Kempinski grows in Gulf: Kempinski Hotels has announced a new luxury project in Makkah, Saudi Arabia in partnerships with Umm Al Qura for Development and Construction Company (UAQ) set to open in 2023. The property will be the flagship edifice within the new boulevard on King Abdul Aziz Road mega project. Kempinski Hotel Makkah will include 380 rooms and suites, each of them offering at least 42 net square meters. The project is part of an urban lifestyle hub, conceptualized to serve as a luxury gateway particularly for pilgrims with state-of-the-art transit and development options. Currently Kempinski manages six properties in the Gulf, the most recent of which is Emerald Palace Kempinski Dubai.
Sondland’s role in Ukraine investigation: The Washington Post has published a report about hotelier Gordon Sondland, currently the U.S. ambassador to the European Union, and his role in negotiations with the Ukrainian president over President Trump’s desired political investigations. The Post analyzed the whistleblower report about how the ambassador met with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky to give “advice” about how to “navigate” Trump’s demands.
New brand from Best Western: Best Western Hotels & Resorts has announced the expansion of its SureStay Hotel Group with the launch of SureStay Studio. Competing in the premium-economy extended stay segment, SureStay Studio was created to respond to the needs of a strong growth segment, according to Brad LeBlanc, senior vice president and chief development officer of BWHR. SureStay Studio is launching with a prototype for new construction, and conversion opportunities will also be available.
Pestana to NYC: Pestana Hotel Group, Funchal, Portugal, has announced the development of its first property in New York, Pestana Park Avenue. Consisting of 27 floors and 95 rooms, the new hotel is located at 39th Street between Madison and Park Avenues and marks the launch of Pestana Hotel Group’s 100th property worldwide. The hotel is expected to open January 2020.
KSA welcomes couples: Saudi Arabia has announced plans to drop a requirement for men and women visiting the kingdom to prove they’re related to share a hotel room, part of authorities’ efforts to open the country to tourism. While Saudi families will still have to document family ties, visitors will only need to provide a passport, according to the official Twitter account of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage.
Is Oyo worth $10 billion?: Oyo Hotels & Homes is raising US$1.5 billion, as part of its Series F funding round. As a part of this round, RA Hospitality Holdings’, founder Ritesh Agarwal’s company, will infuse approximately US$700 million as primary capital in the company, with the balance being supplemented by other existing investors. CNN reported Agarwal, 25, is also buying US$1.3 billion worth of existing shares from early investors Lightspeed Venture Partners and Sequoia Capital, with support from “banks and financial partners,” a spokesperson said. The latest investment takes Agarwal’s stake to 30% and values Oyo at US$10 billion, according to a person familiar with the matter.
https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/07/tech/oyo-ritesh-agarwal-investment-softbank/index.html
Radisson to Rostock: Radisson Hotel Group has signed the first Radisson branded hotel in Germany. Located in the 800-year-old heart of the Hanseatic university city, directly in the seaport of Rostock, the 190-room Radisson Hotel Rostock is set to open in Q3-2020. The agreement brings Radisson Hotel Group´s portfolio in Germany to 35 hotels and more than 8,800 rooms in operation and under development.
New owner, manager in Laredo: AWH Partners, New York, a privately held real estate investment, development and management firm, has purchased the 154-suite Embassy Suites by Hilton Laredo in Texas, the only full-service branded hotel in the market. Spire Hospitality, AWH’s full-service hospitality management company, is now managing the Embassy Suites Laredo and will begin implementing core strategies and procedures to grow operating revenues and profit margins.
Onyx takes Japanese business: Onyx Hospitality Group, Bangkok, has signed a management deal with Metropoly Holdings Ltd., a Hong Kong-based Asian real estate development, investment and asset management firm, to run the Amari Niseko in Japan. Scheduled to open in 2024, Amari Niseko will be a central feature of the Aruku-zaka Street mixed-use development.
Charlestowne grows in S. Florida: Charlestowne Hotels has added the 109-room Atlantic Hotel & Spa in Florida to the company’s portfolio of managed properties. The all-suite beach boutique hotel is located steps from Fort Lauderdale Beach.
St. Thomas resort returning: DiamondRock Hospitality has announced the return of the 384-room Frenchman’s Reef Marriott Resort & Spa and a new, adjacent resort under Marriott’s Autograph Collection, the 94-room Noni Beach, a St. Thomas Resort. The US$200-plus million project is well underway and the re-envisioned resorts are expected to open in 2020.
Battle over Bangkok luxe hotel: Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels reportedly will appeal a Thai court ruling that could pave the way for the owners of the luxury riverside Peninsula Bangkok hotel to terminate the management contract on the basis of having delivered no returns to the business family over the last 20 years. However, the operators and also equity holders, says it will appeal the decision.
Read Travel Impact Newswire report
AHLA updates positions: One year after pledging to increase safety and security at America’s hotels, the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) has announced a 230% increase in members participating in the 5-Star Promise, growing the commitment to 56 hotel companies. The Promise enhances policies, trainings and resources, including providing ESDs, with an emphasis on preventing and responding to sexual harassment and assault. The AHLA also released new research that reveals online booking scams and dishonest marketing practices by fraudulent and misleading travel websites continue to deceive and confuse consumers. In fact, 23% of consumers report being misled by third-party traveler resellers on the phone or online, which amounted to US$5.7 billion in fraudulent and misleading hotel booking transactions in 2018 alone.