A quick roundup of global hospitality news.
ITALY’S GRAND HOTEL GARDONE SELLS: Romanian investor Paval Holding and Lithuanian group Apex Alliance have jointly acquired the Grand Hotel Gardone on the shore of Garda Lake in Italy. The new owners plan to invest €45 million ($48.25 million) to renovate the iconic hotel, which first opened in 1884. The hotel features 167 rooms with lake-facing balconies. This is the first international transaction by Paval Holding, the investment vehicle of the Romanian Paval family. The hotel is expected to open this June and will remain open till late autumn. The hotel will be transformed into a luxury property under an international hotel chain. Renovations are slated to be completed by spring 2026. Apex Alliance Hotel Management has been named as the hotel’s operator.
WAYFINDER OPENS IN HAWAII: Wayfinder Waikiki, a new boutique lifestyle hotel, has opened in Honolulu, Hawaii. An existing property underwent extensive renovations by Wayfinder Waikiki’s new steward, Dovetail + Co. This is the second Wayfinder property under Dovetail + Co. The hotel features 228 rooms, multiple food and beverage options, entertainment and shopping experiences, including a 70-foot saltwater lagoon pool. Wayfinder Waikiki also includes Redfish, the restaurant concept by Foodland. Honolulu-headquartered design studio, The Vanguard Theory, has designed the hotel’s interiors. The hotel will be managed by Springboard Hospitality.
CANADA REVPAR ABOVE CA$100 FOR THIRD CONSECUTIVE MONTH: Canada’s hotel RevPAR came in more than CA$100 (US$73.43) for the third consecutive month, according to STR’s April 2023 data.
- Occupancy: 62.7% (+9.3%)
- ADR: CA$178.8/ US$131.3 (+14.8%)
- RevPAR: CA$112.16/ US$82.36 (+25.5%)
Room rates continued to drive top-line recovery. Although transient rates continue to show the strongest lift compared to 2019, efforts to move rates in other segments were increasingly noticeable in the data. For example, group rates were 15% above April 2019 levels and weekday rates, a proxy for corporate rates, were up 15%. Demand was boosted by limited-service hotels, which achieved levels ahead of the 2019 benchmark, while full-service demand has been below that threshold. Among the provinces and territories, Manitoba recorded the highest April occupancy level (74.5%), up 28.5% YOY; among the main markets, Vancouver saw the highest occupancy level (79.8%), 5.4% above 2022. Prince Edward Island (40.2%) posted the lowest occupancy among provinces, down 5.7% YOY. At the market level, the lowest occupancy was reported in Calgary (58.5%), which was 1.7% above the 2022 comparable. Edmonton, Winnipeg and Toronto also saw added demand from hosting the first round of the NHL hockey playoff games in the latter half of the month.
SIX SENSES TO GREECE: Six Senses is set to open its first resort in Greece in partnership with Grivalia Hospitality. Six Senses Megalonisos will be located on a cove on Megalonisos, one of the 10 Petalioi islands and islets. The property will comprise 75 villas and 20 branded residences for sale. Guests can explore diving activities and hiking trails along with day trips to Athens. The resort will include three restaurants, a pastry café and a 1,700-square-meter spa with multiple treatment rooms and four double sensory suites. The resort is expected to open by the end of 2027.
THE INN AT PINE KNOLL SHORES COMPLETES $2M RENOVATION: Blue Water Development has completed a $2 million renovation project for The Inn at Pine Knoll Shores in Atlantic Beach, N.C. Significant upgrades were made to the 102-room property, including expanding the lobby, modern exterior upgrades and enhancing the sound system for the outdoor pool, room appliances, technological improvements in the meeting spaces and creating a tropical oasis vibe throughout the hotel. Blue Water Development collaborated with local industry professionals, contractors and architects for the renovation process. Chef Fred Oberfell, known as “Butch,” has been appointed to elevate the dining experience at The Clam Digger Restaurant.