Mergers & Acquisitions

🏖️ Seth and Tori Bolt, after a local protest in 2025, had to sell their short-term rental property. They relocated to Tennessee and contracted land for $12,500 per acre. Using $500, they raised $1 million via Instagram pre-bookings for their dream resort in five weeks. Seth, a musician with NEEDTOBREATHE, and Tori managed construction while Seth toured. They completed the mountaintop retreat just in time for the first guests.

🏨 JLL’s Hotels & Hospitality Group announced the sale of the 122-room Courtyard by Marriott Wayne Fairfield, located 20 miles from New York City, to Concord Hospitality. The hotel, featuring 73 king rooms and other room types, includes amenities like an indoor pool and 1,587 sq. ft. of meeting space. Situated near Willowbrook Mall and major transport routes, the transaction highlights strong market interest, with financing secured through M&T Bank.

🏨 London-based Signature Hotels has been acquired by Zurich's Grand Metropolitan Hotels. Signature operates boutique and upper-midscale hotels in London and is expanding with two more properties in the next year. The acquisition marks GMH's entry into London's upscale market and India's growing hospitality sector where Signature has two properties under development. CEO Ramesh Arora will join GMH's Supervisory Board, while Signature's brand and team remain integral to GMH's portfolio.

📈 Accor is evaluating an IPO for Ennismore, its lifestyle hotels and restaurant unit, as part of a strategy to optimize its portfolio.

🛠 Hong Kong’s Jardine Matheson takes Mandarin Oriental private in a $4.2 billion deal. In 2025, Jardine acquires the remaining 11.96% shares, partly funded by a $925 million sale of One Causeway Bay property to Alibaba and Ant Group. This transaction results in a $252 million net cash surplus for Jardine. The privatization supports Mandarin Oriental’s plan to double its portfolio and expand in luxury residentials.

💰 Williamsburg, Virginia—Sotherly Hotels Inc. will be acquired by KW Kingfisher LLC for $2.25 per share in cash, a 152.7% premium to the October 24, 2025, share price. The deal, unanimously approved by Sotherly's board, is set to close in Q1 2026. Key advisors include Piper Sandler & Co. and Frost Brown Todd LLP. Affiliates of Apollo and Ascendant are providing debt financing. Andrew Sims, a major stockholder, supports the merger.

🏨 The Mill at Conder Green, a hotel and venue situated four miles south of Lancaster, has been sold to CG Hotel and Hospitality for an undisclosed sum. The property, located on a 1.7-acre site near the Lancaster Canal, features 21 bedrooms and recently added a function suite for 120 people. It was sold by joint administrators from FRP Advisory. The venue is known for winning the 2024 Countryside Wedding Venue of the Year award. Danny and Andrea Whitlock plan to restore its historic appeal.

🏨 UK hospitality group Eight Continents Hotels and Resorts purchased La Barbarie Hotel in Guernsey for approximately £6.25 million. The four-star hotel, located in St Martin, features 38 rooms, a heated outdoor pool, and a 74-cover AA Rosette-awarded restaurant. Previously owned by the same family for nearly 40 years, it was sold to Eight Continents, led by CEO Haninder Sachdeva. Julian Troup from Colliers highlighted Guernsey's appeal for investors.

🛠 Malmaison Newcastle completed a £3 million refurbishment of its Quayside hotel, updating all 122 bedrooms, including 14 top-floor suites named after ships. The redesign incorporates local industrial and cultural influences, with some suites overlooking the River Tyne and iconic bridges. The hotel, situated in a Grade II-listed former warehouse, features the Chez Mal Brasserie and Bar seating 140. General Manager Chris Lyall highlights the investment as enhancing guest experiences and supporting Quayside's renewal.