- Marriott International signs agreement to debut luxury JW Marriott brand in Spain
- Hilton reveals Homewood Suites brand refresh
- Historic Breakers Hotel will be reborn in Long Beach
- The smoke that thunders - Radisson to open new resort on the Zambian side of Victoria Falls
- Data metrics - latest performance insights from STR
- News briefs - bitesize updates of latest industry news and developments
Marriott International signs agreement to debut luxury JW Marriott brand in Spain
Marriott International has signed an agreement to introduce the JW Marriott brand to Madrid. Located in the central Plaza de Canalejas, JW Marriott Madrid will be developed by Millenium Hotels Real Estate as part of their lease agreement with a wholly owned subsidiary of Belagua and is expected to open in 2022. The hotel's design will be led by local architects Arvo Arquitectura de Juan, with interiors by the Madrid team at Rockwell Group. Design plans are expected to offer "a sense of balance and warmth," inspired by the "principles of mindfulness, using natural elements, interesting textures and tactile spaces," according to Marriott. The restored property is expected to offer 139-guestrooms which will include two floors of suites, all featuring outdoor terraces. Plans for public spaces include a lobby bar, a distinctive restaurant and wellbeing spaces. Marriott International currently operates 93 properties in Spain across its portfolio.
Hilton reveals Homewood Suites brand refresh
Hilton Hotels has revealed a comprehensive brand refresh for its extended-stay Homewood Suites brand. The 'Prototype 10.0' template has been designed to offer "added value and versatility for owners and developers, while exceeding the needs of guests who want the comforts of home," according to the hotel group. Featuring smart, intuitive design, a new suite type with elevated experiences, Prototype 10.0 enables the footprint of properties for owners and developers, to actually shrink as a site size from 2.49 acres to 2.36 acres and building area by more than 3,350 square feet, but still increases the number of room keys from 121 suites to 131 suites. This has been achieved through the debut of the King Efficiency Suite, which in the future will represent up to 30% of any property's inventory. At 358 square feet it features many of the attributes of a full suite, including a fully-equipped kitchen, a work space area, soft seating and a separate vanity and bathroom, but in a smaller space. These suites can either be booked individually, or as connecting suites for larger groups and families. Prototype 10.0 is expected to be in market in 2023. Inspired by the refreshed hotel design, later this year, Homewood Suites will also introduce an updated brand identity, including an evolved logo mark that reflects the updated prototype and elevated experience of the brand.
Historic Breakers Hotel will be reborn in Long Beach
The hospitality expert and television personality behind Hotel Impossible and founder of Argeo Hospitality, Anthony Melchiorri, has partnered with Long Beach-based development company Pacific6 to bring the historic Breakers Hotel back to life nearly 35 years after closing as a hospitality venue. The Long Beach landmark, best known for its storied reputation as a go-to destination in the early 20th century, will be reborn in 2023 as a boutique luxury destination offering 185 guest rooms and suites. Part of Long Beach history for nearly 100 years, The Breakers Hotel was built in 1926, and became a beacon of prosperity for the city. It since stood witness as Long Beach evolved into the international city it is today. As Long Beach experiences a local renaissance, Pacfic6 identified the need for an iconic hotel for the town's burgeoning conventions and tourism industries, sparking this planned USD150 million renovation.
The smoke that thunders - Radisson to open new resort on the Zambian side of Victoria Falls
Radisson Hotel Group has confirmed plans for its first resort and third hotel in Zambia, with the signing of the Radisson Blu Resort Mosi-oa-Tunya, Livingstone, Zambia. Due to open by the end of 2022, this new addition supports the Group's objective of reaching 150 hotels in operation and under development in Africa by 2025. The property will be nestled on the banks of one of Africa's longest rivers, the Zambezi, in Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, around 5 kilometres south of the historic city of Livingstone, and just 4 kilometres north west of the Victoria Falls, one of the seven natural wonders of the world and an UNESCO world heritage site. The construction of the new hotel which is currently underway, and the design fully integrate local materials and focuses on employing and upskilling local craftspeople. It will consist of a contemporary 174-room main hotel and 26 luxurious villas.
