LODGING Staff

🍴 In San Antonio, Texas, Esencia, a new restaurant at the St. Anthony Hotel helmed by Leo Davila, will open this winter. The 130-seat venue blends Spanish, Mexican, and Asian culinary influences, offering Texas beef, Gulf seafood, and more. The design mirrors San Antonio’s history, featuring a cantera stone fountain and other Spanish elements. Esencia offers private dining spaces for up to 40 guests, with a drink menu highlighting Asian spirits and Texas whiskeys. Local partners contributed to its creation.

🏖 CHARLOTTE and CHICAGO—Barings and Waterton recapitalize two Outbound Hotels: The Virginian Lodge in Jackson, Wyoming, and Outbound Stowe in Vermont. Poco Diablo Resort in Sedona, Arizona, acquired in December 2024, will reopen as Outbound Sedona in Q2 2026. The Virginian Lodge offers 165 rooms in Jackson Hole; Outbound Stowe has 76 rooms in Vermont's Green Mountains. Management by CoralTree Hospitality includes Outbound Mammoth and Outbound Yosemite.

🏨 November 2025, New York City: Sofitel New York unveils its extensive renovation, inspired by Art Deco elements from Manhattan and Paris. The hotel, featuring 398 accommodations (346 guestrooms, 52 suites), showcases redesigned interiors with French-inspired aesthetics. Highlights include the 28th-floor Penthouse, Social 45 Bar & Bistro, and updated meeting spaces. Nearly 30% of Sofitel hotels globally are undergoing revitalization, reflecting the brand's commitment to excellence and modern French luxury, blending elegance with New York's vibrancy.

📍 The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne, Miami, reopens December 8, 2025, post $100 million renovation. ???? The overhaul includes 421 guestrooms with Atlantic views, revamped lobby, and enhanced leisure amenities. ????️ Upgrades feature the new Ritz-Carlton Spa, expanded water sports, and Cliff Drysdale Tennis Center. ????️ Culinary experiences boast six dining venues, including Luma and Paralía. ???? Wellness offerings align with Tremble fitness. ???? This is the first major update in nearly 25 years.

🏨 Peachtree Group opened a 98-room Tru by Hilton in Huntsville, Alabama, near Boeing, NASA, and the FBI’s Huntsville campus. This is Peachtree’s sixth hotel opening in 2025. The hotel, located close to key government contractors and Redstone Arsenal, features open social spaces, complimentary breakfast, a 24/7 market, a fitness center, and lounge areas. Peachtree’s hospitality division manages the hotel, emphasizing the area's robust aerospace and defense industries.

🏨 Phoenix, Arizona—On November 13th, Ledgestone Hospitality opened the La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Phoenix West/Glendale/Tolleson, a new 95-room hotel. Owned by Build AZ, led by Dr. Tushar Gohel and Shital Patel, the hotel held a ribbon-cutting with the West Valley Chamber of Commerce. Highlights include free WiFi, complimentary breakfast, and a fitness center. Alise Hannebaum is COO of Build AZ, with Steve Clinkenbeard attending to support the La Quinta Del Sol prototype launch.