Mergers & Acquisitions

📈 Centara Hotels & Resorts and PTT Oil and Retail Business Public Company Limited (OR) plan to launch a budget hotel brand in Thailand, investing approximately THB 700 million. Starting 2027, six hotels will open in Bangkok, Kanchanaburi, Ayutthaya, Phuket, Chon Buri, and Songkhla, offering 69–80 rooms with rates from THB 800–900, while Bangkok offers 120 rooms at THB 1,200–1,300. Targeting domestic travelers, the venture leverages OR's 2,000 service stations and loyalty programs with a 40 million membership base.

🏨 The First Group Hospitality and MIDROC Investment Group will develop 10 hotel properties in Ethiopia, with 1,140 keys opening between 2026 and 2031. The agreement was signed at the Future Hospitality Summit Africa in Nairobi. Locations include Addis Ababa, Hawassa, Bahir Dar, Jimma, Langano, and Danbi, featuring independent and Marriott-branded properties. This collaboration aligns with The First Group's strategy to expand in Africa and supports MIDROC's growth in Ethiopia's tourism and infrastructure sector.

📅 March 31, 2026: HBX Group finalizes acquisition of Paris-based PerfectStay, expanding from a 25% stake acquired in June 2024 to full ownership. The transaction aligns with HBX's strategic growth in the USD 50 billion B2B2C travel market, leveraging PerfectStay’s technology and HBX's global hotel inventory. PerfectStay enhances offerings for airlines and consumer brands, including Turkish Airlines Holidays launched in 2025. Over 55 white-label sites are provided, with growth expected through 2030 via a performance-based structure.

📍 White Lodging acquired the 353-room Sheraton Raleigh Hotel in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina, and plans a comprehensive renovation to rebrand it as a Westin by early 2027. This is White Lodging's first acquisition in Raleigh. The company manages around 60 hotel properties in 17 markets, including the JW Marriott Charlotte in North Carolina. White Lodging also plans to open Hotel Trinity Austin, Autograph Collection, in Texas later this year.

🏨 Marriott International and the Leali family announced a joint venture to integrate the luxury wellness brand Lefay into Marriott's portfolio. Founded in Italy in 2006, Lefay has two resorts and three developments in Tuscany, Southern Italy, and the Swiss Alps. The brand focuses on eco-resorts with wellness programs. This partnership aims to expand Lefay globally, enhancing Marriott's luxury offerings with wellness-focused experiences. The deal awaits customary approvals.

🏨 The Boars Head and Birchwood House in North Yorkshire are for sale at £1.95 million. This 23-bedroom hotel, part of the Ripley Castle Estate, includes two Grade II listed buildings, a 54-cover restaurant, a bar, and a beer garden. The estate, owned by the Ingilby family since the 14th Century, is being sold as they retire. Located off the A61, it offers access to Harrogate and Ripon, presenting a unique investment opportunity.

🏠 In a strategic move announced today, Marriott International and the Leali family plan a joint venture to integrate Lefay, a luxury wellness brand, into Marriott's portfolio. Lefay, founded in 2006, operates award-winning resorts in Lago di Garda and Dolomiti, Italy, with plans for three new properties in Tuscany, Southern Italy, and the Swiss Alps. This collaboration aims to leverage Marriott's development capabilities, marking Lefay as Marriott's first brand exclusively focused on luxury wellness.

🏨 JLL’s Hotels & Hospitality Group arranged a refinancing for the 506-room Marriott Nashville Tri-Brand. This downtown Nashville hotel combines AC Nashville Downtown, Residence Inn, and SpringHill Suites, featuring 209, 172, and 125 rooms, respectively. Opened in January 2019, it includes six dining outlets, meeting spaces, and a pool deck. Located near Music City Center, which generated $4.4 billion in economic impact since 2013, the hotel underwent a $13 million expansion in January 2025, adding 36 rooms.