Hotel Openings

🏨 Lark Hospitality, alongside the Duettra family, will relaunch The Faust Hotel in New Braunfels, Texas, in spring 2026 after renovations. Originally opened in 1929, it will feature 45 rooms, including 6 corner suites and 9 junior suites. The hotel will include the restaurant Wilhelm & Werner, the Prince Solms Lobby Bar, and a speakeasy named Walter’s. The property retains its historic Spanish Colonial Revival style and includes a 2,000 square-foot Grand Ballroom.

🏨 Driftwood Capital completed an $11 million renovation of the Marriott Raleigh-Durham Research Triangle Park, a 226-key hotel in Durham, N.C., announced on Dec. 30, 2025. The project, in partnership with Hospitality Project Advisors, included room updates, an M Club lounge, an expanded meeting space, and a VTAC system upgrade. Located at 4700 Guardian Drive, the hotel serves nearby companies like IBM and universities, enhancing its appeal as a business and leisure destination.

🌎 Frequent traveler visited 128 countries and aims for 150. They stay over 4 hours per country, including Vatican City. They're loyal to one hospitality loyalty program for points and discounts but feel trapped despite top status. This traveler encounters limited choices due to loyalty program constraints. The hotel industry faces loyalty fatigue, needing diverse options to engage consumers beyond luxury-seeking Baby Boomers, and considering new strategies like branded credit cards to enhance customer loyalty and experience.

🏨 Puerto Rico: In December 2025, María Isabel Esteve and Carlos López-Lay opened Magdalena 1163, a boutique hotel in Condado, San Juan. The hotel features 10 suites across four floors, with studio, deluxe, and two-bedroom options. It offers amenities like a rooftop lounge, meeting space, and fitness area. Designed for business and leisure, Magdalena 1163 highlights local identity through partnerships and Puerto Rican artwork. It provides 24/7 digital guest support and concierge-style services.

☕ In early 2026, the Pierhouse Hotel is set to open a new cafe overlooking Castle Stalker and Loch Linnhe, on the A828 between Ballachulish and Connel. The former Castle Stalker View Cafe, closed in April 2025, will undergo winter refurbishment, creating 10 hospitality and retail jobs. The cafe will offer home baking, seasonal soups, and a small shop with Scottish products. General Manager Fiona McLean aims to preserve the venue's 20-year legacy while enhancing visitor experiences.

🏨 RMS Companies plans to develop a 120-room boutique hotel in Port Chester, New York, as part of a mixed-use redevelopment of the former United Hospital site. The project, led by Boston Post Road Owner LLC, includes 775 residential apartments, 90 independent living units, and 110 assisted living apartments. Designed to boost tourism and economic growth, the scheme has received incentives from the Port Chester Industrial Development Agency, including tax abatements.

🏨 AC Hotel by Marriott Manila opened in December 2025, marking the brand's debut in the Philippines. Located in the GLAS Tower in Ortigas Center, it offers 160 rooms with European design, panoramic skyline views, and 802 square meters of meeting space. The property features dining options like AC Kitchen and AC Lounge, with a 61st-floor AC Bar. Amenities include an indoor pool and a 24-hour exercise room, providing a blend of European and Filipino hospitality.