Heather Sandlin - 10 Minutes News for Hoteliers - Page 2

2 min

Dundee hotel adds 15 jobs following £3.2m investment

🏨 Owners Sean Burke and Paul Brownlie acquired the Invercarse Hotel in 2022, creating 15 jobs and boosting turnover by 10%. A £3.2m Bank of Scotland package funded refurbishments, including 25 bathrooms and a new restaurant kitchen. The hotel, with a 300-guest capacity, won Banqueting Hotel of the Year in Scotland. Increased demand is anticipated ahead of The Open Championship in 2027. Burke and Brownlie bring nearly 50 years of industry experience to the venture.

2 min

Staycity completes deal for Nine Elms Wilde Aparthotel development

🏘 Staycity Group completed a sale, development, and leaseback deal with Bridges Fund Management and Citygrove for a 185-room Wilde Aparthotel in Nine Elms, London. Full planning consent was secured in November 2023 from Lambeth Council. The site has a gross development value of £85m and is expected to open in early 2028. Staycity will operate the property on a 30-year lease, featuring sustainable elements like solar PV and green roofing.

2 min

PPHE FY revenues to hit £330m following strong Q4

💰 PPHE Hotel Group anticipates 2025 results aligning with expectations, reporting £330.4m room revenue, a 4.2% rise from 2024. In Q4, room revenue increased by 4.9% and RevPAR by 5.0%, driven by a 7.8% average room rate rise. Annual RevPAR climbed 2.6% to £123.4, with a 75.1% occupancy rate. The UK saw solid performance, while Croatia's summer trading excelled. Major investments included Art’otel openings in Rome and London. Strategic review updates are expected on 26 February 2026.

2 min

Bob W opens five new sites across London and Italy

🏨 Bob W expands in London, Rome, and Florence with five new properties, adding 265 keys. In London, Bob W Hyde Park, a 102-key building, opened just nine days post-lease signing, featuring modern rooms near Paddington. Bob W Kensington, in a Victorian property, is close to major museums. CEO Niko Karstikko highlights their digital-first model and quick openings. Philip Grace notes their nimbleness and adaptability in scaling across cities without complicating operations.

1 min

Historic Wellingborough hotel hits the market

🏨 The Hind Hotel, a 17th-century former coaching inn in Wellingborough town centre, is up for sale. Located on Sheep Street, it's a Grade II* listed building tied to the 1645 Battle of Naseby. A recent £1.3 million refurbishment was funded with Wellingborough Borough Council and the Heritage Lottery Fund, alongside £600,000 for bedrooms and £300,000 for ground floor upgrades. It features 34 en-suite rooms, three function rooms, and a restaurant. Currently closed, it's marketed to hospitality operators and developers.

1 min

Isle of Anglesey hotel sold to Mirza Real Estates

🏨 Valley Hotel, Isle of Anglesey, sold to Mirza Real Estates. The 19-bedroom hotel, dating back to the 1800s, was under Anglesey Inns since 1993. Mirza plans to heavily invest over the next year. Anglesey Inns thanked supporters for their 32 years. Christie and Co managed the sale. Mirza, also owning Tre-Ysgawen Hall, aims to continue the hotel's legacy and enhance its success. Staff praised, especially manager Rob.

2 min

DoubleTree by Hilton London West End completes £4m refurb

🏨 DoubleTree by Hilton London West End wrapped up a £4 million refurbishment in early 2026, adding 14 new rooms and suites, boosting capacity to 275 rooms. The revamp, which began earlier in the year, includes redesigned lobby and restaurant spaces, featuring The Writing Room Bar and Lounge inspired by the Bloomsbury area. This expansion aims to attract families and leisure travelers with split-level duplex suites and deluxe rooms.

2 min

Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park appoints Philippe Kronberg as GM

📘 Philippe Kronberg will join Mandarin Oriental as general manager of Hyde Park, London, and assistant vice-president operations on 12 January 2026. Kronberg will also oversee Mandarin Oriental Mayfair, Paris, and Amsterdam. The Amsterdam hotel will start as a Mandarin Oriental on 14 January. Previously, Kronberg was at Shangri-La in Muscat, Oman, and has extensive experience in Australasia, Turkey, China, Thailand, and Brisbane. A French and Australian national, he holds an executive MBA.

ECE acquires two UK extended-stay hotels amid regional expansion

🏨 ECE Work and Live acquired two Staybridge Suites hotels in Liverpool and Newcastle, UK, as part of its strategy to expand into regional cities. The transaction marks the first step towards building a portfolio of seven to eight hotels, with an investment of up to £150 million. The Liverpool hotel, opened in 2008, has 132 rooms; Newcastle's, opened in 2009, has 128 rooms. Cycas Hospitality manages both properties. Maya Capital sourced and manages the assets.

2 min

Whitbread targets 2,200 hotel rooms across Outer London

🏨 Whitbread plans to add 2,200 Premier Inn rooms across Outer London, targeting 17 locations, including Peckham Rye and Stratford. No new hotels have opened there since 2022. James Hall leads site identification, aiming for conversions and new-builds. Whitbread already operates 85,500 rooms in the UK and Ireland, aiming for 98,000 by 2030. Long-term, they target 125,000 rooms. Expansion responds to demand from leisure and business customers.

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