US: Luxury hotel The Global Ambassador in Phoenix has opened today, 6 December 2023 as the first property by restaurateur Sam Fox. The 141-room hotel features five food and beverage venues as well as a wellness centre. Le Âme, a Parisian steakhouse and bistro will serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner. At Pink Dolphin, located next to a boutique retail concept, the menu will offer Mexican and … [Read more...]

US: The 265-room carbon positive hotel Populus, developed by Urban Villages and managed by Aparium Hotel Group, has unveiled its interior design concept ahead of opening next summer in Denver. Led by design firm Wildman Chalmers Design, the interiors of Populus have been aligned with the hotel’s architecture by Studio Gang. Inspired by the Aspen tree, the design incorporates biophilic features … [Read more...]

US: “Affordable luxury” lifestyle brand citizenM has revealed three hotel openings in the US next year, taking the group’s total to 36 properties. citizenM Austin Downtown is scheduled to open in Q1 2024. Developed in partnership with Turnbridge Equities, the 17-storey tower will house a 344-room hotel, a rooftop pool and bar area, along with a 24/7 canteenM and a gym. Amsterdam-based design firm … [Read more...]

Ireland: Local businessman Michael Ryan has submitted plans to Waterford City & County Council to demolish Bridge House in Dungarvan and construct an 85-room hotel and aparthotel. Bridge House, an office block located at the junction of Davitt’s Quay and Walsh Street, was previously occupied by Glanbia. It has sat vacant since the 1990s. The application seeks permission to demolish the … [Read more...]

China: Luxury hotel group Kempinski has signed a management agreement for a hotel and residences in Xiong’an, set to open in 2026. The hotel will be located in the Xiong’an New Area – a city currently under development by Xiong’an Xiongshang Real Estate Co., Ltd. Kempinski Hotel Xiong’an will offer 403 rooms and suites, 121 residences, a 1,000 square-metre ballroom, meeting rooms, an all-day … [Read more...]

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...]