Mergers & Acquisitions

💰 PPHE Hotel Group initiated a strategic review considering new capital or selling part/all of the company. Major shareholders Eli Papouchado and Boris Ivesha, holding 44% voting rights, support the review. PPHE's £2.2 billion portfolio spans Europe, including upscale hotels and campsites. Rothschild advises, and a formal UK Takeover Code sale process has begun. No active bidder discussions or approaches yet. The board may alter or terminate the process.

🏠 UK: The Social Hub plans to invest £200 million in a new venue at Edinburgh's former Fountain Brewery site, vacant for 20 years. The 560-bed project will feature extended stay rooms, hotel suites, and student housing, along with coworking spaces for 300, event spaces, a gym, and dining options. Public consultations are set for 8 December and 26 January. Buccleuch Property and Cruden Homes lead the site's redevelopment as part of the Fountainbridge masterplan.

📦 Just four months after Marriott International acquired citizenM, the brand has been rebranded as Another Star. The company secured a $685 million financing facility led by J.P. Morgan and KSL Capital. Another Star operates 37 hotels with 8,312 rooms in 20 cities, including London and New York, integrated into Marriott Bonvoy. Two new hotels are planned for London and Washington D.C. by mid-2026. The financing reflects market confidence in Another Star's growth strategy.

💰 The Social Hub plans a £200 million hybrid hospitality and community venue in Edinburgh’s Fountainbridge district. This marks a new phase in regenerating the formerly long-vacant site.

🏢 South Korea, 2024: Taekwang Industrial acquires Courtyard by Marriott Seoul Namdaemun from KT&G for KRW250 billion, equating to KRW625 million per key. The 400-key hotel, completed in 2016, covers 31,837 sqm and is eight minutes from Hoehyeon Station. Nippon REIT buys four Japan hotels, including three APA hotels and a Hotel Vista for JPY12.2 billion. In Australia, Singh Enterprises spent AUD14.7 million on Soho Brisbane Hotel and a church. Singapore’s Coliwoo and Macritchie acquired a property for SGD40 million to convert to co-living spaces. Cove acquires Casa Mia Coliving, adding 500 rooms to its portfolio.

🏨 PHOENIX, Arizona— Sheraton Phoenix Downtown, a 1,003-room hotel, was sold by JLL's Hotels & Hospitality group in one of Arizona’s largest hotel sales. Built in 2008 and renovated for $45 million in 2020, the 33-story hotel features 112,000 square feet of meeting space. Located near the Phoenix Convention Center, its amenities include a 4,300-square-foot fitness center, three dining venues, and an outdoor pool. The sale highlights Phoenix's dynamic lodging market.

📈 U.S. companies with strategic business travel programs can see up to 30% higher revenue, according to a study by GBTA and ASTA. Analyzing data from 3,200 firms across 17 industries, it shows a 1% increase in travel spending leads to a 0.20% revenue rise. Larger firms, with over 1,000 employees, spend $2.4 million on travel, benefiting from economies of scale. Industries like utilities and healthcare show high per-employee travel spend, while rigid travel policies may limit returns.

🏨 The Highfield hotel in Driffield, East Yorkshire, is on the market for £2.25m by Christie and Co after 10 years with current owners Andy and Lindsey Lampard. This Victorian-era, Grade II listed property features 12 bedrooms and sits on seven acres of land. It includes two AA Rosettes and is in the Michelin Hotel Guide. Originally built in the late 19th century, the property was transformed from a private residence to a hotel by the Lampards in 2015.

💸 UK: In November 2025, PPHE secured a £95.8 million refinancing deal with Aareal Bank for Park Plaza London Riverbank. The loan's maturity extends from June 2026 to June 2030. Until June 2026, the interest rate remains at 3.248%, shifting to 5.72% fixed for 85% of the loan thereafter, with the remainder on a floating rate. The loan's amortisation removal is expected to mitigate the higher interest cost impact on cash flow.

💸 Sonder, with 7,500 furnished units across 37 cities, filed for Chapter 7 on November 14, 2025. After forming an alliance in August 2024, Marriott ended its licensing with Sonder. Similar to WeWork, Sonder’s collapse stemmed from unsustainable fixed-cost lease agreements, raising $839 million in VC funding. Sonder’s strategy relied on rapid revenue growth via leasing, leading to structural unprofitability when economic conditions shifted. Pedan’s Kasa group acquired multiple ex-Sonder properties, including three in Florida, Nashville, and Detroit.