US: Trailborn, a hospitality brand under investment and development company Castle Peak Holdings, will open its debut property in the Rocky Mountains on 1 December 2023. Trailborn Rocky Mountains is located in the centre of downtown Estes Park, Colorado, at the eastern entrance of the Rocky Mountain National Park. The property has been designed by Venice Beach-based architecture firm Electric … [Read more...]

Spain: Boutique hotel group It Mallorca has revealed that its adult-only Hotel Valldemossa will open in February next year.  Once part of the Royal Charterhouse Palace, Hotel Valldemossa offers 12 rooms, an indoor and outdoor pool, the Sanctuary spa, and restaurant De Tokio a Lima – an outpost from Palma de Mallorca serving a fusion of Japanese and Peruvian cuisine with Mediterranean … [Read more...]

UK: Hospitality real estate group PPHE has received planning consent from Westminster City Council to develop a subterranean midscale lifestyle hotel within its Park Plaza Victoria London property. At Park Plaza Victoria London, PPHE will convert 6,500 square metres of predominantly subterranean space into a 179-room hotel with a separate entrance.  A brand is yet to be announced for the … [Read more...]

Georgia: Lifestyle hospitality group ROOMS, a member of Design Hotels, has opened its fourth hotel in Georgia located in Batumi. Located in the historic quarter of Batumi, the property offers 120 rooms and suites, a rooftop pool, a restaurant, diner, and meeting spaces. Temur Ugulava, the founder of ROOMS, together with the in-house design team Collective Development and interior design firm Rooms … [Read more...]

Australia: Lifestyle hotel company Standard International will launch its new brand, The StandardX, in Melbourne February 2024. Described as the “rebellious, younger sibling” of The Standard, the new brand will feature minimalist rooms and a cultural program which reflects the local art, fashion and music scenes of its locations. The first hotel will launch in Fitzroy, Melbourne early next … [Read more...]

“Without action on business rates tomorrow, many businesses will not even make it to April to deliver these wage increases and jobs will be lost. That scenario benefits no one. “In the longer term, stronger consideration needs to be given to a lower rate of VAT for hospitality to create a more sustainable tax burden for a sector that employs 3.5 million people and delivers £93 billion to the … [Read more...]

EU: Coliving and remote work startup Outsite has raised €300 million in funding from three real estate investors to pursue opportunities in Europe. Outsite was founded in 2015 by Emmanuel Guisset and provides coliving accommodation and spaces for remote workers across the US, Latin America, Africa, Asia and Europe. Currently, the company has 50 live locations and offers an annual membership … [Read more...]

UK: Family-owned Irish hotel group The Address Collective has added a luxury boutique hotel in Glasgow City Centre to its portfolio. Housed in a listed building originally designed for Lancashire Insurance Company, the Glasgow site will undergo a £9 million renovation before reopening in early 2024 under The Address Collective brand. When complete, the six-storey hotel will offer 94 bedrooms, a … [Read more...]

Worldwide: In the latest Hospitality Investor Sentiment Index from Questex, investors are looking to focus on opportunities within the corporate and urban markets for 2024.   Corporate business is expected to bounce back in 2024 with confidence growing 4.6 points to an index score of 52.8 in Q4 2023.  By contrast, while leisure travel is expected to remain strong, socio-economic and … [Read more...]

UK: Lifestyle hotel collection Another Place has added The Machrie in Scotland to its portfolio, located on the Isle of Islay. The Machrie comprises 47 bedrooms, suites and lodges, a links golf course, three lounges, and a restaurant and bar.  Earlier this year, Another Place launched a month-long pop-up in August at The Machrie. Guests could either book a three-night stay at The Machrie or a … [Read more...]

UK: Lifestyle membership club Birch, which has two sites open in Cheshunt and Selsdon, has placed both properties into administration.  Birch initially launched in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire in 2020. Backed by Aprirose, the debut property was transformed from the De Vere Theobalds Estate Hotel. In early 2022, Birch co-founder Chris Penn left the business. In the summer that year, a second … [Read more...]

UK: Research by The QEII Centre in Westminster, London, has revealed that the UK economy loses £19.9 billion a year due to declining attention spans. The report – The Distracted Economy: We are losing focus – how to hold attention and keep delegates engaged during business meetings and events – shows that 83 per cent of respondents admit to being distracted during in-person meetings. This figure … [Read more...]

UK: Independent luxury property Broadwick Soho has opened its doors in the West End of London. The 57-room hotel Broadwick Soho is owned by Noel Hayden and supported by managing director Jo Ringestad, executive director Joshua Gardner, creative director Andrea Gelardin, and non-executive director Jamie Poulton. Interior designer Martin Brudnizki has overseen the hotel’s townhouse transformation. … [Read more...]

Worldwide: Hospitality brand YOTEL has revealed four global openings in 2024, including the debut of its aparthotel product in London.  YOTEL will kickstart the year with a February opening in the Lake Geneva area. It will feature 237 rooms, a multi-use entertainment, meeting, and co-working area called HVGGE, as well as a 24/7 indoor and outdoor Danish-inspired restaurant, bar, and café. In … [Read more...]

UK: Housed in a pair of Grade II-listed Victorian townhouses, New Holgate has opened in York following a £2 million renovation and refurbishment.  Real estate and hospitality developer Nick Bradley purchased the former bed and breakfast late last year. Yorkshire firm Studio Two Interiors led the design of the project. Many of the building’s original features have been restored with … [Read more...]

