Hotel Openings

🏦 Accor announces the signing of Sofitel Cairo Downtown Nile, the fourth Sofitel in Egypt, to open in January 2025. The luxury hotel, situated in Cairo’s Nile-front district, will become the largest Sofitel worldwide with 615 rooms and suites, over 2,000 square meters of event space, and proximity to landmarks like the Grand Egyptian Museum and Giza Pyramids. Ayman Abdelaziz, CEO of ICTI, highlights the partnership with Accor's luxury brand and the shared commitment to excellence. Jean-Baptiste Recher, Regional VP of Development at Accor, emphasizes the emotional connection and financial strength Sofitel offers to the Nile-front property.

🍱 The Savoy's new dining spot, Gallery, is opening on 23 November 2024, serving all-day dining options inspired by Auguste Escoffier, who worked there 135 years prior. The menu features Sole tacos, Cornish lobster rolls, grilled Cornish tuna tataki, Orkney scallop, homemade linguine with Devon crab, Vegan lentil bolognaise, and a variety of stonebaked pizzas. A British Negroni and a New Fashioned highlight the cocktail list. The Florist at The Savoy and a scone shop called Scoff are also opening on the same day.

🏩 IHG Hotels & Resorts prepares to open Crowne Plaza Podgorica, its seventh Montenegro hotel and second in the capital, by end of 2024. Owned by BIG CEE, the 122-key hotel will be part of the Capital Plaza, near Deloitte, PWC, and The World Bank. The hotel, offering meeting spaces and a restaurant, augments the brand's aim to hit 100 European hotels by 2025. Crowne Plaza Podgorica joins a Montenegrin pipeline with InterContinental Resort Cjan, Crowne Plaza Kolasin, and Holiday Inn Mojkovac slated for the next 3-5 years, contributing to a 19-hotel European and 146-hotel global expansion.

🍴 Lora, a Mediterranean-influenced restaurant, partners with Studio Paskin and will open in Barcelona this winter. It serves family-style dishes, featuring a wood oven and coal-fired grill, open from midday to late. Highlights include Whipped Feta and Spiced Lamb flatbreads, carabinero prawns, and Pata Negra Pork Chop, as well as a 12-hour Persian Shoulder of Lamb. The 330-seat venue, designed by AvroKO and Carte Blanched, boasts a central bar, sunray-effect tiled flooring, and a terrace overlooking the marina. Lora is part of SLS Barcelona's six new concepts at Port Fòrum.

🍴 Chef Michael White, known for Michelin-starred NYC restaurants, is opening Mika, his first standalone restaurant in Florida, Coral Gables, this December. Mika, located in Plaza Coral Gables, boasts an 8,195-square-foot interior plus a 600-square-foot private dining room. The menu features coastal Mediterranean cuisine, utilizing local seafood and produce, and offers White’s specialties like langoustine carpaccio. The wine selection includes a 1,700-bottle cellar. White, alongside partners Alex Pirez and Matt Safchik, aims to provide humble hospitality with exceptional food in a neighborhood setting.

🥃 Shelley Sandzer secured debut space for whiskey lounge bar and restaurant, Odyssey, at 1 Hoxton Square, London. Spanning 3,000 sq ft, Odyssey features a two-floor layout with 190 covers, over 600 bourbon varieties—the largest collection outside the U.S.—and a vegan ‘Whiskey Sour’ on draft. The venue aims to sell its branded whiskey aged onsite and complements Shoreditch's diverse night-time economy. Recent Shelley Sandzer deals include Wingstop UK and Heavenly Desserts' new units in Ealing.

🏖️ The View Agadir, located along Morocco's Atlantic coast, offers guests over 22°C temperatures for winter getaways with culinary excellence, entertainment, and relaxation. New Year's Eve features gourmet menus at Mima Kitchen and Le Sensya, a Michelin-starred chef's Italian and Neapolitan specialities, and a Gala Dinner under the stars. Buddha-Bar hosts events on December 18th, 26th, and 31st with DJs and live performances. Kids enjoy a Black & White Gala Dinner and activities like surf competitions. Reservations: [email protected].

🍞 Rachel's Kitchen, a healthy all-day café in Las Vegas, was created 18 years ago, preceding chains like Cava and Sweetgreen. Founded by Debbie Roxarzade, who started her career in Los Angeles, the brand now has nine units. Roxarzade opened the original 1,000-square-foot Rachel's Kitchen in 2006 in Summerlin, outside of Las Vegas. After a challenging start and recession delays, the first franchised location opened in 2010. Expansion continues with a recent grand opening in Frisco, Dallas-Fort Worth, aiming for at least five Dallas-area locations in the coming years. The company seeks franchisees committed to community work.

🏨 Neri&Hu completed the Artyzen New Bund 31 hotel in Shanghai's Pudong District, part of the Qiantan development, which includes an office tower and shopping centre. The hotel features 202 guest rooms, direct connection to the New Bund Performing Arts Centre, and a scallop-shaped concrete facade. Amenities like reception, lounges, and gardens are located on the fifth floor. The guest rooms' design is inspired by traditional Chinese gardens, with a color palette to match. Neri&Hu, founded in 2006, also recently completed a residential block in Taiwan.

🍕 Milton’s, an Italian-American trattoria, opened on September 27 in Houston’s Rice Village, founded by Benjy Levit and Seth Siegel-Gardner. Located above Local Foods, the venue was previously Eau Tour, launched in spring 2023. The redesigned 2,000-square-foot space features a bar seating 11 and a dining room for 60 guests, with an enclosed patio for private dining. The menu highlights housemade pastas and a signature 100-layer lasagna. A revamp of the adjacent Lee’s Den bar is expected in winter, and a new project with Rice University involving The Brochstein Pavilion is set to debut in the fall.