- Rosewood Mexico City will occupy grand tower of Antara's new Mexico City development
- Novotel launches a new era of design offering a non-standardised style to guests
- Hyatt to bring luxury Alila Hotel brand to Shanghai with exclusive urban retreat concept
- Latin America reports lowest level for pipeline project and room counts in almost a decade
- Data metrics - latest performance insights from STR
- News briefs - bitesize updates of latest industry news and developments
Rosewood Mexico City will occupy grand tower of Antara's new Mexico City development
Expanding its strong footprint in Mexico, Rosewood Hotels & Resorts has confirmed it has been appointed by real estate development firm Grupo Sordo Madaleno to operate Rosewood Mexico City, a new hotel expected to open in 2024 in the flourishing Polanco district. Positioned in the heart of the vibrant capital, the property will occupy the grand tower of Antara's new build expansion, a mixed-use development which also comprises modern offices, luxury retail outlets, restaurants, and entertainment venues. It will house 133 guestrooms, 35 of which will be suites, while dedicated meeting and event spaces totalling 1,270 square meters will cater to both large and intimate groups. The deals marks Rosewood Hotels & Resorts' milestone 20th property in The Americas and joins the brand's largest growth pipeline to date with 22 projects across the globe. The Rosewood offer in Mexico already comprises Las Ventanas al Paraíso, A Rosewood Resort in Los Cabos; Rosewood Mayakoba in Riviera Maya; Rosewood San Miguel de Allende and Rosewood Mandarina, opening in 2023.
Novotel launches a new era of design offering a non-standardised style to guests
The midscale Novotel brand of Accor is taking a very different outlook for the future and has teamed with four different international designers to deliver a new vision of modern to the world. Following an intense worldwide design pitch, these teams will each work on a new design template for Novotel properties across the world and redefining the brand. By choosing four distinct concepts, Novotel aims to provide flexibility to its owning and franchisee partners, allowing each to choose and customise to an ideal style that best suits the unique character of the destination. The goal of the redefinition of the brands is "to achieve a signature hotel experience, without standardisation," says Nadège Keryhuel, vice president, Novotel Brand at Accor, certainly a major evolution for the brand in the midscale segment. The four designs options offer very different concepts. From RF Studio it is an adaptable, sustainable, easy to renovate concept that aims to deliver a homey feeling and unexpected atmosphere. In the case of Metro it is modelled around 'time is on your side' and a modern design concept that features natural tones and raw materials, inviting guests to enjoy a multifunctional and flexible space that evolves throughout the day. Meanwhile, the concept from Sundukovy Sisters blends business with pleasure and mixes well-being among unique 'co-living' spaces that embrace lively, social surroundings, current trends and timeless comforts. Finally, the idea of Hypothesis has a focus on reducing not only physical waste, but also reducing wasted space and time with a design concept that promises guests can achieve the balance they seek during their stay. Over the next several years, will start to see these new designs appearing at a number of Novotel locations worldwide. Confirmed selections include: Novotel Moscow Comcity (Sundukovy Sisters), Novotel Lviv Centre (Hypothesis), Novotel BH Savassi (Metro), Novotel Canela (RF Studio), Novotel Victoria Island Lagos (Sundukovy Sisters), Novotel Kinshasa (Metro), Novotel Vladivostok (Metro), Novotel Mexico City Insurgentes WTC (Sundukovy Sisters), Novotel Criciúma (Metro) and Novotel St Petersburg Airport (Sundukovy Sisters).
Hyatt to bring luxury Alila Hotel brand to Shanghai with exclusive urban retreat concept
Hyatt Hotels has announced that an affiliate has entered into an agreement with an affiliate of Fungseng Prosperity Holdings to develop a 188-room Alila hotel in the Jing'an District of Shanghai. A high-profile conversion project, Alila Shanghai is expected to debut in 2023 and will be the first Alila branded urban hotel in China, offering a relaxing and nature-infused luxury retreat in the heart of the bustling metropolis. Designed as an "urban utopia," Alila Shanghai will offer guests what is described as an "elevated retreat experience" with spacious studios and suites evoking a spirit of calm and relaxation in the busy Chinese city. The property, located in a mixed-use development that will also feature premium offices and retail space, is adjacent to Nanjing West Road, one of Shanghai's most established high-end shopping thoroughfares. Shanghai's dynamic, fast-growing Jing'an District has become one of the most coveted business and residential addresses and home to a vibrant fashion, creative, media, arts and culture community.
Latin America reports lowest level for pipeline project and room counts in almost a decade
The Latin America hotel construction pipeline stood at 604 projects and 104,275 rooms at the end of 1Q 2021, down -14% by projects and -16% by rooms, year-on-year, according to Lodging Econometrics' (LE's) Construction Pipeline Trend Report for the first quarter of the year. These represent the lowest project and room counts seen in the region since 2Q 2012 as countries across Latin America continue to feel the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, with many still enduring high outbreak rates and new variants. The data shows that projects currently under construction ended 1Q2021 at 323 projects, comprising 60,332 rooms, no real change year-on-year in project levels but a +5% rise in rooms. Projects scheduled to start construction in the next 12 months show an -11% decrease on 1Q 2020, while projects in the early planning stage experienced a -43% decline. The report highlights that overthe past four quarters, 56 new hotels (with 10,806 rooms) opened in Latin America. This is the fewest number of openings the region has seen in this real estate cycle. This brings the total hotel count in Latin America to 11,202 hotels (1,183,365 rooms). LE is forecasting 95 projects (16,781 rooms) to open by the end of the current calendar year and 124 projects (20,027) rooms to open in 2022. The top five countries for hotel construction in Latin America are Mexico, with 215 projects (37,786 rooms), Brazil with 114 projects (17,449 rooms), Peru with 38 projects (4,978 rooms), the Dominican Republic with 24 projects (4,972 rooms), and Cuba with 19 projects (6,703 rooms).