UAE: OTA Booking.com has released its annual Travel Predictions report for 2024, which includes insights from travellers based in the United Arab Emirates for the first time. Nearly 28,000 travellers across 33 countries took part in the research. Just over 500 UAE residents of various ages and nationalities were questioned for the first time about their travel preferences and plans for next … [Read more...]

US: Global real estate investment and hospitality management company Highgate has opened the Romer Hell’s Kitchen “neighbourhood hotel” in Manhattan, New York.  The 295-room hotel has been designed by local firm Goodrich with room interiors by Islyn Studio. Highgate’s in-house design and construction studio, LUCID, led project management for all design partners. Amenities include a living … [Read more...]

Italy: Boutique brand Max Brown Hotels will open its first property in Italy in January 2024, located in the centre of Milan. Max Brown Missori has been designed by Amsterdam-based interior designer Saar Zafrir in collaboration with Sircle Collection’s in-house design team – the parent brand of Max Brown Hotels.  The building has been refurbished and redesigned with much of the original … [Read more...]

China: Operator Langham Hospitality Group (LHG) has signed a management agreement with Parkland Group for a new-build property The Langham, Foshan, set to open in 2028. The high-rise urban resort will include a hotel, luxury residential units, and commercial office spaces. Amenities at The Langham, Foshan will include a Cantonese restaurant T’ang Court – a sister venue of the three … [Read more...]

EU/US: Hotel and hostel operator Generator has completed a €750 million refinancing of debt with new and existing investors across Europe and the United States. Owned by Queensgate Investments, Generator’s portfolio comprises 21 hotels and hostels offering more than 12,000 beds across its two brands: Generator and Freehand.  The latest refinancing featured a combination of European and US … [Read more...]

US: Portland-based investment firm Sortis Holdings has reportedly walked away from its acquisition of the Ace Hotels platform and its management arm.  At the start of 2023, Sortis announced the firm would acquire the Ace portfolio and its management company Atelier Ace for $85 million. The all-cash deal was expected to close in Q1 2023.  In August, lawsuits were later settled between the … [Read more...]

UK: Housed in the former Boswells department store on Broad Street, The Store in Oxford will launch in February 2024. Boswells has been reimagined as a boutique hotel, delivered by Reef Group and EQ Group with interiors by Urban R. Oxford City Council approved plans for the conversion in January 2021. The Store, Oxford now occupies seven floors across two buildings. It features 101 rooms of … [Read more...]

France: European hospitality company EQ Group has opened its latest lifestyle property, the Hôtel des Grands Voyageurs in the Left Bank Quarter of Saint-Placide in Paris. The 138-room hotel has been designed by Fabrizio Casiraghi. It is located next to Cherche-Midi and in the centre of the sixth Arrondissement. Casiraghi has curated a global selection of artwork on display throughout the hotel, … [Read more...]

UAE: IHG Hotels & Resorts has signed a franchise agreement for its second Vignette Collection hotel in Dubai, located within the man-made World Islands off the city’s coast.  Scheduled to open in January 2026, Marbella Resort Hotel, Vignette Collection The World Islands Dubai will be located in The Heart of Europe – the flagship project under Kleindienst Group. The Heart of Europe spans … [Read more...]

UK: Business property advisor Christie & Co has brought to market the New Forest Hotel Collection of four boutique hotels. The collection – which comprises Bartley Lodge, Beaulieu Inn, Burley Manor and Forest Lodge – has been privately owned for the past 40 years. The current owners wish to retire. Located throughout the New Forest National Park in Hampshire, the properties offer exclusive … [Read more...]

US: Kasa Living, a tech-powered, flexible accommodations brand and operator, has closed a $70 million Series C fundraise to fund and accelerate its expansion across the United States. The equity round was led by Citi Ventures and FirstMark Capital, with participation from new investors New York Life Ventures and Fireside Investments. All major existing investors including RET … [Read more...]

UK: Real estate investment manager Tristan Capital Partners, through its latest opportunistic fund, has acquired an office property in Edinburgh in partnership with Queensway. The office property located on St. Andrew Square in Edinburgh has been purchased from PATRIZIA Hanover PUT.  Subject to planning, the deal will see Queensway develop and deliver a Point A branded hotel. It marks the … [Read more...]

US: The family-owned and operated boutique property Hotel Lucine is due to open on Friday 10 November, housed in the former Treasure Isle Motel in Galveston, Texas. Designed by Austin-based Kartwheel Studio, Hotel Lucine features 61 rooms, a pool and patio, a rooftop bar and a restaurant. It is situated at the edge of the Gulf of Mexico on 10th Street and Seawall Boulevard in Galveston. The … [Read more...]

UK: The Newman located in Fitzrovia, London, is set to open in winter 2024 as the debut property from hotel management company Kinsfolk & Co. The Newman, located on Newman Street in Fitzrovia, has been designed by Pernille Lind and Richy Almond of Lind + Almond. It will feature 81 rooms, suites and apartments. The rooftop floor offers a signature suite with a private terrace and when booked as … [Read more...]

EU: The Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, chaired by Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, has acquired a 49 per cent stake in Rocco Forte Hotels. The deal values the luxury Italian hotel group at €1.5 billion. Sir Rocco Forte will control the majority share of 51 per cent.  Rocco Forte Hotels’ portfolio includes 14 properties in Italy, Belgium, the UK, Germany and Russia. … [Read more...]