Hotel Openings

🍴 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.

🏨 Choice Hotels collaborates with Faranda Hotels & Resorts, adding 8 hotels with over 700 rooms to Spain's Ascend Hotel Collection. Six hotels are now bookable, including the beachfront Faranda Hotel Rias Altas in A Coruña. Total partnership encompasses 22 hotels and roughly 2,400 rooms. Two additional hotels to open in summer 2025, joining properties across Galicia, Asturias, and Cantabria. Guests can earn rewards through the Choice Privileges program with over 66 million members.

🥃 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.

🏖 Hilton will open The Sens Cancun Adults Only All-Inclusive Resort, Tapestry by Hilton, in Cancun's hotel zone in 2026 after a complete renovation. It's one of over 10 new Hilton deals in Mexico this year, adding to its 15 all-inclusive Mexican properties. Sofitel's fourth Egyptian hotel, Sofitel Cairo Downtown Nile, will open in January 2025 with 615 rooms and over 2,000 square meters of event space. The U.S. hotel industry saw a year-over-year occupancy increase of 4.5% to 69%, ADR rise of 4.6% to $168.69, and RevPAR growth of 9.3% to $116.32. Tampa occupancy surged by 28.1% due to Hurricane Milton, while New Orleans led in ADR and RevPAR growth, largely due to Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. Noble Investment Group acquired Courtyard by Marriott Indianapolis | Fishers and Hyatt House & Hyatt Place Indianapolis | Fishers in the burgeoning Fishers District.

🚀 Wyndham Hotels & Resorts signed nearly 600 franchise agreements in China in 5 years. The company now operates over 1,600 hotels with more than 180,000 rooms across 13 brands in China, making it the largest U.S.-based hotel company in the country. In the first half of this year, more than 70 direct franchise agreements were signed in key markets like Beijing, Jiangsu, and Guangdong. Notable recent openings include Hawthorn by Wyndham Dali Erhai Park and La Quinta by Wyndham Weifang South.

🏖️ 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: reservations@theviewhotels.com.

📌 Langham Hospitality Group (LHG) expanded in China with the second Cordis hotel in Shanghai, part of the Shanghai SeaWorld complex by China Merchants Group. The hotel boasts 274 rooms, a 20-meter pool, and over 1,700 square meters of event space. 🏡 Motto by Hilton launched Motto by Hilton Bentonville Downtown in Arkansas featuring 175 rooms with flexible beds and communal spaces. 🏡 The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe in California unveiled its Residences & Villas Collection offering units with full kitchens and private yards. 🏢 Indian Hotels Co. (IHCL) opened an 83-room hotel in Thimphu, Bhutan, expanding its portfolio to 345 hotels globally.

🏖️ Hyatt, in a joint venture with Spain's Grupo Piñero, will manage all Bahia Principe hotels and resorts, expected to increase Hyatt’s all-inclusive portfolio by 30%. This includes 23 resorts with over 12,000 rooms in the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Jamaica, and Spain. The deal includes the ownership of the Bahia Principe brand and the Cayo Levantado Resort. Julio Pérez will remain CEO; Encarna Piñero will be the chairman. The transaction aims to enhance Bahia Principe resorts and expand opportunities globally.

🏖 Marriott International opens its 500th CALA property, The Almare, a Luxury Collection Resort, Isla Mujeres, marking its first luxury all-inclusive in Mexico. The resort is the 62nd luxury hotel in CALA for Marriott and features 109 suites with ocean views and private balconies. a&o Hostels is set to open a&o Antwerpen Centraal in Belgium on November 1, after a €4 million renovation, adding to its 41 hotels across 11 countries. LHC Group, with Elliott Investment Management backing, acquires Roomers Munich Hotel, which will be operated by the Dean Group. Vantage Capital exits PickAlbatros Hotels, after investing $18.4 million in December 2020, which expanded the hotel's portfolio from 10,000 to 14,000 keys.