Fire closures in Cali: The California wildfires have forced the closure of several hotels in Napa and Sonoma Valleys, two of the state’s biggest tourist attractions. Hilton has closed the Hilton Sonoma Wine Country, Hilton Garden Inn Napa, and Hilton Garden Inn Santa Rosa, Napa Airport. Marriott International says that none of its hotels are at risk, but according to a statement “some hotels are temporarily not accepting new reservations as a result of poor air quality and/or reduced hotel services.”
HNA update: China’s Bohai Life Insurance is banned from providing financial aid “in any form” to HNA Group in the next six months while it improves its corporate governance, the regulator said late on Wednesday. Bohai Life also has been barred from conducting any fund-related connected transactions with HNA during the period, the China Insurance Regulatory Commission (CIRC) said in a notice released on its website. Bohai Life said in a statement on Thursday it had a plan to rectify the problems.
Edmond de Rothschild, Four Seasons: The Edmond de Rothschild group is investing €100 million (US$119 million) in a new Four Seasons hotel in Megeve in the French Alps as the banking company reaffirms its commitment to the ski resort it originally began building in 1920. The 55-room site will be Four Seasons’ first mountain hotel in Europe when it opens on Dec. 15.
First Dream Unscripted: Dream Hotel Group will debut the first hotel of its new Unscripted Hotels brand in England in 2020. The 135-room Unscripted Birmingham Central Hall will have five dining and nightlife venues, including a rooftop lounge on the third floor and two restaurants at street level.
Hyatt breach: Hyatt Corp. is alerting customers about another credit card breach at some hotels, the second major incident with the hospitality chain in as many years. Hyatt said its cyber security team discovered signs of unauthorized access to payment card information from cards manually entered or swiped at the front desk of certain Hyatt-managed locations between March 18, 2017 and July 2, 2017.
Chicago Equinox gets even bigger: The plan for Chicago’s Equinox Fitness Club has grown in scale. Reported originally in 2015 to be a 369-foot tower featuring 145 hotel rooms topped by 20 for-sale condominiums, the project has since grown larger. According to zoning documents, the latest plan now calls for a 680-foot skyscraper containing 165 hotel rooms and 370 residential units.
Galway acquisition: A partnership of the MHL Hotel Collection and developer Jerry O’Reilly will acquire the Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa in Galway. O’Reilly has been joint owner of the hotel since it opened in 2001. The hotel is one of Ireland’s largest and comprises 261 rooms and suites and Ireland’s first thermal spa.
Hyatt in Japan: A Hyatt affiliate has entered into a management agreement with ORIX Corporation for a Hyatt Centric hotel and Hyatt House hotel in Kanazawa, Japan’s north coast in the Hokuriku region. The hotels, expected to open in mid-2020, mark Hyatt’s first joint development and first Hyatt House hotel in Japan.
Melia managing: Melia Hotels International will manage Meliá Iguazu, the only hotel located in Iguazu National Park in Argentina. The property will undergo renovations throughout 2018.
Park Inn Ethiopia: Park Inn by Radisson, the dynamic hotel brand will make its debut in Ethiopia when it opens the Park Inn by Radisson Addis Ababa. The 160-room hotel is set to open in 2019.
Rwanda and Mantis: The Rwanda Social Security Board signed a hotel management and marketing agreement with African hotel management and marketing firms, Mantis Collection, headquartered in Queen Elizabeth Park, South Africa.