A quick roundup of global hospitality news.
AVID HOTELS DEBUTS IN NYC: avid hotels, part of IHG Hotels & Resorts, has celebrated its fifth anniversary with the opening of its first hotel in New York. Located in Brooklyn, the 76-room avid hotel Brooklyn – Dyker Heights is among the many new-to-market avid-branded hotels to open this year. The hotel, owned by Sunshine Brooklyn LLC, offers signature avid hallmarks, including sound-reducing features and blackout roller shades in the rooms, as well as complimentary breakfast with grab-and-go items and fresh coffee available 24/7. The first avid hotel opened in Oklahoma City – Quail Springs. The brand now has over 60 hotels across the U.S., Canada and Mexico and 146 more in the pipeline.
AKA UNVEILS REDESIGNED MIAMI HOTEL: AKA, the luxury hospitality company and creator of the World’s Most Livable Hotels, has unveiled the design transformation of the 36-story Hotel AKA Brickell in Miami’s Brickell neighborhood. This is AKA’s first property in Miami. AKA acquired the 201-room hotel in 2021 and invested $16 million in the property. The hotel’s design reimagination, spearheaded by architecture company Gabellini Sheppard Associates, includes a new enhanced and personalized lobby, a lounge on the 25th floor and a restaurant and bar led by Michelin-starred Chef David Myers. The restaurant is set in an 11-story atrium with views of Brickell and Biscayne Bay. Amenities include a rooftop with a pool and adjacent bar and grill, an upgraded fitness center, a spa and an open-air event area.
AIDEN HOTEL OPENS IN FLAGSTAFF, ARIZ.: BWH Hotels has opened its newest Aiden hotel, Aiden by Best Western, in Flagstaff, Ariz. The hotel is housed in a historic building constructed in the 1970s with mid-century architecture. The hotel consists of 96 rooms, along with a hot tub, a heated swimming pool, fireplaces, a lobby cocktail lounge, acafé, a sundry shop and a fitness center. Located at the entrance of the Flagstaff, the hotel offers views of the San Francisco Peaks and the Coconino National Forest.
MANDARIN SINGAPORE REOPENS: Mandarin Oriental, Singapore, reopened on September 8, following the completion of a six-month transformation. The transformation was led by Jeffrey Wilkes of the interior design company DESIGNWILKES. The hotel features 510 rooms and 42 suites. The hotel has launched a new presidential suite and the four-bedroom penthouse on the two topmost floors offering panoramic views of the South China Sea and Marina Bay, balconies and living and dining areas. The penthouse includes a fully equipped chef’s kitchen for private dinners. The hotel also has 45 residential suites for extended stays featuring a living area, a fully equipped kitchenette, a washer and a dryer. Amenities at the hotel include five dining options, meeting and banquet facilities, a spa and an exclusive member’s lounge.
ARLO WILLIAMSBURG OPENS: Arlo Hotels, the independent lifestyle hotel brand, has opened Arlo Williamsburg. Located in Brooklyn, this is Arlo Hotels’ fourth property in New York. The hotel is owned by Quadrum Global, an integrated development, investment and advisory group. The hotel earlier operated as The Williamsburg Hotel. Opened in 2017, the eight-story hotel features 147 rooms (including eight suites), a recently renovated 10,000-square-foot rooftop pool and lounge, an onsite restaurant, bar and a 6,500-square-foot ballroom for events.