Miscellaneous

🍴 Ellis Barrie, Felix Shore, and Paul Askew will each lead kitchen takeovers at The Savvy Fox, Hotel Wrexham, in October 2026. Barrie kicks off the series on October 2, followed by Shore on October 23, and Askew concluding on October 30. Each event features a four-course tasting menu with local produce, a welcome drink, and a Q&A session. The Savvy Collective, aiming to enhance Wrexham’s hospitality scene, organizes this series after the hotel’s recent four-star rating.

🏃 In Paris, this month, Satisfy opened its first physical store in the Marais district, featuring two storefronts: Satisfy Supply and Fuel Station. Designed by Ciguë, it blends performance with art gallery aesthetics, displaying products like $140 T-shirts on custom slabs. The boutique emphasizes interaction over sales, encouraging customer engagement and featuring a coffee bar for post-run refreshments. Satisfy, online for 11 years, now explores expansion, aiming to build community alongside sales.

🏨 Landingplace Hotels, based in Bluffton, S.C., announced the Borderless Hotel Alliance for independent hotels. The Ambassadors Inn & Suites in Virginia Beach, with 102 rooms and operated by the Barot family for over 30 years, is its first member. The hotel's integration begins, targeting completion by December 2026. This alliance offers technology, distribution, and commercial resources while preserving hotel identity, aiming to bridge the gap for independent owners. The initiative emphasizes trust and aligns with owner goals.

🚢 Explora Journeys, a luxury cruise brand, has signed a Letter of Intent with Den Breejen Shipyard in the Netherlands for its first river ships, expanding into river cruising. Sales are expected to begin in 2027. The brand aims to blend sea travel freedom with European hospitality on iconic European rivers. Details on ship design, onboard experiences, and itineraries will be announced later.

🏨 Hotel owners are challenging major groups on costs. At the Skift Global Forum in NYC, Hyatt's CEO Mark Hoplamazian emphasized a mindset of ownership. Hyatt, primarily owning its hotels for 67 of its 70 years, faced the Covid crisis firsthand. Initially, 43% occupancy was needed to break even, but they reduced this to 22% in six months. Importantly, Hyatt shared its strategies with Host Hotels, its largest third-party owner, demonstrating collaboration.

📅 Marriott International celebrates its 100-year countdown by revisiting a 1980s TV commercial. Back then, they had 100 hotels, now expanded to 10,000 hotels across 30+ brands globally. Bill Marriott traveled 110,000 miles annually to personally inspect hotels, a tradition continued by David Marriott, visiting locations from São Paulo to Singapore. The company attributes its success to its owners, franchisees, guests, and associates, aiming for an even brighter future.

🏢 MGM Resorts International confirmed that People Incorporated withdrew its proposal to acquire remaining shares by June 1, 2026. MGM Resorts, listed on NYSE: MGM, operates 31 global hotel and gaming destinations. Key ventures include their 50/50 BetMGM venture for U.S. sports betting and expansion efforts in Japan through MGM Osaka. Recognized by FORTUNE® as a World's Most Admired Company, MGM Resorts remains committed to sustainability and shareholder value, continuing as a standalone company.

🎸 Peter Hook's new Joy Division boxset, "Eternal (Live)," releases on September 25, 2026. This deluxe edition contains 14 CDs and 2 DVDs, documenting 16 gigs. Joy Division, active from 1978 to 1980, ended with frontman Ian Curtis's death at 23. The set's cover, a Wolfgang Tillmans photo, complements the band's iconic visuals. Featuring notable photographers like Anton Corbijn, the package is a nostalgic journey into Joy Division's impactful legacy.

🏨 Sopwell House in Hertfordshire has received AA Five Star status in 2026 after anonymous inspections assessed its service, facilities, and guest experience. The 12-acre Georgian hotel achieved this during its 40th anniversary, reflecting significant investment and team efforts. Rafi Bejerano, hotel director, praised the achievement as a milestone in providing exceptional service. Simon Numphud of AA Hotel and Hospitality Services highlighted the hotel's example of true hospitality in the UK.

🏨 Students are keen on specialized hospitality fields like guest experience, entrepreneurship, wellness, or luxury, rather than traditional hotel management. Employers seek candidates with these specialized skills, reflecting a shift in the industry.