ENNISMORE BRINGS MAMA SHELTER TO SOUTH AFRICA: Ennismore will be introducing Mama Shelter in South Africa and has partnered with Kasada, the independent real estate private equity platform, to sign Mama Shelter Cape Town. The City Park building, which was the former home of the Christiaan Barnard Memorial Hospital in Cape Town, will be transformed to open as the 127-key hotel. The hotel will offer rooms across three room categories and 68 branded residences, along with 213 square meters of meeting rooms, 380 square meters of co-working space and a fitness center. The hotel will feature an all-day dining restaurant on the rooftop, a pool and pool deck. Mama Shelter Cape Town will debut Mama Play, consisting of 742 square meters of arcade space offering bowling, karaoke, dedicated F&B and event spaces. Ennismore will manage a separate restaurant on the hotel’s ground floor under one of its signature F&B brands. Since the first Mama Shelter hotel opened in 2008 in Paris East, the brand has since opened 15 properties globally. Upcoming openings include Mama Shelter Nice in June, with more properties set to open in Dubai, Casablanca and Los Angeles.
SIX SENSES LAUNCHES IN JAPAN: Six Senses has ventured into Japan with the opening of Six Senses Kyoto. Drawing inspiration from the Heian period, the hotel incorporates elements of traditional arts. The hotel features 81 rooms and suites, including specialty suites and a three-bedroom penthouse suite, along with a spa, an all-day dining restaurant, café, cocktail bar and Earth Lab. Currently, Six Senses’ portfolio comprises 25 hotels and resorts globally and 42 more in its development pipeline.
RED ROOF NAMES NEW PRESIDENT, COO: Red Roof has named Zack Gharib as the company president. Gharib brings in over two decades of senior management experience in franchising, operations and brand management with companies like Marriott, LaQuinta by Wyndham, Vacasa and Highgate Homes. He joins Red Roof when the company is expanding to 700 hotels across the U.S. Red Roof has also promoted Fouad Malouf to the newly created position of COO. Most recently, he served as senior vice president for franchise operations. Malouf will support Gharib by overseeing the company’s daily operations.
HIHOTELS ADDS EIGHT PROPERTIES: hihotels by Hospitality International has grown its family of brands and signed eight new properties across five states. The additions include the 61-room Master Hosts Inn in Jamaica, N.Y.; 29-room Scottish Inns in Houston; 45-room Scottish Inns in Middletown, Pa.; 39-room Scottish Inns & Suites in Woodland, Texas; 45-room Red Carpet Inn in Dumfries, Va.; 40-room Red Carpet Inn in Garfield Heights, Ohio; and the 98-room Red Carpet & Suites in Philadelphia.
AKA EXPANDS IN DMV METRO AREA: AKA, the luxury hospitality company, has announced the opening of Hotel AKA Washington Circle. Located in the Foggy Bottom/West End neighborhood in downtown Washington, D.C., the 151-key hotel joins AKA’s portfolio after completing a full interior design transformation. Gensler led the redesign of the hotel’s exterior and reimagined the public spaces. With rooms designed for both short term as well as longer stays, every room includes a pantry and kitchenette or a full kitchen with coffee machines. Amenities at the hotel include a lobby lounge, fitness center, conference room, private cinema, landscaped terrace and a new restaurant. AKA Washington Circle marks AKA’s third property in the DMV and the brand’s 16th property.