Hotel Openings

🏠 Sonesta International Hotels Corporation announced the opening of Sonesta Essential Augusta, a 57-room hotel in Augusta, Georgia. The newly renovated hotel is part of the Sonesta Essential brand, which launched over a year ago. Sonesta Essential Augusta had a soft launch earlier this year and caters to golf enthusiasts, being situated near the Masters Tournament location. The brand offers amenities such as elevated bedding, WiFi, hot breakfast, all-day coffee, and a fitness center.

📌 Amit Patel, managing partner of Rama Papermill Hotels based in Knoxville, TN, expanded his portfolio in 2023 with two Extended Stay America (ESA) properties. He praised ESA's hands-on service and cited a positive conversion experience of a 120-room property in Bristol, Virginia, which opened in August 2023. The renovation included a revamped lobby, guestrooms, and the addition of kitchens. Post-renovation, occupancy rose from over 30% to approximately 75%. Patel also took over a 72-room ESA in Knoxville, Tennessee, with a post-ownership occupancy rate above 90%. Patel is planning another ESA property in Knoxville and aims to grow with the ESA brand.

🏠 Grand Hyatt Atlanta in Buckhead completed renovation of 439 guestrooms, including 21 suites. The highlight is the Grand Peach Suite, a two-bedroom suite spanning 1,200 square feet on the 25th floor. Renovations added Pure Wellness hypoallergenic rooms and amenities from Balmain Paris. Further renovations, focusing on the lobby and public spaces, will commence in fall. Kristi Cotten-Morris, the General Manager, emphasizes luxury and functionality in this multi-phase renovation.

🏠 New York-based Lissoni Architecture, led by Italian architect Piero Lissoni, unveils the AKA NoMad hotel in Manhattan's NoMad neighborhood, merging Scandinavian and Japanese minimalist interiors. The renovated space, previously the Roger New York hotel, marks Lissoni's first NYC hotel project, following the establishment of his US office in the preceding year. The hotel features a bronze-painted spiral staircase in its double-height lobby and rooms with a neutral palette, oversized headboards, and dark stone bathrooms. The design showcases natural materials, bespoke furnishings, and iconic design pieces.

🖤 Uchi West Hollywood, a Japanese restaurant in Los Angeles, features live-edge wood from fallen street trees sourced by Angel City Lumber as spatial dividers in its 5,200-square-foot space seating 160 guests. The wood, from 25 Aleppo Pines across 14 neighborhoods, amounts to nearly 26 tons, cut into 42 logs with an average diameter of 30 inches and a length of nine feet. Local artists and artisans, including ORA, contributed to the earth-toned interior, which includes a custom light fixture by Kazuki Takizawa and concrete planters by SBLA.

🏨 Latin America's hotel construction pipeline shows an 11% YOY increase in projects and a 10% increase in rooms, totaling 612 projects (97,597 rooms). Under construction: 253 projects (44,319 rooms), up 11% in projects and 15% in rooms YOY. Next 12 months: 187 projects (29,476 rooms), a YOY increase of 18% in projects and 17% in rooms. Early planning: 172 projects (23,802 rooms), up 3% YOY. Key segments: upscale (133 projects/18,807 rooms), upper upscale (101 projects/20,234 rooms), luxury (96 projects/17,154 rooms). Renovations and conversions at an all-time high: 186 projects (29,500 rooms), 30% more projects YOY. Mexico leads with 226 projects (33,599 rooms), followed by Brazil, the Dominican Republic, and Colombia. Top cities: Mexico City, Georgetown, Sao Paulo, Lima, and Riviera Maya. New announcements in Q2: 62 projects (8,740 rooms). 2023 expected openings: 100 hotels (17,555 rooms), with 40 already opened and 60 more planned. 2025 projected openings: 111 hotels (18,816 rooms), and in 2026, 131 hotels (18,293 rooms).

🍻 Honey Spencer, a UK natural wine authority, expanded her career after a 2011 encounter with unpredictable natural wine. She authored "Natural Wine, No Drama" and co-founded Sune, a natural wine restaurant in East London. Sune debuted on the UK's top 100 restaurants list in summer. Spencer and her business partner Charlie Sims opened Sune after experiences, including at Copenhagen's natural wine bars and Noma. Sune emphasizes clean, approachable natural wines, avoiding sanctimonious overtones. Spencer also consults for high-profile restaurants and directs wine programs. Sune, which avoids scaring traditional drinkers, plans a terrace addition and Tuesday openings. Spencer supports decanting natural wines for optimal presentation.

🏢 Bofink Design Studio transformed the 1912 Börshuset cattle-auction venue in Stockholm's Slakthusområdet into a members' club, revealing Jugend-style interior details obscured since the 1980s. The main 140 square meters hall, initially a cattle trading area then a workers' canteen, has been revamped while keeping the building's 3,600 square meters size. Original features like terrazzo floors, wall murals, double-ceiling height, and bullseye-shaped windows were restored. A mezzanine and patinated metal spiral staircase were added to connect the main hall with office spaces, including repurposed old hotel rooms and bank vaults. The industrial heritage of the surrounding meatpacking district influenced the material choices, with plywood panels resembling animal skins. The color palette was inspired by nature, featuring warm browns, tan, and reds, while vintage furnishings highlight the building's past. A House, part-owned by developer Atrium Ljungberg, occupies the revamped space.

🏖 Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island in South Carolina celebrated the completion of phase one renovations, featuring 340 redesigned guestrooms, during a ribbon-cutting event. Renovations began in December 2023 and introduced upgrades like revitalized bathrooms, coastal-inspired furnishings, and modern amenities such as flat-screen LCD televisions. Phase two, expected to finish by May 2025, will enhance ballrooms, meeting spaces, dining, a new hot tub, an adult pool, private cabanas, and bars. The resort offers 24 room types, including the Palmetto Suite with two private balconies and a jetted spa tub. Situated within the Shipyard community, it allows access to the clubhouse, tennis courts, and six golf courses, and is 8.5 miles from Hilton Head Airport.

🍴 Drew Snaith and Hannah Kowalski will launch their first restaurant, Sesta, in London's Hackney this September, following the closure of Pidgin on 18 August. Sesta, replacing Pidgin, will serve British seasonal ingredients and feature a menu influenced by live fire cooking, British, European, and Southeast Asian cuisines. The founders previously worked together at Brunswick House and Pidgin. The team includes sous chef Ben Ing and general manager Majalis Lundstrom Celedon. Sesta will source produce from Shrub, connecting to Sussex farms. The menu will change seasonally and offer dishes like Doddington cheese scone with rarebit and cured mutton bacon ribs. Natural wines, particularly French, will be curated by Kowalski, while Celedon will craft cocktails with house-made spirits. The 26-cover restaurant will later add counter dining and display local art.