Hotel Openings

🏨 Elegant Hotel Collection will open The Shepherd Mayfair in 2026 in London, featuring 82 rooms over 33,600 sq ft. Architect Timothy Shepherd leads the project, inspired by Mayfair's historic mansions. The hotel will offer three dining venues: Fayre, a 75-cover brasserie; The Lounge, a 58-cover café/bar; and Teddy's, a 72-cover cocktail bar. Interiors will have a timeless design with customized features and lighting by New York's Apparatus.

🏨 St Austell Brewery plans a phased refurbishment of the historic Great Western in Newquay, beginning 2026. The first phase targets the Trenarren Wing's 26 rooms, including 16 with sea views. Completion is expected by late summer. The 1879 hotel, designed by Silvanus Trevail, offers 66 rooms and has hosted notable guests, including the Prince of Wales in 1926. The refurbishment aims to modernize while preserving the hotel's character, marking the fifth major upgrade in their portfolio in two years.

🏠 Canyon Equity LLC, led by CEO Robert Hee, unveiled Aman Residences, Amangiri, in Canyon Point, Utah, in December. The development includes 12 luxury homes set on 900 acres near the Colorado Plateau. Each home, designed by Masastudio, features four to eight bedrooms across five to 19 acres. Amangiri, a 34-suite resort, opened in 2009. Canyon Equity also owns the Four Seasons Resort Rancho Encantado in Santa Fe and the Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort in Fiji.

🏨 Diriyah Company and Midad Development have signed a $827 million joint agreement to develop the Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences Diriyah. Located in Diriyah, the project includes a 159-room hotel and residences, spanning 235,938 square meters. It is part of Diriyah’s broader hotel pipeline, featuring 40 planned luxury hotels across 76 square kilometers, including the Wadi Safar project, aiming to boost Saudi Arabia’s tourism and cultural profile.

🏖 Santa Barbara, California—The Milo, Hotel by the Sea, completed a multi-million-dollar renovation, updating 121 guestrooms and outdoor spaces. Formerly Hotel Milo, this oceanfront property had its last rebranding in 2014. Redesigned by DESIGN360unlimited, rooms now feature custom furnishings and heron-inspired wallcoverings. New amenities include courtyards and a Tiny Library. Guests enjoy two pools, a hot tub, and complimentary beach gear. General Manager Tanner Turner highlights the enhanced guest experience reflecting Santa Barbara’s coastal lifestyle.

📍 a&o Hostels acquired two hotel properties in Manchester's city center on Portland and Dickinson Streets, expanding to 44 European locations. The buildings, previously ibis and Novotel, cover 13,000 sq. meters with a 15-minute walk to the main train station. Post-£8.2 million renovation, they will offer 303 rooms and 1,218 beds by Q1 2027. Backed by StepStone and Proprium, a&o's €500 million plan added 5,500 beds in 2023. Manchester attracts 1.9 million visitors annually.

🏨 RIU Hotels expanded in London, opening Hotel Riu Plaza London The Westminster, its second site after the July 2023 launch of Hotel Riu Plaza London Victoria. This 464-room hotel, 15 minutes from Victoria, is near Westminster landmarks. Built in 2003, refurbished in 2021, it joins RIU Plaza's urban portfolio, now 13 strong, including cities like New York and Berlin. Positioned near UK intelligence HQs, its design nods to espionage. Expansion in major cities continues with projects like a third New York hotel.