Hotel Openings

🏨 Smith Hill Capital and Bain Capital Special Situations financed a $72 million loan to KSL Capital Partners for Hotel Viking in Newport, Rhode Island. The 208-room historic property, located in the Historic Hill neighborhood, features an indoor pool, fitness center, and over 14,000 square feet of event space. The joint venture between Smith Hill and Bain Capital was formed in 2023 to support hospitality financing across the U.S.

🏖️ The Potlatch Club, Eleuthera's first luxury boutique hotel, emerged from a seven-year renovation led by owners Bruce Loshusan and Hans Febles since discovering the property in 2016. The 11-key establishment, set on 12 acres, fronts a seven-mile pink sand beach, offering a variety of accommodations including historic suites, garden cottages, and a four-bedroom ocean view villa with butler service. Amenities include the Fig Tree restaurant, Pavilion Bar, spa, pool, and gym.

🏨 Archer Hotel Collection added its third D.C. metro area boutique hotel, Archer Hotel Old Town Alexandria, formerly Lorien Hotel & Spa, in Alexandria, Virginia. The hotel features 107 rooms, 15 suites, and amenities like a fitness studio and is celebrating its 10th anniversary. IHG's Vignette Collection is set to open its first Kazakhstan property in Almaty by the first half of 2027, with three currently in Europe and a global total of 12, plus 23 more planned. Home2 Suites began construction on its 107-room property in Kalispell, Montana, marking The Hotel Group’s 40th anniversary and its second Montana hotel. Marcus & Millichap brokered the sale of the TownePlace Suites and Fairfield Inn & Suites Dallas Downtown, a 274-room dual-branded hotel, to Lowen Hospitality and Vashee & Associates; financial details remain undisclosed.

🍴 Chef Santiago Lastra and MJMK Restaurants are set to open Fonda, a new Mexican restaurant in Mayfair, London, in September. The establishment will occupy two floors offering traditional Mexican dishes inspired by family recipes. Utilizing heirloom corn from Tamoa, the kitchen will prepare fresh tortillas daily. The menu includes unique salsas, sikil pak, trout ceviche, comal dishes like costras and baja tacos, seasonal specials, and traditional desserts with British twists. The restaurant will also serve agave-based cocktails with a paloma section, reinvented classic cocktails using British ingredients, and a curated wine list from small producers.

🏕 Hilton is enhancing its luxury hotel offerings by incorporating nearly 400 Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) properties, which will be bookable via Hilton's direct channels. Through this alliance, Hilton Honors members can earn and redeem Points at unique SLH locations. Chris Silcock of Hilton and Shaun Leleu of SLH both emphasize the benefit to guests and the expansion for independently owned hotels. Since February, 390 SLH hotels have joined the partnership.

🏡 My Place Hotels of America opened the 72nd My Place Hotel in Mitchell, South Dakota, marking the seventh in the state. The hotel, developed by Mitchell Holdings, LLC, is managed by Venerts Hotel Management, Inc. This 63-key property features amenities like a 24-hour market, laundry, business center, and a grilling pavilion, plus it's pet-friendly with guest parking. Located near businesses, schools, and attractions such as the only Corn Palace, it reflects the brand's growth in its founding state.

🍕 Sticks'n’Sushi, a Danish-Japanese group, is opening a new 120-cover, 3,500sq ft restaurant in Islington, North London, in September, creating 50 local jobs. The Islington venue marks their first venture into North London, following a Richmond opening in May. The brand secured a £22m loan from OakNorth for UK expansion after being valued at €80m (£68m) during a January acquisition by McWin Capital Partners. Founded in Copenhagen in 1994, the group now operates 28 restaurants across Copenhagen, Berlin, and the UK.

🍺 JKS Restaurants is set to launch their third London pub, The Hound, on 17 July, occupying a former police station in Chiswick. It will join The George in Fitzrovia and The Cadogan Arms in Chelsea. The Hound will feature a pub, two private dining rooms with one seating 18 guests, a covered courtyard, a south-facing terrace, and will serve lunch, dinner, and bar snacks daily. In August, four boutique guest rooms will open. Executive chef John Sparks and culinary director James Knappett will offer a menu with British pub classics and exclusive dishes.

📌 PKFAR launched a Flight + Hotel package, expanding direct hotel contracting business. Over 10 years, PKFARE has served 100+ countries, 600+ airlines, and 2,000+ clients. The firm offers hotels access to diverse distribution channels, aiming to boost occupancy and revenue. Already partnered with hotel groups like Onyx, Ascott, Sojo, and Banyan Tree in Southeast Asia, PKFARE expects to cover Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia by end of 2024.

🌏 Hospitality provider Bob W is launching its first Austrian property in Vienna, a 67-unit serviced apartment building, following a long-term lease agreement with developer Peter Pilz & Partner Projektentwicklungs GmbH. The 2,000 sq m property is located on Heiligenstädter Straße and set to open in 2025, increasing Bob W's European presence to 18 cities. Located near a 30,000 sq m life science hub, a 170,000 sqm corporate center, a large health clinic, and two universities, it aims to serve tourists, digital nomads, and business travelers with a tech-led accommodation experience. Construction for the new site is already underway.