- Bvlgari Hotels & Resorts debuts in the US with planned Miami Beach property
- Hyatt announces plans for Hyatt Regency London Olympia, the second Regency hotel in the city
- IHG signs up to expand Crowne Plaza brand in Thailand
- Data metrics - latest performance insights from STR
- News briefs - bitesize updates of latest industry news and developments
Bvlgari Hotels & Resorts debuts in the US with planned Miami Beach property
Bvlgari Hotels & Resorts have confirmed plans for a new hotel in Miami Beach, scheduled to open in 2024. This new opening will follow the announced projects in Paris, to open in 2021, Moscow and Rome in 2022, Tokyo in 2023, thus bringing the Bvlgari Hotels & Resorts Collection to eleven properties, also including Milan, London, Dubai, Shanghai, Beijing and Bali. The hotel will be located at 100 21st street in Miami Beach, and will be the first ever Bvlgari Hotel in the United States. Waterfront located alongside beautiful beaches, it will be a short walk from the city's most vibrant attractions and South Beach's trendy Ocean Drive. The building hosting the property was originally designed as a hotel by Miami architect Albert Anis in the late 1950s, as part of the Miami Modern movement in Miami Beach; it is a contributing building located in the National Register Architectural District and was well known as a centre of events and parties for the Hollywood Crowd descending on Miami Beach for the winter. The design project, which will be curated, like all the other Bvlgari Hotels, by the Milanese architectural firm Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel, is proposed to include about 100 rooms, most of them suites, and a full range of luxury facilities including an outdoor swimming pool, a large spa and fitness centre, and a Bvlgari restaurant and bar both curated by Italian 3 Michelin-star chef Niko Romito.
Hyatt announces plans for Hyatt Regency London Olympia, the second Regency hotel in the city
Hyatt Hotels has confirmed an affiliate has entered into a management agreement with an affiliate of Olympus Property Holding Limited to develop a new Hyatt Regency hotel in London. The 196-room hotel is slated to open in 2024 and will mark the eighth Hyatt-branded property and the second Hyatt Regency hotel in London. Hyatt Regency London Olympia will add to the current portfolio of Hyatt Regency hotels in the United Kingdom, joining Hyatt Regency Birmingham, Hyatt Regency Manchester and Hyatt Regency London - The Churchill. Hyatt Regency London Olympia will deliver the personalized and energizing guest experiences as well as the stress-free environment that embodies the Hyatt Regency brand ethos. Business and leisure travellers alike will enjoy seamless, intuitive service alongside memorable dining experiences as well as flexible spaces to work, collaborate or relax. The property will be part of a new development that will see Olympia, London's historic convention centre built in 1873, redeveloped and transformed into an integrated convention, entertainment, and cultural district in West London. The property will feature a restaurant and a lobby lounge with bar and market area, while for corporate guests, the hotel will offer four meeting rooms and will be directly connected to the London Olympia convention centre.
IHG signs up to expand Crowne Plaza brand in Thailand
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has signed a landmark franchise agreement with real estate experts, Siamese Asset to expand its world-renowned Crowne Plaza brand in Bangkok. The new Crowne Plaza Bangkok Rama 9 hotel will open in 2025 in a prime city location, close to the Thai capital's new central business district. The announcement signals the first time IHG has completed a franchise agreement in Thailand, as they expand their relationship with long-term partner Kew Green, a franchisee of more than 40 hotels in the UK. Kew Green have undertaken a joint venture with experienced real estate developer Siamese Asset to bring the milestone arrangement to fruition. This signing demonstrates the continued growth of the Crowne Plaza brand in Thailand having announced the signing of Crowne Plaza Bangkok Grand Sukhumvit last month, expanding the brand's footprint to three hotels in the capital. IHG says it "continues to seek further expansion for the brand across the country" as the upscale segment continues to grow. The Crowne Plaza Bangkok Rama 9 will be located in a mixed-use development - Siamese Rama 9 - which features high-end apartments, office space and a mall. It is 25 kilometres from Suvarnabhumi International Airport and 22 kilometres from Don Muang International Airport. Embassies, office towers and hospitals, as well as shopping, dining and entertainment hotspots, are all within easy reach.
Data metrics - latest performance insights from STR
- The occupancy level for hotels in Australia in Oct-2020 was the highest since Feb-2020, while the ADR and RevPAR levels were the highest since Mar-2020. In comparison with Oct-2019, occupancy was down -40.8% to 46.4%, ADR declined -17.8% to AUD157.21 and RevPAR fell -51.4% to AUD73.02.
- The absolute occupancy level in Peru in Oct-2020 was the lowest for any month in the country since May-2020, while the RevPAR level was the lowest since Apr-2020. However, ADR was the highest since Jun-2020. In comparison with Oct-2019, occupancy was down -36.7% to 40.9%, ADR declined -52.3% to PEN189.68 and RevPAR fell -69.8% to PEN77.61.
