Hotel Openings

🏨 Waldorf Astoria New York reopened its Grand Ballroom, restoring 43,000 sq. ft. of event spaces, including the Silver Corridor, Astor Salon, Basildon, and Jade Rooms. The Grand Ballroom, accommodating 1,500 people, features updated sound and lighting. The Basildon Room hosts 190 guests with elements from Basildon Manor. The Jade Room and Astor Salon each host 420 guests. Renovations by SOM and PYR preserve historic details and add modern technology to this iconic venue in NYC.

🏠 Chedi Hospitality has launched 20 luxury villas in Wadi Safar, Saudi Arabia, as part of Diriyah Company's masterplan. Designed by Bjarke Ingels Group, each villa offers 4-5 bedrooms and views of a Greg Norman-designed golf course. Owners gain access to exclusive amenities, including a residents' club and wellness facilities. An 85-room Chedi hotel is also planned. The project aligns with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030. The location is 25 minutes from Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport.

🏨 Oravel Stays, parent of OYO and Sunday Hotels, rebrands to Prism to enhance global presence and premium focus. Founded in 2012 by Ritesh Agarwal, OYO serves over 100 million customers in 35+ countries. Prism's portfolio includes OYO, Motel 6, Townhouse, and more. In the UK, Sunday Hotels plans to double its four- and five-star hotels from 20 to 50 by 2026 with a £50m investment. OYO operates 200+ hotels in 65 UK cities.

📍 New York, 2025: Rockwell Group designed La Tête d'Or steakhouse in a renovated Park Avenue office building. Featuring 13,500 sq ft, the interiors blend New York and French aesthetics with art deco influences, rich blues, and various metals. Located at One Madison Avenue, the restaurant serves the public and office occupants. Key design elements include red-panelled walls, geometric chandeliers, and a custom metal kitchen hood. Chef Daniel Boulud's upbringing in Lyon inspired the restaurant name.

🏨 Arlington, Virginia—Huntington Hotel Group completed a major renovation of Hilton Garden Inn Arlington Shirlington, enhancing guest experiences, amenities, and meeting facilities. Located near Shirlington's shops and entertainment, the renovation includes updated guestrooms with modern furnishings and technology. General Manager Chris Ng highlights the commitment to high hospitality standards. The hotel, near Washington, D.C. and Reagan National Airport, now offers improved public areas and on-site dining with breakfast and dinner options.

🍾 The Trail Hotel opened in May in Bardstown, Kentucky, transforming the historic 1970 Holiday Inn into a luxury bourbon-themed hotel with 95 rooms. Eight Signature Suites offer unique bourbon experiences. The Limestone Suite highlights bourbon's limestone water with historical maps, while the Mash Bill Suite focuses on bourbon grains with recipe cards. The Prohibition Suite evokes a 1920s speakeasy, and the Distiller’s Den Suite honors bourbon pioneers with themed decor.

🏨 Co-founders Keith Evans and Kai Tan lead Dean Group's international expansion from Irish roots, with new openings in Munich, Berlin, and Miami planned for 2026. The Dean Dublin will relaunch mid-2026 with refreshed interiors and expanded premises. The Clarence in Dublin's Temple Bar is set for full renovation in 2027. The group unites The Dean Hotels brand with independent properties, expanding their global presence in Europe and the US.

📈 Líbere Hospitality Group reported €12.1m (£10.4m) in H1 2025, up 51.6% from last year. Occupancy averaged 82% from 42,900 reservations. In Spain, they added three sites, totaling 21. International entries included Italy, Greece, and the UK. With 2,146 units in Spain and 283 abroad, they aim for €32m (£27.7m) by year-end. New sites planned in Europe, bolstered by increasing direct bookings and travel demand.

🏨 Capilon Hotels opened the Edwin Hotel, a 60-room townhouse in Earl’s Court, London, near Earl’s Court Station. The property features modern and traditional design elements, including walk-in showers, air conditioning, Wi-Fi, smart TVs, and coffee machines. Open-plan ground floor offers breakfast and co-working spaces. Capilon, founded in 2004, targets business and leisure travelers with boutique properties in central London.