Hotel Openings

🏖 Aimbridge Hospitality has taken over management of two Wyndham Alltra resorts in the Dominican Republic — Punta Cana and Samaná — under its new All-Inclusive division launched in August 2023. Wyndham Alltra Punta Cana offers 620 rooms, a 1,600-meter pool, and nine dining venues across 47 acres. Samaná features 404 rooms and five restaurants on 37 acres. Both resorts began renovations in 2024. All-inclusive hotels are expanding four times faster than other leisure segments.

🏠 A former HSBC branch in Chipping Norton is on the market for £1.8m. Located at 18–19 Market Place, it consists of two four-storey buildings, totaling 11,342 sq ft, with a large garden. Vacated in 2017, planning permission was granted in 2020 for a 31-room boutique hotel. Permission remains valid as of 2024. The site, in a conservation area within the Cotswolds, also has potential for alternative uses, marketed by Watling Real Estate.

🏫 St Brides Spa Hotel in Saundersfoot clinched the 2025 AA Hospitality Awards Hotel of the Year for Wales, marking its second win since 2011. This accolade follows a three-month refurbishment upgrading all 35 rooms and expanding event spaces for 100 delegates. Enhancements include a Himalayan infra-red salt room and revamped Cliff Restaurant. Managed by the Celtic Collection since 2024, St Brides exemplifies Welsh hospitality, joining Cardiff's Parkgate Hotel, the 2024 winner.

🏌️ Rockliffe Hall in Hurworth near Darlington is undergoing a multimillion-pound upgrade to its golf facilities, including a new TrackMan Range and Golf Academy, with a bunker renovation reducing size from 10,000 sq m to 6,000 sq m by December 2026. The resort expanded its machinery fleet from 42 to 50. Opened in 2009, the championship course features 78 bunkers and is part of 59Club’s Eminent Collection. A new Mediterranean restaurant, Terra Riviera, opens in October.

🏨 BWH Hotels GB has expanded its UK portfolio by adding eight boutique and heritage properties, aiming to reach 20,000 rooms nationwide by 2029. The new additions include The Brackenborough Hotel in Lincolnshire and Thatcher’s Hotel in Surrey. CEO Tim Rumney highlights the appeal of BWH's "Power of Two" model, offering independence with the benefits of a global network to help hotels thrive in challenging conditions.

🍴 Chef Janelle Romeo has opened Twin Isle, a fast-casual Caribbean-inspired restaurant in East Austin. Twin Isle occupies 800 sq. ft. with eight indoor seats and a patio, launching earlier this month. The menu features customizable bowls and family-style dishes, including Aloo Pie, Oxtail Fries, and Rip + Dip Roti. Roti wraps and sandwiches like the Oxtail Sandwich and Bake + Shark are offered. Seasonal specials include curry crab and dumplings and Trini barbecue.

🏨 Opened in March 2025 in Twentynine Palms, California, Hotel Wren is a reimagined 1940s lodge near Joshua Tree National Park. Owner Jessica Pell, founder of Manola Studio, preserved the 12-room property's historic character while adding elements like hand-painted tiles and a desert-inspired color scheme. Guests often come from Los Angeles, driving 2.5 hours. The hotel offers vintage deadstock fabrics, hand-picked decor, curated readings on nature, and custom millwork by Nik Gelormino. A mural by Kim Swift adorns the space.

🏨 Limelight Boulder, the first hotel in partnership with the University of Colorado Boulder, has opened. Located in Boulder, this 252-room hotel, designed by WATG and Meyer Davis, is the largest all-electric hotel in the U.S. and aims for LEED Gold certification. With art curated by Eaton Fine Art, the hotel features a 15,000-square-foot ballroom, a rooftop pool, and F&B options like Ajax Tavern and Crepe Therapy Café. Future openings are planned in Mammoth, CA, and Charleston, SC.

🍴 In San Diego, California, the Sheraton San Diego Resort unveils Shorelight, a new restaurant in the Bay Tower overlooking San Diego Bay and northern Coronado Island. With coastal-themed interiors, Shorelight offers a menu that transitions from breakfast to dinner featuring items like omelettes, Caesar salads, spicy tuna crudo, and tiramisu. The restaurant aims to provide a relaxed, home-like dining experience, blending fresh, flavorful dishes with breathtaking views.