Hotel Openings

🍴 Caffè Concerto to open its first Northern England restaurant in Leeds on 22nd November. Founded in London in 1996, the Italian-inspired chain expands from 21 UK locations and international presence. The new 200 sq ft venue, with 138 covers, occupies the former Tommy Hilfiger unit at Victoria Gate. It features luxurious decor and outdoor seating on Harewood Street. Menu highlights include afternoon tea, salmon niçoise, and handmade celebration cakes. Leeds marks Caffè Concerto's 22nd UK outlet. Bookings available at caffeconcerto.co.uk.

🏦 Louis Vuitton opens its largest U.S. space on November 15th at 6 E. 57th Street NYC, featuring the American debut of a café, chocolate shop, and a new global culinary concept. The store honors over a century of brand history in the U.S. dating back to 1898, and the first New York City independent store opening in 1980. The location includes a capsule collection celebrating New York style with exclusive leather goods and collectibles. Internationally acclaimed chefs Christophe Bellanca and Marie George join the New York café, while Le Chocolat Maxime Frédéric debuts its first U.S. chocolate offerings.

🏙 Angsana Heritage Collection, Marrakech Riads offers a luxurious 5-star experience in six unique riads, featuring amenities like air conditioning, Wi-Fi, satellite TV, and a mini bar. Guests can enjoy the Angsana Spa, Moroccan Hammam, and the restaurant Si Said with 100% locally sourced cuisine. Ideal for winter stays, the property includes a rooftop terrace with Medina and Koutoubia Mosque views, and offers activities like hot air balloon rides, trekking tours, and desert excursions. Marrakech attractions beckon with Jemaa el-Fnaa square, souks, and historical sites, complemented by modern nightlife in Gueliz and Hivernage.

🌿 Nearly half of Brits participate in Dry January annually. Veganuary 2025 anticipates surpassing the 25 million global participants of the previous year. Nova Maldives island resort offers plant-based and alcohol-free options for January 2025, along with cocktail-making classes starting at £19+ per person. Featured dishes include Maldivian Coconut & Vegetable Curry and Kopee Faiy Salad, made with local ingredients. Mocktails like Solis Sunset Cooler and Cucumber Basil Fizz complement the dining experience. Recipes are available online, celebrating Maldivian wellness and culinary heritage.

🏕 Minor Hotels opens Anantara Stanley & Livingstone Victoria Falls Hotel in Zimbabwe on December 1, marking the brand's debut in the country. The hotel, situated in a conservation area near Victoria Falls, offers 16 suites with double/twin configuration and interconnected options for a two-bedroom unit. Anantara's portfolio to expand with Anantara Kafue River Tented Camp in Zambia by mid-2025. Formida Capital, backed by Oaktree, offers financing solutions from $5 million to $75 million+ in the U.S. Langham Hospitality Group to open The Langham, Kuala Lumpur in 2027, with 198 rooms and a Michelin-star restaurant. Grand Mercure inaugurates in Goa, India, with 87 rooms and a range of amenities.

🍻 Ste Marie designed the Meo cocktail bar and restaurant in Vancouver's Chinatown with a 1970s and '80s Hong Kong theme, featuring pink hues, floral patterns, and red accents. Inspired by photographer Greg Girard, the dimly lit space evokes nostalgia with elements like Guzzini pendant lights and an old-school jukebox. Decor items were thrifted from Taiwan, including a Persian cat portrait and a vinyl mural. Ste Marie has offices in Vancouver and Toronto, and their work includes various hospitality projects.

🍽 Waterfront Street Kitchen & Bar, a new restaurant with a menu inspired by global street food, has opened in London, accommodating 400 guests and offering a space for dining, remote work, and private events. Open daily, the restaurant enhances Excel London's waterfront, serving visitors of Immerse LDN and the local community with options from coffee to after-work drinks. Excel's CCO Simon Mills emphasizes the venue's role in realizing their vision for the world's top event destination.

🏠 Accor to open Sofitel Legend near Giza Pyramids, Egypt, in 2027; second Sofitel Legend in Egypt with 303 rooms, fitness center, and infinity pools. PM Hotel Group to manage 324-room Crowne Plaza Dulles Airport, and two other properties in Washington D.C. area; expanding portfolio to 86 hotels across 22 states. IHG to open InterContinental Kodaikanal Resort in Tamil Nadu, India, in 2028; sixth InterContinental with 100 rooms in the country. Peter Island Resort in the British Virgin Islands to reopen on December 1, after 2014 closure, with new rooms, suites, villas, yacht club, and 10,000-square-foot spa.

🍝 Tom Goddard is launching Southern Soul this week inside Canteen, a food hall at Greenwich Peninsula. Southern Soul features low ‘n’ slow smoked meats, homemade buns, pickles, and sauces. The menu includes oak smoked pork belly rib, Applewood smoked chicken thigh, smoked and pulled beef brisket, and oak smoked beetroot, all served with fresh buns and homemade dipping sauces. Canteen, which opened in summer 2021, hosts six street food kitchens and is part of Greenwich Peninsula’s Design District.

🍽 Hera, a Greek restaurant with a 200-cover dining room and cocktail lounge, will open in Stratford Cross development opposite the new V&A Museum in Spring 2026. The menu includes mezze like anchovies, Kalamata olives, and dips such as taramasalata; categories like The Garden, The Farm, and The Sea with options like vegetable moussaka and grilled octopus. The wine list highlights Greek producers. Opening date: 21 November on Arber Way in Stratford.