Hotel Openings

🏖️ Great Wolf Resorts plans to convert Basingstoke's golf centre into a water park and 512-room hotel. The US-based firm submitted an application for planning approval, supported in principle by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council. If approved, it could create over 600 jobs and attract 500,000 visitors annually. Great Wolf, operating 23 resorts in the US and Canada, aims to expand in the UK, targeting Oxfordshire, Derbyshire, and Hampshire.

🏨 Accor reported a 4.2% increase in RevPAR for FY 2025. Recurring EBITDA rose 13.3% to €1.20bn, surpassing forecasts. Revenue hit €5.6bn, up 4.5%, with luxury segment revenue up 9.8%. A 7% rise in Q4 RevPAR was noted, with strong performances in Egypt and Turkey. Accor opened 303 hotels with 51,000 rooms, achieving 3.7% net unit growth. A €450m share buyback is planned for 2026, part of a €3bn return to shareholders by 2027.

📈 IHG Hotels and Resorts reported a 13% rise in operating profits to $1.3bn for 2025, opening 443 hotels with 65,100 rooms. RevPAR increased by 1.5%, with a 4.6% rise in EMEAA regions countering a 1.6% drop in Greater China. Net debt rose by $551m to $2.5bn, and the company launched a new premium brand, Noted Collection. A $950m share buyback program is authorized for 2026, aiming for a $5bn cumulative return over five years.

🏨 Italy, 28 April 2026, Hyatt Regency Rome Central will debut as Italy's first Hyatt Regency hotel. The luxury venue boasts 238 rooms, including 20 suites, and is designed by Studio Moren and Studio Aelan, with the original architecture by King Rosselli Architects. A 2,200-square-metre rooftop offers a swimming pool, private cabanas, three dining options, hot tubs, and a yoga terrace. Accommodations span six floors, featuring Regency Suites with alfresco dining terraces.

🏠 Architect Serena Mignatti renovated Thom Yorke and Dajana Roncione's 350-square-meter apartment in Rome, embracing the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi. The historic building in the city center, once home to writer Italo Calvino, features original wood beams and parquet floors. Mignatti used salvaged materials and lime-based paints, integrating underfloor heating and air conditioning. Local artisans crafted bespoke elements, while furniture was sourced from Belgian dealer Axel Vervoordt, enhancing the unique blend of past and present.

📈 IHG's 21st brand, Noted Collection, focuses on premium hotels to address market gaps. CEO Elie Maalouf emphasized conversions: in 2025, 40% of IHG openings were conversions, while 54% were new builds. Signings comprised 52% conversions and 43% new builds. IHG's rewards program contributed 66% of global room nights. Meanwhile, Airbnb shifts focus to boutique and independent hotels, with this sector growing double the overall platform rate. Airbnb's hotel segment aims to be significant by 2026.