Mergers & Acquisitions

🏨 The Sleeping Bear Hotel in Dorchester is on the market for £2.2 million, featuring 29 rooms on High West Street in Dorset. This 19th-century hotel offers unique period features and access to the Jurassic Coast, England's only natural World Heritage Site. Buyers may continue with the Sleeping Bear Hotels brand via a franchise or management contract. James Williamson of Graham and Sibbald highlights the opportunity for both seasoned and new property investors.

🏨 Accor announced the expansion of Orient Express, emphasizing experience over software. LVMH became a strategic partner, shifting focus to brand equity through trains, yachts, and historic properties. As AI commoditizes tech, immersive brands gain importance. The move signals a shift toward narrative-rich hospitality experiences. Accor’s strategy is highlighted in a discussion by Ben Wolff, Scott Eddy, and Edwin Kramer on "This Week in Hospitality.

🏖 Eddie's 2022 real estate investment involved a $2,000,000 property. After a $25,000 legal battle, he purchased it for $800,000 in December 2023 with a $75,000 seller credit. He financed $561,000 at 8.5% interest and $187,000 in construction loans. By July 2024, he renovated five cabins for $280,000. In 2025, with all ten cabins operational, he achieved 95% occupancy, $330,000 revenue, and $100,000 net cash flow. A 2025 refinance valued the property at $2,000,000, yielding $1.2M, and $253,000 back to Eddie.

🏨 The Timeless Collection of LSG Holdings acquired the 28-acre Stoke Rochford Hall estate in Lincolnshire. Built in 1843 by William Burn, the Grade I listed manor underwent restoration after a 2005 fire. The property includes 110 en-suite bedrooms, a conference center for 300 delegates, a leisure club, and a Grade II-listed obelisk. The sale was a 999-year long-leasehold interest asset sale. Patrick Leoni Sceti, of Timeless Collection, and Peter Brunt, of Colliers, highlighted its historic and modern appeal.

💸 Nadim Zahawi joins a Middle Eastern fund investing over £1bn in two luxury hotels in London's Mayfair. The Evolution Investment Fund, based in the British Virgin Islands, has taken a leasehold interest in the London Marriott Hotel Grosvenor Square and a development site near New Bond Street. The Marriott spans 198,000 sq ft with 237 rooms. The new site will offer 94 hotel rooms and six luxury residences. Zahawi, former UK Chancellor, will serve as director.

📈 PPHE is selling its Manhattan site near Hudson Yards, acquired in 2019, for $33.5 million. Regulatory changes post-acquisition halted plans for a hotel and condominiums. About $8.3 million from the sale will repay debt. Co-CEO Greg Hegarty views this exit as a strategic move to free capital for core regions.

💰 The Methodist Church approved a £1.2 million investment for The Wesley Hotel in London's Euston, aiming to ensure sustainability and mission-driven impact. The funds, sourced from the MIC Trust, will facilitate renovations including bedroom upgrades and facade improvements over the next few years. The move follows a council meeting highlighting the need for fresh investments after a decade of limited improvements. The refurbishment also supports net zero goals and the church’s wider mission.

🏨 In July 2025, CitizenM founders sold their brand to Marriott for $355M but retained ownership of 37 properties through long-term franchise agreements. They rebranded as "Another Star" and leveraged Marriott Bonvoy distribution. Subsequently, they refinanced their portfolio for $685M with JP Morgan and KSL Capital Partners, marking one of the largest hotel financings of 2025. CitizenM's strategic capital structuring at the platform level, rather than the deal level, was key to this success.

🏨 Highline Hospitality Partners acquired the Pittsburgh Marriott North, marking their 17th hotel and first in Pennsylvania. Located in Cranberry, 20 miles from Pittsburgh, the 298-room hotel features 12,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. Highline's portfolio now includes 21 properties with over 4,600 rooms and assets over $1 billion. Avion Hospitality will manage the hotel. Built in 2003, it will undergo guestroom renovations to enhance its appeal.