SOFITEL EXPANDS IN U.A.E.: Sofitel, the luxury hotel brand by Accor, has expanded its presence in the U.A.E. and opened a seaside resort in Ras Al Khaimah. The new Sofitel Al Hamra Beach Resort opens as the brand’s sixth hotel in the Emirates and is situated between the seaside and the Hajar mountains. Featuring 292 rooms, the hotel’s interiors have been designed by Kristina Zanic Consultants. Services and amenities include four swimming pools, seven dining venues, a fitness center, spa, three meeting rooms, children’s club and water activities.
MOXY ARRIVES IN NORTH CAROLINA: Moxy Hotels, the hotel brand by Marriott International, has launched its first hotel in North Carolina with the opening of Moxy Asheville. The six-story, 115-key hotel is located on Biltmore Avenue. The hotel includes an independent rooftop bar and restaurant, communal spaces with an open workspace and a video wall and a grab-and-go kiosk in the lobby. Forming a new dual-brand concept, Moxy Asheville is connected to the existing Aloft Asheville Downtown. The hotels have separate lobbies and elevators and guests of both properties can access amenities, including the pool deck, fitness center and meeting space. Owned by McKibbon Equities, Moxy Asheville is operated by McKibbon’s hotel management division, McKibbon Hospitality. Currently, Moxy Hotels had more than 135 properties open in over 25 countries.
SONESTA ADDS IN DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Sonesta International Hotels Corp. has executed a deal to open five Sonesta ES Suites in the Dominican Republic. The first property, Sonesta ES Suites ELEMENTS Jarabacoa, is expected to open in the first half of 2026, while the other four properties will be completed in seven years. The upscale, extended-stay Sonesta ES Suites ELEMENTS will be located in the La Vega province, at an altitude of 595 meters. The hotel will feature 80 suites with dining options, children’s play area, game room, a spa/fitness, a three-meal restaurant and bar and fire pits. All five properties are franchised by Almanzar Marte Ingenieros & Arquitectos. Currently, Sonesta’s global portfolio consists of 1,100 properties totaling 100,000 rooms under 13 brands in nine countries.
IHG TO LAUNCH VIGNETTE COLLECTION IN SPAIN: IHG Hotels & Resorts has signed an agreement with Prevario Banyols and Hotel Collection International – HCI to launch its Vignette Collection brand in Spain. Slated to open in the first half of 2025, Vignette Collection Mallorca – Finca Banyols will be located in AlarĂł, Mallorca – the largest of Spain’s Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea. Surrounded by vineyards and olive trees, the hotel will feature 45 rooms, a restaurant, bar, signature fine-dining restaurant, spa treatment rooms, two pools and event space. Vignette Collection’s global portfolio consists of 24 open properties and is set to reach 100 hotels in 10 years. In Europe, the brand has a pipeline of eight hotels and three open, which includes two in Portugal and one in the U.K.