Mergers & Acquisitions

💰 Soho House and Co will go private in a $2.7 billion (£2.1 billion) deal led by MCR Hotels, removing its shares from the New York Stock Exchange. Shareholders will receive $9 (£6.66) per share, an 83% premium. MCR’s Tyler Morse becomes vice chairman. Ron Burkle and others retain majority stakes. The deal, backed by Apollo and Ashton Kutcher among others, is expected to close by the end of 2025, with regulatory approval pending. Soho House saw a 50% EBITDA increase from 2022 to 2024.

🏠 Peachtree Group closed a $176.5 million CPACE loan for Rio Hotel & Casino's renovation in Las Vegas, completed in 2024. The 2,520-room resort, now under Hyatt, features upgraded suites, a revamped casino, and modern amenities. The CPACE loan retroactively funded these improvements, enabling debt reduction. Greg Friedman highlights Peachtree's growth over 18 years. Jared Schlosser notes CPACE's growing appeal for commercial real estate development.

💰 Soho House, founded by Nick Jones in 1995, expanded to over 45 locations with 200,000 members. In 2021, it went public as Membership Collective Group after U.S. billionaire Ron Burkle acquired it in a £250-million deal in 2012. Now going private again, MCR Hotels leads a $2.7-billion acquisition. Ashton Kutcher joins the board, Neil Thomson becomes CFO, and shares are valued at $9 each—a 17.8% premium. MCR's Tyler Morse aims for sustainable growth and member experiences.

🏖 Croatian hospitality company Valamar plans to open a €200m (£172.5m) resort in Poreč, Istria, by spring 2026. The Pical Resort will feature 514 rooms, suites, and a private villa within Parenzana beachfront park. It includes Croatia's first ESPA-run spa, spanning 1,300 square meters, with six saunas and custom wellness programs. The resort will offer regional culinary experiences and allow guests to explore the 123 km Parenzana trail by bike or foot.

🏨 A 27-bedroom hotel in Henley-in-Arden, Warwickshire, is on the market for £1.45 million. The Henley Hotel, on Tanworth Lane, was built in 1984, offers a car park for about 50 vehicles, and sits on 0.58 acres. Originally with 30 rooms, it now features 27 upgraded en-suite rooms. It's located a mile from Henley-in-Arden and five miles from Warwick, with proximity to Stratford-upon-Avon and Birmingham. The property includes a bar, dining area, gym, and commercial kitchen.

📅 August 1, 2025, Knoxville, Tennessee: The 195-key Crowne Plaza Knoxville Downtown University was sold by a private seller to the local hotel owner, The 9 Group. Hunter Hotel Advisors facilitated the transaction through their Chattanooga office. Located near Market Square and the University of Tennessee, the hotel offers over 15,000 square feet of meeting space, Mahogany’s restaurant, an indoor pool, fitness center, and business center.

🏨 The George Hotel in Inveraray was saved from administration with a £3.05m deal, safeguarding 43 jobs. On March 28, 2023, it entered administration, but operations continued. Charlie Maclachlan and Sam Wignell of Fyne Hospitality acquired the 24-room boutique hotel from the Clark family, its owners for seven generations. They aim to preserve its heritage and enhance its appeal. This marks a new chapter for a key contributor to the local economy.

🏨 Village Hotel Club has acquired the former DoubleTree by Hilton Sheffield Park on Chesterfield Road South, Sheffield, marking its first location in Sheffield. The site will undergo a multi-million-pound renovation as part of Village’s £82 million refurbishment program. This acquisition follows a purchase of the former Crowne Plaza in Reading, opening in December. Extensions at Village Hotel Ashton and Solihull will add 48 bedrooms each, with more work planned at Village Hotel Leeds South.

📅 As of March 31, 2025, BWH® Hotels operates 3,861 properties globally, with 2,072 in the U.S. Key brands include Best Western®, franchising since 1946 with 1,686 properties, and Aiden®, franchising since 2018 with 34 properties. Franchise fees are an application fee of $49,000, a 5% royalty, and a 2.1% marketing fee. WorldHotels™ Crafted, franchising since 2021, has 32 properties with a 2-4% royalty. Contact: Brad LeBlanc at Brad.LeBlanc@bwh.com.

💸 Braemar Hotels & Resorts, Inc. sold the Marriott Waterfront Seattle to a joint venture of Sixth Street Partners and Riller Capital for $145 million. The 369-key hotel, under Marriott International's management, sold at $393,000 per room. The sale, with a capitalization rate of 8.1% on net operating income, ended May 31, 2025. Planned capital expenditures total $7 million. The hotel features 17,000 square feet of meeting space and downtown Seattle's sole indoor/outdoor pool.