Hotel Openings

🏖 The JW Marriott Algarve Palmares Hotel & Spa is set to open in Lagos, Portugal in early 2028. Designed by RCR Arquitectes and Goddard Littlefair, the hotel will feature 172 rooms and suites, 133 branded residences, and the Michelin-starred Al-Sud restaurant. Amenities include a fitness center, indoor and outdoor pools, and a kids’ club. Guests will also have access to a 27-hole golf course and future padel facilities at the Palmares Ocean Living & Golf Resort.

🍕 Chef Sean Brock is opening Sho Pizza Bar in East Nashville’s Riverside Village on April 14, offering lunch and dinner. A collaboration with Nashville natives Mary Carlisle and Ben Gambill, Sho reflects their shared passion for Tokyo-style pizza. The restaurant features a 30-seat dining room, an outdoor patio, full bar, and a 12-seat chef’s counter overlooking a wood-fired pizza oven. The pizza dough undergoes a three-day fermentation for a lighter, more digestible crust. Chefs Trey Tench and John Woodward lead the kitchen, serving classics and signature pies like the Sho-Stopper, sourcing mozzarella from Italy and local ingredients for toppings. Other offerings include salads, appetizers, matcha soft serve, tiramisu, beer, Italian wine, sake, and cocktails. Brock and the Gambills plan to expand Sho Pizza Bar throughout the Southeast.

🏠 Room Mate Hotels expands in Europe with Room Mate Collection Mia in Rome, rebranded from Capo d'Africa hotel. The 65-room boutique hotel, designed by Luis García Fraile, emphasizes comfort and modern aesthetics. Kike Sarasola, the brand's founder, highlights the aim for memorable guest experiences. Besides Rome, Room Mate operates in Florence, Milan, Venice, and beyond Italy with recent acquisitions like the Staying Valencia group with ten new properties and the renovation of Room Mate Aitana in Amsterdam by Tomás Alía. The expansion reflects Room Mate’s commitment to innovation and local economies.

🏛 Seaton House's grand opening in St Andrews, Scotland showcased 2 destination restaurants and luxury accommodations just yards from the Old Course. Valor Hospitality Partners and Links Collection operate the hotel with 42 bedrooms, including 9 suites. Guests enjoyed food and drink from Ondine Oyster & Grill and The Board Room, complemented by local entertainment, including Madras College's music department and a pipe band. The event featured croquet, axe throwing, and archery as nods to local history.

🍴 Michael and Courtney Zentner launched The Drifter in Charleston, S.C., in April 2020. They’ve now expanded with Merci, a European-inspired bistro, which opened on March 22, alongside its sister market, Petit Merci. Set in a historic 1820s building, Merci features a 20-seat dining room, a six-seat bar, and plans for outdoor dining. Open Wednesday through Saturday for dinner, the menu includes seasonal dishes like focaccia stracciatella and beef Wellington. Petit Merci offers soups, breads, meals, and pastries from 11 a.m. daily.

🏨 Murcia will gain a new four-star hotel in 2027, managed by Soho Boutique Hotel, its first project in the region. Located on Juan Carlos I Avenue, Soho Boutique Murcia will offer 90 rooms with amenities like parking, a gym, meeting rooms, and a rooftop pool. The hotel, developed by Grupo Jemeca owned by the Mengual family, is part of Soho Boutique’s expansion in southeastern Spain, with over a dozen properties expected by 2025, including in Granada, Madrid, and Valencia. The project bolsters the city's tourism for business and leisure travelers.

🏠 SODIC, a top real estate developer in Egypt, collaborates with Rockwell Group to create Egypt’s first Nobu hotel and restaurant in Eastown District New Cairo (EDNC). The restaurant, featuring a 2,200m² area for 300 guests, opens Autumn 2025, with the hotel launching early 2027, offering over 50 rooms across 6,385m². The design blends Japanese minimalism with Egyptian culture, showcasing natural materials and geometric patterns. Amenities include a pool, spa, gym, and multipurpose spaces. Nobu Cairo reflects a fusion of cultural influences and contemporary luxury.

🌏 OKKO Hotels' fifteenth property, the OKKO Troyes Centre, will open on June 9, 2025, near the train station in Troyes' historical center. The four-star hotel will feature 106 rooms with high-end amenities like Cocomat bedding, Omnisens bath products, and complimentary Wi-Fi. Unique to OKKO Hotels, the 200 m² Club offers a shared space with lounge areas, coworking stations, and all-day snacks, accessible via day passes. The hotel's location allows guests to explore Troyes' medieval architecture and heritage. OKKO Hotels, a Société à Mission in France, plans to expand to 40 locations across France and Europe.