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HOTELSMag.com

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  • 3 min

Sonder claps back at Marriott after it terminates licensing agreement

🚨 November 10, 2025, Marriott International terminated its agreement with Sonder due to default, impacting its 4.5% net rooms growth forecast. Sonder announced an immediate operations wind-down and Chapter 7 liquidation, following a $224 million net loss for 2024 and $44.5 million in Q2 2025. Delayed integration with Marriott and participation in the Bonvoy system led to severe financial constraints. Marriott had invested $15 million in Sonder, who went public in January 2022 at a $1.9 billion valuation.
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  • 2 min

IHM Outdoors to operate Camp Margaritaville Orange Lake

🏖️ Camp Margaritaville will open in Citra, Florida, in spring 2026. Managed by IHM Outdoors, the Orange Lake project features RV sites, vacation rentals, a pool complex, a swim-up bar, and the Barkaritaville dog park. This partnership aims to enhance outdoor hospitality standards. IHM Outdoors operates in more than 15 locations across six states and aims to double revenue within three years through collaborations like this.
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Frank Sinatra once owned this hotel and casino. Business has been anything but melodious since.

🎶 Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin owned the Cal Neva Resort & Casino in North Lake Tahoe from 1960. Clara Bow ran up a $13,000 gambling debt here in 1930, equivalent to $250,000 today. Larry Ellison acquired the resort for $35 million in 2018, selling it to McWhinney for $58 million in 2023. The new owner plans to partner with Proper Hospitality to open the revamped Lake Tahoe Proper Resort & Casino in 2027, featuring 198 rooms.
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  • 4 min

How AI chatbots are missing a revenue opportunity

📱 Forward-thinking hotels are using advanced AI sales assistants for event bookings. Traditional chatbots often fail, but new AI systems can enhance revenue with an ROI of $3 to $10 per dollar invested. With a 20% improvement in conversion rates, hotels can gain $450,000 extra annually from 2,000 inquiries. AI ensures rapid responses, crucial as 61% of RFPs go to the first three bidders. Group sales hit $190 billion in 2024, highlighting the potential of smarter AI investments.
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Tech & talent: What the future of hotel management looks like.

🏨 COVID-19 shifted lifestyles, impacting hotel owners and investors. Delinquency rates rose to 6.59% in July 2025, up from 1.4% in 2019. Crestline Hotels & Resorts uses real-time data tools for decision-making. Web traffic fell 18%-64%, emphasizing AI's role in digital marketing. 65% of hotels face staffing shortages, with 71% struggling to fill roles. Mobile-friendly applications are crucial as over half of candidates apply via smartphones. Training and tech adoption are vital, prioritizing the guest experience.
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Hotel that is home to famous TPC Sawgrass has been sold

🏟 South Street Partners and Dream Finders Homes, alongside equity partners like Pat Battle, acquired the Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. The resort spans 66 acres, offering 351 hotel rooms, 163 villa keys, 114,000 square feet of meeting space, and a 25,000-square-foot spa. The property includes the two-acre Cabana Beach Club. Plans for renovation are underway. Guests can pre-book tee times 12 months in advance at the TPC Sawgrass courses.
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Aman Group to open Janu Al Marjan Island hotel

🏖 Aman Group plans to open Janu Al Marjan Island, the second Janu property in the UAE, on Al Marjan Island, Ras Al Khaimah. The resort will feature a 132-key hotel with sea views, wellness center, restaurants, and a Kids’ Club. A residential tower will offer 1- to 5-bedroom residences and standalone villas. Designed by SCDA Architects, it’s near Wynn Al Marjan Island. This follows Janu Tokyo’s 2024 debut and precedes openings in Dubai, Turks and Caicos, and Saudi Arabia.
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Meliá Hotels expands in Bahrain and Patagonia

🏨 Meliá Hotels International will debut in Bahrain on Amwaj Island in 2027 with 256 units, including 150 hotel rooms and 106 residences. Key amenities include 5 pools, dining, wellness, and Beso Beach. By 2028, The Meliá Collection hotel opens in Argentine Patagonia's Bariloche with 99 rooms and 48 residences within Nahuel Huapi National Park. The projects mark strategic growth in tourism markets, focusing on premium hospitality experiences.
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  • 4 min

What regenerative luxury is and how it’s redefining the future of hospitality

🌏 Luxury in hospitality is evolving. Regenerative luxury emphasizes revitalization, not just sustainability, aiming to actively restore ecosystems and cultures. It integrates biomimicry and frameworks like the UN SDGs. Key pillars include nature as co-designer, community partnership, and cultural heritage. Impact is measured through living metrics, focusing on natural, social, human, and cultural capitals. By 2024, the impact investment market topped USD 1.5 trillion, with regenerative tourism growing rapidly. This approach redefines luxury through inclusive impact.
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HOTELS Magazine Video Series: In Conversation with Enseo

📺 During The Hospitality Show, David Eisen of HOTELS Magazine interviewed Enseo's CEO Brian Gurley and President David Goldstone about in-room TV technology. Enseo's report, "The Power of Connections," explores digitized guestroom entertainment trends and revenue opportunities. Key topics included guest experience, profitability, vendor relationships, technology integration, and overcoming tech challenges. Enseo, a U.S.-based tech provider, focuses on seamless, personalized hotel TV experiences.
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