Cynera Rodricks

🍳 Michael Caines MBE will open his first London restaurant, Michael Caines at The Stafford, on 17 September at The Stafford hotel in St James’s. Partnering with executive head chef Simon Ulph, the restaurant replaces The Game Bird. It will feature modern European “terroir cuisine” using British seasonal produce. The Stafford, established in 1912, has a rich history. John McLean of The Stafford Collection expresses pride in this new collaboration, aiming to offer unique dining experiences.

🏨 Dubai-based JA Resorts and Hotels expanded into the UK in 2024, acquiring Mar Hall in Renfrewshire and The Bruntsfield Hotel in Edinburgh. Mar Hall, set on 240 acres, reopened in May after a £25m refurbishment and offers 74 rooms, a cinema, gaming, and billiards rooms. The Bruntsfield Hotel, near Edinburgh Castle, completed a £1m refurbishment in 2022, providing 72 rooms and event facilities. This marks JA's first UK presence, joining its Dubai and Maldives locations.

🏨 Rutland Arms Hotel, a Grade II-listed property in Newmarket, is up for sale with full planning permission for redevelopment into a 72-bedroom boutique hotel.

🏨 IHG Hotels and Resorts, with over 6,700 properties globally, has surpassed one million open rooms as of the first half of 2025. The group's expansion spans 20 brands in 100 countries, with significant growth in the U.S., China, and EMEAA (Europe, Middle East, Asia, and Africa). Recent hotel openings include locations in Mexico, Japan, Malta, and Greater China. IHG's development pipeline now features over 2,200 hotels.

🏨 Hotel Indigo opened a new property in Clerkenwell, London, in July 2025. This marks the latest addition to the IHG Hotels and Resorts’ portfolio in the UK and Ireland. 📍