Hotel Openings

📅 July 10, Paris: Dusit International partners with French firm SYDEL, launching Dusit France to expand its hotel portfolio in France. This joint venture focuses on Thai hospitality, targeting key French destinations with new hotel concepts emphasizing well-being and sustainability. Brands considered include Dusit Thani and Dusit Suites. Dusit operates 294 properties globally, with 55 hotels and 239 luxury villas, including Dusit Suites Athens in Europe.

🏨 Arriba Capital recently secured a $40 million construction loan to develop The Scoundrel, a 128-key Marriott Tribute Portfolio Hotel in downtown Gatlinburg. This area serves as a gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, attracting over three million visitors annually. The borrower is an experienced, privately held hospitality management and development group located in Gatlinburg, with multiple finance collaborations with Arriba Capital.

🏨 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.

🍗 Founded by Alberto Martínez and Victor Setién in 2006, the Costeño Group operates 11 concepts across Mexico and Spain. On June 19, Cuerno opened at Rockefeller Center in New York City, marking their U.S. debut. Cuerno spans 7,700 square feet with 220 seats, designed by A de Arquitectos. The menu features dishes cooked in a Josper charcoal oven, offering a rich taste of northern Mexican culture, with key dishes like rib eye steak and grilled Mayan octopus.

🏨 Graduate by Hilton opened its first Texas hotel in Dallas's Highland Park, adjacent to Southern Methodist University, featuring 93 rooms. The hotel combines mid-century modern and Texas ranch-style designs, and includes a lobby lounge, outdoor pool, event spaces, and Los Charros Tex-Mex Smokehouse. Spearheaded by AJ Capital Partners, the hotel is a restored version of the former Lumen Hotel. This marks the beginning of Graduate’s Texas expansion, with another property planned in Austin.

📍 Holiday Inn – the niu Pax and Candlewood Suites will form a dual-brand hotel near Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER), enhancing flexibility for short and long stays. Located at Mizarstrasse and Hans-Grade-Allee, it offers 158 rooms with aviation-themed decor and excellent transport links. Managed by Novum Hospitality, the hotel aims for Green Key certification, showcasing sustainability. CEO David Etmenan emphasizes value for travelers and market strength in Berlin.

🏠 Scandic Hotels Group is expanding its franchise model, aiming for 40-50 new hotels and 10,000 rooms by 2030, primarily in the Nordic countries. The Scandic Victoria Florø is its 19th franchise hotel, located in Florø, western Norway, known for its beauty and business community. The hotel, with 97 rooms and meeting space for 150, joins Scandic's portfolio through a partnership with the Helle family, enhancing local presence and expertise.