Corina Duma - 10 Minutes News for Hoteliers - Page 6

3 min

Criterion Capital Appoints Vaqas Farooq as CEO to Lead UK, Portugal, and Abu Dhabi Hotel Expansion

🏨 Criterion Capital appointed Vaqas Farooq as CEO and Steve Silvester as CFO to advance its development pipeline in the UK, Portugal, and Abu Dhabi. Criterion manages over £6bn in assets, with a hotel portfolio of 28 properties, including a 1,000-bed capsule hotel in London’s West End. In September 2024, Criterion secured a £16m refinancing package for Zedwell Greenwich, with a goal to expand to 8,000 rooms by 2029, currently operating over 3,000 rooms.

1 min

Village Hotel Club to Install Padel Courts at Multiple UK Locations, First Major Operator to Do So

🏓 Village Hotel Club is set to become the first major UK operator to introduce on-site padel courts. Starting with five floodlit courts in Wirral, new courts will soon open in Newcastle, Warrington, and Blackpool. In 2025, padel attracted over 860,000 players, up from 400,000 in 2024 and 129,000 in 2023. The group hosts 1.8 million hotel guests and 140,000 health club members annually across 34 UK venues, with facilities like gyms and coworking spaces.

2 min

Chef Dom Chapman and Restaurateur Nigel Sutcliffe to Open The Jack O’Newbury in Berkshire on September 2.

🍴 Chef Dom Chapman and restaurateur Nigel Sutcliffe will open The Jack O’Newbury in Binfield, Berkshire, on 2 September. Situated a few miles from Windsor, this 16th-century village inn underwent two years of renovation. It boasts an 80-cover dining room, 11 bedrooms, a kitchen garden, and a 20-cover terrace. The restaurant will serve Berkshire dishes daily and be led by Sutcliffe, who also co-founded The Crazy Bear and The Oarsman, with Chapman as the culinary head.

3 min

Hotelier Michael Holland Lists Fitzwilliam Hotel Belfast for Sale at £32 Million Through CBRE

🏨 Hotelier Michael Holland has listed the Fitzwilliam Hotel Belfast for £32 million. Acquired in 2015 for €23 million (£19.6 million), the hotel features 146 rooms and amenities like an award-winning bar. Planning approval for 52 new rooms was obtained in June 2023. Belfast saw 5.1 million visitors in 2025, with tourism spending increasing by 9% to £1.2 billion. Investors are interested given Belfast's growing hospitality sector, despite the competitive market with new entrants like The Bedford.

2 min

Conrad Dublin Appoints Aisling Feiritéar as HR Director and Lee Cooper as HR and Training Manager

🏨 Luxury hotel Conrad Dublin appoints Aisling Feiritéar as director of human resources and Lee Cooper as HR and training manager. Feiritéar has over 10 years of experience in luxury hospitality, while Cooper brings a 14-year background in hospitality. Their roles aim to enhance workplace culture and talent development. General manager Lynn McLaughlin emphasizes the commitment to an exceptional workplace culture. Conrad Dublin was recently recognized by Great Place to Work.

3 min

UK Government Launches Review of Business Rates for Pubs and Hotels, Aiming for Reforms by 2027

🏠 Business rates for pubs and hotels in England and Wales may be revised under a new Treasury review led by Jerry Schurder, concluding in March 2027. A 20% rate reduction for pubs and music venues will take effect in April 2027. The BBPA reports 161 pub closures and 2,400 job losses in early 2023. Rising costs from taxes and wages strain operators. The review informs the 2029 revaluation. Chancellor John Healey will detail relief criteria in the autumn Budget.

2 min

Sopwell House Appoints Luigi Villani as Director of Spa for Cottonmill and The Club at Cottonmill

🏠 Luigi Villani has been appointed as director of spa at Sopwell House in Hertfordshire to manage Cottonmill Spa and The Club at Cottonmill. Villani brings over 20 years of international luxury spa experience, including roles at Kempinski Hotels and Ocean View Monaco. His focus will be on operations, member strategy, and service delivery. Previously, the spa management structure was integrated with hotel operations, but now it operates under a two-tier management system with dedicated leadership.

3 min

Travelodge CEO Jo Boydell Resigns After 13 Years; Interim CEO Ray Reidy Appointed as Revenue Rises 4.2%

🏨 Travelodge CEO Jo Boydell resigned after 13 years. As of 30 June 2026, interim CEO Ray Reidy oversees a 4.2% revenue rise to £491.3m. EBITDA reached £47.9m, up from £47.3m in 2025, driven by hotel growth and a 22% revenue increase in Spain. Travelodge opened three hotels, with 75% of rooms refurbished. Costs rose due to wage and insurance hikes. Cash reserves stood at £84.3m, and third-quarter revenue increased by 3%.

3 min

Insolvencies in UK Hospitality Sector Rise 10.2% in Q2 2026 Amid Rising Costs and Wage Increases

📈 Insolvencies in the accommodation and food sectors rose by 10.2% in Q2 2026, with 840 companies affected, due to increased costs and wage hikes. A total of 1,602 closures occurred in the first half of 2026, down 6.1% from 2025. The Buchler Phillips Hospitality Index increased from 180.6 in March to 199.0 in June 2026. Wage rises from April 1 added £1.4bn to sector costs. Key closures included MeatLiquor and Restaurant 104.

1 min

Hotel de France in St Helier Launches Multi-Day Wellness Package with Spa Access and Custom Meal Plans

🏨 Hotel de France in St Helier has launched "The Wellness Reset," a multi-day health package offering 2 to 7-night stays. Includes morning movement classes, meditation, custom meals, and spa access. Guests enjoy a 25-minute consultation and 80-minute massage. Accommodation starts with a classic double room with meals. Dr. Prasanna, spa director, emphasizes the program's goal to help guests unwind and focus on wellbeing in Jersey's serene environment.

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