First Andaz in Mexico City: Hyatt Hotels Corp. has entered into a management agreement with Mexico City, Mexico-based Grupo Murano for the new 213-room Andaz Condesa Mexico City. This will be the first Andaz hotel in Mexico City and will open later this year as part of the l421 mixed-use complex earlier known as Conjunto Aristos. This is the second Andaz hotel in Mexico, following the opening of Andaz Mayakoba in 2016, and is an addition to Hyatt’s portfolio of properties in Mexico City, which includes Hyatt Regency Mexico City and Hyatt House Mexico City/Santa Fe.
Marriott expands all-inclusive portfolio: Marriott International has signed the 1,049-room Royalton Splash Riviera Cancun in Mexico as its latest addition to its all-inclusive portfolio. Slated to open later this year as part of the Autograph Collections Hotels brand, the property is owned and managed by Blue Diamond Resorts and will join the All-Inclusive by Marriott Bonvoy portfolio, which comprises almost 30 resorts in eight locations across the Caribbean and Latin America. Marriott announced a long-term announcement with Toronto-based Sunwing Travel Group’s hotel unit, Blue Diamond Resorts, in 2021 to add 20 properties and help Marriott become a noteworthy all-inclusive player. Marriott currently has all-inclusive resorts in Antigua, Barbados, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Jamaica, Mexico and St. Lucia.
Deal in the Cotswolds: Paris-based Experimental Group has acquired the 31-room Cowley Manor hotel, set on 55 acres in the Cotswolds, U.K., for an undisclosed price from A Curious Group of Hotels, led by Jessica and Peter Frankopan. Experimental Group, which already operates three hotels in the U.K. and received £292.5 million (US$363.5 million) for growth from funds managed by Brookfields, reportedly plans to renovate the property and add room types.
Ascend Hotel Collection adds 3: Ascend Hotel Collection, by Rockville, Maryland-based Choice Hotels International, has added three properties to its portfolio — The Harborview in Port Washington, Wisconsin; The Crossroads Hotel – Newburgh in Newburgh, New York; and the 17 West Hotel in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The 93-key Harborview is owned by Eric Lund and is managed by S & L Hospitality. The 124-room The Crossroads Hotel – Newburgh is owned by Aims Newburgh Management. The 17 West Hotel is a 220-room property and is owned by OHT IV, and managed by O’Reilly Hospitality Management. Ascend plans to open hotels in Orlando, Florida, and Las Vegas, Nevada, in the coming months. Currently, there are over 315 Ascend properties globally.