Hotel Openings

🥃 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.

🍕 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.

📍 IHG Hotels & Resorts launched Garner in August 2023, a midscale conversion brand, signing 76 properties in the first half of 2024, 58 in Europe. Globally, 41% of IHG's openings and 55% of signings in early 2024 were conversions. Garner Hotel Reading Centre (53 rooms) and Garner Hotel Preston Samlesbury (80 rooms) in the UK are set to open by late 2024. Garner is expanding in Germany with over 50 hotels, including in Hamburg, Mannheim, Berlin, and a new 245-room property in Hamburg's Usedomstrasse. In Austria and the Netherlands, Garner debuts with a 106-room hotel in Vienna and a 165-room hotel in Maastricht, respectively. A 126-room Garner property will open in Istanbul, Türkiye, in 2025. As of June 30, 2024, Garner has 79 properties globally with four operational.

🍳 Wild Eggs, established in Louisville in 2007 with 16 locations, acquires St. Louis-based Crazy Bowls & Wraps (founded in 1994 with 16 stores). A Wild Eggs site in Louisville, KY, will serve as a Crazy Bowls & Wraps virtual kitchen from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., leveraging third-party delivery for bowls, wraps, and salads. PG Growth Opportunities Fund bought Wild Eggs in early 2023, aiming for regional presence and nationwide expansion. The merger offers new franchising opportunities in eight states for both brands.

🍴 CH Projects opened Leila, a 4,800-square-foot restaurant in San Diego's North Park, on July 31. Designed to resemble Marrakesh markets, it features a bridge over pools, hanging lanterns, and a starry ceiling. Arsalun Tafazoli, CH Projects founder, inspired by his Middle Eastern travels, aims to showcase regional flavors and communal dining. Leila's menu includes shareable mezze, breads, salads, and proteins like steak and salmon kebabs. The beverage program highlights regional flavors, offering shared cocktails and a two-person drink menu. CH Projects is also developing Baby Grand, a new hotel opening in early 2025.

🏡 The Ned Doha, located on Doha’s Corniche and housed in the former Ministry of Interior building, celebrates its 2nd anniversary as a premier Qatar hospitality destination. The third Ned Hotel globally and the first in the Middle East, it offers 90 bedrooms, seven restaurants, an outdoor pool, a spa, gym, and a 1800-square-metre event space. Cecconi’s, one of its restaurants, won the Italian Fine Dining Award. The Ned Doha features a unique art collection with over 350 pieces from 100 artists, including many from Doha and a majority of female artists. Exclusive Ned’s Club membership offers access to private spaces and perks across all Ned properties. For more information, visit thened.com, call +974 4406 1111, or WhatsApp at +974 5117 6558.

🌮 Tacodeli, established in Austin, Texas, in November 1999, marks 25 years with daily specials reintroduced, previously offered from 2003 until 2020. Chef Roberto Espinosa and Eric Wilkerson’s taqueria features five weekly taco specials and weekend ceviche. Special tacos include carne asado (Monday), chicken tinga (Tuesday), new brisket (Wednesday), scallops (Thursday), and steak chimichurri (Friday). $5 Margaritas and Ranch Waters are available until November 8, the brand’s 25th anniversary. Tacodeli has 14 locations and plans expansion in 2025, eyeing a Fort Worth opening. Salsas are sold in Whole Foods and H-E-B stores in Texas, with Salsa Doña being a popular choice since 2000.

🌮 Bella Italia, part of The Big Table Group, is expanding with a new outpost in Bristol's Aspects Leisure Park, a former Frankie & Benny's site. This marks the chain's fourth location in Bristol, joining others on Baldwin Street, Cribbs Causeway, and Filton. Bella Italia operates around 70 sites in the UK and has been experiencing high demand and sales surpassing peers, as reported by MCA. Despite lower sales volume, Bella Italia boasts higher profit margins than Frankie & Benny’s.