China's YoY RevPAR Growth Nearly Doubles

STR reported China hotel RevPAR was up 99% year over year for the week ended May 13. When compared to the same week in 2019, RevPAR was down -7%.

STR said Jakarta, Indonesia’s preliminary April 2023 data showed its highest monthly ADR since August 2019. Occupancy was down -1.7% to 45% but ADR was up 32.9% to IDR1,015,991.89 resulting in RevPAR rising 30.6%. STR said Jakarta hotels reported their highest occupancy level on April 12 at 59.4%.

According to Lodging Econometrics’ latest China Construction Pipeline Trend Report, China’s total hotel construction pipeline stand sat at 3,659 projects/680,959 rooms at the end of Q1’23. In the first quarter, China opened 78 hotels/14,335 rooms. LE analysts are forecasting a total of 805 hotel projects/115,356 rooms to open in 2023 and 899 hotel projects/145,635 rooms to open in 2024.

Current China Pipeline by Status in Q1 2023

Cities in China with the Largest Pipelines in Q1 2023

Hotel Companies in China with the Largest Pipelines in Q1 2023

Hotel Brands in China with the Largest Pipelines in Q1 2023

Macau visitor arrivals rose 16.2% in April from March, up 275% year over year, to 2,274,050. Foreign visitation was up 65.3% from March to 108,529. Arrivals from Mainland China totaled 1,386,944 with another 745,282 from Hong Kong.

IHG Hotels & Resorts announced an agreement with AXA Life Insurance Company to open InterContinental Sapporo in late 2025. This will be IHG’s fifth hotel in Hokkaido, its first luxury hotel in Sapporo and its eleventh InterContinental-branded hotel in Japan. InterContinental Sapporo will debut on the upper floors (9 to 14) of a new building in the AXA Sapporo Nakajima Park Project which was announced by AXA. Alongside the hotel’s two dining venues, lounge, bar, function room, indoor pool and gym, the hotel will feature 149 guest rooms that range from 42 square meters all the way up to a 159 square meter suite. The hotel will feature a high-end, residence-like offering.

Pan Pacific Hotels Group announced the opening of Bellustar Tokyo, a Pan Pacific Hotel and Hotel Groove Shinjuku, a Parkroyal Hotel in the heart of the district of Shinjuku in Japan. The 48-story Tokyu Kabukicho Tower is the first skyscraper designed by a woman in Japan. The luxury Bellustar Tokyo is located on the upper floors of the tower and features 97 rooms ranging between 41sqm and 227sqm, with floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the city skyline. The hotel includes five ultra-luxurious one-bedroom penthouse suites on floors 45-47 floor. The largest Sky Villa penthouse on the forty-seventh floor features a spa treatment room, kitchen and jacuzzi that overlook the panoramic views of the skyline while the other penthouse suites feature a spacious living room, kitchen and bar. The hotel includes the SPA sunya, restaurants and the Penthouse Lounge on the forty-sixth floor for private meetings, gatherings and afternoon tea. The Hotel Groove Shinjuku is located on floors 18-38 floors of the Tokyu Kabukicho Tower. The hotel has 538 rooms featuring an eclectic mix of unique art and music. JAM17, their latest dining and bar space, is located on the seventeenth floor and features a rooftop terrace perfect for events, cocktail parties and weddings.

Marriott International’s Sheraton Hotels & Resorts brand announced the opening of Sheraton Kagoshima, hallmarking the brand’s one hundred and fiftieth property in Asia Pacific and the first Sheraton property in Japan that shows off the brand’s modernized design concept. The hotel is located on Japan’s Kyushu island, about a half-hour car ride from Kagoshima Airport. The heart of the new experience at the hotel is the lobby, re-imagined as the “Public Square” of the hotel. The Sheraton Kagoshima features many of the signature elements of the new vision including the Community Table purpose-built workspace that anchors the hotel’s lobby and Sheraton’s signature Booths, a quiet space with privacy. The hotel includes three restaurants and two bars. The Sheraton Kagoshima features 228 guest rooms and suites with Club rooms and suites located on the upper floors. All suites guests can enjoy access to the Sheraton Club. There are three event venues with a total of 6,565 square meters.

Pub baron Arthur Laundy and Theo Karedis were reported by the Australian Financial Review to be up against US-based Outrigger Hospitality Group in a bid to acquire the Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort on the Gold Coast from Star Entertainment Group and Far East Consortium. The five-star 295-room hotel sits opposite Sea World at Main Beach. Since being bought out by KSL, Outrigger has expressed a desire to return to Australia. KSL has a number of hotel investments in Australia including the Four Points by Sheraton Sydney.

Accor announced the signing of Novotel Melbourne Box Hill, a new build hotel set to open in January 2025 in the heart of Box Hill, one of Melbourne, Australia’s most vibrant suburbs. The hotel will feature 132 guestrooms, conferences and events facilities including a ballroom. There will be a variety of dining options, a day spa, sauna, wellness center and gym. The hotel is one of the closest to Box Hill Hospital and Epworth Eastern Hospital. The Novotel Melbourne Box Hill is owned by APH Holding.

