Hotel Openings

🏨 Aligned Hospitality Management rebranded The Tuxon in Tucson, Arizona to voco The Tuxon, the first voco in its portfolio. Transition to IHG's voco took 90 days to attract business travelers in a market with solid corporate contribution. The 112-key hotel, located off I-10, features amenities like walk-in rain showers, WiFi, 50” TVs with casting capabilities, an outdoor pool, and is pet-friendly. Bryan Tubaugh, CEO of Aligned, emphasized the efficient transition and IHG's strength in the corporate sector.

🏦 Graduate by Hilton launched Graduate Princeton in June 2024, the first new hotel in Princeton, NJ, in almost 90 years—expanding the town's accommodations with 180 guestrooms. The hotel occupies a renovated 1918-era building with a 6,000-square-foot public space. It features the Ye Tavern restaurant and showcases designs reflecting the university's 275-year history. The hotel pays tribute to Princeton's culture, alumni, and traditions with detailed decor, including orange-and-black tiles and vintage Princeton Reunions Jackets.

🏖️ InterContinental Hotels & Resorts debuts in the Greek Islands with InterContinental Crete, featuring panoramic views of Mirabello Bay and contemporary amenities. Located near Agios Nikolaos and under an hour from Heraklion airport, the resort boasts two outdoor infinity pools, three restaurants led by Michelin-starred Chef Nikos Roussos, a wellness centre, and family-friendly features. Room prices start at €205 per night for IHG One Rewards members. The property is a vanguard of InterContinental's brand evolution, with 199 guestrooms and suites, some with private plunge pools. Guests can explore local culture and cuisine through the hotel's concierge services, connecting them with Crete's history, landscapes, and culinary delights.

🏠 Norton Park Hotel, Spa & Manor House near Winchester, set on 54 acres in Hampshire, reveals refurbishment of restaurant, lounge, and bar areas due to increased dining demand. Upgrades include a new look for The Scene Restaurant, more extensive works in The Scene Bar and Lounge, and a hot and cold buffet area for breakfast. The 17th-century barn and 16th-century Manor House on the site have also seen updates. Dinner inclusive stays offer £32 per adult for food, with children under 4 dining free. Facilities support up to 300 guests for events and feature an ELEMIS-partnered spa.

🏨 citizenM opened its third Miami location, citizenM Miami South Beach, joining the brand's 36th property portfolio. Recent openings include Miami Worldcenter in 2023 and Miami Brickell in 2022. The South Beach hotel offers 168 rooms, bleisure amenities, a 24x7 food and drinks bar, retail space, a gym, meeting rooms, a rooftop infinity pool, and an outdoor terrace. It features locally sourced art, XL king-size beds, and technology-controlled room ambience. Targeting LEED Gold certification, it reflects citizenM’s sustainability goals. The brand, launched in 2008, now has a presence in 21 cities worldwide.

🏠 Sonesta International Hotels Corporation announced the opening of Sonesta Essential Augusta, a 57-room hotel in Augusta, Georgia. The newly renovated hotel is part of the Sonesta Essential brand, which launched over a year ago. Sonesta Essential Augusta had a soft launch earlier this year and caters to golf enthusiasts, being situated near the Masters Tournament location. The brand offers amenities such as elevated bedding, WiFi, hot breakfast, all-day coffee, and a fitness center.

📌 Amit Patel, managing partner of Rama Papermill Hotels based in Knoxville, TN, expanded his portfolio in 2023 with two Extended Stay America (ESA) properties. He praised ESA's hands-on service and cited a positive conversion experience of a 120-room property in Bristol, Virginia, which opened in August 2023. The renovation included a revamped lobby, guestrooms, and the addition of kitchens. Post-renovation, occupancy rose from over 30% to approximately 75%. Patel also took over a 72-room ESA in Knoxville, Tennessee, with a post-ownership occupancy rate above 90%. Patel is planning another ESA property in Knoxville and aims to grow with the ESA brand.

🏠 Grand Hyatt Atlanta in Buckhead completed renovation of 439 guestrooms, including 21 suites. The highlight is the Grand Peach Suite, a two-bedroom suite spanning 1,200 square feet on the 25th floor. Renovations added Pure Wellness hypoallergenic rooms and amenities from Balmain Paris. Further renovations, focusing on the lobby and public spaces, will commence in fall. Kristi Cotten-Morris, the General Manager, emphasizes luxury and functionality in this multi-phase renovation.

🏠 New York-based Lissoni Architecture, led by Italian architect Piero Lissoni, unveils the AKA NoMad hotel in Manhattan's NoMad neighborhood, merging Scandinavian and Japanese minimalist interiors. The renovated space, previously the Roger New York hotel, marks Lissoni's first NYC hotel project, following the establishment of his US office in the preceding year. The hotel features a bronze-painted spiral staircase in its double-height lobby and rooms with a neutral palette, oversized headboards, and dark stone bathrooms. The design showcases natural materials, bespoke furnishings, and iconic design pieces.

🖤 Uchi West Hollywood, a Japanese restaurant in Los Angeles, features live-edge wood from fallen street trees sourced by Angel City Lumber as spatial dividers in its 5,200-square-foot space seating 160 guests. The wood, from 25 Aleppo Pines across 14 neighborhoods, amounts to nearly 26 tons, cut into 42 logs with an average diameter of 30 inches and a length of nine feet. Local artists and artisans, including ORA, contributed to the earth-toned interior, which includes a custom light fixture by Kazuki Takizawa and concrete planters by SBLA.