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Kenan Simmons of Small Luxury Hotels of the World on Independent Spirit, the Hilton Partnership, and the Resurgence of Boutique Luxury
SLH SVP Kenan Simmons discusses how the 700-property collective helps independent hoteliers reach global audiences, the economics of the Hilton partnership, and why boutique luxury is resurging rather than evolving.
AI Can Only Read the Kitchen You Have Written Down
AI tools in kitchen and F&B operations depend entirely on the quality and completeness of documented processes and data.
Latest
Scandic Hotels Group Completes Acquisition of Dalata’s Hotel Operations
Scandic paid EUR 500 million for Dalata's 57 hotels and 12,500 rooms, adding Clayton Hotels and Maldron Hotels brands in Ireland and the UK to reach 320+ hotels across 11 markets.
SLH's Kenan Simmons on the Resurgence of Boutique Luxury, Keeping Customer Service Human, AI Can Only Read the Kitchen You Have Written Down
Wednesday brought an HN podcast on why boutique luxury is returning rather than evolving, and two arguments that AI in hotels is only as good as the people and written records behind it.
Penta Real Estate and Staycity Group Establish £230m+ Joint Venture to Deliver 350-Room Wilde Aparthotel in Central London
A £230+ million joint venture (JV) between leading Central European developer and investor Penta Real Estate and aparthotel operator Staycity Group has been established to fund the delivery of a new 350-room aparthotel in Farringdon.
Recent Appointments
View allWellness & Wellbeing
Dr Alexander Thaler has been appointed as Medical Director at Lanserhof Marbella
IHCL Signs a Ginger Hotel in Prayagraj
Indian Hotels Company (IHCL), India’s largest hospitality company, today announced the signing of a Ginger hotel in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, through an operating lease agreement. It is a greenfield project.
Radisson Blu Hotel, Sheffield becomes Radisson Hotel Group's second Verified Net Zero hotel in the UK
Radisson Blu Hotel, Sheffield has been awarded Verified Net Zero status, advancing the Group's goal of achieving 100 Verified Net Zero hotels by 2030.
Qatar Tourism Joins PATA to Strengthen Global Tourism Collaboration and Engagement with the Asia Pacific
Qatar Tourism joins PATA as a destination member, formalised at WTM London 2024, to deepen ties with Asia Pacific markets as Doha holds the 2026 GCC Tourism Capital title.
Marriott International Celebrates 800th Property in Asia Pacific excluding China with the Opening of La Résidence Phou Vao, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Luang Prabang
Marriott International, Inc. today marks a landmark moment in its Asia Pacific excluding China (APEC) growth story, celebrating its 800th property in the region and its debut in Laos with the opening of La Résidence Phou Vao, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Luang Prabang. The 36-suite hilltop retreat is nestled within three acres of tropical gardens above the UNESCO World Heritage town of Luang Prabang, offering discerning travelers an immersive gateway to one of Southeast Asia's most culturally rich and soul-stirring destinations.
Fairfield by Marriott Makes Thailand Debut in Krabi’s Ao Nang District
Fairfield by Marriott, part of Marriott Bonvoy’s global portfolio of over 30 extraordinary hotel brands, announced the opening of Fairfield by Marriott Krabi Ao Nang Beach, marking the brand’s debut in Thailand. Located in the heart of Ao Nang, the new hotel brings Fairfield’s heartfelt hospitality, modern comfort and effortless guest experience to one of Southern Thailand’s most popular coastal destinations.
Supplier News
View allDriving integrated excellence: Shiji Daylight PMS enhances Manila's premier integrated resort experience
New Coast Hotel Manila adopted Shiji's Daylight PMS to complement its existing Infrasys POS, creating a unified single-vendor technology platform across all resort operations in the Philippines.
2026 SiteMinder Partner Awards honour the innovators putting AI to work for hotels
SiteMinder's 2026 Partner Awards, held in London, recognised 12 companies turning AI into measurable hotel results, with GuestCentric's Melissa AI lifting direct booking value by 38% across 300+ properties.
ULIV chooses Mews as it scales flex living hospitality across Mexico
Mexico City-based aparthotel operator ULIV, managing 1,000+ units, adopts Mews PMS, Channel Manager and RMS to support its growth to 3,000 units across Mexico and into the US.
RoomPriceGenie launches Portfolio Calendar to give hotel groups clearer control of revenue performance
RoomPriceGenie's Portfolio Calendar gives multi-property hotel groups a single dashboard view of occupancy, ADR, RevPAR, and pricing across all properties to streamline revenue oversight.