Hotel Lotte Co. plans to open a lifestyle hotel and aquarium in Hanoi in August. Lotte Properties Hanoi Co., unveiled its plans earlier this year to open a 128,900 square meter shopping complex, Lotte Mall Westlake Hanoi in the Tay Ho area of the Vietnamese capital on August 25. Hotel Lotte’s five-star boutique hotel brand, L7, will open on floors 7-22 floor of the shopping complex. This will be the first L7 hotel to open outside of South Korea. The L7 Hanoi will have 264 hotel rooms and 192 residence rooms with views of Westlake available from the balconies of all the rooms, an infinity pool, spa, fitness center and four restaurants.

Vietnam casino complex Hoiana Resort & Golf will have a Rosewood-branded hotel, opening in 2024. Rosewood Hoi An will be the final hotel to be launched at the resort. A 330 room luxury New World Hoiana Beach Resort opened at the Hoiana complex in late April, taking the total number of room keys at the development to more than 1,200. The complex houses three other accommodation options – Hoiana Hotel & Suites, Hoiana Residences and New World Hoiana hotel.

Bollywood star Salman Khan’s family is planning to build a hotel on a prime, sea-facing plot at Carter Road, Bandra in India. Building plans approved by the BMC show a 19-story hotel on the plot which once housed the residential Starlet CHS where the Khans previously planned to redevelop the property into a residential building. The plans include three level basements, the first and second floors will have a café and restaurant, third floor will have a gym and swimming pool, fourth floor will be a service floor, the fifth and sixth will be the convention center with floors seven to nineteen for hotel rooms.

Indian Hotels Company signed a SeleQtions branded hotel in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. The currently operational property will be rebranded SeleQtions. The 125-key hotel is situated in the heart of Indore’s commercial hub. The hotel will have an all-day dining restaurant, bar and specialty restaurant with recreational facilities including a pool and gym. The hotel will also offer banqueting spaces spread over 6,400 square feet.

Radisson Hotel Group announced a partnership with JUSS Sports to operate and manage the fourth Radisson Blu property in Shanghai. The upper upscale hotel will be located in the downtown area and is scheduled to open in the second half of 2024. The 209-room Radisson Blu Hotel, Shanghai Stadium will be located at Xujiahui Sports Park, a sporting and cultural complex that covers nearly 360,000 square meters in surface area and includes Shanghai Stadium, Shanghai Indoor Stadium, Shanghai Swimming Center and the Wantihui complex, making it one of the largest and best-equipped sports and cultural venues in Shanghai. The hotel will occupy a total of 30,323 square meters with above-ground function spaces, guest rooms form floors 6-12 floor, and extensive wellness facilities including a cutting-edge fitness center, full service spa and a 25 meter long indoor swimming pool. The 209 guest rooms will include 136 standard rooms, 2 accessible rooms, 60 executive rooms and 11 spacious suites. There will be a 472 square meter banquet hall while dining options will range from a lobby bar and executive lounge to signature Chinese and all-day dining restaurants.

Yotel announced its debut in Thailand with the signing of Yotel Bangkok. The new build hotel is expected to open in 2025 and will be part of the Cloud 11, a 250,000 square-meter group-up, mixed-use development which will feature Thailand’s largest rooftop park acting as an urban lung in the city. This is the third signing announcement for Yotel in 2023, part of their strategy to reach 50 hotels by 2025. The Yotel Bangkok will feature 250 rooms and will feature the brand’s latest features including signature robotic concierge, motorized SmartBeds and fully integrated technologies. Guests can access the brand’s multi-functional dining and co-working space, 24 hour fitness center, Grab and Go snack station and two meeting hubs. There will also be a sky bar on the 22^nd floor overlooking Bang Krachao.

BWH Hotels announced the opening of Best Western Ratchada Hotel, Bangkok, a new hotel located in the heart of the Ratchada district. The 120-key midscale hotel is surrounded by commercial towers, restaurants and retail malls. The hotel includes an outdoor swimming pool, onsite restaurant and a boardroom.

Personnel Moves

Bob van den Oord has been named Chief Executive Officer for Langham Hospitality Group, stepping up from his current role as Regional Vice President, Europe, Middle East and North America from September 1, 2023. He will succeed current CEO, Brett Butcher, who is stepping down from this role, but will retain responsibilities within Great Eagle as well as CEO of the Listed Langham Hospitality Investment Ltd.

InterContinental Hotels Group announced Jolyon Bulley will succeed Elie Maalouf as Americas CEO. Jolyon is currently IHG’s Chief Executive Officer for the Greater China region, also the Group’s Transformation Lead for Luxury & Lifestyle. Daniel Aylmer, Managing Director for Greater China, will continue his responsibilities for China while IHG concludes succession planning for Jolyon’s responsibilities in Greater China.

Mandarin Oriental announced two senior leadership appointments. Amanda Hyndman has been promoted to the position of Chief People Officer from Group Director of Quality & Rooms. Francesco Cefalu has been promoted to the role of Chief Development Officer from Regional Development Director for EMEA.