Hotel Openings

🏡 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.

🏨 Hyatt Hotels Corp. and China Resources Land (CR Land) formed a joint venture, expanding Hyatt’s presence in China. The strategic collaboration will develop and manage eight hotels under The Unbound Collection by Hyatt and JdV by Hyatt brands, including six existing Mumian properties in Beijing, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Hangzhou, and Rizhao, plus two new hotels in Shaoxing and Shanghai. Additional key projects include Park Hyatt Xi’an and Andaz Dongguan. This move signifies a commitment to asset-light growth and serving high-end travelers in Hyatt's second-largest market.

🌮 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.

🌍 Silversea to open a hotel in Puerto Williams, Chile by the end of 2025, enhancing Antarctica expeditions. The 150-key hotel, featuring a restaurant, bar, fitness center, and gift shop, aims to foster local community partnerships while minimizing environmental impact. As part of the Royal Caribbean Group, Silversea offers luxury Antarctic voyages and is unique in homeporting from Puerto Williams during the Antarctica season. Guests can fly from Santiago to Puerto Williams, bypassing the Drake Passage.

🍩 Lena Lu Donuts opens in the UK at Primark stores in Lakeside on October 14, 2023, and Watford on October 21, 2023. The Australian brand, known for customizable donuts, bagels, and shakes, enters the market after success in Riyadh, KSA. A third UK store is set to open in November, with more planned for 2025. Gamechangers Investments manages the UK launch, expecting synergy with Primark's clientele. Customers can create donut masterpieces or select grab-and-go options like Cookies & Cream and Biscoff Crunch.

🍣 Hieu Bui, founder of Kêu, is set to open a new restaurant on Borough High Street, joining the brand's existing locations in The City, Shoreditch, and Soho. Inspired by ancient Saigon, the venue will offer a menu with hand-pulled egg noodles, hủ tiếu rice vermicelli from Saigon, rice bowls, bahn mi sandwiches, and daily specials. The two-level space features traditional designs and a long table for up to 12 diners. Bui aims to spread the love for Vietnamese cuisine in London's food scene.

🏖️ The Diplomat Beach Resort in Hollywood, Florida, currently managed by Hilton, is undergoing a rebrand to Signia by Hilton, including lobby and public space renovations, an oceanfront event terrace, a new bar, and an adults-only pool. The 1,000-room resort boasts a 6,600-square-foot Club Signia suite on the 33rd floor, six dining venues, four grand ballrooms, a 5,000-square-foot great hall, and 39 breakout rooms. In 2018, a $90 million renovation took place, and in February 2023, Credit Suisse and Trinity Fund Advisors acquired it following a $575 million financing deal. It's the fourth Signia hotel in the U.S., with new ones to open in Indianapolis in 2026 and West Palm Beach in 2027.

🏠 Film director Luca Guadagnino's Studiolucaguadagnino has transformed a 16th-century palazzo in Rome, Italy into the luxury hotel Palazzo Talia, marking its first hospitality project. The palazzo, once a school for underprivileged children that evolved into an institute for aristocratic students, was closed in 1999 and restored by the Federici family's Gruppo Fresia. Featuring a 248-square-metre Magna Hall with 18th-century frescoes by Gaspare Serenario, the hotel showcases a floral carpet leading to a central staircase. A key design element is "chromaticism," with a focus on color hues and collaboration with artisans. The hotel's Bar della Musa is adorned with blown-mirror panels, and the Terrace Suite offers a 66-square-metre terrace with tropical foliage by landscape artist Blue Mambor. Architect Marianna Lubrano Lavadera and designer Laura Feroldi designed the remaining 25 rooms, blending classic and contemporary styles.

🏨 Tribute Portfolio opened its first hotel in Korea, The Link Seoul, featuring 141 rooms, 16 suites, and a presidential suite across 19 floors. The hotel offers various amenities, including a 760-square-meter ballroom. Helix Hospitality acquired two Courtyard by Marriott hotels in Alabama, expanding its portfolio to 13 properties. Lefay Resort & Spa Lago di Garda in Italy will add five new villas by summer 2025. Indian Hotels Co. Ltd. (IHCL) signed 35 new hotels and opened 12 in H1 2024, growing its total portfolio to 345 properties with a pipeline of 115.