Briefs: Nikki Beach announces U.A.E. resort; Hilton debuts Waldorf Astoria residences

NIKKI BEACH ANNOUNCES U.A.E. RESORT: Nikki Beach Global has announced the upcoming opening of Nikki Beach Resort & Spa Ras Al Khaimah at Mina Al Arab, the U.A.E. Nikki Beach has collaborated with Ras Al Khaimah-based RAK Properties to open the new resort. This will be Nikki Beach’s first resort in Ras Al Khaimah. The 155-key property will be designed by Gensler and feature a signature Nikki spa, gym and dining venues. Gensler will align with Barjeel guidelines set by the RAK municipality. Nikki Beach has upcoming openings in Muscat, Oman; Baku, Azerbaijan; and Antigua, Caribbean. The company’s portfolio comprises 11 beach clubs, five hotels and resorts, branded residences, a fashion division and a non-profit charity.  

HILTON DEBUTS WALDORF ASTORIA RESIDENCES: Hilton has partnered with developers Related Group and Merrimac Ventures to sign Waldorf Astoria Residences at South Florida’s Pompano Beach. Overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, Waldorf Astoria Residences Pompano Beach will be the brand’s first venture into residences and mark its entry into Broward County. The oceanfront property will be situated on a two-acre plot and feature 92 residences, ranging from two- to five-bedroom units. The newly built property’s design will be led by Nichols, KORA, BAMO and Enea Landscape Architecture. The residences will offer more than 15,000 square feet of lifestyle amenities such as a 20,000-square-foot oceanfront pool deck with a lap pool and private spa, outdoor bar and dining lounge, fitness center, private access to 200 feet of beachfront and beachside café, resident lounge, multi-floor dining concepts, children’s area and a private marina with 19 slips. The property will also have a residents-only Peacock Alley with a soon-to-be-announced restaurant concept and other signature touches. The property will also feature art from the Jorge M. Perez Contemporary Art Collection.  

MARRIOTT SIGNS THIRD W HOTEL IN U.K.: Marriott International, Inc. has signed an agreement with Relentless Developments and Salboy Ltd. to launch W Hotels in Manchester in the city’s new St Michael’s mixed-use development. Scheduled to open in Q1 2027, W Manchester will be the brand’s third hotel in the U.K., following W Edinburgh (expected to open later this year) and W London. The 162-room hotel will be in a central location connecting the historic quarter with the Spinningfields business district and the city’s retail spaces. The hotel will have signature spaces like a spa, a fitness center and a lounge, along with two restaurants and retail space. W Manchester is part of the brand’s planned growth across the EMEA, with more openings planned across the region, including at Naples, Prague and Ras Al Khaimah. W Hotels’ portfolio currently consists of more than 60 hotels globally.  

KIMPTON BREAKS GROUND ON CALIFORNIA HOTEL: Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, part of IHG Hotel & Resorts’ luxury and lifestyle portfolio, has broken ground for a new boutique hotel in the Northern California coastal community of Pacific Grove on the Monterey Peninsula. This will be Kimpton’s first property on the market. The Kimpton Pacific Grove Hotel is expected to open in late 2025. Cypress 16 and LLC, in partnership with Interport Capital LLC and L&B Realty Advisors, will own and develop the new four-story hotel. The hotel will have 101 rooms, including six suites and a hospitality parlor with a private outdoor terrace. Rooms on the third and fourth floors will offer views of the Monterey Bay. The hotel will feature a 3,650-square-foot courtyard and fireplace, a restaurant and bar and a fitness center. RRM Design Group will serve as the architect, with Narrative Design Studio designing the hotel’s interiors and Huff Construction Company serving as the general contractor for the construction of the project. Johnson Controls Capital will provide financing for the property. The hotel will be the 10th Kimpton hotel in California when it opens. Currently, Kimpton has 75 open hotels globally, with 50 more in the pipeline.  

JLL APPOINTS HEAD OF GLOBAL HOTELS DESK: JLL has appointed Patrick Saade as head of the JLL Hotels & Hospitality group Global Hotels Desk. The Global Hotels Desk helps coordinate international capital by connecting investors with Hotels & Hospitality assets and portfolios available for sale. The team also liaises between offshore investors and the global market. The team operates in over 10 markets. JLL’s Hotels & Hospitality leadership team includes William Duffey in EMEA, Nihat Ercan in Asia Pacific and Kevin Davis in the Americas.