CHECK IN! – latest hotel highlights from across the globe

20 October, 2020

The Corporate Travel Community (CTC) brings you the first of this week's round up of some of the latest accommodation news from across the globe.

  • Hyatt Hotels confirms plans for Andaz Lisbon, a second new property in Portugal's capital city
  • IHG breaks ground on first avid hotel in Canada
  • Prince Kyoto Takaragaike latest to fly Marriott's Autograph Collection flag in Japan
  • Data metrics - latest performance insights from STR
  • News briefs - bitesize updates of latest industry news and developments

Hyatt Hotels confirms plans for Andaz Lisbon, a second new property in Portugal's capital city

Hyatt Hotels Corporation has confirmed a Hyatt affiliate has entered into a management agreement with Feuring Hotel Lissabon to debut the Andaz hotel brand in Lisbon. The new luxury lifestyle hotel is expected to open in 2024 and is the second planned Hyatt hotel in Lisbon following the planned opening of Hyatt Regency Lisbon in 2022 and marks the continued growth of the Andaz brand in key European destinations. The Andaz Lisbon will be located in the centre of Lisbon's bustling Baixa district and situated along the main pedestrian road, Rua Augusta. It will be comprised of five separate buildings, including the former offices of one of the major banks in Portugal, Banco Português de Investimento (BPI). This central building of the hotel will offer 169 guestrooms, with the surrounding four satellite buildings of the hotel offering guests various private suites to choose from. This unique layout "will allow guests to fully embrace the locale and experience authentic regional elements of Lisbon that stimulate the senses," says Hyatt. The Andaz Lisbon will mark continued growth for the Andaz brand in Europe and is set to become the sixth property in the region. The hotel joins Andaz Munich Schwabinger Tor, Andaz Vienna Am Belvedere, Andaz London Liverpool Street, Andaz Amsterdam Prinsengracht and Andaz Prague, which is expected to open in 2022.


IHG breaks ground on first avid hotel in Canada

InterContinental Hotels Group is celebrating the latest in the international expansion for its avid hotels brand following the groundbreaking for the first Canadian property located in Vaughan, a suburb of Toronto. The property is owned by PI Cap and is part of a robust pipeline of new avid hotels currently under development across Canada. There are more than a dozen avid hotels now open and welcoming guests, including the first property in Mexico, and 90 properties under construction or with plans approved for construction across Canada, the United States and Mexico. Expected to open by spring 2022, the new avid hotel in Vaughan will offer 119 rooms across six floors. Located in a high traffic, high visibility area, the hotel is just minutes from Toronto Pearson International Airport, convenient to many area shopping centres and restaurants, with easy access to neighbouring Brampton, Etobicoke and Bolton. Launched in 2017, avid hotels is one of IHG's newest brands in the midscale, mainstream category and has grown rapidly with more than 200 new hotel properties signed since launch.


Prince Kyoto Takaragaike latest to fly Marriott's Autograph Collection flag in Japan

The Prince Kyoto Takaragaike has become the Autograph Collection's third hotel in Japan and reinforces Marriott International's commitment to continue expanding its footprint across the country. Marriott International's diverse Autograph Collection portfolio numbers more than 190 independent properties across the globe, which are each distinct in design, character and charm, and all as it explains "exactly like nothing else". The hotel is conveniently located in the heart of Kyoto's Rakuhoku district, adjacent to Takaragaike Park, within walking distance to Kokusaikaikan Station, and approximately 58 kilometres from Osaka International Airport. The property showcases an interplay between Japanese tradition and Murano's modernist approach to architecture and design, including 310 spacious guestrooms, a calling card for a city such as Kyoto, the cultural capital of Japan, and for many centuries welcoming visitors from all over the world to view its natural scenery.


Data metrics - latest performance insights from STR

Hotel performance in Canada showed slightly lower performance from prior weeks in the week commencing 04-Oct-2020 with occupancy showing a continued slip in levels from 37.0% in the week ending 19-Sep-2020, to 35.6% (week ending 26-Sep-2020) and 34.0% (week ending 03-Oct-2020, to just over 32%. In comparison with the comparable week in 2019, occupancy was down -54.0% to 32.2%, ADR fell -27.9% to CAD115.03 and RevPAR declined -66.8% to CAD37.09. For this analysis week British Columbia (41.2%) was the only province to reach or surpass a 40% occupancy level. Among the major markets, Vancouver saw the highest occupancy level (33.3%).

