHG’s Regent brand relaunched in Los Angeles, opening Regent Santa Monica with 167 rooms and a 10,000-square-foot Guerlain spa. U.S. hotel industry saw occupancy at 70.3% (+2.4%), ADR $166.88 (+1.4%), and RevPAR $117.28 (+3.8%), with New Orleans leading in performance gains. Kempinski Hotels to manage Kempinski Residences Bayil Bay in Baku, Azerbaijan offering 37 private homes.

3 min

Wyndham, Dusit focus on India to launch new brands

🏨 Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, through an agreement with NILE Hospitality LLP, will introduce Microtel by Wyndham to India, aiming to open 40 Microtel hotels by 2031, focused on tier II, III, and IV cities, starting in 2025. Each will have 50 rooms, fitness centers, and social spaces. Wyndham's India growth is 25% in the next 18 months from 60 hotels. Dusit International's dusitD2 Fagu in Himachal Pradesh opens December with 80 rooms. In 2023, India's hotel investment jumped four-fold to $401 million, with a 22% YOY increase to $413 million projected for H2 2024.

2 min

Mohari, Omnam team up with Pharrell Williams to acquire historic Paris hotel

🏡 Pharrell Williams, acclaimed musician and Louis Vuitton's men’s creative director, along with Mohari Hospitality and Omnam Investment Group, acquired Paris' historical Hôtel Saint-James & Albany in the 1st arrondissement. The joint venture between Mohari and Omnam, formed in July 2022, focuses on luxury hospitality, F&B, and leisure in Europe. Details of the transaction remain undisclosed; the hotel is undergoing extensive renovations. J. Allen Smith, CEO of Mohari, emphasizes innovative luxury hospitality projects and honoring the building's romantic heritage. Mohari, established by Mark Scheinberg in 2017, invests in luxury lifestyle and hospitality, including properties like Four Seasons Madrid and 1 Hotel Toronto.

2 min

Sonesta to franchise 114 hotels upon their sale by SVC

🏨 Sonesta International Hotels to franchise 114 U.S. hotels after sale by Service Properties Trust (SVC). The portfolio includes 31 Sonesta Select, 44 Sonesta ES Suites, and 39 Sonesta Simply Suites, totaling 14,925 keys across 28 states with a net value of $85 million. Sale expected in 2025 will repay SVC debt, saving an estimated $725 million in capital expenditures over six years. The deal aligns with SVC reducing leverage and improving liquidity, preserving $127 million annually. Post-sale, SVC to own 34% of Sonesta, focusing on full-service and high-performing focused service hotels. Sonesta to manage 66 hotels in the U.S. and Canada, maintaining its rank as the eighth largest hotel company in the U.S., with 1,100 properties and 100,000 rooms across eight countries.

2 min

Briefs: Sofitel expands into Africa; Mercure debuts in Oman

SOFITEL EXPANDS INTO AFRICA: Sofitel has expanded into Africa with its latest opening in Benin in West Africa. Sofitel Cotonou Marina Hotel & Spa is located in Cotonou, Benin’s economic…

2 min

Hyatt forms JV with CR Land to widen China footprint

🏨 Hyatt Hotels Corp. and China Resources Land (CR Land) formed a joint venture, expanding Hyatt’s presence in China. The strategic collaboration will develop and manage eight hotels under The Unbound Collection by Hyatt and JdV by Hyatt brands, including six existing Mumian properties in Beijing, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Hangzhou, and Rizhao, plus two new hotels in Shaoxing and Shanghai. Additional key projects include Park Hyatt Xi’an and Andaz Dongguan. This move signifies a commitment to asset-light growth and serving high-end travelers in Hyatt's second-largest market.

4 min

People on the Move: La Vie Hotels, Waterford Hotel Group, The Lux Collective, Park Hyatt St. Kitts

🏨 Marcus Hanna, with 25 years of experience, appointed COO of La Vie Hotels & Resorts, previously with Accor for 20 years. Duane Schroder promoted to Chief Growth Officer at Waterford Hotel Group, with 20 years at the company. Sandy Shen becomes VP at The Lux Collective, with 20+ years of experience. Joseph Zuziak named Director of Sales and Marketing at Hyatt Regency Irvine, with over 10 years in the industry. Ninoska Batista joins Outrigger Hospitality Group as Project Manager, bringing a decade of experience. Scenic Group opens APAC office in Singapore, appointing Constance Seck, Ally Grueter, and Quoc Huy To. George Vlachopoulos takes on GM role at Park Hyatt St. Kitts following a 20-year career. Mauricio Quezada Reyes becomes GM at Marquis Los Cabos after 15 years in the industry. Stephan Kapek joins Shangri-La Singapore as VP Operations and GM, with 30 years of experience, nearly 20 with Shangri-La Group.

2 min

Silversea to open hotel in southernmost city on Earth

🌍 Silversea to open a hotel in Puerto Williams, Chile by the end of 2025, enhancing Antarctica expeditions. The 150-key hotel, featuring a restaurant, bar, fitness center, and gift shop, aims to foster local community partnerships while minimizing environmental impact. As part of the Royal Caribbean Group, Silversea offers luxury Antarctic voyages and is unique in homeporting from Puerto Williams during the Antarctica season. Guests can fly from Santiago to Puerto Williams, bypassing the Drake Passage.

2 min

Diplomat Beach Resort to rebrand under Signia

🏖️ The Diplomat Beach Resort in Hollywood, Florida, currently managed by Hilton, is undergoing a rebrand to Signia by Hilton, including lobby and public space renovations, an oceanfront event terrace, a new bar, and an adults-only pool. The 1,000-room resort boasts a 6,600-square-foot Club Signia suite on the 33rd floor, six dining venues, four grand ballrooms, a 5,000-square-foot great hall, and 39 breakout rooms. In 2018, a $90 million renovation took place, and in February 2023, Credit Suisse and Trinity Fund Advisors acquired it following a $575 million financing deal. It's the fourth Signia hotel in the U.S., with new ones to open in Indianapolis in 2026 and West Palm Beach in 2027.

2 min

Briefs: Autograph Collection in Greater LA; Valor Hospitality expands into KSA

🏨 Autograph Collection's new hotel, Kali Hotel and Rooftop, to open in 2026 in Inglewood, California, adjacent to SoFi Stadium and YouTube Theater. KPC Development partners with Clayco, Lamar Johnson Collaborative, and Sixteenfifty Creative Intelligence for the 13-story, 300-room (including 34 suites) hotel featuring three dining concepts, a fitness center, pool, yoga deck, and 20,000 square feet of event space, plus 315 parking stalls. Valor Hospitality Partners expands into Saudi Arabia with the Hijla Hotel in Abha, set to open in 2025, offering 151 rooms and suites, two dining venues, pool, wellness center, and meeting facilities. Brittain Resorts & Hotels adds eight Florida properties to its management portfolio, now totaling over 4,000 rooms and 22 properties. The Ritz-Carlton is set for a 2027 return to Cancun, Mexico, with a 131-room luxury hotel and 126 residences, featuring an oceanfront pool, spa, and six restaurants.

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