Category: Recent News

KKR, a leading global investment firm, today announced that KKR-managed funds and accounts provided c. €300 million whole loan financing to EPISO 6, a fund managed by Tristan Capital Partners, to support its recent acquisition of easyHotel, a leading pan-European budget hotel operator. The financing will also support growth initiatives for the easyHotel platform, including further advancing the platform’s expansion and investment throughout Europe, new development projects in high-demand markets and capex investment across the existing portfolio.

Award-winning global luxury hotel operator, The Lux Collective presents the next phase of its ambitious international expansion driven by strong momentum, following a highly successful ILTM showcase. With seven new signings secured in 2025 and a dynamic pipeline across Asia, the Indian Ocean, the Middle East and Africa, the Group reinforces its role as a forward-thinking industry leader. As its flagship luxury brand LUX*, sustainability-focused SALT, and newest bold urban brand SOCIO continue to evolve with purpose-led design and culturally resonant experiences, The Lux Collective’s strategy remains focused on its vision to become the world’s leading hospitality group.

In this practical guide, hospitality technology expert Terence Ronson introduces chefs and culinary leaders to The Chef’s AI Starter Toolkit, a concise field manual for turning artificial intelligence into a dependable digital sous chef. The document explains how AI can relieve pressure on the modern kitchen by supporting menu costing and engineering, seasonal menu planning, idea generation for new dishes, surprise and delight moments, beverage pairings, and guest communication, all without the need for technical skills. It shows chefs how to brief AI clearly, treat it like a member of the brigade, and use structured prompts to save hours each week while keeping the focus on flavour, consistency, and creativity.

Singaporean investor City Developments Limited (CDL), through its wholly-owned subsidiary Copthorne Hotel Holdings Limited, has acquired the four-star, 706-room Holiday Inn London Kensington High Street in the UK from Cola Holdings, the property investment vehicle of the Cola family, for £280 million (£396,600 per room). The property is situated in West London near major attractions such as the Royal Albert Hall and the Victoria and Albert Museum. The hotel includes a restaurant, bar, 13 meeting rooms and a spa with pool. This is CDL’s sixth hotel in London, and one of its existing properties – the 833-room Copthorne Tara Hotel London Kensington – is located adjacent to the newly acquired Holiday Inn. Cola Holdings’ Westbury Hotel in Mayfair has been closed since 2022, with its complete renovation, originally expected to cost £90 million, now due for completion in 2026 when it will re-open as a luxury St Regis hotel.

London’s Kensington neighbourhood will gain a newly refurbished boutique address in January 2026 with the reopening of The Kensington Hideaway, formerly the Seraphine Kensington. Reimagined as a 59 room, literary inspired retreat, the hotel combines contemporary design with a concept that references the Royal Borough’s rich literary heritage, with room categories themed around figures such as William Makepeace Thackeray, Agatha Christie, T.S. Eliot and P.L. Travers. Positioned as a lifestyle focused sanctuary just moments from Kensington Palace, the Royal Albert Hall and the Natural History Museum, the property will also feature a 35 cover restaurant and bar designed as a social hub for both guests and locals, serving playful, flavour led dishes and cocktails inspired by Kensington’s literary icons. Developed and operated by JMK Group, the project follows a major investment and complete reimagining of the former hotel, with an emphasis on combining luxury, comfort and a strong sense o…

As 2025 draws to a close, the hospitality industry finds itself reflecting not just on occupancy rates or revenue growth, but on the sustainability journey that has quietly but steadily reshaped the way hotels operate. This year, a set of buzzwords has captured the imagination of hoteliers, designers, and brand leaders alike, each representing a commitment to green innovation, environmental stewardship, and social responsibility.

The Zetter Group will expand its celebrated London portfolio with the opening of The Zetter Bloomsbury in March 2026. Occupying six interconnecting Georgian townhouses near Russell Square, the new 68-bedroom property will bring The Zetter’s distinctive, personal approach to hospitality to one of the capital’s most storied and cultured quarters.

In the two weeks ending 29 November 2025, U.S. revenue per available room (RevPAR) decreased 0.3% on falling occupancy (-0.7 percentage points) and a 0.9% rise in average daily rate (ADR).

Flow Thru—this is my abbreviation—is a catch-all phrase that measures how much made it through your business comparing one period to another. What made it through, from revenues to profit. Another term to describe this measurement is retention.

Digital transformation in hospitality, from mobile check-ins, digital keys, to IoT-powered smart rooms, is accelerating. According to a 2025 report from Oracle Hospitality + Skift, about 34 % of hoteliers said they are “already heavily invested” in contactless technology, with another 26.6 % in “early stages.”