Hotel Openings

🔔 U.S. hotel industry saw year-over-year gains as of Aug. 24, 2024, with a national occupancy rate of 66.1% (up 1.7%), Average Daily Rate (ADR) at $154.80 (up 2.7%), and Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) reaching $102.30 (a 4.5% increase). Houston led top markets with a 31.7% occupancy increase to 76.1%. Chicago, hosting the Democratic National Convention, experienced the highest ADR growth of 41.8% to $215.60 and RevPAR surge of 51.1% to $156.32. In contrast, Las Vegas and Nashville faced RevPAR declines of 14.2% to $112.09 and 11.3% to $96.11, respectively.

🏨 Hilton announced its entry into Guyana with a dual-branded hotel in Georgetown, featuring the Hilton Georgetown and DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Georgetown. Owned by Assets Group and managed by Hilton, the properties total 411 rooms and are part of an oceanfront mixed-use development. The 11-story Hilton Georgetown will have 253 rooms, while the DoubleTree Suites will include 158 suites. Amenities include a Social Club, a fitness center, spa, and a conference center with 25,900 square feet of space. This move is part of Hilton's expansion in the CALA region, where it has 225 existing hotels and plans to enter eight new countries. Hilton's portfolio in the region has tripled over the past decade, adding nine countries and seven brands.

🍴 Frasca Hospitality Group and Four Seasons Resort and Residences Vail will open Tavernetta Vail in winter 2024. The partnership aims to deliver an unmatched culinary experience in Vail, Colorado. Tavernetta Vail, inspired by its Denver namesake, will feature Italian cuisine, an all-Italian wine list, and a distinct spirits and digestif program. Studio Collective OZ Architects directs a comprehensive renovation of the space, enhancing it with natural materials and details reflecting Italian architect Gio Ponti. The renovation includes a new bar, lounge areas, booth seating, and a private dining room. This restaurant opening is part of Four Seasons Resort Vail's enhancements, including a reimagined spa, updated suites, and a Ski Concierge.

🏦 The Dead Rabbit, awarded World’s Best Bar in 2016, launched its second venue in Austin, Texas, on July 4. Situated in Downtown Austin’s Sixth Street, the new 5,000-square-foot location seats 50 at the bar and counter, 100 at tables, and has room for more standing guests. The establishment will expand to Washington, D.C., and Boston in 2025. The menu includes exclusive Texas Caviar bowls, alongside Irish breakfasts, bangers and mash, and ribs. The adjacent Neighbourhood Café offers coffee and sandwiches from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., while the bar operates from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. The Dead Rabbit aims to redefine Irish pub culture, avoiding the "McFake" stereotype and focusing on community engagement.

🏠 IHG Hotels & Resorts is partnering with Flag Luxury Group and Unicorp National Developments to open the InterContinental Orlando in 2028. The property will be located on Orlando's International Drive and will feature 700 guestrooms, including 84 suites. It will offer five restaurants and bars, a 15,000 square foot spa, fitness center, pool, and roughly 106,000 square feet of meeting and event space. InterContinental Orlando will join over 220 existing InterContinental Hotels and will be the brand's third location in Florida.

🌇 The Hoxton is opening its first Australian hotel in Melbourne's Cremorne suburb in 2027, with 198 rooms and three dining venues. InterContinental Hotels returns to Serbia with a 203-room hotel in Belgrade, set to open by the end of 2026. Le Méridien opens in Fort Worth, Texas, featuring 188 rooms, marking its first property in the city. Nuveen Green Capital finances Virgin Hotels Las Vegas with a record $190 million CPACE deal, the largest in Nevada and second-largest in the U.S.

🏕 Anantara Hotels & Resorts to open new Anantara Ubud Bali Resort on October 1, featuring 85 suites, pool villas, and 15 residences. LBA Hospitality and 3H Group acquire Hyatt Place Tampa Airport/Westshore, details undisclosed. IHG's dual-hotel deal in Quang Binh, Vietnam, includes 68-villa voco Quang Binh Resort and 232-room Crowne Plaza, opening in 2025. Generator and Freehand Hotels hit record EBITDA of $42.2 million in H1, targeting $95.8 million by year-end, marking an 18% and 22% year-over-year increase, respectively.

🏕 Pan Pacific Hotels Group (PPHG) to open its seventh hotel in Malaysia, the 368-room Gurney Bay Hotel, A Parkroyal Hotel, in Penang on September 1. The hotel, formerly Gurney Bay Hotel, will undergo phased renovations and is located near George Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Penang 2030 Vision-influenced Gurney Bay lifestyle area surrounds the property, offering coastal and city views. With an all-day dining restaurant, various amenities, and a 550-person ballroom, it aims to attract guests amid the region's tourism growth. Penang's economy grew by 13.1% in 2022, and the Penang International Airport, set to be Malaysia's second largest, is expanding to a 12 million annual passenger capacity by 2028, supporting the tourist influx. PPHG manages over 50 properties globally and is expanding in Southeast Asia, with three new openings in 2023 and Malaysia targeting 36.5 million tourists by 2026.

🌈 Realstar Hospitality opened a new Motel 6 in Niagara Falls, Ontario, expanding their Canadian network. The hotel features modern guestrooms with flat-screen TVs, WiFi, free parking, an outdoor pool, and an on-site restaurant. Located near Horseshoe Falls, Skylon Tower, and Fallsview Casino, it offers easy access to the New York border via Rainbow International Bridge.

🏘 Melissa and Tanner Cummings, co-founders of Cypress Resort, discussed their innovative luxury nature resort on Aug. 23, 2024. They highlighted the resort's "thin spaces" concept (03:30), their focus on luxury for quality and service (06:11), and the use of crowdfunding to engage future guests (13:56). The episode delves into serving guests authentically (18:21) and shares details on the resort's groundbreaking, opening, and participation opportunities (23:58).