TOP NEWS

🏨 23rd October 2026, London: The 2026 GuestRevu GREAT Awards celebrated hospitality excellence at L’oscar, London. Supported by major industry players, the event featured panels on tech integration and data insights, moderated by industry experts. Over 750 properties from 60 countries participated, with 85,000 reviews analyzed via GuestRevu LITE. Qosmo Brasov Hotel, MS Collection Arouca, and L’oscar London won top European categories. The Africa winners will be announced on 26th November in Cape Town.

📝 Oct 23, 2026, Markus Busch reports: Google executed over 292 million review blocks/removals on Google Maps in 2025. The system performs initial checks upon posting and secondary checks six to seven days later. Reviewflowz and Cartelis analyzed 9,048 profiles in August 2026, revealing that removal rates soared for reviews posted in bulk. Responding within two days reduced removal risk by 50%. One in five account removals erased all reviews by the guest.

🏨 Hotels use point-of-sale systems to connect restaurant, spa and shop purchases with guest bills. Integrating POS with property management systems automates charges, reduces billing errors and tracks revenue. Hospitality POS terminals are projected to reach $8.3 billion globally by 2032, while hotel upselling represents a $28 billion opportunity. An Australian hotel chain increased food-and-beverage spending by 8% using in-room QR codes and poolside handheld terminals. Cloudbeds offers native POS and third-party integrations.

🏨 2024: The global wellness economy will be valued at $6.8 trillion, growing 7.5% annually. Wellness tourism and spas are expanding faster at 14.5% yearly. Hotels with significant wellness facilities earn 108% higher TRevPAR. Steve Porter of Trybe explains the trend of guests booking hotels for wellness offerings. Mews and Trybe collaborate to streamline booking systems, enhancing guest experiences. Technology aids in managing operations and maximizing wellness value, encouraging a holistic hotel approach.

🏨 In October, Martin Soler proposed that AI tools are turning hotel staff into computer operators. Terence Ronson noted hidden costs in AI travel agent bookings, suggesting fees will rise. Hilton plans to offer digital pay-with-points at 800 U.S. hotels by 2026. Asia Pacific reached 96.3% of 2019 tourist arrivals in early 2026, with Korea and Vietnam thriving. A $725M expansion at Hard Rock Casino Tejon began, and new hotels opened in Wroclaw, Amsterdam, and Midtown Manhattan.

📶 Cloudbeds launched a native mobile POS solution in San Diego, CA, for hotel restaurants, bars, spas, and shops, streamlining outlet sales into its unified platform. This integration aids hoteliers in managing orders, payments, and revenues efficiently. Features include room charges posted to guest folios, multiple payment methods like Tap to Pay, and offline order recording. Currently piloted with select customers, Cloudbeds serves tens of thousands of properties across 150+ countries, enhancing guest experiences and operational efficiency since 2012.

🥃 Ian Rush MBE, a Welsh and Liverpool legend, has unveiled NINE, a nine-year-old Welsh single malt whisky, matured in Tawny port casks, with Penderyn Distillery. Rush scored 411 goals in 892 matches, including 346 for Liverpool, and 28 for Wales, holding the Welsh record until 2018. Launched on 18 October 1992, NINE honors Rush's legacy and his iconic number nine shirt. Penderyn Distillery began in 2000 and expanded in Wales, opening the Llandudno and Swansea distilleries in 2021 and 2023.

💳 Hilton has launched the "Pay with Points" feature, allowing Hilton Honors members to use loyalty points for hotel charges via the Hilton Honors App. Initially available at 150 U.S. hotels, it will extend to over 800 by 2026 and 6,000+ in the U.S. and Canada by early 2027. This digital checkout experience is part of Hilton’s efforts to enhance flexibility and control for 190 million members, aligning with significant customer demand for point redemption in hotel stays.

🏙 Central London Alliance’s annual Business Summit brought business leaders and policymakers together to discuss London’s economic future. Chairman Tony Matharu urged an immediate rethink of support for the capital. Hospitality leaders warned about National Insurance costs, a proposed visitor levy and staffing cuts. Newmark’s Nia Fraser said Section 106 negotiations can delay development by 1–2 years. Speakers called for simpler regulation, less restrictive West End licensing, stronger leadership and clearer promotion of London’s attractions.

🏨 Global Hotel Alliance has signed Far East Hospitality to add 26 hotels and serviced residences, totaling 6,212 rooms across Singapore, Malaysia and Japan. Integration is scheduled for early 2027 and covers five brands: Oasia, Quincy, Rendezvous, Village and Far East Collection. The partnership will connect the properties with GHA DISCOVERY’s global audience, expanding guest choice while preserving each brand’s identity.