Mergers & Acquisitions

🏨 Rosewood London, owned by the Cheng family's CTF Development, is up for sale as New World Development Co. faces liquidity issues. Previously valued at £450m in 2016, the hotel was bought for £135m in 2006. An £85m renovation in 2013 turned the former Chancery Court into a luxury hotel with 264 rooms, 44 suites, and 11 event spaces. Built in 1914, the property was formerly the Pearl Assurance Company headquarters until 1989.

🏨 Hunter Hotel Advisors announced the sale of Aloft Hotel Plano and Aloft Hotel Frisco in Texas to Touchstone Hospitality Fund, LLC. The two hotels, built in 2008, have 272 rooms combined. The sale was led by Kami Burnette and Mason McDavid, highlighting buyer interest in Dallas Fort Worth’s select-service hotels. Both properties benefit from proximity to business and leisure demand generators. The new owner plans to optimize RevPAR through economies of scale and strategic operations.

📖 Rob Blood, Founder of Lark, revisits the company’s growth a year after its major deal with Life House. This episode centers on scaling hospitality, overcoming integration hurdles, and building culture under pressure. Emphasizing the operationalization of values, it highlights the role of storytelling in establishing identity and what leadership qualities are crucial amid complexity.

🏨 Chris and Jane Berridge acquired The Old Lodge in Malton, a 17th Century Tudor mansion with 29 en-suite rooms, set in 3.6 acres, from Ajay Abhaya Kumar and Anupama Banerji. The sale, facilitated by Christie and Co, was completed swiftly, although the price remains undisclosed. This is the Berridges' first venture into hospitality, and they expressed enthusiasm for maintaining the landmark’s legacy with the support of the dedicated staff.

📈 Trinity Investments acquired The Hoxton, Poblenou, a 240-key hotel in Barcelona, announced on Thursday. This marks their third European hotel acquisition since launching their London office in 2023. Opened in 2022, the hotel is in Barcelona’s 22@ district, near Westfield Glòries Mall and the Design Museum. The acquisition aligns with Trinity's strategy to invest in cities with robust tourism and long-term growth potential, joining The Standard London and Park Hyatt Zurich in their portfolio.

💰 Red Oak Capital Holdings provided $10 million for acquiring and refurbishing Four Points by Sheraton – O’Hare in Chicago, IL. The loan, structured under Red Oak’s Core-Plus Bridge Loan program, has an 18-month term and a loan-to-stabilized-value of 54.54%. The 295-room, 195,000-square-foot hotel, built in 1985 on 7.5 acres, will undergo upgrades and a Marriott franchise agreement. The sponsor, owning 20 assets worth over $70 million, aims to enhance performance through targeted improvements.

🏖 Jon Staff, originally seeking $500,000 for 10 cabins, was rejected by the Sharks. Years later, Marriott acquired his company, now with 1,200+ cabins across 29 locations, generating $41M in revenue. His concept targets digital overload with 200-square-foot cabins, sans WiFi, for city-dwellers needing micro-escapes. By 2026, 91% of Americans plan to travel but often can't afford lengthy vacations. Major hotel chains are now investing in nearby, nature-centric getaways, marking a shift towards regular, brief city escapes.

🏨 Partners Group, Trinity Investments, and another investor acquired the 240-key Hoxton Poblenou hotel in Barcelona's 22@ District from Norlake Hospitality. The purchase is part of Partners Group’s hospitality strategy with a USD $1 billion asset portfolio. This marks their fourth collaboration with Trinity since 2023. The hotel, which opened in spring 2022, features four F&B venues, a rooftop, and over 1,000 square meters of event space, with plans to boost group bookings and F&B offerings.

💵 Newmark has arranged a $51 million loan for Virgin Group to refinance Virgin Hotels Nashville in Nashville, Tennessee. Opened in July 2020, the hotel is located on Music Row near The Gulch, Downtown Nashville, and Vanderbilt University. It features a rooftop bar, speakeasy, restaurant, rooftop pool, fitness center, and over 15,000 square feet of meeting space. This property is a flagship for the Virgin Hotels brand in the U.S.

💰 US hedge fund Corvex Management has acquired a 6.05% stake in Whitbread, equivalent to 10,221,246 shares, and is pushing for a strategic review of the company's direction and capital allocation. This comes amidst Whitbread's five-year £3.5 billion investment plan. Corvex argues that Whitbread's current share price undervalues its assets. They seek board representation to collaborate on strategy. Whitbread, owner of Premier Inn, has yet to respond publicly.