Mergers & Acquisitions

🏨 Bowland Inns and Hotels reported a pre-tax loss of £1.04m for the year ending 31 May 2025. Revenues increased by 3% to £25.4m. Interest payments rose 18%, with one-off costs at £754k, including £329k in pre-opening expenses. Operating profits grew to £1.39m from £1.06m. The acquisition of Wennington Hall boosted turnover. Net assets were £17.28m. A £25m loan with Barclays was secured in October 2025. The focus is on consolidation and profitability amid rising costs.

🏨 At ALIS 2026, IHG Hotels & Resorts CEO Elie Maalouf highlighted the dependency of asset-light hotel companies, like IHG, on asset-heavy owners. Hotel owners face declining profitability due to rising expenses and high interest rates. Over five years, hotel REITs declined by -9.5%, while the S&P rose by 74% and lodging companies like Marriott and Hilton increased by over 110%. Marriott's Tony Capuano emphasized the need to address high expenses to support owner profitability.

🏖 Jalisco, Mexico, experiences significant hotel investment, with over $1 billion across 38 projects planned by 2028. Costalegre, a 150-mile Pacific coastline in Jalisco, attracts luxury brands despite its remote location and limited infrastructure. Key developments include Four Seasons Resort Tamarindo (opened 2022) and upcoming projects like Six Senses Xala and Chablé El Tezcalame, both slated for 2027. Costalegre's low-density approach values scarcity, long-term asset appreciation, and environmental conservation, contrasting with Guadalajara's rapid hotel growth.

🏨 The 121-bedroom Delta Hotels by Marriott Swansea is up for sale individually for the first time following a major investment program and a 2025 franchise agreement. Located in the Maritime Quarter, it includes a restaurant, bar, café, leisure club, and meeting facilities. Refurbishment completed in 2023, transitioning from managed to franchise in May 2025. Market demand is boosted by regional commercial and educational growth. Christie and Co manages the sale on a long leasehold basis.

💸 The Highfield Hotel and Restaurant in Keswick has been acquired by a local investor for £1.8 million. The 18-bedroom property, located on The Heads, was sold on behalf of Caroline Speck and the estate of the late Howard Speck. The new owner plans a major refurbishment, expected to take six months. Originally acquired by the Speck family in 2004, they are divesting to focus on other ventures. The sale was managed by Haydn Spedding from Colliers Manchester.

🏠 JLL's Hotels & Hospitality Group announced the sale of The Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa in Savannah, Georgia, to Hersha Hotels and Resorts. The resort features 403 guestrooms, over 51,800 square feet of meeting venues, and various amenities including an 18-hole golf course. Savannah benefits from economic growth with the opening of Hyundai's $7.6 billion Metaplant in March 2025, creating 14,000 jobs. The sale marks JLL's third transaction of the asset in 10 years.