LODGING Staff

🏨 Avion Hospitality will manage the Hilton Garden Inn Austin Downtown, beginning with a significant renovation. Located steps from the Austin Convention Center, this 254-room hotel is set to benefit from a $1.6 billion expansion of the convention center. Avion's CEO, Robert Burg, and JMI Realty's CEO, John Kratzer, see this as a key opportunity for growth in Austin's robust market. This marks Avion's 16th hotel in Texas, strengthening its portfolio.

🏨 The Chambers Hotel in New York has reopened as an independent boutique hotel located on West 56th Street. Following its stint as a Sonder property, the hotel now features 77 rooms and suites, offering high ceilings, wood accents, and modern technology, including high-speed Wi-Fi. Guests have access to Felice 56, an on-site Italian restaurant and bar. Positioned near Central Park and Fifth Avenue, it is close to cultural landmarks like MoMA and Radio City Music Hall.

🏨 Drury Hotels is constructing a new Drury Plaza Hotel in Daytona Beach, Florida, near the Daytona International Speedway. Scheduled to open reservations for June 2027, this will be the eighth Drury hotel in Florida and the first in Daytona. The hotel will feature 180 guestrooms, over 2,000 sq ft of meeting space, and amenities like free hot breakfast, WiFi, and an outdoor pool. In 2026, Drury opened or announced four new hotels in Florida.

🏖 Waikīkī Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, Honolulu, announces new experiences in summer 2026. The Ohana Entertainment Center opens with boutique bowling, virtual reality games, and an arcade in partnership with Family Entertainment Group. The Cultural & Activity Center introduces Bamboo Stamping and Kapa Making workshops. The resort enhances guest connections through Hawaiian culture with activities like lei making and hula lessons, catering to families and fostering island energy.

🏖️ Newport Hospitality Group is renovating the Hampton Inn Jacksonville Beach Oceanfront in Virginia. The project includes updating public areas with coastal designs, flexible gathering spaces, and transforming dining venues to Drift Bar and Kitchen and Salt Beachside Bar. Meeting facilities are refreshed with new technology and boardroom options. The renovation aims to enhance guest experience by integrating the oceanfront environment and ensuring spaces support diverse activities while maintaining day-to-day operations.

🏖 Park Hyatt Riviera Maya and Grand Hyatt Los Cabos, owned by Parks Hospitality Holdings, will open in the second half of 2026 in Mexico. Park Hyatt features 148 rooms, a 2,300 sq ft penthouse, and seven culinary venues. Grand Hyatt includes 301 rooms, 42 swim-out rooms, and a 4,602 sq ft Presidential Suite. Both resorts offer all-inclusive luxury with personalized service and local craftsmanship, situated in premier leisure destinations.

🏨 Ava Hotel Paso Robles, Curio Collection by Hilton, was honored as the Best New Build within the brand at Hilton's 2025 Americas Development Awards. Located in Paso Robles, California, the hotel is owned by Paso Robles Hotel Partners and Peachtree Group, managed by Azul Hospitality Group, and opened in August 2025. It features over 6,500 square feet of meeting space. The award highlights the project's investment, vision, and community impact.

🏝️ OUTRIGGER Kauaʻi Beach Resort & Spa, located near Līhuʻe Airport, reopened with redesigned guestrooms, public spaces, and cultural elements. The resort also introduced Ocean House by Roy Yamaguchi, a restaurant emphasizing local cuisine and relationships with Kauaʻi’s farmers and fishermen. This transformation is part of OUTRIGGER’s commitment to blending modern hospitality with local culture, featuring art by Allegra Scribner and others.