United States of America (USA) hotel weekly occupancy hit 50% for just the second time since the low point of the pandemic, according to performance data for the week commencing 04-Oct-2020. In comparison with the comparable week in 2019, occupancy was down -29.2% to 50.0%, ADR declined -25.9% to USD97.67 and RevPAR fell -47.5% to USD48.85. While a handful of the highest occupancy markets were those in areas affected by natural disasters (i.e. California wildfires), the Saturday of the analysis week produced the week's highest occupancy (65.2%) and ADR (US$110.84). Seven of the top 25 country markets reached or surpassed 50% occupancy, led by Norfolk/Virginia Beach, Virginia (54.7%); Houston, Texas (54.4%); and San Diego, California (54.2%).


News briefs - bitesize updates of latest industry news and developments

  • The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) and the Latino Hotel Association (LHA) announced a new strategic relationship, building on a collaboration on the industry's advocacy and relief efforts with policymakers. This partnership, which goes into effect 01-Jan-2021, will deepen both organizations' shared goals of advancing public policy and advocacy efforts of the US hotel industry and growing Latino investment in the community of Latino owners and operators.
  • The Frangipani Beach Resort, a luxury boutique resort in Anguilla, has announced the launch of a new quarantine programme for guests - "Bringing Anguilla to the Frangipani". The resort will reopen to welcome back guests for the 2020-2021 season on 01-Nov-2020 with personalised quarantined activities and a new set of cleaning and safety measures to ensure arrivals meet the 10 to 14-day quarantine travel restriction for all foreign visitors stipulated by the Anguillan Government.
  • Lowe and Atlas Hotels has announced the completion of a comprehensive, multi-million-dollar renovation and repositioning of the Town and Country resort in San Diego, a vast 40-acre urban resort hotel and conference centre is located on Hotel Circle North in Mission Valley. Lowe has created a mixed-use programme for the property that included reducing the number of hotel rooms from 954 to 675 in order to add to the outdoor recreation and gathering places as well as bringing residences to the site. The 675 renovated guest rooms and suites, comprise a mix of one- and two-bedrooms with private balconies, and five top-floor Skyline suites of approximately 1,100 square feet with expansive views.
  • NeueHouse, the private workspace and cultural home for creators, innovators, and thought leaders, has launched a partnership with Design Hotels, a global collection of independent, design-driven hotels, that function as social hubs and spaces for purposeful experiences. Pivoting in the face of major disruption to the hospitality industry, the collaboration reinforces their shared missions to support the creative communities with an innovative offering for members to use the spaces for both work and leisure.
  • The Renaissance Curaçao Resort & Casino reopened in Jul-2020 to neighbouring Caribbean islands, European markets, and locals after closing briefly due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but is now gearing up for the return of Canada and US arrivals from Nov-2020 as non-stop air services resume. The 223 guest rooms now boast a blend of urban and natural elements including local ceramic art having reopened in Jan-2020 following a major redesign.
  • Rosewood Hotels & Resorts has been appointed by CTF Amsterdam to manage Rosewood Amsterdam, which will open in 2023 as the ultra-luxury hospitality group's eleventh property in Europe and first in the Netherlands. Housed in the former Palace of Justice that overlooks the Prinsengracht (the Prince's Canal), one of the city's most beautiful waterways, in the UNESCO World Heritage listed Amsterdam Canal District, the property will offer 134 guestrooms and suites, with many boasting spectacular views across the two adjoining canals, quiet internal courtyards and iconic townhouse rooftops.
  • The newly-opened TownePlace Suites by Marriott Capitol District is the first hotel to open in Nashville's Capitol District and the third largest TownePlace Suites by Marriott by total rooms in the world. The joint venture development between Chicago-based The Gettys Group and Deep Cove Partners features 204 modern studios and suites, including one-bedroom suites with terraces overlooking downtown Nashville and three top-floor studios with outdoor patios overlooking Germantown.