Mergers & Acquisitions

🏎️ Aston Martin's expansion into luxury hospitality marks a strategic evolution. The brand plans to develop hotels near private racetracks, offering bespoke services like custom garages and direct car access to suites. The first hotel will be in Europe. Partnering with developers, such as Dar Global for the £200 million Astera project in the UAE, Aston Martin aims to diversify revenue and set new luxury standards. This aligns with the trend of brands like Lush and IKEA entering hospitality.

💸 UK-based Open Destinations, founded in 1998, provides reservation tech and services globally, serving 75 customers in 30 countries with 650 staff. Insight Partners, a global software investor, made a strategic growth investment. Open Destinations' products, Travel Studio and Rail Studio, serve companies like Emirates and Orient Express. Insight’s Michael Shephard and Peter Segall join the board. Kevin O’Sullivan and John Davies of Open Destinations see the investment as a new growth chapter.

🏨 UK, 2025: PPHE Hotel Group acquires a 13,000 sqm site near Tower Bridge for £90 million, including £17.5 million for the site. A Radisson RED hotel with 182 rooms, a restaurant, bar, gym, and 41,000 sqft of office space is set to open in 2029, targeting a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating. Expected high single-digit annual yield. Second acquisition by PPHE's hospitality fund includes financing for construction post-approval.

🏨 La Citadelle hotel, built in 1559, was converted to a 4-star hotel in 2005. It features 80 rooms and is located near Metz’s city center. SomnOO, founded in 2014, recently acquired this hotel, aligning with its growth strategy of owning over 60 hotels across France and Germany. SomnOO aims to be a leading player in the European hospitality industry by 2030. This acquisition follows their recent purchase of six Ibis hotels and two in the Paris region.

🏨 UK, June 2025: RE Capital sold the Ruby Stella hotel in Farringdon, London, to LaSalle Investment Management for £48 million. The hotel, featuring 153 rooms, a restaurant, and a bar, launched in November 2024 as Ruby's 20th European hotel. It boasts a BREEAM Excellent rating and an EPC A6. Savills advised RE Capital, with Constantine RE and Gowling WLG representing LaSalle.

🏨 BWH Hotels added 15,000 hotel keys globally, boosting its position as the second-largest independent soft brand. By 2027, they aim for 70 properties in the Middle East, with new hotels in Jeddah, Riyadh, and Madinah. In Europe, expansions include Germany's Loftstyle Hotel Gerlingen and Slovakia's Best Western Hotel Prešov. The UK saw the addition of seven hotels, including Sheffield City. They are also venturing into extended-stay and glamping sectors.

🏝️ Playa Hotels & Resorts joins Hyatt’s portfolio, adding 15 all-inclusive resorts in Mexico, Dominican Republic, and Jamaica. The expansion strengthens Hyatt’s Inclusive Collection with renowned properties like Secrets La Romana and Dreams Rose Hall. This acquisition follows previous acquisitions, including the Apple Leisure Group in 2021 and a joint venture with Grupo Piñero in 2024. Hyatt aims to boost its leadership in the all-inclusive segment through enhanced locations, capabilities, and talent.

📍 Italy: In 2025, COIMA SGR acquired €54 million in debt for the Grand Hôtel des Bains in Lido di Venezia and plans to invest €200 million to restore it after 15 years of closure. Opened in 1900, the hotel inspired Thomas Mann’s "Death in Venice." It closed in 2010 when Est Capital abandoned a luxury apartment project. COIMA and Eagle Hills, led by Mohamed Alabbar, will restore it into a modern luxury resort, engaging Venice's authorities.

🏕 Siblu’s European expansion in 2025 saw the acquisition of eight villages: six in Belgium, one in Germany, and one in the Netherlands. A €1 million investment starts in 2026 for a new 60-hectare site in Germany. Belgium receives €5 million for 1,500 pitches upgrades. Siblu aims for €320 million revenue in 2025, with €30 million for French investments in 2026. Siblu targets 80 villages by 2030, employing 2,000 during peak 2025.