Hotel Openings

🏨 Ran & Morris Creative Partnership and Cumulus have transformed the historic Oscar Maugsch Palace into the Sofitel Bucharest in University Square, Bucharest. Completed with 157 guestrooms, two restaurants, and a spa, the project revamped two buildings from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. A dramatic 46-feet-high skylit lobby draws inspiration from Parisian street life. The design integrates Parisian and Romanian cultural elements, maintaining historical layouts and using Romanian artistry for bespoke furnishings.

🏨 The Waterside Hotel in West Kilbride opened a £3M spa and restaurant development by operator SimpsInns. The project includes six treatment rooms, an indoor thermal area, and an outdoor spa garden with a hydro pool and sauna. The hotel also refurbished its restaurant, now called Dunes, and added 17 guest rooms in October, increasing capacity to 40 rooms. This development follows the refurbishment of the Kyle Suite in late 2025.

🍴 Mama Li opened its third London restaurant at 3 Rivington Walk, Wood Wharf, Canary Wharf. Founded by Catherine Hua and her mother, it offers Hong Kong-style Siu Mei with options like crispy pork, BBQ pork, soy chicken, and roasted duck. The site balances dine-in and grab-and-go, seats over half its area, and features tea-based cocktails. Designed with Macaulay Sinclair, it blends nostalgic charm with modern efficiency, capturing the essence of Hong Kong cha chaan tengs.

🏋️ Equinox King West, designed by Nivek Remas, has opened in Toronto, highlighting the city’s brutalist roots. The reception area features twin terracotta marble desks, wooden paneling, and concrete ceilings. Fitness spaces offer a futuristic look with dynamic lighting and matte concrete. The wellness area includes a black marble island vanity, steam room, sauna, and cold shower. A contrast therapy suite features a deep-heat sauna and cold plunge with heated flooring.

🍴 The Penrose Room at the Broadmoor hotel in Colorado Springs has been redesigned by Tihany Design. The main dining room, Gold Ore, seats 96 guests, with a private extension for 72. Jade Ore caters to 30, while Copper Ore hosts 32. A hidden speakeasy-style polo club adds intrigue. The design melds European formality with Western elements, using artifacts from Spencer and Julie Penrose’s travels, and art from Denver’s American Museum of Western Art.

🍴 OTHER, a design-focused dining venue by the Food District, opened in Dubai's Dar Wasl in 2026. Designed by VERHAAL, the space features a bold cobalt blue and white checkered floor, velvet curtains, and red and blue seating. Elevated wooden platforms and chrome-encased nooks create intimate spaces. Founder Mahmood Al Khamis emphasizes an authentic, uncomplicated atmosphere. This venue transitions from a daytime café to an evening destination, adding a unique option to Dubai's dining scene.