LODGING Staff

🏨 Rock Hill, South Carolina, in collaboration with various partners, is set to open its first boutique hotel, The Lantern Hotel, in fall 2026. It will feature 56 guest rooms, a restaurant, bar, speakeasy, and event space. The project, led by Raines and designed to revitalize the historic Andrew Jackson Hotel site, focuses on employing individuals with disabilities through WinthropLIFE. This initiative reflects a commitment to community impact and inclusive hospitality.

🍴 The Algonquin Hotel in New York has unveiled new culinary and cocktail experiences at The Blue Bar Restaurant & Lounge. The menu features dishes like Burrata Brûlée and Lamb Ribs, and cocktails such as Round Table and Hamlet VIII. Collaborating with the Al Hirschfeld Foundation, the redesigned menus incorporate historical Hirschfeld drawings. This initiative honors the hotel’s legacy while embracing modern flavors, reflecting the vibrant cultural history of New York over the past nine decades.

📍 Hyatt Hotels Corporation and Indochina Kajima partnered in January 2026 to expand the Unscripted by Hyatt brand in Vietnam. This agreement increases Hyatt's Vietnam presence from four to ten hotels, integrating six existing Wink properties, including Wink Saigon Centre and Wink Danang Centre, and a new Wink Hanoi Westlake opening in late 2026. The seven properties offer over 2,000 rooms, catering to modern, tech-savvy travelers. Wink hotels emphasize design-forward, tech-enabled, and sustainable features.

🏠 Lark will expand its lifestyle brand in 2026 with four openings: Cambridge Common House (16 rooms) in Cambridge, MA, The Drew Hotel (25 rooms) in Plymouth, MA, Shore Haven (21 rooms) in Falmouth, MA, and The Penny Lane (18 rooms) in Hampton Bays, NY. All set for spring 2026, these properties feature unique designs, historic renovations, and sustainable practices, like solar energy and no single-use plastics at The Penny Lane.

🏨 Hilton Milwaukee, Wisconsin, completed a $42 million renovation, updating its 1920s architecture. The project included a refreshed lobby and bar, 554 restyled guestrooms, and over 34,000 square feet of renovated meeting spaces. Guest rooms now feature Art Deco-inspired furnishings, motion-sensor lighting, and premium Kohler fixtures. The renovation preserves the hotel's legacy while welcoming new visitors for leisure, business, or conferences at the expanded Baird Center.

🏨 Lark Hospitality, alongside the Duettra family, will relaunch The Faust Hotel in New Braunfels, Texas, in spring 2026 after renovations. Originally opened in 1929, it will feature 45 rooms, including 6 corner suites and 9 junior suites. The hotel will include the restaurant Wilhelm & Werner, the Prince Solms Lobby Bar, and a speakeasy named Walter’s. The property retains its historic Spanish Colonial Revival style and includes a 2,000 square-foot Grand Ballroom.