Hotel Openings

🍝 Korean corn dog brand Bunsik, under Maguro Group, expands with its sixth London site and seventh UK location in Chinatown, next to Korean BBQ Pochawa Grill. Launching its first site in Charing Cross Road in 2021, Bunsik became a social media hit and now offers Korean street food like K-Dogs, fried chicken, ddukbokki, and kimbap. Director Jae Cho takes pride in integrating Bunsik into UK's cultural hubs, alongside Maguro Group's other ventures Bullgogi and Gogi.

🍴 London's Three Uncles Chinese restaurant group will open a new 1,450 sq ft site within Ealing's Filmworks development this September. The venue will feature 50 covers, with 30 indoor seats and 20 on an outdoor terrace. The "18-Districts" menu will showcase rotating Hong Kong dishes alongside their signature Cantonese meats. Co-founder Chong Yew aims to expand with 2-3 new locations yearly, targeting 10 sites and surpassing a weekly sales record of 1,100 ducks. Launched in 2019, the group has locations in Brixton, Camden, Liverpool Street, and St Paul's.

🥕 Holy Carrot, a plant-based restaurant, opened on Portobello Road, Notting Hill, London. Founded by Irina Linovich, it launched after successful supper clubs at Urban Retreat, London in 2021. Menu by executive chef Daniel Watkins features fire and fermentation methods, with small plates £7-£12 and large dishes at £17. Drinks include low-waste cocktails and natural wines. Interiors by Al-Jawad Pike accommodate approx. 40 covers. The kitchen practices low-waste, using all parts of ingredients. Visit at 156 Portobello Road, W11 2EB, or online at holycarrot.co.uk.

🍗 Dave’s Hot Chicken (DHC), a U.S. fast-food brand founded in 2017 by chef Dave Kopushyan and friends, targets Gen Z and Millennials with its spicy chicken menu. With spice levels from No Spice to Reaper, DHC has grown to 200 restaurants in the U.S., Canada, and the Middle East, and has 700 more planned. It reached social media fame with 2.4 million TikTok and 1.3 million Instagram followers. The Azzurri Group signed an agreement to open 60 restaurants in the UK, starting in London next year. DHC's appeal includes jumbo chicken sliders and sides like kale slaw and seasoned fries, endorsed by celebrities like Drake and Samuel L. Jackson.

🍕 Chaiiwala, an Indian restaurant group, opened its largest UK store in Mellorbrook, just outside Blackburn, at a site formerly occupied by KFC and Costa. This 100-seater restaurant, managed by EG On The Move, features a 2,000 sq ft area and has created 25 full-time jobs. It pioneers in offering Indian street food via the drive-thru concept in the UK. Operating hours are Monday to Saturday from 6am to 11pm, and Sunday from 8am to 11pm. Since its establishment in Leicester in 2015, Chaiiwala has grown to 112 sites globally, serving Indian street food with a Western twist.

🏨 Sir Hotels is set to open its first UK hotel, Sir Devonshire Square, in London’s Shoreditch. The property, once an East India Tea Company warehouse, will feature 81 rooms including 11 suites, three F&B outlets, a private members club named Cover’s, a gym, and a yoga studio. Sir Hotels, part of Sircle Collection, currently operates five hotels in Amsterdam, Barcelona, Ibiza, and Berlin. The London hotel will also include a public space with a shop selling local products.

🏡 Locke de Santa Joana, Locke's largest hotel with 370 apartments, opened in Lisbon's centre near Avenida da Liberdade in summer 2024. Design studios Lázaro Rosa-Violán and Post Company renovated a 17th-century convent into the hotel. Features include a courtyard pool, co-working and event spaces, a museum, and White Rabbit Projects and Spiritland dining venues. Opening rates start at 200 EUR per night. The second phase, with new bars, is set for autumn 2024.

🍴 Chef Greg Clarke plans to open Mexican restaurant El Bolillo in Hove in early September, offering a sharing menu with an emphasis on tacos. The restaurant, seating 30, will be open for dinner Tuesday to Saturday and lunch on Saturdays, with an average spend of £55-£60 per person. Clarke and business partner, originally from Italy, met at South Lodge hotel in 2021. They also intend to open a larger dual-concept restaurant in central Brighton by the end of next year.

🏖️ Rosewood Hotels & Resorts unveils Rosewood Residences Old Lighthouse in Los Cabos, Mexico, featuring 144 homes on 550 acres, with sizes from 4,000 to 10,000+ sq. ft. Amenities include a Cliff House with a five-star restaurant, a Beach Club with pools and dining, a Family Athletic Center, a wellbeing center, and a private golf course by Jack Nicklaus. The project involves the Coppel family and designers from Gomez Vazquez International and Studio Lifestyle.

🏡 Tivoli Hotels & Resorts opened Tivoli Portopiccolo Sistiana Wellness Resort & Spa in Trieste, Italy, featuring 58 rooms, 20 suites, and 30 apartments, with a 3,600-square-meter spa to open later this year. Courtyard by Marriott launched its eighth Japan hotel and first in Hokkaido, the Courtyard by Marriott Sapporo with 321 rooms. In December 2022, the Home2 Suites by Hilton North Scottsdale was sold, including an outdoor pool and 500 square feet of event space. Accor partnered with Kylian Mbappé to support youth and corporate social responsibility. Indian Hotel Co. Ltd.'s ama Stays & Trails reached over 200 bungalows across India, with 97 under development and more than 65% new-builds.