MARRIOTT HOTELS FORAYS INTO ALL-INCLUSIVE SEGMENT: Marriott Hotels, the signature flag of Marriott Bonvoy’s portfolio, has forayed into the all-inclusive  segment with the opening of the Marriott Cancun, An All-Inclusive Resort in Mexico. The resort features 124 ocean view rooms and 38 suites with balconies, along with 13 dining venues, a water park, several swimming pools, exclusive adults-only areas, a fitness center and a 5,000-square-foot indoor/outdoor kid’s club. The resort also includes roughly 24,813 square feet of renovated event space, which includes four event rooms and 12 breakout rooms. Marriott Hotels is set to open more all-inclusive properties later this year and in 2025 in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and Djerba, Tunisia.
STANDARDX TO OPEN INAUGURAL HOTEL IN MELBOURNE: The StandardX, Melbourne is set to open on August 8. This will be the inaugural property to open under StandardX, the new lifestyle hotel offering by Standard International and The Standard’s sister brand. Located in the post-industrial enclave of Fitzroy, the hotel is inspired from the neighborhood’s 70s and 80s heyday. The hotel’s interiors have been designed by Melbourne-based interior design firm Hecker Guthrie. The lifestyle hotel has 125 rooms and three dining options. Standard International opened its first hotel, The Standard, Hollywood, 25 years ago and since then has opened The Standard hotels in New Yorlk, London, Bangkok, Hua Hin, Ibiza and the Maldives.
ADDITIONS TO PREFERRED HOTELS PORTFOLIO: Preferred Hotels & Resorts, the independent hotel brand, has added 30 new member properties to its global portfolio. Ranging from an adults-only, all-inclusive resort to a preserved villa, the properties are located in destinations including South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Portugal and the Dominican Republic. Some of the recent additions include the 30-key Boutique Hotel Stresa in Italy (joins L.V.X. Collection); the 80-suite Casa Velas Puerto Vallarta in Mexico (joins Lifestyle Collection); the 30-room FORTH Hotel & Club in Atlanta (joins L.V.X. Collection); the 209-room Only YOU Hotel Sevilla in Spain (joins L.V.X. Collection); the 208-key Marker Union Square in San Francisco (part of Lifestyle Collection); and the 253-room RuMA Hotel & Residences in Kuala Lumpur (part of Lifestyle Collection).
RENOVATIONS AT CORAL SANDS HOTEL: Coral Sands Hotel, the beachfront resort on Harbor Island, the Bahamas, has commenced multi-phased renovation. Currently underway, the renovation will initially focus on enhancing the rooms and public spaces. The boutique hotel, which originally opened in 1968, features 24 rooms, six bungalows, eight cottages and three four-bedroom residences; as well as two restaurants. The hotel is slated to reopen in December. Chorten Wangyel has been assigned as the property’s general manager. Coral Sands was acquired by AJ Capital Partners, the creator of Graduate Hotels, earlier this year. AJ Capital’s current portfolio includes $5.3 billion of assets across more than 100 properties and over 50 geographic markets.