Corina Duma - 10 Minutes News for Hoteliers - Page 6

3 min

Hoteliers warn Budget measures risk squeezing sector

🏨 Hotel operators are concerned about the Autumn Budget's impact, with potential business rate hikes exceeding 250% for some properties by April 2026. Transitional relief will cap increases at 30% for large assets. The National Living Wage and minimum wage rises will further squeeze margins. A visitor levy could add strain, with industry job losses reaching 89,000 in nine months. Despite permanent business tax reductions for 750,000 sites, the hospitality sector faces significant financial pressures.

1 min

Pellicano Hotels details €53m revival of Tuscan estate La Suvera

🏨 Pellicano Hotels Group plans to restore La Suvera, a historic estate 30 minutes from Siena, Italy, for a 2027 reopening. The €53m (£46.5m) project, announced in 2024, converts the 12th-century fortress into a hotel with about 60 rooms. Led by CEO Marie-Louise Sciò, the restoration preserves the villa's features and adds modern amenities like a spa, pools, and event spaces. This expansion emphasizes local heritage, joining Pellicano's existing Hotel Il Pellicano in Tuscany.

4 min

BUDGET: Income tax bands frozen, minimum wage to increase, NI-exempt pension threshold scrapped

💰 Income tax and NI thresholds will be frozen until 2031, generating £8bn, while the minimum wage rises by 50p from April 2026. Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, announced measures to address a £20bn fiscal gap. Pension tax breaks above £2,000 will no longer be NI-exempt, raising £4.7bn in 2029-30. A new mansion tax on homes over £2m targets 100,000 properties. The government will introduce a mileage tax on EVs at 3p per mile.

2 min

Hospitality faces £1.4bn in extra wage costs from April 2026, UKH warns

💸 Hospitality businesses in the UK face £1.4bn in additional wage costs from April 2026 due to a 4.1% rise in the National Living Wage to £12.71. The rate for 18-20-year-olds will increase by 8.5% to £10.85. UKHospitality emphasizes urgent business rates reform. Almost one million young people are not in employment, education, or training, challenging youth employment. Kate Nicholls, UKH chair, highlights the need to address tax burdens to prevent inflation from rising costs.

2 min

Aimbridge to manage six-hotel portfolio in Mexico

🏨 Aimbridge Hospitality, starting in 2026, will manage six hotels in Mexico, rebranding them under the voco label. The properties, in Cancún, Guadalajara, Ciudad Juárez, San Luis Potosí, Nuevo Laredo, and Torreón, will undergo significant renovations. Real Inn Cancún, Guadalajara Expo, and Ciudad Juárez, with 160, 163, and 150 rooms respectively, will reopen in April 2026. The others will relaunch in October 2026. This expands Aimbridge’s voco presence to 10 North American hotels.

2 min

Hyatt to open 204-room Regency hotel at Olympia in spring 2026

🏨 Hyatt is set to open the 204-room Hyatt Regency London Olympia in spring 2026 in Emberton House, formerly Europe's largest multi-storey car park. Located in west London, the hotel is part of a £1.3bn redevelopment project. The site will feature two food outlets, a fitness center, and meeting rooms. The wider Olympia redevelopment will offer 30 restaurants, a theatre, and a live music venue. The Regency brand targets business and leisure travelers in Kensington.

2 min

Mercure Newport marks third year with global award

🏨 Mercure Newport celebrated its third anniversary by winning its third consecutive TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Award. Since opening in 2022, the hotel, located in Chartist Tower, Newport, hosted 70,000 guest stays. It supports community events and has partnered with Dragons Rugby Football Club. The hotel contributes over £24 million to the local economy and features 135 rooms, three meeting spaces, and a restaurant. A local artist's work raised £500 for charity.

2 min

The Social Hub lines up Edinburgh site for £200m development

🏠 A £200m hospitality complex in Edinburgh is planned by The Social Hub on the Fountain Brewery site, vacant for 20 years. Part of a redevelopment by Buccleuch Property and Cruden Homes, it will include a 560-bed facility with extended-stay rooms, coworking spaces, and wellness amenities. Public consultations are set for December 8 and January 26 in Fountainbridge. The Social Hub opened in Glasgow in 2024, hosting over 600 events annually.

2 min

Choice Hotels plans Kenya debut as part of wider Africa expansion

🏨 Choice Hotels International plans to enter Africa in early 2026, starting with three franchised locations in Kenya. An Ascend Collection hotel in Maasai Mara and two under the Clarion and Quality Inn brands in Nairobi are announced. At least 15 more sites are planned across sub-Saharan and southern Africa by 2030. The company aims to double its international profitability by 2027, with current gross rooms revenue at $3 billion.

2 min

The Athenaeum completes £80k refresh of long-running living wall

🌿 The Athenaeum Hotel and Residences, London, completed an £80,000 reinvestment in its 329-square-meter living wall, first installed nearly 20 years ago. The wall contains plant life equal to 16.5 medium-sized trees, removing 757 kg of CO₂ and producing 559 kg of oxygen annually. It enhances biodiversity with new species like Viburnum tinus and Ligustrum vicaryi and uses recycled textiles. Over 1,000 Narcissus bulbs were added for spring.

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