New Singita leader: Singita announced this week that Tom Fels has joined the company as CEO – Hospitality, effective January 1, 2018. Luke Bailes, who is the founder of Singita and has served as CEO since the inception of the company in 1993, will continue to serve as executive chairman focusing more on expansion of the business into new revenue opportunities. Fels was most recently managing director of Publicis Machine and CEO of Nurun (South Africa).
Mum coming to London: Crosstree Real Estate has bought a hotel in Shoreditch that will be the first London hotel operated by Paris-based boutique brand Mama Shelter, which is 35%-owned by AccorHotels. Crosstree bought the 178-room RE Hotel and French design firm Dion & Arles will refurnish the bar and ground floor and enhance other public spaces and guest rooms.
Incremental: Recently completed Technomic research shows that the U.S. hotel food and beverage space continues to show growth, with overall consumer spending increasing 4.9% in 2017 and showing a robust 5.5% annual growth since 2011. Total spending by consumers within hotels, which includes all restaurants, bars and lounges, banquets and catering, room service, in-room minibars and other areas, totaled US$48.7 billion in 2017. For 2018, food industry research firm Technomic is forecasting continued growth of 5% in consumer spending, as demand remains strong.
Sofitel coming to Jordan: AccorHotels has announced the rebranding of Le Grand Amman in Jordan. The 298-room hotel is set to become Sofitel Amman following its first phase of refurbishments toward the end of 2019. Upon completion, this will mark the debut of Sofitel Hotels & Resorts in Jordan.
China Lodging JV buys: China Lodging Group has formed a joint venture with TPG Capital Asia to acquire two hotels in Beijing – Novotel Beijing Sanyuan and Ibis Beijing Sanyuan at a cash consideration of RMB 1.18 billion from Ascendas Hospitality Trust, Singapore. Post-closing, the JV will renovate the hotels and Huazhu will continue to serve as operator. Hitone Capital, a boutique real estate focused investment firm, provided advisory service on the transaction, and will continue to provide support on closing and asset management.
Orlando Collection: Tavistock Development Co., Orlando, a diversified real estate firm owned by Joe Lewis’ international investment organization Tavistock Group, has launched the Tavistock Hotel Collection, which will include the Tavistock Lake Nona Resort (2020 opening) and the Tavistock Town Center Hotel (2019 opening) in Orlando, Florida. Kit Pappas, the newly appointed vice president of hotel management, will oversee the Tavistock Hotel Collection.
Sisters sell in Monterey: Four Sisters Inns, Monterey, California, has been acquired by an in-house executive team led by long-time company employees Tamara Mims and Joni Costa. Mims, formerly vice president, has been named president of the hotel management company. Costa retains her position as CFO. Shelley Post, one of the original “four sisters,” moves from president to founder and senior consultant.