Data metrics - latest performance insights from STR
- The hotel industry across Canada reported slightly higher performance in Mar-2021 when compared with recent months. Each of the three key performance metrics were the country's highest since Sep-2020, albeit year-on-year declines in ADR and RevPAR remained significant. Occupancy for the month was recorded at 31.9%, a slight increase year-on-year, but down -46.8% on the pre-pandemic comparable of March 2019 (-46.8%). ADR in Mar-2021 was CAD117.86 and RevPAR CAD37.64. The highest occupancy among provinces was reported in British Columbia (41.5%) and at the market level in Vancouver (39.8%).
- The United States of America (USA) hotel industry in Mar-2021 showed its highest performance levels since the beginning of the pandemic. Occupancy (54.6%) and RevPAR (USD57.87) were the highest for any month since Feb-2020, while ADR (USD106.08) was the highest since Mar-2020. While year-on-year percentage changes show significant increases because of comparison with a pandemic-affected period in 2020, the country's performance levels remained well below the pre-pandemic comparable of Mar-2019: occupancy (-20.0%), ADR (-19.7%) and RevPAR (-35.8%).
News briefs - bitesize updates of latest industry news and developments
- The AC Hotel Columbus Downtown is due to welcome its first guests in Jun-2021. The property, developed by Continental Hospitality Group and managed by Concord Hospitality, will be located in a prime position that intersects the city's bustling business district, Arena District and Short North Arts District. It will feature 160 rooms designed for leisure and business travellers looking to experience the best Columbus has to offer.
- Hilton and White Lodging have announced the opening of Canopy by Hilton San Antonio Riverwalk located in the vibrant city of San Antonio on the iconic Riverwalk. The 195-room hotel is the first Canopy by Hilton in San Antonio, but the fourth property in the Lone Star State, and joins Canopy by Hilton Dallas Frisco, Canopy by Hilton Dallas Uptown and Canopy by Hilton Austin Downtown.
- Casa Cody, the oldest operating hotel in Palm Springs, has reopened following a significant restoration and revitalisation project under the management of Casetta Group to usher the renowned Palm Springs establishment into the present day with respect to its Spanish Colonial Revival heritage, adobe hacienda architecture and enduring spirit.
- The Cora Cora Maldives is on track to reopen on 01-Oct-2021 in the unspoilt Raa Atoll. The redevelopment will see the island - 45 minutes by seaplane from Male - open with 100 villas, split between over-water and beach-front. It is being positioned as an affordable luxury all-inclusive resort with a unique cultural offering. The villa interiors will have a completely new visual aesthetic, with lighter, brighter colours and original Maldivian artworks which reflect the setting and mood of the resort.
- PointCentral, a provider of smart home solutions for property managers, has entered into a partnership with Helm Smart Home to provide property automation solutions to short-term rental property managers with fewer than 25 doors through the launch of a new e-commerce platform, Helm Rentals. The partnership and e-commerce site will enable smaller, ambitious, property managers to access services and hardware that are usually reserved for larger enterprise-level property management companies.
- Hotelbeds has welcomed global hotel chains IHG Hotels & Resorts and Accor to its Green Hotel Programme, further strengthening its commitment to sustainable tourism. IHG and Accor are the latest industry players to join the Programme which was launched in Oct-2020 to identify, highlight and promote sustainable tourism within the Hotelbeds portfolio.
- The Hyatt House Davis has formally opened marking the brand's first property in the city, west of Sacramento in California. Owned by Presidio Companies, the property is located less than two miles from UC Davis and just over a mile from downtown Davis off Interstate 80 and Mace Blvd. It features 118 guestrooms, including 72 apartment-style Kitchen Suites with fully equipped kitchens.
- Ona Hotels has selected SiteMinder, the world's largest open hotel commerce platform, to support the process of digitally transforming its 25-year business and consolidating its technology as it prepares for future growth. The appointment will see the company adopt a more dynamic pricing strategy with SiteMinder and distribute its portfolio of 8,000 rooms through SiteMinder's platform. Ona Hotels properties are located throughout Spain's main travel hubs and the group has plans to expand in other parts of the EMEA region.