Mergers & Acquisitions

🍻 RedCat Hospitality's like-for-like sales rose 2% year-on-year, ending March 30, 2025. Adjusted EBITDA soared 290% to £8.8m, with site EBITDA up 42% to £18.7m. An £8m capital investment program began, focusing on pubs with rooms and carvery pubs. The Castle Carvery Clocktower in Norwich benefited from a £0.6m investment. Q1 sales rose 6.7% to £32.7m, with a strategic £3m refurbishment in South Wales delivering a 94% sales uplift. Investments in Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, and Staffordshire led to a 20.3% sales growth.

💰 EXTENDAM and Highgate have partnered to acquire the Hilton Porto Gaia, a 194-room, five-star hotel in Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal. Opened in 2021, the hotel offers 47 suites, a restaurant, bar, spa, and a 350-seat auditorium. Managed by Highgate under the Hilton brand, the hotel holds an A-rated energy certificate and Biosphere Responsible Tourism certification. This marks the first collaboration between EXTENDAM and Highgate, aiming to leverage Porto's thriving market.

🏨 The Duke Street Boutique Hotel in Liverpool city centre was sold to Golding Group at an undisclosed price. The hotel, with 30 en-suite rooms, three of which have courtyard access, will reopen in a few weeks. Tom O’Malley from Christie and Co, who managed the sale, noted the strong demand in the city centre hotel market, with nine offers received. Golding Group is eager to integrate the hotel into their Liverpool hospitality portfolio.

🛌 Accor is selling four branded hotels in London, Luton, and Southampton. These are the Ibis London Barking, Ibis Luton Airport, Ibis Southampton Centre, and Novotel Southampton, offering over 460 bedrooms. The Ibis London Barking has 86 bedrooms with expansion potential to 120. The Luton Airport site has 162 rooms, while the Southampton Centre provides 93 bedrooms. Novotel Southampton features 121 bedrooms and wellness facilities. Christie and Co are managing the sale, expecting high interest.

🏝️ KSL Capital Partners has acquired The Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa. Located in South Carolina, the resort boasts 420 guestrooms, direct beach access, three outdoor pools, and a renowned spa. Since 2012, $47 million has been invested in enhancements. The property includes 40,000 sq ft of event space, accommodating up to 1,000 guests. KSL aims to elevate this prime leisure destination, known for its wellness offerings and beach-inspired décor.

💸 Oakwood Hotel near Gloucester was sold to Kang Hotels for an undisclosed sum, after being listed for over £2 million. Situated on Tewkesbury Road, it features 55 bedrooms on 3 acres within a Grade II-listed Georgian manor. The sale was managed by Christie and Co. Kang Hotels plans a refurbishment to enhance the hotel, including new dining options. The original owner intended additional expansions but sold due to semi-retirement and emigration.

💸 Sep 23, 2025, New York City: The Waldorf Astoria reopens after an eight-year, $6 billion transformation into 375 hotel rooms and 372 condos. Wu Xiaohui's $1.95 billion purchase in 2014 led to ambitious renovation plans thwarted by regulations and high costs. Wu's 2017 arrest for financial crimes resulted in Chinese state control. Now Hilton's luxury flagship, nightly rates start at $1,500, yet financial returns remain uncertain.

🏨 Aareal Bank financed Pullman Paris Montparnasse with Bain Capital, Columbia Threadneedle, and QuinSpark. The 34-story hotel in the 14th Arrondissement features 957 rooms, two restaurants, a sky bar, and 5,000 square meters of meeting space. The financing covers acquisition, guest upgrades, and sustainability efforts, following renovations from 2017 to 2021. Michelle Weiss emphasized Paris's allure and the property's long-term value, while Marc-Olivier Assouline praised Aareal's swift and confident underwriting.