Market Trends

🏨 Australian hospitality group EVT's LyLo plans to expand its pod hotel concept to Europe, eyeing London for its first property. P-Three appointed as sole agent to find locations in central areas, including Southwark, for 15,000-50,000 square foot spaces. LyLo operates 608 pods, 40 private rooms, and 170 ensuite rooms across New Zealand and Australia, with two more sites under development. Targeting 18-35-year-olds, digital nomads, and sports groups, the concept boasts affordability and communal design. London's dynamic traveler base viewed as an ideal entry point into the European market.

🏠 The House Special Studio, led by Greek architect Kiki Goti and French filmmaker Vincent Staropoli, renovated a Paris apartment reflecting 1970s style for an NGO worker who spends much time abroad. The project, finished in 2025, utilized a palette of nostalgic shades and aimed to create an authentic atmosphere with distinct zones within the compact space. Restored chevron parquet flooring and beige tiles from Barro add to the design, along with a 1970s Brazilian coffee table and vintage furniture.

💸 Labor costs in restaurants account for around 30% of overall expenses, influenced by a 75% turnover rate and non-tipped staff like kitchen workers and managers. Fixed costs, while generally constant, can offer negotiation opportunities. A Bain & Company and Harvard Business School study shows a 5% increase in customer retention could lead to at least a 25% profit boost, with up to 90% for some. For example, a 15% revenue increase on a $1 million restaurant could almost double profit margins, from 10% to 17%.

🏦 Accor to introduce Pullman to Armenia by partnering with Technotun for residences in Yerevan, opening in 2027. Philippe Bone of Accor and Tigran Mnatsakanyan of Technotun finalized the agreement. The complex in Norki Ayginer will feature 'No Car' policy, sustainable elements like bike lanes, and electric vehicle charging stations within a 20,000-square-meter area, including 16,000 square meters of open spaces. Memorandum of understanding signed in July 2024. Pullman has over 150 hotels globally.

🏨 In the week of December 22-28, 2024, the U.S. hotel industry saw occupancy fall by 4.9% to 47.7%, ADR drop by 1.7% to $160.96, and RevPAR decline by 6.5% to $76.83 year-over-year. Tampa experienced a surge with occupancy up 16.3% and RevPAR increasing by 22.6% to $124.36. Houston had the largest ADR increase of 5.6% reaching $97.82. Conversely, Nashville and Atlanta faced the sharpest RevPAR decreases of 35.6% ($51.68) and 21.7% ($40.05), respectively.

🏢 Courtyard by Marriott San Mateo Foster City, owned by Clarion Partners and managed by Marriott International, Inc., completes renovation of 147 rooms including guestrooms, meeting spaces, and fitness center. Located between San Francisco and San Jose, 9 miles from San Francisco International Airport, the hotel features revamped rooms with new furniture, fixtures, soft goods, and in-room entertainment technology. Amenities include a 24/7 fitness center, 1,728 square feet of event space, Bistro restaurant, and a courtyard with a fire pit.

🏠 GoMMT, Agoda, and Booking.com topped the list of distribution channels for hotel bookings in India over the past year. STAAH, with over 500 integrations, features Expedia and Airbnb in its top 10. Direct bookings increased, as STAAH SwiftBook rose to fourth place in 2024. Cleartrip, Hotelbeds, and RezLive.com entered the top 10, while STAAH GDS ranked seventh. The Indian hospitality and travel industry is growing post-Covid, with a focus on a holistic hotel commerce strategy.

🏨 U.S. hotel industry saw year-over-year improvements as of Dec. 21, 2024, with occupancy increasing by 11.4% to 48.9%, ADR rising by 2.7% to $135.79, and RevPAR growing by 14.3% to $66.36. Tampa led the Top 25 Markets with occupancy and RevPAR surging to 71.5% (up 37.9%) and $110.51 (up 63.8%), respectively, partly due to hurricane recovery demand. Conversely, Oahu Island experienced declines across occupancy (down 4.0% to 66.4%), ADR (down 16.7% to $259.60), and RevPAR (down 20.0% to $172.27). New York City boasted the largest ADR increase, reaching $351.39 (up 20.1%).