SPARK BY HILTON OPENS FIRST HOTEL: Hilton has forayed into the premium economy segment with the opening of Spark Hilton Mystic Groton. Hilton partnered with Distinctive Hospitality Group to open the hotel, which is located in the maritime town of Mystic, Conn. The hotel features 120 rooms and a seasonal outdoor pool, along with a 24-hour retail market and public space with multi-functional seating. With over 400 opportunities in various stages of development, Spark by Hilton’s first property opened eight months after the new, conversion-only brand was announced earlier this year.
TOSCANA RESORT CASTELFAFI REBRANDS: Toscana Resort Castelfafi, located in Italy’s Tuscany, will rebrand as Castelfafi. The transformation follows the property’s restoration and the opening of a new wellness spa this month. The luxury 146-room and villa resort reopened in April following multi-million-dollar renovations. Castlefafi has unveiled a new logo symbolizing its transformative journey. Besides the new logo, the resort has embraced two fonts — Castelfafi Signage, a modern version of the Tuscan Serif, and Castelfafi Floral, a floral font reflecting Tuscan nature. Acquired by the Lohia family in the summer of 2021, the resort includes several dining options, a spa and indoor/outdoor pools. Castelfafi is a member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts Legend Collection.
ALOFT HOTELS TO OPEN IN FORT LAUDERDALE: Aloft Hotels will open its new hotel in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., in November. The 138-room Aloft Hotel at Fort Lauderdale Airport by Marriott is close to the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and the Port Everglades cruise terminals. The 14-story hotel offers an 800-square-foot fitness center, yoga terrace, and covered deck on the 14 floors with a rooftop pool, gaming area and cabanas. The hotel includes a 5,000-square-foot lobby on the second floor with a bar, an outdoor terrace, a breakfast bar, onsite parking and EV charging stations. The hotel will be managed by Green Park Management.
21 CARPENTER TO OPEN IN SINGAPORE: 21 Carpenter, a heritage boutique hotel in Singapore, is set to open in Q4 2023. Located between Clarke Quay and Chinatown, the 48-room hotel has been developed by conservation specialists 8M Real Estate. The hotel’s architecture has been led by WOHA, which restored the historic building. The property is a member of Design Hotels and is affiliated with Marriott Bonvoy. Dating back to 1936, the building functioned as the former Remittance House, Chye Hua Seng Wee Kee. The hotel now consists of two wings — The Heritage Wing, with 26 rooms in the conserved building and The Urban Wing, a contemporary five-story extension featuring 22 rooms. The hotel also offers a rooftop infinity pool and lounge and a garden terrace on the third floor. An independent neo-bistro and bar, helmed by Michelin-starred Chef Andrew Walsh, is expected to open at the hotel in Q1 2024.
SHA NAMES NEW MEMBER: The Sustainable Hospitality Alliance (SHA) has added Silk Hospitality, the Gerogia-based hospitality provider, as its newest member. Silk Hospitality manages and operates assets ranging from upscale hotels, residential projects, restaurants, casinos and other leisure facilities. Silk Hospitality is the tourism and recreation vertical of Silk Road Group, which manages and operates several assets across Tbilisi, Tsinandali and Batumi. With over 40 donor and affiliate members with a reach of 7 million rooms, SHA brings together hospitality companies and the broader hospitality value chain to address key challenges to sustainable hospitality. SHA members currently represent more than 50,000 hotels and 270 brands.