Map of the week: hotel openings – July #5 2025
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m.welsch1
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Hyatt opens its first hotel in Estonia
🏨 Hyatt opened its first hotel in Estonia and the Baltic States on August 1, 2025. Located in Tallinn's port district, Hyatt Place Tallinn offers 169 rooms with Nordic design. Amenities include the Zoom restaurant, 6 Cocktails panoramic bar, and a 24-hour fitness center. The hotel features an 83 m² conference room. Executive chef Alexander Kaiser focuses on local cuisine. Michel Morauw, Managing Director for Hyatt, emphasizes the brand’s commitment to local experiences for business travelers.
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TRIBE accelerates its expansion across Europe
🏨 TRIBE, expanding in Europe, plans new hotels in Paris, Budapest, Montpellier, and Reims. TRIBE Paris Pantin opens in June 2025, featuring 131 rooms and a social hub. TRIBE Montpellier debuts in September with 120 rooms. Budapest Airport's TRIBE opened in May 2025 with 167 rooms. Future sites include Ljubljana and Porto Gaia by 2027. Aiming for sustainability, it seeks BREEAM certification. Over 35 projects underway, TRIBE aims to be a key European hospitality player.
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Overtourism: when destinations play the tax is right
💸 Barcelona is intensifying efforts to combat overtourism. Starting this year, the tourist tax will be €3.40 per night in 4-star establishments and €2 in other lodging types. By 2029, this tax will reach €8 per night. Additionally, cruise passengers stopping for less than 24 hours in the Catalan region will face a €12 fee, up from €7. These measures aim to preserve local ecosystems and improve resident quality of life.
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A dynamic first half despite a complex global environment
🏨 Accor and Meliá posted strong results for H1 2025. Accor saw a 4.6% RevPAR increase and €552 million in EBITDA, with 117 new hotels. Meliá's RevPAR rose 4.7%, with revenue at €991.1 million and bank expenses down 40.2%. Meliá added 11 hotels and signed 20 contracts, planning 30-40 more by 2025. Accor's ENA region grew by 3.3%, while Meliá's luxury segment contributed 30% of 2024 revenue. Both groups are expanding despite challenges.
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Travelodge acquires new freehold in Bilbao for hotel conversion
🏨 Travelodge has acquired a new freehold property in Bilbao, Spain, set to open in Q1 2026. The hotel will be close to metro and railway stations, and Bilbao Airport. This expansion marks the brand's 15th hotel in Spain, with plans to explore 20 more locations. Travelodge aims to offer affordable accommodation to tourists and business travelers. The strategic location includes nearby amenities like restaurants and cafés.
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Meliá introduces its lifestyle brand in Lisbon
🏨 ME Lisbon, a new 5-star hotel located between Avenida da Liberdade and Marquês de Pombal, boasts 213 rooms, including a 107 m² ME+ Suite with panoramic views. Designed by João Paciência, the hotel features contemporary Portuguese art curated by Guta Moura Guedes. It offers two restaurants, fismuler and attiko, and a KORPO Spa with a 24-hour Technogym. ME Lisbon partners with ARCO Lisboa and Lisbon Design Week, emerging as a cultural hub.
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Best Western strengthens its presence in Germany
🏨 Best Western returns to Bonn! The Best Western Hotel President joins the brand in Poppelsdorf, Bonn, with 98 renovated rooms and facilities for up to 190 attendees. This partnership with Stefan Menniken of STM Hotels marks a strategic move after selling the Hotel Domicil in 2021, enhancing Best Western's presence in the DACH region and aligning with the brand's expansion strategy. The hotel is ideal for both business and leisure travelers.
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Azora and the Ioannou family develop Donkey Hotels in Greece
🏨 Azora and the Ioannou family have partnered to develop Donkey Hotels in Greece, with the Ioannou family retaining 49.9% ownership. Donkey Hotels operates five luxury hotels, including four in Athens and one in Santorini. The partnership aims to upgrade properties and acquire new ones, driven by Greece’s booming tourism market, projected to be a top-five hotel investment destination in Europe by 2025. Azora has invested over 4.1 billion euros in hotels, managing 14,500 rooms globally.
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The Peninsula Hotels appoints new Communications Director
📑 Feria Kazemi joins The Peninsula with over 10 years of experience in international communications, including roles at Google, Tripadvisor, and Apple. Canadian-born and fluent in English, French, and Farsi, she holds degrees from the University of Ottawa and City, University of London. She aims to enhance The Peninsula's global presence through strategic campaigns. Her career began in Ontario and now leads her to The Peninsula, headquartered in Hong Kong, to bolster its iconic hospitality brand.
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