Hotel Openings

🏢 Georges Nagelmackers founded the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits in 1872. The first Orient Express journey, from Paris to Constantinople, occurred in 1883. A new route through Switzerland and Italy began in 1919. The last Paris to Istanbul trip was in 1977. Belmond Group revived the train in 1982, operating between Paris, Venice, and London. The Venice Simplon-Orient Express still runs today, visiting European cities such as Rome and Amsterdam. In 2022, the Accor Group acquired the Orient Express brand and announced the upcoming Orient Express La Dolce Vita.

🍫 City Roots Hospitality and Guy Vaknin are set to open Reverie, a vegan dessert and cocktail bar, on May 14 in Williamsburg, New York City. Beyond Sushi, Willow, Coletta, Anixi, Sentir, and Le Basque are also owned by City Roots. The menu by executive pastry chef Makenna Hale will feature signature desserts like “The Rainbow” with fruit, florals, rosewater meringue, and ube streusel, alongside savory appetizers. The venue is designed by Studio RB, offering an artful and immersive dessert experience with private dining and space rentals.

🏝 Grand Wailea, a Waldorf Astoria Resort in Maui, Hawai’i, launched Nobu Grand Wailea Maui. Nobu, co-founded by Chef Nobu Matsuhisa, Robert De Niro, and Meir Teper, celebrates its first Maui and second Hawaii location. The restaurant spans 13,000 square feet and offers Chef Nobu’s Japanese-South American fusion dishes, plus Maui-exclusive items. Interiors are designed by Rockwell Group, featuring indoor and outdoor dining, a sushi bar, and private spaces. Signature dishes include local fish with black bean sauce and Black Cod with Miso. Grand Wailea's dessert exclusives include a Kona Coffee tres leches cake and a Laie Vanilla pavlova. The launch follows Grand Wailea’s $350 million renovation. Landscaping Manager Jim Heid oversees 600+ plant species on the 40-acre property. Executive Chef Kyle Marston leads the culinary team, joined by Head Sushi Chef Bora Oh. Blackstone Real Estate acquired Grand Wailea in 2018. The resort's dining options also include Olivine and Humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa. Nobu Grand Wailea Maui's debut aligns with the upcoming Nobu at BRE’s Hotel del Coronado.

🌇 Placemakr, in partnership with High Boy Ventures, launched its first Salt Lake City property offering a mix of residential and hospitality-style stays. The downtown property features 100 studio, one-, and two-bedroom units for residential leasing and 45 units for short-term stays, some with balcony hot tubs. The luxury asset is within walking distance of local attractions and offers amenities like an outdoor lounge and gym. This marks Placemakr's first expansion into Salt Lake City, following nationwide growth in cities like Pittsburgh, San Antonio, and Santa Clara.

🏡 Miiro opens Templeton Garden in London's Earl’s Court, expanding its European presence after Paris, Barcelona, and Gstaad. Templeton Garden boasts 156 rooms and suites, a restaurant called Pippin’s with British cuisine, a bar named Sprout, a café-deli named Pip’s, and features like a gym, the Miiro signature Refresh Room, and The Library. Neena Gupta, CEO of Miiro, emphasizes the brand's commitment to 'Brilliantly Considered Stays'. Future openings are planned for Vienna and other European cities.

🏖 Santé Búzios, a boutique hotel in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, draws inspiration from the 1960s French Riviera and blends it with Brazilian charm. Designed by Inspira Conceito e Design, the hotel occupies 2,000m² and reflects Búzios' traditional architecture. The lobby space integrates the reception, bar, lounge, and game room, fostering a social environment. Each guest room combines vintage and modern elements, offering luxury and comfort. Santé Búzios aims to provide an authentic and unforgettable experience, echoing the region's design, heritage, and lifestyle.

🏡 Stonebridge, a hotel management company, has added the MC Hotel in Montclair, New Jersey to its Autograph Collection Hotels portfolio. The property, owned in partnership with CSP MC Partners LP, features 159 rooms and stands eight stories tall, boasting a rooftop bar with Manhattan views, over 3,000 square feet of rooftop space, and more than 8,000 square feet of meeting space. The hotel is noted for its connection to the local arts scene and provides access to cultural events such as the Montclair Jazz Festival and the Montclair Film Festival.

🍴 Malvern's 3 AA Rosette restaurant introduces a new tasting menu on May 1st, featuring seven courses for £95 per head with an option to add two more from daily specials. Head Chef Mark Potts, who joined last year, crafted the menu highlighting global cuisine. A more casual Brasserie opens April 16th offering à la carte from £13.50 and a £75 five-course tasting menu. The Brasserie will serve dinner daily and the tasting menu at lunch and dinner from Wednesday to Saturday. Owner Nick Davies celebrates ten years at The Cottage in the Wood with this culinary advancement.

🏨 Raines broke ground on Hampton Inn & Suites York, S.C. in York, South Carolina, a project by York Hotel Group LLC and designed by ODA Architecture. Aiming to boost York's economy, with local manufacturing and residential growth, the new hotel will be the only branded option in the area and is expected to create 30-35 jobs. The 97-room hotel features ample meeting space, free Wi-Fi, complimentary breakfast, and is part of Raines's expansion, which saw over 20 new properties in 2024, including 16 hotels with Atlantic Hotels Group. Raines plans further growth in 2025.

🏠 Fairmont Golden Prague, located in the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, opens after a renovation led by chief architect Marek Tichý, preserving the 1974 brutalist design by Czech Karel Filsak. The hotel features 320 rooms, suites, and residences, six dining venues including the rooftop Zlata Praha and modern Asian Golden Eye. It houses an extensive art collection, a 1,400 m² spa and wellness center, and offers a 600 m² ballroom and three rooftop boardrooms for events. The Fairmont Gold experience provides a premium "hotel within a hotel" option.