Mergers & Acquisitions

📍 JLL’s Hotels & Hospitality Group arranged refinancing for the Marriott Nashville Tri-Brand, a 506-room hotel in downtown Nashville, Tennessee. The five-year loan was secured for North Point Hospitality. The hotel, one of two tri-brand hotels in the U.S., opened in January 2019, with a $13 million expansion completed in January 2025. It features three Marriott brands, six dining outlets, 9,016 sq. ft. of meeting space, and 275 parking spaces.

🏨 Cycas Hospitality merged with Vertiq Capital on 31 March 2026, forming Vertiq Hospitality Partners. The company, based in Amsterdam and London, is expanding its European operations by adding 400 rooms in the UK and France in 2026. Managing over 35 hotels with 6,000 rooms across eight countries, including the 161-room Bankside Hotel in London and 237-room 25Hours Hotel Paris Terminus Nord, the merger combines investment and asset management expertise for accelerated growth.

🏨 Highline Hospitality Partners acquired the iconic Westin Poinsett in Greenville, SC, marking their 19th hotel acquisition and third this year, following the Pittsburgh Marriott North and Hilton DFW Lakes. Built in 1925, the 11-story, 200-room hotel features a restaurant, lobby bar, coffee shop, and 10,000 SF of meeting space. Highline oversees 23 properties, totaling over 5,200 guestrooms and $1.6 billion in assets. HEI Hotels & Resorts will manage the site, enhancing its market position.

📈 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.