An experienced hospitality professional argues that operational expertise must be embedded in hotel development decisions from the outset, not consulted after design, budget, and strategy are already set.
WTTC members pledged $2BN in new investment in Malta at the 26th Global Summit in Valletta, as the country posted the highest tourism GDP growth in Europe at 16.8% in 2025.
Generator acquires Novotel London Greenwich and signs a management deal to convert a Paris office building, as part of plans to double its global portfolio by 2031 under new CEO Xavier Mufraggi.
HVS Europe's weekly bulletin covers eight hotel transactions across Germany, UK, France, and Lyon, including acquisitions by Whitbread, Patrizia, MNK Partners, and others.
Marriott and Townhouse Hotels signed a deal to affiliate eight Dutch properties with Series by Marriott and Tribute Portfolio, marking the first Series by Marriott entry into the Netherlands.
Whitbread acquires two Future Inns properties in Bristol and Plymouth for 292 rooms, with conversion to Premier Inn format targeted for completion by mid-December 2026.
Leonardo Hotels Central Europe restructures its development team to manage 28 new hotels in 2026 and ~20 acquisitions in 2027, backed by an 800M-1B euro investment partnership.
Leonardo Hotels adds 735 rooms across Germany by acquiring three former Revo hotels in Munich, Hanover, and Braunschweig, marking its first presence in Braunschweig.
Three European hotel transactions this week: De Silva City acquires four Accor-branded hotels in Poland (752 rooms), Atream buys Sun Palace Albir in Spain, and Kronen Collection picks up Keswick Country House Hotel in England.
Explora Journeys signed a Letter of Intent with Dutch shipbuilder Den Breejen Shipyard to build its first luxury river ships, with sales planned to open in 2027.
Aroundtown signed 20-year leases with Leonardo Hotels for two Berlin Alexanderplatz properties totaling 624 rooms, rebranded from the former H2 and H4 hotels.
Highgate and Eternam's Alcyon Hospitality Europe fund jointly acquired the 191-key Zafolia Hotel Athens, marking Highgate's first Greece entry, with full renovation planned.
Leonardo Hotels Central Europe simultaneously acquires four former Revo Hotels across Berlin, Düsseldorf, and Dortmund, adding 1,328 rooms spanning its Leonardo Smart and Leonardo Royal brand concepts.
Hilton signs 10 Spark by Hilton hotels across England and Wales via a strategic deal with AG Hotels Group, adding 672 rooms in cities including Cardiff, Coventry and Derby, with openings expected from late 2026.
Harbour Hotels acquires Brooks Guesthouse Bristol, adding 30 keys to its existing city asset and bringing Harbour Hotel Bristol's total room count to 72 following a 2027 refurbishment.
Ten hotels from five European countries are nominated for the Hotel Property Award 2026, to be presented at the 196+ forum in Munich on 7 October at Hotel Bayerischer Hof.
I see AI as a tool, not a strategy in itself. Today, its greatest value for us is business intelligence: helping our teams analyze information faster, identify patterns, challenge assumptions and give owners better insight into performance.
Chris Nassetta was right to call this AI’s “early days.” However, we are seeing consistent evidence that shows great promise for owners and operators.First, AI improves data consolidation and presentation. For decades, we have been trying to organize and bring data into clear, actionable reports.
Starboard Hotels and LaSalle Investment Management acquired seven Accor-branded hotels across the UK, growing Starboard's portfolio to 28 properties and over 3,000 rooms.
RBH Hospitality will manage Cameron House Resort on Loch Lomond following Victory Group's acquisition, marking the investor's first UK hotel and RBH's sixth new signing in 2025.
HSMAI Europe will develop and manage HSMAI activities in Turkey starting August 2026, with a formal launch planned for early 2027 including an Advisory Board and events program.