- Hotel performance in Qatar showed a mixed presentation in Oct-2020 with occupancy slightly lower than Sep-2020, but ADR and RevPAR were up from the month prior. In comparison with Oct-2019, occupancy was down -22.6% to 56.6%, ADR declined -6.3% to QAR361.59 and RevPAR fell -27.5% to QAR204.58.
- Hotel performance in the United Kingdom in Oct-2020 saw each of the three key performance metrics fell to their lowest level since Jul-2020. In comparison with Oct-2019, occupancy was down -50.4% to 40.2%, ADR fell -31.3% to GBP65.86 and RevPAR declined -65.9% to GBP26.51.
News briefs - bitesize updates of latest industry news and developments
- Lithuanian Airports is looking for a new operator to renew and manage the AirInn Vilnius hotel near to Vilnius International Airport. A public lease tender has been issued in search for experienced hotel managers who would further develop and manage a registered hotel brand of 3 or more stars for the upcoming 10 years. The new agreement will come into effect from the middle of 2021 when the existing lease agreement comes to a conclusion. The conditions of the tender stipulate that the rented premises, which are located over four floors, will have to be equipped with at least 86 rooms.
- Airport Dimensions has opened a sleep 'n fly Sleep Lounge at Concourse C (Terminal 3) in Dubai International Airport. The new facility will offer guests a unique, private space in which to rest and socially distance and is its third sleep 'n fly branded location at Dubai International. It contains 12 FlexiSuite Pods, five Sleep Cabins - three double bed cabins and two bunk bed cabins.
- Choice Hotels International has deployed media solutions from Zoox Smart Data, an international provider of technological solutions that harnesses big data to build customer profiles from existing Wi-Fi networks, across its branded hotels. It allows its guests guest a seamless log-in experience into each property's Wi-Fi across its portfolio.
- Botswana-based Desert & Delta Safaris has confirmed the re-opening of five of its properties on the 01-Dec-2020: Desert & Delta's Chobe Game Lodge, Savute Safari Lodge and Camp Moremi and Ker & Downey's Shinde Camp and the Dinaka Safari Lodge.
- Mexican hospitality group Brisas Group has confirmed the opening of Galería Plaza San Jerónimo, located in the southern region of Mexico City. As part of the Galería Plaza collection, this hotel is situated near the city's key corporate offices, shopping centres, restaurants, and the southern freeway, offering easy access to the rest of Mexico City. It houses 151 rooms and suites, a business centre, gym, yoga area, roof garden with jacuzzies and a swimming lane, and dedicated executive floor.
- The Grand Universe Lucca has opened as part of the diverse and dynamic Autograph Collection of hotels. The 55-guestroom boutique hotel, complete with nine unique suites, overlooks two piazzas in Lucca, known as the city of a hundred and one churches in the heart of Tuscany, at the foot of the Apuan Alps. Previously a Palazzo of the Paoli family during the Renaissance, the site was originally transformed into a unique hotel in 1857, which became famous for hosting poets, philosophers and artists from around the world.
- Hyatt Hotels has announced an extension of its popular Work from Hyatt extended-stay package to include a new Office for the Day option now available daily through 31-May-2021, at more than 400 Hyatt hotels in the Americas. Starting at USD65 per day and includes a private guestroom with the conveniences of an office combined with the comforts and amenities of a premium hotel experience. Guests are permitted to check in as early as 7am and depart as late as 7pm.
- Service quality management platform Knowcross has released the updated, COVID-19 Ready KNOW Housekeeping. The enhanced solution was designed with direct input from Knowcross's diverse customer base, faced with new challenges to streamline their operations due to ever-changing government guidelines and the introduction of new SOPs related to COVID-19.
- The Residence by Marriott San Diego Mission Valley hotel has been sold by lodging real estate investment trust (REIT) Chatham Lodging Trust to the San Diego Housing Commission (SDHC). The 192-room property was sold for UD67 million, or approximately $349,000 per room.
- The TownePlace Suites by Marriott St George has implemented VingCard Classic RFID door locks equipped with Mobile Access from ASSA ABLOY Global Solutions. The 84-room Utah-based property is now able to ensure that guests are protected using high security encryption standards.
- Viva Wyndham Resorts, a collection of all-inclusive vacation resorts in Mexico, Dominican Republic and the Bahamas, announced a new, free Hotel Assist Insurance programme that protects travellers who visit any of the Viva Wyndham Resorts with travel and medical insurance coverage, including services for telemedicine, prescriptions, COVID-19 testing and assistance, extension of stay or relocation, and more.