VDA Telkonet and Cloudbeds Announce Strategic Partnership to Connect Smart Room Automation with Cloud Hospitality Management
VDA Telkonet and Cloudbeds will integrate guestroom automation with Cloudbeds PMS to auto-trigger room settings at check-in, with commercial availability planned for Q1 2027.
Avalora Introduces Cross-Platform Guest Intelligence™
Avalora launched Cross-Platform Guest Intelligence (CPGI) at The Hospitality Show in Miami Beach, an AI platform that aggregates guest interaction data across hotel systems to surface revenue and service insights.
Realtime Reservation appoints Ricky Castoldi as Chief Sales Officer
Ricky Castoldi, formerly CSO at Cendyn, joins RTR to lead global sales following the company's acquisition of Spanish firm Stay.
Bespoke Hotels partners with Aven Hospitality to strengthen reservations and distribution across its UK portfolio
Bespoke Hotels selects Aven Hospitality's SynXis CRS, booking engine, GDS distribution, and digital marketing tools across its 58-property, 3,350-room UK portfolio.
How to Keep Customer Service Human in an AI-Fueled World
Using Historic Hotel Bethlehem's "REAL People Promise" as a case study, the author argues that AI should complement, not replace, human service, with live staff always remaining easy to reach.
By Shep Hyken, Customer Service and Experience Expert, Keynote Speaker and Bestselling Author, Shepard Presentations, LLC.
HFTP Announces HITEC 2027 North America Advisory Council
HFTP named 25 hospitality technology leaders to its HITEC 2027 North America Advisory Council, which will shape education and programming for the Orlando event in June-July 2027.
Six checks to run before AI decides your hotel's story for you
Hotels risk being overlooked as AI tools increasingly shape traveler decisions before they visit a website, with only 14% of marketers currently tracking AI visibility.
How to Avoid PMS Migration Chaos Once Execution Begins
A PMS consultant outlines the key risks during migration execution, covering data mapping, hotel-side ownership, and vendor readiness, with a practical pre-migration checklist.
Emanuel Arancibia, Global Hospitality Technology Consultant, Shiji
Hilton Global Foundation and Hilton UK Foundation Back UK Charities and Organisations with Nearly £900,000 to Help Young People Get Ahead
Hilton's Global and UK Foundations have granted nearly £900,000 to 12 UK charities focused on helping young people gain skills and routes into hospitality and beyond.
Hyatt and PT Citra Buana Prakarsa Sign Agreement for Hyatt Regency Kapal Besar Island Resort
Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) and PT Citra Buana Prakarsa today announced the signing of a management agreement for Hyatt Regency Kapal Besar Island Resort. The planned resort will mark the debut of the Hyatt Regency brand in the Riau Islands and support Hyatt’s continued growth in Indonesia.
Meliá Reinforces Its Mallorcan Roots with the Addition of a New Hotel in Cala Millor
Seventy years after opening its first hotel, Meliá Hotels International continues to grow where it all began: Mallorca. In this particularly significant year, as the company celebrates its 70th anniversary, Meliá has announced the addition of a new hotel in Cala Millor, which will operate under the Meliá Hotels & Resorts brand, further strengthening one of the most iconic offerings within its resort portfolio.
Al Areen Park Hotel W.L.L. Signs MOU with Ennismore to Manage and Operate Rixos Al Areen Hotel
Al Areen Development has signed an MOU with Ennismore to relaunch its Bahrain hotel under the Rixos brand, integrated with Janat Dilmun Water Park as a family leisure destination.
Luxury Market Trends: Global Growth, Consumer Shifts and Industry Outlook
Global luxury spending reached €1.44 trillion in 2025 but growth is flattening, with brands urged to compete on experience, service design, and relationship depth rather than pricing power alone.
By Paulina Schmidt, Food and Beverage Copywriting Specialist, EHL
Hotel dynamic pricing, how to stop guessing and start pricing right
An explainer on hotel dynamic pricing covering demand signals, local events, competitor rate monitoring, and connected tech stacks, with a concluding pitch for Access Hospitality's RMS platform.
By Victoria Sparkes, Digital Content Writer for Hospitality, Access Hospitality
Hotel digital marketing - how to fill rooms and drive direct bookings
An explainer on hotel digital marketing tactics covering SEO, social media, email, and paid ads, with a CTA to download Access Hospitality's guide and referencing their 185% revenue uplift claim.
By Victoria Sparkes, Digital Content Writer for Hospitality, Access Hospitality