Data metrics - latest performance insights from STR
- The hotel industry in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) reported its highest room rates in three months, according to preliminary Apr-2021. Absolute ADR (AED576.33) and RevPAR (AED343.94) were the highest in the market since Jan-2021. Occupancy (59.7%), while significantly improved from pandemic lows, came in slightly lower than Mar-2021. Throughout the Apr-2021 Ramadan period, daily occupancy remained in the 50% range, according to STR.
- London, United Kingdom hotels showed slightly better performance in Apr-2021 compared with recent months, albeit at overall low levels, according to preliminary data. The absolute occupancy (28.6%) level was the highest for any month in London since Oct-2020, while the ADR (GBP67.13) and RevPAR (GBP19.23) levels were the highest since Dec-2020. Occupancy-on-the-books data for the market shows positive future weekend peaks after 17-May-2021 - the day hotels across England are permitted to reopen.
- The hotel industry in Sydney, Australia reported its highest occupancy and revenue per available room (RevPAR) in 14 months, according to preliminary data for Apr-2021. The absolute occupancy 56.7%) and RevPAR (AUD110.76) levels were the highest in the market since Feb-2020, while ADR (AUD195.19) was the highest since Mar-2020. Elevated levels were due to continued improvement in both weekend and weekday performance, says STR, with May-2021 on track for similar performance as forward occupancy is comparable to Ap-2021 levels.
News briefs - bitesize updates of latest industry news and developments
- The Alaia Belize boutique resort has opened as an Autograph Collection property and the first Marriott International resort in the Central American nation. Spanning over 20+ acres and the first in San Pedro Town to sit on more than 1,000 feet of beachfront access, Alaia Belize is a 155-unit complex operating on Ambergris Caye, Belize's largest island.
- IHG Hotels & Resorts has confirmed that the second Atwell Suites hotel is now under construction in Denver, owned by Kendall Combs and KJ Hotel Properties. The new Colorado property follows the Atwell Suites Miami Brickell, which is expected to open later this year. IHG also announced the latest signings for the brand including Galveston, Texas, owned by Harold Smart and Smart Hotels and Fishers, Indiana owned by Mitesh Patel and Striving Legacy Fishers. Expected to open in early 2022, the Atwell Suites Denver Airport - Tower Road is located in Colorado's most populous city and - as its name suggests - is within close proximity to Denver International Airport.
- Contemporary luxury hotel group ette hotels, founded by hotelier Alex Ekbatani, has confirmed it will open its first property, the ette hotel Orlando, early this Summer. The new arrival plans to redefine the luxury hospitality space and will feature what it describes as "a sophisticated look and feel with a focus on high-touch service and personalised experiences". Located south of Orlando's famed theme parks, the property will offer 126 guestrooms.
- Hyatt Hotels Corporation has opened The Walper Hotel in Kitchener, Ontario marking the second JdV by Hyatt hotel in Canada following the opening of The Anndore House in Toronto in Apr-2021. The 92-room boutique hotel "caters to free-spirited guests seeking vibrant and socially inclusive stays - bringing people from all walks of life together," according to Hyatt.
- PKF hotelexperts, an international market leader in hotel and tourism consulting, has relaunched its event business under the umbrella brand 196+ and the byline 'hospitality events for curious minds'. The umbrella brand reflects the current number of countries in the world. Of the 196 states, 193 are members of the United Nations, two have UN observer status and one country is recognised by the majority of UN members.
- Hospitality firm Whitbread has announced it will add a total of 2,142 rooms across its Premier Inn and Hub by Premier Inn brands in the UK this summer with 17 new or extended hotels due to be unveiled between May-2021 and Aug-2021. Supporting an increase desire for UK staycations and coastal breaks as the COVID-19 pandemic remains a concern, these will include new properties in Blackpool (North Pier), Bournemouth and Thurso.
- Q Apartments, a global apartment operator, has launched its latest collection of fully equipped apartments, set in three areas of London's popular West End area - Berwick Street, West Street and Gerrard Place. The apartments are part of a UK wide expansion and confidence in a strong return of travel across the UK this year. Each apartment comes fully equipped with essentials such as washer/dryers and dishwashers to finer details such as fully equipped kitchens and complimentary welcome packs on arrival.
- NexGen Hotels has acquired the SpringHill Suites by Marriott Chicago Bolingbrook and The new owners plan a multimillion-dollar renovation to upgrade the interior and exterior starting in Dec-2021. The three-storey property is located in Bolingbrook a suburb to the southwest of Chicago and offers 82 suites of accommodation.
- The Hoxton, Rome has opened its doors in Parioli, an upmarket neighbourhood of the Italian capital. The property occupies a 1970s building and offers 192 bedrooms spread over seven floors and across in six different sizes: Shoebox, Cosy, Cosy Up, Roomy, Roomy Terrace and Biggy. All the rooms draw references from the nostalgic interiors of classic Italian cinema, for which Rome is celebrated, with rustic parquet floors, lacquered timbers and local stones, whilst the brightly coloured bathrooms nod to mid-century Italian design. This is the brands tenth property and joins others in London (Shoreditch, Holborn and Southwark), Paris, Amsterdam, New York, Portland, Chicago, and Downtown Los Angeles.