Category: Recent News

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.”

Artificial intelligence has hovered on the edges of hospitality for years. Chatbots answered simple questions. Revenue tools nudged prices up or down. Automation handled a few routine tasks. Useful, but hardly transformative.

Venari Lodges, a boutique wilderness project in Croatia, has joined The Brionj – Luxury Hotel Collection under a newly signed management agreement with Grand Metropolitan Hotels. The planned resort, set in Janja Gora near the Plitvice Lakes region, is scheduled to open in 2027 and will target guests seeking high-end, nature-based stays with a strong environmental focus.

San Montano Resort & Spa, the celebrated luxury retreat perched atop Mount Vico on the island of Ischia, is proud to announce its official induction into Relais & Châteaux, the prestigious global association honoring independent hotels and restaurants committed to exceptional hospitality, cultural preservation, and the art of living well.