Mergers & Acquisitions

🏨 MIAMI, Florida—Kabani Hotel Group sold Southern Oaks Inn St. Augustine, a 124-room property in Florida, for $12,501,000, or about $100,814 per room. Brokered by Lucas Mondino, offers emerged within 30 days due to strategic marketing. Built in 1973 on 5.75 acres, the property received updates like roof replacements. St. Augustine, known for its high ADRs and walkability, remains a strong market.

💰 UAE and Africa are collaborating at the UAE Africa Tourism Investment Summit 2025 in Dubai, announcing a $6 billion tourism investment plan to create 70,000 jobs. This initiative, led by H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism, aims to enhance tourism infrastructure across Africa. The Future Hospitality Summit Africa (FHS Africa) will further this agenda in Nairobi, Kenya, from March 31 to April 1, 2026.

🏨 Oxford Castle Quarter, housing Malmaison Oxford, is for sale at £30.94 million. CBRE, appointed by Westgate Partnership, is marketing the 95-bedroom hotel and 39,134 sq ft leisure units. The site, tracing back to 1071, was previously a prison until 1996 and reopened as a hotel in 2006. The Oxford hotel market's high entry barriers and eight million annual visitors support revenue growth. Frasers acquired Malmaison for £363 million 10 years ago and plans a group auction.

🏨 Barry Sternlicht, founder of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, renowned for the W Hotels brand and Westin Heavenly Bed, is celebrated as HOTELS magazine's 2025 Corporate Hotelier of the Year. After leading Starwood for a decade and its subsequent sale to Marriott, he's back steering Starwood Hotels 2.0. Sternlicht, a self-made billionaire, began by selling tadpoles. His impact in the hotel industry is profound, blending brand innovation with design excellence.

🏨 YTL Hotels acquired the 225-room Hotel Indigo Auckland, marking its first investment in New Zealand. Approved in September 2025, the NZD $160 million deal includes a 25-year management contract with IHG Hotels & Resorts. This is New Zealand's second-largest hotel transaction this year. Located in Auckland's heart, the hotel reflects local character. The investment highlights YTL's commitment to New Zealand's tourism sector, complementing its expanding portfolio across Asia and the Pacific.

🏨 Orlando, FL — The Kessler Collection, known for founding Marriott’s Autograph Collection, has formed a strategic alliance with Highgate, a real estate investment and hospitality management company managing over 400 hotels globally. Highgate will manage several Kessler hotels, integrating Kessler’s creative vision with Highgate’s operational expertise. Highgate oversees $15 billion in assets, enhancing luxury experiences through tailored platforms. This partnership aims to elevate the luxury and lifestyle hospitality segments, merging artistry with performance.

🏨 Choice Hotels International™ expands in France, boosting its portfolio from 57 to 107 franchised properties across 41 new locations, including Nice and Reims. This adds over 4,800 rooms, with 22% in major cities. The 50 new Quality Suites™ properties build on a 2024 agreement with Zenitude Groupe, which initially added 30 properties and 4,000 rooms. This strategic move enhances long-stay and flexible accommodation options in France, with all properties joining the Choice Privileges® loyalty program.

🏨 The Lion Hotel in Shrewsbury is for sale, inviting substantial offers for its freehold. Reopened in July 2024, it forecasts a £715,745 net turnover for 2025. The hotel, dating back to the 15th Century, boasts 59 en-suite rooms, bars, lounges, and function spaces for up to 160 guests. Notable guests include Darwin, Dickens, and The Beatles. Owners seek new investors to leverage its historic and commercial potential, per Robert Smithson of Colliers.