Hotel Openings

🏨 Clare Smyth and Daniel Boulud will open two signature restaurants at Waldorf Astoria London Admiralty Arch in 2026. Smyth will lead Coreus, focusing on British seafood in the former First Sea Lord's residence, featuring a Whiskey and Seaweed bar. Boulud’s Café Boulud will offer French cuisine with a terrace overlooking The Mall and Buckingham Palace. The hotel will feature 100 rooms and suites and 17,500 sq ft of residences, located in a Grade I-listed landmark.

🏠 A £200m hospitality complex in Edinburgh is planned by The Social Hub on the Fountain Brewery site, vacant for 20 years. Part of a redevelopment by Buccleuch Property and Cruden Homes, it will include a 560-bed facility with extended-stay rooms, coworking spaces, and wellness amenities. Public consultations are set for December 8 and January 26 in Fountainbridge. The Social Hub opened in Glasgow in 2024, hosting over 600 events annually.

🏨 November 2025, New York City: Sofitel New York unveils its extensive renovation, inspired by Art Deco elements from Manhattan and Paris. The hotel, featuring 398 accommodations (346 guestrooms, 52 suites), showcases redesigned interiors with French-inspired aesthetics. Highlights include the 28th-floor Penthouse, Social 45 Bar & Bistro, and updated meeting spaces. Nearly 30% of Sofitel hotels globally are undergoing revitalization, reflecting the brand's commitment to excellence and modern French luxury, blending elegance with New York's vibrancy.

📍 The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne, Miami, reopens December 8, 2025, post $100 million renovation. 🏨 The overhaul includes 421 guestrooms with Atlantic views, revamped lobby, and enhanced leisure amenities. 🏖️ Upgrades feature the new Ritz-Carlton Spa, expanded water sports, and Cliff Drysdale Tennis Center. 🍽️ Culinary experiences boast six dining venues, including Luma and Paralía. 🥗 Wellness offerings align with Tremble fitness. 🌴 This is the first major update in nearly 25 years.

🏨 Choice Hotels International plans to enter Africa in early 2026, starting with three franchised locations in Kenya. An Ascend Collection hotel in Maasai Mara and two under the Clarion and Quality Inn brands in Nairobi are announced. At least 15 more sites are planned across sub-Saharan and southern Africa by 2030. The company aims to double its international profitability by 2027, with current gross rooms revenue at $3 billion.

🏨 Peachtree Group opened a 98-room Tru by Hilton in Huntsville, Alabama, near Boeing, NASA, and the FBI’s Huntsville campus. This is Peachtree’s sixth hotel opening in 2025. The hotel, located close to key government contractors and Redstone Arsenal, features open social spaces, complimentary breakfast, a 24/7 market, a fitness center, and lounge areas. Peachtree’s hospitality division manages the hotel, emphasizing the area's robust aerospace and defense industries.

🏨 Phoenix, Arizona—On November 13th, Ledgestone Hospitality opened the La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Phoenix West/Glendale/Tolleson, a new 95-room hotel. Owned by Build AZ, led by Dr. Tushar Gohel and Shital Patel, the hotel held a ribbon-cutting with the West Valley Chamber of Commerce. Highlights include free WiFi, complimentary breakfast, and a fitness center. Alise Hannebaum is COO of Build AZ, with Steve Clinkenbeard attending to support the La Quinta Del Sol prototype launch.

🚢 Construction of the Orient Express Olympian began with steel cutting on January 30, 2025. The 220-meter yacht will see its keel laid in November 2025, launch in April 2026, and delivery by April 2027. Its sister ship, Orient Express Corinthian, begins sea trials in December 2025. The project is part of Accor's expansion, as the Orient Express brand also introduces luxury hotels in Rome by 2025 and Venice by April 2026.

🌳 In Singapore's Hougang, L Architects revamped a 98-square-metre flat for plant-loving clients. 🏡 Utilizing 571 rare double-bullnose bricks, they transformed the space, removing two walls to create an open-plan area. 💡 Glass doorways and louvered windows enhance light and ventilation. 🌱 Focusing on plant placement, they designed a multifunctional area with a brick island and bench. The project, shortlisted for the 2025 Dezeen Awards, merges nature with design in a residential interior. 🌿