Hotel Openings

🐟 Fish Shop, part of Artfarm, opened in Ballater, Scotland, in 2023, quickly earning a Bib Gourmand award and a visit from King Charles III. A second location opened in Washington, D.C., on April 29, seating 180 inside with additional terrace seating and three private rooms for 10, 12, and 24 guests. The restaurant emphasizes fresh, ethically sourced seafood and sustainability in both menu and design. The D.C. location's menu is tailored to Mid-Atlantic seasonal availability, with a fish preparation room, and uses locally sourced meat and vegetables.

🎷 Downstairs At The Grand, Birmingham City Centre’s only late night jazz bar, opens on Friday 16th May, operating Thursdays to Saturdays from 10pm to 2am at The Grand Hotel Birmingham. It features live music with artists like Tom Seals, Dino Baptiste, Chris 'Beebe' Aldridge, Dana Gillespie, and Lisa-Marie Holmes. Joe Spinoza And Friends perform on the opening night, followed by a diverse lineup including The Voice Of Rafael Nannetti and Genevieve Jazz throughout May. The venue offers cocktails, wines, and a late-night food menu. Visit www.downstairsatthegrand.co.uk for more details.

🏨 BWH Hotels welcomes seven new independent hotels, including Best Western Sheffield City Hotel and The Kings Arms Hotel in Dorset, into its UK portfolio of over 230 properties. The group aims to add 100 hotels and reach 20,000 rooms by 2029. The new additions range from midscale to luxury, enhancing BWH's offerings. Each hotel benefits from global networking, marketing, and loyalty programs while maintaining independence. BWH operates in 100+ countries with 4,200 hotels.

🏠 Kronos Homes launches 96 branded residences at Salgados Beach, Algarve, Portugal. The properties, managed by Highgate Portugal, include 42 Westin and 54 Marriott residences, with prices starting at €675,000 and €330,000, respectively. Located 100m from the beach and 35 minutes from Faro Airport, these residences offer premium amenities like pools, spas, and golf. Ideal for investment, the Algarve is known for its beaches and golf courses, promising capital appreciation.

🏡 Tigermilk, a Paris-based Latin American dining concept by Nina and Alexis Melikov, opens its first UK restaurant on 12th June at 127 Charing Cross Road. With 138 covers, the venue serves more than 3,500 daily guests across 10 locations in France. Key offerings include a 12-hour marinated T-bone, cochinita pibil tacos, fresh dorade ceviche, and desserts like maracuyá tiramisu and dulce de leche cheesecake. The drink menu boasts over 250 tequilas and mezcals, complemented by a selection of wines from independent producers.

🍜 Noodle and Beer, a new establishment in Chinatown's Wardour Street, London, sets the scene for late-night fun with a reverse happy hour Thursday to Sunday, 10pm-midnight, offering 2-for-1 classic cocktails. Open until 4am on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, the venue serves spicy Sichuan dishes and small bites, ensuring the Spring 2025 nights are not only vibrant but also delicious. 🌶️

May 13 2025 – Helsinki, Finland – Bob W, the tech-powered hospitality operator redefining hotels and short-term rentals, is strengthening its presence in Spain, Italy and Portugal with the appointments of…

🍷 Mayfair House Group opens Courtyard Wine Cellars in Covent Garden, its eleventh site, offering London's largest wine bar with 7 arched cellars, 100 covers, and a 2,500 sq. foot space. The historic Marketplace venue hosts 1,000+ wines from 100 regions and 10 countries, including top brands like EDR and Lanson. The bar features a tasting room, artisanal platters, Italian pizzas, and a gift section, operating Monday-Saturday (9am-10:30pm, coffee from 9am) and Sunday (9am-9:30pm). Visit at 17B and 18B The Marketplace, WC2E 8RB.

🍳 Chicken N Pickle, an indoor/outdoor eatertainment complex, is set to open its new location in Allen, Texas, on May 13. This North Kansas City, Mo.-based company's Allen venue marks its fifth in Texas and 12th overall, featuring more than 55,000 square feet, dining areas, a sports bar, six indoor and two covered outdoor pickleball courts, beer gardens, and various yard games. The location, part of The Farm mixed-use development, also champions inclusive "pickleball for all" through sports wheelchairs and dedicated programming. With NFL stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce's backing, Chicken N Pickle is expanding rapidly, planning four more locations in Indiana, Nebraska, and Colorado by early 2026.

🍽 Restaurateurs Francis Miranda and "Top Chef" winner Mei Lin opened 88 Club in Beverly Hills, Calif. Designed by Preen, the restaurant features 44 dining seats, 5 bar seats, and a private area. The decor includes dark woods, plush seating, marble accents, and jade details. The family-style menu offers dishes like mung bean jelly noodles, prawn wontons, kung pao scallops, mapo tofu, and desserts like jasmine milk tea buns. Sommelier Diana Lee oversees the beverage program, with cocktails like a pickled mustard greens Martini. Miranda and Lin also partnered on Daybird and formerly on Nightshade, the latter closed due to the pandemic.