- Accor confirms plans for second 25hours Hotel in Australia
- Newly renovated Crowne Plaza Toronto Airport opens to Canadian arrivals
- Wyndham Hotels and Resorts brings midscale Ramada Encore brand to Nepal's Kathmandu capital
- Grand Hyatt Al Khobar Hotel and Residences debuts brand in Saudi Arabia
- Data metrics - latest performance insights from STR
- News briefs - bitesize updates of latest industry news and developments
Accor confirms plans for second 25hours Hotel in Australia
Accor has confirmed plans to open a second 25hours Hotel in Australia, after plans for 25hours Melbourne were revealed last year. The hotel group and a joint venture of Sydney developer Central Element and property investor Boston Global (CEBH), will bring Sydney's first 25hours Hotel property, set to open at the end of 2022. It will be located in the heritage building of 1-11 Oxford Street, Paddington, bringing life back to one of Sydney's most iconic event and hospitality landmarks. The building first opened in 1911 as the West's Olympia Theatre and sits on one of Sydney's best known and busiest intersections, where Oxford Street meets South Dowling Street, Victoria Street and Barcom Avenue. The property will be constructed across a total area of approximately 5,550 square metres and encompass 105 guestrooms and a rooftop bar, overlooking Oxford Street and Sydney's Eastern Suburbs and harbour.
Newly renovated Crowne Plaza Toronto Airport opens to Canadian arrivals
Crowne Plaza Toronto Airport, owned and operated by Manga Hotels, has opened its doors after completing a CAD20 million renovation, a transformation that marks a new beginning for the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) property. The 12-storey, 528-room hotel is in a prime location for all travellers visiting the Toronto region and flying through the Toronto Pearson International Airport. Located close to Highway 401 and 427, making it an ideal venue for conferences, meetings and layover travel. The investment has seen design and structural enhancements to the external façade, a rebuild of the lobby with dramatic grey and gold lighting fixtures, a /grab and go marketplace, modern fireplace, and a new business centre - all designed to provide a one-stop solution for busy travellers. Meanwhile, all 528 guest rooms and bathrooms have been redesigned. Manga Hotels currently operates 18 hotels in the Greater Toronto Area, Halifax, St John's and Buffalo, NY as well as 12 affiliated restaurants including Starbucks and a Turtle Jack's Muskoka Grill.
Wyndham Hotels and Resorts brings midscale Ramada Encore brand to Nepal's Kathmandu capital
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has entered into Nepal with the opening of the 90-room Ramada Encore by Wyndham Kathmandu-Thamel. Located in the centre of Kathmandu, the capital and largest city in Nepal, the newly built hotel is part of a vibrant rejuvenation project of the city's commercial centre, close to top attractions and cultural wonders such as the base camp for Mount Everest. The opening builds on Wyndham's commitment to grow in the sub-Indian continent. It has more than 50 properties currently in the Indian sub-continent and plans to develop around 30 additional properties across India, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Pakistan by 2025. The hotel features a versatile meeting room to accommodate up to 60 conference attendees or 80 banquet guests.
Grand Hyatt Al Khobar Hotel and Residences debuts brand in Saudi Arabia
Hyatt Hotels Corporation has opened the Grand Hyatt Al Khobar Hotel and Residences in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia-the first Grand Hyatt hotel in the Kingdom. The 368-room luxury hotel including 45 suites and 54 residential units is situated in the commercial and retail heart of Al Khobar with a connecting bridge to Al Rashid Mall. The property is the sixth Hyatt-branded hotel in Saudi Arabia, and the fifth hotel under the Grand Hyatt brand in the Middle East, making it an important milestone in Hyatt's growth strategy in the region. The Grand Hyatt Al Khobar Hotel and Residences has been developed to support the Saudi Arabia government's Vision 2030, which strives to attract international travellers into the region. Located in the city's business and leisure hub, the property brings grand gestures and an elevated, luxury accommodation offering. The hotel is opening in phases, beginning with the current 120 guestrooms and 20 residences. Highlights of this first phase include the opening of the all-day dining facilities, the lobby lounge, banquet halls, fitness center and spa. The remaining guestrooms as well as the restaurants Rosalie and Sakana House are expected to open in a second phase in Feb-2021 2021, while the third and final phase will see the opening of the remaining residences, slated for Mar-2021.
Data metrics - latest performance insights from STR
- In Brazil, the absolute occupancy and RevPAR levels in Nov-2020 were the highest in the country since Feb-2020, while ADR was the highest since Mar-2020. In comparison with Nov-2019, occupancy fell -44.2% to 35.7%, ADR slipped -10.8% to BRL288.68, while RevPAR declined -50.2% to BRL103.00.
- In the Republic of Ireland, occupancy and RevPAR in Nov-2020 dropped to their lowest levels since Jun-2020, while ADR came in lower than any month this year. In comparison with Nov-2019, occupancy declined -77.4% to 16.2%, ADR was down -37.1% to EUR73.60 and RevPAR fell -85.8% to EUR11.93.
