Aroundtown leases two hotels at Berlin’s Alexanderplatz to Leonardo Hotels for 20 years
Aroundtown signed 20-year leases with Leonardo Hotels for two Berlin Alexanderplatz properties totaling 624 rooms, rebranded from the former H2 and H4 hotels.
Development
My Place Hotels Relaunches Trend by My Place at 2026 Convention
My Place Hotels relaunched Trend by My Place at its 2026 Miami convention as a three-tier franchise platform targeting independent owners and conversion candidates seeking national distribution without heavy capital requirements.
US$90 Billion Hotel Pipeline Set to Expand GCC and North Africa Room Supply by 27 Percent
HVS data shows 200,000 rooms worth $90B in the GCC and North Africa pipeline, with Saudi Arabia leading at 110,000 rooms and over 55% of supply due by 2030.
Minor Hotels and Grupo Petra Expand Partnership in Paraguay, Announce New NH Hotel in Asunción
Minor Hotels and Grupo Petra signed two agreements in Madrid: a strategic partnership to develop NH, NH Collection, and Tivoli hotels across Paraguay, plus a management contract for a 116-room NH hotel in Asunción due in late 2029.
IHG accelerates Malaysia Expansion with Debut of Garner Hotels and Franchise Model
IHG signs a two-hotel franchise deal in Malaysia, introducing the Garner brand and its franchise model to the country, with properties in Kota Kinabalu and Tawau opening between 2027 and 2029.
Stonebridge Adds Dual-Branded Property in Heart of Atlanta Midtown’s Arts & Entertainment District to Managed Portfolio
Stonebridge takes over management of the 282-room Courtyard and Element by Marriott Atlanta Midtown, with plans to grow F&B revenue and leverage 11,000 sq ft of event space.
Mulpha Acquires Interest In Landmark Darling Harbour Hotels
Mulpha Australia acquires a one-third stake in the 781-room Novotel and ibis Sydney Darling Harbour alongside Sun Hung Kai Co. and Wentworth Capital, with Accor continuing as operator.
Beyond the Brick: Why the Asset-Light Paradigm Shift is the New Baseline for 2026
The author argues that asset-light franchising and management contracts have permanently replaced real estate ownership as the dominant growth model, citing Hilton, Hyatt, IHG, and Marriott expansions as proof.
By Francesco Derchi, Associate Professor and Director of SPARK, Les Roches
Astound Ventures launches, laser focused on driving net unit margin – ‘NUM’
Burt and Alex Cabañas launch Astound Ventures, a $30M collaborative investment fund targeting hospitality companies that improve net unit margin, with $8M raised and 10 portfolio companies so far.
Industry Veteran Sloan Dean Launches AI Hospitality Group, the First AI-Native Hotel Operating Company
Former Remington Hospitality CEO Sloan Dean launches AIHG, an AI-native hotel management company using 60-plus autonomous agents to cut back-office costs and target 500+ basis points of GOP margin improvement for owners.
Royalton Hotels & Resorts Returns to Full Strength in Jamaica with Five Resorts Open
Royalton Hotels & Resorts has reopened all five Jamaica properties across Negril and Montego Bay after significant renovations, with a sixth adults-only resort set to debut in summer 2027.
HVS Europe Hotel Transactions Bulletin - Week Ending 18 September 2026
HVS Europe's weekly bulletin covers three hotel portfolio acquisitions across Germany, England, and Greece, totalling over 1,350 rooms changing hands.
Frasers Hospitality unveils Fraser Suites Reserve, a new luxury serviced living brand
Frasers Hospitality launches Fraser Suites Reserve, a luxury serviced living brand debuting with a 255-room Bangkok property at One Bangkok tower, opening December 2026.
LHS Leading Hospitality Solutions Acquires Majority Stake in Viato and Strengthens Brandnamic Unlimited’s Marketing-Tech Division
LHS acquires a majority stake in Freiburg-based Viato, a channel manager and booking engine provider serving ~2,000 hotels in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, to strengthen Brandnamic Unlimited's Marketing-Tech portfolio.
Brandnamic and Viato
The Evolution of Hotel Management Agreements: Adapting to a Value-Focused Market in the Middle East and Africa
HVS survey of 1,313 hotels (305,500 keys) across MEA finds owners shifting toward franchise and performance-aligned structures, with 63.6% of respondents expecting more franchise agreements in the next three years.
By Alain B Debare, Partner, Head of Investments and Asset Management, HVS
HVS Asia Pacific Hospitality Newsletter - Week Ending 18 September 2026
HVS weekly roundup covers four major Asia-Pacific hotel deals: CLI's HKD2.3B ibis Hong Kong acquisition, Star Asia's Japan transactions, Banyan Group's ZAR756M Newmark Hotels stake, and Megaworld's new hospitality group launch.
Aleph Hospitality Announces South Africa Office
Aleph Hospitality opens a Cape Town regional office to oversee its 5 South African properties and drive new hotel development, citing record 10.5 million international arrivals in 2025.
Bahrain to host the International Tourism Investment Forum 2027 with UN Tourism, under the patronage of HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister
Bahrain will host the International Tourism Investment Forum with UN Tourism in January 2027, targeting ministers, investors, and financial institutions to showcase the Kingdom's investment opportunities.
Artotel Group Supports the Development of Sports Tourism Assets in West Java, Indonesia
Artotel Group CEO backed plans to convert four West Java sports complexes into integrated sport tourism and wellness destinations, speaking at Indonesia Sports Summit 2026.
Pivot selected to manage the Hutton Hotel, Nashville, Tennessee, a Tribute Portfolio by Marriott Hotel
Pivot, Davidson Hospitality Group's lifestyle vertical, will manage the 246-room Hutton Hotel in Nashville's West End, which features a music venue, recording studios, and a new spa.