CHARLESTOWNE HOTELS ADDS IN VIRGINIA: Charlestowne Hotels has announced the opening of the Little Mod Hotel in Charlottesville, Va., its third property in Virginia. Located adjacent to the University of Virginia grounds, the hotel is housed in a reimagined 1960s building that currently features 20 rooms. Designed for modern travelers with a penchant for offbeat, quirky experiences, the hotel offers 15 rooms with record players, retro bath tiles and mid-century furniture. The five apartment-style suites include kitchens, workspaces, sitting areas and ensuite bathrooms. The hotel has an airstream-style food truck that serves all-day breakfast led by chef Tyler Andrews. The Mod Pod joins Charlestowne’s portfolio of more than 35 dining venues.
CROWNE PLAZA SIGNS IN MEXICO CITY: IHG Hotels & Resorts has signed a newly built Crowne Plaza hotel in Mexico City. Slated to break ground in early 2024, with an anticipated opening date of 2026, Crowne Plaza Mexico City Insurgentes will be located in Avenida de los Insurgentes. The hotel will be a regional halo for the brand and will join Crowne Plaza’s collection of seven open properties across Mexico. The hotel will have 230 rooms, the brand’s signature Plaza Workspace and a rooftop bar and restaurant concept. IHG will partner with owner Fideicomiso 1870/2014 and designer Interaq on the property’s design, construction and operational plans. Crowne Plaza has more than 520 open or pipeline projects globally. The brand aims to renovate three-fourths of its current properties in the Americas by 2025 and add over 120 new hotels worldwide.
BLACKSTONE SELLS STAKE IN HIP: Blackstone Group is selling a stake in Hotel Investment Partners (HIP) to GIC, the Singapore-based sovereign wealth fund. According to the Financial Times, GIC will acquire a 35% stake in the company while Blackstone will continue to own the remaining 65% in a deal that values HIP at over €4 billion ($4.24 billion). HIP, the Barcelona-based hotel chain, was founded in 2015 and has a portfolio of 72 hotels totaling 21,000 keys across Spain, Italy, Greece and Portugal. The company was acquired by Blackstone in 2017 and has since followed an acquisition and repositioning strategy for under-invested hotels, investing more than €600 million ($636.12 million) of capital.
AC HOTEL NAPLES ANNOUNCES LEADERSHIP TEAM: The executive leadership team for the AC Hotel Naples, which will open in mid-December in Naples, Fla., has been announced. Jacob Kucinski has been named as the hotel’s general manager, while Kimberly Hilty has been appointed as director of sales. Douglas Gaquer has been announced as food & beverage director, in charge of Limón, the hotel’s signature restaurant and bar. OTO Development, part of the Johnson Group, is developing the hotel and will manage it. The three-story, 150-room hotel is located in the city center and is located within Naples Square, a mixed-use project master-planned by Wheelock Street Capital and The Ronto Group.
DAVIDSON LAUNCHES COMMUNITY SERVICE INITIATIVE: Davidson Hospitality Group has launched its inaugural “Davidson Day of Service,” a new company-wide initiative that seeks to give back to the local communities at all 83 properties in its portfolio through November. Initiatives include participating in blood drives, supporting food banks, helping homeless shelters, contributing equipment and goods to local schools, honoring veterans and trail cleanups.