KSL takes stake in Soneva: Luxury resort developer-operator Soneva announced on Friday that an affiliate of KSL Capital Partners has taken a significant minority stake in the company that will support the brand’s development goals. Soneva, founded in 1995 by Sonu Shivdasani and Eva Malmström Shivdasani, operates a collection of luxury resorts in the Maldives and Thailand. As part of KSL’s investment, Sailing Capital, which had invested in Soneva in 2014, redeemed its investment.
Resorts World delay: Genting Group, the Malaysia-based parent of Resorts World Las Vegas, says the multibillion-dollar megaresort will open its doors several months later than planned, into 2021. The cost of the resort on northern end of the city’s Strip has also increased, to US$4.3 billion, but Genting says the increased investment will show in increased capacity, among other improvements.
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Family travel survey: The NYU School of Professional Studies Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality and the Family Travel Association (FTA) has released its fifth annual 2019 Family Travel Survey for the U.S. The survey of the US$160 billion industry that polled 1,580 parents and 1,168 grandparents, revealed, among other facts: Parents’ intent to travel with children is down for the third year in a row due to the high cost of traveling; “gramping,” or skip-generational travel, is a growing trend, generally in shorter trips, while multi-generational travel is less frequent but higher-spend.
Davidson appoints COO: Atlanta-based hospitality management company Davidson Hotels & Resorts appoints Pete Sams chief operating officer. Sams will drive operations and profit for the company’s core portfolio of more than 50 U.S. hotels and resorts, including oversight of human resources, sales, revenue management, integrated marketing, transitions and operations strategy across branded assets, Pivot Hotels & Resorts and Davidson Restaurant Group verticals. Most recently, Sams was EVP of full-service operations at Interstate Hotels & Resorts.
Kimpton in Spain: IHG’s Kimpton brand is opening its first hotel in Spain, in Barcelona. The 156-room hotel is expected to open next year in the city’s Gothic Quarter. It will have three F&B outlets including a rooftop bar.
Hyatt in Vietnam: A Hyatt Hotels Corporation affiliate entered a management agreement with Xuan Mai Sai Gon Construction Investment Joint Stock Company to develop a 300-key Hyatt Place Saigon, District 7 and a 250-key Hyatt House Saigon, District 7 in one of Ho Chi Minh City’s largest districts. Planned for completion in 2023, the new hotels will be Hyatt’s first dual-branded Hyatt Place and Hyatt House hotel project in Southeast Asia and will also mark the entry of the Hyatt House brand in Vietnam. The hotels will be part of a 34-acre mixed-use development, which will also include residential units, office and event space, and a primary school. The 69-story tower housing both hotels will be one of the tallest buildings in Ho Chi Minh City.
New leadership at ESA: Extended Stay America Inc. and its REIT, ESH Hospitality Inc. appointed Bruce Haase president and CEO, effective immediately. He succeeds Jonathan Halkyard, who will advise the company through February. Haase has been a director of ESH Hospitality since 2018. From 2014 to 2016, he was CEO of WoodSpring Hotels LLC and previously held executive positions at Choice Hotels International, including EVP, global brands, marketing and operations. The company announced two other appointments: Kelly Poling as executive vice president and chief commercial officer, and Randy Fox, executive vice president, property operations; they fill previously vacant leadership positions. Poling was most recently CEO of Premier Worldwide Marketing, the representative for Karisma Hotels & Resorts. Fox was previously chief operating officer of InTown Suites and Uptown Suites.
EasyHotel CEO out: London-based EasyHotel PLC Chief Executive Officer Guy Parsons decided to step down from his role effective immediately, the company said. Scott Christie, currently non-executive interim chair, will become interim CEO while the company searches for a replacement.
Midas in Milwaukee: Missouri-based development, management and investment firm Midas Hospitality acquired its third hotel, the Aloft Milwaukee (Wisconsin) Downtown, through the Midas Hotel Fund, for US$26.5 million from Milwaukee River Hotel LLC. The 160-room hotel has meeting rooms, F&B, fitness center and indoor swimming pool.