Hotel Openings

🏨 1928, Paris: The Royal Monceau, an Art Deco and Renaissance Revival hotel, opened at 37 avenue Hoche on 1 August, led by Pierre Bermond and André Junot. It featured 265 rooms and attracted notable figures like Josephine Baker and Ernest Hemingway. Requisitioned during WWII, it hosted leaders like Eisenhower. Dr. Osmane Aïdi acquired it in 1978. By 2007, Alexandre Allard, with Qatari backing, revitalized it with €250 million. It reopened as Le Royal Monceau – Raffles Paris in 2010, gaining "Palace" status by 2013 and joining Accor in 2015.

🏨 In 2027, Marriott International plans to convert three Playa del Carmen resorts—The Reef Playacar, The Reef 28, and The Reef Coco—into all-inclusive Tribute Portfolio properties, adding 676 rooms. Renovations start in late 2026. The Reef Coco will expand to 358 rooms by 2028. With 900-person event capacity, these resorts enhance Marriott's 9,100-property portfolio and 295 million-member Bonvoy program, reflecting growth in Mexico's all-inclusive market and the Caribbean-Latin America region.

🏨 Hilton Australia has been named the top hospitality workplace in 2026 by Great Place to Work® for firms with over 1,000 employees. Hilton employs 1,800 team members in Australasia and expands with new openings in Sydney, Cairns, Gold Coast, Suva, and Auckland. The company's culture emphasizes inclusivity, wellness, and growth through programs like Thrive at Hilton and Lead@Hilton. Globally, Hilton boasts over 7,600 properties in 126 countries, welcoming over 3 billion guests.

🏨 IHG Hotels & Resorts, with Tikehau Capital, signed three franchise agreements in Spain on August 28, 2026. The Holiday Inn Express hotels will be in Madrid (244 rooms), Málaga (259 rooms), and Barcelona (150 rooms). Scheduled openings: Madrid in Q1 2028, Málaga and Barcelona in Q1 2029. Barcelona saw 16 million visitors in 2025; Málaga had over 6.25 million tourists. IHG aims to expand in Spain, with over 20 Holiday Inn Express hotels already operational.