A quick, bitesize roundup of global hospitality news.
SIX SENSES TO MALTA IHG has unveiled Six Senses Comino in Malta. Located across two bays on a lesser-known island, the property will include a resort and themed spa, farm-to-table dining and cultural, leisure, wellness, retreat and sporting activities. Designed by Belvedere Architecture, the resort will feature 71 suites overlooking the bay and views across the Mediterranean Sea from the private decks. Guests at the resort will have exclusive access to San Niklaw Bay, as well as a swimming pool and deck area with a bar and grill. The property will include a signature restaurant and a 1,000-square-meter spa. There will be a collection of 19 standalone retreats with two- to four-bedrooms and green roofing. Each unit will feature a garden and a secluded central courtyard with a private pool. Besides enjoying access to the resort facilities, the retreats will also be serviced by a separate clubhouse which includes a restaurant and piazza. Six Senses Comino is expected to open in 2027.
FOUR SEASONS UNVEILS RESORT IN NEOM: Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and Hotel Division, which is constructing a future-centric hospitality ecosystem in NEOM, have unveiled plans for a new luxury resort in the NEOM master project on Saudi Arabia’s Sindalah Island on the Red Sea. Sindalah, with an area of 840,000 square meters, is one of the islands that will be constructed in NEOM. The Four Seasons resort will feature 225 rooms and suites with terraces overlooking the beaches of the Red Sea and 52 villas with one- to four-bedroom units with plunge pools and beach views. Luca Dini Design & Architecture is leading the resort’s architecture, with RBTA and LW Design working on rooms and public spaces, respectively. The resort will include four dining outlets, multiple lounges, a spa with treatment rooms, relaxation lounges, a hammam and a vitality pool. The resort also features a fitness center, several pools, a variety of water activities and an onsite diving center. Besides the Four Seasons resort, Sindalah Island will also feature a luxury marina and yacht club, a nine-hole golf course with 18-pin experiences and multiple dining venues.
U.S. PERFORMANCE IMPROVES: Hotel performance in the U.S. improved from last week, showing STR’s data through April 22.
- Occupancy: 67.2% (+2.3%)
- ADR: $155.76 (+4.2%)
- RevPAR: $104.64 (+6.6%)
Driven by group demand, the third highest of the pandemic era, occupancy and RevPAR levels were the second highest of the year, behind the week ending March 18. Among the top 25 markets, Chicago posted the highest YOY increases in each of the key performance metrics: occupancy (+23.9% to 72.2%), ADR (+29.6% to $174.71) and RevPAR (+60.6% to $126.13). Notably, New York City (82.1%) and Las Vegas (80.8%) were the only two markets to register occupancy above 80%. The steepest RevPAR declines were reported in Miami (-20.7% to $181.17) and Tampa (-8.9% to $139.51).
AMAN ADDS TWO PROPERTIES IN SAUDI ARABIA: Aman Group has announced two upcoming properties in Saudi Arabia — Aman Wadi Safar and Janu Diriyah — in partnership with Diriyah Co. Located in the desert landscape near Riyadh, Aman Wadi Safar will have 78 rooms, up to 34 branded residences, a spa and dining outlets. Denniston Architects has been appointed to bring Jean-Michel Gathy’s experience to lead the design. Aman Wadi Safar is expected to open in 2026. The 120-room Janu Diriyah will be close to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of At-Turaif near Riyadh. The property will include a spa and multiple dining venues and is slated to open in 2026. Aman Group has already announced three pipeline properties in AlUla, Saudi Arabia, of which two will be Aman destinations and one Janu. The group has also announced Project Sama, the brand’s first luxury motor yacht, which is being developed in partnership with Cruise Saudi.
ANDAZ GROWS IN GREATER CHINA: Hyatt Hotels Corp. and Sun Hung Kai Properties have announced the opening of Andaz Nanjing Hexi in Hexi, China. Located in the developing Hexi CBD, the hotel offers views of the city and the Yangtze River. The hotel was designed by Avalon Collective of Singapore and has 362 rooms and suites. The hotel has two restaurant and bar concepts, a fitness center, 4,081 square feet of multi-purpose event space with a pre-function area and a 10,700 square foot terrace with a waterscape, lawn, pavilions and a dining area. Andaz Nanjing Hexi marks the brand’s fourth property in Greater China.