- In Saudi Arabia, each of the three key performance metrics in Nov-2020 were up from Oct-2020 levels and monthly ADR increased year over year for the first time since Apr-2020. In comparison with Nov-2019, occupancy was down -38.7% to 34.7%, ADR was up +5.2% to SAR498.11, while RevPAR fell -35.5% to SAR172.70.
- In South Korea, the Nov-2020 occupancy and RevPAR levels were the highest in the country since Aug-2020, while ADR decreased from the previous month. In comparison with Nov-2019, occupancy was down -41.1% to 42.7%, ADR declined -12.7% to KRW123,930.50, while RevPAR fell -48.6% to KRW52,880.70.
News briefs - bitesize updates of latest industry news and developments
- US technology provider Enseo has revealed hotel guest television viewership during the COVID-19 pandemic grew with a 49.3% increase in TV viewership in occupied hotel rooms from 3Q 2019 to 3Q 2020. Its whitepaper 'Hotel Television in the Age of COVID-19' shows this increase is consistent across all property demographics, from select-service to luxury hotels. The report highlights a pandemic increase in over-the-top and streaming content, as well as traditional, linear TV, or free-to-guest content.
- Forever Resorts has renewed a contract with the National Park Service to operate Grand Canyon Lodge North Rim through 2023. The concessioner has operated the historic lodge since 2008, when it was first awarded a 10-year long contract to manage marketing and bookings for the lodge, its restaurant, gift shop and other amenities. The property, open seasonally from 15-May to 15-Oct, sits just above the canyon with a variety of cabin and motel room choices and dining options.
- hihotels by Hospitality International, a franchisee for conversion and new build hotels in the economy lodging segment, has revealed that in 2020 it signed and/or activated 18 properties into its portfolio of five distinct brands - Red Carpet Inn, Scottish Inns, Master Hosts Inns, Downtowner Inns and Passport Inn. The new additions in the past year ranged from coast to coast and included conversions from such brands as Days Inn, Econo Lodge, Motel 6, Ramada Inn, Quality Inn & Suites and Super 8.
- IHG Hotels & Resorts has signed agreements for two further Holiday Inn properties in Saudi Arabia. It has signed a management agreement with Lina Snacks Foods Company, to open Holiday Inn Riyadh The Business District, a 138-room property located close to King Khalid International Airport and the Riyadh Front which is due to open in Jan-2022. Meanwhile, it will work with Saleh Alsalamah and Partner Companies, to open the 156-room Holiday Inn Jeddah Corniche in Jan-2020, located behind the corniche road, near Jeddah Waterfront.
- A new arrival in Venice's accommodation offer in May-2021 will be the five-star Hotel Ca' di Dio, which sits within a transformed ecclesiastical compound dating from 1272 that has hosted Crusaders, pilgrims and tourists for more than eight centuries. The property comprises 57 suites and nine Deluxe rooms, spread over three floors. Ten suites have a unique view of the city's lagoon and San Giorgio Maggiore Island; two of the suites have a large roof terrace overlooking the San Marco Basin.
- The Industrialist Hotel, Autograph Collection, is a new 124-room hotel located in the heart of Pittsburgh's downtown Golden Triangle District that is due to open to guests in May-2021 as part of Marriott International's grouping of independent properties. The property accommodation includes 28 suites with the rooms all housed in the 18-storey historic Arrott building, built in 1902 for James Arrott, once considered the "Bathtub King of Pittsburg".
- Moxy Austin-University has opened its doors, tucked directly alongside the University of Texas at Austin campus. Owned by White Lodging and part of Marriott International's experiential Moxy Hotels brand, the new destination allows spirited 'Fun Hunters' to revel in the playground that consists of a hotel, cocktail bar and 24-hour taco counter buzzing with positive energy and creativity. The property offers 162 bedrooms featuring an industrial chic style.
- The NG Hotels Phaselis Bay plans to open in Apr-2021 with a promise of a new level of five-star Turkish lifestyle and relaxation for guests. Located in Kemer, near Antalya, the resort features 408-rooms across 17 different room categories with four in five offering a sea view out over the waters of the Mediterranean. There are also seven four-bedroom villas, each with its own private pool and garden.
- Preferred Hotels & Resorts has renewed a strategic partnership with software and technology provider Sabre Corporation through a long-term and expanded technology agreement. This will see Preferred Hotels & Resorts continue providing access to Sabre's SynXis Central Reservations system, along with the SynXis Booking Engine, Digital Experience, and Voice Agent solutions, among its five global collections to help its member hoteliers control all reservations in real-time from one scalable platform.
- Radisson Hotel Group expanded its portfolio of properties in Asia Pacific in 2020 with the addition of 84 new hotels and resorts, covering eight of its distinct brands. This growth forms part of the company's ambitious five-year strategy to triple its portfolio in the midterm. This will be achieved through a blend of organic growth in key markets, such as China, India, South East Asia, Australia and New Zealand, and master brand development agreements with Jin Jiang International and its subsidiaries in China.