Mergers & Acquisitions

🏨 A U.S. investment firm and Saudi Arabian industrial conglomerate AHQ plan to invest $1 billion in business hotels across Saudi Arabia. By 2029, they aim to develop 50 hotels with 5,000-7,000 rooms in Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam. The hotels, under international brands and managed by Ayara, target the growing corporate travel sector.

🏨 Forest Hills Hotel in Frodsham, Cheshire, a 58-bedroom venue, was sold out of administration, preserving 60 jobs. The sale by Landwood Group, supporting DSW Business Recovery, ensures the 120-year-old hotel remains operational. Set in seven acres, it includes a restaurant, conference facilities, and leisure club. The site, historically hosting bands like The Beatles, offers investment potential. Interest from buyers highlighted confidence in its redevelopment opportunities.

🏨 Hunter Advisors announced the sale of La Posada de Santa Fe, a Tribute Portfolio Resort & Spa, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The property, brokered by Kami Burnette and Brian Embree, was sold by Ashford Hospitality Trust to Abo Sada, LLC. The resort sits on over five acres, features 157 guestrooms, a spa, and 7,700 square feet of meeting space. Located near Santa Fe Plaza, it offers Pueblo-Revival adobe casitas and multiple dining venues.

🏨 The 19th Century Scafell Hotel in Rosthwaite was sold for £995,000 to a Manchester-based investment company. After closing in January 2024, the 23-bedroom inn, on a five-acre site, will be restored and reopened. Originally a private residence for artist Mary Barker, it was later frequented by inventor Sir Barnes Wallis. Colliers' Julian Troup noted high demand for Cumbrian hotels, marking the 69th sale in the region since 2021.

💸 In Atlanta, Georgia, Peachtree Group announced $12 million bridge financing and $6 million C-PACE financing for the 78-key Byways Hotel Portfolio in Alpine and Fort Davis, Texas. The portfolio includes Holland Hotel (27 keys, expanding to 28), Hotel Limpia (30 keys), and Maverick Inn (21 keys). USDA lending allows up to 80% loan-to-value with 30-year terms. The renovations aim to preserve 30 jobs and create 25 more, enhancing the local tax base.

🏨 Bournemouth West Cliff Hotel and Spa, with 83 en suite bedrooms, a restaurant, lounge bar, conference facilities, and leisure centre, has been sold to Dedigama Properties for an undisclosed sum. Located near the beach, the hotel offers development opportunities, including more bedrooms and an expanded leisure club. Ed Bellfield from Christie & Co facilitated the sale, highlighting its appeal as a freehold, full-service hotel with significant growth potential.

🏠 Seng secured a £65.5m loan for redeveloping Regents House, a 2.2-acre site near Angel station, London. The facility, backed by ASK and Firma Partners, covers 227,000 sq ft of office space, now partially vacant. Plans include transforming the property into a hotel with retail and leisure spaces. This follows Seng's residential plans at Chiswick Tower, enhancing collateral security. Elliot Dubey highlights the community benefits, while ASK and Firma emphasize asset repositioning flexibility.

📈 In 2015 and 2016, Minor Hotels acquired Tivoli Oriente and the Tivoli brand, establishing a strong presence in Europe. The pivotal change occurred with the NH Hotel Group acquisition, enhancing their European footprint in Spain, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, and Benelux. Europe now constitutes over 50% of Minor Hotels' global portfolio, emphasizing a strategic pivot towards a balanced regional presence that includes both leisure and premium markets.